2012-02-14
Madam Speaker Aagaard took the Chair at 10 am.
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, welcome once again to the sittings for 2012. I acknowledge the new Consul to the Republic of Indonesia, Mr Ade Padmo Sarwono. This is his first visit to our parliament. It is wonderful to have a new Consul for the Republic of Indonesia. You are very welcome in the Northern Territory.
Members: Hear, hear!
Madam SPEAKER: Representing the Defence Force is Ken Watson, Air Commodore. Thank you very much for attending today and representing the Defence Forces.
Members: Hear, hear!
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, many other distinguished guests were here earlier. I extend my thanks to them and to the many visitors who have come here to appreciate the beginning of the sittings with us.
I advise honourable members of the presence in the gallery of Year 5/6 Moulden Park Primary School students accompanied by Ms Trudy Bland, and Year 8 and Year 9 Sanderson Middle School students accompanied by Ms Tammy Llewellyn and Mr Bill Rolfe, also students from Nightcliff Primary School. On behalf of honourable members, I extend to you a very warm welcome.
Members: Hear, hear!
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I have received from Her Honour the Administrator Message No 31 notifying assent to bills passed in the November/December 2011 sitting of the Assembly.
The CLERK: Madam Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 100A, I inform honourable members that a response to Petition No 57 has been received and circulated to honourable members. The text of the response will be placed on the Legislative Assembly website. A copy of the response will be provided to the member who tabled the petition for distribution to petitioners.
Petition No 57
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I table a thank you letter from the Embassy of the United States of America for the transcript of the Legislative Assembly’s debate on the visit of President Obama to Darwin. It expresses gratitude to the Assembly and the people of the Northern Territory for the warm welcome given to the President of the United States.
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members and guests, I advise that morning tea will be available in the main hall for members and guests who wish to enjoy the hospitality of the parliament. You are also welcome to watch what happens in here.
Continued from 1 December 2011.
Mr CHANDLER (Brennan): Madam Speaker, I welcome everyone to 2012; it will be a big year.
Madam Speaker, the Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education Amendment Bill 2011 (Serial 192) was introduced by Dr Burns and will be fully supported by the Country Liberals. We are aware of the small amendments required and that they deal with administrative errors.
This side wholeheartedly supports this legislation which basically ticks off on many of the areas that have been brought to my attention over the last few years about Batchelor Institute. In fact, I would say some of the reports I have been made aware of suggest Batchelor Institute was a bit of a basket case in many areas. Whilst some of the complaints and issues raised with me over the last few years have not been substantiated, the results are on the board. That is where this legislation today pulls in the laces, helps, and moves Batchelor Institute into a far better run organisation.
It is great to see Charles Darwin University has become more involved. CDU will be doing the behind the scenes, back of room type administrative processes for Batchelor. It is also great to see there will be tighter controls on the board and council in how the Institute runs because what we need in the Northern Territory is not only better results in our academic levels, we need damn good teachers, and damn good teachers can only come from great curriculum and tightly run organisations which focus on the very best results.
I thank the minister and Mr Picton for the briefing on the legislation. As I said, it has ticked off many of the things brought to us over the last few years. It should not stop there though because education in the Northern Territory has to be a priority. This government has talked long and hard about its priority and I have seen the dollars that have been spent in education facilities. However, when you look at some of the results achieved particularly in our remote areas, we need to ask: ‘What do we need to do to get it right? What do we have to do, as a government, to improve those results?’
The challenges faced, particularly in the remote areas, are certainly huge. Governments all around this country have struggled with the same thing because the remote areas struggle with the same things. How do we get our children to school? What programs can we put in place to ensure children get the very best education they possibly can? I will be the first to admit I have seen some improvements in certain areas. Some of the remote schools which I had the opportunity to visit late last year definitely had programs that were, in my opinion, on the right track.
That is not to say: ‘Well, this Labor government has been in power for nearly 12 years and in that time we have not seen fantastic results’. I become frustrated when programs that are seemingly making a real improvement are simply discarded for another program that comes along. Many programs are introduced for a short period of time and are not given a chance to run.
I was talking to someone recently – I cannot mention their name – who works closely with the Education department. The word in the Education department is the CLP has an education policy which is going to turn everything over. Rumours are going around that if you want to keep your job you need to support Labor because the Country Liberals have an education policy which will change everything in the Education department - this is totally wrong. There are some very good programs in the Education department, and we have some of the best staff in the department. I do not like to hear rumour and innuendo that we are going to throw everything out if we take government in August this year. That is total muckraking and will not happen.
If something is showing signs of improving, if it is showing signs of working, why would you change it? You would strengthen it; you would get behind it and support it. Do not throw out good programs. Teachers will tell you that more than anything else they hate constant change for the sake of change. If change is necessary, fine, but if it is not, why change it? We can strengthen it and we can improve it.
When I received this briefing I walked away thinking: ‘Fantastic’. This has ticked off on some of the areas in Batchelor Institute that have concerned me over the last few years. I say that with trepidation, because there was a time when I did not know what or how to handle some of the information coming my way. Some of it was pretty rotten regarding what was happening at Batchelor Institute, what was happening in the department, how the whole thing was coming together and how it was spitting out students who, in a few allegations, were not skilled at the levels they should be to take on the challenge of teaching children in our schools.
This legislation will go a long way to improve that and a long way to strengthen Batchelor Institute. It should be strengthened and supported. It is good to see CDU now has more involvement.
Some of the issues raised before, and certainly raised with me, will be dealt with through this legislation. Well done! This is good legislation and is supported by the Country Liberals.
Mr WOOD (Nelson): Madam Speaker, I support this bill. Over the years, Batchelor has become an issue not only in the broader community, but also for staff and locals living in Batchelor. For a time, Batchelor Institute was nearly dysfunctional and nearly reached the point of going broke. There appeared to be a certain amount of nepotism, and staff morale had gone downhill considerably. That is not just hearsay; that is from people who worked at Batchelor College, as it was called then, who were concerned about the future of what they saw as an important part of our educational mix in the Northern Territory.
As the member for Brennan mentioned, there were also doubts about the validity or authenticity of some of the courses. I raised this last year after being approached by a principal at one of our remote community schools who felt Batchelor College, at that time, was not producing teachers with the qualifications normally required. I received a fair amount of criticism over that, and I do not intend to go back down that path because what I am seeing with the changes is a move in the right direction to ensure students who come through Batchelor Institute will end up with an equivalent qualification they can use anywhere in Australia.
One of the important things is the MOU which has been set up with the CDU. That is really important. In 2009, I noticed a newspaper article in The Sydney Morning Herald which said:
I believe that was looked at, at that stage, and has now come into being. That is very good.
This legislation is the change needed to turn things around. This legislation brings Batchelor Institute in line with other higher education legislation in Australia. The board has now been reduced from an unwieldy number of 22 down to 10, and those 10 will have to have qualifications and experience to be selected.
There is also an Indigenous Advisory Board made up of people who can bring advice to the institute based not only on their Indigenous background, but also their background and knowledge of education. They will also be able to advise the council on cultural and social issues as well as consulting with their own community. That is really important.
Also, the makeup of both the council and the advisory board is a good one; it gives a good cross-section of the Northern Territory representation from the north and the south. We will also have people on the board or council because of their qualifications and knowledge rather than just being someone’s friend, or just because they are Indigenous, which has been the problem previously. This will turn that around, and will be very welcomed by supporters of Batchelor Institute. Many of us believe Batchelor Institute plays an important part in the Northern Territory’s educational processes. This will be a turning point in how the college moves forward.
I thank Mr Adrian Mitchell, Director of Batchelor Institute for giving us his thoughts on the legislation and letting me know where the college is going. For instance, Mr Mitchell spoke about the VET remote delivery program which is aligned to job opportunities in remote communities. Batchelor is providing programs to assist with literacy and numeracy skills to deliver these VET programs, which is a really important part of Batchelor Institute. Even though we are talking about some of - which I will mention later on - the higher qualifications, that area of VET is important in communities because that is where much of the basic employment is going to be; it is not all going to be in the higher educational area Batchelor also looks at.
Batchelor has also entered into an MOU with Jobfind to provide training services. There are about 8000 participants in that process - a great thing as well. The issue I sometimes have with these figures is out of those 8000 participants how many actually get jobs. One area which needs to be looked at is the delivery of so-called training. Training has become an industry which has been devalued to some extent because some institutes hand out certificates like they were confetti – they do not have much substance and do not necessarily lead to a person getting a job. As much as it is good Batchelor Institute is working with people at Jobfind to provide training, the real issue for Batchelor is at the end of the training has it provided jobs. That is really what it is about. If we have 8000 participants, can someone tell me how many of those participants will have real jobs at the end of that training?
The development of a partnership in higher education with Charles Darwin University is great. They will be delivering teaching, nursing, health services and Indigenous knowledge courses. They will also be delivering a Preparation for Tertiary Success program, something I do not know much about. The minister might be able to explain if that is like a pre-training course before students get into the teaching, nursing and health services courses. One of the issues raised about the qualifications of some of the teachers going through Batchelor College was that their literacy and numeracy skills were very poor. That was a problem in itself and I am interested to know if that is being addressed in this preparation program put forward by Charles Darwin University.
Batchelor also receives money from the Commonwealth and Territory governments. It receive money from the Minerals Council, the prison, Job Services Australia and CDEP. It is also helped by companies such as Sitzler, which is now working through the Reconciliation Australia program to try to increase the number of Aboriginal employees. GEMCO is also looking to boost local government employment. When talking to Adrian Mitchell about the funding for this college, it is a very complex arrangement to keep the institute going. It receives money from a wide range of sources, much of which the institute has to apply for and much of that money, when it is boiled down, comes from the Commonwealth and the Territory.
You have to wonder if half the time the institute spends is trying to get funds rather than teaching. Perhaps we should be asking the Commonwealth government to give the institute a single source of funding instead of going through an Indigenous program over here, an employment program over here, and some skills training over here. It has to apply for funds here, there and everywhere. The amount of work and effort in applying for funds, most of which end up coming from the Commonwealth and the Territory, absorbs an unreasonable amount of time for an institute whose real focus should be on the delivery of training and teaching so we can have better outcomes for Indigenous students in the Northern Territory and the rest of Australia.
I put that in as an aside. We can complicate things so much we miss the point of why we are here. There is a good argument for simplification of the way we fund some of our institutes.
Mr Mitchell also mentioned on-site training is now becoming more effective than learning centres. He wants more learning centres because he believes there has been an underestimation of how many Aboriginal students use technology. Perhaps that is where the change will be at Batchelor Institute. There may be less focus on that more classroom-type approach at Batchelor or Alice Springs, but taking that technological approach out into the communities is something we may not have really considered previously. He is saying many Aboriginal students use technology and understand the use of it. Again, there are changes, perhaps, in the way the institute will deliver its courses.
He mentioned how Alice Springs is developing into a very successful campus and the number of students in VET is growing. He believes it is a vibrant community because it is close to Alice Springs so students do not feel isolated. It is interesting because Batchelor was placed in that location in order not to be influenced by Darwin. They wanted it in a place which was quiet and out of the way. However, he is saying the Alice Springs campus has some advantages.
Batchelor Institute is a very essential part of the economy of the little town of Batchelor and I am not saying it should close down and move somewhere else, but it was interesting to hear how he compared the relationship of one campus to the other. I am not trying to put Batchelor Institute down, but it is no secret there have been some social problems there from time to time relating to the college. They are some of the issues Mr Mitchell has been looking at. The focus on a new advisory board and new council will give Batchelor a new era and it will be good to see how it goes into the future. Mr Mitchell said he believed the future of the institute was looking good.
This legislation is part of the forward looking goal Mr Adrian Mitchell is promoting. Everyone should support this legislation before us today because it is positive. It is saying there were problems at Batchelor College, but we now have a new era - we have Batchelor Institute. It is ensuring the courses it produces are real and anyone who goes there can hold that piece of paper up and say: ‘I am equal to anyone else in Australia’. It is trying to deliver courses Indigenous people want. I do not believe people want a certificate which says: ‘I am only receiving that certificate because I am Indigenous’. They want a certificate because they are Australians, and they want a certificate that is equal with anyone else in Australia.
Madam Speaker, these changes will lead to that overall change in philosophy and outcomes Batchelor Institute will produce in the future, so I am very much in support of this legislation. I should also note I am in support of the amendment before us, which I have dubbed the Nuske amendment.
Mr MILLS (Opposition Leader): Madam Speaker, I will speak briefly on this matter because of the importance of the development and formalising of strategic alliances with Batchelor and CDU. It has been some time coming. It is understandable it has taken time because of the need for the identity of the Batchelor Institute to be retained, but at the same time develop and formalise the relationship between Charles Darwin University and Batchelor Institute, and how that relationship will work.
Given that Charles Darwin University has already entered into strategic alliances with other national institutes as well as some engagement with international, but more particularly with national bodies such as the ANU and others to strengthen Charles Darwin University, the argument therefore must follow that Charles Darwin University needs to extend its strategic engagement with like-minded institutions in the Northern Territory. On that basis it is commendable, and I recognise all those who have worked behind the scenes to bring this to pass.
To put a structure in place, formalise it, and to move the whole enterprise forward is not an easy thing. I understand issues of the culture of the Batchelor Institute, its identity, aims and objectives, are all matters that had to be worked through. I am not concerned it has taken some time, but I am pleased that progress has been made and we come to this point.
I make the comment that though legislation may change, those structures may now be formalised, and it still comes down to people being able to work together and recognise what is important and what this is about. It is not about Charles Darwin University - that is the means whereby objectives are achieved. It is not about Batchelor Institute. Batchelor Institute is an organisation to achieve a particular objective. It is about how those organisations work together, and work strategically to empower more Territorians and other Australians to make a more positive contribution to their lives, the lives of their families, and the Territory or the wider nation. It is always done in that context.
I commend all those of goodwill who will be working very hard to deliver the outcomes of the formalisation of the working relationship and how we then move both enterprises together, working strategically. Ultimately, we would see as a result of this not just organisational change, but see it demonstrated by better results in health by the health workers trained to deliver real difference to Territorians and other Australians. We would see real differences in education where it is not just the process of education, but the teaching and learning results in improvement in people’s lives, that teachers are focused on the task, are well equipped for that task and a difference is made.
For those who have an aspiration to be involved in enterprises of different kinds, that the training courses they may receive through either Batchelor or Charles Darwin University results in the tools to go into enterprise of some kind. That is what we need to see as a result of this. We are discussing something which enables that, but the objective is ultimately the change in people’s lives and an improvement in the Northern Territory.
Madam Speaker, I commend all those who have been involved in this. It is a hard slog making change. People do not necessarily go with change; however, change is necessary and some people have discussed that. We know the change was required and I commend all those involved in this process. Keep up the hard work because much needs to be done.
Dr BURNS (Education and Training): Madam Speaker, I commend all members who have made a contribution, particularly the member for Blain. You spoke very well about yes, we have changed the structures but it really needs people of goodwill to work together to bring about real change. You mentioned the changes in health, the changes in education, and the changes in equipping people to go into real enterprise that can benefit their communities.
The member for Nelson outlined some of the problems that beset Batchelor a few years ago. I would put it in two words – ‘unproductive ideology’. Some people were obstacles, were putting up barriers, and were not interested in the real changes and benefits the member for Blain was talking about. They were more interested in ideology and, whilst viewpoints and philosophies are important, sometimes we can gaze at our own navels too long and become too self-absorbed. Results, and the real reason we are here and why we are working, can be lost.
I am not just talking about in this parliament; I am talking about Batchelor. What happened with Batchelor a few years ago was sad, it was extreme and, as the member for Nelson said, almost resulted in the closure of Batchelor. To its credit, previous to the Rudd government the Howard government acted, and some of that action was carried on under the new government.
There is a fair degree of bipartisanship and goodwill around Batchelor. Those of us who have been around the Territory a long time know many people who have gone through Batchelor, whether it be in the health working area, whether it be the education area, or some of the community service areas or community government areas. There have been some outstanding graduates from Batchelor but, as the member for Nelson observed, there was a period where questions were being asked about the qualifications of people graduating from Batchelor - qualifications that really had a question mark and a shadow against them.
This legislation really goes to, as all speakers mentioned, a partnership with Charles Darwin University. There will be educational standards set which apply all around Australia not just the Territory and students will be expected to graduate to those particular standards. That is a very positive thing and addresses some of the issues raised in parliament today, and everyone agrees with that.
The member for Blain talked about the importance of maintaining and retaining the identity of Batchelor, which does, as I have said, have a proud tradition in the Territory. There are many good graduates from Batchelor. Batchelor, at various stages, has been the cutting edge in leading Australia in Indigenous tertiary education. This partnership with Charles Darwin University is crucially important.
Part of the model of this partnership is similar to the model that exists between Menzies School of Health Research and Charles Darwin University, where Menzies retains its autonomy to a large degree, but is an integral part of Charles Darwin University. Over the years, since that legislation was passed in this parliament, there have been real benefits to both sides - to Menzies and also Charles Darwin University.
The partnership which will come into force today through this legislation will also build that partnership between Charles Darwin University and Batchelor. It will also allow Batchelor to retain its autonomy, its proud tradition, its governance, but will provide a crucial link with Charles Darwin University.
I commend the work of Adrian Mitchell, the new Director/Chief Executive Officer of Batchelor. He is someone who has exemplary character, is passionate about the job, and wants to have the change, be part of the change, and bring the staff and Batchelor community with him. He is very deserving of support within Batchelor Institute from staff and everyone concerned. The future is bright for Batchelor. It was not so bright a few years ago but, sometimes, it takes a bit of a scare - whether it is a health scare for someone to give up smoking or change their habits, or whatever - for people to say: ‘Hold on a minute here; we need to work together to save Batchelor and build Batchelor into the institution it should be’.
I am not aware of any great opposition to the legislative changes. There was much angst a few years ago with staff concerned about their future - rightly so - when Batchelor was in trouble. However, that era has passed and Batchelor is on the threshold of a very important era in its history at a time when the Territory really needs the contribution of Batchelor Institute especially for our remote areas.
I pick up on a few things the member for Brennan spoke about. He talked about wholehearted support for this legislation. I like that phrase you used: ‘time to pull in the laces’. It reminded me of when I was young enough to play football, pull on the boots, pull in the laces - hopefully, I had my sock and shorts on - and run out on the field and play the game. That was pretty apt ...
Mr Elferink: How often did it happen the other way around?
Dr BURNS: Well, I do not know. It evoked all sorts of images in my brain, member for Port Darwin.
He welcomed the greater involvement of Charles Darwin University. He talked about education having to be priority, and had a bit of a political tickle about the government and remote education - I suppose primary and post-secondary education. Member for Brennan, you know what I am going to say - I am waiting for your policy on education.
Mr Chandler: You have it, apparently.
Dr BURNS: I have it?
Mr Chandler: The department says you have it.
Dr BURNS: Well, I am not saying that. I have not seen a bar of it, but it is good to hear you say you will retain and strengthen many of the initiatives of government. I would like to see you come out in black and white with exactly what you are going to do. I want to have a debate about education, the direction of education, and educational policy in the Northern Territory. As you said, you have been visiting quite a few schools in the Territory. As it is an election year you will probably want to spend a great deal of time in your electorate; however, as part of your shadow portfolio responsibilities, I will support you as much as I can to get out to various schools in the Territory whether it is in the urban areas, the provincial areas, or the remote areas. It is important for us to engage in a meaningful, courteous and civil debate about education policy because, as you said, it is crucially important for the Territory right now.
I am waiting for your policy. It is six months out from the election, approximately 180 sleeps. Let us hope I am not going to have 179 sleeps before your education policy hits the deck in the final week of the campaign. We need a bit better than that. I know you have been working on it and I hope in the next few weeks or so you will release your education policy and I will read it from cover to cover ...
Mr Elferink: And then you will retire!
Dr BURNS: No, no, we will have the debate! I will be part of that debate. I have not retired. I am not in retirement mode. You will find it is full steam ahead for the member for Johnston between now and August. I will be sprinting to the line, member for Port Darwin, and you will know I am present in this House and beyond, and in these sittings. I do not want to telegraph too much of what I might be doing in these sittings.
It is an important debate we are going to have in the next six months about the government and its policies, and the opposition which puts itself forward as an alternative government. You owe it to Territorians to come forward with solid policies. I will say it again: I was a candidate in 2000 for about 16 months all up and in that time Peter Toyne, God bless him, was responsible for coordinating all the policy initiatives. Clare Martin, and the opposition at that time, had a suite of policies about education, recreational fishing, a whole range of things which they put forward to the people of the Northern Territory to show what they intended to do in government.
There were seven in opposition and there are 10 of you. You have been in opposition for 11 years now and there is a paucity of policy from the CLP. I thought over the weekend that you are quick to criticise but are slow on solutions. Let us see your solutions in black and white, member from Brennan. I want to see what you have been working on. I want to see your homework! Let Territorians judge! If it is worthwhile policy, I will congratulate you on it, the same as you have said you are not going to throw out everything the government has been doing. That heartens me because I believe we are on the right track. It is a big task. We are talking about education generally in the Northern Territory. However, I am committed. In the time I have left as minister I am focused and I want to kick goals. That is where I am coming from.
The member for Nelson said over the years Batchelor has become an issue. He talked about dysfunction, the financial position and nepotism. He talked about the validity and authenticity of the qualifications and the importance of the memorandum of understanding with CDU. I covered those as best I could. Importantly, you spoke about Jobfind and the 8000 participants across the Territory, and you asked the very pertinent question about how many have jobs. You alluded to the fact you felt the training in the Northern Territory may have become a bit of an industry. We have all met people on remote communities with many certificates but no job.
The reasons for that are complex. There is not a simple solution, but I know the federal government is very focused on this issue and wants to link training with jobs. That is the change in policy. I welcome that change in policy because it is wrong for people to receive training - very good training in many cases - but with no prospect of a job. That is not fair on the people involved. We have to attend and support people, because people become disheartened if they have had training and cannot find a real job.
The minister has foreshadowed sweeping changes in this area and I accord with that. We are further along the track in the Territory than they might be in other jurisdictions. There is big room for improvement, member for Nelson, and I am not going to argue with you about that. It was good you raised that issue because it is a real and pertinent one. In relation to what we do with our students who attain Year 12, we have our jobs guarantee. If you pass Year 12 in the bush we will work with you to find you a real job. If we are unsuccessful with that, we will offer you further support for whatever supplementary training you might need to get that job. There have already been some pretty good results with that; however, with a limited number of people. I want to see the numbers of Indigenous kids successfully attaining Year 12 increase markedly.
You talked about the prep program at CDU. I confess I am not really familiar with it. I asked my advisor about it and am assured a big part of the preparatory program is about literacy and numeracy, but underneath that, for people to undertake tertiary studies now they require Year 12. For VET courses, you do not require Year 12. Obviously, literacy and numeracy is an issue there. CDU is aware of that and wants to support people around literacy and numeracy.
Another big issue you raised, member for Nelson, was the patchwork quilt of Commonwealth funding and the temporal nature of that funding - someone will get a funding program for three years then they have to reapply and everything changes. It is just a changing feast. I have to confess, I would like to see the Commonwealth change its policies in that regard. It does not matter if you are health, education, infrastructure, or whatever it is, unfortunately there is almost a kaleidoscope of Commonwealth programs - often with the three-year election cycle in the Commonwealth there are changes of government and changes of policy.
I am with you, but I do not think we are going to change it, unfortunately. I would like to see much more stability from the Commonwealth. In the Territory we are affected more than most jurisdictions, because 80% - the Treasurer might correct me here - of our revenue comes from the Commonwealth. Only 20% is own source compared to the larger jurisdictions, which might have 50% or 60% of Commonwealth funds. Really, they are not dependent to the same extent on the Commonwealth as it does not provide such a large portion of the states’ funding. It is frustrating as a minister because programs start and finish and people are employed on a contractual basis. Employees also want more certainty. It is an issue I have raised with the Commonwealth a number of times. I am sure the Treasurer has as well. We would like to see much more stability. Sure, there needs to be rigour in programs, evaluations, etcetera, but many organisations are in that constant round of applying for Commonwealth funds, and some of the applications are quite rigorous and arduous. I am not going to argue with you about that, member for Nelson. I agree with you.
In summary, to recap on what this bill is about - I am sure some people in the gallery are already aware but, for the record, I will talk about it.
First, it reduces the size of the institute’s council from 22 members to 10. That is about making it much tighter; I believe 10 is a better number than 22. Twelve is the ideal number, as you and I both know, member for Nelson, however, 10 is a good number and allows better input, particularly if you have a range of views around the table. Ten can represent a range of views provided there is a wide-ranging selection. It is built into these changes that there will be a diversity of people involved in the council.
For the first time, the act clearly defines the functions of the institute council and establishes an advisory board of six Indigenous members to inform and advise the institute council. A crucial part of the governance and policymaking of the Institute is the advisory board, and I commend that. It extends the duties currently imposed on the members of the institute council to apply to other institute entities such as committees of the council and members of the new advisory board. So, in all, we have clarity of functions. This is what the act is bringing to the governance of Batchelor.
It establishes a nominations committee to facilitate the filling of vacancies on the council and the advisory board to bring transparency and diversity. It also brings the governance provisions for the institute more in line with current Australian government protocols for higher education institutions.
It amends the education college and school council’s regulations by repealing the now redundant provisions applicable to the former Batchelor College. Although it is now BIITE, it will always be Batchelor for everyone. It is still Batchelor.
It affects a range of statute law revision amendments to modernise terminology in the remainder of the act. In a nutshell, those are the amendments to the governance of Batchelor and I commend them to honourable members.
We will be moving into committee, as the member for Nelson alluded to, and I commend Michelle Nuske. It is the Nuske amendment. It is typographical, but if it had not been picked up it might have caused some confusion and need for clarification. The member for Nelson - I have put it on the record a number of times - contributes heavily to debate in this House and, probably, a few times I have not agreed with him. Generally, the member for Nelson brings some real rigor to the debate in this House; he certainly debates on real issues 99% of the time. Sometimes I do not agree with him. The member for Nelson is very thorough in the way he goes through legislation, but he is ably supported by Michelle Nuske. If we could clone her I would like a couple! She is very good and I thank her for picking up this typographical error. She contributes to this parliament as well as the member for Nelson.
I am on dangerous terrain here, member for Nelson. My staff are fantastic and I commend them for all the hard work they do. On both sides of the House we have hard-working people. I also commend the people in the department, and those involved in the long journey with Batchelor bringing this legislation to fruition today.
I commend this bill to the House. We will be moving into committee, Madam Speaker.
Motion agreed to; bill read a second time.
In committee:
Madam CHAIR: Honourable members, the committee has before it the Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education Amendment Bill 2011 (Serial 192) together with Schedule of Amendments No 74 circulated by the Minister for Education and Training, Dr Burns.
Clauses 1 to 4, by leave, taken together and agreed to.
Clause 5:
Dr BURNS: Madam Chair, as foreshadowed, I move amendment 74 relating to clause 5, proposed section 11(3) to omit ‘Board member to whom this subsection applies’ and insert ‘Council member mentioned in subsection (3)(a)’.
Amendment agreed to.
Clause 5, as amended, agreed to.
Remainder of bill, by leave, taken as a whole, and agreed to.
Bill reported with amendment; report adopted.
Dr BURNS (Education and Training): Madam Speaker, I move that the bill be now read a third time.
Motion agreed to; bill read a third.
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, pursuant to paragraph 3.14 of the Remuneration Tribunal Determination No 1 of 2011, I table the interstate study travel reports for the members for Nhulunbuy and Braitling.
Mr HENDERSON (Chief Minister): Madam Speaker, at a time of great optimism and excitement in the Northern Territory, there is no doubt we are lucky to be living in this part of the world at this time in our history. When the southern states of Australia are doing it tough, when Europe reels from one crisis to another, when the US economy struggles to recover, we in the Territory are primed for prosperity.
I have said many times before that northern Australia and the resource-rich jurisdictions of Western Australia, Queensland, and the Northern Territory will underpin national growth deep into the 21st century. We are ready to take on the world. This seismic shift in the national economy has well and truly begun and the signing of the Ichthys LNG project will, in years to come, be seen as a pivotal moment in the economic transformation of the Territory.
The Ichthys project is a game changer; the second biggest investment in a single project in the nation’s history. Ichthys will create an estimated 4000 jobs during the construction phase and stimulate growth and prosperity across the Territory for many years to come. It will mean more opportunities for our dynamic and innovative entrepreneurs, more opportunities for our business community to win contracts and expand their capabilities and capacity to supply and service the wider oil and gas industry, and more job opportunities and career options for Territorians and their families.
I assure the House that Ichthys is the tip of the iceberg; it is the beginning. This project will be a catalyst for further investment. It will inspire confidence and say to the world we are ready and able to accommodate major resource projects and that we possess a sophisticated and can-do business environment that will be attractive to potential investors.
Indeed, just last week, I travelled to Perth to meet with Woodside executives about the possibility of the company building its gas hub in Darwin. The hub was planned for James Price Point near Broome but that is now looking very unlikely. I told the Woodside people Darwin offers the certainty they are looking for. I told them we have the land and they would receive all the support they needed from government. Most importantly, I told them they would have access to the kind of world-class infrastructure a project like theirs needs.
Given its history, attracting to this project is a tough ask. It is a long shot; however, that is what they said about the Ichthys project, including most of those sitting opposite me. Regardless of the outcome, I can assure this House Darwin will continue to attract world-class projects to this part of the world and will become the oil and gas capital of Australia. The big challenge we now face is to prepare the Territory for sustained growth - to gear up for growth and to ensure we lock in the opportunities that come our way in the years and decades ahead. Our aim is to spread opportunity and ensure all Territorians continue to lead the affordable family-friendly lifestyle for which we are renowned.
Today, I want to talk about the work we are doing to prepare for this new era of prosperity, about the infrastructure we are building to attract major investments, and the initiatives and investments we are putting in place to ensure Territorians are ready and able to embrace the new jobs and new opportunities heading our way.
Our government has always placed a premium on prudent and strategic economic management. It is the foundation of good government. If anyone in this House doubts the inherent strength of our economy consider this: a report released by Deloitte Access Economics has upgraded its forecast for the Territory. It has predicted we will be the second fastest growing in Australia over the next five years with a growth of 4.2% behind only Queensland. That is right - we have leapfrogged Western Australia. Deloitte also predicts the Territory will experience the second best jobs growth and the third best population growth in the nation. Now, throw this into the mix: the report also says we will have the lowest inflation levels in the nation, strong growth, more jobs, more people and lower inflation. All this and they did not even factor in Ichthys. Our strong and robust economy has enabled us to continue investing in the kinds of infrastructure that sustains this growth and sustains jobs. That is why we can attract major investors like INPEX.
All up, Territory Labor has invested around $6bn in the type of infrastructure we need to broaden our economic base and attract new and sustainable investment. Infrastructure like the Darwin Business Park, like our common user facility which will provide support to local fabricators and other industry as they participate in the construction, major maintenance and operational activities for resources and other projects, like the suite of projects being planned by the Darwin Port Corporation at East Arm and, of course, infrastructure like our new Marine Supply Base at East Arm Wharf. The Marine Supply Base will provide world-class logistical support to the offshore oil and gas industry for its exploration, construction and operational activities and is a big reason why companies like Woodside are prepared to talk to us.
I am pleased to report the base has now moved into the construction phase. This is good news for Territorians because around 125 jobs will be created at the peak of construction. Once completed, the Marine Supply Base will create 54 ongoing jobs and support 173 jobs in the broader economy. That is what these investments do: they boost capacity, they boost capability, and they create jobs for Territorians. The base will be complete by the end of 2013.
Major projects like Ichthys will generate jobs and opportunities for Territorians and their children on an unprecedented scale for decades to come. When we talk about jobs we are not just talking about production workers; we are talking about traditional trades - engineers, HR managers, lawyers, medical staff, and environmental science just to name a few. The challenge we face is to develop a skilled and flexible workforce to take advantage of these new 21st century jobs, and that is precisely what we are doing. I am immensely proud of the fact we will meet our target of 10 000 apprentices over four years. Let us put that into perspective: that is 10 000 Territorians with the knowledge and skills to participate in our economy and build careers that will last a lifetime.
In addition to this, we are ramping up initiatives to attract skilled workers to address skill shortages in certain areas, not only in the major resource projects but also the backfilled jobs left vacant in the broader community. We all want these highly paid jobs to be filled by Territorians or Australians, but these projects in our economy will be best served by minimising job shortages in the short term. In the meantime, institutions like Charles Darwin University and the Larrakia Trade Training Centre will play a pivotal role in training and upskilling our workforce of the future.
We are also engaging with proponents of major projects to understand their job needs and skills gaps and, with that knowledge, are funding appropriate skills training. I can report that the international consortium, JKC, which last week signed the $15bn project development contract for the Ichthys project, will soon be opening a shopfront in Darwin to inform local people and local businesses about the new jobs and opportunities on offer. These are new jobs and new business opportunities that are happening now.
Like us, JKC wants to maximise opportunities for local people flowing from the construction of the onshore facility and is committed to implementing the local industry employment obligations contained in the Ichthys LNG Project Development Agreement. When the shopfront opens, I encourage all interested Territorians to get along and find out about the opportunities the project is generating.
We are working with industry and the community to boost business capability in the Territory. As you well know, the engagement of business in major resource projects is not a simple and straightforward task. To compete successfully, our companies require high standards of capability and safety, world-class project management skills, accreditation and familiarity with complex tendering procedures. It is complex and time consuming, which is why we have been working closely with industry for several years to address these and other issues. It is why the Department of Business and Employment has run a series of topic-specific seminars to assist Territory business to grow capabilities and engage with Ichthys LNG and other resource projects. It is also why the department is promoting workforce planning in the wider business community to help employers plan training and retention strategies to deal with the increased pressures on their workforce during the resources boom.
In addition to this, the Northern Territory Industry Capability Network, NTICN, continues to connect Northern Territory business with the Ichthys LNG project. NTICN’s project Gateway provides a computerised system of databases and messaging to keep suppliers and contractors aware of business opportunities, and its consultants and other databases keep developers and their contractors informed of the capability and experience of Territory businesses. In other words, the lines of communication are open. The project Gateway is a valuable tool for Territory businesses accessing the resources boom now and into the future.
In addition, we are actively growing our supply and service sector with a planned program of inwards and outwards industry missions scheduled during 2012. These missions will connect local business with major international supply and service providers in the region. The aim is to establish joint venture, Australian agency or other partnership agreements.
We understand transformation of projects like Ichthys, together with the strength and resilience of our economy, will result in a steadily climbing population. That is the price of success. People will always vote with their feet to seek out opportunities for themselves and their families. Of course, a rise in population throws up significant challenges, which is why we are investing in the services and infrastructure Territorians need and demand. It is why we are building new schools, upgrading existing schools, and creating hi-tech 21st century classrooms for our kids. It is why we are building new hospitals, investing in world-class healthcare facilities and creating a healthcare system for all Territorians, and is also why we are looking to the future and investing in appropriate and affordable housing.
To meet this challenge, I announced our Housing the Territory policy in 2009. Housing the Territory has four elements: accelerated land release and infill; making the housing market more competitive; redevelopment of public housing; and affordable rents. The aim of this strategy is to ensure all Territorians can access the housing they and their families need now and into the future.
We are making significant progress and the Territory is quite literally transforming before our eyes. We have fast-tracked land release to meet the demand generated by our rising population. We are creating new suburbs in and around Darwin, suburbs like Bellamack, Mitchell, Zuccoli and Johnston in the Palmerston area, and Lyons and Muirhead in the northern suburbs. Planning for Weddell, which will create 10 000 new homes and be the Territory’s newest city is well under way.
Ensuring affordable housing options for all Territorians is a priority for our government. That is why we have reduced stamp duty, increased the Principal Place of Residence Rebate to $3500, and introduced a reduction of $8000 for seniors. That is why we have waived stamp duty for houses up to the value of $540 000 for first homebuyers and why we extended the $10 000 BuildBonus to June. It is also why 15% of all new releases will be kept for affordable and public housing, with the first already online in Bellamack and Johnston.
We are also supporting families through affordable housing programs like HomeFirst and HOMESTART NT. Since 2004, 1500 homes have been purchased through HOMESTART NT, and we review the program to ensure it is keeping pace with the change of market conditions.
We have also established an affordable housing rental company, Venture Housing, which will provide Territorians with properties to rent at below market rates. Venture Housing is being operated by Housing Choices Australia and the Unity Housing Company and will fill the gap between public and private housing markets. Thirty-five new units currently under construction in Parap will be transferred to Venture Housing and be available for rent in mid-2012.
We are also calling for proposals to develop a short-stay workers accommodation village on a 9.5 ha site on Batten Road which can support 250 people, provide additional housing options in the market and help our businesses attract and keep workers. The government will offer up to a 15-year lease over the site which has the capacity for developers to consider a larger village. I will keep the House informed of progress.
We want to give existing homeowners more options and more flexibility when it comes to what they can do with their land. That is why dual occupancy was proposed as part of the Greater Darwin Region Land Use Plan consultation paper on blocks of at least 1200 m2. The consultation showed overwhelming support for the proposal; however, there were also strong calls for a smaller size to be eligible. We have responded to that feedback and it is proposed to exhibit an amendment to the NT Planning Scheme to allow for dual occupancy on single dwelling lots of at least 1000 m2.
There are 2890 lots of at least 1000 m2 in single dwelling zones across the Darwin region, mainly in the older suburbs of Stuart Park, Fannie Bay and Nightcliff. The proposed amendment incorporates a range of provisions including: the site is an area of at least 1000 m2; the development meets all the requirements of the NT Planning Scheme, including heights, setbacks, building design and car parks; no more than two dwellings on the lot; there is no dependent unit on the lot; and the lot is not affected by the 1% storm surge. The dwellings would be subdivided under the Unit Titles Schemes Act.
The Territory is entering an era of great opportunity and prosperity and we are growing and maturing at a rapid rate. Our aim, as a government, is to ensure all Territorians reap the benefits of the growth we will experience in the years and decades ahead. We want our people to be able to access world-class education and training in the Territory. We want them to get good jobs and build rewarding careers in the Territory. We want our business to have the confidence and backing to invest, grow and look to the future in the Territory. We also want all Territorians to be able to access affordable and appropriate housing for themselves and their families.
Today, in 2012, we are primed for prosperity and ready to take on the world. As we move forward, we will do it together and share in that success together.
Madam Speaker, I move that the Assembly take note of the statement.
Mr MILLS (Opposition Leader): Madam Speaker, I agree with the Chief Minister, the Territory is very well-positioned and there is enormous opportunity. Fundamentally, the description of that opportunity and the required response was described by the Chief Minister; however, there were elements of that description not adequately fleshed out.
To lay the foundations for this, one would gather from the Chief Minister’s contribution it is wholly and solely the achievement of this Chief Minister and this Cabinet which has resulted in this enormous opportunity. The wider community, and Territorians who have been here for some time, would find that a churlish position to take. It is trying to appropriate something where the government has done a job and been commended for a job - it is part of a bigger story. We need to recognise it was not this Chief Minister, it was the former Chief Minister, with Paul Tyrell, who saw the opportunity and facilitated the discussions which resulted in the decision we celebrated last week. That does not seem to be a generous part of the narrative coming from this current Labor administration.
That surprises me, frankly. However, what does not surprise me is if we expand the story we would find there is a railway, a port - there is other infrastructure in place which did not just arrive when this Labor party arrived on the scene. Others have contributed to this. From self government, go back and see there was recognition of the immense opportunities the Territory has and, consequently, planning was put in place, decisions were made, investments were made and we have railways, we have corridors set aside and we have a port. Those things should be acknowledged. If we acknowledge traditional owners and our deep history of where we have come, projects like this also need to acknowledge we have not arrived here and it is not the sole domain of the existing Chief Minister. He talks about INPEX in the vain hope that people of the Northern Territory will love the Chief Minister, like this current government and reward it by re-electing it because it talks about this big project.
The wider Territory can see, quite plainly, there is much more to this story. I will say it again in case the Deputy Chief Minister amplifies on this point and loses the thrust of what I am saying: this government has done what governments do and it has moved this issue forward. That is great; I give you that. However, that is the role of a government. There are also other roles a government has and aspects of this role are significantly deficient.
Members of the House would be well aware, if we extend our memories back, of discussions that have occurred over the last number of years, since before the last Territory election in fact. Members who were here would recall the urgency of which a small opposition and an Independent member were requesting, pleading, with the Territory government for the adequate release of land so we could be prepared by getting ahead of the game. That was rejected for too many years and has put us in a difficult position right now, make no mistake about that.
With all the excitement about the opportunity, the opportunity also brings responsibilities. The Territory government has responsibility for the planning regime. There has been a response - let us call it a reaction, to be fair – to that which was clearly coming like a train down the track and the need to get ahead of the game in the balance between supply and demand. That was not done and we have the evidence of that. You can talk to all the announcements you have made in recent times, but it is 2012! You can talk about the programs, plans, and schemes you have in place, but you also need to talk about the fact the Australian Bureau of Statistics has identified 3500 more people have chosen to leave the Northern Territory in the last two years than arrive.
Trying to explain that away will not do justice to the reality that many constituents are experiencing excruciating financial pain from the cost of living, principally housing. I accept that in the 3500 there is a Defence component, but that is only for one of those years. It is a disturbing figure to have that many people, as a result of the pressures around managing the day-to-day expenses of living in the Northern Territory decide - many of them, not all - they have to go somewhere else because it is cheaper; the pressures are less if you live elsewhere.
You can talk about all your schemes in 2009, and the recent reaction of dividing up blocks of 1000 m2 or more. That is simply a reaction; it is ‘hit the panic button’. Anyone who takes these matters seriously knows a long-term strategic plan for the greater Darwin area is still missing. It is not there in sufficient detail to allow substantive questions to be asked and answered. That is the responsibility of a government. Yes, you took responsibility for the obvious advancing of opportunity but did not take responsibility for what that responsibility means, which is the pressure on people on modest incomes.
I would have thought for a proud representative of the Labor Party, the Chief Minister would talk a little about people on modest incomes. These are the people who work in places like Coles and Woolies, are on the front desk of many of the government agencies such as MVR, police auxiliaries, and the front counter of doctor’s surgeries and shops and so on. These people are going to have greater pressure on them to respond to a growing population but their wages will not increase in the same order as a gas fitter or a boilermaker. It is quite likely, because of the failure to adequately plan, that the cost of living pressures on these very important workers in our community will increase - and we need them.
We need to be able to go to the pharmacy and speak to someone, or purchase something from someone at the cash register. You will find the only people able to man those positions in the greater Darwin area will be those who are living with mum and dad. People cannot come here and survive and have a dream of being involved in the future of the Northern Territory on a modest income and, at the same time, service rent that makes the lifestyle liveable or, better still, consider buying a small unit. People who work in those positions will not be able to do that and you are depending on those who are here and already have a place. That means they are long-term Territorians; they will not be refreshed unless they are the children of long-term Territorians. Do not forget, 3500 more have left than arrived. For those in the Australian Labor Party- I am sure if you were in opposition you would be amplifying these things - you talk about these matters as your ideology, it focuses on these things, but I hear no talk about that.
You then talk about employment; employment opportunities are extraordinary. The opportunities that will come from INPEX are much greater than we can conceive at the moment. The impact will be profound, but there will also remain the challenge that we have made no progress with - we could talk about programs, but progress is those who should be spoken of regularly and honestly by the Australian Labor Party - Indigenous Territorians - and their capacity to be involved in this. When you talk about employment, you now have this dreadful blind spot which draws my attention immediately. You do not talk about those who are long-term welfare recipients. They are not included in the figures but should be in your vision. They should be on your conscience and they should know what you doing in practical and real terms to advance that.
Do not talk about programs, talk about progress. The indicators are not cause for hope. All the talk, all the good intention, has not resulted in change. The best form of welfare is a real job. You can talk about your programs, you can talk about the money that is spent, you can talk about the good intentions and how important it is and the highest priorities of government, but we need to see practical real results.
Was the Larrakia Development Corporation’s investment in the trade training centre at East Arm a driving initiative of the Labor government? It was not. It was an initiative of INPEX and the Larrakia Development Corporation. It was their initiative with a very modest investment from the Labor government to show it was serious about these matters. There was a very modest, in fact embarrassingly so, level of leadership, investment and commitment to that critical enterprise. We talk about the big program, we talk about the money, we talk about INPEX, and we talk about great opportunities. However, when it comes into that space you do not see evidence of your care for those who are having some difficulties and will have increased difficulty in partaking in this great opportunity. With opportunity comes risk, comes challenge, comes responsibility, and I do not hear enough talk about that. This is not a glossy brochure; this is life and some people are living this life and finding the opportunity a challenge for them. Make no mistake about it.
Let us go to work. The best form of welfare is a real job. Minister for Education, please explain to the House why it is that kids in middle school or upper primary do not get themselves involved in the trades - they do not do woodwork or metalwork. I have been through the schools and see the art centres are bursting at the seams, but I go past the metalwork room, or the room set up for hands-on technical skills, and they receive the scantest attention. We do not have that kind of serious investment with young people being involved in these projects and programs. In some places, yes, sustained by a passionate teacher, but generally these places are covered in dust.
You go to Thailand or the Philippines recruiting people to be involved in this great opportunity - go to Sanderson or go to Palmerston and see those trade training places in the middle schools covered in dust and not used. Shame on you! That is where the effort should have been made and not in 2012, that should have been going on. Those kids in primary school and middle school, particularly the boys, should have been involved in those things if you had seen it coming, if you cared and drove change in that space. Support the manual arts teachers and get some of those boys into these paths. It has been spoken about in this Chamber since 2005 plus.
I ask you, members of the Australian Labor Party, to visit your local schools and make inquiries about what is happening in the manual arts area before you go traipsing off to Thailand because there is a big dead spot there. Ask your manual arts teachers what kind of support they are receiving; it is nothing like the support the arts teachers get. Where is the serious heavy lifting in that space? It is not there. However, we can have the showcase events, we can have the big talk that gives us all a good feeling and, as the Labor Party wants, we will all like you because INPEX has come.
Anyone who is involved in an enterprise like that - it is an enormous project and you guys probably have a better insight into it than I; but they will do what they do. You have done your job; you have facilitated a discussion. It was Clare Martin, former Chief Minister, and the baton has been passed and you have done your bit – that is great – but there is an expectation that certain other areas need to be addressed and you were warned, you were encouraged, you were cajoled, you were chastised, and they still remain. It seems like we are still running behind the game hoping the carnival will deliver you a dividend.
When it distils down to the social indicators we see: the compounding effect of the cost of living; what is happening in our schools and the opportunities that could be provided, particularly for young people to be involved; people on modest incomes and how this is going to affect them; and the hard-working small business operator in Winnellie. You can talk about programs, but we know from the Conoco experience there will be with this opportunity some real challenge for those business operators.
Do not wait until 2012 - there has been movement and activity in the marketplace - but things that prepare. You could have started with balancing the supply and demand of land. You could have ensured there were more young people, particularly boys, involved in manual arts, as we have been saying for some time. Whatever happened to the Australian technical colleges and all the money invested there? Have a look. See what happened to all the equipment put in place ...
A member: Where?
Mr MILLS: Yes. Where? Have a look.
Mr Vatskalis: A good announcement.
Mr MILLS: A good announcement? Another announcement! These guys believe announcements result in something. We have had no end of announcements. We want to see some evidence then you will be rewarded. We are just about over announcements, member for Casuarina. We need to see the building approvals, for example. Give us an explanation as to why they have gone down with this great opportunity. Why is it people are finding it hard to commit to building a place? They are down significantly. The Treasurer is going to explain that; however, I would like that explained in a pub where people could understand it and believe the explanation stacks up.
The challenges are there because of the enormous opportunity. However, make no mistake: the Country Liberals recognise this enormous opportunity. In fact, it is in the DNA of the Country Liberal Party, who laid the foundations upon which this next phase has been built. The opportunities are certainly there.
We have seen events reinforce the strategic placement of the Northern Territory, the challenges and opportunities, particularly in the Top End, with what we see happening in the Kimberley and the enormous opportunities they present for this whole region - the Kimberley’s and across the Top End - with the United States presence and what that means. Having recently travelled to Indonesia and had meetings in Jakarta, it has certainly put Darwin on the radar in a way it has not been for some time. It is now part of a much bigger story.
There is much more to this. We could talk about the other strategic alliances to flow from this and how they would work together; however, principally, we acknowledge we are well-placed and that there was previous infrastructure built as the foundation upon which this announcement would occur.
I agree with the Chief Minister, this is but the tip of the iceberg and other opportunities will now come knocking. I agree that what is happening in the Kimberley’s - the vote of confidence INPEX has put into the Northern Territory will draw others in. However, what must be accepted is the big question which needs answering: where will one million people live? You then break it down. Where do 500 000 people live? Or 250 000 or 200 000? Where will they live? Where is the plan? Where does heavy industry go? Where do you place it? Where is your decision to create the foundation for these opportunities to be realised?
Those questions must be answered not an announcement about some initiative responding to a political concern. We need serious announcements which demonstrate to the wider community you have taken these matters seriously, have responded to them and reinforced an idea that might be a bit hard - you would have to be believed - to reinforce this is not about the Labor Party or the Chief Minister and his team. This is about the Northern Territory and about people on modest incomes and what it means to them. It is about small business owners and what this means to them, and about mums and dads wondering what career path their kid will go down who might be in Year 10 or 11, or 8 or 9.
What is their future? It is about them not about you and your announcement in response to another political hot spot. It is the heavy lifting around serious planning and preparation and, ultimately, for those of you who espouse concern and care and use those words for those who have been locked out, who are counted but not counted when it comes to employment figures, it is about 30% of the Territory community not employed with no prospect of a job. Explore that space and convince us you are taking that seriously. We need much more than an announcement.
Madam Speaker, there is opportunity, absolutely. But with opportunity comes challenges and responsibilities and you have taken some of that. However, you have not really exerted much sweat over lifting those heavy responsibilities I referred to. That is more difficult.
Ms LAWRIE (Treasurer): Madam Speaker, I support the Chief Minister’s statement because we are in the midst of gearing up for significant economic growth. We have focused on strong economic management to create opportunities for Territorians. As the Leader of the Opposition describes, the modest incomes, where in Labor we call them the families of the Territory - we are very focused on what this opportunity means for the children of those families across the Territory regardless of where they live.
The Ichthys final investment decision announcement sends a clarion call of a game changer in the fundamental economic base of the Territory. It also sends a very clear message to the global resources industry: the Territory is open for business; we are a can-do government. With what we have seen in growth in mining exploration - $150m just in the last 12 months alone - this opportunity of growth is across the Territory. As a government, we have been focused on securing the major project of Ichthys to send that clarion call out across the globe that we will be a global energy provider and we have the multiplying effects of our critical project, the Marine Supply Base. Equally, it provides the global resources industry with the knowledge it can do business in the Territory with certainty, without compromising any approvals processes, and without compromising our majestic environment. We are open for business and that genuinely has an enormous opportunity for, as the Leader of the Opposition described, our modest income families.
This government is proudly focused on securing job opportunities for Territorians and, to do that - step back from that - through the decade we have focused on education. Education is the key to seizing job opportunities; giving our children the best possible education they can have in the Territory regardless of where they live. I get a little sick of the hypocrisy of members opposite when the Leader of the Opposition complains about dust on the workshop benches. There was no secondary education in the Territory before the Labor government. The blinkers of the CLP were down. They did not want to know about the need to educate children, regardless of where they lived. We proudly invested in the infrastructure, the teachers, the resources, and the improved curriculum to ensure every Territory child has the opportunity of employment. Employment, we know, gives enormous strength to self-esteem.
In the previous debate on the Batchelor Institute you would have thought, listening to the Leader of the Opposition, that we were not involved at all in Indigenous education training. What an absolute nonsense of a belief he holds regarding the funding commitments we have made and the support we have provided to Batchelor, Charles Darwin University, and to fantastic organisations such as Group Training NT. We have increased, year on year, the training budget to genuinely train our own to seize these employment opportunities. We have increased it to $21.8m this financial year alone. We are a can-do government focused on delivering for families and driving a pathway of job opportunities for our children regardless of where they live or their socioeconomic and racial background. I find it appalling for the member for Blain to pretend we are not interested in Indigenous education, Indigenous training, and Indigenous employment.
We are well placed. We are on the cusp of a boom that is hard for many people to fathom. As Treasurer, I have been talking to industry groups for years about what an FID on the Ichthys LNG project will mean for industry. As both Treasurer and Minister for Business and Employment, I am front and centre working with industry and training organisations to ensure we can maximise the benefits for locals - local businesses and people studying at our local institutions.
The Chief Minister has been out across the school network explaining the opportunities these major projects bring in employment options for the children who today are in primary school, in middle school, and in senior school …
Madam SPEAKER: Deputy Chief Minister, do you mind if I acknowledge these children in the gallery?
Ms LAWRIE: More than happy, Madam Speaker.
Madam SPEAKER: Thank you. Honourable members, I draw your attention to the presence in the gallery of Sanderson Middle School Year 9 students, together with teacher Mr Bill Rolfe. On behalf of honourable members, I extend to you a very warm welcome.
Members: Hear, hear!
Ms LAWRIE: Sanderson Middle School is a great school. Welcome to parliament, again.
Deloitte Access Economics’ independent economic commentators say we will be second only behind Queensland. We have leapfrogged the resource-rich jurisdiction of Western Australia in sustained economic growth across the next five years. They predict we will have a 4.2% economic growth across those years. Of course, when those predictions occurred they did not fully factor in the final investment decision of the Ichthys LNG project. It will be very interesting to see what their growth predictions turn to in their next report. They also predict we will have the second best jobs growth. For the families of the Territory, if you do not have a job you do are doing it tough. People want access to jobs and want to know their children will have access to jobs. We will also have the third best population growth in the nation.
I listened to the carping, whinging and whining of the CLP about population reduction in the last few years. The reality is we are a small jurisdiction and we have movements of population. We have come off an historic high in population growth and have trended back to more normal population levels. Of course, the major projects will spur population on into the higher growth scenarios again.
To ensure we were well-placed for the major projects we grew the economy and kept Territorians in jobs through the tough years we experienced as a result of the GFC, and provided opportunities for Territorians to seize when the major projects landed. We established the Gearing Up of Local Business for Major Projects task force last year which is co-chaired by the NT Chamber of Commerce and my Department of Business and Employment. It includes representatives from: INPEX; ConocoPhillips; ENI Australia; Master Builders Association; Civil Contractors Federation; the Road Transport Association; the Manufacturers Council; Unions NT; Charles Darwin University, the Industry Capability Network NT; and the Department of Chief Minister. This task force has already met four times and has formed the content for the industry development program.
I am ensuring the Ichthys LNG prime contractor, JKC, will now join the task force following the signing of that contract last week. It provides local businesses with information and pathways for business preparedness and capability growth related to major projects. Nine events were held throughout last year and more than 900 local business owners and operators attended.
The 2012 program will continue to strengthen business capability to participate in those major project supply chains. This will be done by raising awareness, identifying pathways to meet participation requirements, encouraging investment in those all important business systems such as quality assurance and control, project management and control, health and safety, environment and security.
The NT Industry Capability Network plays a critical role in linking businesses with opportunities. It is a business matchmaking service to link the suppliers with the buyers. Our ICN has been proactively gearing up local businesses to position themselves for the opportunities. Their online Gateway tool provides a registration process for businesses where they can provide a detailed profile of capability and professional accreditations.
For the past four years, ICNNT has been providing local business information and capability to the Ichthys LNG joint venture partners. Last Thursday, the prime contractor, JKC, was officially awarded the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor contract for the onshore side of the Ichthys project. JKC is very well-informed about local industry capability. In November 2010, I was in Japan meeting with the senior partner of JKC, JGC, about local capability and how our businesses were ready with the opportunities that would flow from Ichthys’ FID.
The ICN, in concert with the NT government, industry associations, unions, and major project proponents has promoted the importance of companies providing all the necessary information including those quality endorsements, OH&S, industrial relations policy, and accreditation so our businesses are well-placed to put their best foot forward to seize the opportunities of the contracts that are flowing.
The ICN, with support from our government, has been able to engage additional staff it will require to ensure supply chain opportunities lead back to the Territory wherever possible. There will inevitably be considerable interstate and international competition in such a massive project - a $34bn project such as Ichthys. The ICN’s position as a source of information on opportunities enables it to link those big multinationals and nationals coming in with local companies for the betterment of both. ICN is actively working with our government and the Chamber of Commerce Manufacturers Council to run a series of offshore delegations. It also plays a role in assisting proponents with their industry briefings and will continue to do so in the future. These briefings are welcomed by businesses looking to understand the opportunity and tender requirements directly from the proponent.
The Ichthys project is not the only focus of the ICNNT. Other projects where the ICN will play a role to support local business include: ENI’s Kitan, Heron and Blackwood projects; the GDF Suez Bonaparte FLNG; the Shell Prelude LNG; the Falcon Oil Beetaloo Station gas project; the Vista Gold Mt Todd gold mine; and the Xstrata McArthur River Mine expansion. Opportunities linked to the new Darwin prison and the Marine Supply Base will also be listed on the ICN Gateway. I acknowledge the work of Kevin Peters and his team at ICNNT and the way they work proactively with our government to gear up our local businesses.
Our focus has also been on developing a workforce to meet the major projects. We have been intensively involved in that work as far back as 2008 when decisions were made about Darwin being the location. Anticipating we were going to enter an unprecedented economic boom when a location decision was made, this government committed additional funds for apprentices and trainees. Efforts were focused on the increased promotion of the Territory as a skilled migration destination for both interstate and international workers. Our current employment strategy, Jobs NT, was developed in a period of economic uncertainty and helped our Territory businesses resist most of the impacts of the GFC. Jobs NT has delivered well beyond its targets. Jobs NT was launched in May 2010 and set four major targets. With six months still to go, the targets have either been achieved or considerable progress has been made. We have more than 24 000 Territorians in training, with more than 3000 Indigenous Territorians commencing employment in the past three years. Labour force participation rates continue to exceed national participation rates. The Northern Territory had the highest labour force participation rate of 75.2% compared to the national rate of 65.2% in December 2011 figures.
Our workforce is more skilled, with more workers having a Certificate III qualification or above. More Indigenous Territorians have engaged in the workforce and in training. Since 2009, more than 3000 Indigenous Territorians have commenced work, while around a quarter of the current apprentices and trainees in training are Indigenous. The announcement of the Ichthys project and the latest Deloitte Access Economics figures indicate the Northern Territory is moving into a period of very high economic growth. With that growth come challenges - challenges we embrace - such as labour and skill shortages. Our government is preparing the next employment strategy to meet these challenges head on and we are out there consulting with industry and our community on this employment strategy. Through consultation you get some good ideas.
I encourage all Territorians who have not yet seen the employment strategy discussion starter I released last month to get online and participate. Public consultations are already under way, with the first held in Katherine yesterday. These consultations provide Territorians with the opportunity to have their say in this employment strategy. It will see us through the construction of a number of major projects and will provide many opportunities for Territorians and our local businesses. While we look forward to these opportunities, our government is focused on addressing these challenges in the workforce.
We are undertaking a number of initiatives focused at skilling Territorians first, recruiting skilled workers from interstate and, yes, internationally as required. All the analysis on the data shows there will be a workforce gap. Funding and skilling from within is priority as far as we can go. Attracting workers from throughout our nation will meet some of the workforce requirements; however, there will still be a gap and we will need workers from around the world.
We know there will be shortages in demand for structural, mechanical and piping occupations such as metal trades, electricians, lifting, rigging, scaffolding and trades assistants. Mechanics, civil skills, labourers and plant operators will also be needed at different stages of construction. Across most sectors the growth flowing from our major projects will keep Territorians in work for decades to come.
The Leader of the Opposition chose to have a crack at me for visiting Thailand to look at the migration opportunities of Thai workers. I will be off to the Philippines and Indonesia as well later this month. I make no apology for ensuring that, as Treasurer, I do not see wages spiral in the small- and medium-size enterprises which will be affected by the pull-through effect of workers moving to working on a major project. Get out there CLP and have the dialogue with local businesses and you will find they share the view of our government. First and foremost, train and recruit our own Territorians. Second, attract as many as we can from throughout Australia and, third - which cannot be ignored - source migration workers.
To this end, our government’s priority is growing the number of apprentices and trainees, including school-based apprenticeships and traineeships, to provide that larger, skilled-up Territory workforce. From 2011 to date, 2819 apprenticeships and trainees have commenced. To date, 49 apprenticeships and trainee commencements have occurred this year alone, on track to meet our four-year target of 10 000 commencements. As at 29 January, more than 4220 apprentices and trainees are in training and more than $24.6m per annum is committed to funding and training that support for apprentices and trainees. More than 4662 Territorians completed apprenticeships and traineeships, with 1728 being in occupations on the NT Occupation Shortage List as of 29 January. Improving the completion rates of our apprentices and trainees remains a priority for our government, as it does across our nation.
Our first focus is on skilling our own. With economic prosperity ahead, many Territorians will take up those opportunities on major projects and leave that skill backlog in our small- and medium-sized enterprises. That is why we are working proactively with industry to fill those gaps.
A team Territory approach is being taken in regard to skilled migration. In 2009, under our skilled worker campaign, industry and government delegations went to Indonesia, Ireland, South Africa, the United Kingdom, Brisbane and Adelaide. In general, overseas skilled migration can take between 18 months and three years to finalise so the timing of these programs was critical. As I speak, a delegation of government and industry representatives is preparing to attend upcoming migration expos in Manchester, London and Dublin. This delegation will target skilled workers interested in moving to the Territory. It will showcase job vacancies report by our employers.
It is also beholden on government to ensure the regulatory space is geared up for growth. Government is investing a record $1.5bn over five years to improve power and water assets.
Mr McCARTHY: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Pursuant to Standing Order 77, I move that the member be given an extension of time.
Motion agreed to.
Ms LAWRIE: Madam Speaker, the $1.5bn in power and water is to boost reliability and respond to demand growth which comes with population and economic growth.
We are also delivering reforms in the electricity supply regulatory environment to improve standards of service for consumers and service reliability, to promote price transparency for consumers, to enable other providers to more easily participate in the electricity industry, and bring the Territory’s regulatory arrangements in line with other jurisdictions. To this end, we have strengthened the role of the Utilities Commission and expanded it to undertake these reforms. The commission has completed its program of reviews and initiatives include the commencement of full retail competition in the Territory on 1 April. This means all customers can choose their electricity supplier, and it is now being supported by a retail market code following the entry by QEnergy into the Territory’s electricity market - a guaranteed service level scheme from 1 January with full commencement from 1 July this year. It requires electricity suppliers to compensate customers for defined breaches of reliability standards, including duration and number of outages.
The initiatives currently under development and scheduled for implementation in the next 12 to 18 months include: comprehensive standards of service framework to establish transparent performance standards for electricity suppliers, with compliance against the standards monitored and reported by the Utilities Commission; a retail price monitoring regime administered by the Utilities Commission to provide incentives for electricity suppliers to price efficiently; and reforms to increase the level of market information to electricity suppliers to inform investment decisions and to provide for greater independence in the operation and planning of the system.
The reforms aim to benefit electricity consumers by promoting reliable and efficient electricity supply in the Territory. This is being achieved by increasing reducing barriers in competition to the market, by increasing investment certainty for suppliers, and by improving transparency around prices and service standards.
I listened intently to the complaints of the Leader of the Opposition. He tried to make out we do not have a plan for the urban and industrial growth of the greater Darwin region. He seems to continually miss the point that the Greater Darwin Strategic Land Use Plan has been developed to take us through the growth for the next two decades. He seemed to miss the point that it has gone out to full and thorough public consultation and is due to be formally released by the minister for Planning. Our plan, in stark contrast to their plan, does not include three dams in our harbour. I say shame on the CLP for wanting to put three dams in our beautiful, pristine harbour.
We have a plan for the residential/industrial growth of greater Darwin - the Greater Darwin Strategic Land Use Plan and indeed …
Mr GILES: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I draw your attention to the state of the House.
Madam SPEAKER: A quorum is called. Ring the bells. A quorum is present.
Ms LAWRIE: Thank you, Madam Speaker. To complement the Greater Darwin Strategic Land Use Plan which provides certainty for the residential/industrial growth across the greater Darwin region, we also have come out with a range of housing initiatives to address the desire and need of calls for affordability. We were the first government in the Territory’s history to set aside 15% of all public land release for social and affordable housing. Without that being set aside, you do not have product in the marketplace.
We have the fastest land release program in the Top End’s history, with suburbs popping up in Palmerston East. Of course, we have seen the completion of Lyons and the commencement of Muirhead. That being said, we put the right planning tools and changes in place to be able to grow urban development within our CBD. We have put the equivalent of an entire new suburb, in excess of 2000 people, into urban dwelling within the Darwin CBD. The Greater Darwin Strategic Land Use Plan provides for all these planning mechanisms to grow and be stimulated.
With the fastest land release program we are able to accommodate families and are seeing that kick in. We have the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ data as recently as yesterday showing housing finance commitments in the Territory for owner occupation increased by 8.7% in December. If you compare the 8.7% December commencements, they are certainly significantly higher than the national average of 2.3%. However, most encouraging in that data was a 12.3% increase in first homebuyers in December - an 18.5% increase compared to December 2010. When you compare that to the national average of less than 1%, it is certainly a good sign that Territorians are getting into that all-important property ownership.
We know consumer investment was hit hard by the shock effects of the GFC. We know they became a cautious consumer. We stimulated the market with products such as BuildBonus, extending that to June of this year, providing affordable packages around the HomeFirst which has been popular in Palmerston, and the Territory’s HOMESTART NT which is designed to give that leg-up into the marketplace for our low- to middle-income earners, the modest income people described by the Leader of the Opposition.
We have a range and mix of affordable product. The Chief Minister talked about the affordable housing rental company, another Territory first delivered by a Labor government in the marketplace. They will receive 35 of those all-important units at Wirrina redevelopment in Parap. They also have an opportunity at Driver, and we are seeing their ability to talk to local developers.
We interrogate the development pipeline across the Territory – the development of approved units in the Territory and it is quite robust. However, the financial lending practices of the institutions have been a bit of a handbrake on the development-ready going to construction. That handbrake has just come off. With the final investment decision of the Ichthys project we will see quite a significant increase in those development-ready approved projects going under construction. The stimulus is there in the private sector market buy into that all important end of the residential property market.
The doom and gloom of the members opposite is really a case of them trying to drive a car looking in the rear view mirror. They do not have a vision or a plan for going forward - for taking the Territory forward. There was a churlish contribution by the Leader of the Opposition saying: ‘Yes, we acknowledge it was a Labor government that brought this here but where is the grace of acknowledging the role of the former Chief Minister?’ He sat at the celebration of the joint venture partners of the Ichthys LNG project last week. He heard our Chief Minister, Paul Henderson, publically and graciously acknowledge the role of the former Chief Minister, Clare Martin, who knocked on the door, who spruiked the project. The same Leader of the Opposition described the project as a 19th century project and said it had no place in Middle Arm. He has proven himself time and time again to be a fool. He is a man without planning, a man without vision, and a man with a sorry divided team who run rather than support him. In stark contrast, our Chief Minister had the drive, the vision, and was publically acknowledged by key speakers at the celebration last week as being the man with the enthusiastic drive to ensure the project reached a final investment decision.
Our businesses have been working constructively with our government, and our government worked constructively with the industry organisations to support the businesses. We have been preparing for this project for years, ensuring we are training our own, improving our education system and giving pathways of opportunity to our locals. We are in a whole new game of economic growth in the Territory with the major projects and what they deliver. As I said earlier in my speech, it is not just the Ichthys project. There are those other big projects in the oil and gas industry, the resources, and our own multiplier with the Wickham Marine Supply Base, all tremendous and backed up by our own spend with the prison.
We are well-placed to ensure if you want a job in the Territory you can get a job, in stark contrast to the struggling jurisdictions around our nation and around the globe. The Territory is the best place to live now and, in gearing up for this growth, we will ensure it continues to be the best place to live into the future.
Members: Hear, hear!
Debate suspended.
Continued from earlier this day.
Mr WOOD (Nelson): Madam Speaker, the ministerial statement is Gearing up for Growth, and I could include the growth of the beverage container recycling industry, but I will do that in another speech.
The member for Blain raised a number of issues, one being Indigenous employment. You would hope growth in the Northern Territory would help alleviate that. Before Christmas I said there was a danger in the Northern Territory with projects like the Ichthys project - I am a great supporter of that project as it will bring great wealth and a large number of jobs to the Northern Territory; however, I see the danger of having the haves and the have nots.
One of the figures continually dismissed or hidden is the real unemployment rate for many Indigenous in our remote communities, and not even our remote communities. Communities in my electorate have high unemployment. It would be a travesty that, with one of the largest projects in Australia on our doorstep, we do not provide the opportunity for people in remote communities to at least have a chance to share in it. I am not saying people should be spoon fed; however, things should be put in place to enable these people, if they would like to share in the benefits of this great project, to do so. We seem to put this to one side and talk about the great opportunities in the Darwin region, and from interstate and overseas, and I have no problem with that, but I see a problem if we are not helping our Indigenous people in remote communities with high unemployment be part of this great project.
I remember the Minister for Local Government speaking at a Local Government Association meeting in Alice Springs. I have heard others say the same: it is very doubtful there will be enough jobs to employ all those people living in remote communities, and not only remote communities, some of the growth towns as well.
To be honest, the only way people are going to get employment is to leave their communities. The communities will always be their home and they can always go back, but we need ways to encourage young people to find a path to the type of real employment you will get through opportunities like the Ichthys gas project. I hope the government makes an effort in not just dealing with Indigenous people from around the Darwin area, but helping Indigenous people throughout the Northern Territory have an opportunity, if they wish, to be part of this project. That is really important. We do not want a society of ‘haves’ and ‘have nots’. This will not help harmony in our society. We need to be sharing in the wealth coming from these projects. I am not talking about a socialist form of sharing; I am talking about the ability, if people wish, to partake. If they do not want to partake that is their decision, but if people want to fully join in the prosperity that will come from this project they should have the opportunity to do so.
This great project will bring many benefits to the Northern Territory. Instead of repeating that, I will mention a few issues raised by the Chief Minister in his statement. One was about discussions with Woodside. The Chief Minister said he told Woodside we have available land. I am interested to know where that available land is. If there is any land left in the Middle Arm Peninsula I would like to know - most of it is mangroves. There is some land available, but where is the planning for industrial land in the Darwin region? The reason INPEX is in the middle of the harbour is because of a sleight of hand by the Planning minister at the time removing the proposed industrial development at Glyde Point to Blaydin Point which, under existing planning rules, was not allowed to be there. So, the planning rules were changed, the planning scheme was changed, the Glyde Point site was turned into open space zoning, and INPEX was given approval to go into the middle of the harbour. That is history. The issue we have to deal with now is if Woodside comes to Darwin where will they go? Where is the land the Chief Minister says is available? I am interested to know. The development of Glyde Point is in the greater Darwin plan the government has put out for comment and also in the opposition’s plan for the greater Darwin region.
Whilst it is all very well to invite more people, the middle of the harbour is a bit short on space. Some serious thought and discussion needs to be given to developing an alternative area. That alternative area seems to be Glyde Point and the government has to start putting infrastructure into that area, which will not be cheap. You will have to get the infrastructure there, which will take a large amount of work.
The government also talks about the availability of accommodation and residential land in the Northern Territory. This has sped up in the last few years. I would be the first to say the government let go of the ball when it came to releasing residential land, especially in the Darwin and Alice Springs regions, and a catch-up of development has occurred. More and more land is available in Palmerston, and there is more land available in Darwin. It is very nice, of course, to say that. People can talk about land being available and the various ways people can afford it. However, many people still, even with government help, cannot afford to buy a house and land in Darwin, and certainly cannot afford to buy it in the rural area. The rural area at the moment is booming. There are still many young people who would like to live in the rural area - on a rural block not an oversized suburban block – but there is practically no land available because most of the developed land is private. Private developers, naturally, want the top price so they only release small parcels of land at a time, which keeps the price high.
The government has an opportunity. The government owns land and it is time to look at the older schemes used to develop land in Darwin where the government itself developed the land. If you have developers developing land bought from the government they will cover their profits - they will make a profit on the land which makes the price of land exceedingly high. The government, through the Land Development Corporation, has been opening up some land. I see an opportunity to discuss whether the government should use contractors to open up its land to keep the price down and make it available as a cheaper way for young people to buy land. Land in my area soon to be available is the forestry land, something I have spoken about many times. It has been subject to native title and I am hoping that issue will be resolved by 24 April. When that is resolved, I hope the government will put its best foot forward and look at developing some of that land into rural subdivisions.
A number of developers have approached me over the last two or three years. The native title issue has held it up. Once that is resolved, I hope the government can talk to developers about opening up that land at a reasonable price so young people can put their money into a house not the land and get away from large mortgages. Also, thankfully for many parents in the rural area, get away from having to live at home for many years because they cannot afford to buy a house. There is much work to do when it comes to the release of residential land. I am yet to know what the government has decided about rural villages after the alternative plans were put forward by the member for Goyder and me.
Coolalinga is one of those villages and is already booming. It is developing a residential estate at the moment which will probably bring in about 400 people. I was talking to the developer last week, and he says the shopping centre will be going up this year. There is great development in that area. As I have said previously in this parliament, most of the growth in the Northern Territory at the moment is in Litchfield: the proposed abattoir, the new prison, the INPEX village, the Good Shepherd Lutheran College said it will expand to a full secondary school and is proposing a primary school, and the Coolalinga village centre.
A large amount of work is occurring in the rural area, but the one thing we really need to get on top of is providing residential land at a reasonable price so Territorians, especially young Territorians, are not set up for life trying to pay a mortgage. They can get land at a reasonable price and enjoy the other benefits that come from living in the Northern Territory.
The INPEX village is an area which will affect me considerably. There has been some discussion about the suitability of the site. The site should have been further to the north; be that as it may, that site has been agreed on. There has been some discussion in the rural area as to whether the majority of people believe the INPEX village should go there. About two years ago, there was a public meeting where quite a number of people opposed the siting of the INPEX village. INPEX then did considerable work in the community. It doorknocked about 40 residents near the site, and set up an e-mail service for anyone who wanted to keep up-to-date with what was going on. Duncan Beggs, an ex-local rural fellow, represented the company and sat for quite a number of weekends at the Howard Springs Shopping Centre, and other shopping centres, asking people what they thought and explaining what the project was about.
When it came to the development application for the site, INPEX set up its display - again for four weekends in a row at the Howard Springs Shopping Centre and two weekends at Oasis Shopping Centre at Palmerston. I asked them what the figures were and they said it was about 270 people for, about 30 people against it because of certain issues they had, and about nine people opposed it outright - which worked out around 14% of people were opposed to it. When it went to the Development Consent Authority there were 10 submissions, six of which supported the application, and four opposed it. One of those was a planning group and, of those three people who opposed it, only one was from the Howard Springs area.
As a local member, one has to keep an ear to the ground and listen to what people are saying, but also take into account the changes in people’s views as they get to know a little more about what has been proposed. You also weigh up the benefits of such a proposal against the negatives that might occur. Even though I will be very sad to see that beautiful piece of bush removed for the development of this village, it will do a couple of things. It will create jobs. You are looking at about 150 people to maintain the village, approximately 250 people to build the village, and there will be assets left there when the village is finished, that is, its life is finished in around seven years. There will be a swimming pool, basketball courts, recreational facilities, a large kitchen area, administration, a medical centre, plus quite a number of demountables will be retained. The whole area will be serviced by sewerage, water and electricity. So, there are some long-term benefits. Even though I have my ideas of what that may be used for, in seven years time I will see what the community thinks. With time things change and the opportunities for the use of that site may be different to what people think today.
The village will make some changes to our Howard Springs community, which is a rural community. It will have up to 2700 employees. The company has said there will be a strict code of conduct as many people are concerned there will be a negative effect of having so many workers in the area. Workers will work on a 12 hour shift and will be bussed to the site. Most of them will be fly-in fly-out so there will be limits on their contact with the community. Be that as it may, Howard Springs is a rural community with a small retail area. There is a supermarket, hotel, bakery and a few other shops. Even though I am sure people from the camp will visit there, a large number will be living in the camp and whether that has a negative or positive effect only time will tell.
I am reassured Sean Kildare, CEO of INPEX in Darwin, has said there will be a strict code of conduct for workers in the village. That is certainly reassuring. Again, you can look at these things negatively, but I look at it more from a positive point of view. If we are to ensure this works and does not have a major effect on our community, the community, the company, the shire, and the workers must all work together to ensure we welcome these people into our community and they are not abandoned to feel like they are locked away behind a large fence. They need to be welcomed into our community so you can have that feeling of trust and they get to understand the community they are in. Some of these people will be coming from overseas and Howard Springs will probably look a little strange to them. I can assure you, people from Howard Springs are pretty friendly but there needs to be cooperation between the various groups if this is to work and be successful. The INPEX village will be a challenge but will bring great benefits to our community.
The other issue is traffic. Much has been said about traffic in relation to the INPEX village and sometimes INPEX is blamed for the whole traffic problem. The Howard Springs area is going to have a vast increase in traffic, especially on Howard Springs Road because of the prison, the possibilities of opening up the forestry land as a residential area, the increase in extractive mining with a large number of trucks from that area carrying gravel and sand, INPEX, and the Lutheran school as it goes to a full secondary school and its proposal for a new primary school in the Howard Springs area. The Lutheran school has over 600 students at the moment, many from Palmerston. They are part of the mix of traffic in the morning and it will get worse unless the government does something about it.
The government has done much work on Jenkins Road, also Lambrick Avenue in Palmerston, but has done no work on the rural side of the highway. I hope the government has plans for a substantial upgrade of Howard Springs Road and part of Whitewood Road to plan for the increase in traffic which will occur in this area.
When the Chief Minister talks about gearing up for growth, that is great; however, the infrastructure to handle that growth must be there. It cannot come after; it must come before otherwise you will have many frustrated rural people asking if the government is taking the benefits without putting in the infrastructure to ensure those benefits do not become a negative in the rural area.
Another area raised by some people in my electorate is we talk about some of the big projects occurring in the Northern Territory, but many of those projects are being developed by large companies such as Sitzler or Macmahon. At the moment, there seems to be a gap when it comes to small business contracts - the little work. The government is not putting out many middle range contracts at the moment. I have been told quite a number of those middle range contractors are scaling back their employment and finding it difficult at the moment. They hope to pick up some work when INPEX gets going, but there is a vacuum at the moment in that middle-of-the-road type work many developers need to keep going through this period.
Mr GUNNER: Madam Deputy Speaker, I move an extension of time, pursuant to Standing Order 77, for the member to complete his remarks.
Motion agreed to.
Mr WOOD: Thank you, member for Fannie Bay. I am pleased to have an extension because the issue of small business is important. Many small business people come from my area and some are doing very well. I was talking to some kitchen and bathroom people who live in the Humpty Doo area and they are booming - they have stacks of work. I was talking to an arborist yesterday who said: ‘I thought I had a lot of work, but there is not much work’. I said: ‘Perhaps you need a few storms’. At the moment, he is quiet on work. It is not something you can put your finger on and say all industry is in a bad way. There are areas of small business needing some assistance from the government. Perhaps government needs to ensure, when putting out contracts, that the smaller people get a fair share of what is happening, not just the big companies. The small businesses are here for the long haul and employ many of the families that are long-term Territorians. I hope the government is looking at and talking to small business. Do not rely on what I say - I have information given to me – is government talking to small businesses? Not just the TCA and the Master Builders Association, is it talking to some of those small businesses that have been around for quite some time?
It is good the minister brings on this topic today. No one is going to say projects like Ichthys are bad for the Territory - they are great for the Territory. When you hear of the issues in Europe, the Greek financial crisis, and the possibility of another global financial crisis occurring we should be grateful we have opportunities with projects like Ichthys to cushion ourselves from some of the effects of a global economic crisis which could still occur. There is no doubt we still need energy, and countries like Japan will continue to need energy regardless of whether the economy is slowing down. We will be the suppliers of energy for places like Japan. If this project goes for 40 years as is said, you hope that would help cushion some of the downturn other countries might have from any economic crisis which might occur, especially in Europe. At the moment, in Australia, there is no other place I would live than the Northern Territory.
I was talking about Cash for Containers before. Yes, there are many good things about Cash for Containers, there are many good things about gas, but let us not get too up in the clouds about it. We must keep our feet on the ground and look at the issues involved in this type of development. In the case of gas, are there downsides? The Chief Minister spoke about - it might have been the Treasurer - training. I am unsure if there has been enough training to get as many Territorians involved in the gas project as there could be. The Larrakia Development Corporation is doing a good job, but did we make a big effort to bring people from out bush in to be part of this project? What effect will it have on local industry, as happened when ConocoPhillips was here? When ConocoPhillips arrived, people left their jobs and went to ConocoPhillips because the wages were much higher. Is there a likelihood that is going to happen again? What effect will that have on small business trying to recruit people to take the place of people taken by INPEX?
I mentioned Cash for Containers. You might say it does not have much to do with growth, but in some ways it does. I have been to all the collectors and they are creating jobs. The number of cans they are collecting is rising steadily every weekend. I spoke to the NT Recycling Solutions man this morning and he said he collected 90 000 cans on Saturday morning alone and is putting more people on, so it is creating employment. There are some in the opposition who do not like the idea. However, once it gets over its growing pains you will have to deal with the kids. The kids will show the way when it comes to recycling. We sometimes forget, when looking at these projects, to look at the whole cost. For councils it means less rubbish in landfill - it would not be normally taken out. For councils it means less rubbish required to be picked up from the road, and for the environment it means more products are recycled. It might be hard to put a dollar value on those things. Over here it might be an extra cost, but over there it might be a saving. It is not a simple thing when people talk about Cash for Containers.
When I asked questions in parliament about it today - I definitely am a supporter, but the government, especially the minister, has to be more on the front foot because I know what is happening here. Big business is trying to destroy it and has the ways and means to do so. They, sometimes, have the ear of the public because they are good at putting hardship in the way of this important change. It, in its own way, it is about growth. It is finding better ways of recycling and is creating jobs. There is a long way to go and there are many problems, I do not deny that, but I am fully behind it. I want to give the minister a push along to ensure he keeps at it because it is his responsibility to ensure, under section 12 of the act, it does apply. If you read section 12 you see he has a very real responsibility in ensuring this is run properly.
There are many great things happening in the Northern Territory. I received the environmental impact statement for the abattoir at Livingstone and, if it can go ahead, it would be great for the Northern Territory. It will create quite a number of jobs. It is part of the growth of the Northern Territory we should be promoting because, with the likelihood live cattle export numbers might drop off, we need to find alternative ways. If the abattoir can get off the ground it will be something extra in the Northern Territory to help with long-term prosperity and long-term employment.
Madam Deputy Speaker, I thank the Chief Minister for his statement. I hope he will take into account, in his response, some of the real issues that need to be looked at. I would like the Chief Minister to tell us what is happening with the Defence hub at the moment. The Chief Minister spoke about the marine development at the port, but the Defence hub was not mentioned. Quite a bit of money was spent on that hub. What is the future of the hub? Are any contractors putting up their hand to use that land? Is it to be used as part of the storage area for American supplies after a natural disaster, as has been mentioned? Could the Chief Minister give us an update on the Defence hub which, at the present time, stands idle?
Mr ELFERINK (Port Darwin): Madam Deputy Speaker, I acknowledge the statement by the Chief Minister and, in part, welcome it because these are positive things of which he speaks. They are growth issues; projects this side of the House would thoroughly endorse, particularly the Ichthys project. It is the capacity of this parliament and all members in it, including the member for Nelson, to assist the government in passing legislative instruments unanimously relating to this particular project that has, in part, given comfort to INPEX and Total with regard to their decisions - their final investment decision in particular - relating to the Ichthys project.
I want to talk about the way government responds to these important issues. My full congratulations go to the Henderson government, as well as the former Martin Labor government, for pursuing this project. It was a long shot; there is no doubt about it.
I was speaking to INPEX staff at the final investment decision dinner the other night. Whilst they were wrestling with bringing the gas supply of the Browse Basin into the Western Australian environment, they were all sitting in a room at one stage and in came some of the bosses and said: ‘We are going to look at Darwin’. There was a collective thud as the jaws of those staff members hit the floor. However, once they picked up their jaws and looked at the project, the idea was something they grabbed on to strongly. Several years ago INPEX had indicated Darwin was going to be the place - if this gas project went ahead at all - where that happened. Originally, the price tag for this project was in the order of $20bn. It is now being sounded out at $34bn. There is no doubt this is singularly the largest project in the Territory’s history. As a consequence, we on this side of the House support it very seriously.
I also say at this juncture, should there be a change of government in August INPEX will enjoy, as will Total and other potential projects, the continued support of a Northern Territory government that wants to see these industries, and other associated industries, advance. We, on this side of the House, are proud builders of the Northern Territory. As a party, we have a legacy of building in the Northern Territory. The changes between the years 1974 and 2001 are apparent for all to see. Hats off to the current Labor government for not creating so many impediments that that process stopped. In fact, as I have indicated already in my comments today, it has that process. I am grateful the government, despite its left leaning, understands the importance of pursuing these projects.
Pursuit of a project is one issue; execution of a project is another matter entirely. It is important also to note, whilst the Henderson government and the Chief Minister would like to claim this as their work exclusively, the lion’s share of the work - indeed, almost all the work in relation to this project - was not done by government, it was done by Total and INPEX. That was all the required technical work. The Northern Territory government would not be capable of doing the technical work and planning in-house to advance a project like INPEX - and nor should they be. It is not its business to do so. In many respects, it is government’s business as much to get out of the way as assist these type of projects. A judicious government would know when to get out of the way and allow these projects to occur.
The problem I have is whilst the pursuit of this project was done well by government, execution of the surrounding issues are matters of concern to me, as I know they are to other members of the House and many Territorians. In Question Time today, the Chief Minister talked about the Ichthys project and the final investment decision and how good it is. Whilst we accept that final investment decision is good, he then went on to describe how well government was preparing the way for the results of this boom which is coming to the Northern Territory. When you critically examine how well government is making those preparations, I harbour some concerns. I ask members to turn their mind to the matter of land release. We heard comments today in this House about land being released ‘quicker than ever before’, or words to that effect. It is interesting to note that if you go back to 2009, it was advertised that land was going to released in Johnston and Zuccoli, even Archer gets a mention from memory, and they even put numbers to the numbers of blocks to be released in an effort to restrain the expansion of house prices which would invariably occur if you do not release enough land into an economy which has a major project operating in it. If you look at the targets set down several years ago and look at what has been achieved, this government would get a D-minus.
That part of the execution is within the ambit of what government does. Government does not build the INPEX or the Ichthys project; government’s response is to build infrastructure to assist those projects to occur, and that infrastructure includes infrastructure quite remote from the project itself which means land release for domestic purposes. To fall so far short of your own targets demonstrates whilst government is able to look attractive to investors, the support work that goes on behind the scenes is not being executed thoroughly enough. The Chief Minister is aware of these issues but does not seem attentive enough to deal with them.
The government is made up of two, possibly three, ministers who are in charge and the rest see themselves as figureheads for departments. Of those two or three ministers in charge - I include the members for Karama and Wanguri in that list - those ministers should be across the other ministerial portfolios and driving things like land release much more aggressively than is occurring.
The Chief Minister mentioned in his ministerial statement to this House today travelling to the west and trying to secure the Woodside plant for Darwin, and good on him. I support him in that. When he comes back he should not be putting his feet on the footstool in his office saying: ‘That was a productive trip. I hope we get lucky the same way we got lucky with INPEX’. At that point he should be ensuring the infrastructure needed to support those developments is constructed.
In fact, I was asked just yesterday what would be the most pressing issue for the development of Darwin should there be a substantial increase in industry and things associated with INPEX and the development of the Browse Basin. The answer I gave was: water. If we get heavier industry into this part of the world as a result of the development of the Browse Basin, which is not exclusively the purview of INPEX - they have the Ichthys field within the Browse Basin - but there is Woodside, Exxon, any other number of companies have explored the area and many of those will piggyback on the 42” pipeline INPEX is building. If they are in the Browse Basin and develop gas fields in those areas they will have a choice of building their own pipeline to the Western Australian coast, a distance of 350 km to 400 km depending on where you are in the Browse Basin, or pay a rental on a pipeline which already exists not 30 km or 40 km away from your well head.
It stands to reason that a 42” pipeline with six times the capacity of the current pipeline from Bayu-Undan to ConocoPhillips will have space in it for rental purposes and the development of the Browse Basin as a whole. Moreover, it will also be attractive to other companies that may seek to develop in the Browse Basin to avoid all the issues INPEX had to avoid had they gone to Western Australia - native title, whale breeding grounds and other complications with the Western Australian coast. None of those complications exist when you put a T-intersection into a pipe. That T-intersection allows you to buy rental space on that pipe in the same way you can run rolling stock over a privately-owned railway to a destination as long as you pay a fee. The same deal will apply; it is not like it is going to be a different product. What you put in at one end you can decant at the other.
What happens to all this extra gas looking into the medium future? If you read the Financial Review and other newspapers that cover these things, it is clear the marketplace for gas in the immediate future is pretty much saturated. That does not mean there will not be a marketplace for gas in five or 10 years time, or for that matter, people such as Dow Chemical coming to Darwin. We read about that in the Northern Territory News - sniffing the possibility of setting up here. Heavy industry is the single largest component missing from the Territory economy - not entirely. Work is being done at Nhulunbuy so there is value adding of product there, but how long before we are value adding product in Darwin? I do not know the economics of it, but iron ore is something we ship out in its raw form. Steel is something we could conceivably be shipping out if the energy cost was sufficiently cheap onshore in Darwin. That will consume water and consume the infrastructure this city needs to develop leading into the future.
Moreover, I am also concerned the government has not made effective preparations for something that is going to be a mere psychological effect but will have very real outcomes. The government, and speakers on both sides of the House, have referred to the general condition of the global economy, with the United States being still a bit ginger after the GFC, Europe facing its own challenges, and a place like Darwin will not only be attractive to investment from locals and people who are buying here, but it will also become an island of hope in a sea of despair in many respects. That beacon in the night will attract investment money which will have the effect of forcing house prices up even more.
Where is the capacity, I ask this government, to at least restrain those house prices from going up so sharply? That preparatory work is not being done. The effect will be amplified in the current international environment and is something the government should turn its mind to. Moreover, if you look at the effect of some of these booms in places like Port Hedland - I saw on television about a year-and-a-half ago that a three-bedroom house was being rented out for something like $1200 to $1300 a week. I understand what is happening in Port Hedland has its specific causes and effects and would not anticipate the same scenario being played out in Darwin. However, if there is an overall capacity to pay increased rent by virtue of increased income, resulting in a substantial number of extra jobs in this environment, those people who are flirting on the borders of financial stress - families or renters with incomes where 30% or slightly less is being spent on rental accommodation - may well be tempted to go to 35% or even 40% of their income being spent on rental accommodation. If that was to occur because of a shortage of rental accommodation in the Northern Territory, we would quickly return to the sharp spikes of rental accommodation we saw only a few years ago with a less than 1% vacancy rate and the bidding wars that were occurring.
If we release land in a sufficiently quick way at least we will be able to offset some of those pressures as time passes. However, I am not certain government has turned its attention to that issue sufficiently well. Evidence I draw for that conclusion can be found in the fact it has not met its own targets in so many endeavours. It has not met its own targets in relation to the Defence Support Hub. We keep talking about the Marine Supply Base, another important project considering what is going to be happening in the Greater Sunrise area alone. Nevertheless, I want to be reassured the Marine Supply Base does not become another Defence Support Hub - grand announcement, wonderful press release, and then what?
Government talks about achieving results across a raft of areas but fails to deliver on those results. The messages coming from government are quite inconsistent. We heard the Chief Minister today talk about crime being down in the Territory; the only reason assault rates are up is because of the good work being done in the area of domestic violence. Then, in the next breath, he says the police in Alice Springs are so busy they took 3100-plus calls through their call centre. What were those people calling about? Pizza orders! There is a disconnect between what government says it does, what it believes is occurring, and what is happening in regard to outcomes. I only use the crime rates as an example because it is topical and something we discussed in Question Time. The examples are manifold.
In his statement the Chief Minister refers to 10 000 apprenticeships but we know, and it has been well-established, that the completion rate of those apprenticeships is half the commencement rate. Why are we not doing more to improve those completion rates rather than bang on about 10 000 apprenticeships? That does not mean there are 10 000 people with trade qualifications at the end of it; there are about 5000 more people with trade qualifications. A commencement does not mean squat; a final result is what matters - a trade ticket. The right to be a sparky or a plumber is what matters. The minister for Education was talking about the education policy earlier, how much he cares and is sprinting to the finishing line; however, if you look at the NAPLAN results, it is not encouraging across the board in the Northern Territory. Health results are the same. There is always this massive chasm between announcement and capacity to deliver. The government did well because it did not have too much to do with the planning for the INPEX project. It, essentially, got out of the way. Good on it.
We will also get out of the way at the right time should we be in government. I hope what we achieve as a government - this is something the current government does not achieve - is if we announce something there is a tangible deliverable result at the other end and it means this government, or a government, has to ...
Mrs LAMBLEY: A point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker! Pursuant to Standing Order 77, I request an extension of time for the member to complete his remarks.
Motion agreed to.
Mr ELFERINK: My apologies to honourable members; I did not realise I was rabbiting on that much. What a government needs to do is take control of its public service and ensure the public service is getting a coherent message and a clear understanding of what is required.
I do not get that sense from the public servants I speak to; that they feel they are being led to a place. I do not get the sense that there is a clear and coherent message being heard by the AO2s and AO3s from the ministry and the Cabinet of the Northern Territory. I get a sense of: there are many of us, we want to deliver the services we should be delivering on behalf of government, but we are not getting a clear picture from government. That is because, I suspect, Cabinet and government often struggle to define what they are trying to achieve. As a consequence, ministers who are supposed to be driving the department and pushing things along take up a figurehead role which then elevates the CEO to a place the CEO should not be in setting policy. I have seen this on repeated occasions from this government where ministers will be asked about - particularly in the Estimates process - matters of policy and they flick that straight off to the CEO because they are not capable, or not across their portfolios sufficiently well, to be able to describe accurately what their policies are. That puts the CEO in a difficult situation because they have to make policy on behalf of government. Nothing ever prevents a CEO or a public servant suggesting policy to government but, once a policy is determined, it must be driven by the appropriate ministers.
I remember former minister, Matthew Bonson, was asked his opinion on something in an Estimates process and immediately flicked it to his CEO to tell the Estimates Committee Matthew Bonson’s opinion. That is not to denigrate Matthew; he worked very hard and tried hard to do his job. However, the capacity was absent, as it is for so many current ministers, which leaves the policy work in the hands of two or three. One is a member of the Labor left; another one is terrified of losing the next Territory election because he called it so badly at the last Territory election. None of that leaves Territorians, and Territory business, with a deep sense of confidence that this government can deliver that which is necessary to support industry coming to the Northern Territory. Frankly, I share that lack of confidence. I am not certain this government is capable of delivering those results. It has the appearance of a government uncertain about how it proceeds. It knows it should be doing something with INPEX so we hear so much about it.
The minister for Education, for argument’s sake, today said: ‘I am sprinting to the finish line; I am going to sprint all the way’ when, frankly, he should be looking at stepping aside and allowing a new minister for Education to step into the breach and say: ‘Right, this is going to be the future of education in the Northern Territory under an ALP government should we be re-elected in the Northern Territory’. That is not occurring. The minister has to go through this pantomime of saying: ‘I am sprinting to the line. I will be switched on the whole way’, but he will not be there after the next Territory election. He complains about the education policy of the Country Liberals not being available to him. Well, what is the education policy of the Australian Labor Party in the Northern Territory on 26 August this year? The only person who can answer that is the current minister, but he is not going to be there.
It is time for this government, if it wants to instil confidence, to send a signal to Territorians it is on board, is driving things properly, and is capable of managing things like the future of the Northern Territory through the INPEX or Ichthys project. At the moment, the track record is, at best, chequered - probably being less gracious, is simply at D-minus to E level. Territorians deserve a government that will deliver things which will protect Territorians’ interests. There is a real fear in the community at the moment of the two speed economy. Unless the structures are put in place to acknowledge the potential impact of a two speed economy in the Northern Territory, the effect will be some long-term Territorians will not be able to afford to live in Darwin. I am conscious of that and concerned about it. The government is conscious of that, but, gee whiz, I wish we would get more than a short statement as to how it is going to achieve that.
The Treasurer of the Northern Territory spoke briefly about some of the programs running and talked about their successes, but it is not enough. In Question Time today we had a lecture about HOMESTART NT and the other projects which are occurring. It is just not enough. It is too little too late and is no longer convincing because it is coming from the same set of lips which said, two years ago, so much more would be done. It is coming from the same set of lips which said, in April 2007, the government only needed to release 250 blocks of land in the Top End;. It is coming from the same set of lips which have made so many promises and failed so badly to deliver on those promises.
From a political point of view, that creates an opportunity for us on this side of the House as we approach the next Northern Territory election. However, I find it sad because it does not mean the Territory is being well-governed in the areas government has its strongest influences, its most direct influences, and its ability to bring out the most profound effects. We have a rudderless public service led by a Cabinet largely uncertain of itself, and a Chief Minister who is currently demonstrating fear in the face of a Territory election rather than enthusiasm.
I listened to him at the final investment dinner the other night. Whilst he talked the talk, there was not the same certainty and clarity in his 20 minutes as I got from Mr Kuroda in his two minutes. Mr Kuroda left me with no doubt, without having to raise his voice or speak in anything other than a conversational tone with very carefully crafted words - I suspect that two minute speech was agonised over for several hours because he chose his words so carefully. I listened to the quality of what Mr Kuroda delivered then listened to what the Chief Minister delivered. Whilst the Chief Minister spoke much longer, I was captured by what Mr Kuroda had to say, and there was no reason why the Chief Minister could not have filled that space in the same fashion.
Madam Deputy Speaker, these are genuine observations because I care about the people of the Northern Territory and care that they should have an effective, strong government. I am unsure that is the case, and I know there are many Territorians at the moment who are uncertain if that is the case with the Labor government. There are some who are even uncertain about switching to a Country Liberals government - I will be honest – but what they know is the leadership they are craving is not present. If they are so uncertain I urge them to vote for the Country Liberals at the next Territory election so they can have a government which will be certain, which will be focused and driven on all the areas where the current government has failed. We will give a form of government which not everyone will agree with, but at least we know this much: people will know what we are doing and why we are doing it.
Dr BURNS (Education and Training): Madam Deputy Speaker, listening to the stream of consciousness from the member for Port Darwin I will address some of the issues he raised before I turn to my prepared speech.
In essence, towards the end of his offering to this statement he was trying to contrast a possible Country Liberals government with the existing government, particularly in relation to the Cabinet and decision-making processes. When I look at the Country Liberals on the opposite side I see a group that is much divided and much factionalised. What I hear - and it flows from the Country Liberals party room in no uncertain way - is almost a complete inability to come to agreement about anything. Raised voices, arguments, bitter divisions and people not trusting one another is what I get from the Country Liberals.
By contrast, Madam Deputy Speaker, as you are well aware, we are a unified team. Our Cabinet is a functional Cabinet, and within a Cabinet - I am glad the member for Port Darwin raised this issue because I have been a Cabinet minister for about 10 years now so I know a bit about Cabinets. We have had two leaders in that time, Clare Martin and, now, Paul Henderson, and there have been changes in personnel in that Cabinet over time. However, one thing I have seen in both chief ministers is the ability to lead their Cabinet, the ability to foster frank discussion around the Cabinet table, for people to respect differences of opinion - sometimes around a Cabinet table the differences of opinion can be miles apart - and to foster the discussion so people can reach an agreement and lock behind a decision. I do not see that in members opposite.
I will give you a prime example. The climate change policy was announced with great fanfare some time ago. I have said in this House that I felt the opposition’s climate change policy was a reasonable policy, probably not as good as ours, but a reasonable policy acknowledging climate change and talking about what the Country Liberals would do if they came to government. Well, through the machinations I just spoke about we have seen a complete backflip and reversal on that policy announced by the Leader of the Opposition.
We have seen the Leader of the Opposition unable to lead on statehood, unable to bring his troops with him, and it is an important debate. What I see opposite, since the election in 2008 - the member for Port Darwin often likes to remark that the member for Blain brought the Country Liberals within a whisker - to the brink of government from the brink of extinction. I believe he said to the brink of government, and I am not going to argue with that. The figures in that election show that is a statement of fact. You were four members and now you have increased that number, and increased it further, of course, with the absorption of the member for Macdonnell. However, that is another story; I am not going to go there today.
I will say, from what I have seen and heard from fairly reliable sources, and what is evident, is during that time the member for Blain’s leadership has unravelled. He is unable to exercise significant discipline on quite a number of people within the parliamentary wing of the CLP. That is not a good recipe for the Northern Territory and not a good recipe for a Chief Minister. A chief minister needs to lead. He or she need to bring the troops with them. They need to inspire confidence. They need to make some pretty hard calls at times about the way they believe things should go. Sometimes it is a judgment call on the part of a Chief Minister, but, mostly, it is bringing your troops with you.
In 10 years it has been very rare there has been a vote around that Cabinet table because we try to reach a consensus position. The two or three times we have had a vote it has been about something - Cabinet deals with a whole range of matters. Sometimes matters are relatively minor and you can soak up much time talking about something people have different views and experiences on; however, we need to move on to more important business. To move things along, sometimes we have had a vote and that is it, we move on. However, on the major issues we get there by consensus. In Cabinet you have to lock in behind that decision and, whilst you might have reservations about decisions, you have to lock in and say what you have to. You have to get the concessions you need and everyone needs to be pragmatic. I do not get that about the Country Liberals.
Territorians need to look very closely at the member for Blain. Nice man, a principled man is the way Territorians view the member for Blain; however, he cannot lead. He had one chance prior to 2005, could not cut it and events overtook him. Denis Burke took the crown and there have been a number of challenges, as I understand it, on the other side during his time as Opposition Leader. An unravelling of the team and people at each other’s throats is not a healthy thing for government. That is my perspective in replying to what the member for Port Darwin said.
I was also totally amazed when the member for Port Darwin almost said, in regard to the INPEX project, that everything was done from the company side and it was an overstatement for government to say it had a significant part in bringing it all to fruition. Obviously, he is not aware of all the work that went on in a myriad of departments in the Northern Territory, through the leadership in the public service working closely with Cabinet, on a whole range of issues. The tip of the iceberg has been some of the legislation that has come into parliament around this project. However, one of the major things that attracted INPEX was certainty. How do you get certainty? You get certainty around the planning aspects, around some of the legislative aspects, the land tenure aspects and the environmental aspects. How do you get that without much work happening within our public service?
The member for Port Darwin was ill-advised to say government was overstating the fact it did all the work and that most was done by the company. That is not so, and is an insult to the many public servants who worked very hard on this project, many of whom were at the function the other night. I am not going to name them, but they work hard. They are non-partisan people; they serve the government of the day and, in relation to the INPEX project, have served it very well. I commend those public servants in the departments that have facilitated this process and project and, from my interaction with INPEX when I was Business minister; it is deeply appreciated by the company. The member for Port Darwin did not do himself any favours whatsoever by saying everything was done by the company and government should step out of the way, do nothing, and let it all happen.
These major projects are a competitive environment and Western Australia was fighting hard. There was a Labor government at the time, then a conservative government, and both governments fought very hard to sway INPEX to go to Western Australia. However, they were unsuccessful and a large part of that was because of the work done by our public service as well as, importantly, the work done by Clare Martin as Chief Minister - to knock on the door, to put a convincing case, along with Mr Paul Tyrrell, who is a great Territorian and has served successive governments. He has served them honestly and well and was a bit part of that. The baton was passed to Paul Henderson as Chief Minister and, of course, Mike Burgess heading up the Department of Chief Minister. It has been a real team effort.
The member for Port Darwin tried to reflect on my role in government leading up to the election. I am a team player, member for Port Darwin. I am part of a team. I will build on what has been done before in whatever portfolio I happen to be allocated. I will make my contribution and, then, the baton is passed to the next person. It does not really matter that after the election I am not going to be here. I have, and I continue to, work as hard as I can.
In education, attendance, literacy and numeracy are my big issues. I look at what I am trying to do and can see some results. However, it is a long haul and others will take the baton after me and will do very well. It is not enough for the member for Port Darwin to ask what the policy position of the government is.
Sittings after sittings we explain our policies and, in estimates, measuring that against outcomes. We continue to do that. That is why I become a little frustrated with the opposition when I see no policy output. There has been no policy in the last 12 months I can think of. In fact, there have been negative policies because your climate change policy has been reversed. You are minus one when you look at it. You have been in opposition for 11 years and there are very few policies. If you think you are going to get through by being – well, I am looking forward to it.
The member for Brennan is waving around a book. I am looking forward to that launch. That will be a big day, member for Brennan. Good on you if you are releasing your policy. I hope your colleagues also release theirs. If you are on the threshold of releasing your policies during these sittings, member for Brennan …
Mr Chandler: It is coming.
Dr BURNS: ... in the next week, the next two weeks, the next month …
Mrs Lambley: We want to keep you in suspense.
Dr BURNS: You are going to keep us in suspense. He is indicating on the floor in parliament - he has a hard copy there so it must be imminent. We will not have to wait long. Hopefully, it will happen during these sittings.
Mr Vatskalis: After the election.
Dr BURNS: After the election!
Madam Deputy Speaker, I support the Chief Minister’s important statement on the territory government’s plan to manage economic and population growth the Territory can look forward to over the coming years. There are many opportunities here. I can look at my own family to see that opportunity. My middle son, who started work at the ConocoPhillips plant and, now, has become a tradesman, is working in Gove. There will be many Territorians looking at INPEX for their own employment and their kid’s employment. There will be many success stories of someone gaining a trade, as it was for my son with ConocoPhillips and Gove. He is at the Gove expansion which, as you know, is a very big project in your electorate. That provided many opportunities for him and many other Territorians.
We are not going to shy away from the challenges this project, and economic development, brings to the Northern Territory. There will be 3000 new jobs, as has been said, as part of the construction phase. The Minister for Lands and Planning has announced a construction village, amongst other things. We are looking to maximise the job opportunities for Territorians. One of the most exciting elements will be an expansion of and further building on our education and training system. We know kids who go to school every day in the Territory get a great education and can look forward to a life filled with much opportunity. We have made education the top priority. We want every kid to look forward to a good life.
We have also looked to the future in our outlook for the Northern Territory with our Territory 2030 strategic plan. It clearly demonstrates Territorians also see a strong education and training system as a top priority. We will continue to invest in more schools, teachers and programs as our population grows. We have built many new schools in our time in government: Darwin Middle School, Rosebery primary and middle schools, and the new Nemarluk School which will open in Alawa very soon. There has also been much activity in our remote regions and we have invested heavily in our remote schools.
To catalogue some of the spending: $8.4m for Darwin High School; $3m for Dripstone Middle School; $2m for Sanderson; $8.4m for Casuarina Senior College; $5m for the redevelopment and upgrade of Centralian Middle School; $14m for Palmerston Senior College; and $4.5m for Taminmin College, all for upgrades. I mentioned remote areas: we have built new schools at Arlparra High School, Baniyala Garrangali School, Bonya School, Manyallaluk School and, of course, at Emu Point, just to name a few. We had a significant investment with the Australian government through the Building the Education Revolution. It is great to see members opposite turning up at those openings and celebrating with us the wonderful BER projects and the real benefits that project bestowed on every school in the Northern Territory.
Unfortunately, nationally, the Coalition did not support the BER. I distinctly remember a motion in this House calling on members opposite to support the BER. I believe, through some technicality, they wanted to play semantics with the wording and said they could not support the motion. It was a fairly simple motion from my recollection but a missed opportunity for members opposite. It was a political miscalculation for you not to openly and publically support the BER in this parliament. You missed a wonderful opportunity there.
As an election commitment, we are investing $300 000 into upgrades in every government primary and group school in the Northern Territory. That has been rolled out and upgrades are still occurring.
With regard to VET in Schools, Territory 2030 also emphasised the need to see VET in our schools and the programs further diversify and develop across the Territory. Last year we saw the first Northern Territory Certificate of Education and Training. This recognises the commitment and importance placed on VET. We have school to work partnerships and arrangements in sectors such as mining, oil and gas, tourism, early childhood, horticulture and pastoral agricultural. We will continue our collaboration with industry through a range of informal and formal mechanisms to identify and respond to current and emerging skill needs. Basically, we are looking at school to work transitions ...
Mr GUNNER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I move an extension of time for the member to continue his marks pursuant to Standing Order 77.
Motion agreed to.
Dr BURNS: Work has been done, through Group Training NT, on detailed three-year plans to expand delivery of work-ready programs focusing on the 20 growth towns. I mentioned today we are working with the Commonwealth to ensure these programs are closely aligned with employment for those who participate. The Northern Territory is ahead of the game nationally in that regard. We have established a draft MOU with the Minerals Council for a combined effort across the Territory. You only have to look at what is happening at Borroloola through the trusts supporting boys and girls in their earlier years of schooling, right through to their final years and into work, making that transition easier. That is a significant investment, a significant partnership and I commend it. We know there has been an expansion in the delivery of VET with 2000 students participating. Of this figure, 241 students have undertaken VET in the middle years and 275 students in the Workready Program.
I turn now to public and affordable housing. As the Chief Minister and the Treasurer noted today, we are rolling out land release at record levels. We have expanded HOMESTART NT and made it friendlier. We know it is a changing marketplace and we have assisted 1500 families to get their foot in the door of the property market and a key way for families to ensure their long-term economic stability. We regularly review that program. It is a changing marketplace, and we look at the requirements of Territorians buying property. We have the program set up so families can access 40% of the property market without expending more than 30% of their income. That is the way it is designed, the way Treasury do their figures and the way we deliver it.
We have established the affordable rental housing company. That was a big step for the Territory. It took longer than I would have liked, but it is a large undertaking by the affordable rental housing company - Venture Housing Company. They wanted to ensure, legally and contractually, that the board was happy with that. It is. They have signed off and are now operating. I understand there is an office operating in Darwin. We also have the Wirrina project nearing completion, and the affordable rental company will roll-out projects in Palmerston and beyond. I have asked them to expand their work to Alice Springs and talk to developers there. In the suburb of Kilgariff there will be opportunities for this company to expand what they do in Alice Springs as well, so that is very important.
The stimulus package: the Commonwealth invested $60m to facilitate 450 new beds in the Northern Territory. Much of that activity has occurred in Alice Springs as members opposite would be aware, and some magnificent new facilities have been constructed using stimulus money to try to ease some of the housing issues, including transitional housing issues in Alice Springs. Once again, we had the Coalition vehemently opposing the stimulus package. Unfortunately, we have the opposition in the Northern Territory jumping to Tony Abbott’s tune and voicing its opposition to the stimulus package. It was a political miscalculation on their part; however, there is always time to backtrack, members opposite.
Public housing: we have committed $49m over three years to build an additional 150 public housing dwellings. We are also building seniors villages, and it was great to see the Bellamack seniors and what we are trying to do there. We have encouraged seniors who might be in two- or three-bedroom houses to move into the seniors village. The ones I met at the opening of Bellamack seniors were happy to do so, thus freeing up a two- or three-bedroom house for a family, which is fantastic thing.
There are further infill developments going on in and around Darwin on larger Territory Housing blocks. There is one occurring in Moil, which is in my electorate. It has been on the books for some time and is now going out through the consent process. I have stipulated, as minister, that these units are to be for the exclusive use of seniors and the disabled. It is a good move to encourage seniors out of their larger accommodation as there might be one or two people in a three-bedroom house. As I understand it, in the neighbourhood where these developments have occurred there have not been any significant objections because people like to have seniors beside them. They want to support those people in their accommodation who are less fortunate and disabled. The community, I believe, is very supportive of this.
The member for Brennan, in October last year, said the policy - I have not seen it in black and white, it was on the media - if the CLP wins government it will scrap affordable housing programs that have been put up by the government. This would deny, I am advised, about 1500 families an opportunity - who have already been through the HOMESTART NT process and support. I am interested, when the member for Brennan rises to speak in this debate, to know if he believes the open market, with no support for those who might need a hand – how he will help them get into the housing market if he throws it open to the free market with no support for those low- and middle-income earners such as this government has given.
It seems policy releases are imminent. That is great. We all want to see them, but it will be interesting to see what their housing policy is.
Mr Mills: Are you voting for us?
Dr BURNS: No, I am just interested to see. Many Territorians will be interested to see, and, moreover, we will be interested to see the costings. On one hand you are saying: ‘We are going to get into the black. You are in the red, you are profligate spenders. We are going to get into the black’. You have the spectre of massive cuts within the public service - you are already on the record saying that. People in the public service are a little worried that if you were to gain government the knife would be out. I can hear Col sharpening the knife upstairs. He has a big whetstone and has kept that knife for a long time. He has it there. It is glistening in the light in the Leader of the Opposition’s office and they will cut the public service.
How are they going to fund their promises? It was this government, when we came to office, which passed fiscal transparency and integrity legislation which will require Treasury to go over your election promises. You are not going to squeeze through saying it will cost this or that. You are not going to squeeze through on Col’s 1980 costings or costings from the 1990s. You will have to have costings that are contemporary and done by Treasury. It is going to be independent, and people are going to look very carefully at how you will fund your promises. You will have the policies and let us hope you have done the solid work with your costings. It is all going to come under intense scrutiny, as you know, member for Blain.
Madam Speaker, I am looking forward to it. I am looking forward to estimates as well, as I always do. I support the statement. This is a government which is looking forward, is cohesive, a team and with something to offer the Territory. I commend the statement by the Chief Minister.
Mrs LAMBLEY (Araluen): Madam Speaker, I respond to the Chief Minister’s statement, Gearing Up for Growth in the Northern Territory - in the whole of the Northern Territory. This afternoon I have listened to the Leader of Government Business trying to gaze into the crystal ball and predict what is going on inside the opposition ranks. I can assure him things are very happy and content. We all have regular group hugs. The leader, Terry Mills, has the absolute support of the ranks. You do not have to lose any more sleep at night, Leader of Government Business, it is okay. We are all very happy, quietly chipping away at our electorates, getting on with our business and happy to be here today in parliament.
The Chief Minister’s statement was fascinating to the point of being alarming. The Chief Minister of the Northern Territory spoke about gearing up for growth in the Northern Territory and did not mention Central Australia once. Did anyone hear him mention Alice Springs, Tennant Creek or Katherine? The answer is: no. Nowhere in this statement did the Chief Minister put his vision, his sight, or his leadership to those geographical areas of the Northern Territory. I can only presume this government is absolutely and utterly fixated on the Top End.
I am happy to congratulate both the former Chief Minister of the Northern Territory, Clare Martin, and the current Chief Minister of the Northern Territory, Paul Henderson, on the very important signing of the Ichthys LNG project. It is a game changer; it is a wonderful thing for the Northern Territory and will mean jobs and prosperity to many people in the Northern Territory.
My colleagues have expressed some concerns around how things will operate in the Northern Territory with this major project well under way. However, I am going to focus more on the fact this government is not interested in any geographical area south of Palmerston. To think the Chief Minister could stand here, as leader of the Northern Territory, and give us a bum steer and dismiss us when talking about the economic boom, the growth, the unprecedented robust economy he foresees – no mention of Alice Springs, Katherine, or Tennant Creek.
The Treasurer talked about the turbocharged economy she foresees, the accelerated land release, all referencing the Top End of the Northern Territory and nothing about Central Australia.
The government is pinning all its hopes and dreams on INPEX, and perhaps it will come to fruition. I hope it does. I hope we see this wonderful prosperity we are being promised. However, what about the vision for Central Australia? What is happening in Central Australia? What are the economic strategies the government is offering to get us out of the doldrums when it comes to Tennant Creek, Alice Springs, and Katherine? What are the policies around that?
The Leader of Government Business talked about not seeing any policies from the opposition. Well, I will give you a policy here this afternoon: our policy is about having policies for the whole of the Northern Territory. When we talk about the economic development and growth of the Northern Territory, we are not just referring to the Top End; we are referring to the whole of the Northern Territory. For the Chief Minister to deliberately forget to even mention Central Australia is absolutely disgraceful.
The only member of the government who mentioned anything about Central Australia was the Leader of Government Business. I commend him for that. He is quite good at being inclusive. That is what this government is not. It not inclusive and does not provide any leadership whatsoever when it comes to Central Australia. No one made any reference to Alice Springs, Tennant Creek, or Katherine; they just wanted to talk about the imminent explosion of economic growth and activity, of wonderful training programs and opportunities, primarily focused on the Top End.
In Alice Springs, things are really tough. In today’s paper there is another article talking about how retail businesses are doing it tough. Kay Eade, the Chair of the Chamber of Commerce in Alice Springs said:
Businesses in Alice Springs are doing it tough. In the last 18 months to two years, we have had literally dozens of businesses close in Alice Springs. I have a list in front of me of 44 that my electorate officer and I put together over the last couple of months – 44 businesses have closed in Alice Springs since 2010. Many of them are restaurants, many are art galleries, food outlets, cafes, a couple of pubs have closed - some have reopened but some remain closed. There are newsagencies, various retail shops - 44, Madam Speaker! You are talking about a town of fewer than 30 000 people and we have had 44 businesses close in the last couple of years. It is very concerning.
What strategy does the government have to respond to these businesses suffering to the point they have to close the doors? From my perspective, as a local member of parliament in Alice Springs, I have not heard any response at all from the government. The Alice Springs Town Council and the Chamber of Commerce called a meeting of interested stakeholders late in 2011 to look at teasing out some strategies. The council and the Chamber of Commerce took the initiative. Sure, members from the Northern Territory government were there, dragged screaming and kicking probably - it certainly was not their initiative. It was the initiative of the Mayor and various council members. It was Alderman Murray Stewart’s idea. I was attending the council meeting when he put forward a motion to the effect of meeting with business stakeholders to look at strategies to get the town moving, getting businesses out of the doldrums.
This Northern Territory Labor government has shown no initiative whatsoever in gearing up Alice Springs for growth. This government is fixated on the Top End and gives very little attention to stimulating the economy south of Palmerston. The business community in Alice Springs is sadly shrinking and there are many reasons for that. Very few businesses have opened in Alice Springs. By far, the businesses closing outweigh the businesses opening. We have a very concerning situation in Alice Springs.
The government talked about providing workers’ accommodation. The minister for Central Australia, in 2009, made a promise that this government would establish a workers’ accommodation facility in Alice Springs. That was three years ago - make it two-and-a-half, we will cut them some slack. Several years ago this government made that promise. It has disappeared completely off the agenda. Now we are hearing workers’ accommodation being promised for places in Darwin not Alice Springs. Alice Springs has dropped off the radar - no workers’ accommodation mentioned at all for Alice Springs. Once again, Alice Springs misses out. However, we hear about Woodside possibly setting up in Darwin. We hear about the Darwin Business Park, the Darwin Port Corporation and the Marine Supply Base all based in Darwin. I am not criticising any of these things for one second. Any business development, in my opinion, is good for everyone concerned. As the opposition, as a conservative party, we certainly support business in any way, shape or form.
What is the vision for Central Australia? I am disgusted that the Chief Minister of the Northern Territory has shown a complete lack of leadership on this issue. He has talked about economic growth and has not mentioned Central Australia.
The Leader of Government Business talked about the lack of leadership in the opposition. I am looking at the Leader of the Opposition and I know Terry Mills is committed to all parts of the Northern Territory. He visits Alice Springs regularly; he has a very strong support base within Palmerston and Darwin. His footprint is very wide and he listens to the concerns of my constituents and the constituents of my colleagues, the members for Greatorex, Braitling and Macdonnell. He travels widely and he does care. He demonstrates he cares. He is working with us to develop a vision for Central Australia, a vision that includes the economic development and stimulus of that part of the Northern Territory this government would sooner forget. When we talk about Alice Springs in parliament we are constantly accused of talking down Alice Springs, talking down Central Australia. At least we talk about those areas. It seems this government does not even want to talk about that part of the Northern Territory.
The blackouts Alice Springs experienced on Sunday night and the early hours of Monday morning is an indication that the withdrawal of the recent Thresher program, the police initiative to combat crime in Alice Springs - the fact it was withdrawn a couple of weeks ago marks a turning point in how things are panning out.
We have had a relatively wonderful couple of months in Alice Springs with crime. Operation Thresher has managed to keep crime at a much more manageable level compared to this time last year; however, the police have now been withdrawn. I am told during the blackout a service station along Larapinta Drive - Mobil Larapinta - was seriously vandalised and Club Eastside, which is also featured in today’s paper, was ram-raided. The people who ram-raided it in the middle of the night stole a couple of bottles of grog and it has cost the owners and operators of Club Eastside $10 000. It seems that Operation Thresher has been withdrawn and things are sliding back again.
We all know if you take your eye off the ball things deteriorate and quickly get out of control. The questions put to the government today regarding crime in Alice Springs and Katherine - it is about this government’s inability to listen to the people outside Darwin and the Top End areas about their specific concerns when it comes to crime and providing the appropriate resources required to combat these problems.
The opposition is inclusive. When we talk about the Northern Territory, we talk about the whole of the Territory. The opposition knows Alice Springs, Katherine and Tennant Creek businesses need just as much confidence, just as much to look forward to in life, as the Top End businesses and population. We need something to stimulate growth and business just like we hear is happening in the Top End.
The Chief Minister is under considerable pressure. He does not have the answers because he simply does not care. Leadership is not present in the government at the moment. We hear fictitious stories about what is happening within our ranks. Well, I look across the room and see a miserable bunch which, to me, is the definition of a lack of cohesion. They cannot decide who is going to answer a question because none of them want to; none of them feel they have enough knowledge or expertise to answer the simple questions we put to them.
The Leader of the Opposition held out a hand - an offer to the Chief Minister in Question Time - asking him to join him in a debate about crime in the coming months leading up to the election and the response from the Chief Minister was a snub - absolutely zero. He chose to ignore it. This rabble of a government is coming unstuck when you have a Chief Minister who is too cowardly to respond to an invitation by the Leader of the Opposition.
Madam Speaker, I close this afternoon confirming and giving confidence to the people of Central Australia that when and if we gain government, when we talk about the Northern Territory we will be talking about the whole of the Territory. We will put a statement forward, gearing up for growth for the whole of the Territory not just the Top End.
Mr VATSKALIS (Health): Madam Speaker, I feel sorry for Alice Springs. If this is the calibre of members of parliament representing Alice Springs, I feel sorry. I say that because what we heard about Alice Springs in the past few minutes is a situation …
Members interjecting.
Mr VATSKALIS: ... I would not if I were you. What I heard about Alice Springs is in the past two years 44 businesses have closed. The member read a newspaper article which highlighted the significantly higher Australian dollar has hit tourism, not only in Alice Springs, but in Australia.
The member goes on to tell us Alice Springs is suffering. We understand the difficulties business is experiencing at the moment but, at the same time, I wonder where she lives. Where does she live if she does not know good stories about Alice Springs? Have you spoken to Neil Ross? Ross Engineering & ProBlast managed to win a contract to install the big slides in Palmerston. An Alice Springs business won the job for the Palmerston pool 1600 km to the north this Labor government put in place.
Have you spoken to some of the mines in the area? Newmont is putting a $0.5bn investment into the Tanami and wants workers and supplies, and the closest town to service them is Alice Springs. Does she know about the exploration Mithril is doing north of Alice Springs? Has she read any of the stock exchange announcements that Mithril is sitting on a virtual gold mine north of Alice Springs. Who is going to supply these companies? The closest town happens to be Alice Springs.
The member for Araluen cries about Alice Springs - her name should be Cassandra. Cassandra was the ancient princess at Troy who always foretold sad stories of the future never positive ones. What do we hear about Alice Springs? There are always sad stories about Alice Springs. Alice Springs is not a bad place; Alice Springs is a great place to be. Yes, it has difficulties; however, I suggest the member for Araluen read the newspapers around the country and discover similar stories happen not only in small towns, but even in major centres in Australia. This is because the very high dollar makes our product unattractive, and the fact people have discovered they can buy a product online from other countries and, for various reasons, can bring it in at sometimes half the price of what you pay in Australia.
Madam Speaker, do I have to remind the member the party that completely neglected Alice Springs and was all smoke and mirrors was the Country Liberal Party. The CLP government strangled Alice Springs for land; it did not release a block of land for years. Which party did not invest in power in Alice Springs? It was the Country Liberal Party. When did Alice Springs have the biggest number of policemen per capita in Australia? Under this Labor government! The CLP used to tell Alice Springs people it was their favourite town because the CLP was born in Alice Springs; however, it did nothing but talk.
This government has invested heavily in services in the whole of the Territory, and I will start with my health portfolio.
Which government has put a significant investment all over the Territory in the health sector? It has been the Labor government since 2001. Our budget in 2001, when we took over, was $440m. In 2010, our budget hit $1.2bn. Which party refused to put renal dialysis services outside the urban centres? It was the Country Liberal government. Which government has put renal dialysis services all over the Territory and has increased the life expectancy of people on dialysis to match other Australians? It is this Labor government.
Which government neglected children’s services in the Territory? It was the Country Liberal Party government, and that has been documented in a 2001 report which highlighted the Country Liberal Party government abandoned children’s services in rural and remote areas.
I invite the member for Araluen, next time I visit, to come with me around the Alice Springs Hospital to see the investment this government has put in, and the investment continues. I can show her photographs of the brand new emergency department with 33 bays currently under construction in Alice Springs. I would like to take her to the brand new power station in Alice Springs worth nearly $100m.
Where do I stop, Madam Speaker? The member for Araluen is either blind or does not want to see. Well, I cannot help her with that. She lives in a state of delusion. She talks about her own party – let us talk about your own party. I would love to. Yes, the member for Blain is the leader today, but who is going to be the leader tomorrow? We hear stories. We hear they are going to challenge their own members. If I were the member for Drysdale, I would be very worried. I heard a rumour Annette Burke is back, the ex-Mayor of Palmerston. I also hear rumours Annette Burke might challenge him for preselection. I know Annette Burke does not like the current Leader of the Opposition, Terry Mills, very much. I would be really worried if I were him. At the same time, I hear Jo Sangster is going to nominate for Johnston. Jo Sangster does not like David Tollner very much, but that is another story.
Do I have to highlight divisions? Where do I start and where do I finish? Currently, Terry Mills survives with only one vote. Yes, they might have love-ins, but I strongly suggest the Leader of the Opposition gets a seat very close to the wall so he does not get a knife in his back. We know, and everybody out there knows, how united they are. They are so united they sometimes do not talk to each other. They talk to us more than they talk to each other
.
We are united; we talk to each other. The reason we have achieved what we have to date is because succession in the leadership does not matter, the party has continued to deliver for Territorians and the progress of the Territory. I recall every time we tried to do something positive the opposition would go the opposite way to highlight negatives. This has not just started. I remember when the first gas plant in the Territory - the ConocoPhillips gas plant - was under construction, while the Leader of the Opposition was supporting this parliament some of his backbenchers raised questions about the possibility of the gas plant ruining the harbour, the lifestyle, and the potential to destroy the way of life we know. They were talking with forked tongues. Up-front they said they support it and, behind the scenes, would go against it.
The role of the opposition is to not only keep checks and balances on government; it is also, especially in an election year, to come out with policies. Here we are five months before the election and we have not heard one single policy. Where is the policy on health? None! Where is the policy on child protection? It is $9m and split the departments. Well, we have done that. You are putting in $9m and nothing else. We now have a Children’s Commissioner. We have an extra $130m over the next five years, and we took the budget for child protection from $7m under the CLP government to $180m a year.
Where is the policy on education? We have not seen it yet. We hear about it; it is going to be here in the fullness of time - possibly after the election so it cannot be scrutinised. This is an opposition bereft of policies, no new ideas, piggybacking on what we are doing. The only thing it can do is highlight the difficult issues some of the towns experience in the Territory.
Tennant Creek has a difficult time. Tennant Creek businesses do it as tough as Alice Springs, but you do not hear them complaining about it. They are looking at the future. They are signing agreements with mining companies such as Minemakers. They are looking forward to the development of Rum Jungle phosphate north of Tennant Creek. They are looking forward to Tennant Creek becoming a point where goods and services from Queensland will find their way through the Territory to Darwin for export via the Port of Darwin. They are looking to the future and looking for new opportunities.
Our government has invested in the whole of the Territory; from north to south and east to the west. We still continue to promote the Territory. Let me remind you, under the CLP government we had a declining number of mines in the Northern Territory. We found 700 exploration licences sitting on the desk of the minister because he wanted to play politics with native title and Aboriginal land rights.
This Labor government, under Clare Martin and Paul Henderson, got out of the Territory, out of Australia, went to Japan, went to Korea, went to China, and we have seen a significant number of investments in the Northern Territory with new mines opening. We had deals announced officially by Chinese and Australian companies worth $127m. There has been $160m spent on exploration. When every other state in Australia had declining exploration, the Territory was the only jurisdiction to have an increase in exploration with significant results. I will tell you how bad things are in the Territory. GEMCO is spending $0.25bn to upgrade its facilities in Groote Eylandt and McArthur River has announced a significant expansion in the facilities in Borroloola which are currently undergoing an EIS. They will spend more than $300m in their expansion and 18% of their workforce will be Indigenous people. Fourteen percent of the Newmont workforce is Indigenous people.
We spend money and care for all Territorians. It does not matter whether they live in Alice Springs, Nhulunbuy, Yuendumu, Borroloola, or in Timber Creek, our government is investing in social infrastructure and in real infrastructure.
Let us talk about health. The member for Greatorex likes to talk about health and I am pleased to give him some statistics. Since 2001, we have an extra 127 hospital beds. We employ 724 extra nurses and an extra 250 doctors. We also opened Royal Darwin Hospital Ward 3B - thirty new fully-funded beds the CLP had closed down. We delivered a $10m facility for the Palmerston Super Clinic, the one the CLP opposes and will continue to oppose. We are the first Territory government to fund $40m for the hospital in Palmerston, not to mention the $90m cancer care treatment centre at RDH, the Alan Walker Cancer Care Centre. The feedback I get from people who suffer from cancer and need to use the centre is very positive. Some of the comments I get from people using the 26-room Barbara James House are extremely positive. The positive comments come from people from Nhulunbuy and Alice Springs.
Let us talk about dental clinics. We had some of the longest waiting times in Australia. We now have the shortest waiting times for dental care in Australia; down to six months in Alice Springs and nine months in Darwin.
The member for Greatorex talks about the worst health system in Australia. The government …
Mr Tollner: Is that relevant?
Mr VATSKALIS: It is absolutely relevant regarding expenditure, member for Fong Lim, that we put the investment into the Territory to address the needs of the future. The reality is, you and I will be old and will need more services in the future. We have to invest now in order for you to have a hip replacement, me to fix my ankle, or something else that might go wrong in the future.
The government report on health expenditure has indicated we have the highest spending in Australia per capita. We spend $6500 per person compared to $5200. We have the highest number of public hospital beds per capita - 3.01 public hospital beds per thousand population compared to the national average of 2.6 beds. The member for Greatorex, of course, says: ‘What are the outcomes?’ I will tell you what the outcomes are: there has been a 30% decline in anaemia in Indigenous children; there has been a decrease in infant fatality for Indigenous children; the life expectancy of Indigenous people on renal dialysis now matches the life expectancy of people living in Adelaide, Sydney or Perth; cervical cancer rates for the average population has decreased by 60%, and for Indigenous women they have decreased by 92%; and the super clinic in Palmerston has significantly improved the service provision for the people of Palmerston, just outside Darwin. The super clinic in Palmerston has seen 20 000 people since the opening and 10 000 people in the after-hours super clinic, something which significantly affected the emergency department. Not only that, but I recently had a meeting with the new Minister for Health; Tanya Plibersek, who assured me the $5m promised by the federal government would stay in the Territory and she would look favourably on any application for another super clinic in the Northern Territory.
This is not only happening in Darwin and Palmerston, it is happening in Alice Springs. Together with the Australian government, we have invested $24m or $25m to construct the new emergency department, which is currently under construction. At Tennant Creek, we improved the emergency department and extended the renal facility, doubling the number of beds. We have opened clinics in areas where there were no clinics before - fully staffed clinics.
The Top End aeromedical retrieval contract was awarded to CareFlight and we have now seen a significant improvement in services throughout the Top End of the Territory.
The National Critical Care and Trauma Response Centre offers training places for a range of courses, not to mention the investment we made in Charles Darwin University to attract the medical program to train Territorians and allow them to stay in the Territory. The reality is, as we found out from midwives, if you train your own they will stay in the Territory.
Madam Speaker, I mentioned Children and Families, I do not want to go back to that. Many things identified by the board of inquiry have been addressed and we are progressing to address even more of the issues. The backlog identified, about 800, has been completely eliminated, and the new backlog we have, which we have to expect - if people realise something is happening they will advise the department. We now have a backlog of only 140 but they are resolved very quickly - mainly Category 3. We are working closely with non-government organisations to transfer some of these functions to them because we believe people close to the community are best - positioned to address issues of the community.
We talked about growth in the Territory and we talked about the Ichthys project. I am not going to go back over how important it is for the Territory, not only for Darwin and Palmerston, but the whole Territory. The reality is, during construction they will require 5000 workers, and these workers will come from interstate, they will come from the Territory, and some of them will come from other countries. We know Australia, at the moment, has a problem with qualified people to meet the needs and requirements of projects currently undertaken in Western Australia, the Northern Territory and Queensland, but we will do it.
We invested in the mining area, and mines throughout the Territory, not only the Top End. There are significant mineral resources in Central Australia and a significant number of companies currently exploring in Central Australia. In 2010-11, we had $195m spent in exploration throughout the Territory. That is a good return on our investment of $25.8m for our initiative, Bringing Forward Discovery, and the fact we sold the Territory in the growing markets of Asia such as Korea, Japan and China, has really paid dividends.
Our plan is not just a four-year plan. Our plan is not just to satisfy the electoral cycle. Our plan for the Territory is beyond the electoral cycle. Bringing Forward Discovery was not aimed at a three-year term; it was for five years and further expanded to another four years. We do not look at this as something to win the election; it is something that will help to benefit Territorians throughout the Territory.
Yes, the Territory Labor government has geared the Territory for growth. We have invested in order to achieve this growth, and invested not only in infrastructure, not only to attract mining resources and exploration, but we have invested in social infrastructure.
I feel sorry for Alice Springs to be represented by people who only put the town down. We have seen it before when they invested in a number of television advertisements highlighting to everyone in Australia how bad Alice Springs was. Instead of investing the money in how to address the social issues of Alice Springs and work together with the government, they choose to advise the rest of Australia that Alice Springs was a bad place – ‘do not come here’. Despite what we did and what we said to people, these people will advise Australians and foreigners: ‘Do not come to Alice Springs, it is a terrible place’. Well, Alice Springs is not a terrible place, it is a great place, and 30 000 people who live there believe the same.
Yes, there are difficulties, but not only in Alice Springs - it happens in other towns. You will see the same thing happening in Victoria, in South Australia, New South Wales and Queensland. It is not only a state government issue; a global financial crisis is on the horizon. There is the rising price of the Australian dollar and the ease with which people can get onto computers and order products from the United States, China, or Europe and have them delivered to their home in a couple of weeks. We do not believe our government focuses on one area of the Territory. Our government is a government for the whole Territory and for all Territorians.
Mr CONLAN (Greatorex): Madam Speaker, wrong, wrong, wrong. You are certainly not a government for the whole of the Northern Territory and the statement, along with most statements churned out from the 5th floor by some fancy whiz kid, indicates, once again, you do not care about the whole of the Northern Territory.
You do not care about the southern part of the Northern Territory, you do not care about anything south of Barkly and, once again, we have seen it. You might be governing for the Top End, which is fine, but you are not governing for the rest of the Northern Territory ...
Mr Westra van Holthe interjecting.
Mr CONLAN: I hear the member for Katherine suggesting the same thing, because poor old Katherine is going through much the same as Alice Springs. It is very cute.
I remember a few years ago, in my former job as a shock jock, I shocked the daylights out of you guys at every given moment. Gee, what fun! Back in those days I remember some whiz kid, whoever it was - it might have been under the reign of – who was the 110th most powerful person in the Northern Territory? – one of your advisors - Richard O’Leary. Good old Dick O’Leary. Under his reign he coined the phrase: ‘Ah, Alice Springs, they are talking the town down’. It resonated amongst the government and government advisors, but it did not work in Alice Springs. It did not resonate in Alice Springs; people knew exactly what was going on.
You are really preaching to yourselves; preaching to the converted: ‘Oh, Madam Speaker, they are talking the Territory down; they are talking down their town’. We know we are not talking down the town, people in Alice Springs know we are not talking down the town; everyone knows we are not talking down the town. The only running down of the town happening in this House is because of you. You are running the town down and all we are doing is highlighting your incompetence when it comes to managing, running and resourcing a wonderful outback community such as Alice Springs. That is exactly what is happening. People in Central Australia are not stupid. We get it; we know exactly what is happening. We walk around the main streets of the CBD and just about every street corner is now vacant.
The member for Araluen listed a number of businesses in Central Australia that have closed down. I am going to run through a number of them once again. You might call it repetition; I call it reinforcement of your failure. The people of the Northern Territory need to know often, and it cannot be reinforced enough just how incompetent and how much you have failed the people of Central Australia, the boarder Northern Territory community. You might be bored with it, you might get sick of hearing it, but, by golly, I am going to keep saying it.
We have the Golden Inn in 2010 - do you remember that one? The Golden Inn was a Chinese restaurant in the electorate of Greatorex which shut down in 2010. The Red Tomato Restaurant shut down in 2010. I am listing some of the restaurants, but there are many others. We have GD McGees – it has gone; Big Al’s, a takeaway, vale Big Al’s too, member for Araluen. In 2011, Big Al’s went. Keller’s restaurant shut down a few years ago - 2008, or it might have been 2009. Mbantua Gallery is another one that has downsized significantly. Pulver’s restaurant, one of the greats out on the Ross Highway for years and years. One of the great international beer collections anywhere in the world at Pulver’s, gone. The Lane restaurant gone; all over, finished. There are a number of other businesses in Central Australia that have gone to the wall or simply pulled out because they had no confidence in the town and that is your legacy; that is what you have done.
Let me tell you about the Chief Minister: he is no good. He is hopeless. He does not care. All he can do is sit here and play the man. He cannot play the issues, he cannot talk about the bigger issues, he cannot even give a speech off the cuff, he has to read it. It is all, once again, tricky words, clich after clich - gearing up for growth and getting the Territory back on the rails. We heard today about turbocharging the economy and all that stuff, clich after clich, fancy word after fancy word by his spin doctor whiz kid on the 5th floor. All he does is read it verbatim. After 11 years in the job and four or five years as Chief Minister he cannot stand here with pride and give a speech off the cuff because he is bereft, he is no good, he has no idea, no vision for Central Australia, and no vision for Alice Springs. He will not even commit to a debate. If he was so convinced and confident in himself and the policies of this government he would accept the challenge of the Leader of the Opposition to a debate at Leanyer Primary School.
He could not even be bothered fronting the people of Alice Springs last year. Remember ‘no-show Hendo’ was the catch cry from the gallery because Paul Henderson MLA did not have the intestinal fortitude to walk out to 100 or 200 people and say: ‘I feel your pain; I know what is going on’. Instead, he hid in the Chamber and refused to face the people of Central Australia. Everyone else was out there. He would have garnered so much more respect from the people of Central Australia if he had bothered to front the people of Central Australia that day. That was after the tsunami of crime. I know you laugh at such a term. I have not heard anything more apt in my life. That is exactly what it was in 2010-11: a tsunami of crime. There is no better word to encapsulate what Alice Springs and Central Australia went through in the summer of 2010-11?
What is so appalling is that, as the member for Araluen so articulately put it today, there is not one mention of Alice Springs or Central Australia in this statement. I do not know how it makes you feel. I look at you, member for Stuart, and feel so sorry for you. I know you know what is going on, and you must hang your head. Are you bullied and humiliated in Cabinet? Do they sit there and laugh at you? Do they say: ‘Do not worry about Karl; he is a nowhere man. He is a no show; he is a nowhere man, he does not do anything. Do not worry, we can have our way with Karl, he will do whatever we want’ ...
Mr HAMPTON: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The member for Greatorex should speak through the Chair. He is becoming very intimidating and aggressive.
Madam SPEAKER: Thank you, minister.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Can you please direct your comments through the Chair?
Mr CONLAN: I certainly will. I remember a comment by no-show Hendo who suggested I was about as intimidating as a wet lettuce. Perhaps you can inform him that is not quite right.
Mr KNIGHT: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The member well knows he has to refer to members of the House by their electorate.
Madam SPEAKER: Thank you. If you could refer to the Chief Minister by his title.
Mr CONLAN: Thank you, Madam Speaker, I will. It is very hard to string the words ‘that guy who sits there’ and honour him with the title of Chief Minister. He is there, whether we like it or not. Most of us do not like it, but, unfortunately, he is the one for now.
The member for Stuart must be bullied in Cabinet. He never seems to get his way. He tells us all the time he is committed to Central Australia. I believe him, which is why I feel so sorry for him. He is a member of the community. All our children grow up there. We all live there, we all share the community ...
Mrs Lambley: And the pain.
Mr CONLAN: ... and the pain. He knows what is going on. Unless he is blind he must see it. I am sure he understands it and notices the businesses closing down. He witnesses the crime, the assaults, and probably knows many people who have been assaulted. He probably knows a few people who are committing the assaults. I do not know why, in heaven’s name, he cannot get this government to commit to the great outback town of Alice Springs. What is it? I can only assume you have no power whatsoever; you are a figurehead, member for Stuart. You are simply the Minister for Central Australia, which is just a badge they have stuck on you and said: ‘Wear this, it will give you something. You can walk around with your Minister for Central Australia badge but you have no power’. You clearly have no power whatsoever.
The heavyweights in Cabinet, the member for Karama and the Chief Minister - the greatest bully of them all - and the member for Johnston - goodness me! He has saved this side of himself for this time, has he not? We are seeing his true colours. I thought we might have seen his true colours earlier. There is no end to the depth he will stoop – a bottom feeder is what he is and that is what he loves. That is what he thrives on.
Member for Katherine, how does that song by Jethro Tull go? I know he was a Jethro Tull fan and I believe the lyrics say: really don’t mind if you sit this one out. Do you remember those days, member for Johnston, when you were an alchemist down in Nimbin or Mullumbimby cooking up things and playing with people’s lives? We know you have a past ...
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Relevance.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Greatorex, if you can come to the point and speak to the statement rather than making personal comments it would be helpful. Can come to the point fairly soon.
Mr CONLAN: We all know, member for Johnston, you are not showered in glory and there is no depth too deep for you to stoop to. We are about to see over the next seven months probably a depth we have not seen before from you. You have been pretty good over the last 11 years or so, scraping the bottom of the barrel, coming up here and being the man, the fighter, the one who takes it on. However, I have a feeling that in the next seven months we are going to start to see something from you that we have never seen before. Get ready everyone because nothing will be off limits. It will be a race to the bottom as far as the member for Johnston is concerned and that will be your legacy. That will be it, amongst all the other things - 1971 and all that stuff.
The member for Port Darwin, who was the member for Macdonnell - all the pretending, the mouthing of words and all that you made along the way ...
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Relevance.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Greatorex, it has been drawn to my attention that it is …
Members interjecting.
Mr CONLAN: Whatever! Whatever!
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Greatorex!
Mr CONLAN: Yes, Madam Speaker.
Madam SPEAKER: I am speaking.
Mr CONLAN: Sorry, I did not - yes.
Madam SPEAKER: Standing Order 62 relates to relevance. There is a statement before the House regarding growth in the Northern Territory. If you could come back to the statement, please.
Mr CONLAN: Certainly. I have made my point - a point I will continue to make over the next seven months because, make no mistake, we have not seen the end of it ...
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Greatorex! Order!
Dr Burns interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr CONLAN: Whatever! Whatever, mate! Whatever!
Madam SPEAKER: Leader of Government Business, you will cease interjecting.
Member for Greatorex, direct your comments through the Chair, please, and stick to the topic.
Mr CONLAN: People in glass houses should not throw stones, member for Johnston. If you do not have the intestinal fortitude to do that, do not expect others to.
Madam Speaker, we are back to the Northern Territory and how, as far as this government is concerned, the Northern Territory is about Darwin and Palmerston. We see it with last year’s farcical celebration of 100 years of the Northern Territory. What a load of rubbish that was! The Northern Territory was not 100 years old. We forget Central Australia was its own entity in its own jurisdiction for five years. Many people in Central Australia would long for that and lament that day. In fact, 1 February could have become Central Australia Day. It was not 100 years old. It might have been formed 100 years ago or 101 years ago, but it is not 100 years old.
That is lost on a government focused on Darwin and Palmerston - probably not even Palmerston. I suggest a Darwin or northern suburbs-centric government and we see it in this statement, another wonderful propaganda political puff piece. How many more are we going to see over the next seven months and the government reels it out at 10.30 am? This is the first day; it does not show much for your legislative agenda for the year if, at 10.30 am, after the opening of parliament, we move straight to another puff piece, full of spin, full of clichs, gearing up for the Territory, turbocharging the economy - getting things back on the rails. It does not say much at all. Unfortunately, again, I have to draw back to the minister for Central Australia because I got a little sidetracked.
It was hard with the member for Johnston; he tends to dominate things because of the rich tapestry of the man he is. He loves to poke fun at people. It is a bit consuming sometimes, so I was a little sidetracked.
Essentially, I was talking about the Minister for Central Australia who, I believe, cares. I really want to believe he cares about Alice Springs. Sometimes, I question it. The member for Braitling is tearing his hair out trying to give the Minister for Central Australia the benefit of the doubt. I say: ‘Adam, mate, seriously, do not be so hard on Karl’. I say it all the time. ‘Do not be so hard on Karl, he really does care. Do not be like that, Adam. Do not go down there and say it. Do not do that. Please give him a bit more room’. Honestly, we have had conversations late into the night. I am trying to talk him out of doing something he might regret because I believe Karl does care. I really think he does ...
Mr KNIGHT: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The member needs to refer, again, to members by their electorate name.
Mr CONLAN: I was just relating a conversation, Madam Speaker.
Madam SPEAKER: Indeed, member for Greatorex. If you could stick with the standing orders and refer to members by their titles.
Mr CONLAN: Thank you, Madam Speaker. I am doing my best to keep my colleagues at bay because they are after you, Karl. However, you live in my electorate and I want your vote ...
A member: Does he not live in his own electorate?
Mr CONLAN: No, he does not. I want to do everything for you because when I was elected I said: ‘I am not just going to serve those who voted for me; I am going to serve everyone’. You are a constituent of mine whether you voted for me or not and I want to ensure you get the benefit of the doubt on every occasion. I believe he cares about Central Australia. I believe he cares ...
Mr Giles: He has a good local member.
Mr CONLAN: He does. My other colleagues are not convinced, but I believe ...
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr CONLAN: That is why I believe there is something going on in Cabinet. There has to be something going on because you cannot turn a trick. They leave you out to dry. They hang you out at every opportunity. They roll you over; they roll you out the door. I do not know what you say. He is like a little mouse at the end of the Cabinet table: ‘Please, speak to me’ ...
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! As strange and bizarre as these rantings are, they are not relevant to the debate at all.
Mr GILES: Speaking to the point of order, Madam Speaker, this is highly relevant. This is about the Territory’s future. This puff piece is about the Territory’s future and is highly relevant.
Madam SPEAKER: Thank you for the contribution. It is certainly not relevant. Member for Greatorex, please come to the point of the statement rather than making personal comments.
Mr CONLAN: Madam Speaker, in the time I have left I will say it is an extraordinarily disappointing statement. No mention of Alice Springs. Today in Question Time we heard a dorothy dixer about what you had been up to over the Christmas/New Year break. What has the government done for the Territory over the summer period, and what do we hear from the Chief Minister - that is hard for me to acknowledge - nevertheless, we hear a stack of things for Darwin and Palmerston and nothing for Central Australia or Katherine.
They are serial offenders when it comes to neglect of the regions; serial offenders when it comes to neglect of the business community, the economy and the social welfare of the people of Alice Springs. I have a list of 44 businesses that have shut down in the last couple of years - restaurants, galleries, accountants and retail stores. Forty-four have shut their doors because they lack the confidence or have been thrown to the wall by your incompetence and your lack of resources in Alice Springs. It is an absolute disgrace what you have done and everyone knows it. You can trot out the line as much as you like, and I know the ...
Mr Tollner: Madam Speaker ...
Mr CONLAN: It is okay, member for Fong Lim, I will finish up. I know the member for Johnston will trot out the line because there is no depth too low he will not stoop to over the next seven months. We are not talking down the town; we love the town. I will put it on the record: I love Alice Springs and I will do anything to ensure it is restored to its former glory. Part of being in this House is just that, and I hope we have the opportunity to do so in seven months time.
Mr KNIGHT (Justice and Attorney-General): Madam Speaker, I support the Chief Minister’s statement. I will start my contribution by talking about Alice Springs. I find Alice Springs a wonderful town. The member for Greatorex said he will do anything to support Alice Springs. He will go to the national media, tell the world, and go viral on the Internet saying how bad Alice Springs is. That is how …
Mr CONLAN: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I did not say anything of the sort.
Madam SPEAKER: If you wish to make a personal explanation you can contact me later.
Mr KNIGHT: The member for Greatorex will tell the world how bad Alice Springs is. He then said businesses are closing down. Well, they are closing down because he is driving people out of the town. He is telling tourists not to visit Alice Springs. He is wrecking Alice Springs. He sits in his home and will not go out to his electorate. He hates being in Darwin, but he rubbishes Alice Springs. He is literally mad and we have listened to his contribution for 25 minutes ...
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, I would like you to withdraw that comment, please.
Mr KNIGHT: I withdraw, Madam Speaker. Anyone who heard his contribution over the last 25 minutes would be questioning his sanity and mental state because any logical person would realise a town like Alice Springs - the people are great. I spend much time there. There is a great sporting life, a great environment, and I have met many business people there. They are having a crack. He talks about 40 businesses closing down. Well, how many have started up? There would be dozens and dozens start up.
We have the highest business confidence in the government’s policies of any jurisdiction in Australia, and that has been quarter upon quarter over the years. Businesses in Alice Springs know this Labor government is doing the right thing by them with our policies and our attraction programs. The problem is, we can do all that good work and some buffoon says the town is rubbish and riddled with crime. That goes viral and you have given yourself millions and millions of dollars of bad press. It is crazy to be sticking with that type of strategy. He comes into this House and tells everybody listening, or on the Internet, exactly the same thing. Every sittings he says Alice Springs is stuffed, Alice Springs is stuffed, Alice Springs is stuffed. We know it is not.
We know it has social problems. Every community in Australia has social problems and those people want to get on with it. We have businesses ringing up saying: ‘Look, we just want to get on with it. We don’t want all this bad press’. Alice Springs has a lot going for it. It is a very tightknit community, and this government wants to work very closely with it to take the opportunities - there has been a recent oil discovery.
The minister for Resources will be assisting that process, and the minister for the Environment will be ensuring the safeguards exist; however, there is a wonderful opportunity to get economic development happening in Alice Springs. The recent announcement of the aircraft graveyard there – no one would have thought the isolation and environment would be perfect - even better than the Arizona Desert - for the storage or demolition or these large aircraft. There are business opportunities; all you have to do is have faith, confidence, and an open mind and you can make it happen. You cannot have an aircraft graveyard in Darwin because of the humidity. What cannot happen in Darwin can happen in Alice Springs and vice versa.
It is quite logical offshore gas cannot happen in Alice Springs; however, today we are celebrating the opportunities which have come to the Northern Territory with offshore gas. This government has voraciously pursued those opportunities through the previous Chief Minister and the current Chief Minister. I have had the opportunity to be involved with offshore oil and gas - the subsea technology in Scotland, Singapore and Norway. The way they started 20, 30, 40 and 50 years ago was very much the same way Darwin is at the moment. Aberdeen started off as a small fishing village with a bit of agricultural production. Suddenly, Texans were walking around with big hats, offshore oil and gas was discovered and the community developed from there. They went from having no international schools to having six. Luckily for the Scots, there was an oil crash and the Americans left. As the oil price came back local businesses adapted their shipbuilding technology into the oil and gas industry. These are the big players we have now.
These opportunities exist in the Northern Territory. A great deal of credit goes to Clare Martin, the previous Chief Minister, for seeing the opportunity for the INPEX/Ichthys project. This Chief Minister needs to be credited with the vision for the Marine Supply Base. The Marine Supply Base is equally as significant as the INPEX project because it will be, potentially, supplying every offshore oil and gas facility in the Arafura Sea and off north Western Australia. Basically, the Marine Supply Base is a great big shopping centre where the rig tenders come in. Everything that goes with a large workers’ camp, multiple rigs and floating vessels needs to be supplied. Businesses in Darwin will supply the Marine Supply Base and it will be sent out from there. Maintenance of the equipment will also happen there.
We are about to see a huge take-off of our manufacturing industry, our repairs and maintenance and engineering industries, even our retail areas, getting down to our domestic cleaning supplies level where they are supplying quite large facilities offshore. The attraction for these companies is they have this facility sitting in a modern city with good accommodation, good facilities and a good lifestyle - where they can house their employees if they need to and can have their equipment serviced by professional, highly-skilled workers.
Darwin’s location always worked against it in the past and the economy of Australia sat in the southeastern corner. Now, it is in the north - the north of Western Australia, and we have that potential. The railway, which is quite significant now, will be a major link in the future. We need to tap into that supply of containerised goods into Australia through the Port of Darwin - it is very low numbers at the moment - and capture the market that now goes to Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide through the Port of Darwin. At the moment everything coming north is raw materials. If we can capture that, we will have containerised products heading back into Australia through the Port of Darwin, which will expand it quite significantly. The potential is tremendous. We have pursued these projects. You have to chase projects to keep them coming through the system. Look how far out chasing INPEX was to when it landed. We had FID only a few weeks ago and work is commencing now. Our Marine Supply Base was a vision of the Chief Minister only a few years ago. We now have a proponent and that work will commence and, over the next couple of years, will be completed. You need to keep these things coming.
My job, and one of my roles as Minister for Essential Services, is critical to the supply of our vital services which keep a community going - power, water and sewerage. With our power supply, we have invested, are investing, and have set aside a significant amount of money - up to $1.6bn has been invested into Power and Water, a vital institution for our economy, the community, and for business in the Northern Territory.
Starting in Alice Springs, the Ron Goodin estate, noisy, old - some of those turbines came off fairly large ships, I understand. I have toured that facility and we need to turn it into a museum they are that old. The decision was made, for a number of reasons, to relocate the power station. It was much needed, and we are planning for the growth of the economy of Alice Springs and have confidence the economy will grow. We have invested $153m in the new Owen Springs Power Station 25 km south of Alice Springs. That will power the town over the next 50 years, and what a fabulous facility it is! Many local companies worked on building the power station. Ross Engineering, one of the key local businesses, did a tremendous job. There is a large parcel of land with plenty of opportunity for new turbines to go in there. There was also the upgrade of Lovegrove Zone Substation in Alice Springs. Those substations play a vital role in the distribution of power.
The Alice Springs projects will increase the generation capacity by 30%. Also, with the continued use of natural gas and the increased efficiency of these brand new turbines, I am advised some $10m has been pumped into the local economy. Obviously, much of the project money went to the purchase of the turbines from overseas as we do not manufacture them in Australia. What a sight it was to see the massive turbines coming into the Port of Darwin and heading all the way – 1500 km - to Alice Springs. Approximately 100 jobs were created and 16 local businesses gained work from that. We have three 10.9 MW dual fuel units there and it is a great project.
On the generation side, we have a new turbine going in at Weddell - a $124m project - increasing the power generation capacity in the Top End. Most of our power had come from Channel Island. Those sets, one to seven, were very old and some were quite inefficient. Having all facilities at Channel Island provided some vulnerability for our power generation. Also, the demand for supply is increasing because our population is growing. People are not leaving the Territory; they are coming to the Territory. Businesses are starting up and their power needs are significant. So, power generation is important. The third machine to go in at Weddell gives an extra 25% generation capacity for the Darwin/Katherine power system. It has also enabled us to take off-line the older generators to have their midlife refurbishment, which is happening at the moment. When that is completed over the next 12 months we will have significant power reserves.
The Channel Island project was a $234m refurbishment. Katherine Power Station has also had generation augmentation, as well as Yulara and Tennant Creek Power Stations. One of the other significant pieces of infrastructure has been Archer Zone substation, located at the bottom end of Palmerston across the road from Moulden. That gives us redundancy in the system at Palmerston. Previously, all power coming into Palmerston came through one zone substation so there was a single point of failure opportunity there. The Palmerston Zone Substation has performed very well, but Archer Zone Substation gives us redundancy and room for growth into the new eastern suburbs of Palmerston and for Weddell. This is planning for growth; this is having confidence in the future. The other zone substation we are upgrading is the Snell Street Zone Substation. There will be construction there in the future - that is $43m. Casuarina has been upgraded, Snell Street is being upgraded and Archer. We will be building further zone substations to strengthen our power and water supply.
On water supply, a demand and supply analysis was done and found a need to expand our capacity at Darwin River Dam. This was a $13.6m project and raised the dam wall by 1.2 m, giving us an extra 20% for the growth of Darwin and the greater Darwin area. This is a fabulous project. Our strategy with water supply into the future has been to not eat into the Howard East bore field. We only use half the allocation there. Those aquifers are pretty well committed so the strategy was upgrading Darwin River Dam, which has been done, bringing Manton Dam back online, and eventually moving to Warrai Dam. We do not want to do that work; we would like to not invest that money because it means a higher cost down to the line to the customer, but we have those strategies. Work has been done on Manton Dam and on Warrai Dam. When we get to the stage we require them they will be built.
The Larrakeyah outfall has been in place for about 35 years. Under many local CLP members, including Chief Minister, Shane Stone, that facility failed to be recognised as needing an upgrade. This government, when it came to office, decided to do something about it. A number of studies were done, scoping, and, in 2006, Cabinet made a decision to upgrade and close the Larrakeyah outfall. Work commenced, and we are well on our way to having that facility closed off and Ludmilla treatment plant upgraded. We will have a very modern facility at Ludmilla. The outfall does not have any impact on the quality of the near shore water of Darwin. That has been proven by eminent professors and environmental scientists at Charles Darwin University. They have conducted studies on where the extension to the East Point outfall will go and there is no contamination from that to areas around the shore.
The reuse project in Alice Springs is a great facility and won the National Engineers Australia award. I was there for the opening in 2008. There are further plans to pump much of that water back into the aquifer for reuse. Also, $13.9m has been spent on the Roe Creek bore field in Alice Springs for water supply.
A project nearer to home in my electorate is the conversion of the Wadeye Power Station, which runs on diesel at the moment, over to gas. That work is happening now. They have a new rising main water supply, and work clearing the land for the power station is occurring. That will be a great facility running on gas from the Blacktip pipeline and will, in the future, power Palumpa and also Wudapuli and Nama.
Madam Acting Deputy Speaker, these are great projects which show this government is focused on the future growth of the Northern Territory. We do not want to talk it down. We have a great deal of confidence in the growth of our economy, and the growth of our population. For the member for Greatorex to slag off his own town is disgusting. We have faith in Alice Springs. We have faith in all the regional towns and communities in the Northern Territory to develop their own opportunities around economic development. We will work side by side with them in gearing up for the growth of the Northern Territory.
Mr TOLLNER (Fong Lim): Madam Acting Deputy Speaker, I was quite interested to hear members on the other side say our members were not being relevant to the discussion. When you have a statement called Gearing up for Growth, it is pretty hard to stray off the subject. Practically every topic under the sun has some relevance to that. It is understandable government wants us to stick to some mantra it has created. It refuses to listen to sense. I would like to take the time to reflect on some of the things this government has said it is doing. The INPEX project is a wonderful project and no member in this Chamber has said anything different. It is great for Darwin and great for the Northern Territory. These projects do not come along often, and it is great to see they have turned up here.
However, to suggest it is all the work of this government is a rather long bow. The Chief Minister would like to take all the accolades for it. It is disappointing that the former Chief Minister was not acknowledged for her role in attracting INPEX to the Northern Territory and, indeed, previous chief ministers. The foundation stone for gas development in the Northern Territory has been the Bayu-Undan project run by ConocoPhillips. At the time, the CLP government was running things and that was the foundation project that would see the development of a gas industry in the Northern Territory. Indeed it was, and I expect in the future we will see more and more of these projects coming to Darwin as the world’s desire for energy increases. However, I am not here to haggle about those details. I lament the fact more people are not included in some way in the accolades passed around.
INPEX is a great project. It was quite a coup to see the Ichthys field come from Western Australia. Of course, the reason it came was because of the dead hand of government there. The government there could not act. We all remember the Labor government in Western Australia seemed to refuse to deal with INPEX. That forced their hand, and INPEX made the decision to run a very long pipeline to the Northern Territory because we were open for business and the Labor government in Western Australia was not. However, this INPEX project will have large ramifications on the Northern Territory. I am hoping it will cause a rethink of some of the Northern Territory government’s policy positions.
It was interesting to hear the member for Daly talk about people who are not quite sane and should be locked up. When you flick through the government’s Climate Change Policy, you have to wonder about the sense and sanity of a government which, on one hand is welcoming this wonderful project to the Northern Territory saying it is a game changer for the Northern Territory, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity - all of that we can agree with – but, on the other hand, is trying to peddle this line that it is going to reduce the Northern Territory’s greenhouse gas emissions by 60% of 2007 levels by the year 2050.
That is a remarkable policy position to have because with INPEX you will see a massive increase in greenhouse gas emissions. It has been suggested to me that it may well double or even triple the Northern Territory’s greenhouse gas emissions. Others have suggested it will add around 30%. I am not certain what the actual figure is, but it will add a great deal. If we say our population will grow by a mere 1% per annum to 2050, and we have an increase in greenhouse gas emissions by INPEX of some 30%, by 2050 we are looking at some very serious per capita cuts in greenhouse emissions - some suggest somewhere between 75% and 90% of per capita emissions.
How that is going to occur, I do not know. I cannot, for the life of me, envisage a way we can cut our emissions per capita by that amount unless we ban all motor vehicles off the roads, we power Palmerston for one night per week and Darwin for the other night per week, and we put Alice Springs on a drip feed system. Of course, member for Nhulunbuy, we would have to shut down the Gove plant to achieve those things. That is just silly talk. For the Labor Party to stick to its Climate Change Policy, its aspirational goal of reducing carbon emissions by 60% of 2007 levels by 2050, is a sign of complete madness. I do not believe there would be a single soul out there in the public who would accept that is achievable. The government should certainly drop that policy.
The other thing which concerns me about this government is its rabid support of federal Labor - those dopes down there who are running Australia. We saw last night on Four Corners the sort of people we have in charge of the Australian government. It is quite alarming to think these people have their hands on the lever of the Australian economy.
I was enormously proud this parliament supported opposing the Gillard government’s carbon tax. That was a remarkable thing to do and I felt very proud, as a Territorian, we would be opposing that. I was very disappointed the government did not follow through on the will of the parliament and support opposing the carbon tax initiative. The fact is, on 1 July, we will enter a new era in Australia; we will have a carbon taxing regime in Australia. Sad, but true. They say it is going to start at $23 a tonne, which does not sound like a great deal.
I was trying to work out the emissions INPEX may create over its time in the Northern Territory. The closest thing I could get was a story on ABC news from a couple of days ago where Stuart Blanch - our good friend, Stuart Blanch from the Environment Centre – said the project is expected to generate some 280 million tonnes of emissions over the next 40 years. I am reluctant to quote Dr Blanch as he said some of the most inane, silly things in the past such as he wants permanent water restrictions in Darwin because people wash their cars on the driveway, as though that is some sort of crime. He expects INPEX will emit 280 million tonnes of carbon dioxide over the next 40 years. Working that out at $23 per tonne, you come up with a figure of $6.4bn INPEX is going to fork out for a carbon tax to the federal government over the next 40 years. If you average that out over 40 years, that is around $160m per year going to the federal government. People on the other side of this House will say: ‘That is wonderful. INPEX is paying its way’, but what is the federal government doing with that money? It will send it to developing countries around the world to grow trees and do all types of things to reduce carbon emissions. What would it mean to the Northern Territory if that $160m a year stayed in the Territory for us to use?
Imagine the projects you could fund, the infrastructure you could put in place or the projects you could do with an extra $150m a year. Enormous opportunities lie there. What makes it even more galling is the gas we are producing in the Northern Territory will go overseas to countries that will use it to replace other energy production means such as coal-fired power stations. Those other countries will receive the benefit of our gas and we pay the bill. INPEX, now a local business, will be paying the bill to reduce emissions overseas. Not only that, it will be sending $6.4bn to the Commonwealth government, the majority of which will go overseas to fund third world countries to grow trees. This is complete and utter madness! You have to ask: ‘Who could possibly have come up with such a harebrained scheme?’ These projects happen in Australia and that money should be there for Australians and, more importantly, for Territorians to use on local projects.
We have a Chief Minister who gives a statement about gearing up for growth and, at the same time, has a policy saying he wants to cut our carbon emissions by 60% from 2007 levels by 2050. What sort of growth are we going to have in an environment like that? We are already seeing it right across the Territory. Look at building requirements there days and all the green initiatives you have to put in place. They are driving up the cost of buildings like there is no tomorrow. We cannot live in tropical style houses any longer. We have to accept some type of building design from Sydney, Melbourne or Canberra someone described to me as an esky with an air-conditioner jammed into the side of it. They say that is environmentally friendly!
Whatever happened to high ceilings, fans and louvres? What happened to the way people live in the tropics anywhere else in the world? It seems this government does not have a jot of an idea on the construction of a tropical style house in the tropics. Look at what needs to be done in the Territory to meet greenhouse reduction targets in relation to land clearing. I have seen the draft document the minister has put out on native vegetation and it is horrific. You are going to need a permit to chop a dead branch off a tree! People will need an EIS to plough 150 acres to grow food. You cannot clear regrowth. All this is madness. This is a handbrake on growth not gearing up for growth.
Look at what the government is doing in relation to water. It is restricting access to water so industries cannot grow - so they limit the amount of greenhouse gas emissions in the Northern Territory. The philosophy this government has is like a cancer spreading across the Northern Territory impacting on every single person. It is totally debilitating.
We talked about the Daly River. Why can’t a few people pump water from the Daly River? No, we would not want the Daly to be another Murray/Darling. For goodness sake! The Murray/Darling has 64 000 farms on it and produces more than half Australia’s food. We do not even have 64 farms along the Daly, let alone 64 000 farms. Why the massive water restrictions? How many gigalitres flow into the ocean every year? Some of that can be harvested to allow production of food and allow businesses and industries to grow in some of our remote and rural areas. It is just wrong.
This whole carbon reduction strategy being peddled by this government supports, for some unknown reason, the idea of Gillard and Rudd to tax these guys and send their money overseas to third world countries in order to what? It is hard to conceive what the dividend is. We know Australia emits less than 2% of the world’s emissions. In 12 months, China completely replaces all the emissions created by Australia’s entire energy production sector. That happens every year. We could stop greenhouse reductions in Australia tomorrow. We stop everything. We do not even light campfires and, in one year’s time, China will have picked up the entire slack of Australia. Why are we going down this path, particularly when we are in a developing part of Australia? We do not have a large economy. We do not have many large business operators. This is really the first big business to hit the Northern Territory - the INPEX project - and what are we doing? We are going to tax it $6.4bn over 40 years. It is completely wrong. Not only are we putting a $6.4bn tax on INPEX, but we are flogging to death every Territorian. It is like boiling a frog. We hit them with every regulation, every requirement. We stop people doing things, stop businesses growing, we stop everything.
The hypocrisy is we have a Chief Minister making a statement to this House titled Gearing up for Growth. That is blatant hypocrisy. This government is not gearing up for anything. This government is winding everything back as fast and as hard as it can. The tentacles of the extreme Greens are well and truly embedded in every member who sits on the other side. The Greens/Labor coalition in Canberra is alive and well in the Northern Territory. We have people trying to strangle our industries, shut down everything. It is alarming.
Madam Deputy Speaker, I was up in the air whether I should talk on this today, but I had to say something about where this government is taking us, this handbrake on development, this stopping everything, this nanny state we are in. For goodness sake, you have to show your ID at the bottle-o these days and take bags to the shopping centre. Everywhere you look there is another impediment in your way, it does not matter where. First it was speed limits then pool fencing. All these things are crushing Territorians ...
Mrs LAMBLEY: A point of order, Madam Acting Deputy Speaker! Pursuant to Standing Order 77, I move an extension of time for the member for Fong Lim.
Motion agreed to.
Mr TOLLNER: Thank you very much. I do not have much more to say. This government is strangling the life out of us all. It is suffocating us with regulation, with laws and with requirements. The green Nazis have now taken over and are trying to suffocate the life out of all our rural industries. It is harder and harder for mining projects to set up. I remember some time ago a federal government committee was looking at exploration in Australia. Australia was, at that time, rated the best country in the world to explore but rated the worst country in the world on two counts, one being land access. The Northern Territory not only has native title like the rest of Australia, but we have the added impediment, when it comes to land access, of the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act. It is a problem for people who want to explore and develop mines. It sets a whole new level.
The other area where we fall down in Australia is the level of green tape. Green tape is strangling the life out of opportunity in this country and we have a government in the Northern Territory that has taken up the cudgels and is wrapping everything in green tape. Whether you are trying to build a house, going to the shops to buy groceries, want to buy a soft drink - a can of Coke or some other beverage - want to farm a couple of hundred acres on the Daly, pump some water to feed stock, pump some water to grow produce, or whether you need to clear a bit of land, it is all being wrapped up in green tape. It is suffocating the Northern Territory. This nonsense has to stop.
Of course, we all support the environment. We want to see things preserved and looked after; however, fundamentally, the land is there for the people and you cannot support or protect the environment unless you have the funds to do so. If you strangle industry, strangle business, and strangle the working men and women of the Northern Territory with bureaucracy, red tape and green tape, the last thing you are going to get is the revenue required to protect the environment.
There has to be a balance. Unfortunately in this case, the scales have plummeted with this weight of bureaucracy, red tape, green tape and everything else that goes with the Labor/Greens federal coalition. We are seeing it here in spades. The tentacles of the Greens have infiltrated the entire Labor government of the Northern Territory. It is time somebody stood up and said: Stop, we need to breathe. We need to get out of our houses and work productively. We need to have entrepreneurs. We need people with a bit of get up and go’. People used to talk about the can-do Territory. Well, you can do things. If you have a good idea do not tell me about it, do it. This is a can-do place - it used to be a can-do place. Nowadays, it is a can-do place if you can get through this regulation, that regulation and that law. Get over 100 hurdles and perhaps you will have a chance of doing something.
Madam Acting Deputy Speaker, INPEX is a fantastic project. However, the problems it will cause for this government, and Territorians across the board if this government continues with its priority of reducing greenhouse gas admissions by 60% from 2007 levels by 2050, will be enormous. As I said: turn the lights off in Palmerston, turn the lights off in Darwin, turn them off in Alice Springs, boot Alcan out of the Northern Territory, and ban everyone from driving cars. That is, basically, what the government is saying and is an awful shame.
Mr HAMPTON (Natural Resources, Environment and Heritage): Madam Acting Deputy Speaker, I am pleased to support the Chief Minister’s statement, Gearing up for Growth. Before I get into my response, I want to touch on the member for Greatorex’s comments on Central Australia, particularly Alice Springs. In many ways it is water off a duck’s back for me with the personal attacks the member for Greatorex wanted to fire across the Chamber. It is a robust Chamber we are in, and that is part of the politics we are in.
I will focus on some of the achievements. Since I was elected into the parliament in 2006, I have been a strong advocate for Central Australia and Alice Springs. I am honoured to be Minister for Central Australia. There have been many achievements, and that is what I will focus my attention and contribution on. Regarding my local community work, I was born and raised in Alice Springs and my family has been there for generations. I will be there long after my political career is finished. I will not leave town and go back to where I came from as other members may do. Alice Springs is my home; I am passionate about it. After I finish my political career, I will still be there …
Mr Giles: We are hoping you will be, Karl.
Mr HAMPTON: Absolutely, I love it.
We will not get into the electorate of Greatorex, although I have some good projects there I would like to mention. With key achievements, it is important we balance the contribution of the member for Greatorex with some good news and positive aspects of Central Australia.
Some of the key achievements - I have a list which I will go through – are: upgrades of the Alice Springs Hospital, a significant project for Alice Springs providing opportunities for many subcontractors, which is ticking along very well; the opening of the Alice Spring Police Beat; improvements to the Tanami and Mereenie Loop Roads; upgrading Traeger Park; opening of the Alice Springs Aquatic and Leisure Centre, which has been a great asset to the community of Alice Springs and Central Australia; opening the Red Centre Way West Macs Discovery Centre at the Alice Springs Desert Park- a fantastic asset to a wonderful park; headworks have commenced on the new suburb of Kilgariff - every time I drive to the airport there are further developments; it is great to see the intersection going in at Norris Bell Avenue; the Larapinta seniors village is fairly close to being completed; the release of land at Mt Johns and the subdivision will again be kicking a few goals; Bunnings is going to be a great project for Alice Springs; and renovations to Kmart are being undertaken. The Bunnings complex will create an additional 160 jobs during the construction phase, with more than 110 new positions available in the Bunnings team.
The list keeps going on: we have the CBD revitalisation, and it was great to talk to the mayor recently about how that is progressing; the redevelopment of Springs Plaza in the Todd Mall is moving ahead; and upgrades or renovations to the Royal Flying Doctor Service in Alice Springs is another project moving along very well.
I met with many businesses late last year - the Chamber of Commerce, Tourism Central Australia - and government certainly understands they are doing it tough. It is tough times, not only in the Northern Territory, but right across our country. There is an underlying confidence within the business community in Alice Springs. As I said before in this House, I attended the October Business Month breakfast in Alice Springs where some 250 businesses were represented. They were very upbeat and very confident in what they need to do to see through these tough times.
With regard to Central Australia, there was some talk about incidents over the summer of 2010. We know it was a tough time with crime in Alice Springs. We know, through the Chief Minister’s answers today, we had Operation Thresher operating in Alice Springs. There were some outstanding results and some very hard work from our local police. I would like to pass my thanks on to those police officers who did a fantastic job over the summer.
There was another fantastic program over the summer in Alice Springs and government chipped in $60 000 towards it - the holiday program. Initiatives were put forward by the community, particularly the youth services and non-government organisations, and I have received positive feedback regarding the holiday program from those various sectors. I can advise the House around 1400 people attended the four Blue Light SPLASH discos held over the summer holidays at the aquatic centre in Alice Springs. A great number of young people got involved in a fantastic event in a great facility. Also, the Cops and Kids basketball was heavily patronised and about 40 kids attended activities at Centralian Middle School each day. I am sure the minister for Education would be very pleased to hear about that.
Centralian Middle School has had its critics, and continues to have its critics, but it was great it could open its doors over the six week break and be involved in some of those holiday program activities. There were around 40 kids each day attending those activities at Centralian Middle School. Seventy-five percent of the young people attending these activities used the transport services provided under the extra funding from the Northern Territory government. I would say the increased effort to provide a coordinated summer holiday program was a key action identified by the Alice Springs Community Action Plan and it is an important part of the Alice Springs Youth Action Plan. The Alice Springs Youth Action Plan committee came out of the summer we had in 2010. I was involved in many community meetings in Alice Springs after that terrible summer. The Chief Minister visited on a couple of occasions and met with community people. Mayor, Damien Ryan, held a large community meeting at CDU in Alice Springs. In tough times the community has to pull together.
The government does not have all the answers but is an important facilitator in pulling people together and seeing change occur. I would like to thank and applaud those community groups, non-government organisations, and community services involved not only in the holiday program, but over the last 12 months. They rolled their sleeves up, became involved in meetings and discussions and worked hard and tirelessly towards turning things around. We had a better Christmas and holiday period with regard to crime. As I said, the police have done a fantastic job but, all in all, the holiday program was a huge success and I thank all involved.
Turning to Gearing up for Growth and my portfolio responsibilities, as Environment minister, a large amount of work was done with the environmental impact study on the INPEX project at Blaydin Point. It is a game changer. Everyone in this House agrees it is a game changer and is going to mean huge opportunities for the Northern Territory going forward for many years.
As minister for Environment, post the environmental impact study and the work that still needs to be done, my focus is on sustainable development in the Northern Territory. Under the Environmental Assessment Act, new developments are assessed according to the principles of ecologically sustainable development. A key platform of project environmental assessment is to get the balance right between encouraging development and protecting our unique Territory environment. My Department of Natural Resources, Environment, the Arts and Sport ensures a rigorous environmental assessment process is undertaken, as is expected by the Northern Territory community, in order to advise responsible ministers whether environmental impacts are acceptable and can be properly managed.
Since 2009, 168 projects have been assessed under the Environmental Assessment Act, including those assessed formally as public environment reports or environmental impact statements, and those that have not triggered formal assessments assessed as a notice of intent. I can advise the House that, of these projects, over 30 mining projects have been assessed. Seven tourism projects have been assessed, including additional cabins at Nitmiluk and the Wangi Falls Visitors Centre. Ten housing projects have been assessed, including subdivisions at Bellamack, Johnston, Muirhead, Kilgariff and Zuccoli. Numerous infrastructure projects have been assessed, including various roadworks, sewerage system upgrades, and the upgrade to the Elizabeth River boat ramp. Several major projects have been assessed, including the INPEX facility at Blaydin Point, INPEX accommodation facilities and the East Arm Wharf expansion.
The assessment of projects has enabled confidence by government that the environmental impacts of these projects are acceptable and can be properly managed. All these projects have contributed to growth and the sustainable development of the Northern Territory and its economy. The $33bn INPEX project at Blaydin Point is expected to create 3000 jobs at the peak of construction and provide a significant boost across the Northern Territory. The expansion of the East Arm Wharf in Darwin Harbour, including the development of the Marine Supply Base, will also have a significant impact on the Territory’s economy. The Marine Supply Base will help establish Darwin as a major oil and gas hub, and will service oil and gas supply ships. The project, expected to be completed in 2013, will employ approximately 125 people at the peak of construction, create 54 ongoing jobs, and support over 173 jobs in the broader economy.
In addition to facilitating sustainable development through the environmental assessment process, the Territory government is protecting our environment through a comprehensive compliance and enforcement framework to reduce environmental impact and increase compliance rates. In April 2010, additional measures were announced by the government to improve environmental compliance, including an additional $800 000 to NRETAS for more environmental compliance officers and licensing of additional high-risk activities ...
Mr Tollner: More environmental compliance officers? More hurdles.
Mr HAMPTON: More of them, absolutely. A licensing regime is being developed to provide greater regulatory control of high-risk activities that are not currently regulated under NT legislation. My department is also currently progressing development of an agency-wide compliance and enforcement policy and guidelines to ensure a targeted and transparent approach to compliance and enforcement.
The policy will provide guidance to industry, business and individuals on how the department will approach compliance and enforcement now and into the future. My department has also developed and is implementing a compliance plan and schedule to monitor compliance with licences and approvals under relevant legislation. Assessment includes desktop audits and site verification inspections. The department also continues to provide technical assistance for environmental harm minimisation to the commercial sector. Through all these measures, the Northern Territory government is working to ensure development of the Northern Territory is sustainable and providing a balance between growth and environmental protection.
As we gear up for growth in the oil and gas industry, the opportunities extend to regional areas of the Northern Territory. There has been some discussion regarding those opportunities reaching the regions and the bush, particularly jobs for Indigenous people. The Territory government is committed to sustainable development and a key tool we have introduced as part of ensuring all Territorians benefit from growth is our community benefits package approach. Where the environmental effects of a project cannot be avoided, mitigated or repaired at the site of the development, reasonable costs to a community benefits package can address these issues. For example, an environmental and social benefits package will provide long-term benefits for the community over the life of the INPEX project and well beyond.
The package includes support and implementation of the following: improving the understanding of the health of the harbour through funding and implementing important research and development programs over a 40-year commitment; a long-term survey of coastal dolphins to improve the understanding of dolphin numbers; distribution and critical resource needs; identify location and habitats of importance, providing valuable information to protect and maintain dolphin populations. It will also help produce habitat maps of the Darwin region, which will provide baseline information, inform monitoring, and allow for coastal planning.
The project will involve scientists from various organisations and Aboriginal ranger groups; conservation management of marine mega-fauna in the western Top End, supporting the north Australian centre for oil and gas and working with the Northern Territory government to pursue savannah fire management opportunities that will off-set some greenhouse gas emissions. Fire management initiatives offer significant opportunities for Aboriginal employment in the Territory, particularly rangers.
I am extremely proud of the world-recognised and world-leading West Arnhem Land Fire Abatement Project. This landmark greenhouse gas offset agreement between ConocoPhillips, the Northern Territory government, the Northern Land Council and traditional owners, and Indigenous land managers in West Arnhem Land recognises significant greenhouse gas abatement achieved through savannah fire management carried out by Indigenous ranger groups as an offset to some of the greenhouse gas emissions generated at the ConocoPhillips liquefied natural gas plant in Darwin Harbour. Under the arrangement, around $1m per year is invested into the project for 17 years to provide this fire management service. The project uses traditional fire management practices, together with modern scientific knowledge, to better control the extent and severity of savannah wildfires, thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions by around 100 000 tonnes per year.
As well as reducing greenhouse gas emissions and contributing to positive biodiversity conservation outcomes, WALFA is showing land management can provide sustainable employment for Indigenous land managers and support people living on country. The project shows how the vision the government has and the growth this government is delivering can benefit all Territorians, delivering jobs and investment in regional areas of the Territory, delivering real Indigenous employment on country, sustaining homelands, and ensuring our environmental benefits are there for all Territorians. The lessons learnt through this project are being put into practice with the INPEX project, with INPEX already committing to an offsets project similar to WALFA.
Turning to sport, now the INPEX project is moving to its next phase, the big challenge is to prepare the Territory for sustained growth, and that means supporting our great Territory lifestyle. This government is providing sporting infrastructure to ensure all Territorians have access to a wide range of facilities and activities that enhance this great lifestyle, and we are doing this in Palmerston.
During the 2008 election campaign, the Northern Territory government committed to delivering $22m towards an international standard facility for Palmerston. After extensive consultations, we further committed the funding project, now totalling $33m. There is $33m invested into Palmerston to build a strong community in spirit, to create jobs, and provide facilities to support our great lifestyle - an important thing. New tennis and netball facilities have been built at the current site adjacent to the Palmerston Aquatic and Leisure Centre in Driver, and less than a month ago the facilities opened. I welcome support from local families such as Palmerston mum, Nicole Fowler, who said recently the facility was fantastic and would be welcomed by busy parents. Her 12-year-old daughter, Kimberley Pyser, was a key netballer who used to have to travel to the sports complex at Marrara. Palmerston Netball Association President; Catherine Norton said the facility was great for Palmerston and rural families. She said it has made Palmerston a pinnacle for NT Netball.
The AFL facilities are being constructed, as planned, on the Charles Darwin University site and the upgrade of the Palmerston Magpies oval number 1, including the construction of lighting in the grandstand. The Palmerston Raiders rugby league facility is also being constructed on Crown land at Rosebery. The football facility is being constructed at the existing football site adjacent to Gray Primary School. Of course, the Palmerston Water Park is another great example of how this government is committed to the great Territory lifestyle and to building sport and recreation infrastructure for Territorians. The water park includes barbecues, play equipment area, kiosk, shade areas with slides, and is fantastic for the people of Palmerston. This government has invested in Palmerston to build a strong community, to create jobs and provide families the support to enjoy our great lifestyle.
I turn to the National Broadband Network. This government understands the power of telecommunications. Telecommunications is one of the key elements underpinning the economic growth of the Northern Territory. Without a reliable telecommunications network, projects such as INPEX would be much more difficult to bring to the Territory. A reliable, competitive high-speed telecommunications environment is fundamental in attracting large scale investments into the Northern Territory ...
Mr GUNNER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I move an extension of time for the member, pursuant to Standing Order 77.
Motion agreed to.
Mr HAMPTON: Thank you, colleagues. A reliable, competitive high-speed telecommunications environment is fundamental in attracting large scale investment into the Northern Territory. The commissioning of the Regional Backbone Blackspots Program optic fibre built by Nextgen is providing a competitive environment that is already seeing results. Nextgen is seeing a high demand for services for the new optic fibre beyond its expectations.
With the growth in oil and gas investment in Darwin, and the availability of a truly competitive telecommunications environment, the Northern Territory is well-positioned to take advantage of this investment foothold and further develop Darwin and the Territory. Further advances in the telecommunications sector will be required to provide high-speed reliable connections into the oil and gas fields to deliver the capacity required for modern driven technologies.
This is an exciting time for the Territory, particularly the telecommunications industry, from which the Territory can only gain and develop. The ability to shrink the distance between relatives and business interests and do it reliably at affordable cost is a fundamental requirement, particularly for people living in remote communities. This is why this government invested in the Arnhem Land Fibre Project with Telstra, Rio Tinto and the Northern Land Council in 2008. Our commitment to growth in the Territory is long-standing. Our investment of $6.5m means nine communities and more than 10 000 people in Arnhem Land are now connected to reliable broadband communications. Also, health clinics are now able to access applications and services not previously available because of overstressed and inadequate telecommunications infrastructure. Schools are now connected at 20 MB/s providing access to the Internet and educational material that has never been possible before.
This government continues to support the establishment of high-speed broadband across the Territory because we understand the benefits it will bring to all Territorians. This is why we are supporting the roll-out of the National Broadband Network. The NBN will bring high-speed broadband to all Territorians. The NBN will bring optic fibre to homes, businesses and public buildings in Darwin, Katherine, Tennant Creek, Alice Springs and Nhulunbuy. In Darwin, the reach of the optic fibre will include areas as far south as Humpty Doo and Noonamah. Fixed wireless will provide coverage in areas around Darwin such as Wagait Beach, Dundee Beach, Dundee Downs, Darwin River, Fly Creek, Berry Springs, Hughes, Marrakai, and Lambells Lagoon.
While the roll-out into remote areas of the Northern Territory is not expected to begin for two years, an interim satellite service is available to qualifying households. NBN is expected to launch its own purpose designed and built satellites in 2015. On 8 February, NBNCo announced the contract for two new purpose-built satellites to service the remote areas of Australia. These satellites are the newest technology, and will offer the same basic product of 12 MB/s download speed as the optic fibre network. Because everyone gets the NBN at a national standard wholesale price, for the first time all Territorians will have access to comparable telecommunications services regardless of where they live.
The possibilities for growth in remote and regional areas on the back of the NBN are becoming very real. To quote the National Digital Economy Strategy:
Territorians living in regional and remote areas of the Territory will gain the most from reliable and affordable communications. With the completion of the Arnhem Land optic-fibre link, the Regional Backbone Blackspots Program, and the roll--out of the NBN the Territory is well-positioned to support our vision for growth in the oil and gas and mining sectors. The downstream growth arising from this investment will also benefit many other sectors of the economy and the Territory as a whole. The telecommunications sector and infrastructure provided is a key part of the Territory’s development.
Madam Speaker, we are primed for prosperity and, in the words of the Chief Minister, are ready to take on the world. I am pleased to support this statement.
Debate adjourned.
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I have received the following letter from the member for Blain:
Madam Speaker
The issue is what is the fundamental responsibility of a state, territory or federal government? In fact, what is the purpose of a government? That is a key question and if you assess that carefully you can distil it down to its core business. The core business of any government - its first item of business - is to provide safety for its citizens. In fact, in a very old document that describes the role of government it says it has one principle role and that is to restrain evil and to ensure justice for all. That is the core business of a government. Other things are then added and that is why the law and order debate is so important. That is why, when we have debates with the interference of politics, we try to accuse each other of having other motives. The ones who stand in this House to represent the best interests of the citizens know they understand the core business of government is, in fact, to provide for their safety. That is why this is a matter of public importance.
I ask each member to, as representatives of the community, take an honest refresher of their position and engagement with members. That will give you a challenge because I can imagine being in government for nearly 11 years, the pre-occupation, perhaps, has consumed the mind of government that it is about the government. We have forgotten what the core business is, put programs and plans in place, and then find ourselves in that defensive position talking about the government and defending its position when the energy should be defending citizens, ensuring they feel safe, and, more importantly, ensuring the children feel safe. That is the core business and if you recognise that as the place to start we might be able to at least have a discussion on this matter of public importance.
Yes, cynicism reigns high in these matters. I predict, as I have been a member of this Chamber for 12 years, they will say: ‘Here we go. The Country Liberal Party is mustering up scare campaigns and frightening citizens’. That is not the case and I will tell you why. I have chosen to speak on this matter of public importance because I am a local member, a member of my own community, and I know how people are feeling. That is why I am still in this Chamber. Those who have been here for some time will know there have been ebbs and flows in the political story in the Territory. I have stayed because I have stayed close to my community; I know what is going on. Prior to that, I worked very closely with my community as a school principal. I was not just an educator; I had a role in my community and have worked with my community.
This is a matter of public importance. I can remember the former Attorney-General, Peter Toyne, when I convened public meetings in Palmerston - as a member of that community with a concern about crime, reflecting the very real fear and concern citizens had as a result of a spate of break-ins, I felt it was necessary to get the community together to talk about these things. They had become fearful and angry. They were deeply concerned for the protection and safety of their children and the future of their community. Getting people together and calling in key stakeholders was what was required to build some confidence in the community.
The first thing was: I was broken into and nothing seems to have happened. Well, what did I have to do? I had to bring the police into the equation so they could be there, hear what the citizens were saying, respond, and provide an explanation and build that connection. As a result of that, many things flowed. People began to understand how the system works. They knew a phone call they make to police is very important, and those things start to build confidence in your community and they are then able to be involved in building safety in the community; however, there has to be that level of engagement and political leadership which is honest.
We now have a situation where I find it embarrassing to have the Chief Minister attempt, once again, to provide an explanation and endeavour to convince people who might be listening and people I know that everything is under control. ‘We have a few challenges but, by and large, we do not need to have an assessment of how the police force is configured or resourced. We do not need to look at the crime stats, but, trust us, the programs we put in place are working. We cannot see the stats because the stats have changed, but, trust us, the programs are working’.
I can predict, the Chief Minister, unless he is given a dose of honesty and accepts his responsibility, will pussy foot around with the requirement for an independent assessment of police resourcing even though, when in a room full of delegates from the Police Association, he says: ‘I will look at it’, just to buy a bit of space in that room. That does not display leadership. You have to work out whether it is the case - yes or no? Is an independent assessment of police resourcing required or not? If it is no - it appears to be no - it should have been no when he was in the company of the Police Association, not fluffing now with seven months to go: ‘the clock is ticking, see if we can buy some time’.
That is why I was moved to call the Chief Minister to a public debate. We have to have these conversations in the community because the community is concerned, and I will tell you how concerned they are. Anyone who now has a teenage child, or has had a teenage child, knows very well what I am going to describe. I was put into a difficult position about four or five days ago where a mother spoke to me about her children being assaulted separately. I will not say any more about it, and you will perhaps understand why. What has concerned me more than anything in this case was the fear this family had about me saying anything - very real fear.
That fear was fed because they had raised a very real concern. These are people I know. They raised their concern, had been through the process, and the process had not responded to them other than being a part of a process. They had not been able to submit, to their satisfaction, the report - and there is a good explanation for it - but, essentially, the human element had gone missing. The process had explanations as to why it was working, but there had been no response to that family that matters were on foot. The fear, the concern, the anxiety of a citizen who has had her most precious ones hurt in separate incidents was not responded to.
That fear troubled me because I have seen it before. You do not know whether you should speak up because it may draw attention to it and it will embolden those who cause the harm in the first place. The fear increases in the community and it erodes confidence. That is very real and anyone who has a teenage child will know exactly what it is like. You do not know whether you want to go back to the school or not because the ones who have caused that damage are emboldened; they do not care. That is why the response time and the quality of the response is critical. The level of connection between our hardworking police officers and the community is the most critical interface. There are so many good people out there trying to play their role as a parent and have concerns about the physical security removed so they have the freedom to think about good things – a bright future.
Make no mistake; this is a very real concern. That is why I am arguing, Chief Minister, for a review of police resourcing. We cannot take your word that it is okay and then trot out a decade’s plus old story about what happened in the street by and by as justification for doing nothing today. We have something more important than some numbers and some description of programs and activities. There is something else at play here. If, as I have witnessed after coming back from a break - in two weeks I had three people come to me separately to describe ...
Mr Knight: Working in Indonesia, though.
Mr MILLS: Pardon?
Mr Knight: I was talking about your holiday.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr Giles: It is a matter of public importance, you fool!
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Braitling, I ask you to withdraw that, please
Mr GILES: I withdraw
Madam SPEAKER: Thank you very much. Leader of the Opposition, you have the call.
Mr MILLS: After coming back from my break I had three separate interviews with people who conveyed, sadly, the same story. They described a break-in, what it meant to them, the loss of precious items and the intrusion into their own space - it was traumatic. Had you done the assessment on that, member for Daly, you might understand these things and dig a little deeper - the shallow man you appear to be. It affected them deeply and emotionally.
The response was, frankly, inadequate, and I made that known to the officer in charge. I was concerned and the explanations were made. I had another one - same issue. There were explanations, but one couple had a matter I do not want to talk about but they had not been adequately heard or responded to. Then, worse than that, I had one a few days ago where that terrible fear a family feels was compounded by the quality of the response.
I am playing this out by relaying three particular incidents, but if you play this out across the community where you have call centres that are centralised - they make bureaucratic sense, perhaps, but they do not connect to the local community. You only have to have one person who feels they are not being heard or understood in a moment of crisis - anyone who has made a phone call when someone is in your house knows what it is like, as I have. You want to make that call and you want to know damned well that person who has taken the call understands what you are talking about, where you are, and that they are going to respond. That is what you need.
With all the numbers the Chief Minister might cite, you only need a few who feel they have not been heard: ‘Okay, we tick that off and explain it away’. For goodness sake, this is someone who has made the call and it was not heard nor understood. That may be just another statistic, but they play out. They tell other people and it erodes the community confidence.
The point of this is - I am sure the Chief Minister will weigh in on this - I am criticising the police. Well, I did what a local member should do. I made these concerns known to the Officer-in-Charge and we worked together to fix them. I know how it is when you become inundated, swamped, with rising concern in the community; it becomes very difficult. I spoke to my colleagues who have served as police officers. I understand how hard and frustrating it must be, day after day, call after call - you sometimes feel you are going through the motions, perhaps forgetting the person you are speaking to is a mother just like your wife, and is talking about her child just like your children, and there is a human connection.
That is why the circuit breaker must be an honest assessment of what is going on with our police force. We can then respond with a clear insight as to how it is tracking and ensure help is there for those on the front counters and those who visit houses after a break-in. We also ensure, at the pointy end, there is that contract between the officer of the law and the citizen who has had a violation of the law to their personal or material loss. We need to bring that back. The place to start is that honest assessment to ensure we have correct alignment. You have to match up the resources you have and not just say, in abstract, you have enough when the crime stats have now been blocked from view.
What are you measuring enough against? Other places have less than us, therefore, we have enough? That is not a plausible argument because enough is enough to do the job and to restrain that which is evil in our community - those who cross the line. That is the fundamental business of a government, as I said at the beginning. Ask yourself the deep question: what is the real role of a government? What is the first job it has? It is to make the life of citizens one they can enjoy in safety. Go back in the olden times up to today; it has not changed. That is the first thing. Then, justice and all these other things come after that. However, you cannot go anywhere unless you have dealt with those two things. Try to explain it away, try to bamboozle people, try to fluff around with crime stats, talk about programs, talk about yourself, talk about the other guys, what they did about 18 years ago, or something like that. Meanwhile, you have a mum and dad who are really upset because they feel increasingly vulnerable because we have had to talk about something that causes them grave fear. It is horrible that a mum, a dad, and a family are feeling this level of fear.
What has to happen? If there are problems with a response because of the overloading of the police officer, we can only deal with that if we have had an honest assessment, as has been identified in the O’Sullivan Review, the Police Association has called for, and the opposition has agreed to. By the way, if there is a change of government, there will be an audit so we can have that proper alignment. The Chief Minister gave assent in the room. He said he would look at it and gave the impression looking at it meant: ‘Yes, we will probably take the next step’. We are waiting to see whether those assurances given in that room which placated are going to substantiate into some real action. That is the first thing.
The next thing is to give us some clarity around these crime statistics so we know exactly what we are measuring it against - resource against a problem, the problem being the security of citizens. Check that and we can then work out whether we are going to make some progress. Start from where we are; do not talk about financial constraints as being the reason for not doing anything. Once you explain where we are at financially - what we can afford - this is the nature of the problem, this is where we are now, this is where we are going, and explain we have programs in place that are working and we can measure them with stats, then the citizens will come with you.
Front up to public meetings and talk about these things honestly and start to build up some confidence. If you do not do that people become fearful, do not talk to each other, put up their shutters, lose their confidence in their community and morale drops. It then feeds on to the police who feel their morale is challenged and it becomes just a hard job. You have to break that. Go out and talk to people and have a public meeting. Chief Minister, come to that public meeting and have this conversation with people. They are very concerned. We have to front up and we have to talk to them.
Madam Speaker, I am sure one of my colleagues from Alice Springs will highlight the issues there. People have lost their confidence in the capacity of this government to properly respond, to understand the problems, and to engage them rather than going into dizzy spins of rhetoric designed to distract and defend the interests of government. That is the last interest to be defended, citizens are first.
Mr HENDERSON (Chief Minister): Madam Speaker, I am pleased to respond to the Leader of the Opposition in the MPI tonight because one crime is one crime too many; one assault is one assault too many. All of us here have been victims of crime in one form or another during our lives, or if we have not been, members of our family have been, or friends, or neighbours or people we know in the workplace. It does not matter where you are; crime, unfortunately, touches everyone in the community in one way or another. We are not Robinson Crusoe in the Northern Territory either.
In regard to the MPI tonight, the Leader of the Opposition is talking about a timely response to police public emergencies and the protection, safety and wellbeing of Territorians. We have had this debate many times over the years and, given it is an election year, the CLP will be back on the law and order bandwagon beating this issue up as much as it can to its own political advantage.
The Leader of the Opposition likes to talk about having an honest conversation with the community. I will go to the honesty and integrity of some of the comments he has made in the debate this evening. I will also point out, in regard to having a debate with the community, the opposition is very quick to point to problems, real and perceived. What it does not have is solutions. What it does not have is policies. What it does not have is an overall clear approach to reducing crime and antisocial behaviour across the Northern Territory.
The opposition is very quick to jump on the soapbox and bellow from on high every time somebody, tragically, goes to their local member with a story about being broken into as some sort of evidence that the social fabric of the Northern Territory is falling apart. However, as a responsible opposition it has no policies in place as to what it is going to do. That is apart from pouring more grog on the problem in Alice Springs, where it says if in government it would open the bottle shops for another four hours every day and would get rid of the Banned Drinker Register that stops around 2100 people accessing alcohol across the Territory.
Anyone who understands crime in the Northern Territory, anyone who understands where crime is coming from, would know the vast majority of it is fuelled by alcohol. All the feigned indignation from the Leader of the Opposition in this House means absolutely nothing when there is a policy of more grog for the Northern Territory. The police have said the best tool they have to deal with alcohol-related crime is the Banned Drinker Register. The opposition would disarm police of the best tool they have. It would tie one hand of police officers behind their back by removing the best tool they have to deal with this problem.
I will not go to the specifics of the incident, but the Leader of the Opposition put out a media release - I believe it was 13 February - in regard to an incident in Palmerston. I am absolutely with that family in its anger and concern about what has happened. Before I go to the Leader of the Opposition, I place on the public record that I am more than happy to meet with that family and hear their story firsthand because the Leader of the Opposition’s interpretation of it, as I am advised by police, is somewhat different. Again, the Leader of the Opposition has sought to use someone’s pain for political gain in the media rather than doing the responsible thing if he was really concerned - talking to me as minister for Police or taking the issue up with the Police Commissioner.
If it were any of my kids I would be equally as upset and angry as the parents of these kids. In regard to whether the police did the right thing, whether enough resources were deployed, my understanding from police and the advice I have been given was the family agree and are happy with the police response. The Leader of the Opposition was advised of that, and that the family was very upset this incident had become public as a result of the Leader of the Opposition’s press release. The only way this incident became a public issue for that poor family to have to deal with was as a direct result of the Leader of the Opposition using a family’s genuine pain for his own political gain - to try to whip up fear on law and order in the lead-up to the election.
Madam Speaker, I am a little over the Leader of the Opposition coming here, hand on heart, being genuinely concerned about these issues when he is just out there, as a politician, jumping on every assault as a potential opportunity to gain politically in this debate.
My advice is the family are happy with the police response, are desperately unhappy this issue has become public, and the responsibility for that family’s unhappiness lies fairly and squarely at the feet of the Leader of the Opposition and he should be ashamed of himself. Again, I say to that family, I am more than happy to meet with you to hear, firsthand, your concerns. My advice from police, who have been in touch with the family as recently as yesterday, is they are happy with the police response, and arrests have been made in regard to the assault. Leader of the Opposition, stop being so pious; you are looking for opportunities for political advantage.
I will go through some figures. There are probably more facts, figures and scrutiny on crime statistics than anything else in this parliament. What is crystal clear is that there are 390 more police officers in the Northern Territory than in 2003. Property crime has seen a significant decrease over the years we have been in government. The reason assaults are up is not because more assaults are occurring across the Northern Territory, there are more police out there. There is now mandatory reporting of domestic violence. The opposition will stop at nothing to try to terrorise people across the Northern Territory that assaults and violent crime are out of control. One assault is one assault too many, and the tragedy of those assault figures is very much fuelled by the tragedy of domestic violence in the Territory where the victim and offender are known to each other. We are not talking about an escalation of random assaults in the Territory.
Let us look at property crime. The overall level of property crime has fallen by 31% across the Northern Territory. All major categories of property crime have decreased. We are talking about 9213 less property offences per annum across the Northern Territory than when we came to government. It is a huge improvement and one I put down to the great work of our police across the Northern Territory.
In the 2010-11 financial year, there were 50% fewer house break-ins in the Northern Territory than the last year of the CLP government. The population, obviously, has grown significantly during that time, and there were 1937, or 50%, fewer house break-ins than in the last year of the CLP government. In the 2010-11 financial year, there were 15% fewer commercial break-ins than in the last year of the CLP government and, in the 2010-11 financial year, there were 21% fewer thefts of, or from, motor vehicles than in the last year of the CLP government. In the 2010-11 financial year, there were 3793, or 35%, fewer other thefts, mainly shoplifting and stealing, than the last year of the CLP government. In the 2010-11 financial year, there were 2534, or 26%, fewer property damage offences than in the last year of the CLP government.
The Leader of the Opposition is trying to jump on every single crime that occurs for his own political capital and the facts and figures are very clear. There is significantly less property crime ...
Mr Elferink: No, they are not. Have you read your own police annual report or the addendums?
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr HENDERSON: ... after 10 years of Labor government than after 27 years ...
Mr Elferink: They are not clear.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr HENDERSON: ... of a Country Liberal Party government. There were 31% fewer property offences, 50% fewer house break-ins, 15% fewer commercial break-ins, 21% fewer thefts from motor vehicles, 35% fewer thefts from shopping centres and stealing, and 26% fewer property damage offences.
Let us look at the Northern Territory population over that period. It increased by 17% and, overall, property crime decreased by 31%. That is a very significant achievement and, as I have said before very clearly - the Police Commissioner has said this on many occasions also - in regard to assaults on the person, the advent of 390 more police officers in the police force for one thing, an extra 70 police officers in the bush, mandatory reporting of domestic violence shining a light on domestic violence has given women more confidence to report. Police now have the powers to issue urgent restraining orders. Police have introduced domestic violence units in Alice Springs, Tennant Creek, Katherine and Darwin where none existed before. With 18 new police stations in remote communities across the Northern Territory more assaults are being reported. The lid has been taken off the tragedy of the very high level of domestic violence that occurs in the Northern Territory, the vast majority of it fuelled by alcohol. Does the opposition acknowledge or accept that? Not at all, because it does not suit its political purpose leading into the election beating the law and order drum.
Alcohol continues to be a factor in most assaults across the Territory. Sixty percent of assaults involved alcohol in the 12 months ending September 2011. In that same period, the number of alcohol-related assaults was 5% fewer than in the 12 months ending September 2010. Domestic violence was associated with 54% of assaults in the 12 months to September 2011.
With this enormous spike in assaults in the Territory the opposition is trying to terrorise people for their own political purpose, but failed to say 54% of those assaults are domestic violence. If you take the domestic violence numbers out of those statistics, Territorians are likely not to be randomly assaulted at the same level as the rest of Australia. It is a beat-up from the opposition.
If the opposition is serious, where is its policy? Where is its policy on crime in the Northern Territory? What would it do? It is all well and good to say: ‘We will have a review of the police force’, but what about funding for our police force? It is all very well to say: ‘Yes, we will have an extra 20 police officers in Alice Springs’. Fantastic, but where is the policy around this? Where is the budgeting around this? We have the shadow Treasurer saying the budget should be back in surplus. Where is the funding coming from for these 20 extra police officers? Where is the funding coming from to implement any recommendations from a review which says you need police officers? We know the opposition will sack several thousand public servants if it gets into office because the only way to bring the budget back into surplus is to slash spending or raise taxes. Unless the opposition has a plan to introduce property taxes in the Territory to eliminate all the assistance given to first homeowners - maybe it will introduce land tax in the Northern Territory. Perhaps it will jack up our payroll tax. The only way to bring the budget back into surplus is to tax the hide out of Territorians or slash thousands of jobs.
It is very easy to say it will put 20 more police officers in Alice Springs but, unless you back that up with how you fund that promise - where the money is coming from - it is a hollow promise from hollow opposition members who are lazy, tired, have nothing positive to say about the Northern Territory and no policies. We are entering an election year and it has no policies - not one to hold before Territorians and say: ‘This is our crime reduction policy for the Northern Territory. This is what we will do if we were in government’.
We know the opposition will increase trading hours for bottle shops in Alice Springs by an extra four hours a day. That is a fantastic crime reduction policy - more grog in Alice Springs. Somehow, the opposition believes there will be less crime as a result of more grog. They will tie the hands of our hard-working police officers behind their back by taking out of their tool kit the best legislation police say they have ever had to protect Territorians from alcohol-related crime.
I will go to the issue of the call centre, Madam Speaker. Again, if the Leader of the Opposition was serious about this issue, as opposed to seeing a political opportunity, he would request from the Police Commissioner a tour of the joint emergency services communications centre, the JESCC, at the Peter McAulay Centre and see firsthand what a world-class facility it is. It receives, on average, 10 000 to 12 000 calls a month. The Police Commissioner quite rightly said - I saw him on the news last night - if there was a car accident today or somebody witnesses an assault, instead of getting one or two phone calls, they receive 60 or 70 phone calls for that one event. The call centre is totally computerised with CAD systems - every call is recorded. When you are dealing with those volumes of calls, from time to time things are going to go pear-shaped. Police receive those complaints and respond as best they can.
We wanted Alice Springs Police Station to continue handling local calls. The problem was we could not recruit the auxiliaries and, as Police minister, I am not going to say fully-trained, fully-sworn police officers should be sitting in Alice Springs Police Station waiting for the phone to ring. They should be out on the streets doing their job. Auxiliaries could not be recruited regardless of how hard police tried. The only way to guarantee the good citizens of Alice Springs a better service was to centralise the service in Darwin where people could be recruited, where the desk is manned, and we do not have expensive, highly-trained, experienced police officers sitting behind the desk with their feet up waiting for the phone to ring as the opposition would have. Our police are better employed out on the streets.
Let us look at some of the figures. The proportion of incidents where police are dispatched within 10 minutes of all calls to the call centre - they come from around the Northern Territory - is 83%. Of all calls for assistance, 83% are dispatched within 10 minutes. That is pretty good, Madam Speaker. For the 17% that are not, there are reasons. Of all 000 calls, 87% are answered in 10 seconds or less. The ones that are not are recorded, and the reason assessed and understood. Seventy-four percent of all general calls to the JESCC are answered within 20 seconds. That is a pretty good effort and I know police are striving to improve all the time. But, no, what do we have with the opposition? If someone rings in and says: ‘Police did not respond …’
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, your time has expired. There are no extensions in MPIs.
Mr GILES (Braitling): Madam Speaker, I will pick up where the Chief Minister left off. I will quickly write down those statistics. Thank you for that, Chief Minister. Eighty-three percent of calls were dispatched within 10 minutes; 87% of 000 calls were answered within 10 seconds; and 74% of other calls answered within 20 seconds. That is all well and good; however, the question is: what ruler is run over the calls received to determine whether police are being dispatched? That is the experience we are seeing in Alice Springs. That is the conversation coming from police in Alice Springs. We know it is not the police in Alice Springs who are not responding; they are not getting the jobs to respond to. It is the ruler and qualification process the call centre is putting on incoming calls. I have been a witness to and have experienced the services of the call centre.
You mentioned today some off the cuff comment about a tour of the call centre. I have been on a tour of the call centre with the member for Araluen, and it is a great looking centre. There are flashing lights, display boards and everyone was working very hard. While we were standing there, one of the lovely officers was explaining to us how the board works and how they have to be answered within a certain time. I said to her: ‘Why is that Alice Springs call still flashing and no one has answered after a minute-and-a-half?’ ‘Oh, we must have missed that one’. The only one from Alice Springs! We had a tour for Alice Springs local members and the call was unanswered while we were standing there! I would have thought it was a case of: ‘Look after these blokes otherwise we’ll cop it’. It was surprising the call was there
The figures the Chief Minister gave are very rubbery. I am not going to go through them, but I will say on the last crime stats released by this government before it started its culture of cover-up - the six month period ending March 2011 - I have tracked those back over all areas, but particularly assaults, property crime and break-ins. The Chief Minister said everything has decreased. On those six monthly figures from March 2011 back to March 2005 - we will go back to March 2008 - there was a 126% increase on break-ins. Go back to March 2007 and it was 142%. Go back to March 2005 and there was a 307% increase. It goes all the way back to the time the government was elected. It gets bigger as you go because crime increases every year - every six month reporting period. The Chief Minister might be looking at the downturn in seasonal adjustments against other seasons. I do not know how he has correlated his figures or the data entry has been done, but we know crime has gone through the roof - assaults, property crime and break-ins.
It is interesting when he talks about alcohol. Alcohol is a devastating problem in our community. I wrestle with the benefits of alcohol restrictions or increasing hours of sale. I have listened to the debates in Alice Springs many times from people like Dr John Boffa and the People’s Alcohol Action Coalition and what they have to say. I have had dialogue with them recently about floor prices for alcohol and alcohol-free days. I recall when the excuse for all this used to be - as grog restrictions came in, sexual assaults, attempted murders, assaults against the person and property crime would go down.
Well, the statistics do not show that. I can read through the statistics I have in front me. The statistics have not gone down. I was happy to be engaged in a sensible debate, and I am willing to be flexible on this issue of alcohol, but there is no evidence, apart from anecdotal evidence people want to pick up, which shows alcohol restrictions have worked. There is nothing to show because the crime figures keep going up.
There was a photograph in the local paper recently showing wine casks in the Todd River. They were put together saying: ‘Oh, there are plenty of casks; everyone is drinking wine’. Based on the floor price the People’s Alcohol Action Coalition want to utilise, all alcohol is already above the floor price so nothing will change except for some cheap wine. I was riding my pushbike back from the mall in Alice Springs on Sunday past the river on the north side of town to my home - the member for Stuart would know it well - just past Hoppy’s Camp - and there were empty green VB cartons everywhere. I could not take a photo to prove my point because I did not have my camera with me. There were cartons everywhere, more than I had seen before. They were scattered everywhere. Every week day the council cleans the town up so we cannot see the problem. They would not be there today, but they were there on Sunday. Next weekend I will go back and have another look.
The other issue about the call centre, from my experience as a local member, is people have stopped calling. They have stopped calling the police, because police never turn up and nothing ever happens. The complaints I receive about the call centre hanging up on people or being abusive are appalling. I will give an example. The lady who runs the Penny Farthing Bike Shop at Northside shops - a disgraceful place around 6 pm when everyone is lining up to buy grog - waiting, fighting and drunk, and you cannot get police to turn up because the Police Commissioner does not believe the police van is a good tool to use at the Northside shops. It is disgraceful it is parked in the police station. I have had a chat to the lady at Penny Farthing Bike Shop. She said: ‘Adam, I am at my wits end. I cannot stop people fighting, drinking and swearing; they all sit out the front of the Northside shops drinking VB cans. This is a dry town. You cannot get police here, but they will sit there drinking VB cans. You cannot get police there’. I said: ‘All right, I will come up’. She said: ‘I have rung the police number, 131 444, twice now to be abused and hung up on’.
I got into my car, a silver Falcon, dressed without a tie but standing there looking like - everyone calls you CIB. A big fight broke out - about 10 to 15 people - under the awning where I was standing talking to a property owner as police were trying to tell me there was no problem and they are punching each other! I was on the phone to David Wood at the NT News at the time and said: ‘Dave, there is a bit of fracas here; I am going to have to go’. I rang the police, 131 444: ‘Hello, my name is Adam Giles ...’ - I did not say I was an MLA, I should not have to – ‘... there is a fight at Northside shops, people are fighting. It is not good. I would like an officer to come down here to take the people away who are causing trouble and move people on’.
As I was making that phone call, one of the ladies who was part of the crowd raced over to me and said: ‘Are you CIB? They have a knife, they are going to stab me, they have a knife’. I was on the phone to the police: ‘They have a knife’. They said: ‘Have you seen it?’ I said: ‘No, I have not, but they are fighting and I have had a lady come over to me scared saying they have a knife and she is going to be stabbed’. ‘Well, if you have not seen the knife we cannot do much about that. I will try to get someone there’.
Ten minutes later I received a phone call: ‘Is that Mr Giles?’ ‘Yes’. ‘Are they still fighting?’ ‘No, they have stopped fighting. There are now about 50 or 60 people hanging around here. They all seem to think I am a police officer so they have stopped fighting’. The lady who told me about the knife had thought I was a police officer. ‘They have all stopped fighting’. She said: ‘Well, we will not send anyone. Can you ring us back if the knife comes back or if they start fighting again?’ That was the police call.
When you look at the statistics about 83% dispatch - that call did not even get to the police. I am a local member of parliament - I did not identify myself that way - ringing up to say there is a knife and a potential fight of 10-15 people is appalling. People are not ringing.
The member for Johnston likes to see photos. I have spoken in the Chamber previously about problems between Hoppy’s Camp, Northside shops, Elliott Street and now the Head Street units because of bad housing tenancy allocation. The Wauchope flats and Warlpiri town camp is where they all go. I have public housing tenants who live across the road from the Elliott Street flats - an illustration of the Elliott Street flats - who are filming the antics at night. They cannot get the police to turn up and cannot get Territory Housing to do anything. These are born and bred Indigenous Central Australians who are filming the antics of three-year-old kids walking around night, men beating their women and public destruction of property. Three weeks ago a car was stolen from Madigan Street, taken to Elliott Street and 10 blokes pushed it and rolled it sideways down the street at 4 am. Did police turn up? No, no police. I am not bashing police, as the Chief Minister tries to suggest. I do not believe Alice Springs police even receive the calls.
Let me go quickly to the crime at the Aurora. Now, why ABC2, in its right mind, would commission a documentary called Dumb, Drunk and Racist and contract the company Cordell Jigsaw - who love the free publicity every time its name is mentioned - to come to Alice Springs and film that documentary when we are all walking around on eggshells trying not to offend people based on race, trying not to be seen to be attacking people because of alcohol/substance misuse problems, trying not to attack people who are fighting for one side of a policy argument or the other, for these blokes to turn up and film - I have not gone down the path the Chief Minister went today in Question Time regarding filming correctly or incorrectly because I do not know. I have heard the allegations and we know how these things work - filming Aboriginal people in the background to make them look drunk for a documentary. I have heard those allegations but will not make them myself.
Whatever happened, that camera crew came running into the Aurora Alice Springs Hotel, begged the young girl on the front counter, Hope, to ring police while they cowered in their bedroom locking themselves in hotel units. For these two young girls to have to protect the property and customers of the hotel, and one of them to be beaten with a bar - it was lucky part of the bar hit the top of the computer on the counter otherwise she could be dead. She rang the police at 6.33, rang several more times, and police arrived at 7.13 - 40 minutes! The Chief Minister has no legs to stand on; no ground in this area. It is appalling.
I made a quick note today of what can happen in 40 minutes. Some things are funny; however, some are just amazing! Forty minutes. We are talking 500 m from the police station and police said: ‘We only had six police on and two of them’ - when the Chief Minister said we do not want police officers sitting around acting as highly paid auxiliaries - we were told two police officers have to sit in the cells because there were people in there who needed supervision. Just sit there with their feet on the desk, as the Chief Minister said. That is what they were doing. They could not respond because they had to sit there. Do we have Arnold Schwarzenegger and kindergarten cops sitting in cells? People are being beaten with bars - 40 minutes!
You could boil 13 eggs in 40 minutes. You could watch five episodes of Eight Minute Abs - for those people who do abs. Roger Bannister, who ran a four minute mile, could run 10 miles but the police could not make 500 m. This happened because the proper direction was not given in Darwin for police to attend. In 40 minutes they conducted the kill or capture operation in Pakistan. In 40 minutes the Americans flew into Pakistan, killed Bin Laden, and flew out again.
However, we cannot get Alice Springs Police to go 500 m to stop two thugs from trying to kill two women protecting a stupid film crew filming for a stupid show which is going to tarnish Alice Springs as racist, drunk and stupid and negatively affect our tourism industry and our economy. All this could have stopped if the police turned up. This is the point.
I have examples everywhere of this, but I have run out of time for an MPI, Madam Speaker. I cannot understand. We saw what happened with club Eastside – ram-raided. The Gap View Hotel and the Road Transport Hall of Fame were broken into last night. I know people who were attacked in town last night. I have spoken about The Elliott Street flats. This is not just restricted to Alice Springs; no one in the Territory can call their local police station for support.
I know of a woman who was beaten in a bush community. She had rung police to say: ‘My husband is coming back from Tennant Creek. He is drunk, he is going to come and get me. Can you get the police to stop him before he comes to my house?’ ‘Has he committed a crime?’ ‘No’. ‘Well, we cannot do anything’. She was beaten to a pulp - within an inch of her life. They could not do anything. This is bad policing. The Police Commissioner might not think nothing of it, but this is bad. The police communications centre and the policies governing it are a major part of the problem - they are screening calls and not dispatching police. You can say 83% were dispatched in time; however, people have stopped calling the police because there is no response.
Mr WESTRA van HOLTHE (Katherine): Madam Speaker, I am sure the last time I looked at a police badge, the flash that sits on the shoulder of a police officer said ‘To Serve and Protect’ ...
Mr Elferink: It is in their mission statement.
Mr Styles: It does.
Mr WESTRA van HOLTHE: I am fairly sure it says ‘To Serve and Protect’ ...
Mr Knight: What about when you chopped up your uniform?
Mr WESTRA van HOLTHE: Unfortunately, what we are now seeing, since the implementation of a policy in the Northern Territory to dislocate call taking from local regions to a central call centre, is a dismemberment of the core principle of policing in the Northern Territory: to serve and protect. It is being cut into small bits. The people of the Northern Territory, the public who are supposed to be served and protected by the police, do not like it. In fact, the police I speak to - and I speak to them regularly because I see them around the streets of Katherine - also do not like it ...
Mr Giles: They hate it.
Mr WESTRA van HOLTHE: Sorry?
Mr Giles: They hate it.
Mr WESTRA van HOLTHE: They hate it, they really do. Unfortunately, the frontline police, for whom I have an enormous amount of respect - hard-working men and women trying to do the best they can - because of this policy to move call taking from regional areas to Darwin, are being subjected to abuse from people of the Northern Territory who feel it is the operational police officers’ fault their calls are not being attended to or are slow to be attended to. I can understand the frustrations of the public who are dealing with this, and also the police.
These complaints are not new, they have been around since virtually Day 1 when the Commissioner - I am assuming the Commissioner implemented this strategy, unless it was done at the direction of the Police minister. I would like some clarification on that. This is southern policing that has been picked up and brought to the Northern Territory. It does not serve the people of the Northern Territory well, and it does not suit the Northern Territory.
I would like to take everyone in this House, and the people who are listening, back a little in history. I was in Alice Springs working as a police officer when auxiliaries came into being. That was a response by the government of the day to find a way to relieve fully paid police officers from duties around the watch house and the front counter and, lo and behold, also the communications section. Police auxiliaries were brought into being for the purpose of manning non-operational areas such as communications, the front counter and the watch house. With that in mind I ask: why do we now have to have our calls relegated to a call centre in Darwin? What is wrong with basing sufficient numbers of auxiliary police officers in regional towns in the Northern Territory - sufficient resourcing and staff so they can take calls locally?
This is causing so many problems. I have had many complaints from my constituents in Katherine and I fully support their complaints. The Chief Minister knows about this because I wrote to him; however, all I received was a lame duck response, which I guess is what I expected. There was a flasher - someone exposing himself to children near the Katherine pool – and there was a lengthy delay in getting police to respond. Sometimes you can justify a lengthy delay, but here is another example: A lady by the name of Jo - this is a real life example - rings the police on 131 444, is put through to the call centre and says there are people drinking on the railway bridge in Katherine. The fact they are drinking on the railway bridge is not a particularly serious offence, but she wanted to report it because it contributes to antisocial behaviour and the perception of Katherine as having a ratbag element in it. The response was from the call centre in Darwin. We are talking about the railway bridge in Katherine, and I am sure there would not be one person in this House who does not know where the railway bridge is. Yet, the response from the call centre was: ‘What is the nearest landmark’? You must be kidding.
Another example is Mr Geoff Newton, who calls to report an incident on Railway Terrace, Katherine. Lo and behold, the police do not turn up. From memory, he rings again to find out where they are. Finally, they turn up and he makes a complaint. He made some inquiries about what is going on only to discover the police had been sent to Railway Terrace in Alice Springs! Now tell me this breakdown in communication is serving and protecting the public of the Northern Territory, which is what the police are supposed to be doing. It is not the fault of frontline police, it is this lame policy. Call centres must be local.
Police do not like this system. I believe Katherine has all calls routed to Darwin, as does Alice Springs. I do not believe Tennant Creek does because it is not on the digital radio network so their calls are taken locally. However, the police officers I talk to cannot stand it because they are suffering the abuse of the general public who are at the receiving end of the no response or slow response by the police.
How do they get around it? Here is an example of one out bush, because the bush station phones are being put through to the call centre as well. Local police give out their mobile numbers to get around the communications jam in Darwin so respected members of their community can ring them direct. They pick up the phone and dial their mobile number because this communication system is letting them down ...
Ms Purick: Shame.
Mr WESTRA van HOLTHE: Yes, member for Goyder, it is a shame and this government should be ashamed. It is not providing the service required to the people of the Northern Territory, and is letting the poor old coppers put up with the abuse from the public when they turn up to a job having been sent to the wrong place, turn up late, or do not turn up at all.
I will tell you something else about the way this is panning out. Police communications goes through Darwin and it has a different regime for how to respond to jobs. They prioritise them, and that is a good thing; however, one of the priority classifications for the police call centre in Darwin is: no police attendance required. In Katherine not so long ago, there was a spate of interfering with a motor vehicle. A number of motor vehicles were broken into one night, one the next night, a couple the night after or something like that. Interfering with a motor vehicle, apparently, falls into the priority category of: police do not need to attend. The decision-makers at the call centre in Darwin do not want to send police officers to interfere with motor vehicle offences because they are relatively minor you could argue; however, that is certainly not serving the public.
When I pick up the phone - even if it is for something minor - and I want police to attend, I would like them to talk to me. The people of the Northern Territory deserve that their police officers take a call, are dispatched to their complaint - bearing in mind the general public does not often make complaints. If you are a police officer, you become a little blas about your work: ‘Yes, I have been to four break-ins this morning’. Most people would like to think they are not going to be broken into. When those offences happen - breaking into their house or breaking into their car - they feel a sense of violation. That is the mindset of the people against whom these offences are committed. They feel violated. That is the description I had from people when I was a police officer - they feel violated.
Here you have examples of people who are feeling violated. Their personal space has been invaded, which does not happen very often, so they take it seriously and it upsets them. They pick up the phone, get through to a call centre, and the person taking the call would not know whether they are Arthur or Martha, barely knows where they are calling from, has to ask for landmarks even though they might be in the most obvious part of Katherine or Alice Springs, only to be told: ‘I am sorry, police do not attend those calls’. That is reprehensible and disgraceful. I will fight with every breath in my body to ensure the people of the Northern Territory get the policing services they deserve. They have an expectation and, if other police forces in this great country of ours have decided to adopt practices which mean police do not turn up to many offences, well, bully for them. We do not have to do that in the Northern Territory and the people of the Northern Territory do not expect that to be inflicted upon them. That type of policy is diminishing in no small way the serve aspect of serve and protect.
In my last few minutes I want to talk about the protect side of that. In another example of a complaint I received, a caller from Katherine rang to report what he thought were gun shots. There was yelling, obviously someone was being assaulted and there was talk of a knife. I am not going to go into it too far, but the response from police was zero until he made a second call and finally got someone there. How can the public feel protected if the policy of this government is to prevent police from attending the very calls they should be attending? How can the public have any faith in the system? It does not. Madam Speaker, I assure you I will fight with every breath in my body to ensure the Northern Territory public is served well by its police force. I can assure you we will be fighting to ensure local calls are answered locally and we will resource police stations to do just that ...
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Katherine, your time has expired.
Mr ELFERINK (Port Darwin): Madam Speaker, I was not going to speak on this; however, in the absence of a speaker from the government side, I cannot but take the invitation. It demonstrates the government is taking at face value the advice it is receiving from the department saying: ‘We accept that’.
This does not strike me as being something we should necessarily accept on departmental advice, particularly when you consider the most recent annual report from the police was unreliable. It had multiple errors in it which had to be pointed out and admitted to by government. However, there is never a critical question asked by this government of the Commissioner of Police. I am not attacking the Commissioner of Police, but I am saying it is about time this government understood you are allowed, as a government, to ask critical questions of your CEOs. When you receive advice from the CEO of a department often the motivation behind that - my comments relate to a period which pre-dates the current commissioner, but if you take advice from a CEO you would have to critically ask yourself if the advice is there for the convenience of the administration of that department or whether it is about serving the interests of the people of the Northern Territory.
The Leader of the Opposition quite correctly pointed out the fundamental role of any government, be it a national government or a state government, is the security of that nation or state. In the case of the federal system, national security from external threats is dealt with by the federal government. Internal security, particularly when it comes to matters of a criminal nature, is dealt with by the states and is the primary function of government. The first thing it does is provides internal security. Even before it provides democracy, even before it provides education and health, it must provide internal security. Without it you cannot run a business; without it you are living in a state of anarchy. The level of attention internal security receives from a government should be the priority of government.
Every time I hear a minister of this government speak in this House they talk about their No 1 priority being this, that or whatever. It is just a word that is thrown around. However, in the structures of government, the priority should be the protection of the state and the people who live in that state - in this case, the Northern Territory.
I have cause to regularly phone the police for all manner of reasons about public order issues in my electorate. I have rung as a result of disturbances, people drinking in public and assaults on my own person. I have had many reasons to ring the police force and, generally speaking, there is a response. I find it curious that without experienced police officers sitting in the communications section - something the current Chief Minister rails against. I am not saying every person who picks up the phone has to be an experienced police officer; however, it would be nice to be able to say: ‘I am watching this crime happening at the moment’ without being asked by the operator: ‘What is your date of birth?’, which is a question I am regularly asked. Obviously, they are trying to identify me.
If I am reporting an offence which is occurring at the time and ongoing and there is a personal threat to a person, I would like to think I do not have to answer questions on the phone such as my date of birth, my shoe size, where I was born, etcetera. I am not trying to be flippant about it, but when you are watching an offence unfold the 30 to 50 seconds, or minute, you spend answering questions while someone is being assaulted - a lot happens in 60 seconds, even 30 seconds. Even as an experienced police officer, I get twitchy when on the phone and am asked about my shoe size, my date of birth and where I live when I am watching someone being assaulted.
Generally, I tend to step in anyhow because that is the nature of the beast. However, I could well imagine how frustrated a person who is not experienced with policing - just John Citizen or Jane Citizen - when she picks up the phone to the coppers, rings 000, gets through to an operator and, then, is being asked questions such as: ‘What is your date of birth?’ It sounds like a small thing, but when you have a phone on the side of your head watching somebody getting their lights punched out, the last thing you want is to answer a series of questions. It is certainly frustrating when you start to give directions to the person on the other end of the phone because they do not seem to know where you are calling from.
Mr Westra van Holthe: The next thing is they will put the call centre in Mumbai or somewhere, member for Port Darwin.
Mr ELFERINK: Yes, whatever. The point is it causes people angst. I regularly receive complaints from people in my electorate, and this concerns me.
I regularly receive complaints from people in my electorate about the time it takes police to attend, if at all. People make complaints to the police about drunks and what are considered low-level matters, but are unsatisfied and are increasingly expressing a level of satisfaction which is lower than I am used to hearing about the fine service, the Northern Territory Police Service.
An example of how this system fails the people of the Northern Territory is I was in an Aboriginal community not so long ago and discovered something. The community was Wadeye and the local coppers there have, I suppose from the petty cash tin, funded two or three mobile telephones which they have parachuted into the possession of several people living around the community. When something happens in the community they can ring whoever has the station mobile to get the coppers to attend. If something happens in the community and that person dials 000, there are problems with the communication system and the person in Darwin who picks up the phone may not be used to speaking to Aboriginal people, particularly Aboriginal people from remote communities.
So, there is immediately a communication issue which does not exist with local coppers because, often, the local copper who picks up the phone knows who they are talking to and is used to the local accent, which is often quite heavy. The person at the other end of the phone will then go through a list of questions because that is what comes up on the computer screen. Could you imagine, from the perspective of an Aboriginal person in Wadeye, Lajamanu or Yuendumu, watching an assault - generally assaults in Aboriginal communities are grossly violent and they use weapons - being asked: ‘What is your date of birth? How do I get to the blue house? I am sorry, I cannot find blue house on the computer system. Can you tell me the street number? What is the name of the street you live in’?
Can you imagine trying to find a street in Papunya based on the street name? I would challenge the member for Macdonnell to do that. However, there is an operator at the other end saying: ‘I have reached the part where I have to find an address to send police to, and this person is telling me the blue house’. If you were the local copper, in Wadeye, Lajamanu or Kalkarindji and you got a call to go to the blue house you would immediately know where you were going because: ‘that bloke he been stabbing his women’. You immediately know where you are going. However, the police auxiliary in Darwin would not have a clue where Kalkarindji was. You could say: ‘Kalkarindji is right next to Aputula’ and the person in Darwin would say, ‘All right. That is cool. I believe you’. It just does not work.
Templating this system out of Melbourne does not work in the Northern Territory. What is this designed to do? Ultimately, it is designed to save money. We are having a debate about money and how much the police spend on what services. It is fascinating that we have to have a discussion about money for the primary function of government.
The systems in place are designed to save money. That is what the auxiliary system was designed to do, and we heard the Chief Minister today talk about the motivation behind the auxiliary system. ‘There is no way I am going to put a fully trained copper behind a telephone in a police station’ was his answer. The reason is because a fully trained officer is an expensive unit. They are expensive. What is the going rate? It must be about $250 000 to put a copper through a recruit course nowadays ...
A member: Yes, it would be something like that - $180 000 to $250 000.
Mr ELFERINK: ... let us say a substantial amount of money. Yes, you want to use those police officers in the most effective way you possibly can. With experience, auxiliaries can learn how to answer a phone, particularly when dealing with remote Aboriginal people. However, there are occasions when a supervisor should interrupt and pick up a call, especially with house break-ins where the villain is still inside and the person on the other end of the telephone is a frightened female. At that point, it is useful to have a police officer of several years’ experience to give some instructions.
It has been brought to my attention - although I cannot verify the truth - that such an event occurred in the not so distant past where a woman rang a police station and complained a villain was still inside the house. The auxiliary took all the details, filled in the screen as required, said the coppers would be there shortly and hung up. I hope the coppers did arrive shortly. However, the poor woman on the other end of the phone who was hiding, literally, under her bed, dragged the phone under there saying: Look, the guy is sneaking around my house. I can hear him inside the house’. ‘That is fine. We will get the police there shortly’. Click! All of a sudden that person is alone. An experienced copper stays on the line and works with the victim of the break-in, and potential victim in a number of other areas, much more effectively because of their experience. Not because they are smarter or brighter than auxiliaries, but because, having dealt with victims for many years, they understand how victims respond and feel.
The member for Katherine is right on the money when he talks about this and says they feel violated; they feel dirty when people break into their house and they feel terrified. There is the auxiliary, meaning well, no criticism, who says: ‘I filled out the screen, police will be on their way soon’. Click. It does not send the proper message. Because we are trying to save money on frontline services in the police force, we are giving a lower standard of service. The standard is so low that, I presume, in more than one Aboriginal community the local coppers have started giving out mobile phones to the population for them to ring direct. They have targeted a couple of individuals in that population, but that is what is happening. Yet, we are getting reassurances from government that it is all squeaky clean and sweetness and light - everything is going swimmingly – and it is not.
People are becoming increasingly dissatisfied with the response from their police force. I am disappointed this government is not asking critical questions of its own senior management in the police force. Surely, senior management in the police force is not that fractured that it cannot deal with these important issues. This should not be about the government of the day, this should not be about senior management in the police force, and should not even be about police officers. This should be about the consideration of priorities and the mission statement of the police force emblazoned on every shoulder of every copper, and we heard the member for Katherine refer to it: ‘To serve and protect’. It should be the mission statement of any government when it comes to law and order in its community. But no, we are prepared to have the conversation, compare statistics, and your problems are bigger than ours - you guys over there do not have a policy and we have the best policies.
Clearly something is going wrong when the disconnect between government and the people it serves is becoming so pronounced we see situations like we saw in Alice Springs. That was a shocking situation. I saw the footage, I heard the owner of the hotel and, whilst the ABC film crew can hardly cover themselves in glory - their conduct was reprehensible, particularly after they got back to the hotel - maybe it was not too bright to start pointing cameras down the Todd River because we know some of the consequences of it.
We also need a government that will hold accountable people who commit crime. If the two individuals identified in that process are found guilty, I hope they are held fully accountable and serve time for their action.
Discussion concluded.
Mr McCARTHY (Construction): Madam Speaker, I move that the Assembly do now adjourn.
Ms PURICK (Goyder): Madam Speaker, this evening I want to talk briefly on two issues. One is to compliment and commend the people in the rural area for their awards at the recent Australia Day ceremony.
Mr Tollner: You are kidding me. We are in adjournment debate? Day 1 and we are shutting early. What about your important statement?
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr Tollner: We have a couple of bills. Goodness me! This is a bit outrageous, Madam Speaker.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Fong Lim, you do not have the call. You might like to be silent, member for Fong Lim. We are in Adjournment and the member for Goyder has the call.
Ms PURICK: The Australia Day Awards were held at Lakeview Hall at Freds Pass Reserve. It was a good day, albeit a very wet day. I would like to compliment the guest speaker for the day, Dave Sanderson. Dave has been a long-term rural resident involved in many activities. He is a good bloke. I also thank Father Michael from the Good Shepherd Church who provided the thanksgiving service. I acknowledge and welcome our new citizens in the rural area: Joseph Martin, Cerri Phillips, Bethan Price, Gillian Thomson, Thi Tran and Kerrie Walker all in the Litchfield Shire area. I hope they enjoy their time in the rural area.
We had awards, as people do on Australia Day. The Young Citizen of the Year was Zoe Owens, a young person who attends Taminmin College and is involved in many community and sporting activities. The Citizen of the Year was a joint presentation to Greg and Cheryl Owens, who are involved very much with the Southern Districts Cricket Club and also happen to be the delightful parents of one, Zoe Owens. It really was a family affair.
The Community Event of the Year went to the Under 14 Litchfield Girls Football Team, who have done remarkable things and achieved much in their time as a team together. Congratulations to them.
The Senior Sportsperson of the Year was Nicole Mutimer. She received the award for the enormous contribution and work she undertakes in a voluntary capacity with Wongabilla Equestrian Centre, Riding for the Disabled, and diversion programs involving horsemanship. Congratulations to Nicole.
Our Junior Sportsperson of the Year was Ryan Davis for his contribution to sport in the rural area. He really is quite a remarkable young person.
Certificates of achievement were awarded to Bart Allan, Iris McGregor, and also young Peta Harmon, for her involvement in soccer or, as some people call it, football. I tend to call it soccer. It was a good day. The weather did not seem to dampen anyone’s enthusiasm or spirit, and thanks to the rural Rotary people and the Lions people for putting on barbecues, morning teas and things of that nature. It was a good day for everyone there.
I also compliment the people who work in the Accident and Emergency Department of Royal Darwin Hospital, including the support staff. Over the last few months I have had occasion to visit the emergency department and, on each and every occasion, the care and treatment delivered by the nurses, doctors and support staff was second to none. Their attention to providing thorough and professional care was of great comfort to us, particularly given it was an emergency situation. The staff seemed to work calmly and without any semblance of worry. They did their job very well regardless of the patients during the time we were there - the problems, dress standards or behaviour. It was commendable.
I pass on my personal compliments and appreciation to nurses: Jenny, Leigh, Ferry, the Filipino nurse who was really impressed with our hospitals and the level of equipment we had and a delightful person, to Kim, to Justine, to Mary and to Dr Greg and his support team. A job well done, and thank you from me personally.
Mr ELFERINK (Port Darwin): Madam Deputy Speaker, tonight I wish to raise a couple of issues in the Adjournment debate. Whilst we were talking about crime earlier, I continue to talk about crime now.
The population of the Northern Territory and the people who live in my electorate are well and truly frustrated with this government’s approach to crime, particularly at a street level. The Chief Minister repeatedly says the Country Liberals do not have a policy to deal with crime other than to turn the tap on. That is nonsense and he knows it. The frustrating thing is, this Chief Minister so regularly misleads people and hides information that he is losing credibility at a fast rate. Every time he says in this House: ‘Look, we’re being tough on crime’, he is not acknowledging hiding the quarterly statistics.
When he says we are going to wind back the Banned Drinker Register, yes, but we are going to keep an essential component of its operation. Our habitual drunks policy demands a register of habitual drunks be kept so when these people finally find themselves in front of the tribunal and then fail to comply with the order of the tribunal, there is no re-registration on the list. No, you are going to be charged with a criminal offence and serve time in mandatory rehabilitation in an institution we will build near Katherine. The drunks will be off the streets.
This Wet Season, whilst it was not as bad as the one before because we have had less rain, we still have piles of human excrement being deposited on the doorsteps of local businesses in the Northern Territory. That is because people being placed on this government’s Banned Drinker Register still seem to be at large. If they are on the Banned Drinker Register why do I see so many drunks in our parks? Why do I see so much excrement on the doorsteps of businesses, and why do I smell urine so often around the Darwin CBD in places where people like to relieve themselves in small alcoves near the back of buildings? The Banned Drinker Register was going to fix all this.
I find it remarkable that Mount Franklin now puts out a very deep shade of red water. Every time I see a Mount Franklin bottle in the possession of some of our long-grassers around the community what is in those bottles looks oddly like port. The government says the Banned Drinker Register is working. No, it is not! It is not the experience of the average punter on the street and certainly not my experience. Why do I find drunks still staggering around in our parks and gardens starting fights and causing trouble? There is no intent to remove these people because the government refuses to criminalise their behaviour; therefore, they cannot go into any form of custody. They go back onto the Banned Drinker Register and somehow obtain alcohol - their mates buy it for them or whatever.
Gee whiz, 2000 years ago in Jerusalem some bloke got a bottle of Mount Franklin water and managed to turn its contents into wine, and we have been very impressed by him ever since. Nowadays, we have long-grassers who achieve the same feat, apparently, in our parks and gardens every single day. I am being flippant, but the fact is …
Dr Burns: You are also blasphemous.
Mr ELFERINK: … there are people out there who are getting frustrated that this government talks about dealing with drunks, how tough it is on drunks, says the CLP has no policy when what it has is a movie set. If you look at the front it is all there - the saloon bar, the hotel next door and the sheriff’s office - but if you walk around the back it is all balsa wood and rubber bands.
It does not wash any more. An increasingly desperate Chief Minister, who has never quite recovered from nearly losing the last election, starts to make even more outrageous and fanciful allegations about the lack of policy on this side of the House. The policy was available in 2008 for the Chief Minister to read, has been available ever since that time, and is available now. The policy will work because it will have the effect of removing habitual drunks, who continuingly come to police notice, off the street. If they chose to continue living their life, they can go back through the system each and every time; however, they will be out of our parks and out of our gardens. That is not turning on the tap; that is making individuals responsible for their conduct and not holding the whole community to a position of carrying culpability for the actions of a handful.
It is not within the Country Liberals’ purview to start dictating terms to people who do no wrong. Yet, that is precisely what this Labor government does. I do not really worry too much if somebody backs a ute up to the local Bottle-O, fills it up with Jim Beam and has a merry old time and gets as drunk as they want. That is their business, but not according to this government. No, this government says you have to produce your licence, you have to produce ID, and you have to be checked against a register to do something you do lawfully. The government will inflict that upon the whole community because of the actions of a handful. It now has a system in place where it inflicts it on the whole community and the actions of a handful continue unabated. There is no appreciable difference I can see - and so many people who live in my electorate can see - to the number of drunks in my electorate. There is no appreciable difference in the number of long-grassers, Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal, sitting in parks drinking wine out of Mount Franklin bottles or coke bottles - or goodness knows what else they drink it out of.
This policy has failed. I find it intriguing that this government seems to think it is all a fairly low-profile thing and police are busy investigating real offences. If you clean up the streets you are starting to clean up the real offences anyhow. That is something this government has clearly forgotten.
Madam Speaker, we have policies now which see police becoming, essentially, arrest averse. It is not because they do not like cleaning up the streets and locking up villains - coppers love locking up villains, it is what they do. They do not like going back to the station and work through several hours of paperwork for a simple arrest. Goodness gracious me, the cart should not be in front of the horse.
If there is a problem with the system of arresting a person when you take them into custody for something as simple as an exceed 0.08, a street offence, or any other basic offence where you have to spent a couple of hours processing the villain, then there is something wrong with the system. You cannot make public safety subordinate to a computer screen and some statistics you have to fill out. If there is a problem with that system fix it, but ensure police are capable of getting in there, making arrests, effectively patrolling the streets and getting these people out of our parks and gardens.
That is what the Country Liberals propose to do. We will get these people out of our parks and gardens and get them into an environment where they are controlled as the result of a court order - a sentence - and they will receive mandatory treatment. That is how you will start clearing up the streets not only in my electorate, but the streets of Darwin, Katherine, Tennant Creek, Alice Springs, Yuendumu, Papunya, Wadeye and wherever else. Those communities are wholly and solely sick of having to deal with the drunks and people who break the law.
It is about time we stopped walking on eggshells around these people, thinking we cannot offend them and cannot do anything too confrontational. That is nonsense. It is about time we confronted these people. It is about time we started making them responsible for themselves. It is about time we had a system in place which made these people responsible for their conduct in front of a court of law.
The government will talk about its successes with the SMART Court and bandy it around, but it is not being reflected in the public experience. It is not being reflected in my experience and this government owes it, as a duty to the citizens that support it and pay taxes to support it, to ensure we live in a safe community. That has not been achieved in 10 years.
Mr BOHLIN (Drysdale): Madam Deputy Speaker, tonight’s 7:30 Report highlighted staff of the Prime Minister of this country going out of their way to help incite riots. The Northern Territory government goes out of its way to hide behind misleading facts. We have a Territory government that says it will make the public pay for everything and the individual pay for nothing. There is no individual responsibility. That is what you get with a Henderson government. The Henderson government says everyone must present their licence; everyone will be penalised for the few.
We are told by this failed Henderson government that the Banned Drinker Register is working. Here is some free advice: go out after dark, even during the middle of the day, listen to your constituents and you will find it is not working. It has already failed. I would like to give you some examples and I know you will love hearing them.
I had a constituent ring me the other day - an elderly lady, a fantastic character. She wanted to say well done to some police officers working near Reg Hillier Park. Late last year I did some media work in my electorate on Reg Hillier Park. The lady said she was on her way home and saw some drunks. One man started walloping into a female - totally unacceptable. Mind you, this is directly opposite the Palmerston Police Station. She said it was not very nice, and then she saw two female officers running from the shopping centre not the police station. She said one lady was running faster than the other and she took down that bad person like she had not seen in a long time. She said it was fantastic and made her feel empowered because there was an immediate consequence; however, the police had to come from the shopping centre not the police station directly opposite. The people involved were drunk; they were the same drunks that are in Reg Hillier Park nearly every day, but this government tries to convince people that the Banned Drinker Register is working. That is one example where it is clearly not working.
The beautiful Memorial Park in Palmerston has clear views but, as the member for Port Darwin pointed out, there is a new shade of Mount Franklin water, the crimson water I see regularly in that park and report to police. One Monday I went to the council chambers to check on some paperwork and saw three officers on foot doing a great job tipping out alcohol. These same people have been there for weeks and weeks. They are the same drunks, but you are telling me the Banned Drinker Register is working - clearly not. Last Sunday night I went to one of my local major shopping centres at 7.45 pm. I am an ex-policeman and am pretty capable of dealing with a few people myself ...
A member: Like Tackleberry.
Mr BOHLIN: Like Tackleberry. I am not overly concerned by a group of people, but as I approached the entrance I saw about 10 people who were drunk and vocal. I felt intimidated. I have been trained to deal with those situations, but other people going in at the same time have probably not been trained, and I bet they felt intimidated as well. We were all going to the shops to get something for tea, but we all felt intimidated. Is your Banned Drinker Register really working? It did not feel like it was working to me, and I am sure it did not feel like it was working to the other people. The community is sure it is not working because it has not seen a difference. People are scared and you have not delivered anything for them.
The member for Port Darwin rightly pointed out the Country Liberals’ habitual drunks policy will finally bring down the hammer ...
A member: Policy?
Mr BOHLIN: That is right. I pick up the interjection. Apparently we do not have any policies, yet today in parliament this Labor government carried on and almost mislead the community into believing we have created policies which do not even exist. On one hand we have no policies; on the other hand the government is making up policies that are not even close to the truth. How can anyone believe the Henderson Labor government? How can anyone believe the Gillard government of Australia when it is covered in strange hues of grey and shade?
The Country Liberals’ habitual drunks policy will finally bring down the hammer on bad behaviour - antisocial behaviour. Enough is more than enough. It is on the website and has been there for a long time. If this government was serious it would get a briefing from the Leader of the Opposition, who would describe it and give the government an idea of a real policy that will work, will have real consequences and real meaningful rehabilitation. It will mean my constituents in Drysdale - the families living in Drysdale - will feel safe.
They will feel safe to go to the parks, they will feel safe to take the kids to see the beautiful Territory sunsets and enjoy the parks without having to worry about who has been on what bench and what barbecue facility, who is still sitting there, or what broken glass is there. We will support the councils to ensure those parks are beautiful safe places. We will ensure the message is clear - antisocial behaviour and drunkenness in public is not an acceptable practice. It is not accepted anywhere else in Australia and it will not be accepted here.
Enough will be enough and the hammer will be brought down hard, but it will be done in a way where people will finally get help instead of putting the blame on everyone else. Everyone else has to supply their licence, everyone else has to justify why they are buying alcohol, but the people committing the offences, the people causing affray as we walk to our shops, the people who harass our shopkeepers at Woodroffe shops, people going about their business - that is disgraceful. There are also businesses in Alice Springs and Palmerston trying to supply a service to us, the people who live there, the families who live there - to give them a safe place to enjoy their life.
The hammer will be brought down, and if this government was serious instead of playing gutter politics and creating mistruths it would get briefings from the Leader of Opposition and would understand the habitual drunks policy - bringing the hammer down and ensuring our families can enjoy our communities as a whole. When we have a barbecue everyone can have a great time. I do not care who you are as long as you are having a great time. Do not abuse the opportunities of a fantastic Territory.
This government needs to consider how many mistruths it will introduce into this parliament over the next few weeks because people are listening.
Mr GILES (Braitling): Madam Deputy Speaker, many Australians invest much money into programs in the Northern Territory, particularly Indigenous programs. We are aware of large amounts of money from GST revenue through the horizontal fiscal equalisation process where larger states in Australia pay above and beyond their fair share to assist the Northern Territory operate and deliver programs and services. There are many specific payments made, particularly in the field of Indigenous affairs. We know of Labor’s greatest failure, the Little Children are Sacred report, and the intervention which commenced in 2007 to address many of those issues. We are all grateful to those Australians who, knowingly and unknowingly, contribute their tax dollars to help us out. We should show great grace and gratitude for the efforts those people put in. Similarly, we should respect the national apology made by Kevin Rudd to the Stolen Generations a few years ago in a groundbreaking speech in Canberra. That was very important, and assisted the reconciliation debate to continue and the country to grow and prosper as it does.
We come across hurdles along the way in the Northern Territory, Australia, Alice Springs, Nhulunbuy and all our communities, where hiccups occur and bad situations arise; however, we always seem to grow for the better. The apology brought many of us together and we, as a nation, try to grow our culture and society as a more inclusive one, and that will continue to improve.
This is the first time I have spoken on this issue, but the riots at the tent embassy and the Lobby restaurant in Canberra on Australia Day brought great shame on our country, particularly the Northern Territory because we had a few representatives there. It also brought great shame on Central Australia because of the role of some Central Australians at that protest.
I was made aware of the situation occurring by people who were present and I was receiving phone calls. I have listened to audio of what happened on that day on numerous occasions, and have stayed out of the argument for a number of reasons, mainly because the Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, brought this on herself. However, the footage I saw tonight replicates audio I have heard of unionist, Kim Sattler, representing Unions ACT, inform a lady by the name of Barbara Shaw, who lives in my electorate, of incorrect statements purported to be made by the Leader of the Opposition, Tony Abbott, about the desire - without quoting verbatim - to pull down the tent embassy. Then, Ms Shaw was asked to inform the crowd of the statement and direct the crowd to go to where the Prime Minister and, more particularly, the Leader of the Opposition, Tony Abbott, was. That was a disgraceful, disrespectful thing for any Australian to do, let alone a leader, let alone a union official.
The Labor Party and the unions have manipulated Indigenous Australians for forever and a day, back to the Whitlam era - manipulated them for their vote, in particular. The way Aboriginal people at the tent embassy were manipulated from Julia Gillard’s office, through the unions to those people, to get them to voice protest, participate and lead one of the most disrespectful events in Australia’s history is appalling. There is no way Kim Sattler can continue in her role and no way Julia Gillard can continue in her role.
Her office, for which she is responsible, led a riot on leaders of our country on our day, Australia Day. Kim Sattler should resign immediately. She should provide a full explanation and apology for her participation in those events. She should detail exactly what the Prime Minister’s office told her, instructed her, and encouraged her to do. She should also detail the people she spoke to and encouraged to take part in this riot. She should apologise to the Aboriginal people she manipulated to start the riot in the first place. Julia Gillard should not only step aside as the Prime Minister for bringing shame on this great nation of ours, but she should apologise to those people she has manipulated.
After seeing that video, today is a day where Aboriginal people should de-shackle themselves from the Labor Party and the manipulation it consistently does for the purpose of getting votes. That old statement about trying to keep Aboriginal people dumb and uneducated so they continue to vote Labor - that is the manipulation we know from Labor and the manipulation we know from the Territory. That is the manipulation we witnessed on Australia Day 2012 through the Prime Minister, Julia Gillard’s office, and Kim Sattler.
It was good to see the anniversary of the Kevin Rudd apology because that started to put a more positive taste in our mouth. However, that has quickly been eroded by the disgraceful antics of Labor, the unions, in cohort with the Greens, to get this riot happening at the tent embassy.
Tony Abbott is a fantastic man and a great leader. Like his politics or not, nobody should be treated with such disrespect. I call on the Australian Labor Party to disassociate itself from Kim Sattler, for Kim Sattler to resign, and the Australian Labor Party to remove Julia Gillard because this shows Julie Gillard is not fit to the Australian Prime Minister after bringing such shame to this nation.
Mr WESTRA van HOLTHE (Katherine): Madam Deputy Speaker, tonight I wish to speak about the train derailment at Edith River and subsequent issues which have arisen from that, particularly in relation to the failure of this government, in the past and currently, to deal with issues around not only this incident, but the broader transport sector for the regions, particularly Katherine.
You will be aware that, on 27 December, the train carrying goods north towards Darwin was derailed. Many carriages spilled into the river and, in fact, an exceptional event caused this. I made a few calculations on some of the figures on the NRETAS website out of interest and, using some assumptions I thought were fairly reasonable, I worked out in that 12-hour period of rain, or shortly thereafter, about 26 billion litres flowed down the Edith River, about 5% of the capacity of Sydney Harbour. It was incredible stuff. That aside, copper concentrate fell into the river along with a number of other containers that carried all types of things from the personal effects of new members of the RAAF Base Tindal being posted there this year to grocery items destined for Darwin. Two of those containers are still sitting in the river downstream from the road bridge, and there is an enormous amount of debris scattered around the place.
The railway, we hope, will open very soon, but I will come back to that in a moment. I am highly critical and extremely disappointed in the Minister for Natural Resources, Environment and the Arts for the lacklustre - there are so many superlatives, so many adjectives, so many ways to describe the abysmal performance of this minister over that period it almost beggars belief that he could have been so incredibly asleep at the wheel. That can be illustrated in a number of ways.
The first one is we are all focused on the copper concentrate. We were also focused on the out fall from the overflow of retention pond 1 at Mt Todd. What seems to have escaped some people, certainly the minister, is the debris sitting in the river, largely foodstuffs, is now rotting and the containers sitting in the river are still probably half full. They pose a potential health hazard, and the debris that has flowed from that is a blight on our beautiful pristine Edith River.
What is disappointing about this is the minister and his department did precious little. In fact, they did nothing in regard to directing any of the companies involved to clean up the debris that was downstream from these spilled containers. They did nothing, and I will qualify that by saying, did nothing until the Country Liberals - I as local member for Katherine - raised the issue in the media. You have a minister asleep at the wheel, not being proactive at all, highly reactive and failed in his duty - neglected his duty. He failed completely to have any semblance of an understanding, or a grip on what was happening in the Edith River. He has been to the site and I congratulate him for that. We have the railway due to reopen soon, and I am not going to pre-empt an announcement by any of the companies by saying when that will be, but we hope soon.
Interestingly, not that I heard the interview this morning, but I was surprised to be told tonight that on the ABC radio this morning the minister for the Environment and Natural Resources, when asked about the reopening of the train line, said something like he had spoken with officials three or four weeks ago - I will just repeat that - he had spoken to officials three or four weeks ago. I am advised the minister said that on the ABC this morning.
What I am trying to illustrate is a lackadaisical attitude of this minister of the Labor government so asleep at the wheel that it requires us to be on its back, and the media and the public to be on its back, before it took measures it should have much sooner. This, again, goes to show the very poor credentials this government has when dealing with the environment. These things crop up all the time: enterococci levels, spills at the wharves, the Edith River. Honestly, the list goes on and on. In framing this debate around the failures of the government to look after this issue, it goes much broader than that. The train derailment highlighted for Katherine an enormous deficiency: not having access to a freight hub and a business park in Katherine.
The freight station in Katherine was never designed to accommodate all the freight that went through, and continues to go through, in the current environment until the railway is open. It is interesting, the Katherine Economic Development Committee, which has been defunct for around two-and-a-half years, made a recommendation which still sits on its lists of priorities. In fact, if you go to the website for the Department of Local Government, Housing and Regional Services, in relation to the Katherine Economic Development Committee it says:
Priorities
acquisition of land adjacent to the Katherine Rail Terminal for future development as a ‘business park’.
That recommendation was made many years ago by a group of businessmen, well-known and respected, along with the government officials who sat beside them on the Katherine Economic Development Committee, and what have we had - absolutely nothing! It is not like we were asking for a great plot of infrastructure. We did not need millions of dollars spent. I will read it again: the priority is for acquisition of land. All they had to do was identify and acquire some land adjacent to the railway station in Katherine for future development as a business park. Sometimes I pull my hair out in frustration. What on earth is so hard about that? I do not think it is hard; it is not difficult at all. This is another example of a lackadaisical government, a tired government with no focus outside its own electorates in Darwin. It does not care about the bush. It does not care about Katherine, Tennant Creek or Alice Springs. It is not even on the radar.
The Katherine Economic Development Committee is now defunct because the government lost interest, because the government never followed up on anything it put as a priority. Never! It made a recommendation to acquire some land and could not even do that. Madam Speaker, this government should be ashamed of itself!
Mr STYLES (Sanderson): Madam Deputy Speaker, tonight I want to add to the debate on the matter of public importance - police response times to public emergencies, and the protection, safety and wellbeing of Territorians. I would like to put on the record my view of the police force is it is probably one of the most professional organisations in this country filled with some of the most dedicated people I know. There would not be anyone in this country more dedicated than the majority of people I have worked with in the Northern Territory Police Force.
They do a great job, but as the member for Johnston stated earlier this evening, public servants and police officers serve the government of the day. I could not agree with him more. However, they also are required to fulfil the policies of the government of the day. The area I would like to address this evening is about the policies the government has implemented that police, and other public servants, are required to implement.
The first thing I would like to ask, and it was discussed earlier but we have not had any definitive answers, is the calls made to police in relation to public emergencies, protection, wellbeing and safety of Territorians. For instance; in relation to the national guidelines, what percentage of calls are answered on the 000 line within 15 seconds? How many calls are answered within the national guidelines for the 131 444 numbers, that time being 25 seconds? What percentages are they? My understanding is percentages for the Northern Territory are below the national average.
The other aspect of this is statistics. I heard the Chief Minister earlier in the debate quote figures about changes since the CLP was in government in 2001. Of course, he is giving figures in 2011-12, or areas in a time frame of 10 to 11 years later. The Northern Territory, around 2010, went to national accounting rules in relation to how crime and police statistics are reported, recorded, and reported on. The Chief Minister is quite happy to say to parliament he would like to compare apples to oranges instead of apples to apples. What happened 11 years ago, and the way crime was recorded, was totally different to today. We have a totally different set of figures. I do know what the Chief Minister was trying to point out. Perhaps he was trying to indicate they are doing a far better job. My information is since that time we have a 150% increase in crime generally. How it is recorded is the point we need to look at. I would be glad if the Chief Minister could tell me I am wrong and show me where the definitive answers are so I can check that information. That is the information I have been given and, if the Chief Minister would like to prove me incorrect, I would be glad to stand corrected.
The other aspect of statistics quoted in the House this evening is search fields. I was led to believe – it is around the 2007-2008 mark - that a number of search fields for the way statistics are recorded were changed, leading to a difference in statistics. I mentioned this previously in this House and my understanding was the Chief Minister, and a number of others, put me down saying I did not know what I was talking about. We have a comparison between 2001 and now, and there are differences in the way these crimes and the statistics given to police are recorded and reported on.
Previously, there was a difference between winter and summer statistics. There was a time when people were comparing statistics in the Dry Season and the Wet Season. There are different times when crime is up and down. Take the Alice Springs instance - during the summer Alice Springs has huge problems and not so much during the winter. We have a similar thing with the Wet Season and the Dry Season - different things occur.
I will go to an anecdotal story. The other day, I was talking to some people as a result of what you may call people being banned. It is harder to get alcohol because people do not have a driver’s licence or any type of card, and may not even be on the Banned Drinker Register. In my electorate, instances of theft from fridges underneath people’s homes is rising, where kids are jumping fences …
Mr Bohlin: From my neighbour’s home.
Mr STYLES: … young people, older people, middle-aged people. These people see the people but do not know who they are. Sometimes they cannot identify them again. However, they know older people and kids are stealing alcohol. I spoke to a number of people when I was doorknocking recently who had this happen. I said: ‘Well, what did the police say?’ They said: ‘Oh, we do not bother to call the police, they do not come. If you ring them they want to keep you on the phone, they want to know who you are, what is going on’. These people are underneath the house or have walked off. They are sick to death of all the effort put into getting details, but nothing happening on the ground.
I understand police are busy running around after a whole host of things. However, it is these people’s barbecue drinks, their eskies, their fishing gear, the swag out the back of the ute parked underneath the house that is going, supposedly, behind a fence. People come in and are taking all these things. When it comes time to respond to some of the real emergencies, we find police are tearing around trying to catch up with a whole raft of things tied up with other issues.
This brings me to the next point - the habitual drunks policy. The government says it has a Banned Drinker Register. That is excellent; I am glad it has a Banned Drinker Register. However, I would like to know: what has it achieved? Sure, several thousand people are on it. We still see people fornicating, defecating and urinating all over the place - on people’s front door and businesses. A friend of mine, a business person, had to invest in a pressure cleaner. They had to use Pine O Cleen disinfectant almost on a daily basis. Every morning, they have to get up earlier to go to work to clean up the mess. The government tries to ridicule our habitual drunks policy. It is quite envious that we are going to do this and clean up the streets. People who talk to me at the shops on Saturday mornings or when I am doorknocking are sick to death of it. I am sure police are sick to death of it as well. In fact, I talk to police officers who are friends of mine and, quietly, they say: ‘We are sick to death of the drunks’.
There are people on the Banned Drinker Register who still seem to be whacked on alcohol. The sad thing is - and something I do not want to go into at length tonight; I will do that tomorrow or later in the week - people are changing their drug of choice and going from alcohol to marijuana. I do not know where we are going to go with the government’s policy on that. Perhaps we will give people a piece of paper to say they are not allowed to smoke marijuana and see what happens.
The other thing is the terminology the government uses when it says: ‘We are turning people off tap’. You cannot go into a takeaway facility and get alcohol in a tap. Taps are in bars connected to kegs. That is a little lesson for people listening upstairs; you have your terminology wrong. I notice the member for …
A member interjecting.
Mr STYLES: That is right. Send a memo saying ‘turning people off tap’ is the wrong terminology. Perhaps you could talk to a publican who would give it to you straight.
Madam Deputy Speaker, the police have enough problems. It would be really good if the government looked at some type of policy that worked. I would be quite happy to give the government our policy so it could do something that will work.
Mr MILLS (Blain): Madam Deputy Speaker, I take this opportunity to place on the Parliamentary Record another human story to illustrate strength of the community, and strength in response to something that has caused real injury to our community.
Yes, there is strength there but, sadly, that strength is being exerted in the presence of something that seems to be increasing. I speak of Sandra Eagle and her family. My colleague, the member for Drysdale, knows Sandra well. I have known Sandra for many years. Her mum and dad are from East Timor. She has responsibility in her family for a supermarket in Woodroffe. They are good people and the people in that community respect them – honest, hard-working, good family, and they all work together. It is encouraging to see the good instincts of the majority of our community come in support of Sandra when, sadly, we see headlines in our newspapers where we get the sensationalised media. Sometimes, we can become desensitised but recognise behind the headline and the big story are people such as Sandra Eagle and her family.
I have a few notes I prepared regarding Sandra. Woodroffe store owner, Sandra Eagle, was viciously assaulted in her shop by a group of local youths. That was some time ago but, today, she still recalls the horror of that day. She said - and anyone who knows Sandra would believe this and the significance of it: ‘I have never been in a fight in my life, but now I have two broken ribs’. Anyone who has had broken ribs, as I have, knows how painful that is. They were caused by young people who were trying to rob her.
Sandra is deeply grateful for the support and compassion she was shown by local people after the event. She even took the time to post a very large thank you notice in the NT News, which I will read at the end. The care she was shown by many in the community has gone some way to help Sandra recover from the trauma of that assault. She still relives the events in her dreams she told me. She wakes up sometimes at night. What she is, fundamentally, grappling with is the anger that someone could do this to her and another shopkeeper around the corner – also beautiful people who would not hurt a fly.
She asks the question out of that anger: ‘What has gone wrong with young people to make them think this is okay?’ Sandra’s family - most astonishingly and of grave concern - even received a threatening phone call from one of the parents of a girl apprehended after the incident. Most of us know what happened there and the viciousness of that assault, the attendance of police, the violence of these girls, as described by Sandra and the family, was just awful. Yet, to add insult to injury, they received a threatening phone call from one of the parents.
Parents need to be made fully accountable for the actions of their children, but you need more than glossy brochures for that to work. The hard line promised by this government, which strikes a good chord in our community – the same chord that was struck when they came to support Sandra – is appealed to by glossy brochures and assurances that plasma TVs will be confiscated. Well, how many plasma screen TVs have been confiscated? It made for good text and glossy brochures and appeals to a certain sentiment politics on the other side are very well aware of, but how many? It appears to be, in fact, an empty threat.
The fact is, Sandra and her family now have to face the challenges of each day. She is comforted by the support she has received, but is still very angry this happened and has questions that are almost impossible for her to answer. She is looking to government, for those elected to represent her and those she represents, to answer those questions. Her family, out of concern for Sandra - Sandra is strong and says she wants to keep the business going, keep the shop open the regular hours, but her dear mum and dad have said they would like Sandra to close the shop a little earlier. ‘We will feel a little safer if the shop is closed a little earlier because you are there by yourself’.
That is what I described earlier in a debate in this House - the shutters start coming down, people start closing up, they retreat and our community shrinks, and now the shop is closed a little earlier. That is a financial loss for the family – for their own security. It is also reduces amenity in the local community, so it shrinks the community. They cannot rely on the local shop; they might go somewhere else, which has a cascading effect. Not only that, further injury upon injury is they have a closed circuit security system but they feel they must upgrade it - another $7000. Those who have worked in small business know if you have $7000 in your hand as a result of the trade in a corner store, that is many sales of milk and small products after you have paid your insurance, stock, wages; electricity and your rent. That is a hard thing to come by. They have to pay that now to upgrade; to increase their security.
We must respond to this story. At the core of this we have young people who felt they had been affronted and responded like savage and wild animals, attacking another person who had the audacity to say: ‘Do not take that from my shop’. They were concealing things ready to take them out of the shop. You would not expect to get that kind of savage and vicious response. They were not ashamed in the slightest. They go to school; they are known and have been involved in other activities. The concern is there are others in that same group, and others connected to that group, who are frightened of that group. They should not be. The primary responsibility of a government has to be to provide safety and security for those good people who are trying their best to do the right thing, not to be living in fear of those who exercise violence as a reaction as though it is their right.
I will conclude by reading the notice, and we know how much these things cost. There is much more behind this and I hope members can understand it. The notice was put in the Public Notices of the NT News. It said thank you at the top:
Motion agreed to; the Assembly adjourned.
VISITORS
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, welcome once again to the sittings for 2012. I acknowledge the new Consul to the Republic of Indonesia, Mr Ade Padmo Sarwono. This is his first visit to our parliament. It is wonderful to have a new Consul for the Republic of Indonesia. You are very welcome in the Northern Territory.
Members: Hear, hear!
Madam SPEAKER: Representing the Defence Force is Ken Watson, Air Commodore. Thank you very much for attending today and representing the Defence Forces.
Members: Hear, hear!
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, many other distinguished guests were here earlier. I extend my thanks to them and to the many visitors who have come here to appreciate the beginning of the sittings with us.
I advise honourable members of the presence in the gallery of Year 5/6 Moulden Park Primary School students accompanied by Ms Trudy Bland, and Year 8 and Year 9 Sanderson Middle School students accompanied by Ms Tammy Llewellyn and Mr Bill Rolfe, also students from Nightcliff Primary School. On behalf of honourable members, I extend to you a very warm welcome.
Members: Hear, hear!
MESSAGE FROM ADMINISTRATOR
Message No 31
Message No 31
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I have received from Her Honour the Administrator Message No 31 notifying assent to bills passed in the November/December 2011 sitting of the Assembly.
RESPONSE TO PETITION
Petition No 57
Petition No 57
The CLERK: Madam Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 100A, I inform honourable members that a response to Petition No 57 has been received and circulated to honourable members. The text of the response will be placed on the Legislative Assembly website. A copy of the response will be provided to the member who tabled the petition for distribution to petitioners.
Petition No 57
- Marra Peoples Lands and Seas Country Near Limmen Bight
Date presented: 30 November 2011
Presented by: Mr McCarthy
Referred to: Minister for Primary Industry, Fisheries and Resources
Date response due: 2 May 2012
Date response received: 3 January 2012
Response:
I can advise that Western Desert Resources has recently announced that it has signed a memorandum of understanding with Xstrata Zinc to investigate the feasibility of gaining access to Xstrata Zinc’s McArthur River Mine loading facility at Bing Bong on the Gulf of Carpentaria. Western Desert Resources indicates that it intends to, subject to feasibility and necessary approvals, build an access road of approximately 160 km from the Roper Bar project area to Bing Bong.
Shipping through the established facility at Bing Bong would reduce the immediate requirement for investment in new pipeline infrastructure previously proposed as a transport option to Maria Island.
In terms of regulating mining activity, it is important to note that all proposals received by the Department of Resources, DoR, undergo a thorough and transparent environmental assessment process in accordance with the Mining Management Act and, where appropriate, the Environmental Assessment Act. There is also legislation in place to protect sacred sites, which is the Northern Territory Aboriginal Sacred Sites Act.
TABLED PAPER
Letter from United States Embassy
Letter from United States Embassy
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I table a thank you letter from the Embassy of the United States of America for the transcript of the Legislative Assembly’s debate on the visit of President Obama to Darwin. It expresses gratitude to the Assembly and the people of the Northern Territory for the warm welcome given to the President of the United States.
STATEMENT BY SPEAKER
Morning Tea Invitation to Guests
Morning Tea Invitation to Guests
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members and guests, I advise that morning tea will be available in the main hall for members and guests who wish to enjoy the hospitality of the parliament. You are also welcome to watch what happens in here.
BATCHELOR INSTITUTE OF INDIGENOUS TERTIARY EDUCATION AMENDMENT BILL
(Serial 192)
(Serial 192)
Continued from 1 December 2011.
Mr CHANDLER (Brennan): Madam Speaker, I welcome everyone to 2012; it will be a big year.
Madam Speaker, the Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education Amendment Bill 2011 (Serial 192) was introduced by Dr Burns and will be fully supported by the Country Liberals. We are aware of the small amendments required and that they deal with administrative errors.
This side wholeheartedly supports this legislation which basically ticks off on many of the areas that have been brought to my attention over the last few years about Batchelor Institute. In fact, I would say some of the reports I have been made aware of suggest Batchelor Institute was a bit of a basket case in many areas. Whilst some of the complaints and issues raised with me over the last few years have not been substantiated, the results are on the board. That is where this legislation today pulls in the laces, helps, and moves Batchelor Institute into a far better run organisation.
It is great to see Charles Darwin University has become more involved. CDU will be doing the behind the scenes, back of room type administrative processes for Batchelor. It is also great to see there will be tighter controls on the board and council in how the Institute runs because what we need in the Northern Territory is not only better results in our academic levels, we need damn good teachers, and damn good teachers can only come from great curriculum and tightly run organisations which focus on the very best results.
I thank the minister and Mr Picton for the briefing on the legislation. As I said, it has ticked off many of the things brought to us over the last few years. It should not stop there though because education in the Northern Territory has to be a priority. This government has talked long and hard about its priority and I have seen the dollars that have been spent in education facilities. However, when you look at some of the results achieved particularly in our remote areas, we need to ask: ‘What do we need to do to get it right? What do we have to do, as a government, to improve those results?’
The challenges faced, particularly in the remote areas, are certainly huge. Governments all around this country have struggled with the same thing because the remote areas struggle with the same things. How do we get our children to school? What programs can we put in place to ensure children get the very best education they possibly can? I will be the first to admit I have seen some improvements in certain areas. Some of the remote schools which I had the opportunity to visit late last year definitely had programs that were, in my opinion, on the right track.
That is not to say: ‘Well, this Labor government has been in power for nearly 12 years and in that time we have not seen fantastic results’. I become frustrated when programs that are seemingly making a real improvement are simply discarded for another program that comes along. Many programs are introduced for a short period of time and are not given a chance to run.
I was talking to someone recently – I cannot mention their name – who works closely with the Education department. The word in the Education department is the CLP has an education policy which is going to turn everything over. Rumours are going around that if you want to keep your job you need to support Labor because the Country Liberals have an education policy which will change everything in the Education department - this is totally wrong. There are some very good programs in the Education department, and we have some of the best staff in the department. I do not like to hear rumour and innuendo that we are going to throw everything out if we take government in August this year. That is total muckraking and will not happen.
If something is showing signs of improving, if it is showing signs of working, why would you change it? You would strengthen it; you would get behind it and support it. Do not throw out good programs. Teachers will tell you that more than anything else they hate constant change for the sake of change. If change is necessary, fine, but if it is not, why change it? We can strengthen it and we can improve it.
When I received this briefing I walked away thinking: ‘Fantastic’. This has ticked off on some of the areas in Batchelor Institute that have concerned me over the last few years. I say that with trepidation, because there was a time when I did not know what or how to handle some of the information coming my way. Some of it was pretty rotten regarding what was happening at Batchelor Institute, what was happening in the department, how the whole thing was coming together and how it was spitting out students who, in a few allegations, were not skilled at the levels they should be to take on the challenge of teaching children in our schools.
This legislation will go a long way to improve that and a long way to strengthen Batchelor Institute. It should be strengthened and supported. It is good to see CDU now has more involvement.
Some of the issues raised before, and certainly raised with me, will be dealt with through this legislation. Well done! This is good legislation and is supported by the Country Liberals.
Mr WOOD (Nelson): Madam Speaker, I support this bill. Over the years, Batchelor has become an issue not only in the broader community, but also for staff and locals living in Batchelor. For a time, Batchelor Institute was nearly dysfunctional and nearly reached the point of going broke. There appeared to be a certain amount of nepotism, and staff morale had gone downhill considerably. That is not just hearsay; that is from people who worked at Batchelor College, as it was called then, who were concerned about the future of what they saw as an important part of our educational mix in the Northern Territory.
As the member for Brennan mentioned, there were also doubts about the validity or authenticity of some of the courses. I raised this last year after being approached by a principal at one of our remote community schools who felt Batchelor College, at that time, was not producing teachers with the qualifications normally required. I received a fair amount of criticism over that, and I do not intend to go back down that path because what I am seeing with the changes is a move in the right direction to ensure students who come through Batchelor Institute will end up with an equivalent qualification they can use anywhere in Australia.
One of the important things is the MOU which has been set up with the CDU. That is really important. In 2009, I noticed a newspaper article in The Sydney Morning Herald which said:
- NT Opposition Leader Terry Mills is advocating closer ties between the institute and Charles Darwin University.
I believe that was looked at, at that stage, and has now come into being. That is very good.
This legislation is the change needed to turn things around. This legislation brings Batchelor Institute in line with other higher education legislation in Australia. The board has now been reduced from an unwieldy number of 22 down to 10, and those 10 will have to have qualifications and experience to be selected.
There is also an Indigenous Advisory Board made up of people who can bring advice to the institute based not only on their Indigenous background, but also their background and knowledge of education. They will also be able to advise the council on cultural and social issues as well as consulting with their own community. That is really important.
Also, the makeup of both the council and the advisory board is a good one; it gives a good cross-section of the Northern Territory representation from the north and the south. We will also have people on the board or council because of their qualifications and knowledge rather than just being someone’s friend, or just because they are Indigenous, which has been the problem previously. This will turn that around, and will be very welcomed by supporters of Batchelor Institute. Many of us believe Batchelor Institute plays an important part in the Northern Territory’s educational processes. This will be a turning point in how the college moves forward.
I thank Mr Adrian Mitchell, Director of Batchelor Institute for giving us his thoughts on the legislation and letting me know where the college is going. For instance, Mr Mitchell spoke about the VET remote delivery program which is aligned to job opportunities in remote communities. Batchelor is providing programs to assist with literacy and numeracy skills to deliver these VET programs, which is a really important part of Batchelor Institute. Even though we are talking about some of - which I will mention later on - the higher qualifications, that area of VET is important in communities because that is where much of the basic employment is going to be; it is not all going to be in the higher educational area Batchelor also looks at.
Batchelor has also entered into an MOU with Jobfind to provide training services. There are about 8000 participants in that process - a great thing as well. The issue I sometimes have with these figures is out of those 8000 participants how many actually get jobs. One area which needs to be looked at is the delivery of so-called training. Training has become an industry which has been devalued to some extent because some institutes hand out certificates like they were confetti – they do not have much substance and do not necessarily lead to a person getting a job. As much as it is good Batchelor Institute is working with people at Jobfind to provide training, the real issue for Batchelor is at the end of the training has it provided jobs. That is really what it is about. If we have 8000 participants, can someone tell me how many of those participants will have real jobs at the end of that training?
The development of a partnership in higher education with Charles Darwin University is great. They will be delivering teaching, nursing, health services and Indigenous knowledge courses. They will also be delivering a Preparation for Tertiary Success program, something I do not know much about. The minister might be able to explain if that is like a pre-training course before students get into the teaching, nursing and health services courses. One of the issues raised about the qualifications of some of the teachers going through Batchelor College was that their literacy and numeracy skills were very poor. That was a problem in itself and I am interested to know if that is being addressed in this preparation program put forward by Charles Darwin University.
Batchelor also receives money from the Commonwealth and Territory governments. It receive money from the Minerals Council, the prison, Job Services Australia and CDEP. It is also helped by companies such as Sitzler, which is now working through the Reconciliation Australia program to try to increase the number of Aboriginal employees. GEMCO is also looking to boost local government employment. When talking to Adrian Mitchell about the funding for this college, it is a very complex arrangement to keep the institute going. It receives money from a wide range of sources, much of which the institute has to apply for and much of that money, when it is boiled down, comes from the Commonwealth and the Territory.
You have to wonder if half the time the institute spends is trying to get funds rather than teaching. Perhaps we should be asking the Commonwealth government to give the institute a single source of funding instead of going through an Indigenous program over here, an employment program over here, and some skills training over here. It has to apply for funds here, there and everywhere. The amount of work and effort in applying for funds, most of which end up coming from the Commonwealth and the Territory, absorbs an unreasonable amount of time for an institute whose real focus should be on the delivery of training and teaching so we can have better outcomes for Indigenous students in the Northern Territory and the rest of Australia.
I put that in as an aside. We can complicate things so much we miss the point of why we are here. There is a good argument for simplification of the way we fund some of our institutes.
Mr Mitchell also mentioned on-site training is now becoming more effective than learning centres. He wants more learning centres because he believes there has been an underestimation of how many Aboriginal students use technology. Perhaps that is where the change will be at Batchelor Institute. There may be less focus on that more classroom-type approach at Batchelor or Alice Springs, but taking that technological approach out into the communities is something we may not have really considered previously. He is saying many Aboriginal students use technology and understand the use of it. Again, there are changes, perhaps, in the way the institute will deliver its courses.
He mentioned how Alice Springs is developing into a very successful campus and the number of students in VET is growing. He believes it is a vibrant community because it is close to Alice Springs so students do not feel isolated. It is interesting because Batchelor was placed in that location in order not to be influenced by Darwin. They wanted it in a place which was quiet and out of the way. However, he is saying the Alice Springs campus has some advantages.
Batchelor Institute is a very essential part of the economy of the little town of Batchelor and I am not saying it should close down and move somewhere else, but it was interesting to hear how he compared the relationship of one campus to the other. I am not trying to put Batchelor Institute down, but it is no secret there have been some social problems there from time to time relating to the college. They are some of the issues Mr Mitchell has been looking at. The focus on a new advisory board and new council will give Batchelor a new era and it will be good to see how it goes into the future. Mr Mitchell said he believed the future of the institute was looking good.
This legislation is part of the forward looking goal Mr Adrian Mitchell is promoting. Everyone should support this legislation before us today because it is positive. It is saying there were problems at Batchelor College, but we now have a new era - we have Batchelor Institute. It is ensuring the courses it produces are real and anyone who goes there can hold that piece of paper up and say: ‘I am equal to anyone else in Australia’. It is trying to deliver courses Indigenous people want. I do not believe people want a certificate which says: ‘I am only receiving that certificate because I am Indigenous’. They want a certificate because they are Australians, and they want a certificate that is equal with anyone else in Australia.
Madam Speaker, these changes will lead to that overall change in philosophy and outcomes Batchelor Institute will produce in the future, so I am very much in support of this legislation. I should also note I am in support of the amendment before us, which I have dubbed the Nuske amendment.
Mr MILLS (Opposition Leader): Madam Speaker, I will speak briefly on this matter because of the importance of the development and formalising of strategic alliances with Batchelor and CDU. It has been some time coming. It is understandable it has taken time because of the need for the identity of the Batchelor Institute to be retained, but at the same time develop and formalise the relationship between Charles Darwin University and Batchelor Institute, and how that relationship will work.
Given that Charles Darwin University has already entered into strategic alliances with other national institutes as well as some engagement with international, but more particularly with national bodies such as the ANU and others to strengthen Charles Darwin University, the argument therefore must follow that Charles Darwin University needs to extend its strategic engagement with like-minded institutions in the Northern Territory. On that basis it is commendable, and I recognise all those who have worked behind the scenes to bring this to pass.
To put a structure in place, formalise it, and to move the whole enterprise forward is not an easy thing. I understand issues of the culture of the Batchelor Institute, its identity, aims and objectives, are all matters that had to be worked through. I am not concerned it has taken some time, but I am pleased that progress has been made and we come to this point.
I make the comment that though legislation may change, those structures may now be formalised, and it still comes down to people being able to work together and recognise what is important and what this is about. It is not about Charles Darwin University - that is the means whereby objectives are achieved. It is not about Batchelor Institute. Batchelor Institute is an organisation to achieve a particular objective. It is about how those organisations work together, and work strategically to empower more Territorians and other Australians to make a more positive contribution to their lives, the lives of their families, and the Territory or the wider nation. It is always done in that context.
I commend all those of goodwill who will be working very hard to deliver the outcomes of the formalisation of the working relationship and how we then move both enterprises together, working strategically. Ultimately, we would see as a result of this not just organisational change, but see it demonstrated by better results in health by the health workers trained to deliver real difference to Territorians and other Australians. We would see real differences in education where it is not just the process of education, but the teaching and learning results in improvement in people’s lives, that teachers are focused on the task, are well equipped for that task and a difference is made.
For those who have an aspiration to be involved in enterprises of different kinds, that the training courses they may receive through either Batchelor or Charles Darwin University results in the tools to go into enterprise of some kind. That is what we need to see as a result of this. We are discussing something which enables that, but the objective is ultimately the change in people’s lives and an improvement in the Northern Territory.
Madam Speaker, I commend all those who have been involved in this. It is a hard slog making change. People do not necessarily go with change; however, change is necessary and some people have discussed that. We know the change was required and I commend all those involved in this process. Keep up the hard work because much needs to be done.
Dr BURNS (Education and Training): Madam Speaker, I commend all members who have made a contribution, particularly the member for Blain. You spoke very well about yes, we have changed the structures but it really needs people of goodwill to work together to bring about real change. You mentioned the changes in health, the changes in education, and the changes in equipping people to go into real enterprise that can benefit their communities.
The member for Nelson outlined some of the problems that beset Batchelor a few years ago. I would put it in two words – ‘unproductive ideology’. Some people were obstacles, were putting up barriers, and were not interested in the real changes and benefits the member for Blain was talking about. They were more interested in ideology and, whilst viewpoints and philosophies are important, sometimes we can gaze at our own navels too long and become too self-absorbed. Results, and the real reason we are here and why we are working, can be lost.
I am not just talking about in this parliament; I am talking about Batchelor. What happened with Batchelor a few years ago was sad, it was extreme and, as the member for Nelson said, almost resulted in the closure of Batchelor. To its credit, previous to the Rudd government the Howard government acted, and some of that action was carried on under the new government.
There is a fair degree of bipartisanship and goodwill around Batchelor. Those of us who have been around the Territory a long time know many people who have gone through Batchelor, whether it be in the health working area, whether it be the education area, or some of the community service areas or community government areas. There have been some outstanding graduates from Batchelor but, as the member for Nelson observed, there was a period where questions were being asked about the qualifications of people graduating from Batchelor - qualifications that really had a question mark and a shadow against them.
This legislation really goes to, as all speakers mentioned, a partnership with Charles Darwin University. There will be educational standards set which apply all around Australia not just the Territory and students will be expected to graduate to those particular standards. That is a very positive thing and addresses some of the issues raised in parliament today, and everyone agrees with that.
The member for Blain talked about the importance of maintaining and retaining the identity of Batchelor, which does, as I have said, have a proud tradition in the Territory. There are many good graduates from Batchelor. Batchelor, at various stages, has been the cutting edge in leading Australia in Indigenous tertiary education. This partnership with Charles Darwin University is crucially important.
Part of the model of this partnership is similar to the model that exists between Menzies School of Health Research and Charles Darwin University, where Menzies retains its autonomy to a large degree, but is an integral part of Charles Darwin University. Over the years, since that legislation was passed in this parliament, there have been real benefits to both sides - to Menzies and also Charles Darwin University.
The partnership which will come into force today through this legislation will also build that partnership between Charles Darwin University and Batchelor. It will also allow Batchelor to retain its autonomy, its proud tradition, its governance, but will provide a crucial link with Charles Darwin University.
I commend the work of Adrian Mitchell, the new Director/Chief Executive Officer of Batchelor. He is someone who has exemplary character, is passionate about the job, and wants to have the change, be part of the change, and bring the staff and Batchelor community with him. He is very deserving of support within Batchelor Institute from staff and everyone concerned. The future is bright for Batchelor. It was not so bright a few years ago but, sometimes, it takes a bit of a scare - whether it is a health scare for someone to give up smoking or change their habits, or whatever - for people to say: ‘Hold on a minute here; we need to work together to save Batchelor and build Batchelor into the institution it should be’.
I am not aware of any great opposition to the legislative changes. There was much angst a few years ago with staff concerned about their future - rightly so - when Batchelor was in trouble. However, that era has passed and Batchelor is on the threshold of a very important era in its history at a time when the Territory really needs the contribution of Batchelor Institute especially for our remote areas.
I pick up on a few things the member for Brennan spoke about. He talked about wholehearted support for this legislation. I like that phrase you used: ‘time to pull in the laces’. It reminded me of when I was young enough to play football, pull on the boots, pull in the laces - hopefully, I had my sock and shorts on - and run out on the field and play the game. That was pretty apt ...
Mr Elferink: How often did it happen the other way around?
Dr BURNS: Well, I do not know. It evoked all sorts of images in my brain, member for Port Darwin.
He welcomed the greater involvement of Charles Darwin University. He talked about education having to be priority, and had a bit of a political tickle about the government and remote education - I suppose primary and post-secondary education. Member for Brennan, you know what I am going to say - I am waiting for your policy on education.
Mr Chandler: You have it, apparently.
Dr BURNS: I have it?
Mr Chandler: The department says you have it.
Dr BURNS: Well, I am not saying that. I have not seen a bar of it, but it is good to hear you say you will retain and strengthen many of the initiatives of government. I would like to see you come out in black and white with exactly what you are going to do. I want to have a debate about education, the direction of education, and educational policy in the Northern Territory. As you said, you have been visiting quite a few schools in the Territory. As it is an election year you will probably want to spend a great deal of time in your electorate; however, as part of your shadow portfolio responsibilities, I will support you as much as I can to get out to various schools in the Territory whether it is in the urban areas, the provincial areas, or the remote areas. It is important for us to engage in a meaningful, courteous and civil debate about education policy because, as you said, it is crucially important for the Territory right now.
I am waiting for your policy. It is six months out from the election, approximately 180 sleeps. Let us hope I am not going to have 179 sleeps before your education policy hits the deck in the final week of the campaign. We need a bit better than that. I know you have been working on it and I hope in the next few weeks or so you will release your education policy and I will read it from cover to cover ...
Mr Elferink: And then you will retire!
Dr BURNS: No, no, we will have the debate! I will be part of that debate. I have not retired. I am not in retirement mode. You will find it is full steam ahead for the member for Johnston between now and August. I will be sprinting to the line, member for Port Darwin, and you will know I am present in this House and beyond, and in these sittings. I do not want to telegraph too much of what I might be doing in these sittings.
It is an important debate we are going to have in the next six months about the government and its policies, and the opposition which puts itself forward as an alternative government. You owe it to Territorians to come forward with solid policies. I will say it again: I was a candidate in 2000 for about 16 months all up and in that time Peter Toyne, God bless him, was responsible for coordinating all the policy initiatives. Clare Martin, and the opposition at that time, had a suite of policies about education, recreational fishing, a whole range of things which they put forward to the people of the Northern Territory to show what they intended to do in government.
There were seven in opposition and there are 10 of you. You have been in opposition for 11 years now and there is a paucity of policy from the CLP. I thought over the weekend that you are quick to criticise but are slow on solutions. Let us see your solutions in black and white, member from Brennan. I want to see what you have been working on. I want to see your homework! Let Territorians judge! If it is worthwhile policy, I will congratulate you on it, the same as you have said you are not going to throw out everything the government has been doing. That heartens me because I believe we are on the right track. It is a big task. We are talking about education generally in the Northern Territory. However, I am committed. In the time I have left as minister I am focused and I want to kick goals. That is where I am coming from.
The member for Nelson said over the years Batchelor has become an issue. He talked about dysfunction, the financial position and nepotism. He talked about the validity and authenticity of the qualifications and the importance of the memorandum of understanding with CDU. I covered those as best I could. Importantly, you spoke about Jobfind and the 8000 participants across the Territory, and you asked the very pertinent question about how many have jobs. You alluded to the fact you felt the training in the Northern Territory may have become a bit of an industry. We have all met people on remote communities with many certificates but no job.
The reasons for that are complex. There is not a simple solution, but I know the federal government is very focused on this issue and wants to link training with jobs. That is the change in policy. I welcome that change in policy because it is wrong for people to receive training - very good training in many cases - but with no prospect of a job. That is not fair on the people involved. We have to attend and support people, because people become disheartened if they have had training and cannot find a real job.
The minister has foreshadowed sweeping changes in this area and I accord with that. We are further along the track in the Territory than they might be in other jurisdictions. There is big room for improvement, member for Nelson, and I am not going to argue with you about that. It was good you raised that issue because it is a real and pertinent one. In relation to what we do with our students who attain Year 12, we have our jobs guarantee. If you pass Year 12 in the bush we will work with you to find you a real job. If we are unsuccessful with that, we will offer you further support for whatever supplementary training you might need to get that job. There have already been some pretty good results with that; however, with a limited number of people. I want to see the numbers of Indigenous kids successfully attaining Year 12 increase markedly.
You talked about the prep program at CDU. I confess I am not really familiar with it. I asked my advisor about it and am assured a big part of the preparatory program is about literacy and numeracy, but underneath that, for people to undertake tertiary studies now they require Year 12. For VET courses, you do not require Year 12. Obviously, literacy and numeracy is an issue there. CDU is aware of that and wants to support people around literacy and numeracy.
Another big issue you raised, member for Nelson, was the patchwork quilt of Commonwealth funding and the temporal nature of that funding - someone will get a funding program for three years then they have to reapply and everything changes. It is just a changing feast. I have to confess, I would like to see the Commonwealth change its policies in that regard. It does not matter if you are health, education, infrastructure, or whatever it is, unfortunately there is almost a kaleidoscope of Commonwealth programs - often with the three-year election cycle in the Commonwealth there are changes of government and changes of policy.
I am with you, but I do not think we are going to change it, unfortunately. I would like to see much more stability from the Commonwealth. In the Territory we are affected more than most jurisdictions, because 80% - the Treasurer might correct me here - of our revenue comes from the Commonwealth. Only 20% is own source compared to the larger jurisdictions, which might have 50% or 60% of Commonwealth funds. Really, they are not dependent to the same extent on the Commonwealth as it does not provide such a large portion of the states’ funding. It is frustrating as a minister because programs start and finish and people are employed on a contractual basis. Employees also want more certainty. It is an issue I have raised with the Commonwealth a number of times. I am sure the Treasurer has as well. We would like to see much more stability. Sure, there needs to be rigour in programs, evaluations, etcetera, but many organisations are in that constant round of applying for Commonwealth funds, and some of the applications are quite rigorous and arduous. I am not going to argue with you about that, member for Nelson. I agree with you.
In summary, to recap on what this bill is about - I am sure some people in the gallery are already aware but, for the record, I will talk about it.
First, it reduces the size of the institute’s council from 22 members to 10. That is about making it much tighter; I believe 10 is a better number than 22. Twelve is the ideal number, as you and I both know, member for Nelson, however, 10 is a good number and allows better input, particularly if you have a range of views around the table. Ten can represent a range of views provided there is a wide-ranging selection. It is built into these changes that there will be a diversity of people involved in the council.
For the first time, the act clearly defines the functions of the institute council and establishes an advisory board of six Indigenous members to inform and advise the institute council. A crucial part of the governance and policymaking of the Institute is the advisory board, and I commend that. It extends the duties currently imposed on the members of the institute council to apply to other institute entities such as committees of the council and members of the new advisory board. So, in all, we have clarity of functions. This is what the act is bringing to the governance of Batchelor.
It establishes a nominations committee to facilitate the filling of vacancies on the council and the advisory board to bring transparency and diversity. It also brings the governance provisions for the institute more in line with current Australian government protocols for higher education institutions.
It amends the education college and school council’s regulations by repealing the now redundant provisions applicable to the former Batchelor College. Although it is now BIITE, it will always be Batchelor for everyone. It is still Batchelor.
It affects a range of statute law revision amendments to modernise terminology in the remainder of the act. In a nutshell, those are the amendments to the governance of Batchelor and I commend them to honourable members.
We will be moving into committee, as the member for Nelson alluded to, and I commend Michelle Nuske. It is the Nuske amendment. It is typographical, but if it had not been picked up it might have caused some confusion and need for clarification. The member for Nelson - I have put it on the record a number of times - contributes heavily to debate in this House and, probably, a few times I have not agreed with him. Generally, the member for Nelson brings some real rigor to the debate in this House; he certainly debates on real issues 99% of the time. Sometimes I do not agree with him. The member for Nelson is very thorough in the way he goes through legislation, but he is ably supported by Michelle Nuske. If we could clone her I would like a couple! She is very good and I thank her for picking up this typographical error. She contributes to this parliament as well as the member for Nelson.
I am on dangerous terrain here, member for Nelson. My staff are fantastic and I commend them for all the hard work they do. On both sides of the House we have hard-working people. I also commend the people in the department, and those involved in the long journey with Batchelor bringing this legislation to fruition today.
I commend this bill to the House. We will be moving into committee, Madam Speaker.
Motion agreed to; bill read a second time.
In committee:
Madam CHAIR: Honourable members, the committee has before it the Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education Amendment Bill 2011 (Serial 192) together with Schedule of Amendments No 74 circulated by the Minister for Education and Training, Dr Burns.
Clauses 1 to 4, by leave, taken together and agreed to.
Clause 5:
Dr BURNS: Madam Chair, as foreshadowed, I move amendment 74 relating to clause 5, proposed section 11(3) to omit ‘Board member to whom this subsection applies’ and insert ‘Council member mentioned in subsection (3)(a)’.
Amendment agreed to.
Clause 5, as amended, agreed to.
Remainder of bill, by leave, taken as a whole, and agreed to.
Bill reported with amendment; report adopted.
Dr BURNS (Education and Training): Madam Speaker, I move that the bill be now read a third time.
Motion agreed to; bill read a third.
TABLED PAPER
Remuneration Tribunal Determination - Interstate Study Travel Report –
Members for Nhulunbuy and Braitling
Remuneration Tribunal Determination - Interstate Study Travel Report –
Members for Nhulunbuy and Braitling
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, pursuant to paragraph 3.14 of the Remuneration Tribunal Determination No 1 of 2011, I table the interstate study travel reports for the members for Nhulunbuy and Braitling.
MINISTERIAL STATEMENT
Gearing up for Growth
Gearing up for Growth
Mr HENDERSON (Chief Minister): Madam Speaker, at a time of great optimism and excitement in the Northern Territory, there is no doubt we are lucky to be living in this part of the world at this time in our history. When the southern states of Australia are doing it tough, when Europe reels from one crisis to another, when the US economy struggles to recover, we in the Territory are primed for prosperity.
I have said many times before that northern Australia and the resource-rich jurisdictions of Western Australia, Queensland, and the Northern Territory will underpin national growth deep into the 21st century. We are ready to take on the world. This seismic shift in the national economy has well and truly begun and the signing of the Ichthys LNG project will, in years to come, be seen as a pivotal moment in the economic transformation of the Territory.
The Ichthys project is a game changer; the second biggest investment in a single project in the nation’s history. Ichthys will create an estimated 4000 jobs during the construction phase and stimulate growth and prosperity across the Territory for many years to come. It will mean more opportunities for our dynamic and innovative entrepreneurs, more opportunities for our business community to win contracts and expand their capabilities and capacity to supply and service the wider oil and gas industry, and more job opportunities and career options for Territorians and their families.
I assure the House that Ichthys is the tip of the iceberg; it is the beginning. This project will be a catalyst for further investment. It will inspire confidence and say to the world we are ready and able to accommodate major resource projects and that we possess a sophisticated and can-do business environment that will be attractive to potential investors.
Indeed, just last week, I travelled to Perth to meet with Woodside executives about the possibility of the company building its gas hub in Darwin. The hub was planned for James Price Point near Broome but that is now looking very unlikely. I told the Woodside people Darwin offers the certainty they are looking for. I told them we have the land and they would receive all the support they needed from government. Most importantly, I told them they would have access to the kind of world-class infrastructure a project like theirs needs.
Given its history, attracting to this project is a tough ask. It is a long shot; however, that is what they said about the Ichthys project, including most of those sitting opposite me. Regardless of the outcome, I can assure this House Darwin will continue to attract world-class projects to this part of the world and will become the oil and gas capital of Australia. The big challenge we now face is to prepare the Territory for sustained growth - to gear up for growth and to ensure we lock in the opportunities that come our way in the years and decades ahead. Our aim is to spread opportunity and ensure all Territorians continue to lead the affordable family-friendly lifestyle for which we are renowned.
Today, I want to talk about the work we are doing to prepare for this new era of prosperity, about the infrastructure we are building to attract major investments, and the initiatives and investments we are putting in place to ensure Territorians are ready and able to embrace the new jobs and new opportunities heading our way.
Our government has always placed a premium on prudent and strategic economic management. It is the foundation of good government. If anyone in this House doubts the inherent strength of our economy consider this: a report released by Deloitte Access Economics has upgraded its forecast for the Territory. It has predicted we will be the second fastest growing in Australia over the next five years with a growth of 4.2% behind only Queensland. That is right - we have leapfrogged Western Australia. Deloitte also predicts the Territory will experience the second best jobs growth and the third best population growth in the nation. Now, throw this into the mix: the report also says we will have the lowest inflation levels in the nation, strong growth, more jobs, more people and lower inflation. All this and they did not even factor in Ichthys. Our strong and robust economy has enabled us to continue investing in the kinds of infrastructure that sustains this growth and sustains jobs. That is why we can attract major investors like INPEX.
All up, Territory Labor has invested around $6bn in the type of infrastructure we need to broaden our economic base and attract new and sustainable investment. Infrastructure like the Darwin Business Park, like our common user facility which will provide support to local fabricators and other industry as they participate in the construction, major maintenance and operational activities for resources and other projects, like the suite of projects being planned by the Darwin Port Corporation at East Arm and, of course, infrastructure like our new Marine Supply Base at East Arm Wharf. The Marine Supply Base will provide world-class logistical support to the offshore oil and gas industry for its exploration, construction and operational activities and is a big reason why companies like Woodside are prepared to talk to us.
I am pleased to report the base has now moved into the construction phase. This is good news for Territorians because around 125 jobs will be created at the peak of construction. Once completed, the Marine Supply Base will create 54 ongoing jobs and support 173 jobs in the broader economy. That is what these investments do: they boost capacity, they boost capability, and they create jobs for Territorians. The base will be complete by the end of 2013.
Major projects like Ichthys will generate jobs and opportunities for Territorians and their children on an unprecedented scale for decades to come. When we talk about jobs we are not just talking about production workers; we are talking about traditional trades - engineers, HR managers, lawyers, medical staff, and environmental science just to name a few. The challenge we face is to develop a skilled and flexible workforce to take advantage of these new 21st century jobs, and that is precisely what we are doing. I am immensely proud of the fact we will meet our target of 10 000 apprentices over four years. Let us put that into perspective: that is 10 000 Territorians with the knowledge and skills to participate in our economy and build careers that will last a lifetime.
In addition to this, we are ramping up initiatives to attract skilled workers to address skill shortages in certain areas, not only in the major resource projects but also the backfilled jobs left vacant in the broader community. We all want these highly paid jobs to be filled by Territorians or Australians, but these projects in our economy will be best served by minimising job shortages in the short term. In the meantime, institutions like Charles Darwin University and the Larrakia Trade Training Centre will play a pivotal role in training and upskilling our workforce of the future.
We are also engaging with proponents of major projects to understand their job needs and skills gaps and, with that knowledge, are funding appropriate skills training. I can report that the international consortium, JKC, which last week signed the $15bn project development contract for the Ichthys project, will soon be opening a shopfront in Darwin to inform local people and local businesses about the new jobs and opportunities on offer. These are new jobs and new business opportunities that are happening now.
Like us, JKC wants to maximise opportunities for local people flowing from the construction of the onshore facility and is committed to implementing the local industry employment obligations contained in the Ichthys LNG Project Development Agreement. When the shopfront opens, I encourage all interested Territorians to get along and find out about the opportunities the project is generating.
We are working with industry and the community to boost business capability in the Territory. As you well know, the engagement of business in major resource projects is not a simple and straightforward task. To compete successfully, our companies require high standards of capability and safety, world-class project management skills, accreditation and familiarity with complex tendering procedures. It is complex and time consuming, which is why we have been working closely with industry for several years to address these and other issues. It is why the Department of Business and Employment has run a series of topic-specific seminars to assist Territory business to grow capabilities and engage with Ichthys LNG and other resource projects. It is also why the department is promoting workforce planning in the wider business community to help employers plan training and retention strategies to deal with the increased pressures on their workforce during the resources boom.
In addition to this, the Northern Territory Industry Capability Network, NTICN, continues to connect Northern Territory business with the Ichthys LNG project. NTICN’s project Gateway provides a computerised system of databases and messaging to keep suppliers and contractors aware of business opportunities, and its consultants and other databases keep developers and their contractors informed of the capability and experience of Territory businesses. In other words, the lines of communication are open. The project Gateway is a valuable tool for Territory businesses accessing the resources boom now and into the future.
In addition, we are actively growing our supply and service sector with a planned program of inwards and outwards industry missions scheduled during 2012. These missions will connect local business with major international supply and service providers in the region. The aim is to establish joint venture, Australian agency or other partnership agreements.
We understand transformation of projects like Ichthys, together with the strength and resilience of our economy, will result in a steadily climbing population. That is the price of success. People will always vote with their feet to seek out opportunities for themselves and their families. Of course, a rise in population throws up significant challenges, which is why we are investing in the services and infrastructure Territorians need and demand. It is why we are building new schools, upgrading existing schools, and creating hi-tech 21st century classrooms for our kids. It is why we are building new hospitals, investing in world-class healthcare facilities and creating a healthcare system for all Territorians, and is also why we are looking to the future and investing in appropriate and affordable housing.
To meet this challenge, I announced our Housing the Territory policy in 2009. Housing the Territory has four elements: accelerated land release and infill; making the housing market more competitive; redevelopment of public housing; and affordable rents. The aim of this strategy is to ensure all Territorians can access the housing they and their families need now and into the future.
We are making significant progress and the Territory is quite literally transforming before our eyes. We have fast-tracked land release to meet the demand generated by our rising population. We are creating new suburbs in and around Darwin, suburbs like Bellamack, Mitchell, Zuccoli and Johnston in the Palmerston area, and Lyons and Muirhead in the northern suburbs. Planning for Weddell, which will create 10 000 new homes and be the Territory’s newest city is well under way.
Ensuring affordable housing options for all Territorians is a priority for our government. That is why we have reduced stamp duty, increased the Principal Place of Residence Rebate to $3500, and introduced a reduction of $8000 for seniors. That is why we have waived stamp duty for houses up to the value of $540 000 for first homebuyers and why we extended the $10 000 BuildBonus to June. It is also why 15% of all new releases will be kept for affordable and public housing, with the first already online in Bellamack and Johnston.
We are also supporting families through affordable housing programs like HomeFirst and HOMESTART NT. Since 2004, 1500 homes have been purchased through HOMESTART NT, and we review the program to ensure it is keeping pace with the change of market conditions.
We have also established an affordable housing rental company, Venture Housing, which will provide Territorians with properties to rent at below market rates. Venture Housing is being operated by Housing Choices Australia and the Unity Housing Company and will fill the gap between public and private housing markets. Thirty-five new units currently under construction in Parap will be transferred to Venture Housing and be available for rent in mid-2012.
We are also calling for proposals to develop a short-stay workers accommodation village on a 9.5 ha site on Batten Road which can support 250 people, provide additional housing options in the market and help our businesses attract and keep workers. The government will offer up to a 15-year lease over the site which has the capacity for developers to consider a larger village. I will keep the House informed of progress.
We want to give existing homeowners more options and more flexibility when it comes to what they can do with their land. That is why dual occupancy was proposed as part of the Greater Darwin Region Land Use Plan consultation paper on blocks of at least 1200 m2. The consultation showed overwhelming support for the proposal; however, there were also strong calls for a smaller size to be eligible. We have responded to that feedback and it is proposed to exhibit an amendment to the NT Planning Scheme to allow for dual occupancy on single dwelling lots of at least 1000 m2.
There are 2890 lots of at least 1000 m2 in single dwelling zones across the Darwin region, mainly in the older suburbs of Stuart Park, Fannie Bay and Nightcliff. The proposed amendment incorporates a range of provisions including: the site is an area of at least 1000 m2; the development meets all the requirements of the NT Planning Scheme, including heights, setbacks, building design and car parks; no more than two dwellings on the lot; there is no dependent unit on the lot; and the lot is not affected by the 1% storm surge. The dwellings would be subdivided under the Unit Titles Schemes Act.
The Territory is entering an era of great opportunity and prosperity and we are growing and maturing at a rapid rate. Our aim, as a government, is to ensure all Territorians reap the benefits of the growth we will experience in the years and decades ahead. We want our people to be able to access world-class education and training in the Territory. We want them to get good jobs and build rewarding careers in the Territory. We want our business to have the confidence and backing to invest, grow and look to the future in the Territory. We also want all Territorians to be able to access affordable and appropriate housing for themselves and their families.
Today, in 2012, we are primed for prosperity and ready to take on the world. As we move forward, we will do it together and share in that success together.
Madam Speaker, I move that the Assembly take note of the statement.
Mr MILLS (Opposition Leader): Madam Speaker, I agree with the Chief Minister, the Territory is very well-positioned and there is enormous opportunity. Fundamentally, the description of that opportunity and the required response was described by the Chief Minister; however, there were elements of that description not adequately fleshed out.
To lay the foundations for this, one would gather from the Chief Minister’s contribution it is wholly and solely the achievement of this Chief Minister and this Cabinet which has resulted in this enormous opportunity. The wider community, and Territorians who have been here for some time, would find that a churlish position to take. It is trying to appropriate something where the government has done a job and been commended for a job - it is part of a bigger story. We need to recognise it was not this Chief Minister, it was the former Chief Minister, with Paul Tyrell, who saw the opportunity and facilitated the discussions which resulted in the decision we celebrated last week. That does not seem to be a generous part of the narrative coming from this current Labor administration.
That surprises me, frankly. However, what does not surprise me is if we expand the story we would find there is a railway, a port - there is other infrastructure in place which did not just arrive when this Labor party arrived on the scene. Others have contributed to this. From self government, go back and see there was recognition of the immense opportunities the Territory has and, consequently, planning was put in place, decisions were made, investments were made and we have railways, we have corridors set aside and we have a port. Those things should be acknowledged. If we acknowledge traditional owners and our deep history of where we have come, projects like this also need to acknowledge we have not arrived here and it is not the sole domain of the existing Chief Minister. He talks about INPEX in the vain hope that people of the Northern Territory will love the Chief Minister, like this current government and reward it by re-electing it because it talks about this big project.
The wider Territory can see, quite plainly, there is much more to this story. I will say it again in case the Deputy Chief Minister amplifies on this point and loses the thrust of what I am saying: this government has done what governments do and it has moved this issue forward. That is great; I give you that. However, that is the role of a government. There are also other roles a government has and aspects of this role are significantly deficient.
Members of the House would be well aware, if we extend our memories back, of discussions that have occurred over the last number of years, since before the last Territory election in fact. Members who were here would recall the urgency of which a small opposition and an Independent member were requesting, pleading, with the Territory government for the adequate release of land so we could be prepared by getting ahead of the game. That was rejected for too many years and has put us in a difficult position right now, make no mistake about that.
With all the excitement about the opportunity, the opportunity also brings responsibilities. The Territory government has responsibility for the planning regime. There has been a response - let us call it a reaction, to be fair – to that which was clearly coming like a train down the track and the need to get ahead of the game in the balance between supply and demand. That was not done and we have the evidence of that. You can talk to all the announcements you have made in recent times, but it is 2012! You can talk about the programs, plans, and schemes you have in place, but you also need to talk about the fact the Australian Bureau of Statistics has identified 3500 more people have chosen to leave the Northern Territory in the last two years than arrive.
Trying to explain that away will not do justice to the reality that many constituents are experiencing excruciating financial pain from the cost of living, principally housing. I accept that in the 3500 there is a Defence component, but that is only for one of those years. It is a disturbing figure to have that many people, as a result of the pressures around managing the day-to-day expenses of living in the Northern Territory decide - many of them, not all - they have to go somewhere else because it is cheaper; the pressures are less if you live elsewhere.
You can talk about all your schemes in 2009, and the recent reaction of dividing up blocks of 1000 m2 or more. That is simply a reaction; it is ‘hit the panic button’. Anyone who takes these matters seriously knows a long-term strategic plan for the greater Darwin area is still missing. It is not there in sufficient detail to allow substantive questions to be asked and answered. That is the responsibility of a government. Yes, you took responsibility for the obvious advancing of opportunity but did not take responsibility for what that responsibility means, which is the pressure on people on modest incomes.
I would have thought for a proud representative of the Labor Party, the Chief Minister would talk a little about people on modest incomes. These are the people who work in places like Coles and Woolies, are on the front desk of many of the government agencies such as MVR, police auxiliaries, and the front counter of doctor’s surgeries and shops and so on. These people are going to have greater pressure on them to respond to a growing population but their wages will not increase in the same order as a gas fitter or a boilermaker. It is quite likely, because of the failure to adequately plan, that the cost of living pressures on these very important workers in our community will increase - and we need them.
We need to be able to go to the pharmacy and speak to someone, or purchase something from someone at the cash register. You will find the only people able to man those positions in the greater Darwin area will be those who are living with mum and dad. People cannot come here and survive and have a dream of being involved in the future of the Northern Territory on a modest income and, at the same time, service rent that makes the lifestyle liveable or, better still, consider buying a small unit. People who work in those positions will not be able to do that and you are depending on those who are here and already have a place. That means they are long-term Territorians; they will not be refreshed unless they are the children of long-term Territorians. Do not forget, 3500 more have left than arrived. For those in the Australian Labor Party- I am sure if you were in opposition you would be amplifying these things - you talk about these matters as your ideology, it focuses on these things, but I hear no talk about that.
You then talk about employment; employment opportunities are extraordinary. The opportunities that will come from INPEX are much greater than we can conceive at the moment. The impact will be profound, but there will also remain the challenge that we have made no progress with - we could talk about programs, but progress is those who should be spoken of regularly and honestly by the Australian Labor Party - Indigenous Territorians - and their capacity to be involved in this. When you talk about employment, you now have this dreadful blind spot which draws my attention immediately. You do not talk about those who are long-term welfare recipients. They are not included in the figures but should be in your vision. They should be on your conscience and they should know what you doing in practical and real terms to advance that.
Do not talk about programs, talk about progress. The indicators are not cause for hope. All the talk, all the good intention, has not resulted in change. The best form of welfare is a real job. You can talk about your programs, you can talk about the money that is spent, you can talk about the good intentions and how important it is and the highest priorities of government, but we need to see practical real results.
Was the Larrakia Development Corporation’s investment in the trade training centre at East Arm a driving initiative of the Labor government? It was not. It was an initiative of INPEX and the Larrakia Development Corporation. It was their initiative with a very modest investment from the Labor government to show it was serious about these matters. There was a very modest, in fact embarrassingly so, level of leadership, investment and commitment to that critical enterprise. We talk about the big program, we talk about the money, we talk about INPEX, and we talk about great opportunities. However, when it comes into that space you do not see evidence of your care for those who are having some difficulties and will have increased difficulty in partaking in this great opportunity. With opportunity comes risk, comes challenge, comes responsibility, and I do not hear enough talk about that. This is not a glossy brochure; this is life and some people are living this life and finding the opportunity a challenge for them. Make no mistake about it.
Let us go to work. The best form of welfare is a real job. Minister for Education, please explain to the House why it is that kids in middle school or upper primary do not get themselves involved in the trades - they do not do woodwork or metalwork. I have been through the schools and see the art centres are bursting at the seams, but I go past the metalwork room, or the room set up for hands-on technical skills, and they receive the scantest attention. We do not have that kind of serious investment with young people being involved in these projects and programs. In some places, yes, sustained by a passionate teacher, but generally these places are covered in dust.
You go to Thailand or the Philippines recruiting people to be involved in this great opportunity - go to Sanderson or go to Palmerston and see those trade training places in the middle schools covered in dust and not used. Shame on you! That is where the effort should have been made and not in 2012, that should have been going on. Those kids in primary school and middle school, particularly the boys, should have been involved in those things if you had seen it coming, if you cared and drove change in that space. Support the manual arts teachers and get some of those boys into these paths. It has been spoken about in this Chamber since 2005 plus.
I ask you, members of the Australian Labor Party, to visit your local schools and make inquiries about what is happening in the manual arts area before you go traipsing off to Thailand because there is a big dead spot there. Ask your manual arts teachers what kind of support they are receiving; it is nothing like the support the arts teachers get. Where is the serious heavy lifting in that space? It is not there. However, we can have the showcase events, we can have the big talk that gives us all a good feeling and, as the Labor Party wants, we will all like you because INPEX has come.
Anyone who is involved in an enterprise like that - it is an enormous project and you guys probably have a better insight into it than I; but they will do what they do. You have done your job; you have facilitated a discussion. It was Clare Martin, former Chief Minister, and the baton has been passed and you have done your bit – that is great – but there is an expectation that certain other areas need to be addressed and you were warned, you were encouraged, you were cajoled, you were chastised, and they still remain. It seems like we are still running behind the game hoping the carnival will deliver you a dividend.
When it distils down to the social indicators we see: the compounding effect of the cost of living; what is happening in our schools and the opportunities that could be provided, particularly for young people to be involved; people on modest incomes and how this is going to affect them; and the hard-working small business operator in Winnellie. You can talk about programs, but we know from the Conoco experience there will be with this opportunity some real challenge for those business operators.
Do not wait until 2012 - there has been movement and activity in the marketplace - but things that prepare. You could have started with balancing the supply and demand of land. You could have ensured there were more young people, particularly boys, involved in manual arts, as we have been saying for some time. Whatever happened to the Australian technical colleges and all the money invested there? Have a look. See what happened to all the equipment put in place ...
A member: Where?
Mr MILLS: Yes. Where? Have a look.
Mr Vatskalis: A good announcement.
Mr MILLS: A good announcement? Another announcement! These guys believe announcements result in something. We have had no end of announcements. We want to see some evidence then you will be rewarded. We are just about over announcements, member for Casuarina. We need to see the building approvals, for example. Give us an explanation as to why they have gone down with this great opportunity. Why is it people are finding it hard to commit to building a place? They are down significantly. The Treasurer is going to explain that; however, I would like that explained in a pub where people could understand it and believe the explanation stacks up.
The challenges are there because of the enormous opportunity. However, make no mistake: the Country Liberals recognise this enormous opportunity. In fact, it is in the DNA of the Country Liberal Party, who laid the foundations upon which this next phase has been built. The opportunities are certainly there.
We have seen events reinforce the strategic placement of the Northern Territory, the challenges and opportunities, particularly in the Top End, with what we see happening in the Kimberley and the enormous opportunities they present for this whole region - the Kimberley’s and across the Top End - with the United States presence and what that means. Having recently travelled to Indonesia and had meetings in Jakarta, it has certainly put Darwin on the radar in a way it has not been for some time. It is now part of a much bigger story.
There is much more to this. We could talk about the other strategic alliances to flow from this and how they would work together; however, principally, we acknowledge we are well-placed and that there was previous infrastructure built as the foundation upon which this announcement would occur.
I agree with the Chief Minister, this is but the tip of the iceberg and other opportunities will now come knocking. I agree that what is happening in the Kimberley’s - the vote of confidence INPEX has put into the Northern Territory will draw others in. However, what must be accepted is the big question which needs answering: where will one million people live? You then break it down. Where do 500 000 people live? Or 250 000 or 200 000? Where will they live? Where is the plan? Where does heavy industry go? Where do you place it? Where is your decision to create the foundation for these opportunities to be realised?
Those questions must be answered not an announcement about some initiative responding to a political concern. We need serious announcements which demonstrate to the wider community you have taken these matters seriously, have responded to them and reinforced an idea that might be a bit hard - you would have to be believed - to reinforce this is not about the Labor Party or the Chief Minister and his team. This is about the Northern Territory and about people on modest incomes and what it means to them. It is about small business owners and what this means to them, and about mums and dads wondering what career path their kid will go down who might be in Year 10 or 11, or 8 or 9.
What is their future? It is about them not about you and your announcement in response to another political hot spot. It is the heavy lifting around serious planning and preparation and, ultimately, for those of you who espouse concern and care and use those words for those who have been locked out, who are counted but not counted when it comes to employment figures, it is about 30% of the Territory community not employed with no prospect of a job. Explore that space and convince us you are taking that seriously. We need much more than an announcement.
Madam Speaker, there is opportunity, absolutely. But with opportunity comes challenges and responsibilities and you have taken some of that. However, you have not really exerted much sweat over lifting those heavy responsibilities I referred to. That is more difficult.
Ms LAWRIE (Treasurer): Madam Speaker, I support the Chief Minister’s statement because we are in the midst of gearing up for significant economic growth. We have focused on strong economic management to create opportunities for Territorians. As the Leader of the Opposition describes, the modest incomes, where in Labor we call them the families of the Territory - we are very focused on what this opportunity means for the children of those families across the Territory regardless of where they live.
The Ichthys final investment decision announcement sends a clarion call of a game changer in the fundamental economic base of the Territory. It also sends a very clear message to the global resources industry: the Territory is open for business; we are a can-do government. With what we have seen in growth in mining exploration - $150m just in the last 12 months alone - this opportunity of growth is across the Territory. As a government, we have been focused on securing the major project of Ichthys to send that clarion call out across the globe that we will be a global energy provider and we have the multiplying effects of our critical project, the Marine Supply Base. Equally, it provides the global resources industry with the knowledge it can do business in the Territory with certainty, without compromising any approvals processes, and without compromising our majestic environment. We are open for business and that genuinely has an enormous opportunity for, as the Leader of the Opposition described, our modest income families.
This government is proudly focused on securing job opportunities for Territorians and, to do that - step back from that - through the decade we have focused on education. Education is the key to seizing job opportunities; giving our children the best possible education they can have in the Territory regardless of where they live. I get a little sick of the hypocrisy of members opposite when the Leader of the Opposition complains about dust on the workshop benches. There was no secondary education in the Territory before the Labor government. The blinkers of the CLP were down. They did not want to know about the need to educate children, regardless of where they lived. We proudly invested in the infrastructure, the teachers, the resources, and the improved curriculum to ensure every Territory child has the opportunity of employment. Employment, we know, gives enormous strength to self-esteem.
In the previous debate on the Batchelor Institute you would have thought, listening to the Leader of the Opposition, that we were not involved at all in Indigenous education training. What an absolute nonsense of a belief he holds regarding the funding commitments we have made and the support we have provided to Batchelor, Charles Darwin University, and to fantastic organisations such as Group Training NT. We have increased, year on year, the training budget to genuinely train our own to seize these employment opportunities. We have increased it to $21.8m this financial year alone. We are a can-do government focused on delivering for families and driving a pathway of job opportunities for our children regardless of where they live or their socioeconomic and racial background. I find it appalling for the member for Blain to pretend we are not interested in Indigenous education, Indigenous training, and Indigenous employment.
We are well placed. We are on the cusp of a boom that is hard for many people to fathom. As Treasurer, I have been talking to industry groups for years about what an FID on the Ichthys LNG project will mean for industry. As both Treasurer and Minister for Business and Employment, I am front and centre working with industry and training organisations to ensure we can maximise the benefits for locals - local businesses and people studying at our local institutions.
The Chief Minister has been out across the school network explaining the opportunities these major projects bring in employment options for the children who today are in primary school, in middle school, and in senior school …
_______________________
Visitors
Visitors
Madam SPEAKER: Deputy Chief Minister, do you mind if I acknowledge these children in the gallery?
Ms LAWRIE: More than happy, Madam Speaker.
Madam SPEAKER: Thank you. Honourable members, I draw your attention to the presence in the gallery of Sanderson Middle School Year 9 students, together with teacher Mr Bill Rolfe. On behalf of honourable members, I extend to you a very warm welcome.
Members: Hear, hear!
________________________
Ms LAWRIE: Sanderson Middle School is a great school. Welcome to parliament, again.
Deloitte Access Economics’ independent economic commentators say we will be second only behind Queensland. We have leapfrogged the resource-rich jurisdiction of Western Australia in sustained economic growth across the next five years. They predict we will have a 4.2% economic growth across those years. Of course, when those predictions occurred they did not fully factor in the final investment decision of the Ichthys LNG project. It will be very interesting to see what their growth predictions turn to in their next report. They also predict we will have the second best jobs growth. For the families of the Territory, if you do not have a job you do are doing it tough. People want access to jobs and want to know their children will have access to jobs. We will also have the third best population growth in the nation.
I listened to the carping, whinging and whining of the CLP about population reduction in the last few years. The reality is we are a small jurisdiction and we have movements of population. We have come off an historic high in population growth and have trended back to more normal population levels. Of course, the major projects will spur population on into the higher growth scenarios again.
To ensure we were well-placed for the major projects we grew the economy and kept Territorians in jobs through the tough years we experienced as a result of the GFC, and provided opportunities for Territorians to seize when the major projects landed. We established the Gearing Up of Local Business for Major Projects task force last year which is co-chaired by the NT Chamber of Commerce and my Department of Business and Employment. It includes representatives from: INPEX; ConocoPhillips; ENI Australia; Master Builders Association; Civil Contractors Federation; the Road Transport Association; the Manufacturers Council; Unions NT; Charles Darwin University, the Industry Capability Network NT; and the Department of Chief Minister. This task force has already met four times and has formed the content for the industry development program.
I am ensuring the Ichthys LNG prime contractor, JKC, will now join the task force following the signing of that contract last week. It provides local businesses with information and pathways for business preparedness and capability growth related to major projects. Nine events were held throughout last year and more than 900 local business owners and operators attended.
The 2012 program will continue to strengthen business capability to participate in those major project supply chains. This will be done by raising awareness, identifying pathways to meet participation requirements, encouraging investment in those all important business systems such as quality assurance and control, project management and control, health and safety, environment and security.
The NT Industry Capability Network plays a critical role in linking businesses with opportunities. It is a business matchmaking service to link the suppliers with the buyers. Our ICN has been proactively gearing up local businesses to position themselves for the opportunities. Their online Gateway tool provides a registration process for businesses where they can provide a detailed profile of capability and professional accreditations.
For the past four years, ICNNT has been providing local business information and capability to the Ichthys LNG joint venture partners. Last Thursday, the prime contractor, JKC, was officially awarded the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor contract for the onshore side of the Ichthys project. JKC is very well-informed about local industry capability. In November 2010, I was in Japan meeting with the senior partner of JKC, JGC, about local capability and how our businesses were ready with the opportunities that would flow from Ichthys’ FID.
The ICN, in concert with the NT government, industry associations, unions, and major project proponents has promoted the importance of companies providing all the necessary information including those quality endorsements, OH&S, industrial relations policy, and accreditation so our businesses are well-placed to put their best foot forward to seize the opportunities of the contracts that are flowing.
The ICN, with support from our government, has been able to engage additional staff it will require to ensure supply chain opportunities lead back to the Territory wherever possible. There will inevitably be considerable interstate and international competition in such a massive project - a $34bn project such as Ichthys. The ICN’s position as a source of information on opportunities enables it to link those big multinationals and nationals coming in with local companies for the betterment of both. ICN is actively working with our government and the Chamber of Commerce Manufacturers Council to run a series of offshore delegations. It also plays a role in assisting proponents with their industry briefings and will continue to do so in the future. These briefings are welcomed by businesses looking to understand the opportunity and tender requirements directly from the proponent.
The Ichthys project is not the only focus of the ICNNT. Other projects where the ICN will play a role to support local business include: ENI’s Kitan, Heron and Blackwood projects; the GDF Suez Bonaparte FLNG; the Shell Prelude LNG; the Falcon Oil Beetaloo Station gas project; the Vista Gold Mt Todd gold mine; and the Xstrata McArthur River Mine expansion. Opportunities linked to the new Darwin prison and the Marine Supply Base will also be listed on the ICN Gateway. I acknowledge the work of Kevin Peters and his team at ICNNT and the way they work proactively with our government to gear up our local businesses.
Our focus has also been on developing a workforce to meet the major projects. We have been intensively involved in that work as far back as 2008 when decisions were made about Darwin being the location. Anticipating we were going to enter an unprecedented economic boom when a location decision was made, this government committed additional funds for apprentices and trainees. Efforts were focused on the increased promotion of the Territory as a skilled migration destination for both interstate and international workers. Our current employment strategy, Jobs NT, was developed in a period of economic uncertainty and helped our Territory businesses resist most of the impacts of the GFC. Jobs NT has delivered well beyond its targets. Jobs NT was launched in May 2010 and set four major targets. With six months still to go, the targets have either been achieved or considerable progress has been made. We have more than 24 000 Territorians in training, with more than 3000 Indigenous Territorians commencing employment in the past three years. Labour force participation rates continue to exceed national participation rates. The Northern Territory had the highest labour force participation rate of 75.2% compared to the national rate of 65.2% in December 2011 figures.
Our workforce is more skilled, with more workers having a Certificate III qualification or above. More Indigenous Territorians have engaged in the workforce and in training. Since 2009, more than 3000 Indigenous Territorians have commenced work, while around a quarter of the current apprentices and trainees in training are Indigenous. The announcement of the Ichthys project and the latest Deloitte Access Economics figures indicate the Northern Territory is moving into a period of very high economic growth. With that growth come challenges - challenges we embrace - such as labour and skill shortages. Our government is preparing the next employment strategy to meet these challenges head on and we are out there consulting with industry and our community on this employment strategy. Through consultation you get some good ideas.
I encourage all Territorians who have not yet seen the employment strategy discussion starter I released last month to get online and participate. Public consultations are already under way, with the first held in Katherine yesterday. These consultations provide Territorians with the opportunity to have their say in this employment strategy. It will see us through the construction of a number of major projects and will provide many opportunities for Territorians and our local businesses. While we look forward to these opportunities, our government is focused on addressing these challenges in the workforce.
We are undertaking a number of initiatives focused at skilling Territorians first, recruiting skilled workers from interstate and, yes, internationally as required. All the analysis on the data shows there will be a workforce gap. Funding and skilling from within is priority as far as we can go. Attracting workers from throughout our nation will meet some of the workforce requirements; however, there will still be a gap and we will need workers from around the world.
We know there will be shortages in demand for structural, mechanical and piping occupations such as metal trades, electricians, lifting, rigging, scaffolding and trades assistants. Mechanics, civil skills, labourers and plant operators will also be needed at different stages of construction. Across most sectors the growth flowing from our major projects will keep Territorians in work for decades to come.
The Leader of the Opposition chose to have a crack at me for visiting Thailand to look at the migration opportunities of Thai workers. I will be off to the Philippines and Indonesia as well later this month. I make no apology for ensuring that, as Treasurer, I do not see wages spiral in the small- and medium-size enterprises which will be affected by the pull-through effect of workers moving to working on a major project. Get out there CLP and have the dialogue with local businesses and you will find they share the view of our government. First and foremost, train and recruit our own Territorians. Second, attract as many as we can from throughout Australia and, third - which cannot be ignored - source migration workers.
To this end, our government’s priority is growing the number of apprentices and trainees, including school-based apprenticeships and traineeships, to provide that larger, skilled-up Territory workforce. From 2011 to date, 2819 apprenticeships and trainees have commenced. To date, 49 apprenticeships and trainee commencements have occurred this year alone, on track to meet our four-year target of 10 000 commencements. As at 29 January, more than 4220 apprentices and trainees are in training and more than $24.6m per annum is committed to funding and training that support for apprentices and trainees. More than 4662 Territorians completed apprenticeships and traineeships, with 1728 being in occupations on the NT Occupation Shortage List as of 29 January. Improving the completion rates of our apprentices and trainees remains a priority for our government, as it does across our nation.
Our first focus is on skilling our own. With economic prosperity ahead, many Territorians will take up those opportunities on major projects and leave that skill backlog in our small- and medium-sized enterprises. That is why we are working proactively with industry to fill those gaps.
A team Territory approach is being taken in regard to skilled migration. In 2009, under our skilled worker campaign, industry and government delegations went to Indonesia, Ireland, South Africa, the United Kingdom, Brisbane and Adelaide. In general, overseas skilled migration can take between 18 months and three years to finalise so the timing of these programs was critical. As I speak, a delegation of government and industry representatives is preparing to attend upcoming migration expos in Manchester, London and Dublin. This delegation will target skilled workers interested in moving to the Territory. It will showcase job vacancies report by our employers.
It is also beholden on government to ensure the regulatory space is geared up for growth. Government is investing a record $1.5bn over five years to improve power and water assets.
Mr McCARTHY: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Pursuant to Standing Order 77, I move that the member be given an extension of time.
Motion agreed to.
Ms LAWRIE: Madam Speaker, the $1.5bn in power and water is to boost reliability and respond to demand growth which comes with population and economic growth.
We are also delivering reforms in the electricity supply regulatory environment to improve standards of service for consumers and service reliability, to promote price transparency for consumers, to enable other providers to more easily participate in the electricity industry, and bring the Territory’s regulatory arrangements in line with other jurisdictions. To this end, we have strengthened the role of the Utilities Commission and expanded it to undertake these reforms. The commission has completed its program of reviews and initiatives include the commencement of full retail competition in the Territory on 1 April. This means all customers can choose their electricity supplier, and it is now being supported by a retail market code following the entry by QEnergy into the Territory’s electricity market - a guaranteed service level scheme from 1 January with full commencement from 1 July this year. It requires electricity suppliers to compensate customers for defined breaches of reliability standards, including duration and number of outages.
The initiatives currently under development and scheduled for implementation in the next 12 to 18 months include: comprehensive standards of service framework to establish transparent performance standards for electricity suppliers, with compliance against the standards monitored and reported by the Utilities Commission; a retail price monitoring regime administered by the Utilities Commission to provide incentives for electricity suppliers to price efficiently; and reforms to increase the level of market information to electricity suppliers to inform investment decisions and to provide for greater independence in the operation and planning of the system.
The reforms aim to benefit electricity consumers by promoting reliable and efficient electricity supply in the Territory. This is being achieved by increasing reducing barriers in competition to the market, by increasing investment certainty for suppliers, and by improving transparency around prices and service standards.
I listened intently to the complaints of the Leader of the Opposition. He tried to make out we do not have a plan for the urban and industrial growth of the greater Darwin region. He seems to continually miss the point that the Greater Darwin Strategic Land Use Plan has been developed to take us through the growth for the next two decades. He seemed to miss the point that it has gone out to full and thorough public consultation and is due to be formally released by the minister for Planning. Our plan, in stark contrast to their plan, does not include three dams in our harbour. I say shame on the CLP for wanting to put three dams in our beautiful, pristine harbour.
We have a plan for the residential/industrial growth of greater Darwin - the Greater Darwin Strategic Land Use Plan and indeed …
Mr GILES: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I draw your attention to the state of the House.
Madam SPEAKER: A quorum is called. Ring the bells. A quorum is present.
Ms LAWRIE: Thank you, Madam Speaker. To complement the Greater Darwin Strategic Land Use Plan which provides certainty for the residential/industrial growth across the greater Darwin region, we also have come out with a range of housing initiatives to address the desire and need of calls for affordability. We were the first government in the Territory’s history to set aside 15% of all public land release for social and affordable housing. Without that being set aside, you do not have product in the marketplace.
We have the fastest land release program in the Top End’s history, with suburbs popping up in Palmerston East. Of course, we have seen the completion of Lyons and the commencement of Muirhead. That being said, we put the right planning tools and changes in place to be able to grow urban development within our CBD. We have put the equivalent of an entire new suburb, in excess of 2000 people, into urban dwelling within the Darwin CBD. The Greater Darwin Strategic Land Use Plan provides for all these planning mechanisms to grow and be stimulated.
With the fastest land release program we are able to accommodate families and are seeing that kick in. We have the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ data as recently as yesterday showing housing finance commitments in the Territory for owner occupation increased by 8.7% in December. If you compare the 8.7% December commencements, they are certainly significantly higher than the national average of 2.3%. However, most encouraging in that data was a 12.3% increase in first homebuyers in December - an 18.5% increase compared to December 2010. When you compare that to the national average of less than 1%, it is certainly a good sign that Territorians are getting into that all-important property ownership.
We know consumer investment was hit hard by the shock effects of the GFC. We know they became a cautious consumer. We stimulated the market with products such as BuildBonus, extending that to June of this year, providing affordable packages around the HomeFirst which has been popular in Palmerston, and the Territory’s HOMESTART NT which is designed to give that leg-up into the marketplace for our low- to middle-income earners, the modest income people described by the Leader of the Opposition.
We have a range and mix of affordable product. The Chief Minister talked about the affordable housing rental company, another Territory first delivered by a Labor government in the marketplace. They will receive 35 of those all-important units at Wirrina redevelopment in Parap. They also have an opportunity at Driver, and we are seeing their ability to talk to local developers.
We interrogate the development pipeline across the Territory – the development of approved units in the Territory and it is quite robust. However, the financial lending practices of the institutions have been a bit of a handbrake on the development-ready going to construction. That handbrake has just come off. With the final investment decision of the Ichthys project we will see quite a significant increase in those development-ready approved projects going under construction. The stimulus is there in the private sector market buy into that all important end of the residential property market.
The doom and gloom of the members opposite is really a case of them trying to drive a car looking in the rear view mirror. They do not have a vision or a plan for going forward - for taking the Territory forward. There was a churlish contribution by the Leader of the Opposition saying: ‘Yes, we acknowledge it was a Labor government that brought this here but where is the grace of acknowledging the role of the former Chief Minister?’ He sat at the celebration of the joint venture partners of the Ichthys LNG project last week. He heard our Chief Minister, Paul Henderson, publically and graciously acknowledge the role of the former Chief Minister, Clare Martin, who knocked on the door, who spruiked the project. The same Leader of the Opposition described the project as a 19th century project and said it had no place in Middle Arm. He has proven himself time and time again to be a fool. He is a man without planning, a man without vision, and a man with a sorry divided team who run rather than support him. In stark contrast, our Chief Minister had the drive, the vision, and was publically acknowledged by key speakers at the celebration last week as being the man with the enthusiastic drive to ensure the project reached a final investment decision.
Our businesses have been working constructively with our government, and our government worked constructively with the industry organisations to support the businesses. We have been preparing for this project for years, ensuring we are training our own, improving our education system and giving pathways of opportunity to our locals. We are in a whole new game of economic growth in the Territory with the major projects and what they deliver. As I said earlier in my speech, it is not just the Ichthys project. There are those other big projects in the oil and gas industry, the resources, and our own multiplier with the Wickham Marine Supply Base, all tremendous and backed up by our own spend with the prison.
We are well-placed to ensure if you want a job in the Territory you can get a job, in stark contrast to the struggling jurisdictions around our nation and around the globe. The Territory is the best place to live now and, in gearing up for this growth, we will ensure it continues to be the best place to live into the future.
Members: Hear, hear!
Debate suspended.
MOTION
Note Statement – Gearing up for Growth
Note Statement – Gearing up for Growth
Continued from earlier this day.
Mr WOOD (Nelson): Madam Speaker, the ministerial statement is Gearing up for Growth, and I could include the growth of the beverage container recycling industry, but I will do that in another speech.
The member for Blain raised a number of issues, one being Indigenous employment. You would hope growth in the Northern Territory would help alleviate that. Before Christmas I said there was a danger in the Northern Territory with projects like the Ichthys project - I am a great supporter of that project as it will bring great wealth and a large number of jobs to the Northern Territory; however, I see the danger of having the haves and the have nots.
One of the figures continually dismissed or hidden is the real unemployment rate for many Indigenous in our remote communities, and not even our remote communities. Communities in my electorate have high unemployment. It would be a travesty that, with one of the largest projects in Australia on our doorstep, we do not provide the opportunity for people in remote communities to at least have a chance to share in it. I am not saying people should be spoon fed; however, things should be put in place to enable these people, if they would like to share in the benefits of this great project, to do so. We seem to put this to one side and talk about the great opportunities in the Darwin region, and from interstate and overseas, and I have no problem with that, but I see a problem if we are not helping our Indigenous people in remote communities with high unemployment be part of this great project.
I remember the Minister for Local Government speaking at a Local Government Association meeting in Alice Springs. I have heard others say the same: it is very doubtful there will be enough jobs to employ all those people living in remote communities, and not only remote communities, some of the growth towns as well.
To be honest, the only way people are going to get employment is to leave their communities. The communities will always be their home and they can always go back, but we need ways to encourage young people to find a path to the type of real employment you will get through opportunities like the Ichthys gas project. I hope the government makes an effort in not just dealing with Indigenous people from around the Darwin area, but helping Indigenous people throughout the Northern Territory have an opportunity, if they wish, to be part of this project. That is really important. We do not want a society of ‘haves’ and ‘have nots’. This will not help harmony in our society. We need to be sharing in the wealth coming from these projects. I am not talking about a socialist form of sharing; I am talking about the ability, if people wish, to partake. If they do not want to partake that is their decision, but if people want to fully join in the prosperity that will come from this project they should have the opportunity to do so.
This great project will bring many benefits to the Northern Territory. Instead of repeating that, I will mention a few issues raised by the Chief Minister in his statement. One was about discussions with Woodside. The Chief Minister said he told Woodside we have available land. I am interested to know where that available land is. If there is any land left in the Middle Arm Peninsula I would like to know - most of it is mangroves. There is some land available, but where is the planning for industrial land in the Darwin region? The reason INPEX is in the middle of the harbour is because of a sleight of hand by the Planning minister at the time removing the proposed industrial development at Glyde Point to Blaydin Point which, under existing planning rules, was not allowed to be there. So, the planning rules were changed, the planning scheme was changed, the Glyde Point site was turned into open space zoning, and INPEX was given approval to go into the middle of the harbour. That is history. The issue we have to deal with now is if Woodside comes to Darwin where will they go? Where is the land the Chief Minister says is available? I am interested to know. The development of Glyde Point is in the greater Darwin plan the government has put out for comment and also in the opposition’s plan for the greater Darwin region.
Whilst it is all very well to invite more people, the middle of the harbour is a bit short on space. Some serious thought and discussion needs to be given to developing an alternative area. That alternative area seems to be Glyde Point and the government has to start putting infrastructure into that area, which will not be cheap. You will have to get the infrastructure there, which will take a large amount of work.
The government also talks about the availability of accommodation and residential land in the Northern Territory. This has sped up in the last few years. I would be the first to say the government let go of the ball when it came to releasing residential land, especially in the Darwin and Alice Springs regions, and a catch-up of development has occurred. More and more land is available in Palmerston, and there is more land available in Darwin. It is very nice, of course, to say that. People can talk about land being available and the various ways people can afford it. However, many people still, even with government help, cannot afford to buy a house and land in Darwin, and certainly cannot afford to buy it in the rural area. The rural area at the moment is booming. There are still many young people who would like to live in the rural area - on a rural block not an oversized suburban block – but there is practically no land available because most of the developed land is private. Private developers, naturally, want the top price so they only release small parcels of land at a time, which keeps the price high.
The government has an opportunity. The government owns land and it is time to look at the older schemes used to develop land in Darwin where the government itself developed the land. If you have developers developing land bought from the government they will cover their profits - they will make a profit on the land which makes the price of land exceedingly high. The government, through the Land Development Corporation, has been opening up some land. I see an opportunity to discuss whether the government should use contractors to open up its land to keep the price down and make it available as a cheaper way for young people to buy land. Land in my area soon to be available is the forestry land, something I have spoken about many times. It has been subject to native title and I am hoping that issue will be resolved by 24 April. When that is resolved, I hope the government will put its best foot forward and look at developing some of that land into rural subdivisions.
A number of developers have approached me over the last two or three years. The native title issue has held it up. Once that is resolved, I hope the government can talk to developers about opening up that land at a reasonable price so young people can put their money into a house not the land and get away from large mortgages. Also, thankfully for many parents in the rural area, get away from having to live at home for many years because they cannot afford to buy a house. There is much work to do when it comes to the release of residential land. I am yet to know what the government has decided about rural villages after the alternative plans were put forward by the member for Goyder and me.
Coolalinga is one of those villages and is already booming. It is developing a residential estate at the moment which will probably bring in about 400 people. I was talking to the developer last week, and he says the shopping centre will be going up this year. There is great development in that area. As I have said previously in this parliament, most of the growth in the Northern Territory at the moment is in Litchfield: the proposed abattoir, the new prison, the INPEX village, the Good Shepherd Lutheran College said it will expand to a full secondary school and is proposing a primary school, and the Coolalinga village centre.
A large amount of work is occurring in the rural area, but the one thing we really need to get on top of is providing residential land at a reasonable price so Territorians, especially young Territorians, are not set up for life trying to pay a mortgage. They can get land at a reasonable price and enjoy the other benefits that come from living in the Northern Territory.
The INPEX village is an area which will affect me considerably. There has been some discussion about the suitability of the site. The site should have been further to the north; be that as it may, that site has been agreed on. There has been some discussion in the rural area as to whether the majority of people believe the INPEX village should go there. About two years ago, there was a public meeting where quite a number of people opposed the siting of the INPEX village. INPEX then did considerable work in the community. It doorknocked about 40 residents near the site, and set up an e-mail service for anyone who wanted to keep up-to-date with what was going on. Duncan Beggs, an ex-local rural fellow, represented the company and sat for quite a number of weekends at the Howard Springs Shopping Centre, and other shopping centres, asking people what they thought and explaining what the project was about.
When it came to the development application for the site, INPEX set up its display - again for four weekends in a row at the Howard Springs Shopping Centre and two weekends at Oasis Shopping Centre at Palmerston. I asked them what the figures were and they said it was about 270 people for, about 30 people against it because of certain issues they had, and about nine people opposed it outright - which worked out around 14% of people were opposed to it. When it went to the Development Consent Authority there were 10 submissions, six of which supported the application, and four opposed it. One of those was a planning group and, of those three people who opposed it, only one was from the Howard Springs area.
As a local member, one has to keep an ear to the ground and listen to what people are saying, but also take into account the changes in people’s views as they get to know a little more about what has been proposed. You also weigh up the benefits of such a proposal against the negatives that might occur. Even though I will be very sad to see that beautiful piece of bush removed for the development of this village, it will do a couple of things. It will create jobs. You are looking at about 150 people to maintain the village, approximately 250 people to build the village, and there will be assets left there when the village is finished, that is, its life is finished in around seven years. There will be a swimming pool, basketball courts, recreational facilities, a large kitchen area, administration, a medical centre, plus quite a number of demountables will be retained. The whole area will be serviced by sewerage, water and electricity. So, there are some long-term benefits. Even though I have my ideas of what that may be used for, in seven years time I will see what the community thinks. With time things change and the opportunities for the use of that site may be different to what people think today.
The village will make some changes to our Howard Springs community, which is a rural community. It will have up to 2700 employees. The company has said there will be a strict code of conduct as many people are concerned there will be a negative effect of having so many workers in the area. Workers will work on a 12 hour shift and will be bussed to the site. Most of them will be fly-in fly-out so there will be limits on their contact with the community. Be that as it may, Howard Springs is a rural community with a small retail area. There is a supermarket, hotel, bakery and a few other shops. Even though I am sure people from the camp will visit there, a large number will be living in the camp and whether that has a negative or positive effect only time will tell.
I am reassured Sean Kildare, CEO of INPEX in Darwin, has said there will be a strict code of conduct for workers in the village. That is certainly reassuring. Again, you can look at these things negatively, but I look at it more from a positive point of view. If we are to ensure this works and does not have a major effect on our community, the community, the company, the shire, and the workers must all work together to ensure we welcome these people into our community and they are not abandoned to feel like they are locked away behind a large fence. They need to be welcomed into our community so you can have that feeling of trust and they get to understand the community they are in. Some of these people will be coming from overseas and Howard Springs will probably look a little strange to them. I can assure you, people from Howard Springs are pretty friendly but there needs to be cooperation between the various groups if this is to work and be successful. The INPEX village will be a challenge but will bring great benefits to our community.
The other issue is traffic. Much has been said about traffic in relation to the INPEX village and sometimes INPEX is blamed for the whole traffic problem. The Howard Springs area is going to have a vast increase in traffic, especially on Howard Springs Road because of the prison, the possibilities of opening up the forestry land as a residential area, the increase in extractive mining with a large number of trucks from that area carrying gravel and sand, INPEX, and the Lutheran school as it goes to a full secondary school and its proposal for a new primary school in the Howard Springs area. The Lutheran school has over 600 students at the moment, many from Palmerston. They are part of the mix of traffic in the morning and it will get worse unless the government does something about it.
The government has done much work on Jenkins Road, also Lambrick Avenue in Palmerston, but has done no work on the rural side of the highway. I hope the government has plans for a substantial upgrade of Howard Springs Road and part of Whitewood Road to plan for the increase in traffic which will occur in this area.
When the Chief Minister talks about gearing up for growth, that is great; however, the infrastructure to handle that growth must be there. It cannot come after; it must come before otherwise you will have many frustrated rural people asking if the government is taking the benefits without putting in the infrastructure to ensure those benefits do not become a negative in the rural area.
Another area raised by some people in my electorate is we talk about some of the big projects occurring in the Northern Territory, but many of those projects are being developed by large companies such as Sitzler or Macmahon. At the moment, there seems to be a gap when it comes to small business contracts - the little work. The government is not putting out many middle range contracts at the moment. I have been told quite a number of those middle range contractors are scaling back their employment and finding it difficult at the moment. They hope to pick up some work when INPEX gets going, but there is a vacuum at the moment in that middle-of-the-road type work many developers need to keep going through this period.
Mr GUNNER: Madam Deputy Speaker, I move an extension of time, pursuant to Standing Order 77, for the member to complete his remarks.
Motion agreed to.
Mr WOOD: Thank you, member for Fannie Bay. I am pleased to have an extension because the issue of small business is important. Many small business people come from my area and some are doing very well. I was talking to some kitchen and bathroom people who live in the Humpty Doo area and they are booming - they have stacks of work. I was talking to an arborist yesterday who said: ‘I thought I had a lot of work, but there is not much work’. I said: ‘Perhaps you need a few storms’. At the moment, he is quiet on work. It is not something you can put your finger on and say all industry is in a bad way. There are areas of small business needing some assistance from the government. Perhaps government needs to ensure, when putting out contracts, that the smaller people get a fair share of what is happening, not just the big companies. The small businesses are here for the long haul and employ many of the families that are long-term Territorians. I hope the government is looking at and talking to small business. Do not rely on what I say - I have information given to me – is government talking to small businesses? Not just the TCA and the Master Builders Association, is it talking to some of those small businesses that have been around for quite some time?
It is good the minister brings on this topic today. No one is going to say projects like Ichthys are bad for the Territory - they are great for the Territory. When you hear of the issues in Europe, the Greek financial crisis, and the possibility of another global financial crisis occurring we should be grateful we have opportunities with projects like Ichthys to cushion ourselves from some of the effects of a global economic crisis which could still occur. There is no doubt we still need energy, and countries like Japan will continue to need energy regardless of whether the economy is slowing down. We will be the suppliers of energy for places like Japan. If this project goes for 40 years as is said, you hope that would help cushion some of the downturn other countries might have from any economic crisis which might occur, especially in Europe. At the moment, in Australia, there is no other place I would live than the Northern Territory.
I was talking about Cash for Containers before. Yes, there are many good things about Cash for Containers, there are many good things about gas, but let us not get too up in the clouds about it. We must keep our feet on the ground and look at the issues involved in this type of development. In the case of gas, are there downsides? The Chief Minister spoke about - it might have been the Treasurer - training. I am unsure if there has been enough training to get as many Territorians involved in the gas project as there could be. The Larrakia Development Corporation is doing a good job, but did we make a big effort to bring people from out bush in to be part of this project? What effect will it have on local industry, as happened when ConocoPhillips was here? When ConocoPhillips arrived, people left their jobs and went to ConocoPhillips because the wages were much higher. Is there a likelihood that is going to happen again? What effect will that have on small business trying to recruit people to take the place of people taken by INPEX?
I mentioned Cash for Containers. You might say it does not have much to do with growth, but in some ways it does. I have been to all the collectors and they are creating jobs. The number of cans they are collecting is rising steadily every weekend. I spoke to the NT Recycling Solutions man this morning and he said he collected 90 000 cans on Saturday morning alone and is putting more people on, so it is creating employment. There are some in the opposition who do not like the idea. However, once it gets over its growing pains you will have to deal with the kids. The kids will show the way when it comes to recycling. We sometimes forget, when looking at these projects, to look at the whole cost. For councils it means less rubbish in landfill - it would not be normally taken out. For councils it means less rubbish required to be picked up from the road, and for the environment it means more products are recycled. It might be hard to put a dollar value on those things. Over here it might be an extra cost, but over there it might be a saving. It is not a simple thing when people talk about Cash for Containers.
When I asked questions in parliament about it today - I definitely am a supporter, but the government, especially the minister, has to be more on the front foot because I know what is happening here. Big business is trying to destroy it and has the ways and means to do so. They, sometimes, have the ear of the public because they are good at putting hardship in the way of this important change. It, in its own way, it is about growth. It is finding better ways of recycling and is creating jobs. There is a long way to go and there are many problems, I do not deny that, but I am fully behind it. I want to give the minister a push along to ensure he keeps at it because it is his responsibility to ensure, under section 12 of the act, it does apply. If you read section 12 you see he has a very real responsibility in ensuring this is run properly.
There are many great things happening in the Northern Territory. I received the environmental impact statement for the abattoir at Livingstone and, if it can go ahead, it would be great for the Northern Territory. It will create quite a number of jobs. It is part of the growth of the Northern Territory we should be promoting because, with the likelihood live cattle export numbers might drop off, we need to find alternative ways. If the abattoir can get off the ground it will be something extra in the Northern Territory to help with long-term prosperity and long-term employment.
Madam Deputy Speaker, I thank the Chief Minister for his statement. I hope he will take into account, in his response, some of the real issues that need to be looked at. I would like the Chief Minister to tell us what is happening with the Defence hub at the moment. The Chief Minister spoke about the marine development at the port, but the Defence hub was not mentioned. Quite a bit of money was spent on that hub. What is the future of the hub? Are any contractors putting up their hand to use that land? Is it to be used as part of the storage area for American supplies after a natural disaster, as has been mentioned? Could the Chief Minister give us an update on the Defence hub which, at the present time, stands idle?
Mr ELFERINK (Port Darwin): Madam Deputy Speaker, I acknowledge the statement by the Chief Minister and, in part, welcome it because these are positive things of which he speaks. They are growth issues; projects this side of the House would thoroughly endorse, particularly the Ichthys project. It is the capacity of this parliament and all members in it, including the member for Nelson, to assist the government in passing legislative instruments unanimously relating to this particular project that has, in part, given comfort to INPEX and Total with regard to their decisions - their final investment decision in particular - relating to the Ichthys project.
I want to talk about the way government responds to these important issues. My full congratulations go to the Henderson government, as well as the former Martin Labor government, for pursuing this project. It was a long shot; there is no doubt about it.
I was speaking to INPEX staff at the final investment decision dinner the other night. Whilst they were wrestling with bringing the gas supply of the Browse Basin into the Western Australian environment, they were all sitting in a room at one stage and in came some of the bosses and said: ‘We are going to look at Darwin’. There was a collective thud as the jaws of those staff members hit the floor. However, once they picked up their jaws and looked at the project, the idea was something they grabbed on to strongly. Several years ago INPEX had indicated Darwin was going to be the place - if this gas project went ahead at all - where that happened. Originally, the price tag for this project was in the order of $20bn. It is now being sounded out at $34bn. There is no doubt this is singularly the largest project in the Territory’s history. As a consequence, we on this side of the House support it very seriously.
I also say at this juncture, should there be a change of government in August INPEX will enjoy, as will Total and other potential projects, the continued support of a Northern Territory government that wants to see these industries, and other associated industries, advance. We, on this side of the House, are proud builders of the Northern Territory. As a party, we have a legacy of building in the Northern Territory. The changes between the years 1974 and 2001 are apparent for all to see. Hats off to the current Labor government for not creating so many impediments that that process stopped. In fact, as I have indicated already in my comments today, it has that process. I am grateful the government, despite its left leaning, understands the importance of pursuing these projects.
Pursuit of a project is one issue; execution of a project is another matter entirely. It is important also to note, whilst the Henderson government and the Chief Minister would like to claim this as their work exclusively, the lion’s share of the work - indeed, almost all the work in relation to this project - was not done by government, it was done by Total and INPEX. That was all the required technical work. The Northern Territory government would not be capable of doing the technical work and planning in-house to advance a project like INPEX - and nor should they be. It is not its business to do so. In many respects, it is government’s business as much to get out of the way as assist these type of projects. A judicious government would know when to get out of the way and allow these projects to occur.
The problem I have is whilst the pursuit of this project was done well by government, execution of the surrounding issues are matters of concern to me, as I know they are to other members of the House and many Territorians. In Question Time today, the Chief Minister talked about the Ichthys project and the final investment decision and how good it is. Whilst we accept that final investment decision is good, he then went on to describe how well government was preparing the way for the results of this boom which is coming to the Northern Territory. When you critically examine how well government is making those preparations, I harbour some concerns. I ask members to turn their mind to the matter of land release. We heard comments today in this House about land being released ‘quicker than ever before’, or words to that effect. It is interesting to note that if you go back to 2009, it was advertised that land was going to released in Johnston and Zuccoli, even Archer gets a mention from memory, and they even put numbers to the numbers of blocks to be released in an effort to restrain the expansion of house prices which would invariably occur if you do not release enough land into an economy which has a major project operating in it. If you look at the targets set down several years ago and look at what has been achieved, this government would get a D-minus.
That part of the execution is within the ambit of what government does. Government does not build the INPEX or the Ichthys project; government’s response is to build infrastructure to assist those projects to occur, and that infrastructure includes infrastructure quite remote from the project itself which means land release for domestic purposes. To fall so far short of your own targets demonstrates whilst government is able to look attractive to investors, the support work that goes on behind the scenes is not being executed thoroughly enough. The Chief Minister is aware of these issues but does not seem attentive enough to deal with them.
The government is made up of two, possibly three, ministers who are in charge and the rest see themselves as figureheads for departments. Of those two or three ministers in charge - I include the members for Karama and Wanguri in that list - those ministers should be across the other ministerial portfolios and driving things like land release much more aggressively than is occurring.
The Chief Minister mentioned in his ministerial statement to this House today travelling to the west and trying to secure the Woodside plant for Darwin, and good on him. I support him in that. When he comes back he should not be putting his feet on the footstool in his office saying: ‘That was a productive trip. I hope we get lucky the same way we got lucky with INPEX’. At that point he should be ensuring the infrastructure needed to support those developments is constructed.
In fact, I was asked just yesterday what would be the most pressing issue for the development of Darwin should there be a substantial increase in industry and things associated with INPEX and the development of the Browse Basin. The answer I gave was: water. If we get heavier industry into this part of the world as a result of the development of the Browse Basin, which is not exclusively the purview of INPEX - they have the Ichthys field within the Browse Basin - but there is Woodside, Exxon, any other number of companies have explored the area and many of those will piggyback on the 42” pipeline INPEX is building. If they are in the Browse Basin and develop gas fields in those areas they will have a choice of building their own pipeline to the Western Australian coast, a distance of 350 km to 400 km depending on where you are in the Browse Basin, or pay a rental on a pipeline which already exists not 30 km or 40 km away from your well head.
It stands to reason that a 42” pipeline with six times the capacity of the current pipeline from Bayu-Undan to ConocoPhillips will have space in it for rental purposes and the development of the Browse Basin as a whole. Moreover, it will also be attractive to other companies that may seek to develop in the Browse Basin to avoid all the issues INPEX had to avoid had they gone to Western Australia - native title, whale breeding grounds and other complications with the Western Australian coast. None of those complications exist when you put a T-intersection into a pipe. That T-intersection allows you to buy rental space on that pipe in the same way you can run rolling stock over a privately-owned railway to a destination as long as you pay a fee. The same deal will apply; it is not like it is going to be a different product. What you put in at one end you can decant at the other.
What happens to all this extra gas looking into the medium future? If you read the Financial Review and other newspapers that cover these things, it is clear the marketplace for gas in the immediate future is pretty much saturated. That does not mean there will not be a marketplace for gas in five or 10 years time, or for that matter, people such as Dow Chemical coming to Darwin. We read about that in the Northern Territory News - sniffing the possibility of setting up here. Heavy industry is the single largest component missing from the Territory economy - not entirely. Work is being done at Nhulunbuy so there is value adding of product there, but how long before we are value adding product in Darwin? I do not know the economics of it, but iron ore is something we ship out in its raw form. Steel is something we could conceivably be shipping out if the energy cost was sufficiently cheap onshore in Darwin. That will consume water and consume the infrastructure this city needs to develop leading into the future.
Moreover, I am also concerned the government has not made effective preparations for something that is going to be a mere psychological effect but will have very real outcomes. The government, and speakers on both sides of the House, have referred to the general condition of the global economy, with the United States being still a bit ginger after the GFC, Europe facing its own challenges, and a place like Darwin will not only be attractive to investment from locals and people who are buying here, but it will also become an island of hope in a sea of despair in many respects. That beacon in the night will attract investment money which will have the effect of forcing house prices up even more.
Where is the capacity, I ask this government, to at least restrain those house prices from going up so sharply? That preparatory work is not being done. The effect will be amplified in the current international environment and is something the government should turn its mind to. Moreover, if you look at the effect of some of these booms in places like Port Hedland - I saw on television about a year-and-a-half ago that a three-bedroom house was being rented out for something like $1200 to $1300 a week. I understand what is happening in Port Hedland has its specific causes and effects and would not anticipate the same scenario being played out in Darwin. However, if there is an overall capacity to pay increased rent by virtue of increased income, resulting in a substantial number of extra jobs in this environment, those people who are flirting on the borders of financial stress - families or renters with incomes where 30% or slightly less is being spent on rental accommodation - may well be tempted to go to 35% or even 40% of their income being spent on rental accommodation. If that was to occur because of a shortage of rental accommodation in the Northern Territory, we would quickly return to the sharp spikes of rental accommodation we saw only a few years ago with a less than 1% vacancy rate and the bidding wars that were occurring.
If we release land in a sufficiently quick way at least we will be able to offset some of those pressures as time passes. However, I am not certain government has turned its attention to that issue sufficiently well. Evidence I draw for that conclusion can be found in the fact it has not met its own targets in so many endeavours. It has not met its own targets in relation to the Defence Support Hub. We keep talking about the Marine Supply Base, another important project considering what is going to be happening in the Greater Sunrise area alone. Nevertheless, I want to be reassured the Marine Supply Base does not become another Defence Support Hub - grand announcement, wonderful press release, and then what?
Government talks about achieving results across a raft of areas but fails to deliver on those results. The messages coming from government are quite inconsistent. We heard the Chief Minister today talk about crime being down in the Territory; the only reason assault rates are up is because of the good work being done in the area of domestic violence. Then, in the next breath, he says the police in Alice Springs are so busy they took 3100-plus calls through their call centre. What were those people calling about? Pizza orders! There is a disconnect between what government says it does, what it believes is occurring, and what is happening in regard to outcomes. I only use the crime rates as an example because it is topical and something we discussed in Question Time. The examples are manifold.
In his statement the Chief Minister refers to 10 000 apprenticeships but we know, and it has been well-established, that the completion rate of those apprenticeships is half the commencement rate. Why are we not doing more to improve those completion rates rather than bang on about 10 000 apprenticeships? That does not mean there are 10 000 people with trade qualifications at the end of it; there are about 5000 more people with trade qualifications. A commencement does not mean squat; a final result is what matters - a trade ticket. The right to be a sparky or a plumber is what matters. The minister for Education was talking about the education policy earlier, how much he cares and is sprinting to the finishing line; however, if you look at the NAPLAN results, it is not encouraging across the board in the Northern Territory. Health results are the same. There is always this massive chasm between announcement and capacity to deliver. The government did well because it did not have too much to do with the planning for the INPEX project. It, essentially, got out of the way. Good on it.
We will also get out of the way at the right time should we be in government. I hope what we achieve as a government - this is something the current government does not achieve - is if we announce something there is a tangible deliverable result at the other end and it means this government, or a government, has to ...
Mrs LAMBLEY: A point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker! Pursuant to Standing Order 77, I request an extension of time for the member to complete his remarks.
Motion agreed to.
Mr ELFERINK: My apologies to honourable members; I did not realise I was rabbiting on that much. What a government needs to do is take control of its public service and ensure the public service is getting a coherent message and a clear understanding of what is required.
I do not get that sense from the public servants I speak to; that they feel they are being led to a place. I do not get the sense that there is a clear and coherent message being heard by the AO2s and AO3s from the ministry and the Cabinet of the Northern Territory. I get a sense of: there are many of us, we want to deliver the services we should be delivering on behalf of government, but we are not getting a clear picture from government. That is because, I suspect, Cabinet and government often struggle to define what they are trying to achieve. As a consequence, ministers who are supposed to be driving the department and pushing things along take up a figurehead role which then elevates the CEO to a place the CEO should not be in setting policy. I have seen this on repeated occasions from this government where ministers will be asked about - particularly in the Estimates process - matters of policy and they flick that straight off to the CEO because they are not capable, or not across their portfolios sufficiently well, to be able to describe accurately what their policies are. That puts the CEO in a difficult situation because they have to make policy on behalf of government. Nothing ever prevents a CEO or a public servant suggesting policy to government but, once a policy is determined, it must be driven by the appropriate ministers.
I remember former minister, Matthew Bonson, was asked his opinion on something in an Estimates process and immediately flicked it to his CEO to tell the Estimates Committee Matthew Bonson’s opinion. That is not to denigrate Matthew; he worked very hard and tried hard to do his job. However, the capacity was absent, as it is for so many current ministers, which leaves the policy work in the hands of two or three. One is a member of the Labor left; another one is terrified of losing the next Territory election because he called it so badly at the last Territory election. None of that leaves Territorians, and Territory business, with a deep sense of confidence that this government can deliver that which is necessary to support industry coming to the Northern Territory. Frankly, I share that lack of confidence. I am not certain this government is capable of delivering those results. It has the appearance of a government uncertain about how it proceeds. It knows it should be doing something with INPEX so we hear so much about it.
The minister for Education, for argument’s sake, today said: ‘I am sprinting to the finish line; I am going to sprint all the way’ when, frankly, he should be looking at stepping aside and allowing a new minister for Education to step into the breach and say: ‘Right, this is going to be the future of education in the Northern Territory under an ALP government should we be re-elected in the Northern Territory’. That is not occurring. The minister has to go through this pantomime of saying: ‘I am sprinting to the line. I will be switched on the whole way’, but he will not be there after the next Territory election. He complains about the education policy of the Country Liberals not being available to him. Well, what is the education policy of the Australian Labor Party in the Northern Territory on 26 August this year? The only person who can answer that is the current minister, but he is not going to be there.
It is time for this government, if it wants to instil confidence, to send a signal to Territorians it is on board, is driving things properly, and is capable of managing things like the future of the Northern Territory through the INPEX or Ichthys project. At the moment, the track record is, at best, chequered - probably being less gracious, is simply at D-minus to E level. Territorians deserve a government that will deliver things which will protect Territorians’ interests. There is a real fear in the community at the moment of the two speed economy. Unless the structures are put in place to acknowledge the potential impact of a two speed economy in the Northern Territory, the effect will be some long-term Territorians will not be able to afford to live in Darwin. I am conscious of that and concerned about it. The government is conscious of that, but, gee whiz, I wish we would get more than a short statement as to how it is going to achieve that.
The Treasurer of the Northern Territory spoke briefly about some of the programs running and talked about their successes, but it is not enough. In Question Time today we had a lecture about HOMESTART NT and the other projects which are occurring. It is just not enough. It is too little too late and is no longer convincing because it is coming from the same set of lips which said, two years ago, so much more would be done. It is coming from the same set of lips which said, in April 2007, the government only needed to release 250 blocks of land in the Top End;. It is coming from the same set of lips which have made so many promises and failed so badly to deliver on those promises.
From a political point of view, that creates an opportunity for us on this side of the House as we approach the next Northern Territory election. However, I find it sad because it does not mean the Territory is being well-governed in the areas government has its strongest influences, its most direct influences, and its ability to bring out the most profound effects. We have a rudderless public service led by a Cabinet largely uncertain of itself, and a Chief Minister who is currently demonstrating fear in the face of a Territory election rather than enthusiasm.
I listened to him at the final investment dinner the other night. Whilst he talked the talk, there was not the same certainty and clarity in his 20 minutes as I got from Mr Kuroda in his two minutes. Mr Kuroda left me with no doubt, without having to raise his voice or speak in anything other than a conversational tone with very carefully crafted words - I suspect that two minute speech was agonised over for several hours because he chose his words so carefully. I listened to the quality of what Mr Kuroda delivered then listened to what the Chief Minister delivered. Whilst the Chief Minister spoke much longer, I was captured by what Mr Kuroda had to say, and there was no reason why the Chief Minister could not have filled that space in the same fashion.
Madam Deputy Speaker, these are genuine observations because I care about the people of the Northern Territory and care that they should have an effective, strong government. I am unsure that is the case, and I know there are many Territorians at the moment who are uncertain if that is the case with the Labor government. There are some who are even uncertain about switching to a Country Liberals government - I will be honest – but what they know is the leadership they are craving is not present. If they are so uncertain I urge them to vote for the Country Liberals at the next Territory election so they can have a government which will be certain, which will be focused and driven on all the areas where the current government has failed. We will give a form of government which not everyone will agree with, but at least we know this much: people will know what we are doing and why we are doing it.
Dr BURNS (Education and Training): Madam Deputy Speaker, listening to the stream of consciousness from the member for Port Darwin I will address some of the issues he raised before I turn to my prepared speech.
In essence, towards the end of his offering to this statement he was trying to contrast a possible Country Liberals government with the existing government, particularly in relation to the Cabinet and decision-making processes. When I look at the Country Liberals on the opposite side I see a group that is much divided and much factionalised. What I hear - and it flows from the Country Liberals party room in no uncertain way - is almost a complete inability to come to agreement about anything. Raised voices, arguments, bitter divisions and people not trusting one another is what I get from the Country Liberals.
By contrast, Madam Deputy Speaker, as you are well aware, we are a unified team. Our Cabinet is a functional Cabinet, and within a Cabinet - I am glad the member for Port Darwin raised this issue because I have been a Cabinet minister for about 10 years now so I know a bit about Cabinets. We have had two leaders in that time, Clare Martin and, now, Paul Henderson, and there have been changes in personnel in that Cabinet over time. However, one thing I have seen in both chief ministers is the ability to lead their Cabinet, the ability to foster frank discussion around the Cabinet table, for people to respect differences of opinion - sometimes around a Cabinet table the differences of opinion can be miles apart - and to foster the discussion so people can reach an agreement and lock behind a decision. I do not see that in members opposite.
I will give you a prime example. The climate change policy was announced with great fanfare some time ago. I have said in this House that I felt the opposition’s climate change policy was a reasonable policy, probably not as good as ours, but a reasonable policy acknowledging climate change and talking about what the Country Liberals would do if they came to government. Well, through the machinations I just spoke about we have seen a complete backflip and reversal on that policy announced by the Leader of the Opposition.
We have seen the Leader of the Opposition unable to lead on statehood, unable to bring his troops with him, and it is an important debate. What I see opposite, since the election in 2008 - the member for Port Darwin often likes to remark that the member for Blain brought the Country Liberals within a whisker - to the brink of government from the brink of extinction. I believe he said to the brink of government, and I am not going to argue with that. The figures in that election show that is a statement of fact. You were four members and now you have increased that number, and increased it further, of course, with the absorption of the member for Macdonnell. However, that is another story; I am not going to go there today.
I will say, from what I have seen and heard from fairly reliable sources, and what is evident, is during that time the member for Blain’s leadership has unravelled. He is unable to exercise significant discipline on quite a number of people within the parliamentary wing of the CLP. That is not a good recipe for the Northern Territory and not a good recipe for a Chief Minister. A chief minister needs to lead. He or she need to bring the troops with them. They need to inspire confidence. They need to make some pretty hard calls at times about the way they believe things should go. Sometimes it is a judgment call on the part of a Chief Minister, but, mostly, it is bringing your troops with you.
In 10 years it has been very rare there has been a vote around that Cabinet table because we try to reach a consensus position. The two or three times we have had a vote it has been about something - Cabinet deals with a whole range of matters. Sometimes matters are relatively minor and you can soak up much time talking about something people have different views and experiences on; however, we need to move on to more important business. To move things along, sometimes we have had a vote and that is it, we move on. However, on the major issues we get there by consensus. In Cabinet you have to lock in behind that decision and, whilst you might have reservations about decisions, you have to lock in and say what you have to. You have to get the concessions you need and everyone needs to be pragmatic. I do not get that about the Country Liberals.
Territorians need to look very closely at the member for Blain. Nice man, a principled man is the way Territorians view the member for Blain; however, he cannot lead. He had one chance prior to 2005, could not cut it and events overtook him. Denis Burke took the crown and there have been a number of challenges, as I understand it, on the other side during his time as Opposition Leader. An unravelling of the team and people at each other’s throats is not a healthy thing for government. That is my perspective in replying to what the member for Port Darwin said.
I was also totally amazed when the member for Port Darwin almost said, in regard to the INPEX project, that everything was done from the company side and it was an overstatement for government to say it had a significant part in bringing it all to fruition. Obviously, he is not aware of all the work that went on in a myriad of departments in the Northern Territory, through the leadership in the public service working closely with Cabinet, on a whole range of issues. The tip of the iceberg has been some of the legislation that has come into parliament around this project. However, one of the major things that attracted INPEX was certainty. How do you get certainty? You get certainty around the planning aspects, around some of the legislative aspects, the land tenure aspects and the environmental aspects. How do you get that without much work happening within our public service?
The member for Port Darwin was ill-advised to say government was overstating the fact it did all the work and that most was done by the company. That is not so, and is an insult to the many public servants who worked very hard on this project, many of whom were at the function the other night. I am not going to name them, but they work hard. They are non-partisan people; they serve the government of the day and, in relation to the INPEX project, have served it very well. I commend those public servants in the departments that have facilitated this process and project and, from my interaction with INPEX when I was Business minister; it is deeply appreciated by the company. The member for Port Darwin did not do himself any favours whatsoever by saying everything was done by the company and government should step out of the way, do nothing, and let it all happen.
These major projects are a competitive environment and Western Australia was fighting hard. There was a Labor government at the time, then a conservative government, and both governments fought very hard to sway INPEX to go to Western Australia. However, they were unsuccessful and a large part of that was because of the work done by our public service as well as, importantly, the work done by Clare Martin as Chief Minister - to knock on the door, to put a convincing case, along with Mr Paul Tyrrell, who is a great Territorian and has served successive governments. He has served them honestly and well and was a bit part of that. The baton was passed to Paul Henderson as Chief Minister and, of course, Mike Burgess heading up the Department of Chief Minister. It has been a real team effort.
The member for Port Darwin tried to reflect on my role in government leading up to the election. I am a team player, member for Port Darwin. I am part of a team. I will build on what has been done before in whatever portfolio I happen to be allocated. I will make my contribution and, then, the baton is passed to the next person. It does not really matter that after the election I am not going to be here. I have, and I continue to, work as hard as I can.
In education, attendance, literacy and numeracy are my big issues. I look at what I am trying to do and can see some results. However, it is a long haul and others will take the baton after me and will do very well. It is not enough for the member for Port Darwin to ask what the policy position of the government is.
Sittings after sittings we explain our policies and, in estimates, measuring that against outcomes. We continue to do that. That is why I become a little frustrated with the opposition when I see no policy output. There has been no policy in the last 12 months I can think of. In fact, there have been negative policies because your climate change policy has been reversed. You are minus one when you look at it. You have been in opposition for 11 years and there are very few policies. If you think you are going to get through by being – well, I am looking forward to it.
The member for Brennan is waving around a book. I am looking forward to that launch. That will be a big day, member for Brennan. Good on you if you are releasing your policy. I hope your colleagues also release theirs. If you are on the threshold of releasing your policies during these sittings, member for Brennan …
Mr Chandler: It is coming.
Dr BURNS: ... in the next week, the next two weeks, the next month …
Mrs Lambley: We want to keep you in suspense.
Dr BURNS: You are going to keep us in suspense. He is indicating on the floor in parliament - he has a hard copy there so it must be imminent. We will not have to wait long. Hopefully, it will happen during these sittings.
Mr Vatskalis: After the election.
Dr BURNS: After the election!
Madam Deputy Speaker, I support the Chief Minister’s important statement on the territory government’s plan to manage economic and population growth the Territory can look forward to over the coming years. There are many opportunities here. I can look at my own family to see that opportunity. My middle son, who started work at the ConocoPhillips plant and, now, has become a tradesman, is working in Gove. There will be many Territorians looking at INPEX for their own employment and their kid’s employment. There will be many success stories of someone gaining a trade, as it was for my son with ConocoPhillips and Gove. He is at the Gove expansion which, as you know, is a very big project in your electorate. That provided many opportunities for him and many other Territorians.
We are not going to shy away from the challenges this project, and economic development, brings to the Northern Territory. There will be 3000 new jobs, as has been said, as part of the construction phase. The Minister for Lands and Planning has announced a construction village, amongst other things. We are looking to maximise the job opportunities for Territorians. One of the most exciting elements will be an expansion of and further building on our education and training system. We know kids who go to school every day in the Territory get a great education and can look forward to a life filled with much opportunity. We have made education the top priority. We want every kid to look forward to a good life.
We have also looked to the future in our outlook for the Northern Territory with our Territory 2030 strategic plan. It clearly demonstrates Territorians also see a strong education and training system as a top priority. We will continue to invest in more schools, teachers and programs as our population grows. We have built many new schools in our time in government: Darwin Middle School, Rosebery primary and middle schools, and the new Nemarluk School which will open in Alawa very soon. There has also been much activity in our remote regions and we have invested heavily in our remote schools.
To catalogue some of the spending: $8.4m for Darwin High School; $3m for Dripstone Middle School; $2m for Sanderson; $8.4m for Casuarina Senior College; $5m for the redevelopment and upgrade of Centralian Middle School; $14m for Palmerston Senior College; and $4.5m for Taminmin College, all for upgrades. I mentioned remote areas: we have built new schools at Arlparra High School, Baniyala Garrangali School, Bonya School, Manyallaluk School and, of course, at Emu Point, just to name a few. We had a significant investment with the Australian government through the Building the Education Revolution. It is great to see members opposite turning up at those openings and celebrating with us the wonderful BER projects and the real benefits that project bestowed on every school in the Northern Territory.
Unfortunately, nationally, the Coalition did not support the BER. I distinctly remember a motion in this House calling on members opposite to support the BER. I believe, through some technicality, they wanted to play semantics with the wording and said they could not support the motion. It was a fairly simple motion from my recollection but a missed opportunity for members opposite. It was a political miscalculation for you not to openly and publically support the BER in this parliament. You missed a wonderful opportunity there.
As an election commitment, we are investing $300 000 into upgrades in every government primary and group school in the Northern Territory. That has been rolled out and upgrades are still occurring.
With regard to VET in Schools, Territory 2030 also emphasised the need to see VET in our schools and the programs further diversify and develop across the Territory. Last year we saw the first Northern Territory Certificate of Education and Training. This recognises the commitment and importance placed on VET. We have school to work partnerships and arrangements in sectors such as mining, oil and gas, tourism, early childhood, horticulture and pastoral agricultural. We will continue our collaboration with industry through a range of informal and formal mechanisms to identify and respond to current and emerging skill needs. Basically, we are looking at school to work transitions ...
Mr GUNNER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I move an extension of time for the member to continue his marks pursuant to Standing Order 77.
Motion agreed to.
Dr BURNS: Work has been done, through Group Training NT, on detailed three-year plans to expand delivery of work-ready programs focusing on the 20 growth towns. I mentioned today we are working with the Commonwealth to ensure these programs are closely aligned with employment for those who participate. The Northern Territory is ahead of the game nationally in that regard. We have established a draft MOU with the Minerals Council for a combined effort across the Territory. You only have to look at what is happening at Borroloola through the trusts supporting boys and girls in their earlier years of schooling, right through to their final years and into work, making that transition easier. That is a significant investment, a significant partnership and I commend it. We know there has been an expansion in the delivery of VET with 2000 students participating. Of this figure, 241 students have undertaken VET in the middle years and 275 students in the Workready Program.
I turn now to public and affordable housing. As the Chief Minister and the Treasurer noted today, we are rolling out land release at record levels. We have expanded HOMESTART NT and made it friendlier. We know it is a changing marketplace and we have assisted 1500 families to get their foot in the door of the property market and a key way for families to ensure their long-term economic stability. We regularly review that program. It is a changing marketplace, and we look at the requirements of Territorians buying property. We have the program set up so families can access 40% of the property market without expending more than 30% of their income. That is the way it is designed, the way Treasury do their figures and the way we deliver it.
We have established the affordable rental housing company. That was a big step for the Territory. It took longer than I would have liked, but it is a large undertaking by the affordable rental housing company - Venture Housing Company. They wanted to ensure, legally and contractually, that the board was happy with that. It is. They have signed off and are now operating. I understand there is an office operating in Darwin. We also have the Wirrina project nearing completion, and the affordable rental company will roll-out projects in Palmerston and beyond. I have asked them to expand their work to Alice Springs and talk to developers there. In the suburb of Kilgariff there will be opportunities for this company to expand what they do in Alice Springs as well, so that is very important.
The stimulus package: the Commonwealth invested $60m to facilitate 450 new beds in the Northern Territory. Much of that activity has occurred in Alice Springs as members opposite would be aware, and some magnificent new facilities have been constructed using stimulus money to try to ease some of the housing issues, including transitional housing issues in Alice Springs. Once again, we had the Coalition vehemently opposing the stimulus package. Unfortunately, we have the opposition in the Northern Territory jumping to Tony Abbott’s tune and voicing its opposition to the stimulus package. It was a political miscalculation on their part; however, there is always time to backtrack, members opposite.
Public housing: we have committed $49m over three years to build an additional 150 public housing dwellings. We are also building seniors villages, and it was great to see the Bellamack seniors and what we are trying to do there. We have encouraged seniors who might be in two- or three-bedroom houses to move into the seniors village. The ones I met at the opening of Bellamack seniors were happy to do so, thus freeing up a two- or three-bedroom house for a family, which is fantastic thing.
There are further infill developments going on in and around Darwin on larger Territory Housing blocks. There is one occurring in Moil, which is in my electorate. It has been on the books for some time and is now going out through the consent process. I have stipulated, as minister, that these units are to be for the exclusive use of seniors and the disabled. It is a good move to encourage seniors out of their larger accommodation as there might be one or two people in a three-bedroom house. As I understand it, in the neighbourhood where these developments have occurred there have not been any significant objections because people like to have seniors beside them. They want to support those people in their accommodation who are less fortunate and disabled. The community, I believe, is very supportive of this.
The member for Brennan, in October last year, said the policy - I have not seen it in black and white, it was on the media - if the CLP wins government it will scrap affordable housing programs that have been put up by the government. This would deny, I am advised, about 1500 families an opportunity - who have already been through the HOMESTART NT process and support. I am interested, when the member for Brennan rises to speak in this debate, to know if he believes the open market, with no support for those who might need a hand – how he will help them get into the housing market if he throws it open to the free market with no support for those low- and middle-income earners such as this government has given.
It seems policy releases are imminent. That is great. We all want to see them, but it will be interesting to see what their housing policy is.
Mr Mills: Are you voting for us?
Dr BURNS: No, I am just interested to see. Many Territorians will be interested to see, and, moreover, we will be interested to see the costings. On one hand you are saying: ‘We are going to get into the black. You are in the red, you are profligate spenders. We are going to get into the black’. You have the spectre of massive cuts within the public service - you are already on the record saying that. People in the public service are a little worried that if you were to gain government the knife would be out. I can hear Col sharpening the knife upstairs. He has a big whetstone and has kept that knife for a long time. He has it there. It is glistening in the light in the Leader of the Opposition’s office and they will cut the public service.
How are they going to fund their promises? It was this government, when we came to office, which passed fiscal transparency and integrity legislation which will require Treasury to go over your election promises. You are not going to squeeze through saying it will cost this or that. You are not going to squeeze through on Col’s 1980 costings or costings from the 1990s. You will have to have costings that are contemporary and done by Treasury. It is going to be independent, and people are going to look very carefully at how you will fund your promises. You will have the policies and let us hope you have done the solid work with your costings. It is all going to come under intense scrutiny, as you know, member for Blain.
Madam Speaker, I am looking forward to it. I am looking forward to estimates as well, as I always do. I support the statement. This is a government which is looking forward, is cohesive, a team and with something to offer the Territory. I commend the statement by the Chief Minister.
Mrs LAMBLEY (Araluen): Madam Speaker, I respond to the Chief Minister’s statement, Gearing Up for Growth in the Northern Territory - in the whole of the Northern Territory. This afternoon I have listened to the Leader of Government Business trying to gaze into the crystal ball and predict what is going on inside the opposition ranks. I can assure him things are very happy and content. We all have regular group hugs. The leader, Terry Mills, has the absolute support of the ranks. You do not have to lose any more sleep at night, Leader of Government Business, it is okay. We are all very happy, quietly chipping away at our electorates, getting on with our business and happy to be here today in parliament.
The Chief Minister’s statement was fascinating to the point of being alarming. The Chief Minister of the Northern Territory spoke about gearing up for growth in the Northern Territory and did not mention Central Australia once. Did anyone hear him mention Alice Springs, Tennant Creek or Katherine? The answer is: no. Nowhere in this statement did the Chief Minister put his vision, his sight, or his leadership to those geographical areas of the Northern Territory. I can only presume this government is absolutely and utterly fixated on the Top End.
I am happy to congratulate both the former Chief Minister of the Northern Territory, Clare Martin, and the current Chief Minister of the Northern Territory, Paul Henderson, on the very important signing of the Ichthys LNG project. It is a game changer; it is a wonderful thing for the Northern Territory and will mean jobs and prosperity to many people in the Northern Territory.
My colleagues have expressed some concerns around how things will operate in the Northern Territory with this major project well under way. However, I am going to focus more on the fact this government is not interested in any geographical area south of Palmerston. To think the Chief Minister could stand here, as leader of the Northern Territory, and give us a bum steer and dismiss us when talking about the economic boom, the growth, the unprecedented robust economy he foresees – no mention of Alice Springs, Katherine, or Tennant Creek.
The Treasurer talked about the turbocharged economy she foresees, the accelerated land release, all referencing the Top End of the Northern Territory and nothing about Central Australia.
The government is pinning all its hopes and dreams on INPEX, and perhaps it will come to fruition. I hope it does. I hope we see this wonderful prosperity we are being promised. However, what about the vision for Central Australia? What is happening in Central Australia? What are the economic strategies the government is offering to get us out of the doldrums when it comes to Tennant Creek, Alice Springs, and Katherine? What are the policies around that?
The Leader of Government Business talked about not seeing any policies from the opposition. Well, I will give you a policy here this afternoon: our policy is about having policies for the whole of the Northern Territory. When we talk about the economic development and growth of the Northern Territory, we are not just referring to the Top End; we are referring to the whole of the Northern Territory. For the Chief Minister to deliberately forget to even mention Central Australia is absolutely disgraceful.
The only member of the government who mentioned anything about Central Australia was the Leader of Government Business. I commend him for that. He is quite good at being inclusive. That is what this government is not. It not inclusive and does not provide any leadership whatsoever when it comes to Central Australia. No one made any reference to Alice Springs, Tennant Creek, or Katherine; they just wanted to talk about the imminent explosion of economic growth and activity, of wonderful training programs and opportunities, primarily focused on the Top End.
In Alice Springs, things are really tough. In today’s paper there is another article talking about how retail businesses are doing it tough. Kay Eade, the Chair of the Chamber of Commerce in Alice Springs said:
- Some of our retailers are reporting downturns of up to 30%. Most businesses knew that it was going to be a slow December, but I don’t think they realised just how much impact the high Australian dollar and drop in tourism would have.
Businesses in Alice Springs are doing it tough. In the last 18 months to two years, we have had literally dozens of businesses close in Alice Springs. I have a list in front of me of 44 that my electorate officer and I put together over the last couple of months – 44 businesses have closed in Alice Springs since 2010. Many of them are restaurants, many are art galleries, food outlets, cafes, a couple of pubs have closed - some have reopened but some remain closed. There are newsagencies, various retail shops - 44, Madam Speaker! You are talking about a town of fewer than 30 000 people and we have had 44 businesses close in the last couple of years. It is very concerning.
What strategy does the government have to respond to these businesses suffering to the point they have to close the doors? From my perspective, as a local member of parliament in Alice Springs, I have not heard any response at all from the government. The Alice Springs Town Council and the Chamber of Commerce called a meeting of interested stakeholders late in 2011 to look at teasing out some strategies. The council and the Chamber of Commerce took the initiative. Sure, members from the Northern Territory government were there, dragged screaming and kicking probably - it certainly was not their initiative. It was the initiative of the Mayor and various council members. It was Alderman Murray Stewart’s idea. I was attending the council meeting when he put forward a motion to the effect of meeting with business stakeholders to look at strategies to get the town moving, getting businesses out of the doldrums.
This Northern Territory Labor government has shown no initiative whatsoever in gearing up Alice Springs for growth. This government is fixated on the Top End and gives very little attention to stimulating the economy south of Palmerston. The business community in Alice Springs is sadly shrinking and there are many reasons for that. Very few businesses have opened in Alice Springs. By far, the businesses closing outweigh the businesses opening. We have a very concerning situation in Alice Springs.
The government talked about providing workers’ accommodation. The minister for Central Australia, in 2009, made a promise that this government would establish a workers’ accommodation facility in Alice Springs. That was three years ago - make it two-and-a-half, we will cut them some slack. Several years ago this government made that promise. It has disappeared completely off the agenda. Now we are hearing workers’ accommodation being promised for places in Darwin not Alice Springs. Alice Springs has dropped off the radar - no workers’ accommodation mentioned at all for Alice Springs. Once again, Alice Springs misses out. However, we hear about Woodside possibly setting up in Darwin. We hear about the Darwin Business Park, the Darwin Port Corporation and the Marine Supply Base all based in Darwin. I am not criticising any of these things for one second. Any business development, in my opinion, is good for everyone concerned. As the opposition, as a conservative party, we certainly support business in any way, shape or form.
What is the vision for Central Australia? I am disgusted that the Chief Minister of the Northern Territory has shown a complete lack of leadership on this issue. He has talked about economic growth and has not mentioned Central Australia.
The Leader of Government Business talked about the lack of leadership in the opposition. I am looking at the Leader of the Opposition and I know Terry Mills is committed to all parts of the Northern Territory. He visits Alice Springs regularly; he has a very strong support base within Palmerston and Darwin. His footprint is very wide and he listens to the concerns of my constituents and the constituents of my colleagues, the members for Greatorex, Braitling and Macdonnell. He travels widely and he does care. He demonstrates he cares. He is working with us to develop a vision for Central Australia, a vision that includes the economic development and stimulus of that part of the Northern Territory this government would sooner forget. When we talk about Alice Springs in parliament we are constantly accused of talking down Alice Springs, talking down Central Australia. At least we talk about those areas. It seems this government does not even want to talk about that part of the Northern Territory.
The blackouts Alice Springs experienced on Sunday night and the early hours of Monday morning is an indication that the withdrawal of the recent Thresher program, the police initiative to combat crime in Alice Springs - the fact it was withdrawn a couple of weeks ago marks a turning point in how things are panning out.
We have had a relatively wonderful couple of months in Alice Springs with crime. Operation Thresher has managed to keep crime at a much more manageable level compared to this time last year; however, the police have now been withdrawn. I am told during the blackout a service station along Larapinta Drive - Mobil Larapinta - was seriously vandalised and Club Eastside, which is also featured in today’s paper, was ram-raided. The people who ram-raided it in the middle of the night stole a couple of bottles of grog and it has cost the owners and operators of Club Eastside $10 000. It seems that Operation Thresher has been withdrawn and things are sliding back again.
We all know if you take your eye off the ball things deteriorate and quickly get out of control. The questions put to the government today regarding crime in Alice Springs and Katherine - it is about this government’s inability to listen to the people outside Darwin and the Top End areas about their specific concerns when it comes to crime and providing the appropriate resources required to combat these problems.
The opposition is inclusive. When we talk about the Northern Territory, we talk about the whole of the Territory. The opposition knows Alice Springs, Katherine and Tennant Creek businesses need just as much confidence, just as much to look forward to in life, as the Top End businesses and population. We need something to stimulate growth and business just like we hear is happening in the Top End.
The Chief Minister is under considerable pressure. He does not have the answers because he simply does not care. Leadership is not present in the government at the moment. We hear fictitious stories about what is happening within our ranks. Well, I look across the room and see a miserable bunch which, to me, is the definition of a lack of cohesion. They cannot decide who is going to answer a question because none of them want to; none of them feel they have enough knowledge or expertise to answer the simple questions we put to them.
The Leader of the Opposition held out a hand - an offer to the Chief Minister in Question Time - asking him to join him in a debate about crime in the coming months leading up to the election and the response from the Chief Minister was a snub - absolutely zero. He chose to ignore it. This rabble of a government is coming unstuck when you have a Chief Minister who is too cowardly to respond to an invitation by the Leader of the Opposition.
Madam Speaker, I close this afternoon confirming and giving confidence to the people of Central Australia that when and if we gain government, when we talk about the Northern Territory we will be talking about the whole of the Territory. We will put a statement forward, gearing up for growth for the whole of the Territory not just the Top End.
Mr VATSKALIS (Health): Madam Speaker, I feel sorry for Alice Springs. If this is the calibre of members of parliament representing Alice Springs, I feel sorry. I say that because what we heard about Alice Springs in the past few minutes is a situation …
Members interjecting.
Mr VATSKALIS: ... I would not if I were you. What I heard about Alice Springs is in the past two years 44 businesses have closed. The member read a newspaper article which highlighted the significantly higher Australian dollar has hit tourism, not only in Alice Springs, but in Australia.
The member goes on to tell us Alice Springs is suffering. We understand the difficulties business is experiencing at the moment but, at the same time, I wonder where she lives. Where does she live if she does not know good stories about Alice Springs? Have you spoken to Neil Ross? Ross Engineering & ProBlast managed to win a contract to install the big slides in Palmerston. An Alice Springs business won the job for the Palmerston pool 1600 km to the north this Labor government put in place.
Have you spoken to some of the mines in the area? Newmont is putting a $0.5bn investment into the Tanami and wants workers and supplies, and the closest town to service them is Alice Springs. Does she know about the exploration Mithril is doing north of Alice Springs? Has she read any of the stock exchange announcements that Mithril is sitting on a virtual gold mine north of Alice Springs. Who is going to supply these companies? The closest town happens to be Alice Springs.
The member for Araluen cries about Alice Springs - her name should be Cassandra. Cassandra was the ancient princess at Troy who always foretold sad stories of the future never positive ones. What do we hear about Alice Springs? There are always sad stories about Alice Springs. Alice Springs is not a bad place; Alice Springs is a great place to be. Yes, it has difficulties; however, I suggest the member for Araluen read the newspapers around the country and discover similar stories happen not only in small towns, but even in major centres in Australia. This is because the very high dollar makes our product unattractive, and the fact people have discovered they can buy a product online from other countries and, for various reasons, can bring it in at sometimes half the price of what you pay in Australia.
Madam Speaker, do I have to remind the member the party that completely neglected Alice Springs and was all smoke and mirrors was the Country Liberal Party. The CLP government strangled Alice Springs for land; it did not release a block of land for years. Which party did not invest in power in Alice Springs? It was the Country Liberal Party. When did Alice Springs have the biggest number of policemen per capita in Australia? Under this Labor government! The CLP used to tell Alice Springs people it was their favourite town because the CLP was born in Alice Springs; however, it did nothing but talk.
This government has invested heavily in services in the whole of the Territory, and I will start with my health portfolio.
Which government has put a significant investment all over the Territory in the health sector? It has been the Labor government since 2001. Our budget in 2001, when we took over, was $440m. In 2010, our budget hit $1.2bn. Which party refused to put renal dialysis services outside the urban centres? It was the Country Liberal government. Which government has put renal dialysis services all over the Territory and has increased the life expectancy of people on dialysis to match other Australians? It is this Labor government.
Which government neglected children’s services in the Territory? It was the Country Liberal Party government, and that has been documented in a 2001 report which highlighted the Country Liberal Party government abandoned children’s services in rural and remote areas.
I invite the member for Araluen, next time I visit, to come with me around the Alice Springs Hospital to see the investment this government has put in, and the investment continues. I can show her photographs of the brand new emergency department with 33 bays currently under construction in Alice Springs. I would like to take her to the brand new power station in Alice Springs worth nearly $100m.
Where do I stop, Madam Speaker? The member for Araluen is either blind or does not want to see. Well, I cannot help her with that. She lives in a state of delusion. She talks about her own party – let us talk about your own party. I would love to. Yes, the member for Blain is the leader today, but who is going to be the leader tomorrow? We hear stories. We hear they are going to challenge their own members. If I were the member for Drysdale, I would be very worried. I heard a rumour Annette Burke is back, the ex-Mayor of Palmerston. I also hear rumours Annette Burke might challenge him for preselection. I know Annette Burke does not like the current Leader of the Opposition, Terry Mills, very much. I would be really worried if I were him. At the same time, I hear Jo Sangster is going to nominate for Johnston. Jo Sangster does not like David Tollner very much, but that is another story.
Do I have to highlight divisions? Where do I start and where do I finish? Currently, Terry Mills survives with only one vote. Yes, they might have love-ins, but I strongly suggest the Leader of the Opposition gets a seat very close to the wall so he does not get a knife in his back. We know, and everybody out there knows, how united they are. They are so united they sometimes do not talk to each other. They talk to us more than they talk to each other
.
We are united; we talk to each other. The reason we have achieved what we have to date is because succession in the leadership does not matter, the party has continued to deliver for Territorians and the progress of the Territory. I recall every time we tried to do something positive the opposition would go the opposite way to highlight negatives. This has not just started. I remember when the first gas plant in the Territory - the ConocoPhillips gas plant - was under construction, while the Leader of the Opposition was supporting this parliament some of his backbenchers raised questions about the possibility of the gas plant ruining the harbour, the lifestyle, and the potential to destroy the way of life we know. They were talking with forked tongues. Up-front they said they support it and, behind the scenes, would go against it.
The role of the opposition is to not only keep checks and balances on government; it is also, especially in an election year, to come out with policies. Here we are five months before the election and we have not heard one single policy. Where is the policy on health? None! Where is the policy on child protection? It is $9m and split the departments. Well, we have done that. You are putting in $9m and nothing else. We now have a Children’s Commissioner. We have an extra $130m over the next five years, and we took the budget for child protection from $7m under the CLP government to $180m a year.
Where is the policy on education? We have not seen it yet. We hear about it; it is going to be here in the fullness of time - possibly after the election so it cannot be scrutinised. This is an opposition bereft of policies, no new ideas, piggybacking on what we are doing. The only thing it can do is highlight the difficult issues some of the towns experience in the Territory.
Tennant Creek has a difficult time. Tennant Creek businesses do it as tough as Alice Springs, but you do not hear them complaining about it. They are looking at the future. They are signing agreements with mining companies such as Minemakers. They are looking forward to the development of Rum Jungle phosphate north of Tennant Creek. They are looking forward to Tennant Creek becoming a point where goods and services from Queensland will find their way through the Territory to Darwin for export via the Port of Darwin. They are looking to the future and looking for new opportunities.
Our government has invested in the whole of the Territory; from north to south and east to the west. We still continue to promote the Territory. Let me remind you, under the CLP government we had a declining number of mines in the Northern Territory. We found 700 exploration licences sitting on the desk of the minister because he wanted to play politics with native title and Aboriginal land rights.
This Labor government, under Clare Martin and Paul Henderson, got out of the Territory, out of Australia, went to Japan, went to Korea, went to China, and we have seen a significant number of investments in the Northern Territory with new mines opening. We had deals announced officially by Chinese and Australian companies worth $127m. There has been $160m spent on exploration. When every other state in Australia had declining exploration, the Territory was the only jurisdiction to have an increase in exploration with significant results. I will tell you how bad things are in the Territory. GEMCO is spending $0.25bn to upgrade its facilities in Groote Eylandt and McArthur River has announced a significant expansion in the facilities in Borroloola which are currently undergoing an EIS. They will spend more than $300m in their expansion and 18% of their workforce will be Indigenous people. Fourteen percent of the Newmont workforce is Indigenous people.
We spend money and care for all Territorians. It does not matter whether they live in Alice Springs, Nhulunbuy, Yuendumu, Borroloola, or in Timber Creek, our government is investing in social infrastructure and in real infrastructure.
Let us talk about health. The member for Greatorex likes to talk about health and I am pleased to give him some statistics. Since 2001, we have an extra 127 hospital beds. We employ 724 extra nurses and an extra 250 doctors. We also opened Royal Darwin Hospital Ward 3B - thirty new fully-funded beds the CLP had closed down. We delivered a $10m facility for the Palmerston Super Clinic, the one the CLP opposes and will continue to oppose. We are the first Territory government to fund $40m for the hospital in Palmerston, not to mention the $90m cancer care treatment centre at RDH, the Alan Walker Cancer Care Centre. The feedback I get from people who suffer from cancer and need to use the centre is very positive. Some of the comments I get from people using the 26-room Barbara James House are extremely positive. The positive comments come from people from Nhulunbuy and Alice Springs.
Let us talk about dental clinics. We had some of the longest waiting times in Australia. We now have the shortest waiting times for dental care in Australia; down to six months in Alice Springs and nine months in Darwin.
The member for Greatorex talks about the worst health system in Australia. The government …
Mr Tollner: Is that relevant?
Mr VATSKALIS: It is absolutely relevant regarding expenditure, member for Fong Lim, that we put the investment into the Territory to address the needs of the future. The reality is, you and I will be old and will need more services in the future. We have to invest now in order for you to have a hip replacement, me to fix my ankle, or something else that might go wrong in the future.
The government report on health expenditure has indicated we have the highest spending in Australia per capita. We spend $6500 per person compared to $5200. We have the highest number of public hospital beds per capita - 3.01 public hospital beds per thousand population compared to the national average of 2.6 beds. The member for Greatorex, of course, says: ‘What are the outcomes?’ I will tell you what the outcomes are: there has been a 30% decline in anaemia in Indigenous children; there has been a decrease in infant fatality for Indigenous children; the life expectancy of Indigenous people on renal dialysis now matches the life expectancy of people living in Adelaide, Sydney or Perth; cervical cancer rates for the average population has decreased by 60%, and for Indigenous women they have decreased by 92%; and the super clinic in Palmerston has significantly improved the service provision for the people of Palmerston, just outside Darwin. The super clinic in Palmerston has seen 20 000 people since the opening and 10 000 people in the after-hours super clinic, something which significantly affected the emergency department. Not only that, but I recently had a meeting with the new Minister for Health; Tanya Plibersek, who assured me the $5m promised by the federal government would stay in the Territory and she would look favourably on any application for another super clinic in the Northern Territory.
This is not only happening in Darwin and Palmerston, it is happening in Alice Springs. Together with the Australian government, we have invested $24m or $25m to construct the new emergency department, which is currently under construction. At Tennant Creek, we improved the emergency department and extended the renal facility, doubling the number of beds. We have opened clinics in areas where there were no clinics before - fully staffed clinics.
The Top End aeromedical retrieval contract was awarded to CareFlight and we have now seen a significant improvement in services throughout the Top End of the Territory.
The National Critical Care and Trauma Response Centre offers training places for a range of courses, not to mention the investment we made in Charles Darwin University to attract the medical program to train Territorians and allow them to stay in the Territory. The reality is, as we found out from midwives, if you train your own they will stay in the Territory.
Madam Speaker, I mentioned Children and Families, I do not want to go back to that. Many things identified by the board of inquiry have been addressed and we are progressing to address even more of the issues. The backlog identified, about 800, has been completely eliminated, and the new backlog we have, which we have to expect - if people realise something is happening they will advise the department. We now have a backlog of only 140 but they are resolved very quickly - mainly Category 3. We are working closely with non-government organisations to transfer some of these functions to them because we believe people close to the community are best - positioned to address issues of the community.
We talked about growth in the Territory and we talked about the Ichthys project. I am not going to go back over how important it is for the Territory, not only for Darwin and Palmerston, but the whole Territory. The reality is, during construction they will require 5000 workers, and these workers will come from interstate, they will come from the Territory, and some of them will come from other countries. We know Australia, at the moment, has a problem with qualified people to meet the needs and requirements of projects currently undertaken in Western Australia, the Northern Territory and Queensland, but we will do it.
We invested in the mining area, and mines throughout the Territory, not only the Top End. There are significant mineral resources in Central Australia and a significant number of companies currently exploring in Central Australia. In 2010-11, we had $195m spent in exploration throughout the Territory. That is a good return on our investment of $25.8m for our initiative, Bringing Forward Discovery, and the fact we sold the Territory in the growing markets of Asia such as Korea, Japan and China, has really paid dividends.
Our plan is not just a four-year plan. Our plan is not just to satisfy the electoral cycle. Our plan for the Territory is beyond the electoral cycle. Bringing Forward Discovery was not aimed at a three-year term; it was for five years and further expanded to another four years. We do not look at this as something to win the election; it is something that will help to benefit Territorians throughout the Territory.
Yes, the Territory Labor government has geared the Territory for growth. We have invested in order to achieve this growth, and invested not only in infrastructure, not only to attract mining resources and exploration, but we have invested in social infrastructure.
I feel sorry for Alice Springs to be represented by people who only put the town down. We have seen it before when they invested in a number of television advertisements highlighting to everyone in Australia how bad Alice Springs was. Instead of investing the money in how to address the social issues of Alice Springs and work together with the government, they choose to advise the rest of Australia that Alice Springs was a bad place – ‘do not come here’. Despite what we did and what we said to people, these people will advise Australians and foreigners: ‘Do not come to Alice Springs, it is a terrible place’. Well, Alice Springs is not a terrible place, it is a great place, and 30 000 people who live there believe the same.
Yes, there are difficulties, but not only in Alice Springs - it happens in other towns. You will see the same thing happening in Victoria, in South Australia, New South Wales and Queensland. It is not only a state government issue; a global financial crisis is on the horizon. There is the rising price of the Australian dollar and the ease with which people can get onto computers and order products from the United States, China, or Europe and have them delivered to their home in a couple of weeks. We do not believe our government focuses on one area of the Territory. Our government is a government for the whole Territory and for all Territorians.
Mr CONLAN (Greatorex): Madam Speaker, wrong, wrong, wrong. You are certainly not a government for the whole of the Northern Territory and the statement, along with most statements churned out from the 5th floor by some fancy whiz kid, indicates, once again, you do not care about the whole of the Northern Territory.
You do not care about the southern part of the Northern Territory, you do not care about anything south of Barkly and, once again, we have seen it. You might be governing for the Top End, which is fine, but you are not governing for the rest of the Northern Territory ...
Mr Westra van Holthe interjecting.
Mr CONLAN: I hear the member for Katherine suggesting the same thing, because poor old Katherine is going through much the same as Alice Springs. It is very cute.
I remember a few years ago, in my former job as a shock jock, I shocked the daylights out of you guys at every given moment. Gee, what fun! Back in those days I remember some whiz kid, whoever it was - it might have been under the reign of – who was the 110th most powerful person in the Northern Territory? – one of your advisors - Richard O’Leary. Good old Dick O’Leary. Under his reign he coined the phrase: ‘Ah, Alice Springs, they are talking the town down’. It resonated amongst the government and government advisors, but it did not work in Alice Springs. It did not resonate in Alice Springs; people knew exactly what was going on.
You are really preaching to yourselves; preaching to the converted: ‘Oh, Madam Speaker, they are talking the Territory down; they are talking down their town’. We know we are not talking down the town, people in Alice Springs know we are not talking down the town; everyone knows we are not talking down the town. The only running down of the town happening in this House is because of you. You are running the town down and all we are doing is highlighting your incompetence when it comes to managing, running and resourcing a wonderful outback community such as Alice Springs. That is exactly what is happening. People in Central Australia are not stupid. We get it; we know exactly what is happening. We walk around the main streets of the CBD and just about every street corner is now vacant.
The member for Araluen listed a number of businesses in Central Australia that have closed down. I am going to run through a number of them once again. You might call it repetition; I call it reinforcement of your failure. The people of the Northern Territory need to know often, and it cannot be reinforced enough just how incompetent and how much you have failed the people of Central Australia, the boarder Northern Territory community. You might be bored with it, you might get sick of hearing it, but, by golly, I am going to keep saying it.
We have the Golden Inn in 2010 - do you remember that one? The Golden Inn was a Chinese restaurant in the electorate of Greatorex which shut down in 2010. The Red Tomato Restaurant shut down in 2010. I am listing some of the restaurants, but there are many others. We have GD McGees – it has gone; Big Al’s, a takeaway, vale Big Al’s too, member for Araluen. In 2011, Big Al’s went. Keller’s restaurant shut down a few years ago - 2008, or it might have been 2009. Mbantua Gallery is another one that has downsized significantly. Pulver’s restaurant, one of the greats out on the Ross Highway for years and years. One of the great international beer collections anywhere in the world at Pulver’s, gone. The Lane restaurant gone; all over, finished. There are a number of other businesses in Central Australia that have gone to the wall or simply pulled out because they had no confidence in the town and that is your legacy; that is what you have done.
Let me tell you about the Chief Minister: he is no good. He is hopeless. He does not care. All he can do is sit here and play the man. He cannot play the issues, he cannot talk about the bigger issues, he cannot even give a speech off the cuff, he has to read it. It is all, once again, tricky words, clich after clich - gearing up for growth and getting the Territory back on the rails. We heard today about turbocharging the economy and all that stuff, clich after clich, fancy word after fancy word by his spin doctor whiz kid on the 5th floor. All he does is read it verbatim. After 11 years in the job and four or five years as Chief Minister he cannot stand here with pride and give a speech off the cuff because he is bereft, he is no good, he has no idea, no vision for Central Australia, and no vision for Alice Springs. He will not even commit to a debate. If he was so convinced and confident in himself and the policies of this government he would accept the challenge of the Leader of the Opposition to a debate at Leanyer Primary School.
He could not even be bothered fronting the people of Alice Springs last year. Remember ‘no-show Hendo’ was the catch cry from the gallery because Paul Henderson MLA did not have the intestinal fortitude to walk out to 100 or 200 people and say: ‘I feel your pain; I know what is going on’. Instead, he hid in the Chamber and refused to face the people of Central Australia. Everyone else was out there. He would have garnered so much more respect from the people of Central Australia if he had bothered to front the people of Central Australia that day. That was after the tsunami of crime. I know you laugh at such a term. I have not heard anything more apt in my life. That is exactly what it was in 2010-11: a tsunami of crime. There is no better word to encapsulate what Alice Springs and Central Australia went through in the summer of 2010-11?
What is so appalling is that, as the member for Araluen so articulately put it today, there is not one mention of Alice Springs or Central Australia in this statement. I do not know how it makes you feel. I look at you, member for Stuart, and feel so sorry for you. I know you know what is going on, and you must hang your head. Are you bullied and humiliated in Cabinet? Do they sit there and laugh at you? Do they say: ‘Do not worry about Karl; he is a nowhere man. He is a no show; he is a nowhere man, he does not do anything. Do not worry, we can have our way with Karl, he will do whatever we want’ ...
Mr HAMPTON: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The member for Greatorex should speak through the Chair. He is becoming very intimidating and aggressive.
Madam SPEAKER: Thank you, minister.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Can you please direct your comments through the Chair?
Mr CONLAN: I certainly will. I remember a comment by no-show Hendo who suggested I was about as intimidating as a wet lettuce. Perhaps you can inform him that is not quite right.
Mr KNIGHT: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The member well knows he has to refer to members of the House by their electorate.
Madam SPEAKER: Thank you. If you could refer to the Chief Minister by his title.
Mr CONLAN: Thank you, Madam Speaker, I will. It is very hard to string the words ‘that guy who sits there’ and honour him with the title of Chief Minister. He is there, whether we like it or not. Most of us do not like it, but, unfortunately, he is the one for now.
The member for Stuart must be bullied in Cabinet. He never seems to get his way. He tells us all the time he is committed to Central Australia. I believe him, which is why I feel so sorry for him. He is a member of the community. All our children grow up there. We all live there, we all share the community ...
Mrs Lambley: And the pain.
Mr CONLAN: ... and the pain. He knows what is going on. Unless he is blind he must see it. I am sure he understands it and notices the businesses closing down. He witnesses the crime, the assaults, and probably knows many people who have been assaulted. He probably knows a few people who are committing the assaults. I do not know why, in heaven’s name, he cannot get this government to commit to the great outback town of Alice Springs. What is it? I can only assume you have no power whatsoever; you are a figurehead, member for Stuart. You are simply the Minister for Central Australia, which is just a badge they have stuck on you and said: ‘Wear this, it will give you something. You can walk around with your Minister for Central Australia badge but you have no power’. You clearly have no power whatsoever.
The heavyweights in Cabinet, the member for Karama and the Chief Minister - the greatest bully of them all - and the member for Johnston - goodness me! He has saved this side of himself for this time, has he not? We are seeing his true colours. I thought we might have seen his true colours earlier. There is no end to the depth he will stoop – a bottom feeder is what he is and that is what he loves. That is what he thrives on.
Member for Katherine, how does that song by Jethro Tull go? I know he was a Jethro Tull fan and I believe the lyrics say: really don’t mind if you sit this one out. Do you remember those days, member for Johnston, when you were an alchemist down in Nimbin or Mullumbimby cooking up things and playing with people’s lives? We know you have a past ...
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Relevance.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Greatorex, if you can come to the point and speak to the statement rather than making personal comments it would be helpful. Can come to the point fairly soon.
Mr CONLAN: We all know, member for Johnston, you are not showered in glory and there is no depth too deep for you to stoop to. We are about to see over the next seven months probably a depth we have not seen before from you. You have been pretty good over the last 11 years or so, scraping the bottom of the barrel, coming up here and being the man, the fighter, the one who takes it on. However, I have a feeling that in the next seven months we are going to start to see something from you that we have never seen before. Get ready everyone because nothing will be off limits. It will be a race to the bottom as far as the member for Johnston is concerned and that will be your legacy. That will be it, amongst all the other things - 1971 and all that stuff.
The member for Port Darwin, who was the member for Macdonnell - all the pretending, the mouthing of words and all that you made along the way ...
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Relevance.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Greatorex, it has been drawn to my attention that it is …
Members interjecting.
Mr CONLAN: Whatever! Whatever!
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Greatorex!
Mr CONLAN: Yes, Madam Speaker.
Madam SPEAKER: I am speaking.
Mr CONLAN: Sorry, I did not - yes.
Madam SPEAKER: Standing Order 62 relates to relevance. There is a statement before the House regarding growth in the Northern Territory. If you could come back to the statement, please.
Mr CONLAN: Certainly. I have made my point - a point I will continue to make over the next seven months because, make no mistake, we have not seen the end of it ...
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Greatorex! Order!
Dr Burns interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr CONLAN: Whatever! Whatever, mate! Whatever!
Madam SPEAKER: Leader of Government Business, you will cease interjecting.
Member for Greatorex, direct your comments through the Chair, please, and stick to the topic.
Mr CONLAN: People in glass houses should not throw stones, member for Johnston. If you do not have the intestinal fortitude to do that, do not expect others to.
Madam Speaker, we are back to the Northern Territory and how, as far as this government is concerned, the Northern Territory is about Darwin and Palmerston. We see it with last year’s farcical celebration of 100 years of the Northern Territory. What a load of rubbish that was! The Northern Territory was not 100 years old. We forget Central Australia was its own entity in its own jurisdiction for five years. Many people in Central Australia would long for that and lament that day. In fact, 1 February could have become Central Australia Day. It was not 100 years old. It might have been formed 100 years ago or 101 years ago, but it is not 100 years old.
That is lost on a government focused on Darwin and Palmerston - probably not even Palmerston. I suggest a Darwin or northern suburbs-centric government and we see it in this statement, another wonderful propaganda political puff piece. How many more are we going to see over the next seven months and the government reels it out at 10.30 am? This is the first day; it does not show much for your legislative agenda for the year if, at 10.30 am, after the opening of parliament, we move straight to another puff piece, full of spin, full of clichs, gearing up for the Territory, turbocharging the economy - getting things back on the rails. It does not say much at all. Unfortunately, again, I have to draw back to the minister for Central Australia because I got a little sidetracked.
It was hard with the member for Johnston; he tends to dominate things because of the rich tapestry of the man he is. He loves to poke fun at people. It is a bit consuming sometimes, so I was a little sidetracked.
Essentially, I was talking about the Minister for Central Australia who, I believe, cares. I really want to believe he cares about Alice Springs. Sometimes, I question it. The member for Braitling is tearing his hair out trying to give the Minister for Central Australia the benefit of the doubt. I say: ‘Adam, mate, seriously, do not be so hard on Karl’. I say it all the time. ‘Do not be so hard on Karl, he really does care. Do not be like that, Adam. Do not go down there and say it. Do not do that. Please give him a bit more room’. Honestly, we have had conversations late into the night. I am trying to talk him out of doing something he might regret because I believe Karl does care. I really think he does ...
Mr KNIGHT: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The member needs to refer, again, to members by their electorate name.
Mr CONLAN: I was just relating a conversation, Madam Speaker.
Madam SPEAKER: Indeed, member for Greatorex. If you could stick with the standing orders and refer to members by their titles.
Mr CONLAN: Thank you, Madam Speaker. I am doing my best to keep my colleagues at bay because they are after you, Karl. However, you live in my electorate and I want your vote ...
A member: Does he not live in his own electorate?
Mr CONLAN: No, he does not. I want to do everything for you because when I was elected I said: ‘I am not just going to serve those who voted for me; I am going to serve everyone’. You are a constituent of mine whether you voted for me or not and I want to ensure you get the benefit of the doubt on every occasion. I believe he cares about Central Australia. I believe he cares ...
Mr Giles: He has a good local member.
Mr CONLAN: He does. My other colleagues are not convinced, but I believe ...
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr CONLAN: That is why I believe there is something going on in Cabinet. There has to be something going on because you cannot turn a trick. They leave you out to dry. They hang you out at every opportunity. They roll you over; they roll you out the door. I do not know what you say. He is like a little mouse at the end of the Cabinet table: ‘Please, speak to me’ ...
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! As strange and bizarre as these rantings are, they are not relevant to the debate at all.
Mr GILES: Speaking to the point of order, Madam Speaker, this is highly relevant. This is about the Territory’s future. This puff piece is about the Territory’s future and is highly relevant.
Madam SPEAKER: Thank you for the contribution. It is certainly not relevant. Member for Greatorex, please come to the point of the statement rather than making personal comments.
Mr CONLAN: Madam Speaker, in the time I have left I will say it is an extraordinarily disappointing statement. No mention of Alice Springs. Today in Question Time we heard a dorothy dixer about what you had been up to over the Christmas/New Year break. What has the government done for the Territory over the summer period, and what do we hear from the Chief Minister - that is hard for me to acknowledge - nevertheless, we hear a stack of things for Darwin and Palmerston and nothing for Central Australia or Katherine.
They are serial offenders when it comes to neglect of the regions; serial offenders when it comes to neglect of the business community, the economy and the social welfare of the people of Alice Springs. I have a list of 44 businesses that have shut down in the last couple of years - restaurants, galleries, accountants and retail stores. Forty-four have shut their doors because they lack the confidence or have been thrown to the wall by your incompetence and your lack of resources in Alice Springs. It is an absolute disgrace what you have done and everyone knows it. You can trot out the line as much as you like, and I know the ...
Mr Tollner: Madam Speaker ...
Mr CONLAN: It is okay, member for Fong Lim, I will finish up. I know the member for Johnston will trot out the line because there is no depth too low he will not stoop to over the next seven months. We are not talking down the town; we love the town. I will put it on the record: I love Alice Springs and I will do anything to ensure it is restored to its former glory. Part of being in this House is just that, and I hope we have the opportunity to do so in seven months time.
Mr KNIGHT (Justice and Attorney-General): Madam Speaker, I support the Chief Minister’s statement. I will start my contribution by talking about Alice Springs. I find Alice Springs a wonderful town. The member for Greatorex said he will do anything to support Alice Springs. He will go to the national media, tell the world, and go viral on the Internet saying how bad Alice Springs is. That is how …
Mr CONLAN: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I did not say anything of the sort.
Madam SPEAKER: If you wish to make a personal explanation you can contact me later.
Mr KNIGHT: The member for Greatorex will tell the world how bad Alice Springs is. He then said businesses are closing down. Well, they are closing down because he is driving people out of the town. He is telling tourists not to visit Alice Springs. He is wrecking Alice Springs. He sits in his home and will not go out to his electorate. He hates being in Darwin, but he rubbishes Alice Springs. He is literally mad and we have listened to his contribution for 25 minutes ...
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, I would like you to withdraw that comment, please.
Mr KNIGHT: I withdraw, Madam Speaker. Anyone who heard his contribution over the last 25 minutes would be questioning his sanity and mental state because any logical person would realise a town like Alice Springs - the people are great. I spend much time there. There is a great sporting life, a great environment, and I have met many business people there. They are having a crack. He talks about 40 businesses closing down. Well, how many have started up? There would be dozens and dozens start up.
We have the highest business confidence in the government’s policies of any jurisdiction in Australia, and that has been quarter upon quarter over the years. Businesses in Alice Springs know this Labor government is doing the right thing by them with our policies and our attraction programs. The problem is, we can do all that good work and some buffoon says the town is rubbish and riddled with crime. That goes viral and you have given yourself millions and millions of dollars of bad press. It is crazy to be sticking with that type of strategy. He comes into this House and tells everybody listening, or on the Internet, exactly the same thing. Every sittings he says Alice Springs is stuffed, Alice Springs is stuffed, Alice Springs is stuffed. We know it is not.
We know it has social problems. Every community in Australia has social problems and those people want to get on with it. We have businesses ringing up saying: ‘Look, we just want to get on with it. We don’t want all this bad press’. Alice Springs has a lot going for it. It is a very tightknit community, and this government wants to work very closely with it to take the opportunities - there has been a recent oil discovery.
The minister for Resources will be assisting that process, and the minister for the Environment will be ensuring the safeguards exist; however, there is a wonderful opportunity to get economic development happening in Alice Springs. The recent announcement of the aircraft graveyard there – no one would have thought the isolation and environment would be perfect - even better than the Arizona Desert - for the storage or demolition or these large aircraft. There are business opportunities; all you have to do is have faith, confidence, and an open mind and you can make it happen. You cannot have an aircraft graveyard in Darwin because of the humidity. What cannot happen in Darwin can happen in Alice Springs and vice versa.
It is quite logical offshore gas cannot happen in Alice Springs; however, today we are celebrating the opportunities which have come to the Northern Territory with offshore gas. This government has voraciously pursued those opportunities through the previous Chief Minister and the current Chief Minister. I have had the opportunity to be involved with offshore oil and gas - the subsea technology in Scotland, Singapore and Norway. The way they started 20, 30, 40 and 50 years ago was very much the same way Darwin is at the moment. Aberdeen started off as a small fishing village with a bit of agricultural production. Suddenly, Texans were walking around with big hats, offshore oil and gas was discovered and the community developed from there. They went from having no international schools to having six. Luckily for the Scots, there was an oil crash and the Americans left. As the oil price came back local businesses adapted their shipbuilding technology into the oil and gas industry. These are the big players we have now.
These opportunities exist in the Northern Territory. A great deal of credit goes to Clare Martin, the previous Chief Minister, for seeing the opportunity for the INPEX/Ichthys project. This Chief Minister needs to be credited with the vision for the Marine Supply Base. The Marine Supply Base is equally as significant as the INPEX project because it will be, potentially, supplying every offshore oil and gas facility in the Arafura Sea and off north Western Australia. Basically, the Marine Supply Base is a great big shopping centre where the rig tenders come in. Everything that goes with a large workers’ camp, multiple rigs and floating vessels needs to be supplied. Businesses in Darwin will supply the Marine Supply Base and it will be sent out from there. Maintenance of the equipment will also happen there.
We are about to see a huge take-off of our manufacturing industry, our repairs and maintenance and engineering industries, even our retail areas, getting down to our domestic cleaning supplies level where they are supplying quite large facilities offshore. The attraction for these companies is they have this facility sitting in a modern city with good accommodation, good facilities and a good lifestyle - where they can house their employees if they need to and can have their equipment serviced by professional, highly-skilled workers.
Darwin’s location always worked against it in the past and the economy of Australia sat in the southeastern corner. Now, it is in the north - the north of Western Australia, and we have that potential. The railway, which is quite significant now, will be a major link in the future. We need to tap into that supply of containerised goods into Australia through the Port of Darwin - it is very low numbers at the moment - and capture the market that now goes to Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide through the Port of Darwin. At the moment everything coming north is raw materials. If we can capture that, we will have containerised products heading back into Australia through the Port of Darwin, which will expand it quite significantly. The potential is tremendous. We have pursued these projects. You have to chase projects to keep them coming through the system. Look how far out chasing INPEX was to when it landed. We had FID only a few weeks ago and work is commencing now. Our Marine Supply Base was a vision of the Chief Minister only a few years ago. We now have a proponent and that work will commence and, over the next couple of years, will be completed. You need to keep these things coming.
My job, and one of my roles as Minister for Essential Services, is critical to the supply of our vital services which keep a community going - power, water and sewerage. With our power supply, we have invested, are investing, and have set aside a significant amount of money - up to $1.6bn has been invested into Power and Water, a vital institution for our economy, the community, and for business in the Northern Territory.
Starting in Alice Springs, the Ron Goodin estate, noisy, old - some of those turbines came off fairly large ships, I understand. I have toured that facility and we need to turn it into a museum they are that old. The decision was made, for a number of reasons, to relocate the power station. It was much needed, and we are planning for the growth of the economy of Alice Springs and have confidence the economy will grow. We have invested $153m in the new Owen Springs Power Station 25 km south of Alice Springs. That will power the town over the next 50 years, and what a fabulous facility it is! Many local companies worked on building the power station. Ross Engineering, one of the key local businesses, did a tremendous job. There is a large parcel of land with plenty of opportunity for new turbines to go in there. There was also the upgrade of Lovegrove Zone Substation in Alice Springs. Those substations play a vital role in the distribution of power.
The Alice Springs projects will increase the generation capacity by 30%. Also, with the continued use of natural gas and the increased efficiency of these brand new turbines, I am advised some $10m has been pumped into the local economy. Obviously, much of the project money went to the purchase of the turbines from overseas as we do not manufacture them in Australia. What a sight it was to see the massive turbines coming into the Port of Darwin and heading all the way – 1500 km - to Alice Springs. Approximately 100 jobs were created and 16 local businesses gained work from that. We have three 10.9 MW dual fuel units there and it is a great project.
On the generation side, we have a new turbine going in at Weddell - a $124m project - increasing the power generation capacity in the Top End. Most of our power had come from Channel Island. Those sets, one to seven, were very old and some were quite inefficient. Having all facilities at Channel Island provided some vulnerability for our power generation. Also, the demand for supply is increasing because our population is growing. People are not leaving the Territory; they are coming to the Territory. Businesses are starting up and their power needs are significant. So, power generation is important. The third machine to go in at Weddell gives an extra 25% generation capacity for the Darwin/Katherine power system. It has also enabled us to take off-line the older generators to have their midlife refurbishment, which is happening at the moment. When that is completed over the next 12 months we will have significant power reserves.
The Channel Island project was a $234m refurbishment. Katherine Power Station has also had generation augmentation, as well as Yulara and Tennant Creek Power Stations. One of the other significant pieces of infrastructure has been Archer Zone substation, located at the bottom end of Palmerston across the road from Moulden. That gives us redundancy in the system at Palmerston. Previously, all power coming into Palmerston came through one zone substation so there was a single point of failure opportunity there. The Palmerston Zone Substation has performed very well, but Archer Zone Substation gives us redundancy and room for growth into the new eastern suburbs of Palmerston and for Weddell. This is planning for growth; this is having confidence in the future. The other zone substation we are upgrading is the Snell Street Zone Substation. There will be construction there in the future - that is $43m. Casuarina has been upgraded, Snell Street is being upgraded and Archer. We will be building further zone substations to strengthen our power and water supply.
On water supply, a demand and supply analysis was done and found a need to expand our capacity at Darwin River Dam. This was a $13.6m project and raised the dam wall by 1.2 m, giving us an extra 20% for the growth of Darwin and the greater Darwin area. This is a fabulous project. Our strategy with water supply into the future has been to not eat into the Howard East bore field. We only use half the allocation there. Those aquifers are pretty well committed so the strategy was upgrading Darwin River Dam, which has been done, bringing Manton Dam back online, and eventually moving to Warrai Dam. We do not want to do that work; we would like to not invest that money because it means a higher cost down to the line to the customer, but we have those strategies. Work has been done on Manton Dam and on Warrai Dam. When we get to the stage we require them they will be built.
The Larrakeyah outfall has been in place for about 35 years. Under many local CLP members, including Chief Minister, Shane Stone, that facility failed to be recognised as needing an upgrade. This government, when it came to office, decided to do something about it. A number of studies were done, scoping, and, in 2006, Cabinet made a decision to upgrade and close the Larrakeyah outfall. Work commenced, and we are well on our way to having that facility closed off and Ludmilla treatment plant upgraded. We will have a very modern facility at Ludmilla. The outfall does not have any impact on the quality of the near shore water of Darwin. That has been proven by eminent professors and environmental scientists at Charles Darwin University. They have conducted studies on where the extension to the East Point outfall will go and there is no contamination from that to areas around the shore.
The reuse project in Alice Springs is a great facility and won the National Engineers Australia award. I was there for the opening in 2008. There are further plans to pump much of that water back into the aquifer for reuse. Also, $13.9m has been spent on the Roe Creek bore field in Alice Springs for water supply.
A project nearer to home in my electorate is the conversion of the Wadeye Power Station, which runs on diesel at the moment, over to gas. That work is happening now. They have a new rising main water supply, and work clearing the land for the power station is occurring. That will be a great facility running on gas from the Blacktip pipeline and will, in the future, power Palumpa and also Wudapuli and Nama.
Madam Acting Deputy Speaker, these are great projects which show this government is focused on the future growth of the Northern Territory. We do not want to talk it down. We have a great deal of confidence in the growth of our economy, and the growth of our population. For the member for Greatorex to slag off his own town is disgusting. We have faith in Alice Springs. We have faith in all the regional towns and communities in the Northern Territory to develop their own opportunities around economic development. We will work side by side with them in gearing up for the growth of the Northern Territory.
Mr TOLLNER (Fong Lim): Madam Acting Deputy Speaker, I was quite interested to hear members on the other side say our members were not being relevant to the discussion. When you have a statement called Gearing up for Growth, it is pretty hard to stray off the subject. Practically every topic under the sun has some relevance to that. It is understandable government wants us to stick to some mantra it has created. It refuses to listen to sense. I would like to take the time to reflect on some of the things this government has said it is doing. The INPEX project is a wonderful project and no member in this Chamber has said anything different. It is great for Darwin and great for the Northern Territory. These projects do not come along often, and it is great to see they have turned up here.
However, to suggest it is all the work of this government is a rather long bow. The Chief Minister would like to take all the accolades for it. It is disappointing that the former Chief Minister was not acknowledged for her role in attracting INPEX to the Northern Territory and, indeed, previous chief ministers. The foundation stone for gas development in the Northern Territory has been the Bayu-Undan project run by ConocoPhillips. At the time, the CLP government was running things and that was the foundation project that would see the development of a gas industry in the Northern Territory. Indeed it was, and I expect in the future we will see more and more of these projects coming to Darwin as the world’s desire for energy increases. However, I am not here to haggle about those details. I lament the fact more people are not included in some way in the accolades passed around.
INPEX is a great project. It was quite a coup to see the Ichthys field come from Western Australia. Of course, the reason it came was because of the dead hand of government there. The government there could not act. We all remember the Labor government in Western Australia seemed to refuse to deal with INPEX. That forced their hand, and INPEX made the decision to run a very long pipeline to the Northern Territory because we were open for business and the Labor government in Western Australia was not. However, this INPEX project will have large ramifications on the Northern Territory. I am hoping it will cause a rethink of some of the Northern Territory government’s policy positions.
It was interesting to hear the member for Daly talk about people who are not quite sane and should be locked up. When you flick through the government’s Climate Change Policy, you have to wonder about the sense and sanity of a government which, on one hand is welcoming this wonderful project to the Northern Territory saying it is a game changer for the Northern Territory, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity - all of that we can agree with – but, on the other hand, is trying to peddle this line that it is going to reduce the Northern Territory’s greenhouse gas emissions by 60% of 2007 levels by the year 2050.
That is a remarkable policy position to have because with INPEX you will see a massive increase in greenhouse gas emissions. It has been suggested to me that it may well double or even triple the Northern Territory’s greenhouse gas emissions. Others have suggested it will add around 30%. I am not certain what the actual figure is, but it will add a great deal. If we say our population will grow by a mere 1% per annum to 2050, and we have an increase in greenhouse gas emissions by INPEX of some 30%, by 2050 we are looking at some very serious per capita cuts in greenhouse emissions - some suggest somewhere between 75% and 90% of per capita emissions.
How that is going to occur, I do not know. I cannot, for the life of me, envisage a way we can cut our emissions per capita by that amount unless we ban all motor vehicles off the roads, we power Palmerston for one night per week and Darwin for the other night per week, and we put Alice Springs on a drip feed system. Of course, member for Nhulunbuy, we would have to shut down the Gove plant to achieve those things. That is just silly talk. For the Labor Party to stick to its Climate Change Policy, its aspirational goal of reducing carbon emissions by 60% of 2007 levels by 2050, is a sign of complete madness. I do not believe there would be a single soul out there in the public who would accept that is achievable. The government should certainly drop that policy.
The other thing which concerns me about this government is its rabid support of federal Labor - those dopes down there who are running Australia. We saw last night on Four Corners the sort of people we have in charge of the Australian government. It is quite alarming to think these people have their hands on the lever of the Australian economy.
I was enormously proud this parliament supported opposing the Gillard government’s carbon tax. That was a remarkable thing to do and I felt very proud, as a Territorian, we would be opposing that. I was very disappointed the government did not follow through on the will of the parliament and support opposing the carbon tax initiative. The fact is, on 1 July, we will enter a new era in Australia; we will have a carbon taxing regime in Australia. Sad, but true. They say it is going to start at $23 a tonne, which does not sound like a great deal.
I was trying to work out the emissions INPEX may create over its time in the Northern Territory. The closest thing I could get was a story on ABC news from a couple of days ago where Stuart Blanch - our good friend, Stuart Blanch from the Environment Centre – said the project is expected to generate some 280 million tonnes of emissions over the next 40 years. I am reluctant to quote Dr Blanch as he said some of the most inane, silly things in the past such as he wants permanent water restrictions in Darwin because people wash their cars on the driveway, as though that is some sort of crime. He expects INPEX will emit 280 million tonnes of carbon dioxide over the next 40 years. Working that out at $23 per tonne, you come up with a figure of $6.4bn INPEX is going to fork out for a carbon tax to the federal government over the next 40 years. If you average that out over 40 years, that is around $160m per year going to the federal government. People on the other side of this House will say: ‘That is wonderful. INPEX is paying its way’, but what is the federal government doing with that money? It will send it to developing countries around the world to grow trees and do all types of things to reduce carbon emissions. What would it mean to the Northern Territory if that $160m a year stayed in the Territory for us to use?
Imagine the projects you could fund, the infrastructure you could put in place or the projects you could do with an extra $150m a year. Enormous opportunities lie there. What makes it even more galling is the gas we are producing in the Northern Territory will go overseas to countries that will use it to replace other energy production means such as coal-fired power stations. Those other countries will receive the benefit of our gas and we pay the bill. INPEX, now a local business, will be paying the bill to reduce emissions overseas. Not only that, it will be sending $6.4bn to the Commonwealth government, the majority of which will go overseas to fund third world countries to grow trees. This is complete and utter madness! You have to ask: ‘Who could possibly have come up with such a harebrained scheme?’ These projects happen in Australia and that money should be there for Australians and, more importantly, for Territorians to use on local projects.
We have a Chief Minister who gives a statement about gearing up for growth and, at the same time, has a policy saying he wants to cut our carbon emissions by 60% from 2007 levels by 2050. What sort of growth are we going to have in an environment like that? We are already seeing it right across the Territory. Look at building requirements there days and all the green initiatives you have to put in place. They are driving up the cost of buildings like there is no tomorrow. We cannot live in tropical style houses any longer. We have to accept some type of building design from Sydney, Melbourne or Canberra someone described to me as an esky with an air-conditioner jammed into the side of it. They say that is environmentally friendly!
Whatever happened to high ceilings, fans and louvres? What happened to the way people live in the tropics anywhere else in the world? It seems this government does not have a jot of an idea on the construction of a tropical style house in the tropics. Look at what needs to be done in the Territory to meet greenhouse reduction targets in relation to land clearing. I have seen the draft document the minister has put out on native vegetation and it is horrific. You are going to need a permit to chop a dead branch off a tree! People will need an EIS to plough 150 acres to grow food. You cannot clear regrowth. All this is madness. This is a handbrake on growth not gearing up for growth.
Look at what the government is doing in relation to water. It is restricting access to water so industries cannot grow - so they limit the amount of greenhouse gas emissions in the Northern Territory. The philosophy this government has is like a cancer spreading across the Northern Territory impacting on every single person. It is totally debilitating.
We talked about the Daly River. Why can’t a few people pump water from the Daly River? No, we would not want the Daly to be another Murray/Darling. For goodness sake! The Murray/Darling has 64 000 farms on it and produces more than half Australia’s food. We do not even have 64 farms along the Daly, let alone 64 000 farms. Why the massive water restrictions? How many gigalitres flow into the ocean every year? Some of that can be harvested to allow production of food and allow businesses and industries to grow in some of our remote and rural areas. It is just wrong.
This whole carbon reduction strategy being peddled by this government supports, for some unknown reason, the idea of Gillard and Rudd to tax these guys and send their money overseas to third world countries in order to what? It is hard to conceive what the dividend is. We know Australia emits less than 2% of the world’s emissions. In 12 months, China completely replaces all the emissions created by Australia’s entire energy production sector. That happens every year. We could stop greenhouse reductions in Australia tomorrow. We stop everything. We do not even light campfires and, in one year’s time, China will have picked up the entire slack of Australia. Why are we going down this path, particularly when we are in a developing part of Australia? We do not have a large economy. We do not have many large business operators. This is really the first big business to hit the Northern Territory - the INPEX project - and what are we doing? We are going to tax it $6.4bn over 40 years. It is completely wrong. Not only are we putting a $6.4bn tax on INPEX, but we are flogging to death every Territorian. It is like boiling a frog. We hit them with every regulation, every requirement. We stop people doing things, stop businesses growing, we stop everything.
The hypocrisy is we have a Chief Minister making a statement to this House titled Gearing up for Growth. That is blatant hypocrisy. This government is not gearing up for anything. This government is winding everything back as fast and as hard as it can. The tentacles of the extreme Greens are well and truly embedded in every member who sits on the other side. The Greens/Labor coalition in Canberra is alive and well in the Northern Territory. We have people trying to strangle our industries, shut down everything. It is alarming.
Madam Deputy Speaker, I was up in the air whether I should talk on this today, but I had to say something about where this government is taking us, this handbrake on development, this stopping everything, this nanny state we are in. For goodness sake, you have to show your ID at the bottle-o these days and take bags to the shopping centre. Everywhere you look there is another impediment in your way, it does not matter where. First it was speed limits then pool fencing. All these things are crushing Territorians ...
Mrs LAMBLEY: A point of order, Madam Acting Deputy Speaker! Pursuant to Standing Order 77, I move an extension of time for the member for Fong Lim.
Motion agreed to.
Mr TOLLNER: Thank you very much. I do not have much more to say. This government is strangling the life out of us all. It is suffocating us with regulation, with laws and with requirements. The green Nazis have now taken over and are trying to suffocate the life out of all our rural industries. It is harder and harder for mining projects to set up. I remember some time ago a federal government committee was looking at exploration in Australia. Australia was, at that time, rated the best country in the world to explore but rated the worst country in the world on two counts, one being land access. The Northern Territory not only has native title like the rest of Australia, but we have the added impediment, when it comes to land access, of the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act. It is a problem for people who want to explore and develop mines. It sets a whole new level.
The other area where we fall down in Australia is the level of green tape. Green tape is strangling the life out of opportunity in this country and we have a government in the Northern Territory that has taken up the cudgels and is wrapping everything in green tape. Whether you are trying to build a house, going to the shops to buy groceries, want to buy a soft drink - a can of Coke or some other beverage - want to farm a couple of hundred acres on the Daly, pump some water to feed stock, pump some water to grow produce, or whether you need to clear a bit of land, it is all being wrapped up in green tape. It is suffocating the Northern Territory. This nonsense has to stop.
Of course, we all support the environment. We want to see things preserved and looked after; however, fundamentally, the land is there for the people and you cannot support or protect the environment unless you have the funds to do so. If you strangle industry, strangle business, and strangle the working men and women of the Northern Territory with bureaucracy, red tape and green tape, the last thing you are going to get is the revenue required to protect the environment.
There has to be a balance. Unfortunately in this case, the scales have plummeted with this weight of bureaucracy, red tape, green tape and everything else that goes with the Labor/Greens federal coalition. We are seeing it here in spades. The tentacles of the Greens have infiltrated the entire Labor government of the Northern Territory. It is time somebody stood up and said: Stop, we need to breathe. We need to get out of our houses and work productively. We need to have entrepreneurs. We need people with a bit of get up and go’. People used to talk about the can-do Territory. Well, you can do things. If you have a good idea do not tell me about it, do it. This is a can-do place - it used to be a can-do place. Nowadays, it is a can-do place if you can get through this regulation, that regulation and that law. Get over 100 hurdles and perhaps you will have a chance of doing something.
Madam Acting Deputy Speaker, INPEX is a fantastic project. However, the problems it will cause for this government, and Territorians across the board if this government continues with its priority of reducing greenhouse gas admissions by 60% from 2007 levels by 2050, will be enormous. As I said: turn the lights off in Palmerston, turn the lights off in Darwin, turn them off in Alice Springs, boot Alcan out of the Northern Territory, and ban everyone from driving cars. That is, basically, what the government is saying and is an awful shame.
Mr HAMPTON (Natural Resources, Environment and Heritage): Madam Acting Deputy Speaker, I am pleased to support the Chief Minister’s statement, Gearing up for Growth. Before I get into my response, I want to touch on the member for Greatorex’s comments on Central Australia, particularly Alice Springs. In many ways it is water off a duck’s back for me with the personal attacks the member for Greatorex wanted to fire across the Chamber. It is a robust Chamber we are in, and that is part of the politics we are in.
I will focus on some of the achievements. Since I was elected into the parliament in 2006, I have been a strong advocate for Central Australia and Alice Springs. I am honoured to be Minister for Central Australia. There have been many achievements, and that is what I will focus my attention and contribution on. Regarding my local community work, I was born and raised in Alice Springs and my family has been there for generations. I will be there long after my political career is finished. I will not leave town and go back to where I came from as other members may do. Alice Springs is my home; I am passionate about it. After I finish my political career, I will still be there …
Mr Giles: We are hoping you will be, Karl.
Mr HAMPTON: Absolutely, I love it.
We will not get into the electorate of Greatorex, although I have some good projects there I would like to mention. With key achievements, it is important we balance the contribution of the member for Greatorex with some good news and positive aspects of Central Australia.
Some of the key achievements - I have a list which I will go through – are: upgrades of the Alice Springs Hospital, a significant project for Alice Springs providing opportunities for many subcontractors, which is ticking along very well; the opening of the Alice Spring Police Beat; improvements to the Tanami and Mereenie Loop Roads; upgrading Traeger Park; opening of the Alice Springs Aquatic and Leisure Centre, which has been a great asset to the community of Alice Springs and Central Australia; opening the Red Centre Way West Macs Discovery Centre at the Alice Springs Desert Park- a fantastic asset to a wonderful park; headworks have commenced on the new suburb of Kilgariff - every time I drive to the airport there are further developments; it is great to see the intersection going in at Norris Bell Avenue; the Larapinta seniors village is fairly close to being completed; the release of land at Mt Johns and the subdivision will again be kicking a few goals; Bunnings is going to be a great project for Alice Springs; and renovations to Kmart are being undertaken. The Bunnings complex will create an additional 160 jobs during the construction phase, with more than 110 new positions available in the Bunnings team.
The list keeps going on: we have the CBD revitalisation, and it was great to talk to the mayor recently about how that is progressing; the redevelopment of Springs Plaza in the Todd Mall is moving ahead; and upgrades or renovations to the Royal Flying Doctor Service in Alice Springs is another project moving along very well.
I met with many businesses late last year - the Chamber of Commerce, Tourism Central Australia - and government certainly understands they are doing it tough. It is tough times, not only in the Northern Territory, but right across our country. There is an underlying confidence within the business community in Alice Springs. As I said before in this House, I attended the October Business Month breakfast in Alice Springs where some 250 businesses were represented. They were very upbeat and very confident in what they need to do to see through these tough times.
With regard to Central Australia, there was some talk about incidents over the summer of 2010. We know it was a tough time with crime in Alice Springs. We know, through the Chief Minister’s answers today, we had Operation Thresher operating in Alice Springs. There were some outstanding results and some very hard work from our local police. I would like to pass my thanks on to those police officers who did a fantastic job over the summer.
There was another fantastic program over the summer in Alice Springs and government chipped in $60 000 towards it - the holiday program. Initiatives were put forward by the community, particularly the youth services and non-government organisations, and I have received positive feedback regarding the holiday program from those various sectors. I can advise the House around 1400 people attended the four Blue Light SPLASH discos held over the summer holidays at the aquatic centre in Alice Springs. A great number of young people got involved in a fantastic event in a great facility. Also, the Cops and Kids basketball was heavily patronised and about 40 kids attended activities at Centralian Middle School each day. I am sure the minister for Education would be very pleased to hear about that.
Centralian Middle School has had its critics, and continues to have its critics, but it was great it could open its doors over the six week break and be involved in some of those holiday program activities. There were around 40 kids each day attending those activities at Centralian Middle School. Seventy-five percent of the young people attending these activities used the transport services provided under the extra funding from the Northern Territory government. I would say the increased effort to provide a coordinated summer holiday program was a key action identified by the Alice Springs Community Action Plan and it is an important part of the Alice Springs Youth Action Plan. The Alice Springs Youth Action Plan committee came out of the summer we had in 2010. I was involved in many community meetings in Alice Springs after that terrible summer. The Chief Minister visited on a couple of occasions and met with community people. Mayor, Damien Ryan, held a large community meeting at CDU in Alice Springs. In tough times the community has to pull together.
The government does not have all the answers but is an important facilitator in pulling people together and seeing change occur. I would like to thank and applaud those community groups, non-government organisations, and community services involved not only in the holiday program, but over the last 12 months. They rolled their sleeves up, became involved in meetings and discussions and worked hard and tirelessly towards turning things around. We had a better Christmas and holiday period with regard to crime. As I said, the police have done a fantastic job but, all in all, the holiday program was a huge success and I thank all involved.
Turning to Gearing up for Growth and my portfolio responsibilities, as Environment minister, a large amount of work was done with the environmental impact study on the INPEX project at Blaydin Point. It is a game changer. Everyone in this House agrees it is a game changer and is going to mean huge opportunities for the Northern Territory going forward for many years.
As minister for Environment, post the environmental impact study and the work that still needs to be done, my focus is on sustainable development in the Northern Territory. Under the Environmental Assessment Act, new developments are assessed according to the principles of ecologically sustainable development. A key platform of project environmental assessment is to get the balance right between encouraging development and protecting our unique Territory environment. My Department of Natural Resources, Environment, the Arts and Sport ensures a rigorous environmental assessment process is undertaken, as is expected by the Northern Territory community, in order to advise responsible ministers whether environmental impacts are acceptable and can be properly managed.
Since 2009, 168 projects have been assessed under the Environmental Assessment Act, including those assessed formally as public environment reports or environmental impact statements, and those that have not triggered formal assessments assessed as a notice of intent. I can advise the House that, of these projects, over 30 mining projects have been assessed. Seven tourism projects have been assessed, including additional cabins at Nitmiluk and the Wangi Falls Visitors Centre. Ten housing projects have been assessed, including subdivisions at Bellamack, Johnston, Muirhead, Kilgariff and Zuccoli. Numerous infrastructure projects have been assessed, including various roadworks, sewerage system upgrades, and the upgrade to the Elizabeth River boat ramp. Several major projects have been assessed, including the INPEX facility at Blaydin Point, INPEX accommodation facilities and the East Arm Wharf expansion.
The assessment of projects has enabled confidence by government that the environmental impacts of these projects are acceptable and can be properly managed. All these projects have contributed to growth and the sustainable development of the Northern Territory and its economy. The $33bn INPEX project at Blaydin Point is expected to create 3000 jobs at the peak of construction and provide a significant boost across the Northern Territory. The expansion of the East Arm Wharf in Darwin Harbour, including the development of the Marine Supply Base, will also have a significant impact on the Territory’s economy. The Marine Supply Base will help establish Darwin as a major oil and gas hub, and will service oil and gas supply ships. The project, expected to be completed in 2013, will employ approximately 125 people at the peak of construction, create 54 ongoing jobs, and support over 173 jobs in the broader economy.
In addition to facilitating sustainable development through the environmental assessment process, the Territory government is protecting our environment through a comprehensive compliance and enforcement framework to reduce environmental impact and increase compliance rates. In April 2010, additional measures were announced by the government to improve environmental compliance, including an additional $800 000 to NRETAS for more environmental compliance officers and licensing of additional high-risk activities ...
Mr Tollner: More environmental compliance officers? More hurdles.
Mr HAMPTON: More of them, absolutely. A licensing regime is being developed to provide greater regulatory control of high-risk activities that are not currently regulated under NT legislation. My department is also currently progressing development of an agency-wide compliance and enforcement policy and guidelines to ensure a targeted and transparent approach to compliance and enforcement.
The policy will provide guidance to industry, business and individuals on how the department will approach compliance and enforcement now and into the future. My department has also developed and is implementing a compliance plan and schedule to monitor compliance with licences and approvals under relevant legislation. Assessment includes desktop audits and site verification inspections. The department also continues to provide technical assistance for environmental harm minimisation to the commercial sector. Through all these measures, the Northern Territory government is working to ensure development of the Northern Territory is sustainable and providing a balance between growth and environmental protection.
As we gear up for growth in the oil and gas industry, the opportunities extend to regional areas of the Northern Territory. There has been some discussion regarding those opportunities reaching the regions and the bush, particularly jobs for Indigenous people. The Territory government is committed to sustainable development and a key tool we have introduced as part of ensuring all Territorians benefit from growth is our community benefits package approach. Where the environmental effects of a project cannot be avoided, mitigated or repaired at the site of the development, reasonable costs to a community benefits package can address these issues. For example, an environmental and social benefits package will provide long-term benefits for the community over the life of the INPEX project and well beyond.
The package includes support and implementation of the following: improving the understanding of the health of the harbour through funding and implementing important research and development programs over a 40-year commitment; a long-term survey of coastal dolphins to improve the understanding of dolphin numbers; distribution and critical resource needs; identify location and habitats of importance, providing valuable information to protect and maintain dolphin populations. It will also help produce habitat maps of the Darwin region, which will provide baseline information, inform monitoring, and allow for coastal planning.
The project will involve scientists from various organisations and Aboriginal ranger groups; conservation management of marine mega-fauna in the western Top End, supporting the north Australian centre for oil and gas and working with the Northern Territory government to pursue savannah fire management opportunities that will off-set some greenhouse gas emissions. Fire management initiatives offer significant opportunities for Aboriginal employment in the Territory, particularly rangers.
I am extremely proud of the world-recognised and world-leading West Arnhem Land Fire Abatement Project. This landmark greenhouse gas offset agreement between ConocoPhillips, the Northern Territory government, the Northern Land Council and traditional owners, and Indigenous land managers in West Arnhem Land recognises significant greenhouse gas abatement achieved through savannah fire management carried out by Indigenous ranger groups as an offset to some of the greenhouse gas emissions generated at the ConocoPhillips liquefied natural gas plant in Darwin Harbour. Under the arrangement, around $1m per year is invested into the project for 17 years to provide this fire management service. The project uses traditional fire management practices, together with modern scientific knowledge, to better control the extent and severity of savannah wildfires, thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions by around 100 000 tonnes per year.
As well as reducing greenhouse gas emissions and contributing to positive biodiversity conservation outcomes, WALFA is showing land management can provide sustainable employment for Indigenous land managers and support people living on country. The project shows how the vision the government has and the growth this government is delivering can benefit all Territorians, delivering jobs and investment in regional areas of the Territory, delivering real Indigenous employment on country, sustaining homelands, and ensuring our environmental benefits are there for all Territorians. The lessons learnt through this project are being put into practice with the INPEX project, with INPEX already committing to an offsets project similar to WALFA.
Turning to sport, now the INPEX project is moving to its next phase, the big challenge is to prepare the Territory for sustained growth, and that means supporting our great Territory lifestyle. This government is providing sporting infrastructure to ensure all Territorians have access to a wide range of facilities and activities that enhance this great lifestyle, and we are doing this in Palmerston.
During the 2008 election campaign, the Northern Territory government committed to delivering $22m towards an international standard facility for Palmerston. After extensive consultations, we further committed the funding project, now totalling $33m. There is $33m invested into Palmerston to build a strong community in spirit, to create jobs, and provide facilities to support our great lifestyle - an important thing. New tennis and netball facilities have been built at the current site adjacent to the Palmerston Aquatic and Leisure Centre in Driver, and less than a month ago the facilities opened. I welcome support from local families such as Palmerston mum, Nicole Fowler, who said recently the facility was fantastic and would be welcomed by busy parents. Her 12-year-old daughter, Kimberley Pyser, was a key netballer who used to have to travel to the sports complex at Marrara. Palmerston Netball Association President; Catherine Norton said the facility was great for Palmerston and rural families. She said it has made Palmerston a pinnacle for NT Netball.
The AFL facilities are being constructed, as planned, on the Charles Darwin University site and the upgrade of the Palmerston Magpies oval number 1, including the construction of lighting in the grandstand. The Palmerston Raiders rugby league facility is also being constructed on Crown land at Rosebery. The football facility is being constructed at the existing football site adjacent to Gray Primary School. Of course, the Palmerston Water Park is another great example of how this government is committed to the great Territory lifestyle and to building sport and recreation infrastructure for Territorians. The water park includes barbecues, play equipment area, kiosk, shade areas with slides, and is fantastic for the people of Palmerston. This government has invested in Palmerston to build a strong community, to create jobs and provide families the support to enjoy our great lifestyle.
I turn to the National Broadband Network. This government understands the power of telecommunications. Telecommunications is one of the key elements underpinning the economic growth of the Northern Territory. Without a reliable telecommunications network, projects such as INPEX would be much more difficult to bring to the Territory. A reliable, competitive high-speed telecommunications environment is fundamental in attracting large scale investments into the Northern Territory ...
Mr GUNNER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I move an extension of time for the member, pursuant to Standing Order 77.
Motion agreed to.
Mr HAMPTON: Thank you, colleagues. A reliable, competitive high-speed telecommunications environment is fundamental in attracting large scale investment into the Northern Territory. The commissioning of the Regional Backbone Blackspots Program optic fibre built by Nextgen is providing a competitive environment that is already seeing results. Nextgen is seeing a high demand for services for the new optic fibre beyond its expectations.
With the growth in oil and gas investment in Darwin, and the availability of a truly competitive telecommunications environment, the Northern Territory is well-positioned to take advantage of this investment foothold and further develop Darwin and the Territory. Further advances in the telecommunications sector will be required to provide high-speed reliable connections into the oil and gas fields to deliver the capacity required for modern driven technologies.
This is an exciting time for the Territory, particularly the telecommunications industry, from which the Territory can only gain and develop. The ability to shrink the distance between relatives and business interests and do it reliably at affordable cost is a fundamental requirement, particularly for people living in remote communities. This is why this government invested in the Arnhem Land Fibre Project with Telstra, Rio Tinto and the Northern Land Council in 2008. Our commitment to growth in the Territory is long-standing. Our investment of $6.5m means nine communities and more than 10 000 people in Arnhem Land are now connected to reliable broadband communications. Also, health clinics are now able to access applications and services not previously available because of overstressed and inadequate telecommunications infrastructure. Schools are now connected at 20 MB/s providing access to the Internet and educational material that has never been possible before.
This government continues to support the establishment of high-speed broadband across the Territory because we understand the benefits it will bring to all Territorians. This is why we are supporting the roll-out of the National Broadband Network. The NBN will bring high-speed broadband to all Territorians. The NBN will bring optic fibre to homes, businesses and public buildings in Darwin, Katherine, Tennant Creek, Alice Springs and Nhulunbuy. In Darwin, the reach of the optic fibre will include areas as far south as Humpty Doo and Noonamah. Fixed wireless will provide coverage in areas around Darwin such as Wagait Beach, Dundee Beach, Dundee Downs, Darwin River, Fly Creek, Berry Springs, Hughes, Marrakai, and Lambells Lagoon.
While the roll-out into remote areas of the Northern Territory is not expected to begin for two years, an interim satellite service is available to qualifying households. NBN is expected to launch its own purpose designed and built satellites in 2015. On 8 February, NBNCo announced the contract for two new purpose-built satellites to service the remote areas of Australia. These satellites are the newest technology, and will offer the same basic product of 12 MB/s download speed as the optic fibre network. Because everyone gets the NBN at a national standard wholesale price, for the first time all Territorians will have access to comparable telecommunications services regardless of where they live.
The possibilities for growth in remote and regional areas on the back of the NBN are becoming very real. To quote the National Digital Economy Strategy:
- On average, a 10% increase in connectivity would raise regional output by 0.53% compared with a 0.38% increase in metropolitan areas.
Territorians living in regional and remote areas of the Territory will gain the most from reliable and affordable communications. With the completion of the Arnhem Land optic-fibre link, the Regional Backbone Blackspots Program, and the roll--out of the NBN the Territory is well-positioned to support our vision for growth in the oil and gas and mining sectors. The downstream growth arising from this investment will also benefit many other sectors of the economy and the Territory as a whole. The telecommunications sector and infrastructure provided is a key part of the Territory’s development.
Madam Speaker, we are primed for prosperity and, in the words of the Chief Minister, are ready to take on the world. I am pleased to support this statement.
Debate adjourned.
MATTER OF PUBLIC IMPORTANCE
Police Response Times
Police Response Times
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I have received the following letter from the member for Blain:
Madam Speaker
- I propose for discussion this day the following definite matter of public importance –
the timely response of police to public emergencies and the protection, safety and wellbeing of Territorians.
- The letter is signed by the member for Blain.
The issue is what is the fundamental responsibility of a state, territory or federal government? In fact, what is the purpose of a government? That is a key question and if you assess that carefully you can distil it down to its core business. The core business of any government - its first item of business - is to provide safety for its citizens. In fact, in a very old document that describes the role of government it says it has one principle role and that is to restrain evil and to ensure justice for all. That is the core business of a government. Other things are then added and that is why the law and order debate is so important. That is why, when we have debates with the interference of politics, we try to accuse each other of having other motives. The ones who stand in this House to represent the best interests of the citizens know they understand the core business of government is, in fact, to provide for their safety. That is why this is a matter of public importance.
I ask each member to, as representatives of the community, take an honest refresher of their position and engagement with members. That will give you a challenge because I can imagine being in government for nearly 11 years, the pre-occupation, perhaps, has consumed the mind of government that it is about the government. We have forgotten what the core business is, put programs and plans in place, and then find ourselves in that defensive position talking about the government and defending its position when the energy should be defending citizens, ensuring they feel safe, and, more importantly, ensuring the children feel safe. That is the core business and if you recognise that as the place to start we might be able to at least have a discussion on this matter of public importance.
Yes, cynicism reigns high in these matters. I predict, as I have been a member of this Chamber for 12 years, they will say: ‘Here we go. The Country Liberal Party is mustering up scare campaigns and frightening citizens’. That is not the case and I will tell you why. I have chosen to speak on this matter of public importance because I am a local member, a member of my own community, and I know how people are feeling. That is why I am still in this Chamber. Those who have been here for some time will know there have been ebbs and flows in the political story in the Territory. I have stayed because I have stayed close to my community; I know what is going on. Prior to that, I worked very closely with my community as a school principal. I was not just an educator; I had a role in my community and have worked with my community.
This is a matter of public importance. I can remember the former Attorney-General, Peter Toyne, when I convened public meetings in Palmerston - as a member of that community with a concern about crime, reflecting the very real fear and concern citizens had as a result of a spate of break-ins, I felt it was necessary to get the community together to talk about these things. They had become fearful and angry. They were deeply concerned for the protection and safety of their children and the future of their community. Getting people together and calling in key stakeholders was what was required to build some confidence in the community.
The first thing was: I was broken into and nothing seems to have happened. Well, what did I have to do? I had to bring the police into the equation so they could be there, hear what the citizens were saying, respond, and provide an explanation and build that connection. As a result of that, many things flowed. People began to understand how the system works. They knew a phone call they make to police is very important, and those things start to build confidence in your community and they are then able to be involved in building safety in the community; however, there has to be that level of engagement and political leadership which is honest.
We now have a situation where I find it embarrassing to have the Chief Minister attempt, once again, to provide an explanation and endeavour to convince people who might be listening and people I know that everything is under control. ‘We have a few challenges but, by and large, we do not need to have an assessment of how the police force is configured or resourced. We do not need to look at the crime stats, but, trust us, the programs we put in place are working. We cannot see the stats because the stats have changed, but, trust us, the programs are working’.
I can predict, the Chief Minister, unless he is given a dose of honesty and accepts his responsibility, will pussy foot around with the requirement for an independent assessment of police resourcing even though, when in a room full of delegates from the Police Association, he says: ‘I will look at it’, just to buy a bit of space in that room. That does not display leadership. You have to work out whether it is the case - yes or no? Is an independent assessment of police resourcing required or not? If it is no - it appears to be no - it should have been no when he was in the company of the Police Association, not fluffing now with seven months to go: ‘the clock is ticking, see if we can buy some time’.
That is why I was moved to call the Chief Minister to a public debate. We have to have these conversations in the community because the community is concerned, and I will tell you how concerned they are. Anyone who now has a teenage child, or has had a teenage child, knows very well what I am going to describe. I was put into a difficult position about four or five days ago where a mother spoke to me about her children being assaulted separately. I will not say any more about it, and you will perhaps understand why. What has concerned me more than anything in this case was the fear this family had about me saying anything - very real fear.
That fear was fed because they had raised a very real concern. These are people I know. They raised their concern, had been through the process, and the process had not responded to them other than being a part of a process. They had not been able to submit, to their satisfaction, the report - and there is a good explanation for it - but, essentially, the human element had gone missing. The process had explanations as to why it was working, but there had been no response to that family that matters were on foot. The fear, the concern, the anxiety of a citizen who has had her most precious ones hurt in separate incidents was not responded to.
That fear troubled me because I have seen it before. You do not know whether you should speak up because it may draw attention to it and it will embolden those who cause the harm in the first place. The fear increases in the community and it erodes confidence. That is very real and anyone who has a teenage child will know exactly what it is like. You do not know whether you want to go back to the school or not because the ones who have caused that damage are emboldened; they do not care. That is why the response time and the quality of the response is critical. The level of connection between our hardworking police officers and the community is the most critical interface. There are so many good people out there trying to play their role as a parent and have concerns about the physical security removed so they have the freedom to think about good things – a bright future.
Make no mistake; this is a very real concern. That is why I am arguing, Chief Minister, for a review of police resourcing. We cannot take your word that it is okay and then trot out a decade’s plus old story about what happened in the street by and by as justification for doing nothing today. We have something more important than some numbers and some description of programs and activities. There is something else at play here. If, as I have witnessed after coming back from a break - in two weeks I had three people come to me separately to describe ...
Mr Knight: Working in Indonesia, though.
Mr MILLS: Pardon?
Mr Knight: I was talking about your holiday.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr Giles: It is a matter of public importance, you fool!
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Braitling, I ask you to withdraw that, please
Mr GILES: I withdraw
Madam SPEAKER: Thank you very much. Leader of the Opposition, you have the call.
Mr MILLS: After coming back from my break I had three separate interviews with people who conveyed, sadly, the same story. They described a break-in, what it meant to them, the loss of precious items and the intrusion into their own space - it was traumatic. Had you done the assessment on that, member for Daly, you might understand these things and dig a little deeper - the shallow man you appear to be. It affected them deeply and emotionally.
The response was, frankly, inadequate, and I made that known to the officer in charge. I was concerned and the explanations were made. I had another one - same issue. There were explanations, but one couple had a matter I do not want to talk about but they had not been adequately heard or responded to. Then, worse than that, I had one a few days ago where that terrible fear a family feels was compounded by the quality of the response.
I am playing this out by relaying three particular incidents, but if you play this out across the community where you have call centres that are centralised - they make bureaucratic sense, perhaps, but they do not connect to the local community. You only have to have one person who feels they are not being heard or understood in a moment of crisis - anyone who has made a phone call when someone is in your house knows what it is like, as I have. You want to make that call and you want to know damned well that person who has taken the call understands what you are talking about, where you are, and that they are going to respond. That is what you need.
With all the numbers the Chief Minister might cite, you only need a few who feel they have not been heard: ‘Okay, we tick that off and explain it away’. For goodness sake, this is someone who has made the call and it was not heard nor understood. That may be just another statistic, but they play out. They tell other people and it erodes the community confidence.
The point of this is - I am sure the Chief Minister will weigh in on this - I am criticising the police. Well, I did what a local member should do. I made these concerns known to the Officer-in-Charge and we worked together to fix them. I know how it is when you become inundated, swamped, with rising concern in the community; it becomes very difficult. I spoke to my colleagues who have served as police officers. I understand how hard and frustrating it must be, day after day, call after call - you sometimes feel you are going through the motions, perhaps forgetting the person you are speaking to is a mother just like your wife, and is talking about her child just like your children, and there is a human connection.
That is why the circuit breaker must be an honest assessment of what is going on with our police force. We can then respond with a clear insight as to how it is tracking and ensure help is there for those on the front counters and those who visit houses after a break-in. We also ensure, at the pointy end, there is that contract between the officer of the law and the citizen who has had a violation of the law to their personal or material loss. We need to bring that back. The place to start is that honest assessment to ensure we have correct alignment. You have to match up the resources you have and not just say, in abstract, you have enough when the crime stats have now been blocked from view.
What are you measuring enough against? Other places have less than us, therefore, we have enough? That is not a plausible argument because enough is enough to do the job and to restrain that which is evil in our community - those who cross the line. That is the fundamental business of a government, as I said at the beginning. Ask yourself the deep question: what is the real role of a government? What is the first job it has? It is to make the life of citizens one they can enjoy in safety. Go back in the olden times up to today; it has not changed. That is the first thing. Then, justice and all these other things come after that. However, you cannot go anywhere unless you have dealt with those two things. Try to explain it away, try to bamboozle people, try to fluff around with crime stats, talk about programs, talk about yourself, talk about the other guys, what they did about 18 years ago, or something like that. Meanwhile, you have a mum and dad who are really upset because they feel increasingly vulnerable because we have had to talk about something that causes them grave fear. It is horrible that a mum, a dad, and a family are feeling this level of fear.
What has to happen? If there are problems with a response because of the overloading of the police officer, we can only deal with that if we have had an honest assessment, as has been identified in the O’Sullivan Review, the Police Association has called for, and the opposition has agreed to. By the way, if there is a change of government, there will be an audit so we can have that proper alignment. The Chief Minister gave assent in the room. He said he would look at it and gave the impression looking at it meant: ‘Yes, we will probably take the next step’. We are waiting to see whether those assurances given in that room which placated are going to substantiate into some real action. That is the first thing.
The next thing is to give us some clarity around these crime statistics so we know exactly what we are measuring it against - resource against a problem, the problem being the security of citizens. Check that and we can then work out whether we are going to make some progress. Start from where we are; do not talk about financial constraints as being the reason for not doing anything. Once you explain where we are at financially - what we can afford - this is the nature of the problem, this is where we are now, this is where we are going, and explain we have programs in place that are working and we can measure them with stats, then the citizens will come with you.
Front up to public meetings and talk about these things honestly and start to build up some confidence. If you do not do that people become fearful, do not talk to each other, put up their shutters, lose their confidence in their community and morale drops. It then feeds on to the police who feel their morale is challenged and it becomes just a hard job. You have to break that. Go out and talk to people and have a public meeting. Chief Minister, come to that public meeting and have this conversation with people. They are very concerned. We have to front up and we have to talk to them.
Madam Speaker, I am sure one of my colleagues from Alice Springs will highlight the issues there. People have lost their confidence in the capacity of this government to properly respond, to understand the problems, and to engage them rather than going into dizzy spins of rhetoric designed to distract and defend the interests of government. That is the last interest to be defended, citizens are first.
Mr HENDERSON (Chief Minister): Madam Speaker, I am pleased to respond to the Leader of the Opposition in the MPI tonight because one crime is one crime too many; one assault is one assault too many. All of us here have been victims of crime in one form or another during our lives, or if we have not been, members of our family have been, or friends, or neighbours or people we know in the workplace. It does not matter where you are; crime, unfortunately, touches everyone in the community in one way or another. We are not Robinson Crusoe in the Northern Territory either.
In regard to the MPI tonight, the Leader of the Opposition is talking about a timely response to police public emergencies and the protection, safety and wellbeing of Territorians. We have had this debate many times over the years and, given it is an election year, the CLP will be back on the law and order bandwagon beating this issue up as much as it can to its own political advantage.
The Leader of the Opposition likes to talk about having an honest conversation with the community. I will go to the honesty and integrity of some of the comments he has made in the debate this evening. I will also point out, in regard to having a debate with the community, the opposition is very quick to point to problems, real and perceived. What it does not have is solutions. What it does not have is policies. What it does not have is an overall clear approach to reducing crime and antisocial behaviour across the Northern Territory.
The opposition is very quick to jump on the soapbox and bellow from on high every time somebody, tragically, goes to their local member with a story about being broken into as some sort of evidence that the social fabric of the Northern Territory is falling apart. However, as a responsible opposition it has no policies in place as to what it is going to do. That is apart from pouring more grog on the problem in Alice Springs, where it says if in government it would open the bottle shops for another four hours every day and would get rid of the Banned Drinker Register that stops around 2100 people accessing alcohol across the Territory.
Anyone who understands crime in the Northern Territory, anyone who understands where crime is coming from, would know the vast majority of it is fuelled by alcohol. All the feigned indignation from the Leader of the Opposition in this House means absolutely nothing when there is a policy of more grog for the Northern Territory. The police have said the best tool they have to deal with alcohol-related crime is the Banned Drinker Register. The opposition would disarm police of the best tool they have. It would tie one hand of police officers behind their back by removing the best tool they have to deal with this problem.
I will not go to the specifics of the incident, but the Leader of the Opposition put out a media release - I believe it was 13 February - in regard to an incident in Palmerston. I am absolutely with that family in its anger and concern about what has happened. Before I go to the Leader of the Opposition, I place on the public record that I am more than happy to meet with that family and hear their story firsthand because the Leader of the Opposition’s interpretation of it, as I am advised by police, is somewhat different. Again, the Leader of the Opposition has sought to use someone’s pain for political gain in the media rather than doing the responsible thing if he was really concerned - talking to me as minister for Police or taking the issue up with the Police Commissioner.
If it were any of my kids I would be equally as upset and angry as the parents of these kids. In regard to whether the police did the right thing, whether enough resources were deployed, my understanding from police and the advice I have been given was the family agree and are happy with the police response. The Leader of the Opposition was advised of that, and that the family was very upset this incident had become public as a result of the Leader of the Opposition’s press release. The only way this incident became a public issue for that poor family to have to deal with was as a direct result of the Leader of the Opposition using a family’s genuine pain for his own political gain - to try to whip up fear on law and order in the lead-up to the election.
Madam Speaker, I am a little over the Leader of the Opposition coming here, hand on heart, being genuinely concerned about these issues when he is just out there, as a politician, jumping on every assault as a potential opportunity to gain politically in this debate.
My advice is the family are happy with the police response, are desperately unhappy this issue has become public, and the responsibility for that family’s unhappiness lies fairly and squarely at the feet of the Leader of the Opposition and he should be ashamed of himself. Again, I say to that family, I am more than happy to meet with you to hear, firsthand, your concerns. My advice from police, who have been in touch with the family as recently as yesterday, is they are happy with the police response, and arrests have been made in regard to the assault. Leader of the Opposition, stop being so pious; you are looking for opportunities for political advantage.
I will go through some figures. There are probably more facts, figures and scrutiny on crime statistics than anything else in this parliament. What is crystal clear is that there are 390 more police officers in the Northern Territory than in 2003. Property crime has seen a significant decrease over the years we have been in government. The reason assaults are up is not because more assaults are occurring across the Northern Territory, there are more police out there. There is now mandatory reporting of domestic violence. The opposition will stop at nothing to try to terrorise people across the Northern Territory that assaults and violent crime are out of control. One assault is one assault too many, and the tragedy of those assault figures is very much fuelled by the tragedy of domestic violence in the Territory where the victim and offender are known to each other. We are not talking about an escalation of random assaults in the Territory.
Let us look at property crime. The overall level of property crime has fallen by 31% across the Northern Territory. All major categories of property crime have decreased. We are talking about 9213 less property offences per annum across the Northern Territory than when we came to government. It is a huge improvement and one I put down to the great work of our police across the Northern Territory.
In the 2010-11 financial year, there were 50% fewer house break-ins in the Northern Territory than the last year of the CLP government. The population, obviously, has grown significantly during that time, and there were 1937, or 50%, fewer house break-ins than in the last year of the CLP government. In the 2010-11 financial year, there were 15% fewer commercial break-ins than in the last year of the CLP government and, in the 2010-11 financial year, there were 21% fewer thefts of, or from, motor vehicles than in the last year of the CLP government. In the 2010-11 financial year, there were 3793, or 35%, fewer other thefts, mainly shoplifting and stealing, than the last year of the CLP government. In the 2010-11 financial year, there were 2534, or 26%, fewer property damage offences than in the last year of the CLP government.
The Leader of the Opposition is trying to jump on every single crime that occurs for his own political capital and the facts and figures are very clear. There is significantly less property crime ...
Mr Elferink: No, they are not. Have you read your own police annual report or the addendums?
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr HENDERSON: ... after 10 years of Labor government than after 27 years ...
Mr Elferink: They are not clear.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr HENDERSON: ... of a Country Liberal Party government. There were 31% fewer property offences, 50% fewer house break-ins, 15% fewer commercial break-ins, 21% fewer thefts from motor vehicles, 35% fewer thefts from shopping centres and stealing, and 26% fewer property damage offences.
Let us look at the Northern Territory population over that period. It increased by 17% and, overall, property crime decreased by 31%. That is a very significant achievement and, as I have said before very clearly - the Police Commissioner has said this on many occasions also - in regard to assaults on the person, the advent of 390 more police officers in the police force for one thing, an extra 70 police officers in the bush, mandatory reporting of domestic violence shining a light on domestic violence has given women more confidence to report. Police now have the powers to issue urgent restraining orders. Police have introduced domestic violence units in Alice Springs, Tennant Creek, Katherine and Darwin where none existed before. With 18 new police stations in remote communities across the Northern Territory more assaults are being reported. The lid has been taken off the tragedy of the very high level of domestic violence that occurs in the Northern Territory, the vast majority of it fuelled by alcohol. Does the opposition acknowledge or accept that? Not at all, because it does not suit its political purpose leading into the election beating the law and order drum.
Alcohol continues to be a factor in most assaults across the Territory. Sixty percent of assaults involved alcohol in the 12 months ending September 2011. In that same period, the number of alcohol-related assaults was 5% fewer than in the 12 months ending September 2010. Domestic violence was associated with 54% of assaults in the 12 months to September 2011.
With this enormous spike in assaults in the Territory the opposition is trying to terrorise people for their own political purpose, but failed to say 54% of those assaults are domestic violence. If you take the domestic violence numbers out of those statistics, Territorians are likely not to be randomly assaulted at the same level as the rest of Australia. It is a beat-up from the opposition.
If the opposition is serious, where is its policy? Where is its policy on crime in the Northern Territory? What would it do? It is all well and good to say: ‘We will have a review of the police force’, but what about funding for our police force? It is all very well to say: ‘Yes, we will have an extra 20 police officers in Alice Springs’. Fantastic, but where is the policy around this? Where is the budgeting around this? We have the shadow Treasurer saying the budget should be back in surplus. Where is the funding coming from for these 20 extra police officers? Where is the funding coming from to implement any recommendations from a review which says you need police officers? We know the opposition will sack several thousand public servants if it gets into office because the only way to bring the budget back into surplus is to slash spending or raise taxes. Unless the opposition has a plan to introduce property taxes in the Territory to eliminate all the assistance given to first homeowners - maybe it will introduce land tax in the Northern Territory. Perhaps it will jack up our payroll tax. The only way to bring the budget back into surplus is to tax the hide out of Territorians or slash thousands of jobs.
It is very easy to say it will put 20 more police officers in Alice Springs but, unless you back that up with how you fund that promise - where the money is coming from - it is a hollow promise from hollow opposition members who are lazy, tired, have nothing positive to say about the Northern Territory and no policies. We are entering an election year and it has no policies - not one to hold before Territorians and say: ‘This is our crime reduction policy for the Northern Territory. This is what we will do if we were in government’.
We know the opposition will increase trading hours for bottle shops in Alice Springs by an extra four hours a day. That is a fantastic crime reduction policy - more grog in Alice Springs. Somehow, the opposition believes there will be less crime as a result of more grog. They will tie the hands of our hard-working police officers behind their back by taking out of their tool kit the best legislation police say they have ever had to protect Territorians from alcohol-related crime.
I will go to the issue of the call centre, Madam Speaker. Again, if the Leader of the Opposition was serious about this issue, as opposed to seeing a political opportunity, he would request from the Police Commissioner a tour of the joint emergency services communications centre, the JESCC, at the Peter McAulay Centre and see firsthand what a world-class facility it is. It receives, on average, 10 000 to 12 000 calls a month. The Police Commissioner quite rightly said - I saw him on the news last night - if there was a car accident today or somebody witnesses an assault, instead of getting one or two phone calls, they receive 60 or 70 phone calls for that one event. The call centre is totally computerised with CAD systems - every call is recorded. When you are dealing with those volumes of calls, from time to time things are going to go pear-shaped. Police receive those complaints and respond as best they can.
We wanted Alice Springs Police Station to continue handling local calls. The problem was we could not recruit the auxiliaries and, as Police minister, I am not going to say fully-trained, fully-sworn police officers should be sitting in Alice Springs Police Station waiting for the phone to ring. They should be out on the streets doing their job. Auxiliaries could not be recruited regardless of how hard police tried. The only way to guarantee the good citizens of Alice Springs a better service was to centralise the service in Darwin where people could be recruited, where the desk is manned, and we do not have expensive, highly-trained, experienced police officers sitting behind the desk with their feet up waiting for the phone to ring as the opposition would have. Our police are better employed out on the streets.
Let us look at some of the figures. The proportion of incidents where police are dispatched within 10 minutes of all calls to the call centre - they come from around the Northern Territory - is 83%. Of all calls for assistance, 83% are dispatched within 10 minutes. That is pretty good, Madam Speaker. For the 17% that are not, there are reasons. Of all 000 calls, 87% are answered in 10 seconds or less. The ones that are not are recorded, and the reason assessed and understood. Seventy-four percent of all general calls to the JESCC are answered within 20 seconds. That is a pretty good effort and I know police are striving to improve all the time. But, no, what do we have with the opposition? If someone rings in and says: ‘Police did not respond …’
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, your time has expired. There are no extensions in MPIs.
Mr GILES (Braitling): Madam Speaker, I will pick up where the Chief Minister left off. I will quickly write down those statistics. Thank you for that, Chief Minister. Eighty-three percent of calls were dispatched within 10 minutes; 87% of 000 calls were answered within 10 seconds; and 74% of other calls answered within 20 seconds. That is all well and good; however, the question is: what ruler is run over the calls received to determine whether police are being dispatched? That is the experience we are seeing in Alice Springs. That is the conversation coming from police in Alice Springs. We know it is not the police in Alice Springs who are not responding; they are not getting the jobs to respond to. It is the ruler and qualification process the call centre is putting on incoming calls. I have been a witness to and have experienced the services of the call centre.
You mentioned today some off the cuff comment about a tour of the call centre. I have been on a tour of the call centre with the member for Araluen, and it is a great looking centre. There are flashing lights, display boards and everyone was working very hard. While we were standing there, one of the lovely officers was explaining to us how the board works and how they have to be answered within a certain time. I said to her: ‘Why is that Alice Springs call still flashing and no one has answered after a minute-and-a-half?’ ‘Oh, we must have missed that one’. The only one from Alice Springs! We had a tour for Alice Springs local members and the call was unanswered while we were standing there! I would have thought it was a case of: ‘Look after these blokes otherwise we’ll cop it’. It was surprising the call was there
The figures the Chief Minister gave are very rubbery. I am not going to go through them, but I will say on the last crime stats released by this government before it started its culture of cover-up - the six month period ending March 2011 - I have tracked those back over all areas, but particularly assaults, property crime and break-ins. The Chief Minister said everything has decreased. On those six monthly figures from March 2011 back to March 2005 - we will go back to March 2008 - there was a 126% increase on break-ins. Go back to March 2007 and it was 142%. Go back to March 2005 and there was a 307% increase. It goes all the way back to the time the government was elected. It gets bigger as you go because crime increases every year - every six month reporting period. The Chief Minister might be looking at the downturn in seasonal adjustments against other seasons. I do not know how he has correlated his figures or the data entry has been done, but we know crime has gone through the roof - assaults, property crime and break-ins.
It is interesting when he talks about alcohol. Alcohol is a devastating problem in our community. I wrestle with the benefits of alcohol restrictions or increasing hours of sale. I have listened to the debates in Alice Springs many times from people like Dr John Boffa and the People’s Alcohol Action Coalition and what they have to say. I have had dialogue with them recently about floor prices for alcohol and alcohol-free days. I recall when the excuse for all this used to be - as grog restrictions came in, sexual assaults, attempted murders, assaults against the person and property crime would go down.
Well, the statistics do not show that. I can read through the statistics I have in front me. The statistics have not gone down. I was happy to be engaged in a sensible debate, and I am willing to be flexible on this issue of alcohol, but there is no evidence, apart from anecdotal evidence people want to pick up, which shows alcohol restrictions have worked. There is nothing to show because the crime figures keep going up.
There was a photograph in the local paper recently showing wine casks in the Todd River. They were put together saying: ‘Oh, there are plenty of casks; everyone is drinking wine’. Based on the floor price the People’s Alcohol Action Coalition want to utilise, all alcohol is already above the floor price so nothing will change except for some cheap wine. I was riding my pushbike back from the mall in Alice Springs on Sunday past the river on the north side of town to my home - the member for Stuart would know it well - just past Hoppy’s Camp - and there were empty green VB cartons everywhere. I could not take a photo to prove my point because I did not have my camera with me. There were cartons everywhere, more than I had seen before. They were scattered everywhere. Every week day the council cleans the town up so we cannot see the problem. They would not be there today, but they were there on Sunday. Next weekend I will go back and have another look.
The other issue about the call centre, from my experience as a local member, is people have stopped calling. They have stopped calling the police, because police never turn up and nothing ever happens. The complaints I receive about the call centre hanging up on people or being abusive are appalling. I will give an example. The lady who runs the Penny Farthing Bike Shop at Northside shops - a disgraceful place around 6 pm when everyone is lining up to buy grog - waiting, fighting and drunk, and you cannot get police to turn up because the Police Commissioner does not believe the police van is a good tool to use at the Northside shops. It is disgraceful it is parked in the police station. I have had a chat to the lady at Penny Farthing Bike Shop. She said: ‘Adam, I am at my wits end. I cannot stop people fighting, drinking and swearing; they all sit out the front of the Northside shops drinking VB cans. This is a dry town. You cannot get police here, but they will sit there drinking VB cans. You cannot get police there’. I said: ‘All right, I will come up’. She said: ‘I have rung the police number, 131 444, twice now to be abused and hung up on’.
I got into my car, a silver Falcon, dressed without a tie but standing there looking like - everyone calls you CIB. A big fight broke out - about 10 to 15 people - under the awning where I was standing talking to a property owner as police were trying to tell me there was no problem and they are punching each other! I was on the phone to David Wood at the NT News at the time and said: ‘Dave, there is a bit of fracas here; I am going to have to go’. I rang the police, 131 444: ‘Hello, my name is Adam Giles ...’ - I did not say I was an MLA, I should not have to – ‘... there is a fight at Northside shops, people are fighting. It is not good. I would like an officer to come down here to take the people away who are causing trouble and move people on’.
As I was making that phone call, one of the ladies who was part of the crowd raced over to me and said: ‘Are you CIB? They have a knife, they are going to stab me, they have a knife’. I was on the phone to the police: ‘They have a knife’. They said: ‘Have you seen it?’ I said: ‘No, I have not, but they are fighting and I have had a lady come over to me scared saying they have a knife and she is going to be stabbed’. ‘Well, if you have not seen the knife we cannot do much about that. I will try to get someone there’.
Ten minutes later I received a phone call: ‘Is that Mr Giles?’ ‘Yes’. ‘Are they still fighting?’ ‘No, they have stopped fighting. There are now about 50 or 60 people hanging around here. They all seem to think I am a police officer so they have stopped fighting’. The lady who told me about the knife had thought I was a police officer. ‘They have all stopped fighting’. She said: ‘Well, we will not send anyone. Can you ring us back if the knife comes back or if they start fighting again?’ That was the police call.
When you look at the statistics about 83% dispatch - that call did not even get to the police. I am a local member of parliament - I did not identify myself that way - ringing up to say there is a knife and a potential fight of 10-15 people is appalling. People are not ringing.
The member for Johnston likes to see photos. I have spoken in the Chamber previously about problems between Hoppy’s Camp, Northside shops, Elliott Street and now the Head Street units because of bad housing tenancy allocation. The Wauchope flats and Warlpiri town camp is where they all go. I have public housing tenants who live across the road from the Elliott Street flats - an illustration of the Elliott Street flats - who are filming the antics at night. They cannot get the police to turn up and cannot get Territory Housing to do anything. These are born and bred Indigenous Central Australians who are filming the antics of three-year-old kids walking around night, men beating their women and public destruction of property. Three weeks ago a car was stolen from Madigan Street, taken to Elliott Street and 10 blokes pushed it and rolled it sideways down the street at 4 am. Did police turn up? No, no police. I am not bashing police, as the Chief Minister tries to suggest. I do not believe Alice Springs police even receive the calls.
Let me go quickly to the crime at the Aurora. Now, why ABC2, in its right mind, would commission a documentary called Dumb, Drunk and Racist and contract the company Cordell Jigsaw - who love the free publicity every time its name is mentioned - to come to Alice Springs and film that documentary when we are all walking around on eggshells trying not to offend people based on race, trying not to be seen to be attacking people because of alcohol/substance misuse problems, trying not to attack people who are fighting for one side of a policy argument or the other, for these blokes to turn up and film - I have not gone down the path the Chief Minister went today in Question Time regarding filming correctly or incorrectly because I do not know. I have heard the allegations and we know how these things work - filming Aboriginal people in the background to make them look drunk for a documentary. I have heard those allegations but will not make them myself.
Whatever happened, that camera crew came running into the Aurora Alice Springs Hotel, begged the young girl on the front counter, Hope, to ring police while they cowered in their bedroom locking themselves in hotel units. For these two young girls to have to protect the property and customers of the hotel, and one of them to be beaten with a bar - it was lucky part of the bar hit the top of the computer on the counter otherwise she could be dead. She rang the police at 6.33, rang several more times, and police arrived at 7.13 - 40 minutes! The Chief Minister has no legs to stand on; no ground in this area. It is appalling.
I made a quick note today of what can happen in 40 minutes. Some things are funny; however, some are just amazing! Forty minutes. We are talking 500 m from the police station and police said: ‘We only had six police on and two of them’ - when the Chief Minister said we do not want police officers sitting around acting as highly paid auxiliaries - we were told two police officers have to sit in the cells because there were people in there who needed supervision. Just sit there with their feet on the desk, as the Chief Minister said. That is what they were doing. They could not respond because they had to sit there. Do we have Arnold Schwarzenegger and kindergarten cops sitting in cells? People are being beaten with bars - 40 minutes!
You could boil 13 eggs in 40 minutes. You could watch five episodes of Eight Minute Abs - for those people who do abs. Roger Bannister, who ran a four minute mile, could run 10 miles but the police could not make 500 m. This happened because the proper direction was not given in Darwin for police to attend. In 40 minutes they conducted the kill or capture operation in Pakistan. In 40 minutes the Americans flew into Pakistan, killed Bin Laden, and flew out again.
However, we cannot get Alice Springs Police to go 500 m to stop two thugs from trying to kill two women protecting a stupid film crew filming for a stupid show which is going to tarnish Alice Springs as racist, drunk and stupid and negatively affect our tourism industry and our economy. All this could have stopped if the police turned up. This is the point.
I have examples everywhere of this, but I have run out of time for an MPI, Madam Speaker. I cannot understand. We saw what happened with club Eastside – ram-raided. The Gap View Hotel and the Road Transport Hall of Fame were broken into last night. I know people who were attacked in town last night. I have spoken about The Elliott Street flats. This is not just restricted to Alice Springs; no one in the Territory can call their local police station for support.
I know of a woman who was beaten in a bush community. She had rung police to say: ‘My husband is coming back from Tennant Creek. He is drunk, he is going to come and get me. Can you get the police to stop him before he comes to my house?’ ‘Has he committed a crime?’ ‘No’. ‘Well, we cannot do anything’. She was beaten to a pulp - within an inch of her life. They could not do anything. This is bad policing. The Police Commissioner might not think nothing of it, but this is bad. The police communications centre and the policies governing it are a major part of the problem - they are screening calls and not dispatching police. You can say 83% were dispatched in time; however, people have stopped calling the police because there is no response.
Mr WESTRA van HOLTHE (Katherine): Madam Speaker, I am sure the last time I looked at a police badge, the flash that sits on the shoulder of a police officer said ‘To Serve and Protect’ ...
Mr Elferink: It is in their mission statement.
Mr Styles: It does.
Mr WESTRA van HOLTHE: I am fairly sure it says ‘To Serve and Protect’ ...
Mr Knight: What about when you chopped up your uniform?
Mr WESTRA van HOLTHE: Unfortunately, what we are now seeing, since the implementation of a policy in the Northern Territory to dislocate call taking from local regions to a central call centre, is a dismemberment of the core principle of policing in the Northern Territory: to serve and protect. It is being cut into small bits. The people of the Northern Territory, the public who are supposed to be served and protected by the police, do not like it. In fact, the police I speak to - and I speak to them regularly because I see them around the streets of Katherine - also do not like it ...
Mr Giles: They hate it.
Mr WESTRA van HOLTHE: Sorry?
Mr Giles: They hate it.
Mr WESTRA van HOLTHE: They hate it, they really do. Unfortunately, the frontline police, for whom I have an enormous amount of respect - hard-working men and women trying to do the best they can - because of this policy to move call taking from regional areas to Darwin, are being subjected to abuse from people of the Northern Territory who feel it is the operational police officers’ fault their calls are not being attended to or are slow to be attended to. I can understand the frustrations of the public who are dealing with this, and also the police.
These complaints are not new, they have been around since virtually Day 1 when the Commissioner - I am assuming the Commissioner implemented this strategy, unless it was done at the direction of the Police minister. I would like some clarification on that. This is southern policing that has been picked up and brought to the Northern Territory. It does not serve the people of the Northern Territory well, and it does not suit the Northern Territory.
I would like to take everyone in this House, and the people who are listening, back a little in history. I was in Alice Springs working as a police officer when auxiliaries came into being. That was a response by the government of the day to find a way to relieve fully paid police officers from duties around the watch house and the front counter and, lo and behold, also the communications section. Police auxiliaries were brought into being for the purpose of manning non-operational areas such as communications, the front counter and the watch house. With that in mind I ask: why do we now have to have our calls relegated to a call centre in Darwin? What is wrong with basing sufficient numbers of auxiliary police officers in regional towns in the Northern Territory - sufficient resourcing and staff so they can take calls locally?
This is causing so many problems. I have had many complaints from my constituents in Katherine and I fully support their complaints. The Chief Minister knows about this because I wrote to him; however, all I received was a lame duck response, which I guess is what I expected. There was a flasher - someone exposing himself to children near the Katherine pool – and there was a lengthy delay in getting police to respond. Sometimes you can justify a lengthy delay, but here is another example: A lady by the name of Jo - this is a real life example - rings the police on 131 444, is put through to the call centre and says there are people drinking on the railway bridge in Katherine. The fact they are drinking on the railway bridge is not a particularly serious offence, but she wanted to report it because it contributes to antisocial behaviour and the perception of Katherine as having a ratbag element in it. The response was from the call centre in Darwin. We are talking about the railway bridge in Katherine, and I am sure there would not be one person in this House who does not know where the railway bridge is. Yet, the response from the call centre was: ‘What is the nearest landmark’? You must be kidding.
Another example is Mr Geoff Newton, who calls to report an incident on Railway Terrace, Katherine. Lo and behold, the police do not turn up. From memory, he rings again to find out where they are. Finally, they turn up and he makes a complaint. He made some inquiries about what is going on only to discover the police had been sent to Railway Terrace in Alice Springs! Now tell me this breakdown in communication is serving and protecting the public of the Northern Territory, which is what the police are supposed to be doing. It is not the fault of frontline police, it is this lame policy. Call centres must be local.
Police do not like this system. I believe Katherine has all calls routed to Darwin, as does Alice Springs. I do not believe Tennant Creek does because it is not on the digital radio network so their calls are taken locally. However, the police officers I talk to cannot stand it because they are suffering the abuse of the general public who are at the receiving end of the no response or slow response by the police.
How do they get around it? Here is an example of one out bush, because the bush station phones are being put through to the call centre as well. Local police give out their mobile numbers to get around the communications jam in Darwin so respected members of their community can ring them direct. They pick up the phone and dial their mobile number because this communication system is letting them down ...
Ms Purick: Shame.
Mr WESTRA van HOLTHE: Yes, member for Goyder, it is a shame and this government should be ashamed. It is not providing the service required to the people of the Northern Territory, and is letting the poor old coppers put up with the abuse from the public when they turn up to a job having been sent to the wrong place, turn up late, or do not turn up at all.
I will tell you something else about the way this is panning out. Police communications goes through Darwin and it has a different regime for how to respond to jobs. They prioritise them, and that is a good thing; however, one of the priority classifications for the police call centre in Darwin is: no police attendance required. In Katherine not so long ago, there was a spate of interfering with a motor vehicle. A number of motor vehicles were broken into one night, one the next night, a couple the night after or something like that. Interfering with a motor vehicle, apparently, falls into the priority category of: police do not need to attend. The decision-makers at the call centre in Darwin do not want to send police officers to interfere with motor vehicle offences because they are relatively minor you could argue; however, that is certainly not serving the public.
When I pick up the phone - even if it is for something minor - and I want police to attend, I would like them to talk to me. The people of the Northern Territory deserve that their police officers take a call, are dispatched to their complaint - bearing in mind the general public does not often make complaints. If you are a police officer, you become a little blas about your work: ‘Yes, I have been to four break-ins this morning’. Most people would like to think they are not going to be broken into. When those offences happen - breaking into their house or breaking into their car - they feel a sense of violation. That is the mindset of the people against whom these offences are committed. They feel violated. That is the description I had from people when I was a police officer - they feel violated.
Here you have examples of people who are feeling violated. Their personal space has been invaded, which does not happen very often, so they take it seriously and it upsets them. They pick up the phone, get through to a call centre, and the person taking the call would not know whether they are Arthur or Martha, barely knows where they are calling from, has to ask for landmarks even though they might be in the most obvious part of Katherine or Alice Springs, only to be told: ‘I am sorry, police do not attend those calls’. That is reprehensible and disgraceful. I will fight with every breath in my body to ensure the people of the Northern Territory get the policing services they deserve. They have an expectation and, if other police forces in this great country of ours have decided to adopt practices which mean police do not turn up to many offences, well, bully for them. We do not have to do that in the Northern Territory and the people of the Northern Territory do not expect that to be inflicted upon them. That type of policy is diminishing in no small way the serve aspect of serve and protect.
In my last few minutes I want to talk about the protect side of that. In another example of a complaint I received, a caller from Katherine rang to report what he thought were gun shots. There was yelling, obviously someone was being assaulted and there was talk of a knife. I am not going to go into it too far, but the response from police was zero until he made a second call and finally got someone there. How can the public feel protected if the policy of this government is to prevent police from attending the very calls they should be attending? How can the public have any faith in the system? It does not. Madam Speaker, I assure you I will fight with every breath in my body to ensure the Northern Territory public is served well by its police force. I can assure you we will be fighting to ensure local calls are answered locally and we will resource police stations to do just that ...
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Katherine, your time has expired.
Mr ELFERINK (Port Darwin): Madam Speaker, I was not going to speak on this; however, in the absence of a speaker from the government side, I cannot but take the invitation. It demonstrates the government is taking at face value the advice it is receiving from the department saying: ‘We accept that’.
This does not strike me as being something we should necessarily accept on departmental advice, particularly when you consider the most recent annual report from the police was unreliable. It had multiple errors in it which had to be pointed out and admitted to by government. However, there is never a critical question asked by this government of the Commissioner of Police. I am not attacking the Commissioner of Police, but I am saying it is about time this government understood you are allowed, as a government, to ask critical questions of your CEOs. When you receive advice from the CEO of a department often the motivation behind that - my comments relate to a period which pre-dates the current commissioner, but if you take advice from a CEO you would have to critically ask yourself if the advice is there for the convenience of the administration of that department or whether it is about serving the interests of the people of the Northern Territory.
The Leader of the Opposition quite correctly pointed out the fundamental role of any government, be it a national government or a state government, is the security of that nation or state. In the case of the federal system, national security from external threats is dealt with by the federal government. Internal security, particularly when it comes to matters of a criminal nature, is dealt with by the states and is the primary function of government. The first thing it does is provides internal security. Even before it provides democracy, even before it provides education and health, it must provide internal security. Without it you cannot run a business; without it you are living in a state of anarchy. The level of attention internal security receives from a government should be the priority of government.
Every time I hear a minister of this government speak in this House they talk about their No 1 priority being this, that or whatever. It is just a word that is thrown around. However, in the structures of government, the priority should be the protection of the state and the people who live in that state - in this case, the Northern Territory.
I have cause to regularly phone the police for all manner of reasons about public order issues in my electorate. I have rung as a result of disturbances, people drinking in public and assaults on my own person. I have had many reasons to ring the police force and, generally speaking, there is a response. I find it curious that without experienced police officers sitting in the communications section - something the current Chief Minister rails against. I am not saying every person who picks up the phone has to be an experienced police officer; however, it would be nice to be able to say: ‘I am watching this crime happening at the moment’ without being asked by the operator: ‘What is your date of birth?’, which is a question I am regularly asked. Obviously, they are trying to identify me.
If I am reporting an offence which is occurring at the time and ongoing and there is a personal threat to a person, I would like to think I do not have to answer questions on the phone such as my date of birth, my shoe size, where I was born, etcetera. I am not trying to be flippant about it, but when you are watching an offence unfold the 30 to 50 seconds, or minute, you spend answering questions while someone is being assaulted - a lot happens in 60 seconds, even 30 seconds. Even as an experienced police officer, I get twitchy when on the phone and am asked about my shoe size, my date of birth and where I live when I am watching someone being assaulted.
Generally, I tend to step in anyhow because that is the nature of the beast. However, I could well imagine how frustrated a person who is not experienced with policing - just John Citizen or Jane Citizen - when she picks up the phone to the coppers, rings 000, gets through to an operator and, then, is being asked questions such as: ‘What is your date of birth?’ It sounds like a small thing, but when you have a phone on the side of your head watching somebody getting their lights punched out, the last thing you want is to answer a series of questions. It is certainly frustrating when you start to give directions to the person on the other end of the phone because they do not seem to know where you are calling from.
Mr Westra van Holthe: The next thing is they will put the call centre in Mumbai or somewhere, member for Port Darwin.
Mr ELFERINK: Yes, whatever. The point is it causes people angst. I regularly receive complaints from people in my electorate, and this concerns me.
I regularly receive complaints from people in my electorate about the time it takes police to attend, if at all. People make complaints to the police about drunks and what are considered low-level matters, but are unsatisfied and are increasingly expressing a level of satisfaction which is lower than I am used to hearing about the fine service, the Northern Territory Police Service.
An example of how this system fails the people of the Northern Territory is I was in an Aboriginal community not so long ago and discovered something. The community was Wadeye and the local coppers there have, I suppose from the petty cash tin, funded two or three mobile telephones which they have parachuted into the possession of several people living around the community. When something happens in the community they can ring whoever has the station mobile to get the coppers to attend. If something happens in the community and that person dials 000, there are problems with the communication system and the person in Darwin who picks up the phone may not be used to speaking to Aboriginal people, particularly Aboriginal people from remote communities.
So, there is immediately a communication issue which does not exist with local coppers because, often, the local copper who picks up the phone knows who they are talking to and is used to the local accent, which is often quite heavy. The person at the other end of the phone will then go through a list of questions because that is what comes up on the computer screen. Could you imagine, from the perspective of an Aboriginal person in Wadeye, Lajamanu or Yuendumu, watching an assault - generally assaults in Aboriginal communities are grossly violent and they use weapons - being asked: ‘What is your date of birth? How do I get to the blue house? I am sorry, I cannot find blue house on the computer system. Can you tell me the street number? What is the name of the street you live in’?
Can you imagine trying to find a street in Papunya based on the street name? I would challenge the member for Macdonnell to do that. However, there is an operator at the other end saying: ‘I have reached the part where I have to find an address to send police to, and this person is telling me the blue house’. If you were the local copper, in Wadeye, Lajamanu or Kalkarindji and you got a call to go to the blue house you would immediately know where you were going because: ‘that bloke he been stabbing his women’. You immediately know where you are going. However, the police auxiliary in Darwin would not have a clue where Kalkarindji was. You could say: ‘Kalkarindji is right next to Aputula’ and the person in Darwin would say, ‘All right. That is cool. I believe you’. It just does not work.
Templating this system out of Melbourne does not work in the Northern Territory. What is this designed to do? Ultimately, it is designed to save money. We are having a debate about money and how much the police spend on what services. It is fascinating that we have to have a discussion about money for the primary function of government.
The systems in place are designed to save money. That is what the auxiliary system was designed to do, and we heard the Chief Minister today talk about the motivation behind the auxiliary system. ‘There is no way I am going to put a fully trained copper behind a telephone in a police station’ was his answer. The reason is because a fully trained officer is an expensive unit. They are expensive. What is the going rate? It must be about $250 000 to put a copper through a recruit course nowadays ...
A member: Yes, it would be something like that - $180 000 to $250 000.
Mr ELFERINK: ... let us say a substantial amount of money. Yes, you want to use those police officers in the most effective way you possibly can. With experience, auxiliaries can learn how to answer a phone, particularly when dealing with remote Aboriginal people. However, there are occasions when a supervisor should interrupt and pick up a call, especially with house break-ins where the villain is still inside and the person on the other end of the telephone is a frightened female. At that point, it is useful to have a police officer of several years’ experience to give some instructions.
It has been brought to my attention - although I cannot verify the truth - that such an event occurred in the not so distant past where a woman rang a police station and complained a villain was still inside the house. The auxiliary took all the details, filled in the screen as required, said the coppers would be there shortly and hung up. I hope the coppers did arrive shortly. However, the poor woman on the other end of the phone who was hiding, literally, under her bed, dragged the phone under there saying: Look, the guy is sneaking around my house. I can hear him inside the house’. ‘That is fine. We will get the police there shortly’. Click! All of a sudden that person is alone. An experienced copper stays on the line and works with the victim of the break-in, and potential victim in a number of other areas, much more effectively because of their experience. Not because they are smarter or brighter than auxiliaries, but because, having dealt with victims for many years, they understand how victims respond and feel.
The member for Katherine is right on the money when he talks about this and says they feel violated; they feel dirty when people break into their house and they feel terrified. There is the auxiliary, meaning well, no criticism, who says: ‘I filled out the screen, police will be on their way soon’. Click. It does not send the proper message. Because we are trying to save money on frontline services in the police force, we are giving a lower standard of service. The standard is so low that, I presume, in more than one Aboriginal community the local coppers have started giving out mobile phones to the population for them to ring direct. They have targeted a couple of individuals in that population, but that is what is happening. Yet, we are getting reassurances from government that it is all squeaky clean and sweetness and light - everything is going swimmingly – and it is not.
People are becoming increasingly dissatisfied with the response from their police force. I am disappointed this government is not asking critical questions of its own senior management in the police force. Surely, senior management in the police force is not that fractured that it cannot deal with these important issues. This should not be about the government of the day, this should not be about senior management in the police force, and should not even be about police officers. This should be about the consideration of priorities and the mission statement of the police force emblazoned on every shoulder of every copper, and we heard the member for Katherine refer to it: ‘To serve and protect’. It should be the mission statement of any government when it comes to law and order in its community. But no, we are prepared to have the conversation, compare statistics, and your problems are bigger than ours - you guys over there do not have a policy and we have the best policies.
Clearly something is going wrong when the disconnect between government and the people it serves is becoming so pronounced we see situations like we saw in Alice Springs. That was a shocking situation. I saw the footage, I heard the owner of the hotel and, whilst the ABC film crew can hardly cover themselves in glory - their conduct was reprehensible, particularly after they got back to the hotel - maybe it was not too bright to start pointing cameras down the Todd River because we know some of the consequences of it.
We also need a government that will hold accountable people who commit crime. If the two individuals identified in that process are found guilty, I hope they are held fully accountable and serve time for their action.
Discussion concluded.
ADJOURNMENT
Mr McCARTHY (Construction): Madam Speaker, I move that the Assembly do now adjourn.
Ms PURICK (Goyder): Madam Speaker, this evening I want to talk briefly on two issues. One is to compliment and commend the people in the rural area for their awards at the recent Australia Day ceremony.
Mr Tollner: You are kidding me. We are in adjournment debate? Day 1 and we are shutting early. What about your important statement?
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr Tollner: We have a couple of bills. Goodness me! This is a bit outrageous, Madam Speaker.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Fong Lim, you do not have the call. You might like to be silent, member for Fong Lim. We are in Adjournment and the member for Goyder has the call.
Ms PURICK: The Australia Day Awards were held at Lakeview Hall at Freds Pass Reserve. It was a good day, albeit a very wet day. I would like to compliment the guest speaker for the day, Dave Sanderson. Dave has been a long-term rural resident involved in many activities. He is a good bloke. I also thank Father Michael from the Good Shepherd Church who provided the thanksgiving service. I acknowledge and welcome our new citizens in the rural area: Joseph Martin, Cerri Phillips, Bethan Price, Gillian Thomson, Thi Tran and Kerrie Walker all in the Litchfield Shire area. I hope they enjoy their time in the rural area.
We had awards, as people do on Australia Day. The Young Citizen of the Year was Zoe Owens, a young person who attends Taminmin College and is involved in many community and sporting activities. The Citizen of the Year was a joint presentation to Greg and Cheryl Owens, who are involved very much with the Southern Districts Cricket Club and also happen to be the delightful parents of one, Zoe Owens. It really was a family affair.
The Community Event of the Year went to the Under 14 Litchfield Girls Football Team, who have done remarkable things and achieved much in their time as a team together. Congratulations to them.
The Senior Sportsperson of the Year was Nicole Mutimer. She received the award for the enormous contribution and work she undertakes in a voluntary capacity with Wongabilla Equestrian Centre, Riding for the Disabled, and diversion programs involving horsemanship. Congratulations to Nicole.
Our Junior Sportsperson of the Year was Ryan Davis for his contribution to sport in the rural area. He really is quite a remarkable young person.
Certificates of achievement were awarded to Bart Allan, Iris McGregor, and also young Peta Harmon, for her involvement in soccer or, as some people call it, football. I tend to call it soccer. It was a good day. The weather did not seem to dampen anyone’s enthusiasm or spirit, and thanks to the rural Rotary people and the Lions people for putting on barbecues, morning teas and things of that nature. It was a good day for everyone there.
I also compliment the people who work in the Accident and Emergency Department of Royal Darwin Hospital, including the support staff. Over the last few months I have had occasion to visit the emergency department and, on each and every occasion, the care and treatment delivered by the nurses, doctors and support staff was second to none. Their attention to providing thorough and professional care was of great comfort to us, particularly given it was an emergency situation. The staff seemed to work calmly and without any semblance of worry. They did their job very well regardless of the patients during the time we were there - the problems, dress standards or behaviour. It was commendable.
I pass on my personal compliments and appreciation to nurses: Jenny, Leigh, Ferry, the Filipino nurse who was really impressed with our hospitals and the level of equipment we had and a delightful person, to Kim, to Justine, to Mary and to Dr Greg and his support team. A job well done, and thank you from me personally.
Mr ELFERINK (Port Darwin): Madam Deputy Speaker, tonight I wish to raise a couple of issues in the Adjournment debate. Whilst we were talking about crime earlier, I continue to talk about crime now.
The population of the Northern Territory and the people who live in my electorate are well and truly frustrated with this government’s approach to crime, particularly at a street level. The Chief Minister repeatedly says the Country Liberals do not have a policy to deal with crime other than to turn the tap on. That is nonsense and he knows it. The frustrating thing is, this Chief Minister so regularly misleads people and hides information that he is losing credibility at a fast rate. Every time he says in this House: ‘Look, we’re being tough on crime’, he is not acknowledging hiding the quarterly statistics.
When he says we are going to wind back the Banned Drinker Register, yes, but we are going to keep an essential component of its operation. Our habitual drunks policy demands a register of habitual drunks be kept so when these people finally find themselves in front of the tribunal and then fail to comply with the order of the tribunal, there is no re-registration on the list. No, you are going to be charged with a criminal offence and serve time in mandatory rehabilitation in an institution we will build near Katherine. The drunks will be off the streets.
This Wet Season, whilst it was not as bad as the one before because we have had less rain, we still have piles of human excrement being deposited on the doorsteps of local businesses in the Northern Territory. That is because people being placed on this government’s Banned Drinker Register still seem to be at large. If they are on the Banned Drinker Register why do I see so many drunks in our parks? Why do I see so much excrement on the doorsteps of businesses, and why do I smell urine so often around the Darwin CBD in places where people like to relieve themselves in small alcoves near the back of buildings? The Banned Drinker Register was going to fix all this.
I find it remarkable that Mount Franklin now puts out a very deep shade of red water. Every time I see a Mount Franklin bottle in the possession of some of our long-grassers around the community what is in those bottles looks oddly like port. The government says the Banned Drinker Register is working. No, it is not! It is not the experience of the average punter on the street and certainly not my experience. Why do I find drunks still staggering around in our parks and gardens starting fights and causing trouble? There is no intent to remove these people because the government refuses to criminalise their behaviour; therefore, they cannot go into any form of custody. They go back onto the Banned Drinker Register and somehow obtain alcohol - their mates buy it for them or whatever.
Gee whiz, 2000 years ago in Jerusalem some bloke got a bottle of Mount Franklin water and managed to turn its contents into wine, and we have been very impressed by him ever since. Nowadays, we have long-grassers who achieve the same feat, apparently, in our parks and gardens every single day. I am being flippant, but the fact is …
Dr Burns: You are also blasphemous.
Mr ELFERINK: … there are people out there who are getting frustrated that this government talks about dealing with drunks, how tough it is on drunks, says the CLP has no policy when what it has is a movie set. If you look at the front it is all there - the saloon bar, the hotel next door and the sheriff’s office - but if you walk around the back it is all balsa wood and rubber bands.
It does not wash any more. An increasingly desperate Chief Minister, who has never quite recovered from nearly losing the last election, starts to make even more outrageous and fanciful allegations about the lack of policy on this side of the House. The policy was available in 2008 for the Chief Minister to read, has been available ever since that time, and is available now. The policy will work because it will have the effect of removing habitual drunks, who continuingly come to police notice, off the street. If they chose to continue living their life, they can go back through the system each and every time; however, they will be out of our parks and out of our gardens. That is not turning on the tap; that is making individuals responsible for their conduct and not holding the whole community to a position of carrying culpability for the actions of a handful.
It is not within the Country Liberals’ purview to start dictating terms to people who do no wrong. Yet, that is precisely what this Labor government does. I do not really worry too much if somebody backs a ute up to the local Bottle-O, fills it up with Jim Beam and has a merry old time and gets as drunk as they want. That is their business, but not according to this government. No, this government says you have to produce your licence, you have to produce ID, and you have to be checked against a register to do something you do lawfully. The government will inflict that upon the whole community because of the actions of a handful. It now has a system in place where it inflicts it on the whole community and the actions of a handful continue unabated. There is no appreciable difference I can see - and so many people who live in my electorate can see - to the number of drunks in my electorate. There is no appreciable difference in the number of long-grassers, Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal, sitting in parks drinking wine out of Mount Franklin bottles or coke bottles - or goodness knows what else they drink it out of.
This policy has failed. I find it intriguing that this government seems to think it is all a fairly low-profile thing and police are busy investigating real offences. If you clean up the streets you are starting to clean up the real offences anyhow. That is something this government has clearly forgotten.
Madam Speaker, we have policies now which see police becoming, essentially, arrest averse. It is not because they do not like cleaning up the streets and locking up villains - coppers love locking up villains, it is what they do. They do not like going back to the station and work through several hours of paperwork for a simple arrest. Goodness gracious me, the cart should not be in front of the horse.
If there is a problem with the system of arresting a person when you take them into custody for something as simple as an exceed 0.08, a street offence, or any other basic offence where you have to spent a couple of hours processing the villain, then there is something wrong with the system. You cannot make public safety subordinate to a computer screen and some statistics you have to fill out. If there is a problem with that system fix it, but ensure police are capable of getting in there, making arrests, effectively patrolling the streets and getting these people out of our parks and gardens.
That is what the Country Liberals propose to do. We will get these people out of our parks and gardens and get them into an environment where they are controlled as the result of a court order - a sentence - and they will receive mandatory treatment. That is how you will start clearing up the streets not only in my electorate, but the streets of Darwin, Katherine, Tennant Creek, Alice Springs, Yuendumu, Papunya, Wadeye and wherever else. Those communities are wholly and solely sick of having to deal with the drunks and people who break the law.
It is about time we stopped walking on eggshells around these people, thinking we cannot offend them and cannot do anything too confrontational. That is nonsense. It is about time we confronted these people. It is about time we started making them responsible for themselves. It is about time we had a system in place which made these people responsible for their conduct in front of a court of law.
The government will talk about its successes with the SMART Court and bandy it around, but it is not being reflected in the public experience. It is not being reflected in my experience and this government owes it, as a duty to the citizens that support it and pay taxes to support it, to ensure we live in a safe community. That has not been achieved in 10 years.
Mr BOHLIN (Drysdale): Madam Deputy Speaker, tonight’s 7:30 Report highlighted staff of the Prime Minister of this country going out of their way to help incite riots. The Northern Territory government goes out of its way to hide behind misleading facts. We have a Territory government that says it will make the public pay for everything and the individual pay for nothing. There is no individual responsibility. That is what you get with a Henderson government. The Henderson government says everyone must present their licence; everyone will be penalised for the few.
We are told by this failed Henderson government that the Banned Drinker Register is working. Here is some free advice: go out after dark, even during the middle of the day, listen to your constituents and you will find it is not working. It has already failed. I would like to give you some examples and I know you will love hearing them.
I had a constituent ring me the other day - an elderly lady, a fantastic character. She wanted to say well done to some police officers working near Reg Hillier Park. Late last year I did some media work in my electorate on Reg Hillier Park. The lady said she was on her way home and saw some drunks. One man started walloping into a female - totally unacceptable. Mind you, this is directly opposite the Palmerston Police Station. She said it was not very nice, and then she saw two female officers running from the shopping centre not the police station. She said one lady was running faster than the other and she took down that bad person like she had not seen in a long time. She said it was fantastic and made her feel empowered because there was an immediate consequence; however, the police had to come from the shopping centre not the police station directly opposite. The people involved were drunk; they were the same drunks that are in Reg Hillier Park nearly every day, but this government tries to convince people that the Banned Drinker Register is working. That is one example where it is clearly not working.
The beautiful Memorial Park in Palmerston has clear views but, as the member for Port Darwin pointed out, there is a new shade of Mount Franklin water, the crimson water I see regularly in that park and report to police. One Monday I went to the council chambers to check on some paperwork and saw three officers on foot doing a great job tipping out alcohol. These same people have been there for weeks and weeks. They are the same drunks, but you are telling me the Banned Drinker Register is working - clearly not. Last Sunday night I went to one of my local major shopping centres at 7.45 pm. I am an ex-policeman and am pretty capable of dealing with a few people myself ...
A member: Like Tackleberry.
Mr BOHLIN: Like Tackleberry. I am not overly concerned by a group of people, but as I approached the entrance I saw about 10 people who were drunk and vocal. I felt intimidated. I have been trained to deal with those situations, but other people going in at the same time have probably not been trained, and I bet they felt intimidated as well. We were all going to the shops to get something for tea, but we all felt intimidated. Is your Banned Drinker Register really working? It did not feel like it was working to me, and I am sure it did not feel like it was working to the other people. The community is sure it is not working because it has not seen a difference. People are scared and you have not delivered anything for them.
The member for Port Darwin rightly pointed out the Country Liberals’ habitual drunks policy will finally bring down the hammer ...
A member: Policy?
Mr BOHLIN: That is right. I pick up the interjection. Apparently we do not have any policies, yet today in parliament this Labor government carried on and almost mislead the community into believing we have created policies which do not even exist. On one hand we have no policies; on the other hand the government is making up policies that are not even close to the truth. How can anyone believe the Henderson Labor government? How can anyone believe the Gillard government of Australia when it is covered in strange hues of grey and shade?
The Country Liberals’ habitual drunks policy will finally bring down the hammer on bad behaviour - antisocial behaviour. Enough is more than enough. It is on the website and has been there for a long time. If this government was serious it would get a briefing from the Leader of the Opposition, who would describe it and give the government an idea of a real policy that will work, will have real consequences and real meaningful rehabilitation. It will mean my constituents in Drysdale - the families living in Drysdale - will feel safe.
They will feel safe to go to the parks, they will feel safe to take the kids to see the beautiful Territory sunsets and enjoy the parks without having to worry about who has been on what bench and what barbecue facility, who is still sitting there, or what broken glass is there. We will support the councils to ensure those parks are beautiful safe places. We will ensure the message is clear - antisocial behaviour and drunkenness in public is not an acceptable practice. It is not accepted anywhere else in Australia and it will not be accepted here.
Enough will be enough and the hammer will be brought down hard, but it will be done in a way where people will finally get help instead of putting the blame on everyone else. Everyone else has to supply their licence, everyone else has to justify why they are buying alcohol, but the people committing the offences, the people causing affray as we walk to our shops, the people who harass our shopkeepers at Woodroffe shops, people going about their business - that is disgraceful. There are also businesses in Alice Springs and Palmerston trying to supply a service to us, the people who live there, the families who live there - to give them a safe place to enjoy their life.
The hammer will be brought down, and if this government was serious instead of playing gutter politics and creating mistruths it would get briefings from the Leader of Opposition and would understand the habitual drunks policy - bringing the hammer down and ensuring our families can enjoy our communities as a whole. When we have a barbecue everyone can have a great time. I do not care who you are as long as you are having a great time. Do not abuse the opportunities of a fantastic Territory.
This government needs to consider how many mistruths it will introduce into this parliament over the next few weeks because people are listening.
Mr GILES (Braitling): Madam Deputy Speaker, many Australians invest much money into programs in the Northern Territory, particularly Indigenous programs. We are aware of large amounts of money from GST revenue through the horizontal fiscal equalisation process where larger states in Australia pay above and beyond their fair share to assist the Northern Territory operate and deliver programs and services. There are many specific payments made, particularly in the field of Indigenous affairs. We know of Labor’s greatest failure, the Little Children are Sacred report, and the intervention which commenced in 2007 to address many of those issues. We are all grateful to those Australians who, knowingly and unknowingly, contribute their tax dollars to help us out. We should show great grace and gratitude for the efforts those people put in. Similarly, we should respect the national apology made by Kevin Rudd to the Stolen Generations a few years ago in a groundbreaking speech in Canberra. That was very important, and assisted the reconciliation debate to continue and the country to grow and prosper as it does.
We come across hurdles along the way in the Northern Territory, Australia, Alice Springs, Nhulunbuy and all our communities, where hiccups occur and bad situations arise; however, we always seem to grow for the better. The apology brought many of us together and we, as a nation, try to grow our culture and society as a more inclusive one, and that will continue to improve.
This is the first time I have spoken on this issue, but the riots at the tent embassy and the Lobby restaurant in Canberra on Australia Day brought great shame on our country, particularly the Northern Territory because we had a few representatives there. It also brought great shame on Central Australia because of the role of some Central Australians at that protest.
I was made aware of the situation occurring by people who were present and I was receiving phone calls. I have listened to audio of what happened on that day on numerous occasions, and have stayed out of the argument for a number of reasons, mainly because the Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, brought this on herself. However, the footage I saw tonight replicates audio I have heard of unionist, Kim Sattler, representing Unions ACT, inform a lady by the name of Barbara Shaw, who lives in my electorate, of incorrect statements purported to be made by the Leader of the Opposition, Tony Abbott, about the desire - without quoting verbatim - to pull down the tent embassy. Then, Ms Shaw was asked to inform the crowd of the statement and direct the crowd to go to where the Prime Minister and, more particularly, the Leader of the Opposition, Tony Abbott, was. That was a disgraceful, disrespectful thing for any Australian to do, let alone a leader, let alone a union official.
The Labor Party and the unions have manipulated Indigenous Australians for forever and a day, back to the Whitlam era - manipulated them for their vote, in particular. The way Aboriginal people at the tent embassy were manipulated from Julia Gillard’s office, through the unions to those people, to get them to voice protest, participate and lead one of the most disrespectful events in Australia’s history is appalling. There is no way Kim Sattler can continue in her role and no way Julia Gillard can continue in her role.
Her office, for which she is responsible, led a riot on leaders of our country on our day, Australia Day. Kim Sattler should resign immediately. She should provide a full explanation and apology for her participation in those events. She should detail exactly what the Prime Minister’s office told her, instructed her, and encouraged her to do. She should also detail the people she spoke to and encouraged to take part in this riot. She should apologise to the Aboriginal people she manipulated to start the riot in the first place. Julia Gillard should not only step aside as the Prime Minister for bringing shame on this great nation of ours, but she should apologise to those people she has manipulated.
After seeing that video, today is a day where Aboriginal people should de-shackle themselves from the Labor Party and the manipulation it consistently does for the purpose of getting votes. That old statement about trying to keep Aboriginal people dumb and uneducated so they continue to vote Labor - that is the manipulation we know from Labor and the manipulation we know from the Territory. That is the manipulation we witnessed on Australia Day 2012 through the Prime Minister, Julia Gillard’s office, and Kim Sattler.
It was good to see the anniversary of the Kevin Rudd apology because that started to put a more positive taste in our mouth. However, that has quickly been eroded by the disgraceful antics of Labor, the unions, in cohort with the Greens, to get this riot happening at the tent embassy.
Tony Abbott is a fantastic man and a great leader. Like his politics or not, nobody should be treated with such disrespect. I call on the Australian Labor Party to disassociate itself from Kim Sattler, for Kim Sattler to resign, and the Australian Labor Party to remove Julia Gillard because this shows Julie Gillard is not fit to the Australian Prime Minister after bringing such shame to this nation.
Mr WESTRA van HOLTHE (Katherine): Madam Deputy Speaker, tonight I wish to speak about the train derailment at Edith River and subsequent issues which have arisen from that, particularly in relation to the failure of this government, in the past and currently, to deal with issues around not only this incident, but the broader transport sector for the regions, particularly Katherine.
You will be aware that, on 27 December, the train carrying goods north towards Darwin was derailed. Many carriages spilled into the river and, in fact, an exceptional event caused this. I made a few calculations on some of the figures on the NRETAS website out of interest and, using some assumptions I thought were fairly reasonable, I worked out in that 12-hour period of rain, or shortly thereafter, about 26 billion litres flowed down the Edith River, about 5% of the capacity of Sydney Harbour. It was incredible stuff. That aside, copper concentrate fell into the river along with a number of other containers that carried all types of things from the personal effects of new members of the RAAF Base Tindal being posted there this year to grocery items destined for Darwin. Two of those containers are still sitting in the river downstream from the road bridge, and there is an enormous amount of debris scattered around the place.
The railway, we hope, will open very soon, but I will come back to that in a moment. I am highly critical and extremely disappointed in the Minister for Natural Resources, Environment and the Arts for the lacklustre - there are so many superlatives, so many adjectives, so many ways to describe the abysmal performance of this minister over that period it almost beggars belief that he could have been so incredibly asleep at the wheel. That can be illustrated in a number of ways.
The first one is we are all focused on the copper concentrate. We were also focused on the out fall from the overflow of retention pond 1 at Mt Todd. What seems to have escaped some people, certainly the minister, is the debris sitting in the river, largely foodstuffs, is now rotting and the containers sitting in the river are still probably half full. They pose a potential health hazard, and the debris that has flowed from that is a blight on our beautiful pristine Edith River.
What is disappointing about this is the minister and his department did precious little. In fact, they did nothing in regard to directing any of the companies involved to clean up the debris that was downstream from these spilled containers. They did nothing, and I will qualify that by saying, did nothing until the Country Liberals - I as local member for Katherine - raised the issue in the media. You have a minister asleep at the wheel, not being proactive at all, highly reactive and failed in his duty - neglected his duty. He failed completely to have any semblance of an understanding, or a grip on what was happening in the Edith River. He has been to the site and I congratulate him for that. We have the railway due to reopen soon, and I am not going to pre-empt an announcement by any of the companies by saying when that will be, but we hope soon.
Interestingly, not that I heard the interview this morning, but I was surprised to be told tonight that on the ABC radio this morning the minister for the Environment and Natural Resources, when asked about the reopening of the train line, said something like he had spoken with officials three or four weeks ago - I will just repeat that - he had spoken to officials three or four weeks ago. I am advised the minister said that on the ABC this morning.
What I am trying to illustrate is a lackadaisical attitude of this minister of the Labor government so asleep at the wheel that it requires us to be on its back, and the media and the public to be on its back, before it took measures it should have much sooner. This, again, goes to show the very poor credentials this government has when dealing with the environment. These things crop up all the time: enterococci levels, spills at the wharves, the Edith River. Honestly, the list goes on and on. In framing this debate around the failures of the government to look after this issue, it goes much broader than that. The train derailment highlighted for Katherine an enormous deficiency: not having access to a freight hub and a business park in Katherine.
The freight station in Katherine was never designed to accommodate all the freight that went through, and continues to go through, in the current environment until the railway is open. It is interesting, the Katherine Economic Development Committee, which has been defunct for around two-and-a-half years, made a recommendation which still sits on its lists of priorities. In fact, if you go to the website for the Department of Local Government, Housing and Regional Services, in relation to the Katherine Economic Development Committee it says:
Priorities
acquisition of land adjacent to the Katherine Rail Terminal for future development as a ‘business park’.
That recommendation was made many years ago by a group of businessmen, well-known and respected, along with the government officials who sat beside them on the Katherine Economic Development Committee, and what have we had - absolutely nothing! It is not like we were asking for a great plot of infrastructure. We did not need millions of dollars spent. I will read it again: the priority is for acquisition of land. All they had to do was identify and acquire some land adjacent to the railway station in Katherine for future development as a business park. Sometimes I pull my hair out in frustration. What on earth is so hard about that? I do not think it is hard; it is not difficult at all. This is another example of a lackadaisical government, a tired government with no focus outside its own electorates in Darwin. It does not care about the bush. It does not care about Katherine, Tennant Creek or Alice Springs. It is not even on the radar.
The Katherine Economic Development Committee is now defunct because the government lost interest, because the government never followed up on anything it put as a priority. Never! It made a recommendation to acquire some land and could not even do that. Madam Speaker, this government should be ashamed of itself!
Mr STYLES (Sanderson): Madam Deputy Speaker, tonight I want to add to the debate on the matter of public importance - police response times to public emergencies, and the protection, safety and wellbeing of Territorians. I would like to put on the record my view of the police force is it is probably one of the most professional organisations in this country filled with some of the most dedicated people I know. There would not be anyone in this country more dedicated than the majority of people I have worked with in the Northern Territory Police Force.
They do a great job, but as the member for Johnston stated earlier this evening, public servants and police officers serve the government of the day. I could not agree with him more. However, they also are required to fulfil the policies of the government of the day. The area I would like to address this evening is about the policies the government has implemented that police, and other public servants, are required to implement.
The first thing I would like to ask, and it was discussed earlier but we have not had any definitive answers, is the calls made to police in relation to public emergencies, protection, wellbeing and safety of Territorians. For instance; in relation to the national guidelines, what percentage of calls are answered on the 000 line within 15 seconds? How many calls are answered within the national guidelines for the 131 444 numbers, that time being 25 seconds? What percentages are they? My understanding is percentages for the Northern Territory are below the national average.
The other aspect of this is statistics. I heard the Chief Minister earlier in the debate quote figures about changes since the CLP was in government in 2001. Of course, he is giving figures in 2011-12, or areas in a time frame of 10 to 11 years later. The Northern Territory, around 2010, went to national accounting rules in relation to how crime and police statistics are reported, recorded, and reported on. The Chief Minister is quite happy to say to parliament he would like to compare apples to oranges instead of apples to apples. What happened 11 years ago, and the way crime was recorded, was totally different to today. We have a totally different set of figures. I do know what the Chief Minister was trying to point out. Perhaps he was trying to indicate they are doing a far better job. My information is since that time we have a 150% increase in crime generally. How it is recorded is the point we need to look at. I would be glad if the Chief Minister could tell me I am wrong and show me where the definitive answers are so I can check that information. That is the information I have been given and, if the Chief Minister would like to prove me incorrect, I would be glad to stand corrected.
The other aspect of statistics quoted in the House this evening is search fields. I was led to believe – it is around the 2007-2008 mark - that a number of search fields for the way statistics are recorded were changed, leading to a difference in statistics. I mentioned this previously in this House and my understanding was the Chief Minister, and a number of others, put me down saying I did not know what I was talking about. We have a comparison between 2001 and now, and there are differences in the way these crimes and the statistics given to police are recorded and reported on.
Previously, there was a difference between winter and summer statistics. There was a time when people were comparing statistics in the Dry Season and the Wet Season. There are different times when crime is up and down. Take the Alice Springs instance - during the summer Alice Springs has huge problems and not so much during the winter. We have a similar thing with the Wet Season and the Dry Season - different things occur.
I will go to an anecdotal story. The other day, I was talking to some people as a result of what you may call people being banned. It is harder to get alcohol because people do not have a driver’s licence or any type of card, and may not even be on the Banned Drinker Register. In my electorate, instances of theft from fridges underneath people’s homes is rising, where kids are jumping fences …
Mr Bohlin: From my neighbour’s home.
Mr STYLES: … young people, older people, middle-aged people. These people see the people but do not know who they are. Sometimes they cannot identify them again. However, they know older people and kids are stealing alcohol. I spoke to a number of people when I was doorknocking recently who had this happen. I said: ‘Well, what did the police say?’ They said: ‘Oh, we do not bother to call the police, they do not come. If you ring them they want to keep you on the phone, they want to know who you are, what is going on’. These people are underneath the house or have walked off. They are sick to death of all the effort put into getting details, but nothing happening on the ground.
I understand police are busy running around after a whole host of things. However, it is these people’s barbecue drinks, their eskies, their fishing gear, the swag out the back of the ute parked underneath the house that is going, supposedly, behind a fence. People come in and are taking all these things. When it comes time to respond to some of the real emergencies, we find police are tearing around trying to catch up with a whole raft of things tied up with other issues.
This brings me to the next point - the habitual drunks policy. The government says it has a Banned Drinker Register. That is excellent; I am glad it has a Banned Drinker Register. However, I would like to know: what has it achieved? Sure, several thousand people are on it. We still see people fornicating, defecating and urinating all over the place - on people’s front door and businesses. A friend of mine, a business person, had to invest in a pressure cleaner. They had to use Pine O Cleen disinfectant almost on a daily basis. Every morning, they have to get up earlier to go to work to clean up the mess. The government tries to ridicule our habitual drunks policy. It is quite envious that we are going to do this and clean up the streets. People who talk to me at the shops on Saturday mornings or when I am doorknocking are sick to death of it. I am sure police are sick to death of it as well. In fact, I talk to police officers who are friends of mine and, quietly, they say: ‘We are sick to death of the drunks’.
There are people on the Banned Drinker Register who still seem to be whacked on alcohol. The sad thing is - and something I do not want to go into at length tonight; I will do that tomorrow or later in the week - people are changing their drug of choice and going from alcohol to marijuana. I do not know where we are going to go with the government’s policy on that. Perhaps we will give people a piece of paper to say they are not allowed to smoke marijuana and see what happens.
The other thing is the terminology the government uses when it says: ‘We are turning people off tap’. You cannot go into a takeaway facility and get alcohol in a tap. Taps are in bars connected to kegs. That is a little lesson for people listening upstairs; you have your terminology wrong. I notice the member for …
A member interjecting.
Mr STYLES: That is right. Send a memo saying ‘turning people off tap’ is the wrong terminology. Perhaps you could talk to a publican who would give it to you straight.
Madam Deputy Speaker, the police have enough problems. It would be really good if the government looked at some type of policy that worked. I would be quite happy to give the government our policy so it could do something that will work.
Mr MILLS (Blain): Madam Deputy Speaker, I take this opportunity to place on the Parliamentary Record another human story to illustrate strength of the community, and strength in response to something that has caused real injury to our community.
Yes, there is strength there but, sadly, that strength is being exerted in the presence of something that seems to be increasing. I speak of Sandra Eagle and her family. My colleague, the member for Drysdale, knows Sandra well. I have known Sandra for many years. Her mum and dad are from East Timor. She has responsibility in her family for a supermarket in Woodroffe. They are good people and the people in that community respect them – honest, hard-working, good family, and they all work together. It is encouraging to see the good instincts of the majority of our community come in support of Sandra when, sadly, we see headlines in our newspapers where we get the sensationalised media. Sometimes, we can become desensitised but recognise behind the headline and the big story are people such as Sandra Eagle and her family.
I have a few notes I prepared regarding Sandra. Woodroffe store owner, Sandra Eagle, was viciously assaulted in her shop by a group of local youths. That was some time ago but, today, she still recalls the horror of that day. She said - and anyone who knows Sandra would believe this and the significance of it: ‘I have never been in a fight in my life, but now I have two broken ribs’. Anyone who has had broken ribs, as I have, knows how painful that is. They were caused by young people who were trying to rob her.
Sandra is deeply grateful for the support and compassion she was shown by local people after the event. She even took the time to post a very large thank you notice in the NT News, which I will read at the end. The care she was shown by many in the community has gone some way to help Sandra recover from the trauma of that assault. She still relives the events in her dreams she told me. She wakes up sometimes at night. What she is, fundamentally, grappling with is the anger that someone could do this to her and another shopkeeper around the corner – also beautiful people who would not hurt a fly.
She asks the question out of that anger: ‘What has gone wrong with young people to make them think this is okay?’ Sandra’s family - most astonishingly and of grave concern - even received a threatening phone call from one of the parents of a girl apprehended after the incident. Most of us know what happened there and the viciousness of that assault, the attendance of police, the violence of these girls, as described by Sandra and the family, was just awful. Yet, to add insult to injury, they received a threatening phone call from one of the parents.
Parents need to be made fully accountable for the actions of their children, but you need more than glossy brochures for that to work. The hard line promised by this government, which strikes a good chord in our community – the same chord that was struck when they came to support Sandra – is appealed to by glossy brochures and assurances that plasma TVs will be confiscated. Well, how many plasma screen TVs have been confiscated? It made for good text and glossy brochures and appeals to a certain sentiment politics on the other side are very well aware of, but how many? It appears to be, in fact, an empty threat.
The fact is, Sandra and her family now have to face the challenges of each day. She is comforted by the support she has received, but is still very angry this happened and has questions that are almost impossible for her to answer. She is looking to government, for those elected to represent her and those she represents, to answer those questions. Her family, out of concern for Sandra - Sandra is strong and says she wants to keep the business going, keep the shop open the regular hours, but her dear mum and dad have said they would like Sandra to close the shop a little earlier. ‘We will feel a little safer if the shop is closed a little earlier because you are there by yourself’.
That is what I described earlier in a debate in this House - the shutters start coming down, people start closing up, they retreat and our community shrinks, and now the shop is closed a little earlier. That is a financial loss for the family – for their own security. It is also reduces amenity in the local community, so it shrinks the community. They cannot rely on the local shop; they might go somewhere else, which has a cascading effect. Not only that, further injury upon injury is they have a closed circuit security system but they feel they must upgrade it - another $7000. Those who have worked in small business know if you have $7000 in your hand as a result of the trade in a corner store, that is many sales of milk and small products after you have paid your insurance, stock, wages; electricity and your rent. That is a hard thing to come by. They have to pay that now to upgrade; to increase their security.
We must respond to this story. At the core of this we have young people who felt they had been affronted and responded like savage and wild animals, attacking another person who had the audacity to say: ‘Do not take that from my shop’. They were concealing things ready to take them out of the shop. You would not expect to get that kind of savage and vicious response. They were not ashamed in the slightest. They go to school; they are known and have been involved in other activities. The concern is there are others in that same group, and others connected to that group, who are frightened of that group. They should not be. The primary responsibility of a government has to be to provide safety and security for those good people who are trying their best to do the right thing, not to be living in fear of those who exercise violence as a reaction as though it is their right.
I will conclude by reading the notice, and we know how much these things cost. There is much more behind this and I hope members can understand it. The notice was put in the Public Notices of the NT News. It said thank you at the top:
- A huge thank you to the people of Palmerston and beyond for the kindness you have shown to my family following the unfortunate incident at our Woodroffe supermarket.
I am humbled by the sincerity of your concern for our wellbeing in the form of visits, flowers, phone calls and comments in the NT News and Facebook.
Thanks to my local members, Terry Mills and Ross Bohlin, for words of support and encouragement.
It makes me proud to be a part of this community knowing our little supermarket is providing a much needed service and more importantly my family and I are accepted and cared for.
Motion agreed to; the Assembly adjourned.
Last updated: 04 Aug 2016