2010-02-16
Madam Speaker Aagaard took the Chair at 10 am.
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I have received from his Honour the Administrator Message No 14 notifying assent to bills passed in the November sittings of the Assembly.
Mr HENDERSON (Chief Minister)(by leave): Madam Speaker, I advise members of the Ministry and Administrative Arrangements of government arising from the ministerial changes of 4 December 2009. I table the Administrative Arrangements Orders dated 9 February 2009. The ministers and ministerial officers are as follows:
Mr HENDERSON (Chief Minister)(by leave): Madam Speaker, l move that:
(a) the member for Johnston, Dr Burns, be discharged from service on the Public Accounts Committee; and
(c) express the Assembly’s appreciation to Police, Fire and Ambulance Services and members of the public who unselfishly provided first assistance to the injured.
Together with everyone in the Northern Territory, I was absolutely shocked to the core when I heard of the incident at the TIO office. It is something that none of us would ever have expected to occur in the Northern Territory. It is certainly an event that could not have been planned for. The way everyone responded was absolutely magnificent. I was certainly shocked, saddened and really angry about what happened. The senseless violence perpetrated on innocent people going about their daily duties was deeply disturbing.
I was actually at a meeting with Palmerston City Council when the call came through to me about what happened. It was a really uncomfortable half hour, I have to say, when all we knew was that there had been an explosion in the office and police were on the way to the scene. I spent a very traumatic half hour or so just waiting on the news of what had happened, how it had happened, and how many people were injured and affected. It was a very difficult time for all Territorians, I believe.
Many Territorians were injured. They and their families have suffered physical trauma and all the mental anguish that accompanies such an event. Such a senseless act of violence really does leave an impact on the community.
I grew up in the United Kingdom. When I was a teenager, the IRA used to set bombs in public houses in the city near where I was living. Remembering those days, I know full well the absolute trauma that goes through a community when things like that happen. I am not saying this incident in any way is on the same scale, but when such events occur it affects everyone.
As I said at the time, Darwin is still very much a tightknit community; everyone knows someone who knows someone. Someone would have known either some of the injured victims or some of the passers-by who provided assistance. It was an event which resonated through this community.
My thoughts remain with the injured and their families, including the TIO staff and customers who were going about their business.
The day after the event, I visited Royal Darwin Hospital and met with all the victims in the hospital at the time, and their families. I was unprepared for what I experienced. I had heard Len Notaras on the radio early in the morning and had spoken to him the previous evening regarding how seriously injured people were affected. Of course, the great Doctor Len - and everyone at Royal Darwin Hospital – was talking about 15% to 30% burns. When you confront what 15% to 30% burns actually is on a human being, it is deeply affecting. For the victims suffering from those burns, my heart absolutely went out to them, and their families who were by their side.
I stress - and I believe it to my very core - the two victims who are still in the hospital, and everyone who was treated, received the best possible burns care and attention that could be provided anywhere in Australia. I stress again: you would not get better care anywhere in Australia than you will receive at Royal Darwin Hospital. I extend my thanks to the doctors, nurses, and staff at the hospital.
On the day, I met Bruno Long, Tim Harding, Patrick Dunks, Amanda Virgen and Kalisteni Ioannou. I am advised that Amanda and Kalisteni are recovering well but, tragically for them and their families, they are still in hospital. We all hope they make a full recovery.
Listening to some of the stories told to me on that day, burns will recover in time, but it is a long, painful recovery from such serious burns injury. However, the memories of what happened that day will certainly last people an absolute lifetime. From a couple of the stories I heard, it is amazing no one lost their lives.
As well as meeting the victims at the hospital, I also met with a number of people who were among the first to respond to the emergency, showing tremendous and extraordinary courage. They did not know what they were walking into; they had no idea. There had been a very loud explosion and a fire. There was thick black smoke, and people walked into that to provide assistance and care for the people who were injured - absolute heroes!
I have a few names here, but it is not exhaustive. Woolworths employees, Paul Burgess, Michael Hewett and Patrick Dunks - Patrick was the one who was hospitalised - and staff from the nearby pharmacy and bakery did an amazing job helping people get out of the office and helping with the injured. With thick black smoke and enormous heat in the building, the two Woolworths fellows were really quick to get torches and walk into the entrance of the building holding torches so people could see a way out. One of the victims told me he did not know where to go. Seeing those torches and hearing people calling, he managed to get out of the building away from the heat and the fire. Without doing that, those people were totally disorientated and goodness knows what would have happened.
The people in the bakery next door provided immediate care for a couple of the injured. They had no idea what happened; the bakery had gone black and thick black smoke came through. The ladies at the pharmacy down the road – it was just extraordinary - dropped everything, saw that there were burns victims, went back to the pharmacy, loaded up with the appropriate medical aid, and provided care, assistance, and comfort to people at the drop of a hat - extraordinary people.
To all of those people, those great Territorians who responded in the way they did, without one iota of thought about their own safety, my thanks and, I am sure, the thanks of everyone in the Assembly. You did a magnificent job.
I welcome TIO’s support for the hospital burns service, with the company donating $50 000 to staff a public appeal. To Alison and all of the crew in the Burns Unit, you do an amazing job. I have had firsthand experience through my family of the work Alison and her team do at that unit as a result of someone in my family being hurt recently. They do an incredible job. They are held in enormous regard nationally. Dealing with burns victims and their pain is, I would imagine, extraordinarily confronting for many people. To Alison and the crew, you do a magnificent job. I am fully behind the appeal TIO has launched to assist with items for the Burns Unit.
I will host a private parliamentary reception to recognise those directly affected by the incident. All members will be invited. This is about all of us, as community leaders, bringing people together, not only victims and families, but people who rushed to their aid, people from Police, Fire and Emergency Services, and the hospital staff who cared for them. It is, in some small way, bringing people together and thanking them for their extraordinary efforts. Hopefully, it will bring some sense of this to the victims - possibly not closure, but at least letting them know the people who represent them in this parliament, on behalf of all Territorians, want to say thank you and best wishes to those affected. I will let all members know when it is appropriate to do that.
This is an extraordinary motion to bring forward to this parliament. It is one, I hope, never has to be presented in this parliament again. To those people who have been injured: my heartfelt best wishes for a full and speedy recovery. For the families of those who have been injured: our thoughts are with you during this difficult time. For the wonderful people who responded: a heroic effort by fantastic Territorians.
Madam Speaker, I commend this motion to the House.
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I draw your attention to the presence in the gallery of Year 5/6 students from Holy Spirit Primary School, accompanied by the principal, Ms Bernadette Morriss; and teachers, Ms Ruth Egner and Mr Doug Bon; and Year 3/4/5 Moil Primary School students, accompanied by Mrs Rosita Kandiah and Mr Damon Feng.
On behalf of honourable members, I extend to you a very warm welcome.
Members: Hear, hear!
Mr MILLS (Opposition Leader): Madam Speaker, we commence our gathering here in 2010 and, this time last year, we paused to consider those who had suffered so badly and are still struggling with what occurred in Victoria.
Going forward 12 months, we have to pause our proceedings to reflect on what has happened in our own community.
I commend the Chief Minister and the role the Chief Minister has taken in this very important event for our community. I am very pleased to hear there will be that reception. These are noble and important gestures which need to be extended within our community to allow us to process and to come to a better place.
The sorrow we are asked to consider as a result of this event is very real. Darwin is a place unaccustomed to such events. We have received buffeting in the past but, to have something such as this occur in our own street, in our own community, in the CBD, causes sorrow - how could this be? - for those who have suffered pain, and not just the physical pain.
In my own family, there was an accident a few years ago on a farm which involved fire. One of the young workers lost his life, the other - my nephew – lives in terrible pain and has to undergo constant treatment. However, is not that which causes the greater pain: it is the memory. Pain is on one level, and memory is on another. It is the sorrow we express for what has occurred which has an imprint upon those who were involved in this, who suffered that shock. This is why it is so good we are able to pause to reflect, and to respond.
How could this happen in Darwin? How could someone think this could be a solution without any regard for the effect this may have on fellow citizens? That this could occur causes sorrow. The sympathy is hard to muster and, as the Chief Minister has referred, we remember personal experience to help us at least relate and connect with those who have suffered, are suffering, and will continue to suffer, even when these scars have reduced. We express that sympathy; that point of connection.
Everyone has a point of connection because, without a doubt, the way a family or a community deals with such matters is by talking to one another. This parliament is talking about it. However, up until this point, there have been conversations, people stopping in the street, people at functions telling their story - and it is important their story is told. This helps us to understand it and to respond. In that whole dialogue of a community which is still talking about it, the sympathy which has been expressed, even by this gesture now, is important as a response.
As is, of course, our appreciation. The event, in some respects, shakes our confidence because we never expected anything like this to occur. There are TIO workers thinking: ‘That could have been me’. Who do we put into that position now? People will have a second thought when dealing with a customer who becomes overly anxious, concerned, and agitated. It shakes the confidence, and we have to respond to that as a society, as a community, and in our work practices. It shakes confidence; however, that shaking has caused strength to occur when we see the extraordinary response from ordinary people.
Most notable amongst those, as I have heard in many conversations, is the staff from Woolworths. I know one of those three young lads very well. I have bought groceries from him for years. For young Michael to do what he did without a second thought stands in stark contrast to the shaking which occurs as a result of such an event, and causes us to feel proud and strong that we have such capacity within our own community. Those first on the scene have caused us to increase in our confidence, our pride, and in the strength and virtue of our community. Yes, it has been tested, but we have been found to have that capacity, that strength to respond.
For the police, I have heard nothing but praise about the swift and decisive action, as with the firefighters, and the role the ambulance officers took. We responded, and responded well; families came in and helped.
Because I was challenged, I use this opportunity to put this challenge to members. I was at a function and someone wanted to tell their story; they were there. This person had current first aid qualifications. This made me wonder whether I have current first aid qualifications. If I happened to be in that situation at that time would I have been able to respond with some confidence in the qualification I had - or did not have? It was quite a telling moment, and I believe it is a challenge to all of us.
I came upon the scene of an accident a few years ago - and I make this admission now - and at that time I thought I should get my qualification. I have not done that and I am determined, as my new year’s resolution, that I, for one, will become qualified in the event I am called upon as a citizen.
I commend all of those who hold current first aid qualifications - keep them active for the moment they are called upon. It may never occur - I hope to God it does not - but, in the event that it does, you have the capacity to respond and provide appropriate help. So, for those who have taken that step, I pay further compliment to you. For those who have current first aid qualifications, thank you. I face it as a challenge that personally sits with me, and I extend that to other honourable members.
Having said that, confidence has been shaken but we have found able to stand. I believe that which has caused harm and injury - physical, emotional and social challenge - has been responded to by this Territory community and embodied in a few good people who were on the scene and were able to respond. To those behind the scenes, whose names may not be recorded, we thank you for the strength that has been demonstrated in our community.
Madam Speaker, I am very pleased this motion has been brought before us, for the leadership that has been shown, and for the ongoing response. I commend this motion to honourable members.
Mr WOOD (Nelson): Madam Speaker, the Territory Insurance Office is a company we take as our own - remember the nearly 15 000 signatures on a petition which said: ‘Our TIO not for sale’? We may have our odd disagreement with TIO, such as when they closed our local rural branch at Coolalinga, but it is still our TIO: the one insurance company which employs locals who raise their families in the Territory and are part of the Territory.
So when a branch is fire bombed, as happened in Darwin, we all feel the pain and tragedy because the people who were injured were ordinary Territorians doing their job and serving Territorians.
The trauma of that tragic day, both physically and mentally, will be felt long after the terrible event. Staff, customers, passers-by, and rescuers from nearby businesses will be affected in different ways. What it shows is, although we are sometimes a very individual lot, when something happens that affects us, people pull together to help and provide comfort.
I extend my thanks to all those who helped on the day – Police, Fire and Emergency personnel, paramedics, the rescuers, doctors and nursing staff at RDH, counsellors, and anyone else who assisted in any way. I also extend my best wishes to the staff and customers who were present in the TIO branch at the time. I hope that not only the physical scars, but also the mental scars, will heal with time so that your lives can one day return, as much as possible, as they were before this event.
To the manager of the branch, whom I know personally, I pray that you will come through this time and one day return your local branch to the happy place it was before. You are a strong person; it is not an easy time, but I know you will come through it all. To the TIO management and staff who have also felt the shock and pain of being part of the TIO family, I extend my wishes to you all.
It was a tragic day in the Territory, one that we hope will never happen again. Every effort needs to be made so it does not happen again.
Madam Speaker, I support this motion.
Ms LAWRIE (Deputy Chief Minister): Madam Speaker, I support this motion. The fire bombing of the TIO office was a serious, terrible and shocking event; it affected the lives of many innocent people. Nineteen innocent people suffered injuries and trauma as a result of this horrible act. Six TIO staff, two customers, 10 passers-by who came to aid others, and one policeman were injured. My sympathies go out to those affected, their families, and the TIO family group.
I extend my thanks to the TIO management and all those people who offered assistance: the people passing by who, we have heard in this debate, undertook truly heroic acts to assist the people in the TIO office; the other shop staff who acted swiftly and bravely; the police and our firefighters who were swift, professional and comprehensively responded; the medical support delivered by the staff of St John Ambulance; and, of course, the Royal Darwin Hospital, particularly the Burns Unit.
We do not ever expect to see an incident like this in the Territory, but those quick-thinking actions, those courageous acts, encourage all of us in the sense of strength and spirit of our community.
Six TIO employees were hurt: Amanda Virgen, Kalisteni Ioannou, Barry Hamill, Garifalia Tsangaris, Maria Tutt and Robert Cotton. As the Chief Minister said, two of those people still remain in hospital receiving the care of hospital staff. Our thoughts are with Amanda and Kalisteni. We wish them a full recovery. They are going through a very painful period in their lives. As we all know, incidents like this leave physical scars and also, very seriously, emotional scars which people will carry with them through their lives.
The TIO acted swiftly and appropriately to support all of those affected by this horrible act. I commend Richard Harding, the CEO, and his team. Psychological counselling support has been offered to all injured employees and their families. TIO is funding the same counselling support for the other people directly involved in the incident.
Information during these times is critical, and helps support people through the incident. The TIO provided comprehensive information to TIO staff on the status of the injured, including non-staff members, updates on security, information on support services, and information to assist with public inquiries. The We Say Thank You Appeal launched by the TIO provides our community an avenue to acknowledge all those affected by this event by supporting, importantly, the Royal Darwin Hospital’s burns service.
We know a person is before the courts having been charged with numerous counts including attempted murder, arson, intent to cause explosion, and reckless endangerment of life. As TIO management has advised, a threat was made and this information was conveyed to the police and measures put in place to increase security. The TIO, like similar scaled businesses, has had to develop business continuity plans to respond to a range of events including disasters and threats of attack. These plans were activated in response to this incident and included regular communication to TIO staff and the board, and the establishment of a temporary CBD branch which was up and running the morning following this horrific fire bombing.
An external review of TIO’s systems and processes and its response to the incident will be conducted, including reviewing security arrangements and responses to threats. TIO has commenced action to select an independent expert to undertake this task.
Madam Speaker, I thank the TIO staff involved in response to this crisis, led by the CEO, Richard Harding, and his management team. My thoughts are with those affected by this terrible incident, and the families still struggling to cope with its aftermath. May we not see the like of this incident ever again in our harmonious community.
Mr ELFERINK (Port Darwin): Madam Speaker, I speak primarily because this incident occurred in the electorate I represent. At the outset, I express my gratitude this is a motion of thanks rather than a condolence motion. That would have been so much worse and so much grimmer.
I heard with interest what the Chief Minister had to say about this matter. He was set in mind of the activities of the IRA in England when he was a young man. In my experience, I had been at 10 Downing Street a few days before a mortar attack by the IRA. I was in northern Spain - it would have been in the early 1990s – when I watched the Bank of Madrid explode into the street in a small town called Vitoria. I was in southern Africa in a cinema and, a few days later when I had arrived back in Australia, I turned on the radio only to hear that that cinema in South Africa had been a target of a bomb.
I was sitting in the mall when I started to hear a few stories trickle through as to what had occurred at the TIO office. One of the first thoughts that jumped into my head was that I hoped no one was hurt. However, the description of this as a bomb going off in our community made me concerned, because I thought, am I as a community leader - as we are community leaders - failing? Has it now come to the point where politically-motivated people will go into our public buildings and target the innocent for the purposes of some wicked political or religious agenda? That was starting to prey on my mind.
I do not in any wish to diminish what occurred at the TIO office because, clearly, what happened was utterly disgusting and repugnant to the good order of our community. However, I do take comfort in this: this safe country that we live in, Australia, has so far been largely free of these sorts of politically/religiously-motivated attacks. I express my gratitude and take comfort, in this sense, that the attack on the TIO – and, of course, it is up to the Coroner who will be investigating the fire, and to the courts which will turn their mind to the guilt or innocence of the accused person - seems to have been an isolated incident, more in the nature of what was committed by Douglas Crabbe at Yulara all those years ago, than an attack of the nature the IRA, the Basque separatist movement, ETA, or, for that matter, any anti-apartheid organisation would have been pursuing. Therefore, the integrity of what makes this country safe still holds true in my mind’s eye.
At the beginning of this parliamentary sittings, we recognised a legitimacy was given to this place by a welcome to country from a descendant from the original inhabitants of the area, followed shortly thereafter by a blessing from the Chinese community of the Northern Territory. Consequently, I take comfort we live here in an environment where there is a level of harmony which does not spill over into the politically-motivated violence we see in other parts of the world. For that, I am grateful. I find it remarkable, when you point out to people we have a Christian church next to a mosque in the northern suburbs, most people do not say: ‘Yes, we are very proud of our multicultural heritage’. The more common reaction is: ‘Oh yes, I never noticed’. It is that low on the radar and, for that reason, I am grateful.
Burns are horrible injuries. They are the most difficult to heal; they invite infection far more readily than most other forms of injury. They are time-consuming in their healing process and, in the scars and the cicatrix left behind. The problem is the injuries are permanent, and the people who are burned will carry that legacy with them for life.
What I am also grateful for, and I wish to express my gratitude for, is what I have now come to expect as a standard; that is, ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances do extraordinary things. I have seen it again and again over the years, and witnessed it yet again when I turned on my television set that evening and saw people doing extraordinary things. For that I am grateful, because it resonates through our society and our community that we would rather live in a place that enjoys good order and peace but, when that good order and peace is disturbed, almost everyone stands up and is prepared to be counted immediately to restore that good order. I am grateful for that.
Madam Speaker, this is a motion of gratitude. For all of those reasons, I continue to be grateful. I thank the bystanders, the police, the ambulance services, the medical staff for their efforts, but I also thank the community of this country, that we still maintain a community and a society which is inherently civil and orderly in the way it goes about its business. For that, too, I am grateful.
Motion agreed to.
The CLERK: Madam Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 100A, I inform honourable members responses to petitions No 24, 27 and 28 have been received and circulated to honourable members. The text of the responses will be placed on the Legislative Assembly website. A copy of the responses will be provided to the member who tabled the petition for distribution to the petitioners.
Response:
Petition No 27
Response:
18 units at Berrimah;
eight units of transitional accommodation (26 beds) at Malak;
Construction of a 12-bedroom Group Home at Catherine Booth House to be managed by the Salvation Army;
20 units at Coconut Grove to be managed by the St Vincent de Paul Society;
four two-bedroom duplexes at Bellamack;
35 units for renal patients in Alice Springs;
construction of eight units at Goyder Street, Alice Springs, to be managed by the Salvation Army;
four apartments at The Gap; and
24 units of transitional accommodation in Alice Springs.
Petition No 28
Tiger Brennan Drive – Safety Barrier
Response:
Bill presented and read a first time.
Mr HENDERSON (Chief Minister): Madam Speaker, I move the bill now be read a second time.
The primary purpose of the Public Information Bill is to establish a transparent and accountable mechanism for the review of public information produced by public authorities. This review process will ensure public funds are used appropriately to provide the public with information which does not promote party political interests, and clearly differentiates between facts and opinion.
As honourable members would agree, an essential role for any government is the provision of comprehensive information to the public about government policies, programs, and services which impact on their rights and obligations and, for a democracy to be successful, political parties and politicians should be able to engage in free and open debate about each other’s views and policies in the public arena. However, where these cross over, it can result in claims information given to the public has been politicised, is misleading, or inaccurate.
This legislation is groundbreaking. There is no precedent in the Territory, or any other Australian jurisdiction, for a legislative mechanism to review public information as proposed by this bill, and is another example of my government’s commitment to being transparent and accountable.
Considerable work has been undertaken to examine the options available to review public information, in particular the type of information which should be subject to review, the most appropriate person to conduct the review, the type of review and referral mechanisms, and the framework to review public information.
This bill provides power for the Auditor-General to review information given to the public by members of the Assembly and government departments, and to advise this Assembly if the content of public information contravenes the following principles contained in the bill in relation to the provision of public information. Those principles are that the content of public information:
must not promote party political interests; or
The Auditor-General will review public information to determine whether the information has contravened these principles, and will be able to make recommendations in relation to his findings. This role provides significant new power to the Auditor-General, and should not be underestimated. Whilst I consider the Auditor-General is the most appropriate person to perform this role, I am cognisant it would be undesirable for the Auditor-General’s independence to be compromised. This Assembly relies on the Auditor-General to provide independent advice that government activities are carried out consistent with the Assembly’s intention, and it would be inappropriate for the Auditor-General to be perceived as having any part in the decision-making role for the provision of information to the public.
Under the proposed arrangements, the Auditor-General will conduct a post-assurance review of public information referred to him by a member of this Assembly, or on the Auditor-General’s own initiative.
The bill will be supported by a set of guidelines to assist public authorities in their compliance with the principles, and the Auditor-General in his review role. These guidelines will be necessarily prescriptive, and set the criteria for the standards and content of the types of public information produced by government ministers, the Leader of the Opposition, members of this Assembly, and government agencies.
I turn to the specific elements of the bill. Part 1 of the bill deals with preliminary matters, including the objects upon which the bill is drafted, and contains the central interpretation clause of the bill. In relation to specific interpretation clauses, it defines the basic concepts of what does and does not constituent public information, and what a public authority is. The definition of public information is very broad, and extends to any information given to the public which utilises money or property of the Territory.
Information produced by a member of this Assembly for their electorate using their electorate allowance, and media releases of a member of this Assembly, are excluded from the purview of the Auditor-General. It is considered honourable members should retain the discretion over the use of their electoral allowance, and free debate about the policies of the government and the opposition should be able to continue through the use of media releases.
This part also defines the bodies that are not public authorities as a judge, magistrate or person acting in a judicial capacity (for example, the Coroner), the Auditor-General, a local government council, the Territory Insurance Office and Power and Water Corporation, or a person or body prescribed by regulation.
Part 2 of the bill establishes the functions and the powers of the Auditor-General in relation to the review of public information. The Auditor-General must, at the written request of a member of this Assembly, conduct a review of an item of public information to determine whether it contravenes the principles relating to public information. Strengthening the Auditor-General’s independence and that of the review process is the ability for the Auditor-General, under his own initiative, to undertake a review of an item of public information if he believes that an item of public information may be in breach. The Auditor-General will have complete discretion about how the review is to be conducted, but must have regard to the guidelines created under this bill when determining if the item of public information has breached the principles.
The Auditor-General will be required to prepare a report for tabling in this Assembly about the review. The report must specify whether the Auditor-General determines that the information breaches the principles, and the reasons for his determination. For example, the Auditor-General may find an item of public information promotes party political interests because it uses a slogan or photographs that are associated with a political party.
At any time in the process of conducting a review, if the Auditor-General considers that an item of public information may breach the principles, prior to finalising his report the Auditor-General can recommend to the public authority responsible for providing that information that it be withdrawn or modified. The public authority must consider the recommendation and decide whether or not to implement the recommendation.
Some commentators may be of the opinion that the provision only allowing the Auditor-General to make recommendations is inadequate, and that the Auditor-General should have the power to direct a public authority to withdraw or modify the public information. A recommendation made by the Auditor-General to withdraw or modify the information should not be taken lightly. In the event that a public authority chose not to act on a recommendation, and the public information was found to be in breach of the principles, the public authority would be answerable to this Assembly to explain the reasons for their decision.
As I have previously indicated, I am cognisant that, above all else, the Auditor-General’s independence should not be compromised and there should be no perception the Auditor-General is, in any way, involved in any facet of public administration. This Assembly relies on the Auditor-General, an independent statutory officer, to provide it with information about whether government activities are being carried out and accounted for consistent with parliament’s intentions.
Legal advice obtained supports the position that it would be inappropriate for the Auditor-General, an officer of parliament whose traditional role it is to assist and report to parliament independent of the executive government, to have a power to direct facets of public administration.
This part also contains a natural justice provision requiring the Auditor-General allow a public authority the opportunity to provide comments in relation to the findings of his review. The Auditor-General must then consider the public authority’s comments when finalising his report.
Part 3 of the bill provides the power to create guidelines to support the legislation. The purpose of the guidelines will be to assist public authorities in their compliance with the legislation. By their nature, the guidelines will also assist the Auditor-General in determining whether an item of public information has breached the principles relating to the provision of public information.
Part 4 contains a standard transitional provision providing that the Auditor-General can only review public information given to the public on, or after, the date the act commences.
Part 5 is a consequential amendment to the Audit Act to extend the power of the Auditor-General to undertake the functions relating to the review of public information. This is necessary, giving limited scope of the Auditor-General’s powers under the act which are primarily related to financial audits.
In conclusion, I am confident this bill provides an independent and transparent mechanism to review public information. It will allow a government to continue to connect with the public to provide information about programs which their taxes fund, but will also increase accountability and provide the public with confidence that the public information is objective, factual and free from political bias.
Madam Speaker, I commend this bill to honourable members, and table the explanatory statement to accompany the bill.
Debate adjourned.
Continued from 26 November 2009.
Mr ELFERINK (Port Darwin): Madam Speaker, I indicate our support from this side of the House for this bill. It is a fairly commonsense bill dealing with a fairly commonsense issue, but with an un-commonsense tax in mind.
In the Northern Territory, it is particularly sad we are so reliant on Commonwealth income as our actual self-generated income - our own source revenue - is fairly small; especially when you compare it to other jurisdictions such as New South Wales and Victoria where some 30% or 40% of their income is reliant on Commonwealth sources. If you include the arrangements under the intergovernmental agreements, then you quickly discover we are close to 80% reliant on funding from the Commonwealth. Also, this particular payroll tax, whilst a tax on jobs, creates a substantial slice of our own source revenue. Therefore, of course, it will not be an easy tax to wind back or to abandon altogether.
I note, whilst the arrangements are to draw us into a position where we are in line with other jurisdictions, the fact remains our capacity to set our own rates and thresholds still remains in place. There is a negligible budgetary impact as a result of passage of this legislation that enables us to create an environment where an uncomfortable tax still has to be paid by an employer; then at least they do so where the taxation arrangements are consistent across jurisdictions.
To that end, we see the common sense in this particular legislative instrument. There is nothing that flows out of this particular instrument that is of concern to the members on this side of the House. Therefore, Madam Speaker, we seek the bill pass and the new arrangements be put in place as quickly as possible.
Mr GUNNER (Fannie Bay): Madam Speaker, I support the bill. It is good to have the support of the member for Port Darwin and members opposite for this bill. It adds to our reform agenda for harmonisation of payroll tax that has been worked out between the states, territories and the Commonwealth. It makes it simpler for business to work across jurisdictions between states and territories. Obviously, this legislation has been mirrored in parliament across jurisdictions to make that happen.
Essentially, we are creating what is described as a nexus for businesses operating across those jurisdictions. When an employee works in more than one jurisdiction over a calendar month, then their payroll tax is payable to the state which the employee has their principal place of residence, rather than the state where the wages are paid. So, one state or one territory, and one bill – which makes it much simpler for business and reduces red tape and complications in those internal administrations for business. Obviously, the reduction of red tape and finding ways to make the job of business simpler is something we all support.
In one of those great complications of parliament, these changes already commenced in July last year, I understand, to coincide with the financial year. They will have the most benefit for those businesses whose employees travel a lot across borders. In the Territory, that is essential for airlines and transport industry. So, there are big improvements to businesses that are crucial to the development and growth of the Territory. We all catch airplanes; we all buy products which are brought up on road trains. That is, obviously, good for reducing red tape for some of those industries which are crucial to the Territory.
These changes are one more step in a series of reforms we have made for payroll tax. Since we came to office, we have constantly found ways to reduce the impost of payroll tax on business. Successive Labor governments have reduced payroll tax and made the Territory the lowest taxing jurisdiction for small to medium business. It is worth reminding the House of those reforms. Since 2001, we have reduced the payroll tax rate from 6.5% to 5.9% and increased the exemption threshold from $0.6m to $1.25m. By making those cuts, we have also saved business $105m. I understand, Treasurer, that we have committed to more payroll tax cuts which will deliver a further $10m per year in savings for business - which is all pretty good. That is why we are the most competitive payroll tax regime for businesses with wages up to $5m. There is no land tax and no Fire and Emergency Services levy in the Territory.
We reform tax because we support Territory business and we support jobs. If you want a job, come to the Territory. In the last year, we have seen 6000 new jobs in the Territory. We cut tax, we support business and we create jobs.
Madam Speaker, I commend the bill to the House.
Ms LAWRIE (Treasurer): Madam Speaker, I thank the opposition for their support of the Payroll Tax Amendment Bill which creates nexus arrangements between all the jurisdictions, essentially covering the situation where you have employees undertaking their work across state borders. This really evolved from an argument around payroll tax receipts between the larger jurisdictions affected – New South Wales and Queensland – but it required all the Treasuries to work together across our nation to come to these arrangements. The agreement that was ultimately struck provided for a commencement of 1 July 2009. Here we are in 2010 with the legislation before us.
That being said, appropriately so as Treasurer, I issued a media release at the time announcing the legislative changes coming forward and the nexus arrangements in place between the states and territories so that employers were given fair and due warning. Transitional arrangements are in place to ensure taxpayers facing those transitional changes as a result of the bill may make any necessary adjustments in relation to the months prior to this bill receiving the Administrator’s assent as part of the annual reconciliation process for the 2009-10 assessment year, and they will not receive any penalty. Whilst, administratively, our Commissioner for Taxation has always taken it in that vein, the legislation actually provides for that surety of not receiving any penalty – a fair and just approach.
The nexus rules, as I said, do not really significantly affect the Territory, but they certainly put to bed an argument that was raging between the large jurisdictions where those employees were crossing state borders. That being said, of course, we have, with the hub of Jetstar here, a situation where we have more employees in those types of industries based in the Territory. We all know that transport is a key industry for the Territory.
This provides the clarity for employers paying payroll tax, because providing for that principal place of residence as a test is important. Often, an employee will have their bank account, for example, in another jurisdiction, so that raises issues, and this provides for clarity of where the wages are paid.
As to the political argument introduced by the member for Port Darwin, to sit there and rail against the payroll tax receipts the Territory receives is somewhat hypocritical. I remind him it was the Country Liberal Party that introduced the payroll tax system ...
Mr Elferink: You are outrageous.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr Elferink: You are absolutely outrageous.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr Henderson: You refused to cut it, did you not?
Mr Elferink: That is wrong.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr Elferink: That is also very wrong. Every time you open your mouth on money, you bugger it up.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, member for Port Darwin!
Ms LAWRIE: The CLP is the father of payroll tax in the Territory - I remind him of that point …
Mr Elferink: Thank God, because if you guys had installed it, it would have been three times the rate.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, member for Port Darwin!
Mr Elferink: Madam Speaker, she is being very provocative.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, member for Port Darwin! I ask you to cease interjecting.
Ms LAWRIE: They truly are a rabble.
Madam Speaker, the CLP was the father of payroll tax in the Territory, and Labor has a very proud record of, the moment we won government, getting in and not just reducing the rate of the payroll tax but, importantly for Territory businesses, changing the threshold. It got to the point where our local businesses are out of the payroll tax picture. It is the large multinational companies paying payroll tax in the Territory.
It is nonsense to run the line that Labor is somehow crippling business through the payroll tax arrangements. We have the most competitive payroll tax arrangements in the nation, slashing that payroll tax rate from 6.5% to 5.9%. And, yes, we have more work to do; we are on a commitment. The most important thing for local business was changing that exemption threshold from $600 000 to $1.25m. Apart from the rate slashes, that is what truly helped our local businesses - the threshold change was fundamental.
We have a very small jurisdiction, of course; we have approximately 100 000 people in the Territory who are able to be taxed in one form or another. Of course, we have a small own source revenue. We are growing own source revenue because we are growing our economy. We are creating more jobs - some 6000 more jobs in the Territory in the last 12 months. Therefore, we have a booming economy - the strongest economy in the nation – so, with that, you receive in revenue more from the taxation regime.
However, we remain the most competitive in the nation for small- and medium-size businesses, and we are proud of that record. Whilst this is purely a nexus arrangement which deals with the situation of employees who are crossing state borders, and where those payments should go regarding payroll tax, I welcome the foolishness from the member for Port Darwin in getting into the broader debate around payroll tax per se. The CLP was the father of payroll tax ...
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I do not want to see this House bogged down in requests to make personal explanations, but if she continues to ascribe to me words I have never uttered, that is exactly what is going to happen.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Port Darwin, there is no point of order.
Ms LAWRIE: Thank you, Madam Speaker. We have introduced legislation which is being introduced across the nation. Half the states have introduced and passed it and half the states are in a process of getting it through their legislatures. It provides clarity. We stand very proudly on our record of continuing to slash payroll tax, helping businesses in the Territory, not just the rate but, importantly, the threshold as well.
Madam Speaker, I commend the national payroll tax nexus arrangements bill to members of the House.
Motion agreed to; bill read a second time.
Ms LAWRIE (Treasurer) (by leave): Madam Speaker, I move that the bill be now read a third time.
Motion agreed to; bill read a third time.
Mr ELFERINK (Port Darwin): Madam Speaker, I move that leave of absence be granted to the member for Araluen, Ms Carney, for this sittings week.
Motion agreed to.
Mr HENDERSON (Chief Minister): Madam Speaker, 3 December 2009 was a significant day for the Territory. On that day, I stood beside Vicki O’Halloran and Bill Moss AM, co-chairs of the Territory’s 2030 Steering Committee, and launched the first long-term strategic plan for the future of the Northern Territory.
It was a significant day because this is the first time a Territory government has attempted to put in place this level of forward planning. It was significant too because, unlike planning by other governments around Australia and the world, this plan was driven by the people of the Northern Territory.
Territory 2030 is very much a product of Territorians, and it is a reflection of how they want our community to grow and evolve. The government has endorsed and adopted the outcomes of extensive public consultation right across the Territory. Furthermore, we have adopted the most extensive, open and transparent reporting requirements of any strategy document ever released in the Territory. This is a measure of how seriously we take this plan.
The journey to Territory 2030 began after the last election. I had become increasingly concerned about the need to provide more detailed planning for the future of the Territory. I said I would lead a government that prepared and planned for the future. I have said repeatedly a failure to plan is a plan to fail.
Territory 2030 is a public demonstration of the government putting its money where its mouth is. With a strong and rapidly growing economy, with high population growth right across the Territory compared to what we inherited, and with increasingly complex demands on the resources and attention of government, I realised unless we plan our priorities our effort would be dispersed and blunted in its effectiveness. We decided we needed an explicit framework to ensure decision-making by government supported the priorities of the Territory as a whole.
I was also increasingly of the view that, in the 21st century, governments needed to introduce more ideas and thinking from outside government. Territorians, generally, are keen participants in their community; it is a matter of pride for all of us. However, as our community has become larger and more complex, the opportunity to participate in decision-making has been reduced; our lives become busier, the issues become more complex. I was determined to reverse the trend and expand the usual mechanisms of advice to government by bringing the public into decision-making in a very direct way.
With those issues in mind, Territory 2030 was born. Territory 2030 sets a new benchmark in community engagement for government planning. The foundation of this was the appointment of an independent steering committee in 2008. We were fortunate, indeed, to appoint a group of eight extremely talented individuals to the steering committee. Members included: Vicki O’Halloran, Co-chair for Social Inclusion; Bill Moss AM, Co-chair for Economic Development; Michael Berto; Dr Jan Ferguson, Ted Egan AO; Professor Jonathon Carapetis; Steve Margetic; and Denis Mackenzie. Collectively, this group of individuals represents an extraordinary level of knowledge, experience and expertise in matters relating to the Territory. It is at this point that I must place on the public record my sincere thanks to the eight steering committee members for their dedication and hard work over the 12 months the steering committee sat.
The Territory 2030 Steering Committee is now disbanded, but the legacy of their tireless work is before us in a strategic plan. Each of those individuals already had very busy professional lives in their own right, and each one of them contributed many hundreds of hours in bringing the plan to fruition. I thank them all. Their expertise across the full spectrum of social, economic, business, and community interests, their passion and belief in an exciting future for the Territory, and their independence from government has culminated in a vision that is truly representative of what Territorians want for their future.
The steering committee worked tirelessly in developing Territory 2030 and talked to hundreds of people during the process. The steering committee members were emphatic that what they could contribute was only a small part of the overall knowledge required to develop the plan. This is why the committee undertook a community consultation process in two phases.
Their first step was to call for submissions from the community about what should be included in the plan which resulted in more than 75 submissions from individuals and organisations. The submissions raised issues across the spectrum of the community with subject areas ranging from education, health, housing, crime, recycling, food security, infrastructure development, our pristine environment, and climate change.
In addition to seeking written submissions, an intense program of public forums and industry and community consultation was held between January and March 2009. Steering committee members visited and spoke to Territorians in many centres including Darwin, Katherine, Galiwinku, Alice Springs, Wadeye, Maningrida, Nhulunbuy and Groote Eylandt. To build on the advice offered by Territorians, expert round tables were convened by the steering committee to enable them to hear from experts in several fields.
An education round table brought experts from primary, secondary, and tertiary institutions, as well as the non-government and community-based sectors. This was followed by a health and wellbeing round table. Again, experts from government, non-government, aged care and allied health sectors provided advice to inform development of the strategy. A business round table was also held garnering views and opinions from industry groups, peak organisations, property developers, small business operators, and major investors in the Territory.
The steering committee also sought advice from government agencies and called for briefings on specific issues, all the while building a growing knowledge bank of the issues of importance to Territorians now, and of what Territorians wanted the Northern Territory to look like in the future.
Over a number of weeks, the steering committee considered all the information they had before them and, from this, developed a consultation draft of the strategic plan. The consultation draft was made public in April last year and the steering committee took this back to Territorians to test their findings. Again, an extensive program of public consultation in remote, regional, and urban communities was held in Darwin, Katherine, Alice Springs, Nhulunbuy, Tennant Creek, Galiwinku, Angurugu, Ali Curung, Borroloola, Hermannsburg, Lajamanu, Santa Teresa, Nguiu, Ngukurr, Palmerston, Litchfield, Yuendumu and Maningrida.
A further 46 formal submissions were received in response to the draft strategic plan. These came from individual Territorians, peak groups, and a range of organisations across business, industry, environmental, and community sectors. This represents an extraordinary level of interest and input from the community.
As another first, the steering committee used technology to encourage debate and discussion on the draft plan. The entire document was based on the Territory 2030 website in a form that was totally editable. A number of Territorians took the opportunity to edit the document as a way of making suggested changes and improvements to the draft. After reviewing and considering all the feedback, the steering committee finalised the plan and presented it to government. Government accepted the steering committee’s recommendations and this then led to the Territory 2030 Strategic Plan’s official launch on 3 December 2009.
As Ms O’Halloran and Mr Moss said at the time: ‘The goals and aims of the community are now the goals and aims of the government’. These are important words because they reflect a vitally important point - this is not a government plan, this is a Territory plan.
Territory 2030 contains 129 targets linked to six key priorities. None of the 129 targets stand alone; they are all interconnected across the six key priorities. Some targets link together and support other targets. This is particularly demonstrated in some of the education, health and wellbeing targets. Some targets require clever work and action; for example, continuing to grow the Northern Territory economy and managing the Northern Territory’s natural resources according to the principles of ecologically sustainable development. This will require the government and the community to be smart in how we develop the Territory into the future.
At the centre of the strategic plan is education. To use the words of one community submission to the Territory 2030 Steering Committee:
Within the education theme, there were three high-level objectives: meeting or exceeding national standards for education and training; promoting lifelong participation in education; and developing a world-class education system. The education theme is not just about the school system. It is about lifelong learning beginning with a supportive family, early childhood and preschool arrangements, through to our primary, secondary and tertiary institutions and out-of-school study. It includes learning for pleasure through informal courses, on-the-job training, professional development programs, and informal knowledge sharing that continues on throughout people’s lives, often well after retirement.
Whilst education is the No 1 priority, there are five other priorities: society, economic sustainability, health and wellbeing, the environment and, finally, knowledge, creativity and innovation. As outlined in the strategic plan, the test of a well society is how it includes all its citizens in its sphere of influence. We need to remain fixed on the goal of including all of our fellow Territorians in our thinking.
The society theme addresses these issues. It is about ensuring our communities are safe, enjoyable places to raise families, and where Territorians choose to stay and grow old. It is about ensuring we all have access to appropriate and affordable housing, and we have a balanced housing market. It is important to Territorians to have access to the important staples of life that make us strive as individuals and as a community. It is about ensuring we have appropriate infrastructure and high levels of public amenity.
Another theme is economic sustainability. It is about growing our economy and sharing the prosperity this brings across the entire Territory. It is about fostering business opportunities across our regions. It is about ensuring we provide an environment that encourages future investment in the Territory. In 2008-09, we recorded the strongest economic growth in the country - more than twice the national growth - and this strong growth is predicted to continue over the next five years. This sets the right course for achieving the economic sustainability targets within Territory 2030 in the short and medium term.
The health and wellbeing theme is about all working towards better health outcomes for all Territorians. Not all Territorians are as healthy as they should be. There are parts of our community that suffer from a range of serious health issues, chronic conditions, and lifestyle-inspired conditions including obesity, alcoholism, heart disease and smoking-related illness. A large proportion of Indigenous Territorians experience severe health outcomes linked to social disadvantage. Territory 2030 sets targets to address these important issues and bring into focus the idea of wellness and prevention as a priority for all. This shift to wellness and prevention from current focus on treating people who are already unwell will require significant effort and reform across the health sector. We know it is a long-term target, but we are not afraid to tackle this issue head on.
The environment theme is about ensuring the Territory’s natural environment remains relatively intact and continues to be recognised nationally and internationally for its significance. It is about reducing our carbon footprint and ensuring we balance the interest of economic development with environmental sustainability so that future generations can continue to enjoy and reap benefit from the unique asset our natural environment offers.
Members would be aware that, in the immediate wake of the launch of Territory 2030, the government also released the Territory’s climate change policy. This policy points to the detailed way we intend to fulfil some of the key goals and aspirations of Territory 2030.
The knowledge, creativity and innovation theme is about setting a course to develop a knowledge-based economy in the Territory, fostering our creative arts, and helping Territory business to work smarter. This is an important challenge to build on the edge we have established in various creative and innovative niches, including the desert and tropical research centres, our well-developed Indigenous arts programs, and the university and research sectors we have developed and grown to date.
When releasing this document, the key issue raised with me and my ministers was the issue of implementation. This is a natural reaction. Whilst applauding the government fulfilling this initiative, people wanted to be reassured we would make the plan happen. I can assure all Territorians and this House we are very determined to implement this plan.
Following the launch, I acted quickly to ensure there is sharp focus within my government and government agencies on delivering the Territory 2030 vision. On 4 December, I announced a reshuffle of the Cabinet to further build on the release of the 2030 strategic plan. This was to ensure that ministries more directly align with our plans for the Territory’s growing and exciting future. At the same time, a departmental restructure was announced to better align agency business priorities with Territory 2030 targets.
Territory 2030 is the overarching framework, the strategic roadmap that sets the direction for government over the next 20 years. However, it does not stand alone, nor does it provide the detail of actions that will be taken to progress targets. That is not the purpose of a strategic plan; that job is now with government agencies which will work with strategic partners to progress the 129 targets in the plan. What it does do, however, is acknowledge we need to make progress in many interrelated spheres if we are to achieve the vision. For example:
access to a quality education will impact on an individual and a community’s economic prosperity;
an investment in research and development will have a positive impact on business productivity and economic growth; and
an inclusive society which values cultural diversity and promotes gender equity will have a positive impact on the safety and wellbeing of all Territorians.
Territory 2030 sets targets in all of these areas and more and, in doing so, provides the impetus for government agencies and, indeed, business and community organisations, to consider how they can contribute towards making progress - perhaps beyond their traditional responsibilities and interests - to reach our vision for 2030.
Importantly, Territory 2030 recasts how government will do its business. Territory 2030 demands a corporate responsibility approach, a joined-up approach that reaches beyond any single government agency. An example of how we are recasting this is through our key government policy frameworks. These include: A Working Future; A Healthier Territory; Smart Territory; Greening the Territory; Housing the Territory; Growing the Territory; A Safe Territory; Good Governance; and An Affordable Territory. They bring together key government activity under each policy framework, rather than presenting this information on a government agency by government agency approach.
One of the key points of difference for Territory 2030 is its governance arrangements. Apart from setting a new benchmark in public consultation for government planning, Territory 2030 is also at the cutting edge when it comes to how we intend to keep Territorians informed and involved. It is about an open government, transparency and accountability.
The foundation of this is through the Territory 2030 Cabinet subcommittee which has been established to oversee implementation of the strategy and to monitor and report on progress. This is the first time non-elected people have been brought into the Cabinet process in the Territory; it is a rare process in the entire nation. The two co-chairs from the former Territory 2030 Steering Committee sit on the Cabinet subcommittee as full members - Vicki O’Halloran and Bill Moss - in effect representing the voice of the people, and will help to keep focus on achieving the vision that Territorians have set out in Territory 2030.
I also appointed a Parliamentary Secretary to focus on Territory 2030 implementation, and I was pleased that the member for Arafura accepted this role. Given her extensive experience in government and her complementary role on the Council for Territory Cooperation, the member is perfectly placed to play an important oversight role in the implementation of the plan.
The government expects the subcommittee to play a very important role in ensuring the plan is being implemented. It will have extensive powers to call people from across agencies to ensure they are on target. The subcommittee has already met and has identified a number of priority targets for this first year of the strategy. Further Cabinet subcommittee dates have been set for the year. A dedicated Implementation Unit has been established within my department to coordinate implementation across the public sector and to support the Cabinet subcommittee in its work.
We will be going back out to Territorians again in the coming weeks and months to ensure we keep people informed about progress. A series of engagements across the Territory to brief key stakeholders and encourage participation at all levels of the community is being planned. Already, several key organisations have received briefings on Territory 2030, and more are under way. The process of realigning government business is well under way within government agencies. This will culminate in all agencies’ strategic and business plans being driven by Territory 2030 targets.
A series of Territory 2030 conferences will be held over the first couple of years of the strategy to progress priority issues, or to examine in more detail some of the underdeveloped targets in the plan. The first conference will be announced soon.
Importantly, in this targets-based strategy, it is data which will show how we are progressing. In some areas, data is readily available and will be used as a baseline against which future progress will be measured. In other areas, we will need to collate data and develop new ways to assess progress to determine how far we have to travel, and the path we need to get there. The Territory is often described as ‘data poor’, and, where there are data gaps, the Territory 2030 Strategic Plan proposes we undertake a household survey every two years.
Work will commence shortly on developing the first survey so we are ready to undertake the first one late next year. The findings from the household survey and existing data collections will not only provide the evidence base for decision-making, but will also inform our reporting to Territorians.
Furthermore, the government will publish a score card every two years so progress against targets can be scrutinised by Territorians, with the first one due in 2012. Public reporting on progress against targets is an integral element of our transparency framework. We will publish a score card detailing where we are and what we have achieved every two years. This will be a warts-and-all picture of how the strategy is tracking. As an interim measure, whilst the household survey and score card is under development, information about a number of the Territory 2030 targets and how the Territory is tracking will be published on the Territory 2030 website shortly. Territorians will be able to access information about where we are with a number of targets. For some targets, we already have access to information; however, there are some targets where there is no data available. As data collections are improved or developed, this information will be made available on the website for all Territorians to see.
We will be looking at the Northern Territory budget and how it is developed to ensure alignments with the objectives of Territory 2030. The budget development process will be linked to Territory 2030 to ensure the government investment is directed towards achieving Territory 2030 outcomes.
Each Northern Territory government chief executive will have key strategic Territory 2030 targets written into their performance agreements. A review of Territory 2030 will be undertaken every four to five years to ensure the strategic plan remains contemporary and relevant to the Territory. The review mechanism is to ensure Territory 2030 remains contemporary and relevant to a changing Territory. The strategy needs to be understood and considered as a living document. This will be an independent process where I will call together an independent steering committee to evaluate Territory 2030 and recommended improvements.
Whilst government is recasting how it does business to align with Territory 2030, government alone cannot achieve the targets laid out in the plan. To be a success, not only will government agencies work more closely together, but there will be an increased focus on strategic partnerships with business and industry, local government, the environmental sector, and the community. I cannot say this often enough: this is a plan for the Territory and not just for government; everyone can play a role. All these measures add up to an unprecedented level of openness and accountability in delivering on this major government strategy.
Territory 2030 is about the future; it is about our future. It is about working together to support the first ever long-term plan for the Territory. It is also about strong and decisive government action right now; this is what is happening. I believe it is a long overdue element of government planning, and provides an important framework for where we are heading as a community. It will be worked on over the next 20 years; it will be modified. However, it will form the basis of action provided there is a political will to adopt it. My government has demonstrated its will. Importantly, we have determined our actions now, and our planning for the future, and our future actions, will bring about the vision for the future Territorians have crafted through Territory 2030. It is an exciting vision,
Madam Speaker, I commend the statement to the House. I move that the Assembly take note of the statement.
Mr MILLS (Opposition Leader): Madam Speaker, at the outset I need to, and must, recognise the contribution of the members of the 2030 committee. Many of them I know quite well, and all of them I respect, and respect the contribution they have been called upon to make.
Yes, it is about fresh ideas and, yes, as the Chief Minister has said, it is important for governments to think outside the square. It is important to have such plans in place.
What I am to say is not a dissection or analysis of the quality of the ideas, because I believe those ideas stand on their own merit. What is in question here is the use of such mechanisms for political purposes. The quality of those ideas, the targets that have been set, the objectives that have been described, are appropriate and they have their place. However, the community is saying that the role of government is to set an agenda and achieve a result, and they are elected to make decisions, to cut a path, to take a risk and cause an idea to give birth to something that bears evidence of action, rather than a tool or a mechanism to create the impression something is happening.
You cannot fool the people all the time. They have had this approach to government for some time, where such enterprises are embarked on, with much activity, careful communication to stakeholder groups, where you establish your earnest credential to really listen, engage, and hear. In fact, it is not about listening and hearing in order to do - it is to listen and hear to create an impression you are doing something because you need to manage a political situation.
It is all ladder and no rung, because what is needed is the action plan that is going to result in something meaningful today. There is nothing more boring than a person who turns up at your house and talks about great plans of stuff they are going to do. You have been to all the meetings where people are talking about all their fantastic, well considered, intricate, detailed plans - and they do not do anything. They are boring people; they lose their credibility. That is what we have here: a boring government that talks about stuff.
People want to see a house they can afford to live in. They want to see the answer to the problem of land, which has been talked about for so long, result in something they can respond to today. They want to know what this city will look like in 20 years. Fine, but what is going to happen today which will make that possible? Where is the rung in the ladder?
We talk about what is at the top of the tree and we do not talk about anything that is happening today. We have revelations of a certain report on education, and we have fluffy talk out there, but what is happening today?
When we talk about leadership, you are going to have to take on something some people will violently disagree with and push it through, because you believe that the end of this exercise is worth the pain, the cost and the political risk. We do not see any of that. All we have is ‘fluffery’. We have, in fact, at the heart of this, an abdication of the central role of a government. A government is elected to lead and to make decisions.
The areas that have been researched by the committee are fine. However, what the community wants is not another slogan, another construct, another communiqu, and not promises that facts will be provided just before the next Territory election. This is all about managing community perception, managing a political process.
I am not alone in those views. The people are growing tired. They want to see something happen. We can put it out there and push it just out of reach. We can say all the right things, workshop those words, do some focus group work and all that kind of exercise, press a few buttons so people get a good feeling about this, and put statehood out there just out of reach.
Well, that is all right, but what is happening today that gives evidence one way or another that we are making progress? The intervention. How did that occur? It occurred as an abdication of responsibility and a genuine response to calls. They were not heeded and when they were finally responded to as result of political pressure, those exercises such as the inquiry were sat on until pressure increased again. Then it was released and it was too late - there was an intervention. Yet, we put statehood out there. What happens today to give any credibility to that dream?
I do not want to turn my mind to the details of the recent issues because I find it distressing; that is, child protection. There has been more skating around this to avoid direct moral responsibility, managing the perception, changing the deck chairs around to create some kind of impression, rather than deal with an issue honestly before your community, and inspire them that you care. Yet, we have fluffery, an abdication of responsibility and the role of government to take a risk, cut a path. Do something controversial, make a decision. Maybe the people will not like it but, at the end of the day, they will look back and say: ‘They believed in something more than process’.
I believe the community has had enough. I am not speaking alone on this. I hear what people are saying. They are frustrated and they want action; they want an outfit that will hear and do. How is it we have had media release after media release, story after story - even glossy brochures paid for by Territorians - about the response to the land crisis? This is a real issue. How often have you been down the back lots and looked at those people who do not have a house and are living hidden from view? Do you go and hear their story? Do you take pause to consider the things you have said; the expectations you have raised; the flood of people who come into my office the moment you responded - you changed tact. You responded and said: ‘Oh yes, yes, it is a problem and it is going to be the biggest land release the Territory has ever seen’. You issued all the media releases and put ads in the paper; managed the community, raised their expectations.
However, you failed to deliver - except more media releases to buy more time to manage community expectations. And, still, two options both failed. Expectations were raised and the community frustrated. Ordinary people paying rents - that you were warned about - balance supply and demand. Turn your heart and your mind to it and do something. Do not occupy all the resources of government to manage the message, manage the media; spin these things whichever way you like. I have been to two forums in here and economic summits. It is fine, but you were elected to make leadership decisions that could be hard to make. It is beyond how popular you are. It is about how right you are and how seriously you take your job.
I would much prefer to be led by an outfit that has the courage of its convictions to make hard decisions the community may not like - but hold your ground because you know what you are doing and you are doing it for the right reason. That is not to bolster and manage your popularity and your profile in your electorate.
This is the issue with this: there is no concern for the quality of the ideas. I commend the people who were involved in this. They were called upon to be involved in this. You know, probably if you took the time and had the smarts to ask them what they thought, what the real issue is, it is not the ideas. The real issue is the capacity to implement the ideas, and to say: ‘Yes, this government has the will’. It has the will to organise processes, to create impressions – oh, yes, that is your will and you make efforts there. Do you have a will to make a way to benefit Territorians - those families out there who are looking to government now to see that there is going to be, finally, a genuine admission that you have concealed evidence with regard to the protection of children? Have you had a change of heart?
You can have the best game plan in the world but, unless you have a coach who inspires the team, it is going to be: ’Oh, yes, another plan’. ‘Do not worry, I am going to put it on glossy paper and we are going to have them break up into small groups and we are going to talk about it’ - this great plan. They want to be inspired, to take a risk, and to be inspired with a quality of leadership that is honest. You have concealed information about a most serious issue.
I was at a meeting last night and someone did not want to talk about it – a hard man with a piercing in his eyebrow and ear; a tough guy, and he could not talk about it. He could not talk about what had occurred in our own community with children. Yet, this government will conceal that information, even when it is leaked, not provided. That is the absence of courage and moral conviction required if we are to take such a plan seriously. Otherwise, we have that boring git at the barbecue who tells about all their great plans they have, things they are going to do. Well, I do not think I will go back to the barbecue. I lost my interest. I want to see someone who has done something, who is honest, who has some courage and conviction beyond their own appearance or preservation.
That is the missing ingredient here. I can point at any area, and my colleague will do that. I see there is all the right talk, all the right gobbledegook, with regard to how this process language is constructed. There is the use of the word ‘data’, like evidence. It gives you that assurance because the words are used, and we think: ‘Oh, we want to see action’. Therefore, ‘action’ is used, the world ‘will’ is used - there is a ‘will’ in this government. A will to do what? We do not know after all this time. However, I do not see any data there. I trust that the ministers who will stand will provide real data, because we have pie-in-the-sky, we have nothing on the plate right now we can relate to. It is ‘going to do’, ‘want to do’, ‘hope to do’, ‘hope it happens’, with all the right dressing of all the right language around that to create the right impression.
I tell you that people are fed up with it. They are fed up to the back teeth with this kind of approach. They want to see a change of heart in the government, to get on with the business and attend to stuff which would show you really do care about the interests of Territorians. Spend time with people. I know Dr Burns spends time at the markets. I am sure people line up and tell him. I know others may have conversations but, perhaps, it is getting hard to hear. I can hear it, and I know what they want. They want the rungs on the ladder - what happens today, tomorrow, the next day - that makes us think this is real. We can talk about statehood and push it over the horizon, but if the actions today betray that sentiment, then it becomes meaningless. We do not inspire, we do not build courage, and we do not build that resilience within our community. It is just fluffery, and people go about their own business, and reduce their operations into smaller patterns of ever-diminishing circles - people disconnect. Let us inspire them, let us challenge them.
Madam Speaker, that being said, I hope to hear from the ministers who will speak of data, evidence, something concrete. I hope to see, from this point forward, ministers with the courage of their convictions stand before public audiences and state their case and argue their claim, rather than have media minders or guns for hire come down and manage difficult issues like shire reform, education, and so on. When do you see the minister stand up and take the crowd on that might be hostile, and have the courage of their convictions to have that battle in public? You do not see that courage from this government. You will have the professional public relations experts wheeled in who can manage the crowds. Where is the minister, the elected person, to stand in front of a hostile crowd?
I hope that occurs, that you stand and show that you have that ticket. I should not tell you this, because I know the community will reward you for it even if they do not agree with you, because they have not seen it from this government. They have not seen that level of courage, where you have the courage of your convictions to stand and be able to confront them.
The former Labor member for Macdonnell is the only one I can recall who has done that - but is no longer with Labor. I hope that is one thing we will see: someone stand and raise a contention, and show the courage of their convictions. I hope to see real data, real evidence, presented by the ministers, and something which is genuinely real, manageable, and achievable. However, it is right here and now which challenges. Perhaps it is contentious, but we know it is far more than just managing the media cycle.
The idea at the heart of this is fine. The role of government has been abdicated, in my view. These things have occurred before. I remember Foundations for Our Future from Denis Burke. I came into parliament about that time.
Mr Vatskalis: Was that the longest suicide note?
Mr MILLS: What did he say?
Mr Elferink: Yes, that is right. The longest suicide note in Territory history. Know what? It applies right here, right now.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Port Darwin, the Leader of the Opposition has the call, not you.
Mr MILLS: Thank you, Madam Speaker. He is not the only person to have made the connection between Foundations for Our Future and the attempt to create some kind of framework. We know the end of that story. The view is we see the same thing being played out here - many similarities. We will wait and see whether this is, in fact, about managing cycles and being captured by the process, or about real action. We will wait and see but, member for Casuarina, I favour the view that this is history repeating itself.
Ms LAWRIE (Treasurer): Madam Speaker, I thank the Chief Minister for this important statement. It is important to have it debated now on the first parliamentary sitting day of the year.
The Leader of the Opposition talked about leadership and courage. It was a courageous Chief Minister who embarked on a process, at arm’s length to government, which brought him eminent people such Bill Moss and Vicki O’Halloran as co-chairs of the economic and social committees to bring the steering committee together with a series of eminent experts across a range of backgrounds and experience, and told them to communicate with the people of the Territory on behalf of government and listen to what they said. That will form a basis of the blueprint for the focus and direction of government efforts to take us through to 2030, to create the Territory we, as a broader community, want to see in 2030 - not a foundation politicians might want to see.
It was a genuine process which involved consultation with people across the communities of the Territory by a body of experts who were not politicians bent on playing a bizarre game of political football you saw described by the Leader of the Opposition today in this Chamber. Shame on him for showing a lack of leadership this morning in this debate. Shame on him for not understanding 2030 is a vision genuinely formed by the people of the Territory, as opposed to what politicians might want to see for political benefit and outcome. It genuinely is a vision owned by the people of the Territory.
It was courageous also in that the Chief Minister said he will, for the first time in the history of the Territory, create a Cabinet subcommittee which has representatives outside Cabinet on it, to scrutinise the implementation of this vision, and have the ability to bring before it senior public servants, ministers, and other people who can provide commentary on whether the implementation is actually occurring.
This is visionary, strong leadership from the Chief Minister, setting out a very clear pathway through the 2030 vision to create a better, more vibrant, safer, stronger Territory through the views of the community - the views of the people of the Territory - being communicated through the forums that were held and all the submissions provided. We will not lose sight of that work. We will not put that report on a shelf and say the job is done. The job has started; the work will continue.
I sit on the subcommittee of Cabinet as the Deputy Chief Minister. I am participating in those meetings, and I am very aware of the vigour in the room with the Chief Minister, Bill Moss, Vicki O’Halloran, with me and now to be joined by the member for Arafura and our Indigenous policy minister driving the implementation. So it is not a body of work which sits on the shelf and people pay lip service to it. CEOs will be made accountable for the work they are doing with their departments to implement this strategy.
The Leader of the Opposition continues to trash the Territory: ‘Woe is the Territory. All of these things are bad about the Territory’. Well, stand up for the Territory. We are punching above our weight. We are the smallest jurisdiction in population in our nation, yet, we punch above our weight. We are the strongest growing economy in the nation. We are the future of our nation. We have the natural resources, the mineral resources, the oil and gas but, importantly, we have dynamic and vibrant people.
It is the people who fundamentally make all of these things work. Territorians, in other jurisdictions, often rise to the top very quickly because they are innovative, they have courage, they have strength, and they know it takes a range of approaches to achieve an outcome. They are used to doing it tough, in tough conditions, with the odds against them, and coming out and winning.
Territory 2030 sets out where we need to win; where we need to get those wins to make the Territory the best place for the people of the Territory - to be a powerhouse for our nation. It is absolutely achievable. What is in here is achievable.
Instead, we get strange waffle from the Leader of the Opposition instead of focusing on the issues that 2030 lays out. I will talk about courage and a minister standing up and having the courage.
Local government reform was, and remains, contentious. The Council of Territory Cooperation is looking into local government reform. It is fundamentally contentious, fundamentally difficult to do - taking all those community councils and bringing them into a shire-based system, and taking unincorporated areas of the Territory and ensuring they are part of shires, reducing to the number of shires we have now. I watched our Local Government ministers go into communities right across the Territory, and face the crowds and talk about local government reform. I watched our former member for Barkly do it, and I watched our member for Daly pick up that mantle and continue that work. I am now watching our member for Arnhem continue to do that.
The most significant reform in government in the history of the Territory and it has been the courage of Labor to do it. It took the courage of our ministers to walk out the door and face the crowd and have the debate, while the CLP has fluffed around in that space for decades with a half-hearted attempt in the Tiwi. We came in and we did it - difficult reform, tough reform to do. It took a long time in its implementation to ensure our shires are strengthened through the reforms. We are part way down that path and we have a long way to go; it is so significant to improving the conditions for people in the bush. We never lost sight of that outcome. We never lost sight of the opportunities for the bush through local government reform - tough to do, courageous to do. It took real leadership to do, and I watched my ministerial colleagues, one by one, walk out that door and take it on.
I challenge the Leader of the Opposition; he has blinkers on. Take the blinkers off. Understand the real work being done here and now in the Territory and embrace it, be a part of it, be positive. Find the ideas and find the solutions, instead of just trashing the Territory. The old divide-and-rule CLP is back, and it is a shame to see it. The politics of blame is back and it is a shame to see it ...
Mr Tollner: You do not need us to divide you; you are at each other’s throats all the time - and you are the leader of it.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Fong Lim.
Ms LAWRIE: It comes back to they will resort to their old ways very quickly. The blame game is back, instead of clear ideas, positive solutions, and suggestions around strengthening the Territory. We are a small jurisdiction with enormous challenges and significant disadvantage which has existed for decades, which we will tackle and are tackling. We are putting the resources in, but no government in the Territory can do it on its own. It takes a collaborative approach with the Commonwealth government. With successive Commonwealth governments we have been in there working. We will continue to work hard to achieve the significant investment and resources it will take to turn around disadvantage in the bush.
Territory 2030 was a critical turning point in saying: ‘Let us actually listen to what the people at the community level want. What are their aspirations? What do they want to see as the vision for the future of the Territory?’ To bring that together was a difficult, lengthy process for government to go through because it was challenging. There are ambitions in it which are challenging to people who are working in government to achieve. We are not underestimating the challenges in the 2030 vision. We have signed up to it, and we have a process in place to keep us on task. The subcommittee of Cabinet is there to keep us on task. We have Bill Moss and Vicki O’Halloran sitting on that subcommittee with the Chief Minister and senior ministers, and the Parliamentary Secretary to drive it. The member for Arafura has the skills, knowledge of government, and is a former Deputy Chief Minister who only stepped down due to ill health. She has the skills and ability to drive this as Parliamentary Secretary.
This is an initiative by the Chief Minister showing leadership, capturing by listening to the ambitions of Territorians. It has six key areas in it. It is not trying to be all things for all people and, therefore, achieving nothing. There are six key areas where there is a real focus to drive the Territory forward.
Education, of course, is the No 1 key that underpins our vision for 2030. It underpins the task and the work we have ahead of us. It is our first objective. Territorians need to meet or exceed the national standards for education and training. It sounds simple but, with the deficit we have in education, particularly in the bush, it is an enormous challenge. We have had early successes if you look at accelerated literacy and what that has meant to the improvements at the school level in NAPLAN tests. We have the pointers on the pathway to show us how to achieve it.
Accelerated literacy is but one. It is a significant objective to have Territorians meet or exceed the national standards for education and training. Education is at the core of the health of our society - from early childhood, which is pre-school in the true sense before preschool, right through preschool, primary, middle, secondary, tertiary and, of course, vocational education and training. We are bringing that together - lifelong learning, providing learning for our adults who have missed that opportunity in the past, which is a significant challenge, particularly in the bush, but a challenge 2030 binds us to.
We will have to report on it. There will be reports and score cards on this work. We are not going to have this sit on the shelf and say: ‘Well tick that box; we have a vision’. We will be reporting against how we are achieving the priorities in that vision.
On education, the Leader of the Opposition said: ‘I have not seen ministers with the courage to stand out there and face the crowds over something that might not be popular but is the right thing to do’. Well, I have never heard such hypocrisy. In education, a fundamental turning point was a courageous decision which was made in delivering Indigenous education – a decision that has been debated up hill and down dale in this House and will continue to be - the decision to introduce four hours of English learning in the formerly bilingual system. That was contentious, it remains contentious but, at the end of the day, it is a strong Education minister who said that our kids need to be able to speak, read, and write English to have the opportunities all Territorians enjoy.
Courageous, she went out the door. The member for Arafura went to the communities, had a series of community meetings. They were heated, they were difficult, and it continues to be contentious to this day. Our Education minister continues to work on that issue. Our minister for Indigenous policy continues to look at how to retain and strengthen Indigenous language in the Territory - contentious, courageous and real leadership to tackle the core of a need, which is Education; the ability for our kids to speak, read and write English to give them a chance at the opportunities in the Territory or, indeed, anywhere in our nation.
That took courage and leadership. It was a minister who went out and took the bullets, meeting after meeting, in the communities affected, in meeting after meeting with delegations coming to her in Darwin. As a Cabinet, we stood solidly with her, and we still do. We recognise it is contentious, we recognise the importance of Indigenous language and culture in our communities, and maintaining and strengthening that, and that is the work being undertaken by our minister for Indigenous policy. We have not put that issue to rest. We will continue to work on it from an education and an Indigenous policy perspective.
Education in the remote communities, for Indigenous Territorians, whether they are remote, regional or urban, is a key issue for us. We will continue to pursue a fair outcome and opportunities for all Territorians. That takes in resources and programs such as Accelerated Literacy. It takes in the tutors in the schools, the workers to help get the kids to school, but we will continue to do that and we will be reporting against that in our score card.
There was courage and leadership every step of the way down that debate, and the opposition just slammed it - used it as a political football rather than taking it as an opportunity to see real reform in education in the Territory. There is a lack of courage and leadership from the CLP.
The other area is society. The society key area covers topics from housing affordability through to public safety. Territory 2030 has the very admirable goal of making the Territory one of the nation’s most affordable housing markets in the country. We do not underestimate that challenge in a growing economy where we have high population growth rate.
It is important to point out this is not about sending property prices spiralling down. It is about having a stable property market with supply coming on to meet demand ahead of time. Our Housing the Territory strategy currently - action, real action now - includes the release of six blocks over the next five years. Real action now is seeing the release at Bellamack. Real action now is seeing the release at Mt Johns Valley in Alice Springs. Real action now is seeing the release of Johnston - real action now.
We have worked with Defence to get Lyons out the door. We have worked with Defence for Muirhead to get out the door as well. We have released land into the property market in Katherine. We have released land into the property market in Tennant Creek. We are doing the lease agreements for the major Indigenous communities across the Territory. We are setting the plans in place, for the first time, for where the residential, the commercial and services will be - real action, right here, right now. It is tough action, tough to do, tough to pursue, and it takes a lot of resources. However, we are putting the resources in - $130m in the 2009-10 Budget alone for infrastructure to support land release. We are dedicating within that release dedicated public housing stock and affordable housing stock. New policy for the Territory; it took a Labor government to do it!
Under the A Safe Territory strategy, the government has a comprehensive approach to improving community safety. Alcohol is a factor in around 60% of all crime reported in the Territory: 59% of assaults involve alcohol, and 51% of assaults involve domestic violence. Talk about courageous, leadership, and bold - we are the only place in the world with a universal mandatory reporting system for domestic violence. The first place in the world - innovative, bold, courageous leadership. Ministers are going out and facing the nay-sayers of that …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, order!
Ms LAWRIE: Strong, bold and basic measures …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, member for Fong Lim!
Ms LAWRIE: … to tackle domestic violence; putting the resources into police for dedicated Domestic Violence Units; putting the resources into the courts to assist the victims of domestic violence; and putting resources into the shelters and the NGOs to support the victims of domestic violence. That all takes courage. We are talking about the unpalatable subject of domestic violence; we are putting it out there, taking action on it, making it safer for victims of domestic violence.
We are not stopping with that. We are putting in training programs. The family violence training program has been a great success where we are bringing people in from communities and training them in the skills they need to be the champions of safety in their community. The men’s group has worked right across the Territory for men to be champions of safety in their communities. That is innovative. It is not occurring anywhere else. It is here in the Territory. We are doing it. We are pushing the boundaries ...
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order Madam Speaker! I move the member be given an extra 10 minutes so she may complete her remarks, pursuant to Standing Order 77.
Motion agreed to.
Ms LAWRIE: Thank you, Madam Speaker. I am aware of the time, and I will try to stick to 12 pm.
We have introduced legislative changes to provide the tools to assist police for greater community safety: CCTV cameras, the antisocial behaviour hot line, patrol services - whether it is the First Response Patrol or the Night Patrols and the Day Patrols to assist in the ancillary roles which keep police focused on responding to crime - more police on the beat, the City Safe initiatives, tougher sentences, a secure taxi rank, and alcohol management plans. Talk about tough, talk about leadership, talk about courageous, talk about an ID system in Alice Springs and …
Mr Tollner: That is what it is all about, talk. It is all about talk.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Fong Lim!
Ms LAWRIE: All you want to do is trash it, say it is not fair; it is not the right thing to do. Yet, we are seeing alcohol consumption reducing in Alice Springs. We are able to prohibit people in Alice Springs because of the ID system. It does not exist elsewhere. Courageous and bold ministers walked out the door and did it. The member for Johnston pursued that as Minister for Alcohol Policy. He took on the crowds in Alice Springs and has continued the debate about it.
Economic sustainability is a key priority within the strategy. As Treasurer, the objective of economic sustainability, of course, is a priority I am pursuing. Under our government, we have seen strength in our economy and economic growth. Access Economics is predicting we will be the strongest growing economy in our nation for the next five years, punching above our weight.
That being said, we are certainly seeing the flow-on effects of the global financial crisis. We stepped up to the plate; we put the extra investment in infrastructure to keep jobs, to create new jobs - 6000 new jobs. It is real action here right now.
When the CLP was last in power, the only jobs growth was furniture removalists because hoards of Territorians had to leave because our economy had flatlined …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, order! Member for Katherine!
Ms LAWRIE: There was plenty of work for furniture removalists, but everyone else had to head south to find a job. They did not want to go; they loved living in the Territory, but they had to head south to find a job. You can get a job in the Territory ...
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, order!
Ms LAWRIE: Manpower Queensland say we are the best place to go if you want a job. We have the strongest growth in the nation - right here and right now – with strength of leadership in economic management. We took it from deficits under the CLP into successive surpluses under Labor.
Yes, it is a tough job, and this coming financial year, 2011, will be the toughest of them all. We are predicting a deficit. We chose to go into deficit to create jobs. We make no apology for that - 6000 jobs created. The Territory is the place to be if you want a job. The families of the Territory say: ‘Thank God, because without a job, try feeding a family, try paying the rent’. A job is fundamental to the economic health of a family.
Health and wellbeing is a priority area. As Minister for Alcohol Policy, I have a core responsibility here. There is no doubt our plan to reduce the amount of alcohol Territorians consume to the national average is bold. It is an enormous challenge. However, we will continue to roll out the alcohol management plans; we will continue to put the interventionist tools in place. The alcohol court which, of course, the CLP trashed and slammed is taking real action in tackling alcohol. We have 300 additional treatment and rehabilitation beds in the Territory under Labor; we have more being funded.
We will tackle alcohol at every level. We are introducing new laws to tackle the alcohol-fuelled violence in our pubs and clubs. We are supporting the hoteliers with the action they are taking. We are supporting our police with the action they are taking. A total of 70% of alcohol consumption is off licence, and that is a massive issue. That is why we have alcohol management plans. Groote Eylandt is a good example of real action which creates real change - 50% reduction in crime with the alcohol management plan there.
Nhulunbuy, Alice Springs, Tennant Creek, and Katherine already have plans, and the challenge is on for Darwin and Palmerston. I know there will be political footballs being kicked around by the CLP because they are not fair dinkum about reducing alcohol consumption in our community.
In 2008, there was a reduction in the supply of alcohol into the Territory of 0.3% while our population grew at 2%. Change is occurring right here and right now.
We have a pristine environment, and protecting our environment is a core part of our approach to sustainable development. We have two prime objectives here: being the custodians of our natural heritage, and sustainable living. It is about living and growing in harmony with our environment. We can manage the Territory’s natural resources according to the principles of ecologically sustainable development. Again, Territory 2030 sets out clear targets under each of these objectives.
Madam Speaker, I am running out of time so I will be brief. This is such an exciting area of the vision of 2030 - knowledge, creativity, and innovation. It is the last of the key areas in 2030. It is about developing a focus on research and innovation, increasing participation in arts and cultural activities and events, and improving access to and the use of technology. Here is a very exciting opportunity for the Territory; we are innovative in what we are doing. We have distance learning innovation. We have health service innovation regarding distances. There are other parts of the world intrinsically interested in the innovation we have here: the research teams at Charles Darwin University; the research centres, Desert Knowledge amongst them.
There is such an exciting opportunity in innovation, research and knowledge which is occurring right here and now, and I am so pleased to see it as a bedrock priority area in 2030. We have some incredible talent in the Territory regarding the thinkers in the world. Professor Grahame Webb is the head of the Crocodile Research Society in the world. We have some incredible thinkers here. Jonathan Carapetis is acknowledged for the work he does; he has participated right through 2030. I am proud of the Territorians and the talent we have which can deliver in this area of innovation, research, and knowledge. I am proud to be a part of a government which will ensure we are focused on that area to support its growth and the delivery of the opportunities in the Territory.
I sincerely thank the co-chairs, Bill Moss and Vicki O’Halloran, for the work they have done to date, their ongoing commitment, and the work they will continue to do. I have the privilege of working with them. They are dynamic, visionary people who have the energy to continue down this pathway to deliver the vision for 2030.
I thank everyone who made those 75 submissions. I thank everyone who went out as the steering committee and participated in all of those community forums. I thank the members of our community for putting forward their ideas. I sincerely thank the 2030 steering committee for listening to them. We have an exciting vision. It is not going to be a document that sits on the shelf and collects dust. It will continue to be recorded against by government. There will be a score card. We will be testing CEOs of our departments to ensure they are meeting the requirements set down in the 2030 vision. As ministers, we will each be responsible for answering to our colleagues how we are driving and implementing 2030. We are up for the task. We are up for the challenge because we have a leader who has a vision.
Debate suspended.
Dr BURNS (Leader of Government Business): Madam Speaker, I move the member for Arafura, Ms Scrymgour, have leave of absence today on account of ill health.
Motion agreed to.
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I have received a document relating to pairs for the members for Arafura and Araluen. It is signed by both the Government Whip and the acting Opposition Whip.
Mr MILLS (Opposition Leader): Madam Speaker, I move that the Chief Minister and the Minister for Education and Training be censured for:
We had interjections to start this debate with attacks across the table referring, as their main point, that they have money, and lots of it, which has been spent. It is how that money is spent, the thinking behind it, and the employment of that money which achieves results. However, you are not going to make that effort, and that is why the Chief Minister and the Minister for Education and Training should be censured for their blatant dishonesty.
It is akin to a parent who receives a report card from their child, and that student report card indicates the child is not performing to their capacity or their ability; then, having a dishonest response to that, condoning that falling and declining standard and giving false and empty platitudes to the student by saying: ‘Everything is okay. Do not let anyone dare tell you that this is a bad report card’. If anyone does try to tell them the truth, they leap to their defence because their feelings may be hurt.
We have to have a new approach here, and it starts with, first, recognising there is a problem. This government has failed to recognise there is a problem. While admitting there is reporting, it easily crafted a response; that being, it is an Indigenous issue. You can amplify that and then falsely reassure everyone else that everything is just fine and, in the words of the member for Karama: ‘We are punching above weight. We are on a par. Do not worry everyone else. We are all doing just fine’.
My school results came out; they are afraid of that level of scrutiny. That level of scrutiny is presented for all. It requires some leadership and an honest response. It might be hard news to tell but, if you want to build some capacity within your community (1) recognise there is a challenge, and (2) set about responding to that challenge.
Does it or does it not indicate the false assurances of the Chief Minister - the empty, pathetic, and weak leadership shown by this Labor government – which will cover over a lower standard and a lower level of achievement as being just fine. It, in fact, goes one step further and deceives with false assurances. What do you think parents are going to think? What do you think the system is going to think if their leader tells them everything is okay? ‘Let us attack the instrument which has been used to measure this which shows us a result we do not like. Let us pull that apart. Oh dear, there is not a Liberal and conservative outfit behind this. It is Julia Gillard who is behind it, so we cannot attack on that front’.
When another community leader, the Opposition Leader with shadow responsibility for education and a desire to call it as it is, recognises it as a challenge and, to move to a solution makes a statement that there is a challenge here, a systemic problem that needs a solution, the messenger is attacked. You would rather attack the messenger than to accept there is a need for leadership. You would prefer to hang with those who feel uncomfortable because there is some news out there that may be a challenge, and placate them and say: ‘There, there, that nasty Opposition Leader. His motives are this, that and the other’.
Well, I can tell you my motives will be shown over time because I am not leaving this spot. I have been involved in education for 17 years, and I will fight for high standards. I will not compromise, and I will ensure teachers in my system tell the truth to parents so there could be a plan put in place to lift those standards to which students could aspire. It is a bit like having a sporting carnival and dropping everything down so everyone feels they are doing okay but, in their heart of hearts, they know they are not. That is deception. That is false illusions that provide no sense, or no capacity for anyone to make any progress in life. That is the call; in fact, the demand of leadership: to tell the truth.
Instead of admitting - and if you were at that media conference, the media staff who were there knew the whole story. Who is playing politics here and who sees this through only a political lens? Who sees the object of the politics is to protect the interests of government? ‘Forget the kids. Forget the problem that has been highlighted. Let us attack the messenger. Let us see this through a political lens so that we can deal with it politically’. It is totally inadequate, and you leave exposed that which needs to be defended right now.
There are a number of debates which could occur but, at the heart of it, you do not have a desire to respond to a hard challenge; that is, to lift standards in the Territory. You have failed the kids. You have failed those teachers. To falsely tell those teachers the terrible Opposition Leader is attacking teachers - nothing could be further from the truth. What those teachers need is proper leadership and support from this Labor government. They need a government that has the capacity to call it as it is and respond with courage, rather than excuse making and grubby politics where you will seize hold of information and use it to your political advantage, just to confuse and deflect responsibility from yourselves.
You can talk about 2030, pie in the sky, and great plans and visions for the future with cleverly crafted words about magnificent processes, but you cannot tell the truth, face up to reality, or accept the challenge. You abdicate yourself from the responsibility of leadership; and you then shoot the messenger. You are happy to do that. It is the least of my concerns. However, the worst of this is, if you have ever been involved in this kind of leadership, you know it is hard. The schools try hard; they work hard. There are so many hard-working teachers out there. There is nothing wrong with our kids - nothing at all. You tell me there cannot be improvements in the way those teachers are supported. You try to tell me you cannot make any kind of improvement - that is what you are saying: ‘We are accepting a lower standard’. That is unacceptable.
To stand here as community leaders and play that deceitful and disgusting game, and to leave the field when leadership is required, is disgraceful. Who is being let down here? What ground has been left exposed? It is the ground that needs to be protected for these kids. These kids need to know that more can be expected of them, and to work hard to allow them to achieve that.
That is why this censure is most fitting. I put much more behind this. You can say whatever you like. You can talk about media releases I should have known about. I know about those media releases because, typical of Labor, they talk about the amount of money which is spent as though that is some kind of extraordinary achievement. Achievement is achieved by people with properly constructed programs that activate and release the capacity within a person to make change. That change should occur in the system.
First, recognise there are challenges. There was a policy that was outlined - no briefing, you just had your little clique upstairs to work out how you can deal with this politically.
You would not have recognised this because I do not think you believe people make a difference; you think programs and money make the difference. I believe people make the difference. The program you have so deceitfully denigrated without paying it the courtesy of consideration in the interest of providing good and sound leadership in this debate.
We talk about having a conversation. We have a member on the other side who goes by the title of Doctor. If you are going to have a contest of ideas, let us have a fair contest of ideas and a debate. If you were involved in that media conference, you would have known the whole story was told - not just the political story as you would like it to be. You judge me by the motives that you are operating under yourselves. You think the only way I am operating is to try to score a political point. That is not the case because, in visiting those schools, I have nothing but respect for those teachers. There is nothing wrong with our kids.
For the life of me, I cannot accept the Education minister, and the former Education minister, the Chief Minister, could play a game that confounds, confuses, deceives, and accepts, condones, and endorses a low standard, and makes every kind of excuse because they are only operating politically. This is the difference. The difference is money versus the use of that money to achieve a result. The result is achieved through it being spent to empower decision- making at the grassroots level. It starts with the classrooms. That is why money was spent in the classroom.
You talk about tutors in the classroom; you had better get out there and have a look at that tutor scheme which was falsely described here as though it is in existence - not in the form that was described here in this policy. This is the form we will put in place to ensure we can provide the help where it is most needed - in the classroom. To even squib on that, and to falsely assert in the Chamber here, for the benefit of those who think this is some kind of political contest: ‘Oh no, we already have that’. You do not know the detail and you are not interested in the detail of this; you are operating only politically, and that is the end of the story.
You would have tutors in every classroom, from Year 2 to Year 6, irrespective of whether schools like Karama, for example, are making wise use of the funds that go into the school to provide a support to every kid in that school. It can only be provided for some schools. If the message of that broad resource, for the support of that teacher in that classroom, you would find you would have the support of the teachers.
However, you are not interested in that level of leadership; you just want to play politics. To strengthen and support the operation in the classroom is what this policy is about. Where is your detail? Where is the truth about the detail of your policy and how it, in fact, works? It was dishonest representation and is warranting further censure, because those hard-working teachers need that additional support.
We need to provide the additional support to COGSO for those parents who want to be involved in and strengthen their partnership role in education. To deceitfully dismiss this and misrepresent those initiatives is undermining the very principles which will build strong education: strengthening the partnerships empowering those parents to be more active participants in the decision-making at the school level. No, you are not interested in any of that, because it is a political game, so you can chuck all that away. Well, that will not be dismissed and it will not be pulled out of the marketplace; it will stay there because, I believe, this is what is needed. The so-called Education minister, with his little clique up there, is developing some kind of response to this. He has a league table, and it is disgraceful. Here is my league table and it shows there is still a serious problem. However, he cannot see that. There is none so blind as those who would not see.
He lists what the opposition say they will do: ‘We are doing all this stuff’ – no detail. You have had nine years to respond to the call from COGSO about providing some real support to them - nine years to do it. You have the audacity to say: ‘Oh yes, we are in ongoing discussions with COGSO about providing them with some support’. Ongoing discussion! As though that is some kind of noble rebut to this shallow proposition, which has real money beside it and a real commitment, and based on a real principle that parents are valuable and their contribution to the school should be strengthened by an investment from government. You have had nine years to do it, and you say: ‘We are in discussions about that, so we are already doing it, in effect’. That is Labor speak for: ‘If we think about it and put out an announcement that is effectively doing it. What are we doing? We are just managing the politics of this; we are just managing the perceptions of this. We are not actually doing anything. We are spending money, but do we understand how change occurs?’ It starts by telling the truth!
There is COGSO and AEU NT. Even though there is merit in both - they probably said it, and it was selectively amplified: ‘These guys are going to test all the Year 1 kids and we already have enough league table business going around. Now, they are going to test the Year 1s, poor little tackers. They will not be able to cope with that’. That helps you score a political point. Do you understand what that is about?
Any Year 1 teacher can tell whether a kid in their charge is going to experience some challenge. What this is about is to ensure there is a system in place where any issue which is going to impede the learning capacity of that kid is going to be responded to. That is what it is about. You throw out league tables. Julia’s league table is put out as a bogey man, as a distraction from the real issue. To make sure, you pick it early, and you respond early; you put a plan in place early.
That is what it is about, and I will not leave that space no matter how deceitfully my opponents on the other side try to play this out for political interest. I am staying in this space. I am not moving from this spot, because I have spoken to parents and I visited schools. Yes, I was complimentary, because I admire the work of those teachers. However, what they could do with is stronger and more courageous leadership rather than the game playing we are getting from the Labor administration. They fluff themselves around. They like being at school assemblies, and say how lovely everything is and how nice things are. However, if a result comes out you say that nasty opposition is making you feel embarrassed about things, rather than that you could do better.
If your local football team is not scoring too many goals and is not quite getting into the top eight or whatever, do you tell them they are doing fine; that they are actually grand finalists? You tell them this is where we are, and this is what we need to do to respond. That is real love; that is real care.
My son did not do so well at school. Did I say: ‘You are fantastic. You are doing as well as your sister’? He knew! What did we do? We found out where he was and took him from that spot to another spot. Did we say his report was fantastic? No. We said: ‘You need to lift your game, sport, and this is how we are going to help you’. We told him the truth.
These are the people who would say: ‘No, everything is hunky-dory. The nasty man over there is telling us we are not doing a good job and he hates teachers’. That is rubbish!
In visiting the schools, I admire the work of those teachers. They are doing an extraordinary job. Could there be better support? Could the money be spent in different ways to empower activities at the grassroots level? Absolutely, and that is what this policy is about. I believe the power should be sent, to a greater degree, out to the schools - to the school councils, the classrooms - so there can be innovative programs put in place by those school communities to respond to the challenges that real information provides them with, so they can go from one place to another; from strength to greater strength.
That is what it is about, rather than say: ‘There is no problem in the position you are in. Everything is fine; do not worry’. That is deception, because we could do better. What we have heard, as Sarra concluded in his review, was this is a system which has struggled, and is struggling, under low expectations. That culture has to change. If you have a low expectation - and I am sure the member for Johnston has heard this story. There was a sociologist, I understand in, let us call it New York. He conducted an experiment in a school system. They pulled two teachers aside and said: ‘We are going to do an assessment on these classes’. One was an average to above average class, and one was a class with below average academic performance.
Under Labor that would not happen because they would be told everything is fine, there are no standards, everything is just fine. Let us just forget about Labor for a second.
There was an assessment done, and there was an analysis. One class in that school community was known as having lower academic standards, the other one middle to higher academic standards. Testers came into the school and did the assessment. They called the two teachers in and said: ‘We have just done an assessment on these two classes’. The whole system regarded the underperforming class, the one with the lower academic standards, as such and that tag had sat over them. However, the astonishing thing which occurred when they did their assessment was they found those kids, in fact, have very high IQs. Those kids could achieve at the highest levels. They changed the description of those kids by showing the results.
Then, they went to the other class and said: ‘These kids are regarded in the system as having middle to higher level, but we have found some of them are plodders and there is not the level of IQ we had in the other class’. It told the system one class, in fact, had been misrepresented and had a higher IQ and a higher capacity than the other. They switched the perceptions around and put that argument, that message, in the minds of the teachers, and the whole system then responded to those two classes.
Do you know what happened after 12 months? They tested those two classes - and they moved. The one that had the assessment and the view within the community that they had a lower IQ, a lower capacity, a lower standard expected, achieved accordingly. However, when that was changed, their standards rose significantly so they almost matched the other class. It is a well documented record. If you have an expectation of a low standard, that is what you will get. Do you think it will stay low? It will get lower.
You have to fight this. What is happening here is you are not fighting it; you are fighting me because I said this. You are fighting the Country Liberals because we have said this. You misrepresent it to the teachers and anyone who will listen and who wants to support the government position one way or another, so you can deflect the requirement of responsibility to respond to this truthfully, in the interest of leadership, to raise those standards. It is easier to drop standards; it is harder to raise them. The requirement and burden of leadership is to fight that fight and lift those standards.
The shameful thing here is this Chief Minister and this minister for Education know better, but are so caught up in the political game they want to run a different argument altogether. The only thing at stake, in their minds, is the political battle.
You deserve this censure which will remain in place. I will not move from the positions which have been described here. You can check my record. In what I have said in 10 years in parliament, I have not changed my message. It is being refined now because there is a need for leadership. That leadership has been vacated; there has been an abdication of leadership by the Chief Minister and the Education minister.
They misrepresent the information which has been presented in the My School website which Julia Gillard herself put there. I admit, as I said on the record, it has some challenges. The challenge is to have some resolve to handle this in a way that promotes progress - but you have to tell the truth for starters. They cannot even come to that point. You cannot fix something unless you identify there is a problem. If you do not believe there is a problem, you have no will to fix anything.
However, you will dismiss and twist and turn this in any way you like. You have this weird idea, because I guess you judge me by the standards under which you operate; you judge me by your own motives. You believe I stood at that media conference - I should have invited you there - and said: ‘Isn’t this great? I have a political point I can score against the government. This is fantastic, the schools are doing appallingly. That is going to be really good for us because it will show they are baddies and we are goodies’. That is a simplistic type of analysis you guys come up with. You quickly turn and use the schools as a human shield. You then say: ‘This nasty man is attacking all the schools and all those poor kids in them; it is deceitful and dishonest and should be condemned’.
I opened the media conference by saying: ‘It brings me no pleasure to present this, but the fact is we have evidence that what Sarra said is the case: there is an expectation, a low standard in the Territory. It has been condoned and there has been a false assurance given to parents. This shows us that we are falling below the national average’.
I believe - and the government has had this information for some time; the rest of us have not - when the Chief Minister and minister Scrymgour spoke about this, they told everyone: ‘No, it is only the Aboriginal kids who are giving us a hard time with our reporting and our profile nationally. The rest of us - we are doing just fine; we are punching above weight. We are on the money’.
Well, if you are going to stay there, nothing is going to happen. We start with - here it is - we are falling below the standards. You say: ‘Oh, yes, but in other states it is the same’. This is a national average. Should we aspire to that national average or not? That is the question. I say yes, government says no. Should we aspire to a national average? Should we try to reach there? Should we commit ourselves to some goal, such as 5% that was contained in my policy? Government will say: ‘No, because we cannot expect any more. We think everyone is just doing fine, there is no problem’. Do we commit ourselves to a standard, to a target and put a plan in place to achieve that and then describe that plan in detail? You have a task force, I have an expert panel. We have the same thing.
The difference is $27m on the table, around some specifically targeted programs to benefit activities in the classroom, strengthen decision-making at the school level, provide practical support for those learning difficulties and behavioural problems presented at the school, and to provide greater support for COGSO. That detail is described. What is the detail of the Labor side?
Have you not been reading those media releases? Lots of money and vague descriptions of how it might be used - all in the language of process and how a big amount of money, big cleverly-worded programs, will result in a big change. However, the big problem is you have not admitted there is a need to change. You think everything is okay and I am making people feel uncomfortable by simply putting up Julia’s table and saying: ‘Well, it looks like the system is performing according to what Sarra has described’. Yes or no? Sarra says this, Julia’s table says that. You want to ignore that and say: ‘He is terrible for doing this’. Is it a leaked table? No, this is presented on the My School website. This information is listed alphabetically for the purposes of demonstrating not one school, but that the whole system is not achieving the national average.
Then you shift it and say: ‘Oh, what about like to like?’ Well, sorry, the story is not good there either. Unless you have those markers in place you will not put a plan in place to make any difference. Who do you let down? Kids. Who do you benefit with the approach you are taking? You will attempt to benefit yourselves in the short term politically, but that is doomed to failure because, ultimately, parents will know. They will know by your actions whether you are serious about kids’ education, responding in an honest way to the challenges presented with this data, and putting a meaningful plan in place.
Put the politics aside and get on with the business. The business is responding to the challenge. The challenge is not an easy one. It is easier to pull someone down than it is to lift them up. We have here the identification of a problem, but you deny that: ‘There is no problem; we will use a different measure. He is terrible, he has done this, he has shown us that. Well, we will show you this one, it has green on it’. Well, that green one does not tell you much good news either, if you had the honesty to read that properly.
You would like someone to have at least the most basic of standards in reading, or writing in Year 3, 5, 7 or 9 - the most basic standard, getting across that line. You think that now is the standard. That is the most basic and it should be past that, beyond the benchmark. You should reach past that - not try to reach to the lowest point, but at least try to reach the point which is the national average for our urban schools.
After all, you told us that was the case. You told us we were doing okay. Now, Julia’s table shows us we are not, so you will attack me and say I am attacking teachers. That is disgraceful leadership. You are letting kids and parents down with that kind of approach. Your approach deserves censure. I will not leave this spot. I do not care what you say and what you do out there ...
Madam SPEAKER: Leader of the Opposition, your time has expired.
Mr MILLS: … to advance your position, I will not move my position.
Dr BURNS (Education and Training): Madam Speaker, it is really hard to know where to start. The Opposition Leader, in his speech in the censure, and in Question Time today, used words like ‘dishonesty’, and ‘failing’ quite a lot. I suggest, Leader of the Opposition, you are the one who is being dishonest here, because you have waved about your little purple table and said: ‘This is Julia’s table’. It is not Julia’s table. That is a table you have assembled yourself, breaking the like-school comparison, which is the whole basis of the My School website. So, let us not talk about dishonesty here.
Regarding failing, Leader of the Opposition, I believe you are the one who is failing. The hysteria which was in this morning’s paper, and the way you have conducted yourself here today shows an opposition which is failing. You failed before as Opposition Leader, and you are failing now. You are very desperate in what you are saying and what you are trying to do ...
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Dr BURNS: I believe this whole attack you have mounted in relation to the My School website, and the My School result, is uncovered by the reality of the situation. The first reality is that the My School website is all about like-school comparisons. I quoted from the New South Wales Liberal member - and the Liberal Party in New South Wales actually passed the law, along with the Greens – of the up to $5000 fine for those who publish league tables, as you have. He was very clear about the way in which it would stigmatise schools, teachers and students.
I had the opportunity to go to a very good school where success was encouraged, and through university. For the Opposition Leader to try to assert I have an attitude of allowing failure, or not promoting success in my life, is completely untrue. I want to see every Northern Territory student achieve success - become the best they can. That is my aim as Education minister. However, at the same time, I am very aware of the challenges which confront our education system.
A couple of times in his speech, the Leader of the Opposition alluded to the Ladwig and Sarra report. As the Leader of the Opposition said, the Ladwig and Sarra report was quite critical of the education system; that it did not have a culture of imbuing success in the students, of trying to exhort and encourage the students for success. However, the Ladwig and Sarra review came out with recommendations and a plan which this government has adopted. The Ladwig and Sarra review was presented to government last year, and the government has adopted the recommendations of that plan.
We have a strategy, we have a plan. We have funds behind it, and we have targets, irrespective of what the Leader of the Opposition says. I will go to the targets very soon. The very core of the government’s strategy around education is all about quality. It is about quality teachers; about recruiting and retaining quality teachers. It is about having quality programs, and I will allude to some of those soon. It is about having quality systems and support for our students and our teachers and the system as a whole.
This is how I will be responding to the Leader of the Opposition: this is a government which does have a program. We have a policy and serious money behind it. That serious money is also coming from the Commonwealth government. As alluded to earlier today, there is $120m for 131 schools across our system to address these very issues of literacy and numeracy, which is so important, particularly for our Indigenous students, to allow them to achieve and to go from school into work.
Yes, the system has failed many of our Indigenous students. Yes, it is fair to say, in the 30-odd years I have been in the Northern Territory, that things have become worse for Indigenous people in a whole range of areas, including education, particularly for those who are living in remote areas.
I am crucially aware of that, and am committed to addressing that issue. However, there has to be partnerships. The Leader of the Opposition talked about people and partnerships. There has to be a partnership; a recognition by Indigenous people of the value of education. It is a two-way street. It is not only the education system changing, which it is, but it is also about the changes which need to occur regarding the attitude of parents. Too many kids are not going to school. We see them in Darwin; we see them in the remote communities. That is why I welcome the strategies which are in the process of being implemented in Alice Springs. That is why we are working with the Commonwealth government on the SEAM trial – Improving School Enrolment and Attendance through Welfare Reform Measure.
I am not satisfied with the SEAM trial at present. I am aware evidence was given to the Senate committee yesterday. I am not satisfied with that. I am looking at other measures, as Education minister, to boost school attendance. Significantly, in the policy the Leader of the Opposition released yesterday, there was no mention of attendance - not one mention of attendance - within his strategy or his policy. There was not one mention of Indigenous students; there was not one mention of remote schools.
Yes, we need to look after all kids. Every kid in our system needs to do better; we need to support them to do better. We also need to recognise where the deficits and the arrears are within our population. We have a very complex demographic mix within our schools in the Northern Territory - in Darwin, Palmerston, our regional centres, and also within our remote schools. Often, you have very different clan groups, and there are dynamics there also. We have a very complex situation but, in partnership with the Commonwealth government, and with the plan developed through the Ladwig and Sarra review, this government has embarked on a process of change.
I will also talk about some of the targets we have: attendance, at least 80% in very remote schools; at least 90% in remote schools; at least 90% in our conventional schools - which, on the My School website is categorised as Darwin, Palmerston and the rural area which surrounds us.
We have targets for student outcomes: 20% increase in Northern Territory Certificate of Education completion; 20% completion for VET in schools - that is another focus we have as a government, particularly in the 20 growth towns government has brought front and centre our policy of transition between school to the jobs available in those communities; 3% of non-Indigenous students meeting NAPLAN outcomes; and 9% increase in Indigenous students meeting NAPLAN benchmarks.
The Leader of the Opposition talked much about benchmarks and, to some degree, denigrated them. The Leader of the Opposition talked about his history as an educator. I have not taught in primary or secondary schools, but I spent probably nine or 10 years teaching, at a tertiary level, medical students, nursing students, and Aboriginal health workers where you need to assess whether people reach the benchmark of knowledge so they can move on to the next part. I have been involved in course development, particularly in the nursing area where the Nurses Registration Board accepts whether the basic benchmark of someone who goes through the course fits them out to be a nursing practitioner. We are talking about life and death here; of someone who has the ability, the knowledge, the understanding to be a nurse and to administer quality care. Yes, there are some students who achieved 90%, 98%, who probably knew more about the topics I was teaching than I knew. You always get students who know more than you do, and anyone who is a teacher should not say that is not the case. There are some very bright people around. There are some exceptional students, and there are also those students who meet benchmarks.
Meeting benchmarks is a pass; it is not a fail. The Opposition Leader is trying to assert all those students who meet the national benchmark or above have failed.
As I have said before, he turned the like-school comparisons within the My School website on its head by comparing averages. Those of us who know a little about statistics know how dangerous it is to be comparing averages without the full statistical information to enable you to do that or, in fact, whether the comparison of averages is valid. In some cases, particularly if you have a number of different student groups, you may be better comparing medians rather than means or averages. I do not think the comparison of averages is very meaningful in the situation of the My School website.
The table I presented to the public is the comparison of individual student performance, not an average which has been averaged across students - individual student performance makes that a more valid comparison. I am prepared to have the debate with the Leader of the Opposition any time about policies.
I acknowledge, quite openly here, we can do better. I am not satisfied with what we have. I always want better. I want our Indigenous students to do better. I want all students, those who met the benchmarks and above, to be doing better. I am arguing that this is a government which has the strategy. This is the government which has the funding. This is the government which has the targets - in comparison to a fairly threadbare policy released by the Leader of the Opposition yesterday.
For someone who has been going around saying there are systemic failures within the education system in the Northern Territory and that the system itself is systemically failing, to come out with what amounted to window dressing. There was nothing deep or system changing about what the opposition came out with yesterday. In fact, many of the things the Opposition Leader alluded to in his key points the government is already doing in partnership with the Commonwealth government.
I am not going to talk about the infrastructure both governments are putting into our education system, but I will talk about the $120m of funding which is flowing from the Commonwealth to the 130 schools in the Northern Territory. The focus is improving literacy and numeracy outcomes - the very basics we need. To that end, the task force has been formed and it will go to all those schools in the Northern Territory. It will engage with students, parents, communities, and schools. It will also work with teachers and principals.
I talked about quality in education before; that is what this government is about. We are doing it through our teacher registration system. I am not going to pre-empt debate on the bill will be debating in here tomorrow. We are also doing it through our recruitment processes and our demands on teachers about more professional education. This is absolutely essential. For any other profession, whether it is a doctor, a pharmacist, a physiotherapist in the health field, there is an onus on that professional to continue their professional education. It is rightly so with teachers also. I know teachers will welcome the opportunity to continue their education to improve their professional approach to the job but, most of all, the focus is improving the results for our kids.
In the policy released by the Leader of the Opposition, he talked about literacy and numeracy; about Year 1 literacy and numeracy assessments. The assessments are already going on in Transition. They have already started and children will be assessed in Transition, or are being assessed in Transition. They will also be assessed in Year 2. That is already happening. The Leader of the Opposition is actually announcing something already happening within this government’s strategy.
Additional class-based teaching resources: I talked about the additional funding of $120m from the Commonwealth partnership. Basically, there are also investments through the Northern Territory government: $86m in Indigenous education through Closing the Gap; $5m for Families as First Teachers – that is all about working with the families as the kids come to kindergarten and Transition, particularly with the mothers, but also the wider community, to encourage them in their literacy and numeracy, in reading and writing and imparting that to their children. This is all about a government that is working in partnership with communities and families.
It is wrong of the Opposition Leader to come in here and say: ‘This is a government that is all about money; you are not about people, you are not about results’. I believe we are about results. Look at the announcement I made today about a sporting academy for young Indigenous women. We currently have the Clontarf Academy operating throughout the Territory, having wonderful success in building an attitude of success, particularly for young Indigenous males, using that sporting way to try to give them more self-esteem, to support them to engage with the system, and to see their life as a success, not only in the sporting field, but in the wider field of life.
The announcement was made today of $2.1m from the Commonwealth over the next three years, matched by $2m from the Northern Territory government. We are also looking for partnerships - and are fairly confident of partnerships - with the private sector up to another $2m. This will be great for young Indigenous girl students. There was a great atmosphere at Palmerston High School today with the young ladies who were there. I had a go at throwing a few rings with the basketball. I might have been a bit quick on the pass to one of the students but, there you go. I talked to those young women and Bo De La Cruz who is very enthusiastic about this program. It is not only going to operate in Palmerston, it is going to operate in West Arnhem at Gunbalanya and Jabiru, in Katherine, and in Alice Springs. In this year, we are looking to engage with 300 young women who are at school. The next year, we are looking to bump that up to 380. This is a government looking at various ways to try to address this situation of disengagement with the education system, and also with employment.
This is the government which is very focused on the issue of attendance, unlike the opposition whose members did not even mention it within their policy. I am just amazed that such a major issue we have to address did not even rate a mention in the member for Blain’s policy announcement yesterday. He talked about psychologists heading up multidisciplinary teams for behavioural management, etcetera. We have had behavioural management teams in place for some time. As a government, we have employed 21 new student counsellors within the system to address this very issue.
Regarding assistance for COGSO, we are engaged with COGSO. Even before the Opposition Leader came out with his policy, I met with COGSO and there is a clear understanding about where their funding is going from now on. COGSO is quite enthusiastic about the way government will further fund them to give support to school councils. There are a number of members here who regularly attend school councils as I do, and I know their support will be very welcome.
This is a very important debate. We are a government which does not endorse low standards, as was asserted by the Leader of the Opposition. I am all about success for our students; about empowering and encouraging our students to be the best they can. I believe this is a government with the right policy settings based on the Ladwig and Sarra review. We have the funding behind it, we have targets, and we are accountable in all of this.
However, there needs to be some honesty in this debate. It is not honest of the Opposition Leader to wave around his compilation and say it is Julia’s table. It is not Julia Gillard’s table. It is a table that has been compiled by the Leader of the Opposition in complete contradiction to what the My School website is all about. That website is really all about comparison of like schools.
It is foolish and meaningless to be comparing means in the way the opposition have. I will come back to what the New South Wales - I do not know whether I have it here - Liberal member of parliament said about what an anathema it was, and was very critical of those who would compile league tables to denigrate schools. I believe they were the exact words he used. So, it was the Liberal Party in New South Wales, along with the Greens, that passed the law in the Upper House, amended legislation and put on a $5000 fine for exactly what the Opposition Leader is doing here in this parliament, and in the community of the Northern Territory.
I am not, for one instance, saying that is where we should go. I am not supporting that sort of fine and action. The Labor Party in New South Wales did not support it, as I understand it, but that is where the Liberal Party went for their reasons. I agree with their reasons; I do not agree with what they have done.
The Leader of the Opposition is flashing around his table, asserting that meeting national benchmarks and above is actually a failure, and the majority of our students and our schools are failing. That is quite mischievous, and it is not helpful. If he wants to have a debate about education and what is going on within the education system, I am prepared to have that. It is just interesting. This is the first parliament I have been Education minister. Now I have the Leader of the Opposition as an opponent and he is using a bit of bile and vindictive words against me, such as ‘the failed Health minister’, whatever. He can say whatever he likes, but it is just a bit of a window on his soul, the way he goes about things and tries to tag people in this place.
If he wants a tussle of policy ideas and a debate, I am up for it. Intellectually or any other way, I am not spooked by the Leader of the Opposition. One of his failings - and he has told me this himself – is he has never been a member of an education union – never in his whole teaching career has he been a member of an education union. That is an incredible failing. Our Australian Education Union is a wonderful advocate for teachers and our education system. They also deplored what the Leader of the Opposition did through the publication of his league table, and teachers made their views known. I am very suspicious of someone who has not been a member of the union that represents teachers. He has been a teacher himself. What does that tell you about him? It tells me he is not really interested in the issues that confront teachers in the workplace. He is not really interested in being an advocate for that at any meaningful level.
I am not sure of the exact coverage of the Australian Education Union in the Northern Territory, but I suspect it is probably somewhere around 80%, which is a significant number of teachers. If I was a teacher, I would be a member of the Australia Education Union. As minister, I am going to be having blues with them, we are going to have our differences, but I respect them for their advocacy for teachers. I am always a little suspicious of people who will not join professional bodies, or unions of the professions of which they belong. That is a big question in my mind about the Leader of the Opposition; that he has been a teacher and a principal, and he has never been a member of an education union. We will see how that plays itself out within the EBA that is coming out for teachers. No doubt, he will be promising the world.
However, as Education minister, and also Minister for Public Employment, I will be looking for an equitable result for our teachers - I have already told them this - that makes them amongst the best paid within Australia. That is government’s commitment for our teachers. I do commend them, right across the length and breadth of the Northern Territory, for the job they do, often in very trying and difficult circumstances. Teachers have my support.
Madam Deputy Speaker, I could say more about what the opposition, and the Opposition Leader, have said today. I thought it was a pretty weak lead-up to a censure …
Mr Elferink: You always say that.
Dr BURNS: I do not always say that.
Mr Elferink: Yes, you do. It is your standard line.
Dr BURNS: This one was pretty weak. It shows an Opposition Leader who talked about students and schools failing. I believe the Opposition Leader himself is failing. I discussed his lack of honesty. He waved around the table and said it was Julia’s table. It is not Julia’s table, it is his table, and I believe he is presenting the results in quite a mischievous and less than honest way.
Before I sit down, I affirm my commitment to teachers and, most importantly, to students. I believe I have outlined this is a government built on a report into our education system, the Ladwig and Sarra review. We are implementing the policies which have come out of that report, and its recommendations. We are very glad of the partnership we have with the Commonwealth government. I am sure we will be achieving better results for our students and schools as time progresses.
Mr CHANDLER (Brennan): Madam Deputy Speaker, I am worried the current minister, in his merry-go-round of ministries, will worry about me. I have been a member of several unions – the ASU and the CPSU, and a section councillor for the CPSU. I am letting you know I have been involved with unions and know exactly what it is like.
I was a little disappointed with what was a personal attack on the Opposition Leader today. In fact, the minister has reminded me of a fearful dog. A fearful dog is something you should be fearful of! It was an attack on the Leader of the Opposition, who should be the Chief Minister, which reminded me things can get personal from time to time in this Chamber. It reminded me of someone who is scared and fearful because they know some truth has been said today.
I put down to many reasons that we are where we are. I do not honestly believe there is anyone out there - whether they are politicians, public servants or teachers - who is out to do what is wrong. I believe one of the major concerns we have in schools, and perhaps many government departments, is we have this schools clean-up act. I put it to you, every time the Chief Minister visits one of our schools, there is effort put in by the students and the teachers to clean up the school before the Chief Minister arrives. Why do they do that? They want to put out the best possible appearance they are doing all right; it is a clean school, a good school. I believe the same thing happens as we move up the chain until we get to the level of minister where, unfortunately, they are looking through rose coloured glasses as they have been told everything is well and dandy.
In fact, it is not well and dandy. I want to talk today about some of the statements this government has made over the years, then we will match it to the results today. Let us see if it is words or decent outcomes.
In the 2007 Labor budget speech, the Martin government had determined to lift educational outcomes for Territorians. Three years ago, you were going to lift the standards. Have they improved? I do not believe so.
In 2008-09, a media release said the government would fund an additional $3.3m, rising to $4.4m, for upgraded bus services for students, and also provide additional services for special needs in Darwin, Humpty Doo and Alice Springs. I note Palmerston missed out; of course, it often misses out on things.
We can look at the special needs of Palmerston High School. There is a good example of where you think things are going all right, yet that lovely little school which does a wonderful job, is left with one electronic Whiteboard. You talk about providing resources for teachers across the board. Admittedly, it is a small school, but there is more than one classroom; there are seven or eight classrooms. However, there is one electronic whiteboard - but you are a government that is going to support teachers.
In fact, we will go back to where it said you were going to upgrade bus services. I know of one case last year, where I was given the impression from the Minister for Transport at that time, that a situation I had raised in this House was being addressed. In fact, I am positive the minister thought it had been addressed. When it was raised with him, he went to the extraordinary lengths of providing cab charges to this family to get this student to school. I commend the minister for doing that, but what it proves to me is, quite often, things which are actually truthful do not flow up the chain. It gets back to that school’s cleanup prior to anyone turning up.
Let us talk about some of the things this government says it is doing to improve education and, yet, by the results you can see they have failed miserably. It talked about training and providing assistance with higher education, and even research at Charles Darwin University. Let us look at Certificate II in IT. Certificate II in IT is funded for 16 positions at CDU; which is to cover all the high schools across the Darwin regions. An Introduction to Certificate II in IT is now required as a minimum standard for the police force. You only provide 16 spaces for all schools across Darwin and the Palmerston region.
Let us look at VET training. Just recently, it was brought to my attention we have a training provider with a good track record that, basically, put in a submission to be accredited this year. A number of students who have used this accredited trainer before are left in the lurch because someone in government decided they have not met the criteria, which was to submit their application on time electronically. In this case, there was submitted hard copy. Goodness gracious me, we are in 2010. I do not know how hard it is to actually scan documents today, but you can make things electronic. The reality is you have a training provider - and the minister stood up here and said VET training is something that is very important – who is going to be ruled out on a technicality because their submission was not received electronically. So you have a number of students who, today, cannot use that training provider because of a technicality. I know that particular application was received on time. The fact that it was not electronic - I am just amazed. After all, it is 2010.
In the 2008-09 budget there was a section called Closing the Gap on Education. Your government outlined a comprehensive reform agenda for improving Indigenous education:
What are the results showing us?
If we are talking completely honestly - and you raised the point of honesty quite a few times when you suggested the results shown in these tables were not honest. Well, if you are completely honest - and I hope people are listening to this - the $120m you talk about is federal money. If you are being completely honest, you would have told Territorians today the $120m you are talking about is federal money, and not from your government. That is if you are completely honest.
I have a little chart here, another one of these charts, actually indicating a number of schools which are not being funded, that have not met the standards but are not part of the $120m. These are the schools which are not receiving the money: Alawa Primary School did not meet the benchmarks, Bakewell Primary School, Durack Primary School, Larrakeyah Primary School, Leanyer Primary School, Nakara Primary School, Nightcliff Primary School, Parap Primary School, Stuart Park Primary School, Wanguri Primary School and Wulagi Primary School. They are not meeting the benchmarks and, yet, are not part of the $120m funding to help these schools. Middle schools in Darwin including Dripstone, Nightcliff and Sanderson are all, according to the charts, not meeting the minimum standards, not being assisted, along with, in the rural area, Bees Creek Primary, Berry Springs Primary, Girraween Primary, Humpty Doo Primary, and Taminmin College; in Nhulunbuy, Nhulunbuy High School; in Alice Springs, Ross Park Primary School; Katherine, Casuarina Street Primary School; Alyangula Area School; Jabiru Area School; and Yulara School.
Tell me where these people are in the classrooms who provide literacy and numeracy support to teachers that you talk about? Where are those people who can tutor the class in support of the teacher that is not English as a second language, or our ISAs? You can use your own examples of how this government resources extra help.
Let me tell you about ISAs for a second. I have declared before - not today - my wife was once an ISA. That is one group where, unfortunately, government departments focus on funding and government bureaucracy, rather than focus on the students. I know, and you can check this out: go to any school and ask what the ISAs have been tasked with at the moment. I tell you right now they are not always tasked with just looking after the children with special needs. You might have one ISA who is looking after three or four students with special needs and, all of a sudden, they are tasked with extra work including looking after students with behavioural issues. I do not have a problem with students being given extra curriculum and help who are, perhaps, bullies or do not fit into a normal classroom environment. However, you are taking away the skills from the people who really need it: the kids with special needs.
We all know schools are funded for ISAs depending on the students they have. It breaks down to hours and is a bucket of money. We know today the bucket of money is given to the schools and it is up to the schools to manage it the best way they can. I put to you it is not the best way to manage special needs and some of the issues that have been faced in the classroom. It is not good enough. It is not good enough because your focus is just on the bucket of money, not on the children.
These ISAs are often tasked with looking after students, as I said, with behavioural and other issues. That is one area, at least, the Country Liberals’ policy addresses - dealing with extra support in the classroom. There is not a teacher out there who would not welcome additional support within the classroom. Even with that support with bullies - bullying in schools is one thing which has really let our school systems down today. We do not manage bullies well. In fact, I put to you that, in some schools, bullies are sometimes rewarded for their efforts because they are pulled out of their classrooms, sent somewhere to colour in or to be mothered by some well-intentioned teachers. However, it is not dealing with what the issue is; that is, bullying. These kids in the classrooms today who are causing disruption and low literacy rates are who need to be dealt with. These are the resources a Country Liberals’ policy wants to target.
Let us have a look at some other announcements made by the government over the years.
The results speak for themselves; the outcomes are not favourable.
How are the outcomes? They are not looking good.
I believe we are talking about 2008 here.
What are the outcomes? Time and time again in this House, this Labor government talks and talks and talks about the money it spends. Unfortunately, there does not seem to be much real focus on what you are actually getting for the money. What are Territorians getting for the money?
It goes on here:
Wonderful schools we should have had a few years ago. These will go a long way to addressing some of the concerns in Palmerston, but it was a long road.
You know I was there; I was part of that process. I have seen certain people come out now and proudly stand in front of those schools with their little helmets on. Unfortunately, I know the real work behind the scenes done by volunteers and principals out of hours, when there was not much local support at the time. In fact, the support at the time was just the party line: we did not need schools in Palmerston. Now, we have people standing in front of their schools proudly saying: ‘Look what we are delivering’. I take my hat off to the government for finally making the decision to build the schools there, but it is only a start and there needs to be more. Palmerston, we all know, will continue to grow. That is an argument for another day, because that is another area where this government has failed miserably in planning.
In 2009, the Labor budget said:
Again, the latest lot of figures are not suggesting you have some good outcomes for the money you are spending. As the chairperson of a primary school council for many years, time and time again, I had Defence people who had been posted out of Darwin and into Darwin, talk to me about the fact that, when they arrived down south, their children were very much behind the eight ball when it came to their level of literacy and numeracy skills. There were times where they would return to Darwin and find children were coming home telling parents: ‘Mum and Dad, what we are doing this year is what we did last year in Bendigo’, or last year somewhere in South Australia or elsewhere.
I confronted principals and teachers, and questioned them on the facts people were telling me. Time and time again, teachers and principals would tell us, no, that is the curriculum we are teaching from the department. I racked my brains a little but, now, it has become quite clear, because we know what this government considers average is, in fact, a D interstate. I grew up in a system were a C was average, B was above average, and A well above average. You had to send out a letter with the reports late last year to actually say that, if you were comparing results from interstate, you would need to consider a D was considered average. That is not average, that is below average. Yet, that is the benchmark this government is setting - and that is the truth. If our benchmarks are low, if our minimum standards are considered to be a D, the average certainly is a C, and our students across the board, in many cases, are not meeting the average marks across Australia. We are below average and that is just not good enough.
It is true these parents have not been lying to me. It is a fact that the curriculum which appears in the Territory, I can only put it down to it seems a year behind the year. When you go interstate, the level is higher, therefore, the curriculum they are teaching is at a higher level. Of course, when they return, they are being taught at a lower level.
I put it to you: this is not an attack on our teachers in the Northern Territory. It was disgraceful for the minister to attack the Leader of the Opposition - as the Chief Minister did time and time again today in Question Time - saying he is attacking teachers. What a load of tripe - absolute tripe! It is not an attack against teachers, but perhaps it is an attack against the curriculum which is being taught.
A teacher can only use the tools they are given. It is a bit like comparing a cave man first developing the wheel to a modern Toyota Prius, for instance – not the one with the accelerator problems ...
Ms Purick: The dodgy brakes.
Mr CHANDLER: Yes. The blueprints the caveman was using and the skills he had at the time allowed him to build a wooden wheel. Today, we are building very technical vehicles, and the blueprints for those vehicles are very different. What I am saying is the tools that are being used, provided by this government, by the Education department, are not appropriate to lift our students to the level they should be.
Madam Deputy Speaker, $27m in practical classroom support is something the Country Liberals are putting forward; a policy already condemned by the minister. He went on to say: ‘We are using part of it. We are going to condemn it, but we are using part of it’. I do not understand his rationale. I have a media release, in which minister Burns said:
That is 14% who do not even meet the national benchmarks. That is the minimum standard; 14% are not meeting it.
Based on a media release I issued in December 2009, stating the Territory Education department has used the A to E grading system to further confuse parents, stating:
That is, basically, saying …
Dr BURNS: A point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker! I ask the honourable member to table the quote from me, and its source, so I am able to see - I do not recall saying those words he has alleged I have said. Do you mind tabling it?
Mr CHANDLER: It was sent out with all the reports. I will bring you the letter ...
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Speaker! There is no point of order. This is a ridiculous attempt to wind down the clock.
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Can we just pause the clock, please, Mr Deputy Clerk? One moment, I would just like to confer with the Deputy Clerk for some advice.
Dr Burns: At least say what the source was.
Mr Chandler: It was sent out with all the reports last year.
Members interjecting.
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! Member for Brennan, are you prepared to table that document? Are these personal notes you are reading from?
Mr CHANDLER: Not at this stage, Madam Deputy Speaker, because …
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Are they personal notes you are reading from?
Mr CHANDLER: Excuse me?
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Are they personal notes or can …
Members interjecting.
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! Member for Braitling, I am addressing the member for Brennan.
Member for Brennan, the minister is asking for you to divulge the source of your information, or are these personal notes you are reading from?
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker.
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Please pause, I have asked the member for Brennan a question, then you can put your point of order.
Mr CHANDLER: Madam Deputy Speaker, I have indicated the source of this information was from information sent out by the department which accompanied report cards last year.
Dr Burns: But you said I said it.
Mr Tollner: Yes, it was your signature underneath it.
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Member for Port Darwin, your point of order?
Mr ELFERINK: Madam Deputy Speaker, just to advise you, if a member chooses to make any assertion in this House, they will be judged on the quality of how they support that assertion, not on some demand by a minister as to whether or not they are going to follow up that assertion. If the minister wants to pursue this he has every right to pursue it, but there is nothing in standing orders anywhere that can have the minister demand a member table anything.
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Thank you, member for Port Darwin. You are not required to table the document, member for Brennan.
Mr CHANDLER: I have 10 seconds. I say again: the Territory Education department has used the A to E grading system to further confuse parents stating …
Mr CONLAN: A point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker! I move the member be given an extension of time, pursuant to Standing Order 77.
Motion agreed to.
Dr BURNS: A point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker! Whilst it is very unusual for a member to have an extension of a time in a censure debate, in this case I am very interested to hear - and there were points of orders raised, so I believe it is reasonable for the member to have an extension of time. I would really like him to substantiate the allegation that I said certain things. I will be going through the Hansard record ...
Members interjecting.
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! Order! Members of the opposition, please. Member for Brennan, you have the call.
Mr CHANDLER: Madam Deputy Speaker, in my media release I said:
The information sheet from the government also said:
According to minister Burns only 86% of Territory students get a D or above. In fact, in 2009, Year 3 in the Northern Territory meeting the minimum national standards are: reading, 68.6%; writing, 74.4%; spelling, 62%; grammar, 63%; and numeracy, 10.6%.
How many thousands of early childhood students have their future potential in peril because of a failure to deliver in education? In December 2009, minister Burns said:
Yet, while blaming the Indigenous children for bringing down the averages and failing in its policies of improving school attendance, I wonder about the statistical significance of those increased numbers. Do we actually see these numbers changing the result for the worst? What it shows is, even though you widen the pool tested, the results are exactly the same. The system fails children, it continues to fail children year by year and, without a step change in education – something that cannot, obviously, be achieved under a Labor government - another year of students will get to the point of early assessment to find the system has failed them.
I recalled before that my eldest son reached Year 10 within this system when we found out he had the numeracy and literacy levels of Year 5. How is it that parents can get to the stage where they do not find out until the child reaches Year 9 or 10 that they have Year 5 literacy and numeracy levels? By all accounts, with all the meetings with teacher and all the reports sent home, indicate the kid is not brilliant but he is average; he is doing all right; he is a good kid. Yet, as parents, we have a child that reached Year 9 and Year 10 with Year 5 understanding and appreciation of literacy and numeracy. As parents, we took the only alternative we had, which was to employee a tutor. Now, our kid is flying along and he is doing much better today. He is still in the public system, of course. He attends Palmerston High. He is doing an IT course at Charles Darwin University on Wednesdays, and is enrolled in a work ready program. He is doing better, but it is only because of a tutor. How can a system allow a kid to get to Year 9 or 10 with Year 5 numeracy and literacy levels - and no one has told the parents?
We have been misled the whole time. If a kid mucks up, if a kid does not win the race, they cannot be told they have won the race, because they did not. We have this paternalistic Labor policy through out governments around Australia today that lead us into some of the situations we face in our community. If we cannot even tackle bullying at primary school level, what chance have they got in high school? Then, what chance does our community have - the wider community that is - to deal with some of the issues of these drop-kicks who get through our system? How have we failed? How have we failed as a community, when these types of things are happening? We have some serious issues in the community with kids who do not seem to have the respect that, perhaps, everyone in this room once had. I respected my mum, my dad, my grandparents, our friends, and mum and dad’s friends. Today, that same respect has gone.
I see it pretty often, unfortunately, at Palmerston Shopping Centre when kids sometimes converge in the afternoon, and they start fighting in uniforms. It brings disrespect on their schools. It dampens the very good work the teachers and principals do, particularly at Palmerston High. They have done some amazing work to lift the standards of that school, and to change people’s perception of it. When you see kids doing that, it brings it down. It is sad, and I wonder why kids do what they sometimes do today. Much of it is because they do not have respect, they are not brought through.
We need to introduce some tough love to some of these kids. Unless we tackle bullying, unless we give the teachers the resources and the tools to lift the standards in our schools, we are not going to see better results, no matter how much money you throw at them. Unless you are targeting the results, it is not going to make one iota of difference.
I have not even touched on rural and remote students, but to do so, we are only going to bring out some bad news, and that is sad. Where you have targeted the Country Liberals’ policy, that we have forgotten Indigenous students is so wrong - so wrong. We do not see them as any different. We should have the same benchmarks for Indigenous students in our schools, whether it is in Alice Springs, Katherine, Darwin, or any of our remote or rural communities. We should set the bar higher. People can only achieve higher levels if they can aim higher. We have to push our benchmarks up.
Madam Deputy Speaker, how can we have any faith in a Chief Minister who appoints a minister with a track record - and this is not a personal attack at all against you, but it is about the record. It is about the record under your leadership. There are other ministers here who have failed miserably. How can we have faith in a Chief Minister who puts education, which is supposed to be at the top end – this is what we have. Minister, you failed our students and the wider community.
Mr Tollner: Oh here we go, an old chalky.
Mr McCARTHY (Lands and Planning): Thank you, member for Fong Lim. I am honoured to speak to this censure motion as a teacher, a father, an ex-member of school councils, a Territorian, and a person who just sat here and witnessed through Question Time the politicising of one of the most important aspects of Territory youth. So, I will put on my teacher’s hat.
Let us have a little history lesson for the young Country Liberals over there. I will go back to where the censure starts in 2001. However, let us shift a bit before. Let us shift to a Country Liberal Party government from 1978, and let us talk about systemic failure in education ...
Members interjecting.
Mr McCARTHY: This will give you a history lesson …
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! Member for Barkly, if I could …
Mr McCARTHY: To give you a starting point …
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! Member for Barkly!
Members interjecting.
Mr McCARTHY: Let us see if they were listening, Madam Deputy Speaker …
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order, order! Member for Barkly, I remind you to direct your comments through the Chair please, as opposed to the opposition.
Mr KNIGHT: A point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker! There are interjections straight across the Chamber. They know they cannot interject when a person is speaking ...
Mr Elferink: Yes, they can.
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Thank you. I remind members, please, of Standing Order 51:
Member for Barkly, you have the call.
Mr McCARTHY: Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. It was the year 1999 after successive closure of schools and in relation to a number of CEs who departed their offices over failure to address budgets and keep budgets under wraps. It was a policy of no more resources for education; bring it in under budget. However, there was a glimmer of hope, and hope we all celebrated in the Northern Territory in the education community. It was called Learning Lessons.
Upon merit, I was appointed to the team to implement the Country Liberal Party Learning Lessons project. It was hope. It was real determination to change things in educational outcomes right across the Northern Territory. However, it was shut down. It was closed down. I was a member on that team developing the self-sustaining schools model - new innovative work from great minds to deliver outcomes for government – but it was shut down. I returned home to Tennant Creek and then left staff at 2001.
The Labor government in the Northern Territory hit the ground running with Learning Lessons and they started to implement the recommendations. We are talking about real change; a time when the old school was disbanded. We are talking about a government which started to move forward to address educational outcomes right across the Northern Territory. The implementation of Learning Lessons in pilot studies and projects was the way forward.
The censure says: ‘failure to invest the necessary resources into the education portfolio’. It was from that time we saw real resources put into education and training, to lead to real employment. It was the Labor government that was investing heavily in attendance initiatives, in engagement initiatives, in partnerships with parents, in infrastructure, in our teachers, and in our programs. We were targeting literacy and numeracy, health and physical education, and nutrition. We suddenly started to embark on providing secondary schools in the bush. That was something new; something seen as important - a challenge. The Labor government took the bit between the teeth and ran with it. They were tough times, but they took up the challenge.
The alternative education program, where I ended up, is another example of where we took the bit between the teeth and ran with it. We explored, basing our strategies on evidence, and taking an holistic approach.
The censure motion went on to talk about: ‘lying to Territorians about the state of education’. I do not think lying to Territorians is actually very relevant. In Question Time it was extremely irrelevant, because I am a Territorian. I am a father. I have my last son still going through the education system. I have never been lied to. The reason it is not appropriate to use ‘lying’ in this censure motion is because I am out there taking an active interest in what happens in the education process. I know what government is doing. I know the challenges on the ground, and I am there working every step of the way with my child and any other kids I can assist in the Northern Territory. No one is being lied to here.
I was at Driver Primary School last week, in a Transition class, and I was honoured to walk into a well-ordered and disciplined classroom - a classroom where you could see the learning was taking place. It was oozing learning. There was a teacher in charge of that class who was proud of what she did, and those kids were proud to be there. They were proud to have a visitor, and we worked together on road safety. That is just one small example. However, lying to Territorians was not the case in Driver Primary School last week. No one was interested in politicising; they were interested in working forward. They were interested in how this government’s resources were strategically placed and targeted to get the best outcomes. It is a battle that goes on every day. There is no quick fix. As the member for Brennan said, there are those people who slip through the net, which is unfortunate. This is where our school communities work daily, tirelessly, to address that.
I mention Canteen Creek School and the letters I have to respond to as an MLA - a remote area school. I do not believe they would accept the line from the Country Liberals that we are lying to Canteen Creek School. Canteen Creek School is now delivering at the NTCE level in Year 12 in a remote area. Students in the senior part of the school are writing me letters, as the MLA, and challenging me and our government directly. It is not about lying. It is about challenging and us acknowledging and listening to those students, taking on board what they are saying, and forming policy to deal with it. This is a team over this side; this is the way we work.
Supporting the disadvantaged is in the frame of good education policy. The Henderson government is in the space of supporting all Territory kids, which is why the censure motion is good for debate. However, I do not agree with the words and the sentiments.
Another part of the censure is: ‘failing to set a timetable for action with measurable targets for improvement’. The minister for Education proudly acknowledged the work which has been done in this area - extensive work with educational leaders, with parents, with community, with teachers, and with professionals. This is not fly-by-night or a shallow grab; this is extensive work moving us towards 2030. This is another major move in our education sector in the Northern Territory.
The Henderson government has a comprehensive plan to deliver quality education and training in the Northern Territory. That is right, it is a plan, and you need a good plan - a Smart Territory. Our key components are establishing quality strategies and programs across all phases of education, moving now into post-school education and links with industry and employment, ensuring we have tracked and developed quality people. We establish quality partnerships with industry, across government agencies, and with the broader community, ensuring we have coherent, aligned and transparent quality systems and support. We have attendance targets. We have student results clearly in the frame. How you get there is by investing in our youth, our teachers, and in our families - no quick fixes; no easy answers. We can hear the individual anecdotes and the stories of failure from across the floor. We are not interested. We are interested in moving forward and doing the best job we can.
Let us talk about some of the investments. Let us talk about $500m into infrastructure. I can talk about Tennant Creek. In Tennant Creek this year three major infrastructure projects are going into education. That is not counting what happened last year, or what is happening across the region - three major infrastructure projects. As I mentioned in Corrections, infrastructure supports good education and rehabilitation programs. Infrastructure is imperative to deliver good programs. There is $30m infrastructure over the next four years for special schools, special-needs education; $20m into teacher housing; establishment of 20 growth town colleges to support children from the time they are born until the time they complete their schooling - growth town colleges; new, innovative, targeting the real needs.
The member for Brennan mentioned $120m into literacy and numeracy, $44m in Closing the Gap in 76 remote communities, $4.5m for literacy and numeracy across the Territory, $70m for lower socioeconomic areas, and $1m for recruitment, development and retention of teachers. These are buckets of money, but it is what you do with it. I do not talk about buckets of money - I talk about resourcing. Everything has a dollar value attached to it. Successive Education ministers in the Labor government since 2001 have fought hard to resource education. We have seen an incredible increase in educational resources in the Northern Territory since 2001.
Attempting to mislead Territorians regarding actions and policies set down by the opposition, I do not believe anyone is in the space of misleading Territorians. However, I did witness today a classic example of politics. It is a new business; it is a good business. The member for Fong Lim is nodding; he is a very experienced politician. I often quote the member for Fong Lim when I am deconstructing and exploring political strategies on how the member does it. I saw a whole team approach today: ‘Let us politicise education; let us throw that out on day one of the sittings. Let us censure this government so we can debate it’.
The debate is as shallow as the policy announcement. If you want to develop your policy, I encourage it. Get with it, get real; get with the people who know about education. Get with people who can help you with your policy. You are quoting concepts, one liners. The member for Brennan is quoting report cards from schools. Go back to school. Go back and learn about what is happening in the education sector. Go back and read Territory 2030 and see that Education is right at the top of the list for the Northern Territory. That is where we are going to deliver. That is where our kids are going to be.
Running down the Territory, impacting on schools, students, and families, with negative comments, with a negative political strategy, is not good. However, that is only my opinion. We have heard about bipartisan and working together. If there is one thing we should be united on, it is the development of every Territory kid. There is plenty of room to move in this, and there is plenty of room for your policy development. I suggest that is where the energy should be put, as opposed to what I witnessed in Question Time today.
Another part of the censure motion: ‘failing to provide schools with teachers and resources’. Once again, we are talking about a targeted approach, money, and resources. Let us look at the Strategic Plan 2009-12. Let us talk about this plan, the latest plan, the plan that has the big picture Territory in its focus.
I would like to talk about one issue; the ‘clean up our schools’ the member for Brennan mentioned - a little conspiracy about a ministerial visit to schools. Let me tell you a story, member for Brennan. Back in the good old Country Liberal days, when you had a minister coming to your school, did you clean it up? Absolutely! What do you take me for? An idiot? Would you educate the school community about what it means to have a minister arrive at your school? Absolutely! Would you talk about the political system? Would you talk about how the constituents have an opportunity to talk to a minister on their own ground? Absolutely! What were we doing at the time of one ministerial visit? We were scratching in the dirt, chipping bindies to create a soccer field. We were told: ‘The minister is coming’. I was told something very special: ‘You impress this guy and you may get what you want’. Well, that is not a good way to do business, I have learned later in life, but that was the way business was done in those days, so I took the opportunity.
Did Driver Primary School clean up for my visit the other day? No way! I have been a teacher for over 30 years. I can pick a con job, anywhere for that matter. Driver Primary School was spot on. It was just a moment in their time; likewise, when I went to Canteen Creek School.
I am not saying everyone is succeeding. We have big challenges, there is no doubt. However, I am saying we should be acknowledging our teachers, our parents, and our school communities for the hard slog they are doing, for the hard work they are involved in.
The partnership with the Australian government is very important. There was, once again, politicising of where the resources come from. Frankly, in the Barkly electorate, I do not think people give a hoot where they come from, as long as they are strategically targeted and those partnerships enable school communities to work together to deliver. It is not a one-way street in any of this; it is a combination of clear thinking, shared values, and how to work together. So waving league tables around, or politicising the education debate, is one way of doing business, and it has created a good debate. It has created a debate where we have all participated. Let us take it the next step forward.
I applaud the minister for Education for enlightening the House about the new move into girls’ education. We will go back to a bit of history debate. Education was being focused on boys, education swung back to girls; we needed to swing back to boys and, now, we are going to make sure the girls are not left behind. This is good educational thinking; targeting needs that are real in our society.
That brings me to my conclusion. I would like to make a comment on bullying. Bullying is an extremely challenging behaviour within our society and our schools - not easily solved but, working together, it can be solved. Let us look at what we have. Let us look at the changes - where I started my part in this debate - from the late 1990s to now, the new millennium. Let us talk about different cohorts of kids, different cohorts of families, and different educational thinking. That is what the Henderson government has been tracking the whole time. It is not a one-hit wonder or a quick fix; it is a hard slog. In some cases out there, it is communities that are doing it tough. However, they are doing it the best way they can and it is our responsibility to give them a hand up. That is what this education plan is all about.
Madam Speaker, thank you for the opportunity, and I am honoured to participate in this debate. Let us talk more about education. Let us never forget education in the Northern Territory.
Madam SPEAKER: The question is the motion as moved by the – yes, member for Fong Lim.
Mr TOLLNER: Is the censure time up or …
Madam SPEAKER: It is. Usually, it is just two on two.
Mr TOLLNER: I am sure it is a time period, Madam Speaker.
Dr BURNS: Madam Speaker, speaking to that, usually there is an arrangement that it is two on two and …
Madam SPEAKER: Two on two has been the practice in here.
Dr BURNS: … from the opposition and the other side.
Mr TOLLNER: Madam Speaker, my understanding is that it is a time period that is allowed rather than a limit on speakers.
Madam SPEAKER: No, that is an MPI, member for Fong Lim.
The question is that the motion be agreed to.
The Assembly divided:
Ayes 10 Noes 11
Mr Bohlin Mrs Aagaard
Mr Chandler Dr Burns
Mr Conlan Mr Gunner
Mr Elferink Mr Hampton
Mr Giles Mr Henderson
Mr Mills Mr Knight
Ms Purick Ms Lawrie
Mr Styles Mr McCarthy
Mr Tollner Ms McCarthy
Mr Westra van Holthe Mr Vatskalis
Ms Walker
Motion negatived.
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, pursuant to paragraph 4.2 of the Remuneration Tribunal Determination No 1 of 2009, I table Overseas Travel Reports.
Members will remember that, if there is overseas travel undertaken by a member, they have to give me a report within 30 days of that travel. Also, for this year, although in theory that part does not start until 4 May 2010, for all interstate travel, members are also required to provide a report to me within 30 days.
I table my report relating to the parliamentary delegation to Timor-Leste; reports from the Deputy Speaker and the member for Nelson in relation to the Timor-Leste travel; the member for Goyder for her CPA travel to New Zealand; and also the member for Braitling for his CPA travel to the United Kingdom.
Continued from earlier this day.
Mr ELFERINK (Port Darwin): Madam Speaker, I also address this statement. At the outset, I am going to try to be very mindful of the process that is being applied here by the Chief Minister. I fully understand that, whilst this has been spoken about before in this House, regarding the 2030 policy, the Chief Minister has delivered to this House, essentially, what one would describe as a progress report as to how things are going. I find that commendable, and I thank the Chief Minister for keeping the House and Territorians informed how the 2030 policy is advancing.
For that reason, this particular statement deserves a careful and close examination in due deference to the fact that it is an attempt to update the House and report progress. However, fully a third of the statement is dedicated to the chronology of events which have occurred, essentially, since this particular policy was launched, and the processes that were engaged in by the Chief Minister and the other participants in the program to consult far and wide about what this program is trying to achieve. I also note, with interest, there will be a continued roll-out of reports as to how the program advances.
My concern about this program is not its intention. I am not going to stand here and suggest for one second that the government of the Northern Territory, headed by the Chief Minister, actually does not want the things outlined in this program to actually occur. I genuinely believe they do. The point is, there is often a void, with this government, between stated intention and capacity to deliver on the intention.
I was thinking about this particular issue last night as I read the statement - and I thank the Chief Minister for early transmission of the statement to us on this side of the House. I was thinking to try to demonstrate to the House a vehicle by which I could demonstrate this void between stated intention and outcome. I had a few examples in mind. The Treasurer of the Northern Territory was kind enough to offer me a classic example of stated intention and the void between that intention and outcome. The example she used in demonstrating the effectiveness of this government was the compulsory reporting of domestic violence.
The Treasurer, quite rightly, pointed out they introduced unique legislation. She said it was exclusive to the Northern Territory in global jurisdictions - and it may well be; I will have to take her word for it. The concept is we are going to protect Territory families, and increase the protection of Territory families by introducing a compulsory requirement to report serious domestic violence. That requirement has been introduced, and I believe it has been around for six or eight months now.
Let us compare intention - we have passed the legislation, we have done the media releases, we have put out all the information - to the result. The result is: how many prosecutions have been successful against people who have failed to report domestic violence? The answer is none. That is really indicative of the void between reality and desire.
I believe it was around 28 or 29 April 2007 - the date would have to be confirmed, but we will say April 2007 - when the Treasurer, then Minister for Lands and Planning, said on Stateline the Northern Territory only had to produce – the Top End I think was the quote – 300 blocks a year to keep up with the amount of land that was required to be released into the marketplace to satisfy the growing demand of the marketplace.
The reason I raise this issue is it continues to demonstrate the capacity to see the future and deliver on your stated intention is absent when it comes to this government. Even at that time in 2007 - we are only talking about two-and-a-half years ago - the Lands and Planning Minister was being told by numerous sources - not least of which were the members on this side of the House - there was going to be a shortfall in the release of land. Rather than taking that advice on board, the minister dug her heels in, continued to believe a requirement for only 300 blocks of land would be necessary in the Top End, and everything would be sweetness and light on the road to the future.
Clearly, now, the manifestation of the working homeless in the Northern Territory is a demonstration that failure to release land in a timely fashion has led to an extraordinary set of outcomes in the Northern Territory. In this instance, we not only have a failure to meet expectation, but the expectation was not present in the first place. This goes to the very essence of governance itself; that is, the capacity to plan and to see what is going to happen in the future.
I believe the Chief Minister actually repeats the old platitude in this statement: a failure to plan is a plan to fail. It could not be truer, but we have to be led by the evidence we have before us to see if the planning capacity of this government is in place.
I am disheartened and unedified by the lack of detail. The Chief Minister said there are some 129 areas government is going to pay attention to, and he mentioned three in this particular debate. For me, that is not any sort of evidence the Chief Minister considers the other 126 issues as a matter of priority, when they do not even rate a mention. I hoped there would have been tabled documents. Whilst I appreciate this material is available on the Internet, tabled documents along with this statement would have demonstrated and fleshed out what this particular program is trying to do.
I believe, in his haste to pad out this statement with the chronology, and then to speak in the most general, almost nebulous, terms about the intention, there are certain elements of this still worth visiting. The first thing is the fact the Chief Minister, calls it unique - and I do not doubt it is - having a subcommittee of Cabinet made up of non-elected members - doubtlessly unique. However, the reason it is unique is if Cabinet is not capable of doing the job of Cabinet and it requires propping up by non-Cabinet people to enable it to do its job as a Cabinet alone, it bodes ill for the future of the Northern Territory. The Cabinet, from an administrative point of view, at least, is the supreme decision-making body of the executive of government. If that organ is so bereft of experience, capacity, and knowledge it needs to rely on other people to make its decisions for it, then what you are technically achieving is Cabinet becoming a vehicle by which to rubber stamp the suggestions of non-elected people who do not carry the Crown’s commission.
There is a general word for that. Whilst I realise the participants in this process, in the subcommittee of Cabinet, are not necessarily bureaucrats, it is generally bureaucrats, public servants - and these people will be public servants of one fashion or another - who then have the decision-making capacity handed to them, whereas the Cabinet then abrogates itself of its decision-making capacity, and sees itself as a rubber stamp or figurehead only.
It is interesting to note, with past members and current members, that sort of thinking is actually betrayed in comments those members make. For example, at estimates of one or two years ago, the then minister for Sport, Matthew Bonson, was asked his opinion on a particular issue. His answer was: ‘I will refer that to my CEO’. The member for Barkly last year was asked a question in the Estimates Committee. He was asked an opinion, to which the response was: ‘Do you want my opinion or my ministerial opinion?’ Whilst we laugh and chortle about it, it sends a shiver up my spine. The reason it sends a shiver up my spine is that the decision-making organs of governance in the Northern Territory no longer reside in the Cabinet room. It resides outside the Cabinet room, and it undermines the very principles of responsible government.
I believe Sir Humphrey Appleby once observed it was very important for bureaucracies to housetrain their ministers. Well, if it was important for Sir Humphrey Appleby, then it appears the same philosophy has been thrust upon our bureaucracy by this ministry. It is not a case of the minister being housetrained by the bureaucracy; it is now the minister asking the bureaucracy for housetraining. For that reason, I am concerned about what is being sold to us in this package.
I listened with interest to the member for Casuarina remind honourable members, by way of interjection before the luncheon period, about Foundations for Our Future. The member for Casuarina rocked back in his chair and chortled to himself: ‘Ha, ha, the world’s longest suicide note’. For those people who are not aware of what that was a reference to, it was a reference to these documents here, Foundations for Our Future. They are very interesting. I had to dust them off, drag them out of the ancient filing cabinet I keep upstairs. These were the documents that were going to take the Territory forward.
The reason this is interesting is this was produced by the former Chief Minister, Denis Gabriel Burke. That Chief Minister came into power after the departure of the former Chief Minister, Shane Stone. Anyone who knows Shane Stone knows one thing: love him or hate him, the man knew his mind and knew what he wanted. He would go out and get it in ways that left other observers breathless. Sometimes, he demonstrated more brass and effrontery in achieving results for the Northern Territory than I would have ascribed to Napoleon Bonaparte. However, having made that observation, I know he always acted with the very best intentions for the future of the Northern Territory - always, without question; it was his primary driver. Whilst some people saw him as arrogant, I saw him as supremely confident and, frankly, they are two facets of the same coin. The guy had a sense of self-belief which was astonishing to behold. With that passion and drive, he achieved remarkable things for the Northern Territory in the time he was Chief Minister.
He was replaced by the next Chief Minister, Denis Burke. Denis Burke was quite a different character. I still believe he had the very best intentions of the Northern Territory at heart. However, in the way he presented things, he needed a far more structured fashion. I once said to him that Foundations for Our Future was, in many respects, an attempt to corporatise the Northern Territory - and he agreed, because of the corporate model of governance. That has now percolated into so many levels of governments. You see it in the uniform presentation framework, through the budget papers, and reflected in government policy.
The parallels are interesting, with the change of leadership from Shane Stone, who took the Country Liberals to a crushing victory in 1997 over the Labor Party, who was then replaced by Denis Burke. Denis Burke needed to find a way to stamp his own imprimatur. Filling Shane Stone’s shoes was an impossibly large task, and Denis Burke’s vehicle to attempt to do so was Foundations for Our Future. In the space between 1997’s crushing Labor defeat, to the crushing Labor victory in 2001, dare I say, we saw a huge change come over the political landscape in the Northern Territory. When I say crushing Labor victory, I know full well it came down to a handful of votes in Millner but, nevertheless, it was a Labor victory.
Subsequent to that time, the Labor government had enjoyed power. However, their leader of that day, Clare Majella Martin, was a woman who, I believe, passionately wanted to defend the rights of the Territory. I may not have agreed with her ideologically, and sometimes I believe she was captured by the media machine rather than necessarily doing the right thing. Nevertheless, she was a standout performer for the Labor Party in Australia. She was, after all, the great CLP slayer - something Graham Richardson never thought would happen on his visits here in the past. Her passion and drive led her into controversial areas. Then, she was replaced – violently, as occurs in politics from time to time - by another leader, Paul Henderson, who is now the Chief Minister of the Northern Territory.
It is interesting to draw the parallels between the transition from Shane Stone to Denis Burke, and compare that to Paul Henderson and Clare Martin, because Paul Henderson has chosen to fill the vacuum left by Clare Martin’s departure with the 2030 policy.
The parallels continue. Even if you compare the stated intentions of the policy’s five areas to which government attention will be paid, it is remarkable, on the back of Foundations for Our Future, a similar document has been produced, except it has six areas. Foundations for Our Future was a little tighter on economic development policy and drive – it did not go into those broader concepts of social policy that members of the opposite side hold so dear. However, it looks uncannily similar to Foundations for Our Future. So, if the member for Casuarina thinks that Foundations for Our Future was the world’s longest suicide note, then he would be well aware of the precedent which has been set, and the history which is being replayed now in this place.
Territory 2030 is a vehicle by which we plan for the future and distract ourselves from the present. In doing so, government is attempting to draw attention away from those things which are critical now; to show there is a rosy future ahead. I can see, in Foundations for Our Future, the same thing being done. In this instance, it is being done in a more obvious way than Foundations for Our Future attempted to do.
It is for this reason I believe the Labor government in the Northern Territory really has run its race. It concerns me that we still have to wait until 2012 for the next election, because the best we will be doing - at very best - between now and that time is marking time.
As much as the government would like to ascribe the calamitous problems we have had in all manner of areas, historically, to the Country Liberals, the fact is they are issues for which they now carry responsibility. It is incomprehensible that a person who takes up a job spends the next 10 years complaining that all of their failures are a product of someone else’s employment prior to them taking up the position. It does not happen. If I take up a job in a company - let us say working for a law firm or whatever - and the guy before me stuffed everything up, so I had to go and fix it - 10 years later, nine years later, five years later, two years later, six months later - that argument would not hold water. That assertion would not hold water.
Yet, the problem is we find ourselves in the situation where the government is doing just that in an attempt to deflect and abrogate from their responsibility. That is why I feel cynicism about this statement - not because of its intent, or stated intent, but the implied intent, and the real motivation which, I believe, lies beneath the words in this statement. For that, I believe we are seeing a rewrite of the world’s longest suicide note. I well believe the member for Casuarina has it right. Those people who forget the lessons of history are very much condemned to repeat them.
We see a divided government in front of us, desperately scraping around. The Leader of Government Business holds the Treasurer in the highest level of pulchritude. You can only hope the axe will fall on this government sooner rather than later. It is for this reason I implore the member for Nelson to look seriously at the agreement he has with the members of this government. Even that agreement now is in breach in several areas because the government still cannot even achieve the things in that agreement.
One of the grounds for the axe falling on this government was evidence of maladministration. There are now numerous areas, not least of which includes child protection, where maladministration is not only evident, but proven, if one reads the coronial findings of those awful cases in recent times.
Madam Speaker, this statement is tired, weak and exhausted, and it reflects a tired, weak and exhausted leadership, which is now sitting like a tumour on the top of the heads of the rest of our community.
Dr BURNS (Education and Training): Madam Speaker, there has been a fair bit of political prognostication, particularly from the member for Port Darwin, in relation to the 2030 statement, with a reflection about Denis Gabriel Burke - a dictatorial character as I remember the member for Port Darwin describing him when he was the member for Macdonnell. I well remember a conversation I had with the member for Port Darwin at the Camel Cup in Alice Springs. We got on to the subject of Moby Dick and, I suppose, the dictatorial manner of Denis Gabriel Burke. However, that is another story.
A quote from Paul Keating might be apt here. It is probably apt in relation to the advertisement that was in today’s paper, and some of the sentiments put forward by the member for Port Darwin. Paul Keating was saying this to the Coalition federally: ‘They are like the Bourbons. They have learnt nothing and they have forgotten nothing’. Well, I say the CLP is exactly the same as the Bourbons, as Paul Keating’s commented. I well remember in 2001 when they lost. As the member for Port Darwin said, it was a crushing defeat. There were a handful of votes in Millner. I can remember a number of members on the side opposite saying something like: ‘Yes, but we received a majority of votes across the Territory and we really deserve to be in government but, by some default, some mistake, the Labor Party is in government’. I would retort: ‘Well, there was not a majority of votes in my seat’, and neither has there been since.
I well remember Steve Dunham got into trouble over this one night. He was alluding to the new candidate at that time - it was the 2005 election for the seat of Nightcliff, and he was extolling the virtues of this particular candidate. He made a comment after the 2005 election, something to the effect of: ‘We will be returned to government; it is our right to rule’. ‘Our rightful place’, I believe he said.
I believe this has been the problem with the CLP since 2001, and was in comments of the member for Port Darwin. He talked about marking time until 2012. In August 2009, the CLP was set, they had their meeting, they had even allocated offices, I understand. Then, suddenly, things did not go their way. The same as it did not go their way in 2001 it certainly did not go their way in 2009. So, all this recrimination started. It is almost: ‘We are born to rule, things will fall into place next time around and, until then, we will grudgingly play the game or mark time. We do not really need to do anything. We do not need to develop really meaningful policies; we have a right to rule’.
You will have to do more than mark time over the next two-and-a-half years, member for Port Darwin. You are going to have to do more than the policy announced by the Leader of the Opposition yesterday regarding education. You are going to need much more detail to put yourself forward as an alternative government for the Northern Territory. You are going to have to do much better than this effort in today’s paper.
I was asked for my comment about it earlier today and I said the words ‘bitter and twisted’. There is bile, venom and recriminations. It is building up and up. It is almost as if it is in a big concrete mixer and someone has hit the lever and it has all fallen out on the pages in the newspaper. It is very feverish; it is almost a bit nutty to be honest with you.
Of course, at the end, there was the big shot at the member for Nelson. I believe the member for Nelson is a former chook farmer, but he is a tough old rooster, and is a bit tougher than you give him credit for. He has much support out in the community; I am well aware of that. He has much family support, and the support of friends. Within his heart, he has much strength. I believe the more you try to crush him, the stronger he will become, and the weaker you will become. It does not really do you any favours to put this in the newspaper. People will make their own decisions about this.
It is like something you get through the mail sometimes. As an elected member, I have had them - a pamphlet anonymously annotated in a feverish …
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The minister has been on his feet for five minutes, and I would like him to say the words Territory 2030 once to give me some sense of relevance to the matter under debate.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Port Darwin, it has been a fairly wide-ranging debate from all members to date. Minister, I am sure you will be getting to the point of this statement.
Dr BURNS: Of course, Madam Speaker. What I am saying is the Territory 2030 statement is about the future, about aspirations, and also about targets.
Whilst the CLP indulge in their navel gazing and vitriol, this is a government which is getting on and looking to the future of the Northern Territory. I believe if the CLP really want to get back into government and rule, they are going to have to do much more work, and lift their game more than they are at the present.
The Chief Minister, in his statement, has demonstrated the Henderson government has vision, is transparent, engages the community, and listens to their view. The strategy demonstrates this government has plans and strategies in place to grow the Territory and deliver services to meet the needs of the current and future community. Importantly, it has put in place processes to ensure government agencies are joined up, focused on the strategy, and will harness their collective resources to deliver the outcomes sought by government and the broader community. The government is guiding and shaping the Territory’s future. We are committed to growing our economy, our prosperity and, importantly, our community’s wellbeing.
As the new Minister for Education and Training, Minister for Public and Affordable Housing, and Minister for Public Employment, I welcome the challenges and opportunities adopted in the Territory 2030 strategy. My portfolios span two important pillars of the strategy.
Importantly, education is the centrepiece of the 2030 strategy. This is by deliberate design because the steering committee, government, and the broader community recognise that education is the key enabler for strategic social reform of the kind envisioned in the Northern Territory. With education as its core, Territory 2030 sets priorities for a society: economic sustainability, health and wellbeing, the environment, knowledge and creativity and innovation. As the Chief Minister pointed out, none of the targets contained in the strategy can stand alone; they are all interconnected across the priority areas.
Education and the principle of lifelong learning is the cornerstone of the Territory 2030 strategic plan. The core of education is formal study from preschool through to highest level of academia.
The Territory is an active participant in the national reform agenda which is delivering a stronger focus on formal education and training across our nation. Importantly, many of the Territory 2030 targets are based on national standards and nationally agreed education targets. Out-of-school study; on-the-job training; professional development programs; and informal knowledge sharing should be recognised for the value they bring to the overall education of our citizens.
The links between education and other factors including health, housing, poverty, and social status must be better understood. We must address the gap between those students who are doing very well and those who are not achieving minimum levels of participation and achievement.
The government has already commenced reform of the education system to achieve this. A key tool is the Department of Education and Training’s 2009–12 Strategic Plan. This plan was developed in line with the Territory 2030 directions in respect of education. The department’s strategic plan is focused on delivering a Smart Territory through quality education and training, with real and improved student outcomes. Through quality strategies, programs, people, partnerships, and systems, the Department of Education and Training will grow educated, skilled and smart Territorians.
The education theme of 2030 has been framed around three related critical priorities: achievement, participation and engagement, and access and equity. Each of these priorities is the focus of high-level 2030 objectives. Targets and strategic actions across the whole lifespan of learning, where appropriate, have been identified for each of these objectives. We have already seen in the national media achievement levels are important. They are critical for successful life options and pathways of individuals, groups, and society in general.
The target set within the objective of Territorians meeting or exceeding national standards for education and training relate to the following: improving the proportion of children starting school with the skills for life and learning, as measured by the Australian Early Development Index; meeting the commitment by first ministers to halve the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous student achievement within a decade; Territory 2030 goes further with the target to have all Territory students comfortably meeting national literacy and numeracy achievement rates by 2030; improving Year 12 achievement including the Northern Territory Certificate of Education and Training completions, and the proportion of young people with Year 12 or Certificate II or above being at nationally agreed levels by 2012; continuing to increase the number of students completing higher education or vocational education and training courses at tertiary institutions; and improving understanding of Indigenous culture by having all Territory students demonstrate achievement in Indigenous Studies by 2020.
All these strategic priorities are designed to ensure these achievement targets are met. For example, the department will work with industry to implement the National Quality Early Childhood Education Care Framework; ensure all schools have a literacy and numeracy plan; refine datasets for all aspects of school training and system improvement; and ensure all relevant quality datasets are made publicly available. It will also measure progress towards literacy and numeracy targets, and report appropriate aggregated levels. This includes targets at the class, school, region and system levels that are aligned with the 2030 and nationally agreed targets and introducing awards for school excellence program with the support of the industry partners.
There are quite a number of other initiatives here, but I will move on to a very important aspect of improving the levels to meet achievement targets. One of the key enablers is increased participation and engagement. To this end, Territory 2030 targets have been set in the area of participation and engagement, which include increasing preschool participation so that, by 2020, Territory levels will meet and, by 2030, exceed national preschool participation level; increasing school participation and engagement amongst Indigenous Territorians; improving the proportion of Year 11 and Year 12 enrolments to meet or exceed national levels by 2020; increasing the proportion of the young people aged between 15 and 24 participating in post-school education training or employment to be at national agreed levels by 2020; doubling the number of people undertaking higher education study at a Territory institution by 2030; improving participation in vocational education and training; expanding the availability of the education and training in the prison system - I am sure my colleague will also speak about that; and increasing the number of Territorians participating in adult education.
The focus on growth towns has already been mentioned. We will also be implementing the Family as First Teachers for families with children aged from zero to eight years, enabling increased participation and engagement with children and their families in their critical formative years, and also increase access to materials to help these parents, carers, or families develop early literacy and numeracy in their children prior to engaging them in formal schooling. We will also be establishing positive learning centres in urban settings, and be piloting the successful school-wide positive behaviour programs at selected middle schools.
I have also alluded to VET, which is of crucial importance to this government. We have targets – and we are meeting those targets - around apprenticeships and traineeships of 10 000 over this term of government. They were met in the previous term of government also. It is a very crucial aspect.
I also have very important responsibilities in the area of public and affordable housing. It is a key issue affecting the social and economic wellbeing of the Northern Territory. The first objective is this government will work in this area to ensure the Territory offers affordable and appropriate housing that meets the varying needs of Territorians. To pursue this objective, this government must take a number of actions including: reducing the number of rough sleepers; reducing waiting times of public housing; increasing social housing rental stock; providing more supported accommodation places; reducing the average bedroom occupancy in remote dwellings to two people by 2030; delivering on the Strategic Indigenous Housing and Infrastructure Program; and developing an ongoing remote housing program, post-SIHIP.
To reduce the percentage of rough sleepers, government is working on a number of initiatives. The Australian and Northern Territory governments have jointly funded $54m for a Homelessness National Partnership Agreement. This will provide additional support services and 32 additional dwellings. Also, this government recently invested $2.2m on projects to assist people from the street into a home. Non-government organisations will be operating these services. They include St Vincent de Paul, the Salvation Army, the Mental Health Association of Central Australia, and the YMCA. Other projects which will assist in this area include the Domestic and Family Violence Strategy for increasing the delivery of range of specialist homeless services amongst young people in Darwin, Palmerston, Alice Springs and Tennant Creek; the Intervention and Case Management Service which is working with a range of controlling rehabilitation and accommodation services; a commitment to enable a smooth reintegration of prisoners into the community; and provide alcohol and other drugs services where needed.
We will also be taking action to reduce public housing wait times. This is one of my key priorities as the new Minister for Public and Affordable Housing. To achieve this, we are undertaking a significant construction program which will see over 200 dwellings under construction in this year alone. The department is also moving to have multiple contractors by regions to speed up the repair of dwellings left damaged, and to reduce the turnaround times in getting this accommodation into the hands of the next tenants. Essentially, this will enable the department to house people quicker and more efficiently.
The third action is to increase the percentage of social housing rental stock. The Henderson government is committed to working with the non-government sector to increase the social housing rental stock. To this end, we are establishing an affordable housing rental company to provide more options in the marketplace. An affordable housing rental company will provide another option for people who cannot afford private accommodation. There are successful examples of these types of companies throughout Australia. An expression of interest will soon be released with the aim of the company being established before the end of this year.
Also, under the stimulus package, a number of construction projects will deliver more social housing. Examples of this include 20 units to be constructed by the St Vincent de Paul Society at Coconut Grove and the redevelopment of the Wirrina.
The fourth action is to reduce the number of Territorians being turned away from supported accommodation services for people who are homeless or who are escaping domestic and family violence. I have already spoken about the construction program under way, which includes supported accommodation services and the Homelessness National Partnership Agreement. The department is working closely with the Department of Health and Families to ensure there are a range of support services available for those who find themselves homeless or at the risk of homelessness. Three of the action steps aimed at attaining the objectives are interrelated: reduce average occupancy in remote dwellings to two persons per bedroom by 2030; deliver on seniors by 2013; and develop an ongoing remote housing program post-SIHIP.
SIHIP will deliver 750 new houses, 230 rebuilds, and 2500 refurbishments by 2013 within the $672m allocated for the program. This will assist in relieving overcrowding in communities. Work is now under way under this initiative in 16 communities across the Territory, employing over 100 Indigenous people locally. There are now 56 new houses completed or under way. This includes four new houses completed to lock-up stage across the communities of Nguiu and Gunbalanya, and two fully-completed and tenanted at Wadeye. A total of 291 refurbishments and rebuilds are now complete or under way.
The department is also working on an asset management strategy, which will take into account the current number and condition of dwellings in remote communities, current and future demographics, and projected housing growth. This will allow the department to put together a comprehensive housing program post-SIHIP. The department is working to implement a new housing management model for housing in remote communities and urban community living areas ...
Mr KNIGHT: Madam Deputy Speaker, I move an extension of time for the minister to complete his remarks, pursuant to Standing Order 77.
Motion agreed to.
Dr BURNS: I thank members and I will not be very long.
Under the National Partnership Agreement on Remote Indigenous Housing, the department assumed responsibility for the management of all community housing in the 73 identified communities, and has begun implementing the Remote Public Housing Management Framework. Key features of the management framework include tenancy management, property management and tenancy support. The management framework is aligned with the Urban Public Housing Framework to ensure a consistent approach across all public housing in the Northern Territory, while appropriately addressing cultural and remote issues and improving local participation in the program. Affordable housing for low- to middle-income earners to purchase will also assist in meeting the gap for those who do not qualify for public housing but find the private market too tough.
The second target under this part of the Territory 2030 strategy seeks to meet this gap and aims to establish a balanced housing market, offering good value for money and affordability, ultimately becoming one of Australia’s most affordable housing markets across all market segments.
An important action to be taken in support of this is to increase home ownership among all Territorians. Since July 2004, the department has assisted a total of 1284 households to purchase their own home, with over $263m in loans and shared equity purchases. For the 2008-09 financial year, 101 households have been assisted with $25.8m in loans and shared equity purchases. This financial year, increases to income and purchase price limits in the Homestart NT Scheme, formerly HomeNorth Xtra, have had a positive impact. One hundred and fifteen households have been assisted to purchase their own home, with over $34.4m in loans and shared equity purchases.
Another important action under this target is to reduce the proportion of Territory households experiencing rental stress. The establishment of the affordable housing rental company will assist with providing accommodation for those on low to middle incomes at an affordable price. I am currently dealing with this initiative as a priority, and I look forward to updating the House on progress of this very important project in future. This work will ensure there are affordable rental properties available to those families which need them.
My third portfolio is Public Employment. The Office of the Commissioner for Public Employment is the central agency within the Northern Territory public sector, with sector-wide responsibility providing an effective employment framework for the management and development of the Northern Territory Public Service workforce. Agencies will need to be contemporary, agile and dynamic in nature, to support the implementation of Territory 2030. The Commissioner for Public Employment and his team will deliver valuable support to chief executives and agencies over forthcoming years to ensure the employment framework underpins the need.
I hope from what I have reported, members will see considerable effort is now under way across all my agencies, and between agencies and the broader community, to respond to the objectives set out in Territory 2030. I commend the steering committee for their efforts, and other members of the community for the contributions they have made to the development of the strategies. My departments are assimilating the targets and aspirations of Territory 2030 into their corporate planning, strategies, and budget preparation. I can assure you Territory 2030 is now at the heart of my conversations with my chief executives, and with representatives of the broader community. We are committed to its implementation, and this is evidenced by our investment in the Smart Territory and Housing the Territory strategies.
Madam Deputy Speaker, I commend the statement to the House.
Mr CHANDLER (Brennan): Madam Deputy Speaker, I must say there is not much in the Chief Minister’s statement today I disagree with. I also would like to congratulate the people involved in delivering a plan of ideas to government. However, do I think this government has the capacity to deliver any of these aspirational concepts? Not on your nelly! As I have had some time observing how this failed administration operates on many levels - not on your nelly! I will bet this effort will amount to nothing more than another document which becomes filed, forgotten and, in the mind of Labor minders, has done its job to shift the focus from the monumental failures this government has presided over - monumental failures hurting everyday Territorians from a government which, on one hand, says publicly it cares, while behind the scenes has no conscience regarding how its long-term, long line of failed policies has and does hurt everyday people deeply.
Words, sadly, are not enough, and government needs to take the lead; take responsibility to get involved and ensure those at the coalface - the heart of the public service – are resourced accordingly, and basic needs are being met - not catering for the needs of boardrooms and high end public servants. Who cares? I will tell you right now that Mr and Mrs Average out there could not give two hoots if the water being served in a conference room is the right temperature and has been filtered. What they care about is knowing the service government should be providing, will be - nothing more, nothing less.
Let me start by focusing on the Chief Minister’s statement: ‘This the first time ever a Territory government has attempted to put into place this level of forward planning’. Let us consider this rather brash and, perhaps arrogant, statement for a minute. It is a statement which is supposed to suggest the Henderson government is the first ever government to plan. As one example, the very building we are sitting in today must have, indeed, taken a fair amount of forward planning. In fact, I could list any number of achievements the former CLP government provided to Territorians through good planning, including urban planning, where the cost of land was managed - nothing more, just managed - to keep up with growth.
It is certainly not rocket science and should not take a southern consultant to indicate to this shoddy bunch of hypocrites how it is done: balance supply and demand. Do you need to hear that again? Balance the supply and demand.
While everyone agrees there needs to be good planning to ensure the future prosperity of our cherished Northern Territory, this plan appears to fail in so many ways. It fails to provide real measurable outcomes and is more akin to just another well-presented advertisement, a presentation of conceptual ideas with no real tangible strategies to make it happen. Ideas while inspirational – no, not really, not even aspirational; no real plan to actually make it happen.
I have even had people working within the Chief Minister’s own department express a high level of frustration over needing to spend a great deal of time on a plan they know will not happen; staff on contracts far shorter than the time frame we are talking about here. How can a government, a Labor government no less, expect long-term thinking, long-term ideas, from staff they will not even give contracts to, in most cases, for more than 12 months. No wonder public service morale is out of control; in fact, unmeasurable, I have been told. It is unmeasurable because there is nothing left to measure. Just how many of our public servants are on contracts?
Perhaps the Chief Minister should concentrate on the here and now, listen and respond with empathy to all Territorians, and apologise for the mess his government has created before he goes down this road of navel gazing. Perhaps the Chief Minister can be honest, for once in his political life, to say that this plan of his is nothing more than an attempt to shift the focus on his government’s miserable failures.
Perhaps this is yet another example of the Henderson government’s addiction to smoke and mirrors, to managing community perception, and taking absolutely no responsibility whatsoever when maladministration or failed policies have been highlighted or uncovered. Of course, this has been demonstrated, time and time again, with this current merry-go-round ministry - a ministry led by government heads, the media, and internal spin doctors. The tail here certainly wags the dog.
That is the truth, and enough is enough. For goodness’ sake, for Territorians’ sake, take the lead and, if you could just use a fraction of that effort today used to manage the perception, and actually use that energy to deliver at the coalface, perhaps you could become a good government.
That energy is a powerful beast. Do not be fooled by the power to control community perception to the level this government has been able to do, at the very same time that systematic failures are all around us - failures in education, health, family services, land and housing, in power delivery through the lack of maintenance of vital infrastructure, and in just about every service this government is supposed to deliver. To have the ability to cloud these issues to such an extent where some unfortunate people feel this bunch is doing a decent job is absolutely remarkable, and is testament to this government and how well they do that one thing.
The sad thing for all Territorians is that some have been fed an illusion and aspirational Labor paternalistic policies that promised so much and deliver so little. Even our own Prime Minister, a Labor Prime Minister, apologised to the nation’s Aboriginal people: ‘We will be okay now. Uncle Kev will make it all good, take responsibility and fix all the wrongs of the past’. Well, guess what? Aboriginal people and the rest of Australia have been sold a dud, just like right here in the Northern Territory. We have been sold a dud. We have a government fixated on spin, and smoke and mirrors, and this 2030 plan is just another tool in the armoury of Labor illusion.
As I said, if just some of this energy could be focused on delivering services instead of covering up the reasons they have failed, I am positive we would be at least halfway there. The Territory needs a government focused on solutions. Let us look a little deeper, because I have learned to map some of the words we hear in this Chamber with actual delivery in the community. Sadly, I am often left with an inability to draw that line. Unfortunately, many of the issues raised in the community which attract some media attention are often forgotten even weeks after the issue has been raised. It would appear extremely obvious the focus is on managing today’s media; promising much and, the moment the issue is out of focus, deliver nothing.
On the second page of the statement, the Chief Minister mentioned the people who work hard to provide the information leading to this plan. I thank them for what they have done, but it is unfortunate that working alongside this government has made me cynical. I do not think I was cynical before. I apologise, but methinks the Chief Minister uses so many consultants and advisors as a method to shift the blame when things go pear-shaped. Again, it is another opportunity not to take responsibility whenever yet another plan or policy fails to deliver on its promises.
They say they consult with the community. I have been to many consultations this government has held, and let me tell you there was no consultation whatsoever. It was a method to tell people what they were doing - not about community consultation, not about listening but, at the end of the day, they can put on their little strips that - guess what? - they consulted with the community.
Page 3 talks about the complex demands on government because of growth. Oh, bugger me, that is nothing more than an excuse for mismanaging everything from land release to the high cost of living, rents and housing. It is not as if these things snuck up on them. This government has been sprouting about how successful the Territory has been for years. It has spruiked about the strength of our economy, praising the economy and how good they were, and how they are good at managing it, etcetera. Let us just stop for one moment and think about this. Think about how they were able to spruik about the growth and the bubbling economy they, of course, take full responsibility for delivery. I tell you, it comes from organisations like the ABS. For goodness sake, the NT has its own statisticians who work on predictions based on a number of factors - that is how. So, how the flaming hell have they not been able to keep up with this demand? Why, for heaven’s sake, have they taken their eye of the ball when it comes to land release, when they knew all along the Territory was growing? Everyone was telling them, even the experts. Perhaps they were concentrating on the year 2030 when they should have been working on managing the here and now.
In light of today’s statement about our future, it is prudent to mention just a few of the normal everyday government processes that are failing Territorians. Education, as we have already heard today, needs serious attention. Politics aside, we should and need to work together to solve some of these issues. VET training, of which I have said already today there are training providers out there which have not been approved this year because of a technicality, is very thin on the ground. The CDU, which I already mentioned in an earlier debate, has only 16 positions for Certificate II in IT – 16 positions to cater for all the Top End’s high schools.
During the Christmas break, I was surprised at how many people came into the office to tell me more sad stories of things that are happening across the Territory; things this government is responsible for delivering. I have had some horrible stories on processes and people not talking to each other in PATS - the interstate travel for patients – where it appears departments have left hands not talking to the right hands.
One gentleman who came to see me had had a heart attack. He was rushed to Royal Darwin Hospital and was told he was not going home because they wanted him on the next plane interstate. After 14 days of mismanagement - 14 days of the left hand not telling the right hand what to do - finally, they were on the plane. However, part of that process included on the morning they were departing, the nurse who was accompanying him going to get the defibrillator, which was flat. On checking the drugs that accompanied them, most of them were out of date, and they had to replace them. When they finally got to leave the hospital, there was no taxi organised to get them there. They had to find their own way to the airport. Meanwhile, Qantas had been contacting them time and time again: ‘Where are you; the doors are about to close?’ How hard is it to organise people?
Another story was of a young family, in the middle of the night, ended up in Melbourne only to find out the accommodation they had been promised was booked through the department, was not booked. What do you do at 3 am with your family when you arrive in Melbourne? Actually, it was a bit after three, I think it was a bit after 6 am. The advice given to them was to try Ronald McDonald House and, if they could not get accommodation there, then just try to contact the department. But the department does not work on weekends.
How is you have these systematic failures delivering services that should just be pretty much tick-box stuff? This is done; this is done; this is done. How is it that young families can arrive interstate with tired young children, finding no accommodation has been booked?
How is it that medical equipment has flat batteries and drugs are out of date when they are supposed to be for emergency situations? How is it that Qantas, in this case, had seats three days in a row available and, yet, because of the incompetence of government to ensure the processes are correct, led to nurses on standby for three days in a row and situations where people are waiting 14 days to go interstate for much-needed surgery?
The here and now is what we have some real concerns about. The year 2030 will be here before most of us realise it, and we all need good planning. I stress again, planning is important, and good plans take time to develop and, in the right context, become a powerful tool. I worry, however, that this plan is just another ploy to control community perception, and offers no real-time improvements for Territorians. Planning should be both aspirational and inspirational. I was certainly not inspired by this plan.
However, there were some things in there I believe we all agree we should be aiming for; things I am sure, even in this plan, both sides of this House agree is the direction we should be taking. Again, I cannot but think this is a vehicle - and, indeed, a disingenuous vehicle - to provide cover for the onslaught of bad news we are sure to hear over the coming months and years ahead, and this 2030 plan will be used as an excuse every time another issue is raised. It will all be fixed by the year 2030. Any time that we raise a concern, or the public comes to talk to us and raise concerns they have with government delivering services, they have a plan to fix it. I believe this is a plan to plan. It certainly does not show anywhere in there that it is going to fix it.
Madam Deputy Speaker, to that end, I implore the Chief Minister and his merry-go-round ministry to take just a moment and concentrate on the here and now. Get your head out of the sand and recognise not all is good, and that you are directly responsible for mismanaging, maladministration, and creating human misery. A plan for 2030 is not going to solve many of the problems facing Territorians today. As the Chief Minister, you have the responsibility and the ability to act now. The question is, will you? Do you have the courage? Will you ignore your minders, your media friends, and internal spin machine and do what is right and what is expected of a Chief Minister?
Mr VATSKALIS (Health): Madam Deputy Speaker, I support the Chief Minister’s statement on the Territory government’s 2030 strategy. I welcome the opportunity to be part of the first 20-year strategic plan for the future of the Territory. Usually, governments set their plans for four years during the electoral cycle, or three years. This is one of the first times we have seen a plan for the next 20 years.
I know the member from the other side said the CLP has plans but, let me tell you, I cannot see on the other side any of those dynamic people who, since 1978 and until 1989-90, achieved something. Most of the work of the CLP achievements was done by people who are not sitting in the desks opposite; they have long retired. For the railway, you can name Barry Coulter. For Channel Island, you can name the previous member for Barkly who now lives in Perth. The original plan was for a coal-fired power station but, thank God, somebody had the idea that a coal-fired power station was not the best idea for Darwin, and they converted it to gas. So, the so-called achievements of the Country Liberals are not achievements of the Country Liberals. They are of people who were here long before any of them - actually most of them - were in the Territory.
This is the first time a government, and a government in this jurisdiction, has a long-term plan. We have asked Territorians for their input and have listened to them. This is not a government directive or planning by a government bunch of bureaucrats; this is what the people want. That is why many people outside government were involved, and why these people were given free rein to talk to Territorians and come back with suggestions.
The 2030 strategy provides government with common goals and aims with measurable targets. It makes our way of doing business more transparent and open, and will guide our policy decisions.
I will turn to my portfolios because they will be impacted by change in the Territory, and they will impact on a changing Territory. Under the health and wellbeing banner, there are three main objectives: (1) to reform the Territory’s health system; (2) the health and wellbeing of Territorians will be better at all stages of life, and (3) the Territory makes considerable headway into lifestyle illnesses.
The steering committee said the Territory needs to create a culture where individuals take responsibility for their own health and wellbeing. We must learn to look after ourselves first, then our fellow citizens. I believe if we rise to this challenge in our health system we will be leaders in the field. The government has made record investment in health and families. We have the first $1bn health budget. We now employ 600 more nurses and 180 more doctors than in 2001.
I was listening to the member for Brennan, and if I did not know better I would think I live in a miserable place, from where I would like to pack up and catch the plane tomorrow for somewhere else. Everything is falling apart, everything is broken - well, I do not know if he lives in a different dimension, but walking out of this building tonight I will be in a place which is the envy of other people in Australia. I live in a place where people have a job; we have an unemployment rate which is one of the lowest in the country. I live in a place where the potential for tomorrow is enormous. I live in a place with fantastic natural beauty. I live where I have made my place because I know it can make a difference to my life, and I can make a difference to this place.
Let me give you an example of the health system. This is not government spin; this is a report by a Commonwealth authority about the health system of the Territory. Northern Territory hospitals are acknowledged to be the busiest in Australia. The Northern Territory has more than double the number of hospital patient separations compared to the national average – 480 patient separations in the Territory compared to 118 in the rest of Australia. We have the highest rate of emergency department attendances. It was one every 10 minutes in 2007-08. We spend more per person in public hospitals than other jurisdictions. We spend $1776 per person, compared to $1200 in the other states. We have more doctors and nurses per 1000 people; 1.6 full-time equivalent doctors, and 5.7 full-time equivalent nurses, compared to a national average of 1.2 and 5. We have more hospital beds than any other jurisdiction - 2.8 hospital beds per 1000 people. Victoria has 2.4, Queensland 2.5, and the national average is 2.7. All our hospital beds are accredited. They are not in other states such as New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia or Tasmania.
Unfortunately, we have the lowest access to Medicare funding in Australia. We have just over half the national average of GPs, and that impacts seriously upon our emergency department for the simple reason if people cannot access their GP, they will go to the emergency department; they have no other alternative. Of course, we have large numbers on the waiting list for the simple reason we do not have the specialist doctors as in other places. We have challenges, and the challenges are going to become worse, for the simple reason we have a significant number of Territorians with preventable or chronic disease, and also we get older.
When I first came to the Territory in 1993, I was astounded that the number of old people you would meet in the street was very small. I remember we went to South Australia and were walking the Port Augusta streets, and my eldest son said to me: ‘There is something strange in this place’. I said: ‘What is so strange?’ He said: ‘It is full of old people’. In the Territory you saw very few old people. Everyone who retired packed up and went somewhere else. Now it does not happen; we stay here.
Because of the ageing population, the system will be impacted upon, and it will be a serious impact. There are external unavoidable drivers: ageing population as I mentioned before; the available workforce; the escalation of costs for hospital care; and the increasing demand for hospital services.
We are now developing a keener appreciation of the serious harm caused by obesity, alcohol, smoking, and other substance misuse. The national health reform agenda, led by the Rudd government, has identified a focus on wellness, health promotion, primary health care, and illness prevention should be a more prominent part of Australia’s health system if we are to become an overall healthy nation and manage the burden on the health system.
A particular focus is on the Northern Territory Indigenous population; it is 30% of the population, on which we spend 60% of our health expenditure. Improving access to essential health care services that are culturally secure and are delivered with an expanded Indigenous workforce are just some of the strategies that will help us move forward in making a real difference in health outcomes.
We have introduced the Expanding Health Services Delivery Initiative 2008-13 with the support of the Australian government and the Aboriginal Medical Service Alliance. We aim to establish the Territory as a world leader in remote area and Indigenous health services delivery, linking education, research and policy, and service provision by 2030. We have built effective partnerships with the Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Flinders University, the Centre for Remote Health and the Baker Institute.
We currently have facilities in our health system which are the envy of the nation. The Trauma Centre and the response of the Trauma Centre to the two most recent incidents - the TIO bombing and the Greyhound Bus crash in Tennant Creek - shows how efficiently and well our systems can respond to emergencies. Paul Lucas, the Deputy Premier and Health Minister of Queensland, told me he was very impressed by the response of the Trauma Centre in Darwin to the TIO bombing victims. He told me if Queenslanders are involved in a terrorist attack in South-East Asia, he will demand they be evacuated first to Darwin and then to Brisbane because the time factor is very important.
Territory 2030 is a long-term plan. We cannot develop extensive complex strategies without robust planning. We know we need to expand hospital services in the Top End to meet the demands of the growing population, but this cannot be done based on flimsy ideas overnight like the CLP. We have engaged the consultants, Ernst & Young to undertake a comprehensive hospital services planning study to guide development of acute care services for the next 20 years. Consultations will occur with key stakeholders across the Territory. The studies are scheduled to deliver a final report to the steering committee at the end of March for consideration by government. The project includes demand modelling for future hospital services, master site planning options, financial modelling, workforce planning, and consideration of technology.
This is the difference between us and the opposition. We plan our action; the opposition make promises just before the elections and, then, they tell us the health system is in crisis, and adopt our suggestions to improve the health system in the Territory. What suggestions? Another inquiry into acute services, and build a car park in Royal Darwin Hospital. These are the major promises by the CLP.
We are continuing to plan and expand essential health services in the community. The Palmerston urgent care after-hours service opened in December 2008 as the first stage of the Palmerston GP Super Clinic, to increase after-hours urgent medical access for residents of Palmerston and the rural area. To date, 10 000 people have attended the super clinic, just in one year of operation. Stage 2 of the super clinic - a joint initiative between the Northern Territory government and the Australian government - is under construction and will open fully provided services later this year.
I am also very pleased to tell you we have delivered to the Territory the first ever Cancer Care Centre. The Alan Walker Cancer Care Centre was opened by the Prime Minister on Friday, 22 January 2010. It is a $28m investment, $15m more than Tony Abbott was offering to the then member for Solomon to deliver a service that was not even possible to be constructed with $13m …
Members interjecting.
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! Order! Member for Fong Lim! Cease interjecting, please! Thank you. You have the call, minister.
Mr VATSKALIS: If the member for Greatorex had bothered to turn up to the appointments he had to visit the Alan Walker Cancer Centre, he would have found out …
Members interjecting.
Mr VATSKALIS: I twice arranged appointments after consultation with you about a date. You did not turn up on either of those dates. To their credit, the member for Fong Lim, the Leader of the Opposition, the member for Katherine, the member for Brennan and others, came and took a tour of the centre. They met the specialist at the centre. If you had turned up to the opening, you would have met the oncologist …
Members interjecting.
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! Order! Member for Fong Lim! Order, member for Fong Lim!
Mr Tollner: We did not even know there was a damn opening; we read about it the paper the next day. So much for your bipartisanship, fool!
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Member for Fong Lim!
Mr Conlan: Before you start mouthing those type of comments …
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order, member for Greatorex! Cease interjecting or we may see members asked to withdraw from the Chamber. Please!
Mr TOLLNER: A point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker! The minister knows this government has done five-eighths of absolutely nothing to get that oncology unit out of the ground …
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: There is no point of order. Resume your seat!
Mr TOLLNER: … they have not put one single cent into it and now they say it is our fault that they cannot attract any specialists.
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Member for Fong Lim! Member for Fong Lim! There is no point of order. When I ask you to resume your seat, I ask you to do so, please. Minister, you have the call.
Mr VATSKALIS: Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. The Northern Territory government is putting in $2m a year for running costs. The Northern Territory government has …
Mr Tollner: You have done nothing.
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order!
Mr VATSKALIS: The Northern Territory government is providing $2m for running costs per year ...
Mr Tollner: You have done nothing! Stop crying about it; you should hang your head in shame.
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Please pause, minister. Member for Fong Lim, you have been asked three times now to cease interjecting, and I ask you do so, please. Thank you. Minister, you have the call.
Mr VATSKALIS: We have employed the physicists, the consultants, and a team from the Adelaide hospital to work here in the Territory. The first patient in the oncology department will be attending on 22 February and, after a few weeks - because that is how long it takes to prepare that person for irradiation – they will be undertaking radiation. I know very well the member for Greatorex never liked it. That is why he did not bother to turn up to have a look. However, other people can vouch for the most modern, most efficient cancer centre in Australia, and one which will not have a waiting list.
The people will be accommodated in a $4m refurbished facility at Mirambeena. The facility will have en suites, units for families, kitchens, outdoor areas for people who stay there without any cost, because the cost will be covered by us. This is the reality. I know very well they do not like it, but the reality is there. Many people have seen the oncology centre and were very impressed, including the Prime Minister.
The rest is totally untrue; it is an attempt by the member for Greatorex to derail the cancer centre. He did not like it. The reality is the cancer centre is the newest, most modern and most efficient cancer centre. I will take him personally, if he bothers next time to come to the appointment, to show him the cancer centre.
In reforming the Territory health system, we have also committed to making services for senior Territorians and people with disability, or who require rehabilitation, as accessible as elsewhere in Australia. Hard work continues to be required to ensure Indigenous people, over-represented with disabilities, have improved access to disability services. The department has implemented a central intake process to ensure equitable access to services by guaranteeing all requests for service follow the same process for determining eligibility and identifying service need.
The second objective guides us to ensure the health and wellbeing of Territorians will be better at all stages of their life course. We have made inroads in maternity health, especially with Indigenous people. We have improved the life expectancy, especially in Indigenous women, and decreased infant mortality. We have done much, but we can do more. We can do much more and we are prepared to do it. We want to provide the same services in the bush as we provide in the urban environment. We have worked very closely in the past with Aboriginal Medical Service Alliance, Good Health Alliance NT, and the General Practice Network of the Northern Territory - and we have delivered. We have delivered the services and will be doing the same in the future.
A few weeks ago, I launched the Chronic Conditions Prevention and Management Strategy. I have to admit the strategy is a major revision of the original 1999 strategy by the CLP government that was very effective. Credit is given where it is due; that was an effective strategy. However, it was outdated and had to be revised. I am very pleased to say, working together with Aboriginal Medical Service Alliance, Good Health Alliance NT and the General Practice Network, we are going to do it.
Chronic conditions account for 60% of the burden of disease in the Northern Territory. The focus will be on cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, chronic respiratory diseases, and chronic kidney disease. Important new inclusions are chronic mental illness and preventable cancers.
It is now acknowledged the focus on the early years of life is essential for preventing the development of chronic conditions in adulthood. A focus on prevention and health promotion amongst adults is also important to reduce the risk factor known to be significant contributors to these chronic conditions. The environment is right for a more strategic approach to prevention and health promotion with national reform guiding the way.
What really bothers me, as Minister for Health, is the fact that many of these diseases are preventable and are caused by substance abuse. Most of these are legal substances such as cigarette smoking and alcohol. There has been a lot of focus on smoking, and there are anti-smoking campaigns and stopping people smoking inside clubs and pubs and restaurants. However, the one that really bothers me is alcohol. That is why I have asked the Health Advisory Council, which met for the first time last week, to have a very close look at the alcohol factor and impact on human health in order to develop strategies to address some of these diseases. We pay a big price for alcohol and its impact. It is not that someone can actually affect their life; it can affect other people’s lives with domestic violence, drink-driving, and committing offences in which alcohol is a factor.
The other thing we have to do - and this is very important - is ensure all children in the Territory are safe and grow in a safe environment. I have to say, our government, since 2001, has made enormous steps in improving the safety of the children. When we came to government, the expenditure for Children Services by the then CLP government was $7m. Today, it is $9m. When you came to government, there were only about 100 child protection workers; today there are 213. We are the first government to make reporting of domestic violence mandatory. We are the first government to put the Child Abuse Task Force in Darwin and Alice Springs, which resulted in 99 arrests and 26 summonses. We have Aboriginal community workers in 13 communities. We have mobile protection teams. We put one of the most modern acts in Australia in place. Is everything perfect? No, it is not. Is everything good? No, it is not.
There is much work to be done. When we have a 69% increase in the number of notices from one year to another, obviously, there is a problem - and a serious problem, especially with Indigenous communities. First of all, there is tyranny of distance; second, the conditions in which they live. We cannot guarantee safety of children when there is an overcrowded house and when there is no food in the house. We have very serious issues and I am determined, as I said before, and prepared to look at structures and policies in the department in order to ensure children in the Territory are going to be safe. I do not care about the background, the colour, or the ethnicity. What is important is that a child of the Territory feels and is safe.
There is much work to be done. A lot of discussion has taken place to date, but our commitment is to ensure our government - and, as a matter of fact, every single government - should provide a safe and nurturing environment for children. That is why we have asked for the widest inquiry of Children’s Services. The panel, headed by Dr Howard Bath, Professor Muriel Bamblett and Dr Rob Roseby, is going to conduct this inquiry. The first sitting took place in Nhulunbuy, and today I believe there was another forum in Tennant Creek. The government is committed to listen to the advice of the panel, of the inquiry, to adopt their recommendations, and provide the necessary equipment, tools, and funds to address this significant issue about Children’s Services in the Territory.
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Minister, your time has expired.
Mr STYLES (Sanderson): Madam Deputy Speaker, I add to the debate on the ministerial statement of Territory 2030. However, before I do, I acknowledge the hard work of all the people who had input into that document. Preparing any strategic document for such a broad range of time is difficult. The co-chairs, Vicki O’Halloran and Bill Moss, should be commended for the work they have done.
This document is about the future and how to get there, and where they want to be in 2030. That is great, but what I do not see is where we are right now, and what is going to happen tonight, tomorrow and next week. This government has had in excess of eight years to get many of the things they should have done right, but they have not. We heard the Deputy Chief Minister espousing that we, on this side of the Chamber, are always in blame mode, and are always blaming everyone else. Well, I heard her today come straight back and blame us for all the woes of the Territory.
It is the issues about the immediate future which concern me and my constituents, and the people who form part of my shadow portfolios. In particular, I want to address the youth issues.
I heard the member for Wanguri talk about the government making a decision to go outside government to get advice on which direction they should go, and how they should organise their critical path planning to get to Territory 2030. I ask the Chief Minister to address some of the ideas of the opposition, because he has asked for ideas from all sorts of people. There are many people on this side of the House who speak to people on a daily basis about the issues which confront them and the hardships they face. I ask the Chief Minister to take note of those issues raised by members on this side of the House.
I quote from various notes I made while listening to the Chief Minister in this Chamber today: education is an ongoing journey; access to quality education is something everyone needs; and access to housing. I ask the Chief Minister if, at some stage, he could explain why access to quality education is still a dream for some people - not even on some people’s radar - and access to housing is something we can spend many hours in this Chamber debating. He talked about transparency, yet, every time we attempt to get information on what the government is doing, we are held back by exorbitant fees for freedom of information. If you want to not be transparent you simply make it almost impossible, financially, for anyone - including the opposition - to get access to what you are doing. When you do, and you get bills for $25 000 to $30 000, and it is a bunch of pages with black lines through them, that is hardly what I call transparency. They are just a few issues.
I then heard the member for Karama talk about: ‘We are the future; we have done this’ and we have done that’. From her statement you would think the Territory did not come into existence until August 2001 when, miraculously, we appeared on the earth and the current government took control of the Northern Territory. You would hardly think there was anything done in the Territory before they took the control of government. The other thing the member for Karama said is: ‘We are the future of this country; we have the oil and gas’. She went on to espouse how wonderful the Territory was. I agree; it is a great place – a land of opportunity.
She then said: ‘We have the people’. I wonder for how much longer ‘we have’ those people. People come to this town and try to rent a house. First, you cannot find a house to rent and, then, it is too expensive. Recently, I spoke to some people who work for Telstra. Their jobs have been moved – 67 jobs - have moved from the Territory to Adelaide. I asked: ‘Why is that?’ They said the prime reason is the cost of housing and the cost of renting. People who are doing those jobs cannot afford to live here. Telstra cannot afford to pay them enough to stay here. What happens? Telstra shifts the jobs to Adelaide. That is one example.
There are numerous examples of people who come to my office, let along other members - and I am sure members of government get the same thing in their offices, but they are probably not prepared to stand up in this House and say what those people are on about. We, on this side, have people coming to our offices saying they cannot rent a house, they cannot afford the rent, and they cannot afford to live after paying the rent. This goes to the very fabric of our community, where things like that rip families apart. I have said in this House on numerous occasions this government, through the systemic failure of its policies and failure to release sufficient land driving the cost of housing up, has led to families, and kids from families, having to move south just to survive.
The member for Karama pointed out six points; we have only gone through a few of them. Education underpins everything - and I absolutely agree with her. It is absolutely important. All people in the Territory need access to a quality education; that is, remote, rural, regional, urban - everyone. She also said education should be lifelong learning. That is great; it takes programs like Accelerated Literacy, but that all hangs on kids being able to go to school.
There are reasons why some kids do not go to school. One is they are in fear of being bashed; of being teased and bullied; and of embarrassing themselves. I spent considerable years of my working life as a community police officer. I found, when you talk to young people, they will not go out of their way each day to embarrass themselves. If we do not get it right at the beginning of school in those early years, and kids do not get their education at that particular level and they fall behind, then it stands to reason, as they go through, they are not going to catch up - they are not going to get a lot of help. They need extra help.
We released the policy recently which takes care of that. It is interesting to note the government still has not committed the same level of financing to those particular projects to get those kids help. What happens is these kids then start to drop out. They do not want to embarrass themselves and, if they are not smart enough to keep up with their peers, then they start to wag school. That actually brings in a different range of problems. That is where we, as a community, need to pay particular attention.
I will summarise what the Western Australian Association of Child Psychologists identified: that a growing body of work, both nationally and internationally, indicates poor peer relations and emotional behaviour disorders in children and adolescents can lead to language and communication disorders, and delayed motor development. Further to that, the association says that poor language development, concentration or attention problems, hyperactivity and impulsive self-control difficulties constitute risk factors for the development of criminal behaviour, delinquency, violence and antisocial behaviour.
Health economists estimate that for every dollar spent on early intervention, between $7 and $18 is saved. As a community, there is no better investment than early intervention. Early childhood intervention represents an effective long-term investment for individuals and the wider community.
I went to a meeting at Leanyer water park last Saturday between the African community and the Aboriginal community. The African community had about 45 or 50 people present. The Aboriginal community had about six or seven; it was lopsided. It was disappointing to see that one particular group was not well represented. However, there is an effort on both sides to try to resolve the problems.
In my previous life as a school-based police officer, we used to deal with these matters on a regular basis. I recall, in 2004, we had issues like this. We fixed it. Why? Because of early intervention. Therein lies a situation where we, as a community, need to be supporting the building of confidence in these young people to do all sorts of things; that is, to protect themselves, to understand there are people in the community who will support them - not just counsellors, etcetera, but people in authority who appear to be neutral, and are there to support all of these people in the community.
Youth violence in the northern suburbs is currently a major community concern. It is a situation where I believe school communities need to intervene. It also indicates to me that these situations are not happening in the schools; they are actually happening outside. However, experience has taught me, if you worked in primary schools with facilities and tools such as the DARE program school-based police officers used to have - more recently some other programs were nowhere near as effective - and actually went into classrooms in primary schools and taught these young people right from early childhood - that is, in Transition all the way through - that there are people who are prepared to listen to them, help them, guide them, and work with them to resolve their problems, it did not escalate into some terrible problems out in the community where you have groups of people wanting to bash each other in parks after a game of soccer. As a community, we should not tolerate that.
I believe it is absolutely imperative, as a community, we support anything in those schools that is going to have an early intervention factor where we can prevent these things from occurring. There is an old saying that my mother taught me that an ounce of protection is worth a pound of cure. In this case it rings true because, if we do not go out there, we go back to what the health economists say: for every $1 spent on early prevention, between $7 and $18 is saved.
In relation to school-based policing, I note from my own experience there seems to be a lack of support these days for school-based police officers, to the point where we have had a reduction in numbers. I quote from the 2002-03 Annual Report for Police, Fire and Emergency Services. On page 33, at the top is says:
I then go to the Police, Fire and Emergency Services report from 31 May 2009, on the left-hand side of the page where it says:
That is almost a 50% reduction in the number of school-based police officers in schools. What I hear out in the community at the moment is there is concern the government is reducing their commitment to school-based policing even further. If they are not left in schools there could be an escalation in various forms of violence.
The idea of going into primary schools and teaching these young people is to empower them to say no to bullying. I was at the meeting last night with about 25 youths, and they were telling me one of the major problems in our schools and our community is bullying. Yet, there is no one out there at the moment because it would appear there is a huge reduction in manpower and in the number of lessons and time spent in classrooms developing a rapport with these people.
For instance, the DARE program was taken out of schools at the end of June 2005, but there was a program instigated called Seven Core Themes which was not completed. The first three years of primary school were partly written when they took what was considered by most in the community to be a very effective and good program which is recognised internationally - it is an international program - out of schools. This partly-written, half-baked program called Seven Core Themes was introduced.
If one has a look at the problems out there, and how everyone is saying the youth problems have escalated over the last few years, I suggest in those days when I had tools like the DARE program as a school-based police officer, I was able to go into classrooms and build a rapport with children.
Sadly, these days those youth do not seem to have the same access to that type of help and understanding. I ask the government to consider those sorts of things, because they have a massive impact on youth suicide. We all worry about things such as the tragedy which occurred yesterday in Queensland, where a young boy lost his life in tragic circumstances at school. That is tragic enough; however, there is the other side of this situation, whereby you have young people who are subject to bullying, all sorts of taunting and threats at school, and they commit suicide. That is the sad and lonely situation some of these young people find themselves in, where they make terrible choices and decisions to take their own lives. As a community, we think it is sad that happens, but we are not outraged at the reasons why that occurs.
When I was a school-based police officer, I used to wear a police uniform with the badge on the sleeve of which I was very proud. The motto of the Northern Territory Police is ‘To Serve and Protect’. When you talk about protect, and early intervention and preventing things from happening, if that is not protecting the community, then I do not know what is. Maybe it is me who has it all wrong; if you are not protecting the community by preventing these things from happening. As a community, and especially as police officers, do they look at early intervention, and preventing crime, or do they allow the situation to go to the point where they come along and clean up the mess afterwards? That includes cleaning up, unfortunately sometimes, the death and destruction that follows some of the tragic events which occur in our community.
I ask the government to consider the things they do, and where they take their policies; in particular in relation to people in our community who are in authority who can go into schools and empower young men and women, that they do not have to put up with bullying, and all the taunts that occur in schools. Take last week. My understanding was, at Nightcliff Middle School, they were very busy all week trying to keep the violence down. The fact is there was a school-based police officer there virtually all week. If people are happy and contented, and they get around in ones and twos, nobody feels threatened. When people feel they are threatened then, unfortunately, we are going to see more and more violence in schools, and that is going to be a very sad day.
Madam Deputy Speaker, it is with great concern I have learned school-based policing is dropped even further. If we want to get to 2030 intact as a community, then I believe there is this and many other things we have to look at.
Mr KNIGHT (Business and Employment): Madam Deputy Speaker, I support the Chief Minister’s statement on the Territory 2030 strategic plan. The Territory is enjoying unprecedented economic and population growth, and it is important, as a growing society which becomes more complex, we put ourselves in a position to plan to look into the future. One of the great things about the 2030 strategic plan is it provides an opportunity for not just government to have input into planning for the future, but also allows ordinary Territorians to become involved. One thing I have learned about Territorians is, not only do they have strong opinions, but they are also very practical. They are people who do have a great deal of common sense and want to take ownership of the future direction the government takes them. Through this process, Territorians have certainly been voicing their opinions; they made a great deal of contribution into this strategic plan and they are worth listening to.
The Power and Water Corporation has embarked on the biggest capital investment in its history: some $1.4bn over five years. This is a staggering investment in a vital institution. With the Territory going through a sustained period of growth, Power and Water is planning for the power, water and sewerage needs of Territorians into the future. New power stations have been, or are being, constructed in the Top End and in Alice Springs. Work also includes a major life extension program for the Channel Island Power Station, completing the refurbishment of six generators.
The power network will also be supplemented through the Channel Island 132 kVA switch yard extension program to improve its flow and security, and reliability of the station. In the Darwin region, additional high voltage transmission lines will enhance security of supply, and deliver electricity from the new Weddell Power Station. New zone substations are being built at Archer, which is nearly complete, and at Marrakai. Further substations are planned for Leanyer, East Arm, and Darwin Airport, and plans for an additional new substation in Alice Springs, the Lovegrove Substation, are well under way. Major zone substations refurbishments are also being planned for Darwin’s Snell Street and City Zone Substations. Alice Springs will be getting a new $130m power station at Owen Springs. Additional underground high voltage cables will also run through from Alice Springs into the new Lovegrove Substation. It is a huge investment in the future of Alice Springs.
It is great to see Power and Water is rebuilding, growing from years of neglect by the CLP. It was, basically, run into the ground, neglected, prepared for sell off, and staff sacked. Now, we have a government committed to keeping Power and Water in-house, in the hands of Territorians, so they can determine the future of this vital organisation.
Power and Water has taken account of the six specific target areas of the Territory 2030 strategy and how they might impact on the operation and results of the corporation. When it comes to the Territory 2030 strategy, Power and Water has a set of specific targets. They are: by 2015, reduce greenhouse gas emissions’ intensity of power generation at the Power and Water Corporation Channel Island and Weddell Power Stations by 10% compared to 2009 levels; reduce the amount of water Territory households use by 20% by 2015, and a further 10% by 2020 compared to 2009 consumption level; by 2020, wholesale electricity purchases in the Northern Territory will meet their 20% renewable energy target from Territory sources; by 2020, the Northern Territory will have replaced diesel as a primary source of power generation in remote towns and communities and will be using renewable or low emission energy sources instead; energy and water efficiency in residential and commercial buildings in the Territory will meet standards in the building code of Australia; and, lastly, develop Weddell as a world-class green city and a model for the future, not only of the Territory, but Australia.
As Power and Water prepares for the release of its Statement of Corporate Intent in May, it will investigate and model a range of options and remediation measures related to reducing the level of greenhouse gas emissions’ intensity reduction through improved efficient power generation, enhancement of water sustainability through modernisation of water demand, and appropriate use of recycled water. The corporation will further examine the development of alternative energy sources, particularly in the displacement of diesel as a primary fuel for power generation in remote communities. It will also assess the operational drivers to reduce the corporation’s ecological footprint.
The Department of Business and Employment has a number of responsibilities under the Territory 2030 strategy. These are to ensure its success, and the action required to meet our objectives and targets.
As you have heard the Chief Minister say, education is central to the six key priority areas of the 2030 plan. Nowadays, information and communication technology is central to education. ICT is the responsibility of the Department of Business and Employment. My agency will work to assist the development of education and training in remote settings based on best practice and innovative use of ICT. Everyone in this House recognises the challenges of delivering strong educational outcomes in the Territory’s remote regions. This government is committed to turning around decades of neglect in education in our more remote regions.
The Department of Business and Employment’s ICT Division will manage the Digital Regions National Partnership Agreement to provide Territory growth towns with access to high-speed broadband and enhanced e-learning services and e-health services by 2011. The overall project has a budget of $15.5m, including a contribution of $5m from the Department of Business and Employment. The ICT Division has also signed the national partnership agreement and secured $7m in funding from the Australian government.
The department is also working towards improving Indigenous employment rates under objective five; that is, investing in and valuing our people, culture, and communities. A number of programs are being run to drive Indigenous employment rates. These include programs targeting the long-term unemployed and use of Northern Territory public sector apprenticeship programs. The draft employment strategy is supporting a target of 3000 Indigenous commencements in employment in line with the Indigenous Economic Development Strategy. The Northern Territory and Australian governments have signed a national partnership agreement on Indigenous economic participation.
The Territory growth town initiative, part of A Working Future strategy, is entrenched in the Territory 2030 plan. We recognise the challenges of making a positive change in the lives of people living in the bush. It is our aim to have made significant inroads towards doing just that by 2030.
We are also working with the Indigenous Development Unit to help shape innovative and effective business development programs that are accessible to entrepreneurs. These will be reinforced with the objective to grow the size and skills of the workforce to meet our growth targets.
The draft employment strategy includes a workforce development framework. The Territory currently enjoys the highest employment participation rate, and the lowest unemployment rate of all Australian jurisdictions. Even so, we must continue to grow the workforce to meet the needs of our growing economy and the aspirations of Territorians.
Since becoming minister for Business, a recurring theme during my discussions with local business operators in the Territory is the Territory’s shortage of skilled labour. As a government, we are working to attract and retain local, national, and international workers to the Territory. This will require us working with the federal government, particularly in the area of overseas skilled labour. As members will realise, the federal government is effecting changes in the area of skilled migration, but we are hoping Canberra will take into account the Territory’s unique circumstances in relation to this supply of skilled labour. The particular circumstances, obviously, are that we have a booming economy and we are very different to a lot of other parts of Australia.
Despite what some of the opposition might say climate change is now a real issue which must be dealt with into the future. My agency has contributed to the development of a Climate Change Policy, and has responsibilities for the implementation and oversight of a range of targets, actions and outcomes within the Climate Change Policy. These include: the ecoBiz program; green office building policies; greening the government fleet; green procurement; greening information, communication and technology; and green industry development. In addition, the Department of Business and Employment has an advocacy role encouraging businesses to adopt climate-conscious business practices and guiding green industry development initiatives.
The government has adopted the green office building policy which will result in a significant reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and power costs to government and industry. The policy applies to leases of more than 2000 m2. These are specific provisions for existing and new building developments. From 1 July 2012, as existing government leases expire, owners of those buildings will be encouraged to meet the national best practise energy efficiency rating of 4.5-stars National Australia Building Environment Rating Scheme - NABERS is the acronym. Many building owners have agreed to improve energy efficiency as part of lease renewal negotiations. In addition to NABERS, new office developments are required to obtain a green-star rating. The green-star rating is a voluntary environmental rating system which assesses the environmental design and construction of new buildings.
The Territory government’s program which has been operating since March 2009 is ecoBiz NT, which aims to help local small to medium enterprises achieve cost savings by reducing the carbon footprint, and often reduce their costs through reduced energy consumption. It has been instrumental in assisting a number of Territory businesses to reduce energy consumption and, hence, to cut costs. In the first four months of operation, ecoBiz liaised with 25 businesses and, of those, provided energy audits to eligible businesses, with 16 of those businesses receiving grants totalling more than $300 000. These businesses are expected to save a combined total of 550 tonnes of CO2 - which equates to taking 122 cars off Australian roads permanently - and stimulated approximately $600 000 of business trade.
In the 2009-10 financial year to date, ecoBiz has continued to assist Territory businesses reduce their carbon footprint. This year, ecoBiz has liaised with a further 126 businesses and, again, assisted eligible businesses with energy audits, and provided seven businesses with grants of more than $70 000. These businesses are expected to save a combined total of 1271 tonnes of CO2 - which equates to taking 282 cars off Australian roads - and preventing the disposal of approximately 400 L of solvent-based degreaser. In addition, it stimulated approximately $1.2m of business trade. Two of ecoBiz’s most successful clients have been A & H Panel Works and the Asian - United Foodservice.
Government is also looking to improve the environmental performance of our ICT services. Our policy mandates several measures to effect a 10% energy saving by 2012. As a default, all ICT equipment must meet gold category of the International Standard EPEAT, which is the Electronic Production Environmental Assessment Tool. Through this planning, the total cost of ownership will be considerably reduced with the improved environmental performance.
The Green Fleet strategy commenced on the 1 July 2009 in line with the Commonwealth government’s Green Vehicle Guide of 5.5 for passenger vehicle and 3.5 for light commercial vehicles. The strategy aims to reduce the Territory government’s fleet’s greenhouse gas emission by a minimum of 20% over the next five years. The strategy implementation is in two stages. The first is to reduce emissions by 14% over two years, with a total CO2 reduction of 1850 tonnes over those two years. Stage 2 will involve a review of the reductions achieved, and a determination of whether an increase in the green fleet rating is required to ensure the government reaches its target of 20% reduction over the next five years. Since the introduction of the Green Fleet strategy, the Northern Territory government fleet directly contributed to climate change by increasing the number of Northern Territory government vehicles with greenhouse ratings of 7.5 or more, by 75%.
These are just some of a few examples of positive and real action programs the Department of Business and Employment, together with the Territory business community, is engaging in through the Territory Climate Change Policy. There is no doubt challenges posed by climate change are real and substantial and, through careful forward planning, mitigation, adaptation and innovative technologies, we can make our communities, businesses and the economy environmentally sustainable. The Northern Territory government is taking sensible, positive and effective action in response to the climate change challenges we face. We have achieved real results already. There is still much more to be done, though. The Northern Territory Climate Change Policy plays out the play for action.
Madam Speaker, I now turn to senior Territorians. The Territory’s population aged 65 years and over is projected to triple by the year 2036. For too long, the Territory has been seen as a place people leave once they reach a certain age. As a government, we are working to encourage more Territorians to choose to live here once they have ceased full-time employment. Government policies and programs will need to consider the needs of an ageing population. As I have already said, the government wants to hear from Territorians about their future.
We have now established the Senior Territorians Advisory Council, abbreviated as STAC. It held its first meeting, which I attended, on 28 January this year, and it gave me great pleasure to meet all those members of the STAC. The STAC will provide advice to me on seniors’ issues, government programs and policies, and identify future opportunities to progress outcomes for senior Territorians. Membership of the STAC consists of: Ms Lillian Mann, who is from Virginia in the rural area; Mrs Loraine Braham, who was not at that meeting and is well known to this Chamber; Kathy Martin, a local traditional owner from Alice Springs; Mr Brian Hilder, who is well known for his involvement with COTA; Mr Graham Kemp - everybody knows Graham, he has been the CEO of a number of different representative bodies, more recently as the Master Builders Association CEO; Ms Janet Durling, who is from Darwin; Mr Art Libian, who is from Palmerston; everybody knows Banambi Wunungmurra, from East Arnhem; and Mr Colin Hardaker from Tennant Creek. It was great to see Colin there; I had a good chat with him.
At the meeting, we announced the chair of the STAC. It was Janet Durling, and I am sure she will do a fine job. Membership of STAC reflects the diversity of the Territory community and ensures an adequate representation from the various social, cultural, and geographic groups.
Government has also developed a Framework for Active Ageing in the Northern Territory. This document was released in November 2007. The framework informs stakeholders of government’s commitment to support people as they age, and encourage them to take responsibility for their own health and financial wellbeing. The framework has three key objectives: people maintaining their physical and mental health for as long as possible so the effects of ill health are minimised; people having the resources to maintain their preferred lifestyle; and lastly, society supports old people to remain active, independent and connected. Active Ageing focuses on how people can maintain their good health and continue to remain mentally and physically active and retain independence, no matter what their age. So, under the STAC, there are quite capable groups and I look forward to interacting with them.
In the youth portfolio, I have the Youth Round Table, and that is a great body. Previous ministers have enjoyed the contribution they make. Obviously, for those young Territorians on the Youth Round Table, they will be, I guess, 20 years older by 2030, and nearing the age of many of us and taking on a great deal of responsibility. Looking at them and where they see the future of the Territory …
Mr WESTRA van HOLTHE: Madam Speaker, I move the member be given an extension of time, pursuant to Standing Order 77.
Motion agreed to.
Mr KNIGHT: Thank you, member for Katherine, I will wrap up now.
It is very important we do have a plan; not just a plan for the sake of a plan. Territory 2030 focuses so much on what we are doing now, but also involves the community. It is about bringing it all together. Bringing it around education is vital; education is the core - the core of business success and of future concerns and measures to address the environment. Better education also leads to a better social level within the community. It really is the core for the success of the community.
The idea of turning Darwin into a university town is vital to attract and retain people here. I was at a function not so long ago in Melbourne with medical students from Flinders University and James Cook University. At the moment, they do their two years practical here. However, as of next year, there will be full-blown medical studies for a medical degree at Charles Darwin University. That is great news for the Territory. When I first came to the Territory the university was not really well thought of but, now, I can say it is vastly different. People are staying there, and they can do a whole range of courses. It is absolutely vital. The Territory is growing up very quickly. It is experiencing growing pains, but here is the opportunity with this plan, to see where it is going, because it is going to grow up very quickly and we want to ensure it goes in the right direction, in the right areas, in the right way. I congratulate the Chief Minister.
This plan does not emulate, as the member for Port Darwin alluded to, the CLP policy, but emulates other successful policies from around Australia. It brings together individual initiatives within individual parts of government and the community into one plan, moving forward - having Vicki O’Halloran and Bill Moss very independent, very much in touch with the community, and the economic side of the community as well. I have great faith in them to retain independence and stay connected with the community with, obviously, a high level of interaction within the Cabinet subcommittee, with the Treasurer and the Chief Minister.
Madam Speaker, I congratulate the Chief Minister, and look forward to participating, within my portfolios, to make it a success.
Mr WOOD (Nelson): Madam Speaker, I welcome the statement by the Chief Minister on Territory 2030.
There is no doubt any government needs a vision. Without a vision you cannot have any direction. I support the process the government has put forward by selecting a number of well-known influential Territorians to work on bringing this strategic plan together. My biggest concern is you can have the best intentions but, as happens with many strategic plans, they sometimes disappear from view as time goes on, or they are simply not able to meet the rhetoric with results. I believe that is the key issue in relation to this plan.
There are a number of actions here; they are actually smaller targets. For instance, say you took a target about increasing the number of aviation passengers and shipping movements in the Territory. The action says ‘increase the number of domestic and international aviation passengers by 50% by 2014 for Darwin Airport’. It is not so much an action, it is really a target. You want to increase that number. What action you need to achieve that target should be in another column. This particular strategy does not have that other column, that road map. That, according to the Chief Minister, will come at a later time.
As I said before, it is fine to have a plan and a vision, but the goals have to be achievable. It is better to bet on something, as at the races, which has a fair chance of winning rather than going for the long shot. One example I see in the Territory 2030 statement is it says ‘every Territorian will have access to appropriate accommodation by 2030’. That is fine, but is that really realistic? We are so behind, especially in Indigenous housing. An example we have from visiting Tennant Creek with the Council of Territory Cooperation, they said they will need 280 houses just to catch up with present population growth. That is why I do not feel some of these goals are actually realistic. In the case of Tennant Creek, what will the population be in 2030? It is better to aim for successes which are realistic rather than going for targets which are simply not achievable.
We do need a road map, of course. If you are going to say we need to have all Territorians with appropriate accommodation by 2030 then, if the public is to believe that is achievable, what really needs to happen is for someone to show us how it is achievable. You can write things on paper but, if you are fair dinkum about them, then you really need to say how we will get there. It says in here the government will be reporting on how it is going every two years. My suggestion is, if the government is realistic about achieving these goals, then it has to put in a system which puts people - whether they are businessmen with a record of getting things done or they are high-achieving public servants - into the government, in these various sections of the strategy plan, and say: ‘You have to achieve these goals. You have to show a growth every two years. Or you have to show changes required every two years. If you achieve those goals you get a bonus’. It is an incentive program. A 2030 program will not achieve anything if the people behind it are really not that interested.
If it is about bringing home a pay packet every night and having a nice weekend, that is fine. However, I am not sure if the government really wants these quite - I am just trying to think of the word you could use for targets that are visionary. If you want to achieve those and you really believe we can achieve those, then you are going to have to have the right people implementing these changes. If these people do not achieve these changes, then they either say goodbye to the job or are put back somewhere on a lower pay scale. If you cannot drive this plan, then it will not happen.
I will talk about local government. Unfortunately, for some reason, local government is not mentioned in the 2030 plan. It is a bit disappointing, since the government has spent all the time doing this reform process for local government, saying this is the way forward. Local government does not get a mention, as far as I can see, in the 2030 plan. It is something which should be added to the plan when it is being reviewed.
I give you a classic example. We know the government promised local government many things when it was being reformed. We know the IT system failed and will not be repaired until April. There has been no extra money for roads, which was part of the carrot which said: ‘If you get reform in local government we will get you a bucket of money similar to what they got in the Pitjantjatjara lands’. We ended up with a broken down IT system, and no money for those roads. Who was the public servant in charge of that who actually went out to these communities and said: ‘This is what we are going to achieve’? I say those promises were made and were not achieved - similar to what you are doing with this 2030 strategy - and they should either be sacked or demoted.
Another example is the strategy in this 2030 program which talks about a reduction in waiting times for public houses. That is a pretty simple goal in theory, although I must admit something strange has happened on the web page. In early January, I looked up the web page and the waiting lists had asterisks for Darwin, Casuarina and Palmerston; in other words, the waiting list for public houses had disappeared. When I looked it up today, the waiting list had been re-established. I thought that was very interesting because I was going to say if the waiting times were not there then you do not have the base data to say you have reduced the waiting lists.
I noticed some issues about the waiting list. Perhaps the government needs to work through those waiting lists and see who is really eligible for some of this public housing. Be that as it may, we have a wait list presently published on the website. We have a goal in this document which says we are going to reduce waiting times for public housing. That is under Society on page 21. How are we going to achieve that? We know we need money; we cannot build more houses without money. Who is going to drive it? Not sure, but that is what the government is going to work at.
Government is going to have to pick someone out in the private industry who has been in the building industry for years, who has had success in building houses, hotels or high-rises, or has had some success in that industry. Put them in charge with a bonus at the end of two years to see if they have achieved your goal. I do not believe, as I said before, you are going to achieve these things unless you put the right people in, pay them the right money, and give them the right incentive. This has to be driven otherwise it will become a bunch of motherhood statements on a dusty shelf. Many of these targets are good, but they will only be good - and forever and more will only be good - unless someone drives them to the goals that have been set out in the strategic plan.
Education is a classic example. There has been plenty of debate today and, to some extent, I was a bit disappointed that an important debate ended up part of a censure motion. Censure motions are filled with things such as someone has been lying to Territorians, and I do not take too much of that stuff. It is not a style I really appreciate. I would rather a good debate about the NAPLAN system so everyone could be prepared for that discussion. I have done a fair bit of work researching the issues around that, and it would be good if the government came back with a statement where we could all put our ideas forward, especially around the present debate about the NAPLAN statistics, where we are going, and how it affects the Territory.
Also, in this strategy, the Chief Minister talked about targets and said they are hoping to halve the gap in Northern Territory students reading and writing and numeracy by 2020 and, by 2030, achieving those standards completely. They are great, but who is going to make them work? Do we have a whiz-bang person in Education who says: ‘My job will be to change this, to make it actually work’? Again, we need the right people to do it. How will these targets be achieved? Will we only have more committees and subcommittees? I know there are going to be more conferences in coming years. I hope we do not end up with too many conferences, subcommittees, or this and that. We should know how to achieve some of these targets with the right people. Perhaps we need mini benevolent dictators in charge of some of these departments so they can actually drive through some of the bureaucracy which causes these targets never to be achieved.
It is interesting the statement on land release talked about there will be a Territory land use strategy by 2010. Well, we are in 2010. I am looking for the Territory land use strategy, and it was not found on the government’s web page. I am not sure where it was. When you see something like that, you think if we cannot do something which is actually written in the paper already, you lose a bit of confidence you are going to achieve some of the big stuff. It said there will be a Territory land use strategy in the Territory ‘by’ 2010. It did not say ‘in’ 2010, and I am not sure where it is. So, if we are going to have these things here, then we are going to have to be serious about achieving them.
Unfortunately, agriculture hardly gets a nod in this strategy. It is a little like local government. It reflects what I have always felt; that this government does not give the effort required to promote agriculture as a large part of our economy in the Northern Territory. You cannot be put off by people whose lives seem to be concerned entirely about greenhouse gas emissions and, in the process, they send out a message that agriculture is all bad. The government takes that too seriously. Well planned, well-thought-out agriculture should be part of our 2030 strategy. Do people not see what goes in those big triples along the road and gets off at the wharf and then goes to Indonesia? They are called cattle. They make a lot of money for people in the Northern Territory, and many businesses depend on it. A strategy for 2030 should, by its very nature, include agriculture. Look at the Ord River. Part of it is in our own back yard. Is the Ord River mentioned in the 2030 strategy? Not that I can see. There are some gaps there.
The one big failure in the 2030 strategy is education has been put - the group of people who put this together, and I am not knocking them; they are fine people. However, education and employment should have been the key; that should be the centrepiece. Education without a job is not worth two bob. Why educate yourself if you cannot get a job? You can watch TV; you do not need to be too educated for that. There should have been far more emphasis on employment. There are a few mentions of improving business, increasing non-Indigenous and Indigenous partnerships, but there is no real emphasis on employment.
If your strategy in 2030 is to reduce unemployment, especially in Indigenous communities, that should be equal with education. The two must go hand-in-hand; the two depend on one another. They are Siamese twins. Oh hang on, you do not call them that now, you have to call them something else: co-joined, to be politically correct. However, that is what they are. One without the other is not really worth having. That is a major failing in the emphasis placed in this document. There is a big emphasis on education, but a very small emphasis on employment. I believe that is an area which needs looking at.
This is a document that, probably if you went page by page, each page could be worthy of debate. I do not know whether some people realise there are a few things in here which are our objectives. For instance, how much discussion was held with both the amateur fishers and the professional fishers about ensuring an ongoing increase in the length of coastline and marine protected areas in each marine bioregion? That is an issue which is a hot topic at the moment. I certainly do not think it has been settled, because there is a lot of discussion about the worthiness of marine parks. I am not necessarily against the concept of marine parks, but I would not want to put something in here that was just a motherhood statement for which there was no scientific backing.
Under Environment it talks about reducing water buffalo impacts on Territory culture and environments by 90%. I must admit, I did not know where they came from but, obviously, someone says water buffaloes are doing a lot of damage again. I know we have buffaloes around. It is interesting we talk about that, yet there is no mention of cane toads. I could not see cane toads in here. There is no real talk about gamba grass, which this parliament issued some quite serious recommendations on and, since, have put some limitation on the growth of it. Some of those things could have been in here.
I can nitpick and say we could not put everything in here but, occasionally, there have been some issues which could have been included. Sustainable living is fine. We talk about trying to reduce the dependency on greenhouse gas emission sources - fine. Anyone brave enough to look at the possibility of nuclear power? We have talked about having solar energy in houses - fantastic. We should put far more emphasis on putting solar into domestic situations and less reliance on the grid. We need base-load power, whether we like it or not.
If we want to run cars on electricity, as many people would like, you need a lot of grunt somewhere to supply those cars with the power to run. If you do not want to have greenhouse gas emissions, you cannot use coal- or gas-fired power stations to provide the energy for a car. That car is taking a long, circuitous route to putting carbon back into the atmosphere. We might have different opinions about nuclear power, but why is it not in the Territory 2030 strategic plan to be looked at as a possible lower or nearly nil form of greenhouse gas emission energy supply for Northern Territory, especially when we know we have large areas that can be mined for uranium? Why is that left out? Is it not politically correct? If you are looking at a strategic plan, you certainly should allow that debate to occur. Whether you agree or not, that is not the relevance in this statement; it is a matter of whether it should, at least, be part of a plan in relation to sustainable living.
There is no doubt it is good the government has at least done this. I believe the member for Port Darwin mentioned there have been a few of these things around before. That is what scares me. Will this be a nice document, or will it be achieved? It has possibilities. I believe the government needs to set in place the right people, pay them the right amount of money, set them a goal and, if they do not achieve, they are out the door; or if they do achieve, they get bonuses. This has to be driven by people who really believe in it, and you will not do it if you set up subcommittees and umpteen other sorts of committees. It really has to have definite targets for definite times. If those cannot be achieved, then we get other people to achieve it.
Of course, it has to have the money to back it. If you do not have the money to back these programs, you are wasting our time. No one can doubt the targets in the report are good for the Northern Territory. If we can achieve many of these targets, it is good for the Territory. We have to be careful we do not go for the pie-in-the-sky stuff with no hope of achievement. We need to ensure our feet are firmly on the ground; these targets are achievable; and we have the right people to achieve the goals.
I believe we will come back in two years time and, if we are not achieving those goals, we will have to ask what the heck was this all about in the first place. I do hope this strategic plan can work; however I am also realistic enough to know that we have seen these plans before …
Mr GUNNER: Madam Speaker, I move an extension of time for the member for Nelson, pursuant to Standing Order 77.
Motion agreed to.
Mr WOOD: Thank you, member for Fannie Bay.
Madam Speaker, I do not want this plan to end up being like other plans. The government has to put the money where its mouth is in this case for it to succeed. I would like many of these visions to succeed. As I said, when they are reviewing this strategy, please put more emphasis on employment, please more put emphasis on local government, and please put far more emphasis on agriculture. They do not seem to have the emphasis we need for a strategic plan for the future.
Mr HAMPTON (Natural Resources, Environment and Heritage): Madam Speaker, I am very pleased to speak in support of the Chief Minister’s statement on our Territory 2030 Strategy. The great strength, I believe, of the Territory 2030 strategy is it is owned and supported by Territorians. This is quite simply because the strategy was based on extensive community consultation and engagement. Businesses and community groups, as well as individuals, came together from across the Territory to suggest goals and priorities.
The Territory 2030 Steering Committee received 77 submissions, each with its own agenda, but all contributing to the development of the Territory 2030 strategy. Some of those submissions are from well-known organisations such as the Cattlemen’s Association, which looks to the future of the food production sector with optimism, while raising issues of biosecurity, transport, and renewable energy. Also, the Central Desert Shire, which looks forward to the equality of opportunity and service provisions between the city and the bush. Or the Arid Lands Environment Centre in Alice Springs, which highlighted ecologically sustainable development, while raising climate change as the biggest economic and environmental threat facing the Northern Territory.
Other submissions came from individuals such as Jim Sullivan, a constituent of mine at Cave Creek Station in Mataranka, who shared with us the benefits of his wisdom gained from half a century of hard toil in isolated parts of the Northern Territory; a group of six friends from the suburbs of Darwin - Georgia Glenn, Angie Bretfield, Lavine Diatschenko, Jack Tinapple, Karen Cieri and Debbie Hudson - who sat down and wrote an eight-page submission focusing on how to improve policy relating to the environment and the arts; and Peter Strachan from Alice Springs, who put forward ideas on the future direction of education and training policy. Thank you for that, Strachie.
These are the Territorians who own the 2030 strategy. It is their knowledge and expertise we have drawn on to develop a policy which is both transparent and measurable, and will guide the government of the Northern Territory over the new two decades.
I turn now to some of the targets which are contained within areas for which I have portfolio responsibility. As we heard from the Chief Minister, the Territory 2030 strategy consists of 129 targets linked to six key priorities with education at the heart. The other five priorities are health and wellbeing, economic sustainability, society, environment and knowledge, creativity, and innovation. The Chief Minister mentioned many targets are interconnected across the six priority areas. I start by giving a prime example: access to high-speed broadband.
Broadband is an enabling technology. It allows the user to make giant leaps in performance and capability in almost any field imaginable. While there is no specific broadband-related target within the priority area of education, it is clear access to high-speed broadband will be fundamental to delivering world-class educational opportunities in the Territory, particularly in our remote regions. We find the first actual target in the priority area of society. The target is that Territorians in our suburbs, cities, towns and regions are connected by appropriate infrastructure with the associated action: ‘increase the proportion of the Territory households with broadband Internet access’.
In a priority area of economic sustainability, one of the targets is to identify new solutions to the key infrastructure challenges in the Northern Territory by 2010 for rural roads and highways and, by 2012, for high-speed broadband. Finally, in the area of knowledge, creativity and innovation, one of the targets is that ‘Territorians in major towns and communities will have access to high-speed broadband and the Internet on the same terms as the rest of Australia as a matter of priority’. There is a long list of associated actions including increasing the number of Territory growth towns with access to Australia parity broadband, increasing the number of Territory schools and health clinics with access to broadband, and increasing the number of computers available in libraries with broadband access free of charge to the national average.
What are our measurable achievements? The Henderson government invested jointly with Telstra, Rio Tinto Alcan and the Northern Land Council to lay some 800 km of optic fibre across Arnhem Land. This provided seven of our 20 growth towns - Galiwinku, Gapuwiyak, Maningrida, Milingimbi, Gunbalanya, Ramingining and Yirrkala - with high-speed broadband connections.
In August 2009, the Commonwealth invited expressions of interest for up to $7m of matching funding for health, education and emergency service applications using broadband in regional and remote Australia. Our bid was the only one to receive the maximum $7m, which we are more than matching with our own contribution of $8.5m. This should provide an additional six Territory growth towns including Ntaria or Hermannsburg, Ali Curung, Daguragu, Lajamanu, Elliott and Papunya with access to high-speed broadband. It should also deliver broadband-enabled health, education and training services to the 17 connected growth towns.
Meanwhile, the Territory is at the forefront of the National Broadband Network, a nation-building project worth up to $43bn. The first step was the Commonwealth’s $250m commitment to immediately address lack of competition and back haul capacity of the existing optic fibre network. In May last year, I wrote to Senator Conroy putting the case for the Territory’s need for a competitive fibre link to Darwin which would reduce telecommunication costs and improve available services for all Territorians. In December, Senator Conroy announced the awarding of a $100m contract to Nextgen Networks to build, maintain, and operate a new competitive fibre link to Darwin. Construction is due to commence later this year. This is a fantastic result for the Northern Territory, and owes much to the persistent lobbying from our federal members, Damian Hale, Warren Snowdon, and Trish Crossin.
As I said previously, I will continue to work constructively with the Commonwealth and, in particular, Senator Conroy, to ensure the best possible outcome for all Territorians in connecting them to the 21st century and high-speed broadband.
Turning to my portfolio of Climate Change, we treat this as a serious issue, not as a joke like some of the members opposite. I look forward to, at these sittings, delivering a statement on the Northern Territory’s Climate Change Policy. This will provide a comprehensive insight into the government’s role in tackling climate change.
I will be brief today and will just touch on a few points, as I will be delivering the statement during the sittings. The first I would like to make is the overwhelming view of scientists around the world, using peer-reviewed evidence, that greenhouse gas emissions are affecting the planet’s climate and this will impact on all human beings during the course of this century. The second point I make is the government is committed to real action to tackle climate change with a policy incorporating more than 40 targets and 100 actions, all the result of consultation with numerous community organisations.
Turning to my Environment portfolio, I will start by highlighting our Environment NT Grants Program which has been running since 2004. This program provides more than $600 000 each year to schools, community groups, and industry organisations to help them undertake environmental projects throughout the Northern Territory. The 2010-11 program will have a strong focus on projects in regional and remote communities, specifically those involved with Indigenous communities and organisations. The proposed categories for grants include climate change, basic species management, waste and resource recovery, water conservation, and wildlife conservation, all of which addresses objectives set out in the priority area of environment in the 2030 document.
We are continuing with our Energy Smart Rebate Scheme which has paid out more than $30 000 since it began in July last year. We will continue to work with traditional owners, ranger groups, land councils, industry, and other organisations to promote greenhouse emissions abatement projects such as the successful West Arnhem Land Fire Abatement Project. We will set the target of reducing the amount of waste being taken to our rubbish dumps by 2020, with an associated action of establishing a container deposit system. We have been looking at a number of options for the system, and I am sure the member for Nelson will be pleased to hear we are very close to choosing between them.
Most of the targets within the priority area of environment have a direct relationship with my portfolio of Parks and Wildlife. We are currently drafting our first fire diversity conservation strategy, even more appropriate considering 2010 is the United Nations International Year of Biodiversity. We are continuing the fight against exotic weeds and feral animals, and we are working with stakeholders to develop our 21st century Eco-link. We are investing in our national parks including upgrades to visitor facilities at Litchfield, Howard Springs, Berry Springs, Nitmiluk and the West MacDonnells.
Turning to my portfolio of Sport and Recreation, this generally falls within the priority area of society, although some aspects could be included in the health and wellbeing areas. The targets include providing Territorians with access to a wide range of facilities and activities which enhance the Territory lifestyle, as well as increasing Territorians’ participation in sport and an active lifestyle. This government is investing in our sporting facilities as never before. This year, we have $1.3m in repairs and maintenance and $1.1m in minor new works earmarked for our sporting facilities. We have major upgrades under way at the Hidden Valley Motor Sports Complex, with upgrades in the pipeline for TIO Stadium and Traeger Park in Alice Springs.
Planning is well under way for Palmerston sporting facilities benefiting tennis, Aussie Rules, soccer and Rugby League. We have contributed $8m towards the Alice Springs Aquatic Centre. As I drive by there on a daily basis, work is well under way. We are bringing more and more elite sports to the Territory. You name it, we have it - AFL, NRL, NBL, AHL, ANL, WNBL, pro tennis, international cricket and, of course, the popular Hottest 7s.
Through NT Major Events, we support the V8 Supercars, the Finke Desert Race, the Arafura Games, the Masters Games, the World Solar Car Challenge, BassintheDust, BassintheGrass and, of course, the Superbikes. Our calendar is almost full.
In conclusion, I join the Chief Minister in thanking the members of the 2030 Steering Committee, as well as the organisations and individuals who have taken the time and effort to share their knowledge and aspirations with us. Madam Speaker, I am very pleased to support the Chief Minister’s statement.
Mr McCARTHY (Lands and Planning): Madam Speaker, I support the Chief Minister’s statement on Territory 2030. I commend the Chief Minister on having the vision and courage to work with Territorians to develop a long-term strategic plan for the Territory. As we have heard, Territory 2030 has been developed by the community. This is the plan Territorians want to see implemented. This is a clear direction from Territorians to the government. This is the future Territorians want and expect. They expect government to begin implementing the plan immediately.
I take Territory 2030 very seriously. It provides a clear direction to me, as a minister, as it outlines what my priorities must be and what work must be done. Nowhere in this work is more important than the area of Lands and Planning. Territory 2030 identifies our population will continue to grow and, as more people choose to make the Territory their home, affordable housing will remain an absolute priority. This government is taking action to deliver more land release for housing development. In the greater Darwin area, around 3000 lots of land will be released over the next four years and, in the Palmerston East suburbs of Bellamack, Johnston, Zuccoli and Mitchell. The development of Bellamack and Johnston are already well under way. In Bellamack, 220 lots of land have already been sold, and titles will be issued to new landowners in the coming months. In Johnston, the developers of Stage 1 have also started selling land to Territory families who will be able to begin building their homes early next year.
We also have a plan for a fourth major Territory city, Weddell. To be located 16 km south of Palmerston, Weddell will provide at least 10 000 homes across four suburbs, with up to 40 000 Territorians expected to call the new city home. As you can imagine, a new city requires comprehensive planning, and Territory 2030 gives the necessary direction in that planning process. Territory 2030 outlines Weddell will be a world-class green city, with strong transport linkages, and significant social infrastructure planning.
Across the rest of the Territory, we are also working to provide more land for housing development as a strategic and measured program. We are also looking at new ways of developing land to ensure land is released to Territory families as quickly as possible.
The role of the Land Development Corporation has been extended to include residential land and affordable housing in partnership with private ventures. The Land Development Corporation has already begun this work, with the development of 28 units and townhouses at Bellamack Gardens. The work of the LDC will continue to expand to provide more housing alternatives across the Territory.
As our population continues to grow, Territory 2030 identifies the growth of our infrastructure across the Territory in our cities and bush communities as a priority. To address the needs of our bush communities, we are working to establish the necessary infrastructure across 20 growth towns. We are putting in place a specific infrastructure strategy for each of these growth towns to ensure we can provide for the population and economic growth in these towns. We are also working to ensure our cities can support a growing population. We have a record infrastructure budget across the Territory, which includes projects such as Rosebery School, upgrades to cyclone shelters, Palmerston water park, and $322m on roads, including the investment in Tiger Brennan Drive.
As we develop the Territory, each of these projects will also address other policy areas of 2030. As we build infrastructure, we will ensure we are also greening the Territory. Only last week, I announced Territory homes will now be required to be built to a 5-star energy efficiency rating. As a government, we have raised the bar to what minimum standards our builders and developers must deliver when building new homes for Territorians. For the first time, units will also need to meet energy efficiency requirements. A 3.5-star rating has been introduced, and we are working with industry to implement commercial energy efficient ratings.
Another important component of greening the Territory is providing a public transport system which allows people to leave their cars at home. The Henderson government is planning for all transport needs, including walking and cycle paths, bus stops, and parking initiatives. We are planning our road networks to allow for safe bus access through urban areas. Territory 2030 calls on the government to better promote sustainable living by setting the target to reduce the impact on the environment through reducing reliance on private motor vehicles.
A good level of transport services and infrastructure provides for the efficient movement of people. It makes it easier and safer for people without motor vehicles to access services. It reduces the need for private motor vehicles through providing a choice of alternative travel modes, and reduces the adverse environmental and social impacts of transport on communities. We are integrating transport planning into the design of new communities, and considering transport services and infrastructure up-front in the development and location, scale, density, design, and mix of land uses. As Planning minister, I know getting the transport equation right at the front end of the design can play a major role in reducing the need for the movement of people, the length of journeys, and the need to provide for car parking.
As the urban spread of Darwin and Alice Springs continues, strategic planning for future transport requirements includes the protection of appropriate corridors for future rapid transport systems between the major centres of activity such as Palmerston and Darwin. The protection of corridors allows choices to be made in the future as to appropriate transport options; for example, bus ways, cycle ways, or light rail. We also need to engage with the community about the developments appropriate in and around our key transport nodes.
Education features strongly in Territory 2030 as does Health, and access to these services, especially in the bush, throws up transport challenges for government. Attending school gives students the best chance to get a good education. The numbers tell the story. Our school buses travel approximately 1.8 million kilometres a year moving over two million Territory kids each year. This means thousands of Territory families are benefiting from the education of our most important assets – our children.
The Northern Territory Regional Integrated Transport Strategy, and the overarching 10-year NT Transport Strategy, will include initiatives targeting the specific infrastructure requirements of each region in the Territory. We are developing initiatives to introduce, improve, or expand regular bus transport to remote communities, and the viability of regular pubic transport air routes in relation to both freight and passenger services.
I am also very interested in opportunities to develop the support systems and services required to run transport services into the regional and remote areas of the Territory. For example, Territory 2030 will develop Alice Springs as a regional transport and service centre, and Katherine as a regional transport hub. These are great opportunities for our regional centres.
Earlier this month, the Minister for Central Australia announced a new $185 000 school bus service for all school students from the Jay Creek community. The number of students using this new service has been very good, now with more than 30 per trip, and it is continuing to grow. The Jay Creek kids will be able to learn the skills needed so they can successfully grow their own Territory families, and help build a better Territory into the future. Since January 2009, the Henderson government has provided free travel on our public buses for seniors, pensioners, carers and students, and the Jay Creek kids are enjoying this free transport to school and home each day. The Henderson government is committed to improving education outcomes for all Territorians, and the new Jay Creek bus service is a good example of that.
The Henderson government is taking action to improve opportunities for people living with disabilities. By comparison, the Northern Territory, at 22%, has the greatest proportion of wheel-chair accessible taxis within its taxi fleet of any Australian jurisdiction by considerable margin. Territory 2030 will see this proportion of the taxi fleet grow, increasing transport options for disabled Territorians, and supplementing this government’s other initiatives such as the Lift Incentive Scheme, reduced taxi licence fees, and the NT Taxi Subsidy Scheme. Furthermore, the government is investing $500 000 per year over a five-year period to roll out Disability Discrimination Act compliant bus stops and shelters. Increasing the proportion of buses that are accessible for people living with disabilities is another outcome of 2030 this Henderson government will achieve.
The incidence of trauma and tragedy on our roads is too high. It is painfully true that the Northern Territory road toll is about three times the national average. Territory 2030 sets ambitious targets to reduce the Territory’s road fatalities and injuries to the national rate. It is ambitious because of the reduction in our road toll will require a change in our driving culture, and this will take time.
Just last week, I was delighted to announce the introduction of the Safer Roads school curriculum resource for early childhood teachers from Transition to Year 3. This program will be delivered in all Territory schools and will continue to be expanded for all students up to Year 10. Furthermore, development is under way on the Drive Safe NT program which will provide novice drivers throughout the Territory the opportunity to develop the appropriate knowledge and skills to drive safely on our roads. Work has also commenced on the development of an NT Road Safety Strategy for the period 2011-20, which will supplement a new national road safety strategy for the period 2011-20 agreed to by the Australian Transport Council.
Another target outlined in Territory 2030 is to ensure all Territorians feel safe. The Henderson government is working to make all of our communities safer. There are more police on our streets than ever before, and the police are doing a good job. This means there are more offenders in our prisons, and Corrections is working to help all Territorians feel safe by providing a new era in Corrections. A new era will make our streets safer by putting a stop to the cycle of re-offending. When people do the wrong thing and are sentenced to prison or a community service order, we want them to participate in real education and rehabilitation to ensure they do not offend again. Instead, we want all offenders to receive training so, when they leave the Corrections system, they have the necessary skills to contribute in a meaningful way to their community.
This also addresses the absolute priority of Territory 2030 to ensure all Territorians have access to quality education. As stated by the steering committee:
This includes the most disadvantaged in our community who often enter our Corrections systems. We know education and training is the best way to reduce re-offending in our communities. That is why we have committed $300m to build new correctional facilities. We are continuing to work with the member for Nelson to determine the best way to use these resources to ensure we get the best results we all want.
As we finalise the details of the new era in Corrections, we are continuing to improve our prisons. We have committed $23.6m to infrastructure in our prisons to provide appropriate accommodation and education facilities for prisoners. These facilities will be further improved as we implement the new era in Corrections. In the Barkly, we are finalising negotiations to build a work camp in Tennant Creek. The work camp will provide the opportunities for prisoners to prepare for work and life once their sentence is completed. Work camps will get prisoners out the door every day, working in the community. By being involved in real work opportunities, prisoners will learn real skills they can use to gain employment, and this will allow them to make a significant change in their lives as they begin making a contribution to their communities and to the Territory.
Madam Speaker, I am excited about the challenges and opportunities which are ahead. We are delivering record infrastructure budgets to grow the Territory. Territory 2030 sets many challenges in moving forward, and paves our direction for the next two decades. I look forward to continuing to work with and for Territorians to deliver on the targets and initiatives set within Territory 2030.
Ms McCARTHY (Local Government): Madam Speaker, I am pleased to support the Chief Minister’s statement on Territory 2030. Listening to comments across the Chamber this evening, on this side of the House we are in no doubt this is a document that is more than a document which will sit on a shelf. It is a document which will be a living document - is a living document. I acknowledge the co-authors of this document, Vicki O’Halloran and Bill Moss, who I know have been absolutely committed to wanting to see a future vision for the Northern Territory driven by our government, but also by each and every member of this Chamber in our leadership roles within our own constituencies.
Vicki O’Halloran is the Chief Executive Officer of Somerville Community Services and sits on a number of government and non-government boards and committees, and Bill Moss is the Chairman of Moss Capital and has 33 years experience in the Australian and global finance and banking industries - eminent Territorians who have been able to look into what the future of the Northern Territory can be like by listening to the people across the Northern Territory. This document also encompasses the thoughts of people on the committee such as Michael Berto, the Chief Executive Officer of the Roper Gulf Shire; Jan Ferguson, the Managing Director of the Desert Knowledge Cooperative Research Centre; Ted Egan, the former Administrator of the Northern Territory who also has an extensive history in the Northern Territory dating back to the 1950s; Professor Jonathan Carapetis, a paediatrician and the Director of the Menzies School of Health Research; Steve Margetic, Managing Director of one of the Northern Territory’s largest privately-owned building contractors, Sitzler; and Denis Mackenzie, foundation shareholder and the Managing Director of Connected Solutions Group, CSG.
These people knew we would not want to see this as a document that sits on a shelf; that it does have life. As Indigenous Development Minister, one of the ways of making sure this is a living document is by having the subcommittee of Cabinet. By no means does that belittle or diminish the role of Cabinet by having a subcommittee which includes people who are not elected members. In fact, if anything, it will give added support and encouragement for ensuring this plan for the future of the Northern Territory is carried out in the many areas which are covered in it – education, society, economic sustainability, health and wellbeing, environment, knowledge, creativity, and innovation.
This is plan that focuses on the issues which need to be addressed and the outcomes Territorians demand - a plan all of our constituents can relate to and feel connected to. When I look at the areas I need to cover in regard to the regions of the Northern Territory, I am very confident we have a plan that is about equality for all Territorians, whether they live in Darwin city, Alice Springs, or the remote regions of the Northern Territory. I am confident, if supported through these early formative days, the positive results of 2030 will soon be clearly apparent. We have established the necessary building blocks and can look forward to the achievement envisioned by 2030.
I will advise parliament how each of my portfolios of Local Government, Indigenous Development, Regional Development, Tourism, Women’s Policy and Statehood is currently delivering what is encompassed in the future vision. The days of Darwin politicians and bureaucrats being the sole determinants of what is best for the Central desert and east Arnhem regions will be a memory. Territory 2030 is, fundamentally, an integrating plan. I am looking forward to a pivotal role through this work on the Cabinet subcommittee, ensuring the work of our government and local government comes together to deliver the prosperous future for the Northern Territory, for all Territorians.
Local government councils will be a major partner in the implementation of Territory 2030, and I am looking forward to supporting and working with elected members of local government, both in our shires and in the municipal councils, in delivering the future outlined in 2030. Our government has embarked on incredible reform across the Northern Territory at a local government level. It began in the first term of the Labor government.
On taking on the portfolio in the last two months, one of the first places I visited was Gunbalanya to hear directly from people as to how things were going. We are still, obviously, in the infancy of such a massive social reform through government reforms. One of the things I firmly want to see over this next 12 months is the strengthening of the local boards within the shires. I have met with the East Arnhem Shire, the West Arnhem Shire, the Tiwi Shire, the Roper Gulf Shire, and with Wagait in recent weeks. I look forward to being involved and in touch with the remaining shires in the Centre region.
With regard to Indigenous Development, closely linked to the roll-out of the shires is the policy decision to develop 20 growth towns. These towns, in time, will become dynamic regional centres and service hubs. This decision is the greatest change in policy since the formation of most of these former settlements and missions in the 1950s and 1960s, and marks a dramatic shift from the policies of the past which espoused protectionism and isolation. It will enable these remote towns to enter the economic mainstream and become active participants in the greater Australian society.
A key objective and opportunity for me is to ensure a strong connection between A Working Future and Territory 2030. By 2030, our aim is residents of the 20 growth towns will enjoy facilities and services available in other regional centres in Australia of a similar size. This will include all local government services across these towns. The Northern Territory government will focus on both delivering our own responsibilities, but also supporting local government in their service delivery roles. The roll-out of A Working Future is well under way across all the Territory and relevant Australian government agencies.
It is important to look at the planning process within A Working Future. So many times we hear the negativity which surrounds how process is carried out. However, when we look at the building of the future of the Northern Territory, recognising we have to reach out to the remote regions which are fast growing in their population, we have to be very clear about the process in which we are carrying out this growth. This House has heard from my colleagues, in particular the growth in infrastructure, the transport, planning and programming which is being conducted, but also in the IT situation, where we have seen the cable network cut across vast areas over remote Arnhem Land, allowing people in these regions to have immediate access to the world-wide web, where five to 10 years ago it was just an incredible dream. If we can see change in linking any person in remote Northern Territory with the rest of the country and the world through such technology in that short space of time, imagine what we are going to achieve in the next five years.
The first six monthly report of the Northern Territory Coordinator-General was released in December, and indicated satisfactory progress in respect of remote service delivery on a number of fronts. The Coordinator-General’s report also noted A Working Future provides the best opportunity the Northern Territory has ever had to correct all the compounding problems of the past: ‘We have now been offered all of the ingredients for optimism’. I will be working with Bob Beadman, the Coordinator-General for the Northern Territory, my ministerial colleagues, my portfolio agencies, and local governments, to ensure we build on this early work, we build momentum and effectively integrate our work with the objectives outlined in the Territory 2030 plan.
Mr Beadman reported on improving coordination of effort within the Northern Territory government, and the importance of the government’s Integrated Regional Transport Strategy to plan for the essential infrastructure underpinning the future we aim for. This is critical. It is an issue of essential transport infrastructure, which is also recognised in the Territory 2030 plan. Local government has been, and will continue to be, an important partner in the management of roads and aerodromes in particular. The Northern Territory government will work with this sector to ensure we are, collectively, able to implement the required changes.
The NT Coordinator-General’s report also stressed the importance of obtaining land tenure, the creation of genuine job opportunities, and flourishing economic development to the successful progress of A Working Future.
Territory 2030 recognises many outstations and homelands will continue as an important part of the Territory’s social and economic landscape. As part of A Working Future, the government has recently consulted with outstations, homelands, residents, and service providers across the Northern Territory to determine the best and the most effective way of providing government services to outstations. We are also working to explore and support regional economic development, supporting family-scale enterprises and economic activity at outstations and homelands.
In relation to Indigenous and regional development, I also reflect on the important objectives Territory 2030 sets out regarding health and wellbeing. The aim of improving health of Territorians in early childhood is critical to seeing reduction of chronic diseases and major gains in health and education in later life. This is of great importance to Indigenous Territorians, particularly in the regions. It is hard to estimate the degree to which health problems, including lifestyle diseases, limit the ability of Aboriginal Territorians to be meaningfully engaged in the economy.
I also touch on the issue of community, family, and individual wellbeing. It is great that Territory 2030 tackles this vexed issue of social wellbeing as well as economic wellbeing. It is, surely, one of the key outcomes we want for the Northern Territory. In fact, speaking at a national level in relation to the national plan for the protection of women across Australia, economic independence was a very strong factor as a key indicator of how we can see the improvement in women’s lives. What I said at the national level is, while we have used that in other areas in gender equity, we need to now focus also on the women of the Northern Territory and, in particular, Indigenous women. The Territory 2030 plan provides for more work on this issue and the further development of measures of wellbeing. I applaud this approach and look forward to our own Indigenous Affairs Advisory Council having a key role in developing a framework for measuring and reporting on wellbeing, as well as other areas of the Northern Territory, in advancing the lives for Indigenous people across the Northern Territory.
In my portfolio of Regional Development, Territory 2030 is a key regional development policy document, promoting new initiatives to encourage new businesses to commence in Indigenous towns. An initiative with important regional development repercussions will be the flagged establishment of a Northern Territory futures fund as a source of investment capital. This is an exciting idea and a key tool to help address the infrastructure deficit which inhibits regional development, and a key idea which deserves strong support. Provision of access for appropriate level of services and amenities in the regions, a key objective of A Working Future, will provide critical precursor to business development and much-needed private sector investment.
In partnership with the Australian government, a significant investment in housing, infrastructure and service delivery is being rolled out in Territory growth towns at Maningrida, Wadeye, Borroloola, Nguiu, Galiwinku, Milingimbi, Ngukurr, Angurugu, Umbakumba, Gunbalanya, Yirrkala, Numbulwar, Yuendumu, Hermannsburg, Ramingining, Gapuwiyak, Daguragu, Kalkarindji, Lajamanu, Papunya, Elliott, and Ali Curung.
The 2030 plan notes the Northern Territory’s economy is largely based on the narrow central spine, with varying sized economies placed along its path. The future economy needs to extend to the fullest extent, and Indigenous people have to become active participants in every aspect of the economy. Some 2030 objectives to achieve the above include: securing increased private sector investment; continuing high levels of public sector investment; looking at alternatives to accelerate infrastructure development - for example, the futures fund; undertaking long-term planning of provision of utilities to support investment; and development of appropriate economic infrastructure in all towns and cities.
Education is a key theme of 2030. While a sound education system underpins all we aspire to do, it is of critical importance in regional development and long-term wellbeing of Territorians. The detrimental effect of low levels of literacy and numeracy in regional Northern Territory represents, perhaps, the biggest barrier to regional socioeconomic development.
We are working hard to overcome the huge legacy of decades of neglect. The fundamental importance of that is reflected in the priority education holds in the 2030 strategy. Territory 2030 has an aim that we have, by 2030, a highly-skilled workforce operating in a competitive workforce environment. Regional skill shortages are repeatedly identified as a major barrier in development. I and other members of our government will be working hard - we are working hard - with local government and the private sector to deliver regional employment opportunities and resultant socioeconomic development. Naturally, provision of housing is also a key regional development issue.
One of the ways we want to see the regional economy thrive in our remote areas and through A Working Future is to have these future forums. I have mentioned in this House on previous occasions that we need to have these future forums. Ngukurr will be the first one to kick that off, to look at what its plan is, what the plan of the people of Ngukurr is for Ngukurr and how that links in with 2030, and what their vision is for the town of Ngukurr for 2030. I look forward to seeing how that future forum comes to pass and the outcomes. At the end of the day, our government wants each and every community to be the drivers of how they want their communities to grow.
Tourism will certainly play a key role in facilitating future growth and prosperity of the Northern Territory. Tourism contributes an estimated $1.6bn to the Northern Territory economy, and expanding the tourism industry in the Northern Territory is certainly a dedicated aim of Territory 2030. The importance of tourism has also been integrated into a number of other 2030 targets that focus on developing Darwin as an international hub for exports; developing Katherine as a regional hub for the Top End; lifting the Territory’s national and international profile as a place for business, employment and education opportunities; increasing aviation capacity to and within the Northern Territory; and increasing Indigenous business partnerships.
The five-year plan for the tourism industry was implemented in 2008 by my agency, Tourism NT, following extensive consultation with industry members. It provides a solid platform on which to expand the tourism industry in the Northern Territory. The strategies outlined in the five-year plan will assist in delivering on the visionary 2030 targets. Only last week, I had the opportunity of being with many of our tourism businesses in Sydney for the Northern Territory Muster where …
Ms WALKER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I move that the member be granted an extension of time to conclude her comments, pursuant to Standing Order 77.
Motion agreed to.
Ms McCARTHY: Thank you, Madam Speaker and member for Nhulunbuy.
Only last week, I had the privilege of being in Sydney with 39 or 40 businesses from the Northern Territory showcasing their wares to the people of Sydney and, most importantly, to the travel agents of Sydney. This muster is in its 13th year and is another fine example of where we are going with tourism and the creation of tourism opportunities in the Northern Territory. In particular, I was very pleased to also see the participation of Indigenous business in that muster, and hearing good things as I travel across the Territory. I look forward to spending some time in Alice Springs with the launch in the Centre next week.
Tourism NT is cognisant of specific 2030 targets, and will ensure actions to achieve these aims are incorporated as it reviews existing strategies and documents over the coming months. For example, supporting and maintaining a strong aviation industry is critical to local industry, business, tourism, and remote and regional communities. The Territory 2030 plan outlines clear, and most certainly ambitious, targets for growing airline services and links to the Northern Territory. This includes increased domestic and international aviation passengers to Darwin by 50%, and to Alice Springs by 20%; increased accessibility with airlines providing services throughout the day with three services per day to most Australian capital cities by 2030; and improved access to regional air services.
I also have been able to see firsthand the importance of aviation services, by speaking with a number of the airlines on taking on the Tourism portfolio and being responsible for aviation in and out of Darwin. I have had an immediate opportunity to meet with these airlines and I can see, with our growth in the Northern Territory, the airlines are going to be knocking down our doors, wanting to fly into Darwin to base themselves here.
As my colleague, the Minister for Transport said in his response, while we are advocating strongly for the Northern Territory at the national and international levels, we are also advocating just as passionately for Territorians who want to fly between the regional centres of the Northern Territory. This is a very exciting and important plan.
As Minister for Women’s Policy, I am pleased that 2030 includes targets to build the participation of women in leadership and decision-making roles in our communities, including women standing for election to government. This year is actually the year to celebrate women in local government, and the election of women in local government, and to encourage more participation of women at any level of leadership - whether it be in government at a local, Territory, or federal level, or a particular organisation or private businesses as chair.
On statehood, it is fantastic to see the Statehood Steering Committee out on the road, canvassing the views of people across the Northern Territory. It was important for the Territory 2030 committee to include the voice of becoming the seventh state in the federation in the growth of the Northern Territory, not only as the people and the population of the Territory grows, but as we continue on our road of wanting to harness the hearts of our fellow Australians to allow us to be equal citizens under the Constitution of Australia.
Mr BOHLIN (Drysdale): Madam Speaker, I reply to this statement on the 2030 plan. It is ironic they have put out this great glossy brochure when there seems to be, everywhere we turn, a failure to plan. Unfortunately, we have had the dubious task of constantly pointing out this government’s failure to plan. Now, nine years into their failed planning process, they want to make the public believe they have the plan. Nine years after taking government, they now have the plan.
We noticed there was the planned Bellamack land release that took two-odd years and, for the record, there is still not one house on that land. Yet, we have sold off the land or portions of that land to prospective buyers but because of the rhetoric in the glossy brochures there is still no land available in the sense that a builder cannot come on to that land and physically start building a much-needed home for Territory people. Last year, we spent a lot of energy highlighting this ever-growing need – urgent, dramatic need - for better land release and better results, so we can help the Territory public with their housing crisis. The people on that side seem to just go along and, as I said, produce their glossy brochures, try to brush over it with a highlighter or a bit of colour and say: ‘It is all great, we have the plan’.
No greater point was when the Johnston land sales fell through at auction. The plan was rip the rest of society off for as much money as you could get, in the full knowledge that we are in a land crisis. It was opportunistic, if not mean-hearted, by this government – a very disgusting approach by a government which truly does not care. We have seen the back-door deals that had to be made to effect turn-off at Johnston ...
Ms Lawrie: You do not have a clue!
Mr BOHLIN: Although it has been stated by the opposite side that I do not have a clue why, then, are those deals secret? They are secret. Can anyone speak up and deny those deals are not secret - because they are? You failed at a public auction because you were opportunistic. You were not interested in helping out the Territory people; you are interested in helping out your own back pocket and fixing up the debt-laden crisis you have put yourself in.
Weddell is our future saviour, along with Zuccoli and others. However, your plan, which has come after nine years of failure by this government, still leaves the land release well short of its target of – what? - 1700 lots of land - homes, to be more precise - needed every year. I have mentioned it before; it is in the public record and in the media. Yet, your own housing figures fall short on the land release for that five years down the track. The five-year plan fails to meet the demand stated by your own growth figures. How can the Territory public trust you to plan anything? Poor planning is the systemic situation that comes from this government. Poor planning is why we have so many problems. Nine years of abhorrent behaviour …
Mr GILES: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I draw your attention to the state of the House. This is a very important speech and I expect the government to be here to listen to the responses.
Madam SPEAKER: Ring the bells. A quorum is called.
Ms Lawrie: There are not many members of the opposition here.
Ms Purick: You are the government.
Mr BOHLIN: Your statement.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! I remind you that, in fact, a quorum relates to all members, not simply government members. Yes, a quorum is present.
Mr BOHLIN: Thank you, Madam Speaker. Thank you, member for Braitling.
There are lists of poor planning issues from the government everywhere we turn. It is nine years of an absolute failed government - a pathetic Labor government.
I have a passion for motor sport; look at the debacle happening at the Hidden Valley MotorSports Complex at the moment. This government was gifted $3m by the …
Mr Knight: Going to the Superbikes? They are a great initiative of this government.
Mr BOHLIN: I will, actually. This government was gifted $3m by the federal Labor government to upgrade the Hidden Valley drag racing facility. That was a fantastic gift. After two years of failed planning and nine project managers, we do not see the facility upgraded yet. However, we have a federal election coming; we have federal politicians breathing down the neck of this government asking: ‘Where is my drag racing strip I promised the Prime Minister of Australia you guys would deliver?’ Now, we find the motor sports complex will need to be closed for four months this year during the Dry Season because you could not plan. You had two years to plan it, $3m to spend and, now, you are going to lock out the users of the facility for four months from July onwards because your department could not plan to facilitate the works in a way where it will not disrupt the facility.
They have been asked to effect works in a certain way, which would enable the rest of the facility to be used - apart from the drags of course, because that is where they are going to work - but they have persistently said, no, they need it closed for four months; that is the end of the story. We have the motor sports association – TERRA and NAMSC - locked out of their facilities through their peak season. Major and national events are held at club level. These major sporting events produce a large amount of money for these clubs. Police driver training will not even be able to use the facility. I have not even looked into how that will affect the roll-out of new police constables.
There is a business, V8Race drive experience, based there. It is likely he will have to hand back his contract vehicles to someone interstate, and will lose six months work because you failed to plan. It is not because you did not have the money, the drawings were not done, or people were not ready to work with you. You failed to plan. You failed to get your departments to do their job - nine project managers and $3m which was not your money but you were responsible for delivering it, and you could not. Come a federal election in the near future, suddenly panic stations: ‘We have to make the Prime Minister happy. We have to pretend we have done the right thing’.
Take that as a warning, if you like, for the Sports minister. He has been doing some work there recently, and I have had some good feedback. However, we have to get it fixed. It is not a hard thing. Only one month needs to be lost. I will say to the Sports minister that if he wants to discuss it with me we can do so during these parliamentary sittings. Maybe we can help negotiate a better deal for all motor sports enthusiasts.
I will go to the rezoning of land around Hidden Valley. I will preface this with the fact I know there has been significant progress with this. It would appear there has been some good consultation, and some pretty good outcomes for all parties involved. I must say the Sports minister has actually helped out here very well ...
Mr Hampton: Good on you.
Mr BOHLIN: Good on you, Sports minister. I appreciate that and I am sure the industry does. However, it was the planning in the first place that failed the whole system.
A rezoning application was put in for land around Hidden Valley, straight through the middle of the Top End Mud Racing Association’s pits. The planning application said there would be no organisation affected by it, or words similar to that; there were no interested parties. ‘Yes, we will just take the land’. With 3000 spectators per event, there are a few people that will affect - 3000 spectators. I commend the Sports minister on this occasion that he has been able to intervene and begin better planning on this count. However, it was the poor planning in the first part that let these people down.
I must add, though, there is still no greater plan for the expansion of the Hidden Valley MotorSports Complex. We are very proud of this complex, and we all should be in the sense it is held as an iconic venue in Australia for motor sports enthusiasts because of its unique nature, where it is the venue for so many types of motor sports. That, and its ability to expand, deserves to be protected.
I will turn to my Drysdale electorate. In that area is another example of poor planning; that is, the Tiger Brennan Drive extension. It is a plan for future expansion, but it has again been simple little things that have let the planning of this development down. I know organisations have made representations to the department in regard to the height of the bridges, and the restrictive nature in which they have been developed. The clearance that will be occurring is 6.5 m on all those bridges for an underpass. They are on the Tiger Brennan Drive extension part leading on to the Stuart Highway. It is a simple thing to say the Stuart Highway is the road in and out of Darwin. It is also coming straight from the heart of the port and should have been a clean run in and out of Darwin. Our port is supposed to be one of our lifeblood to the sea. However, through poor planning, we have left it with obstructions. Unlike a little road barrier or a stop light that can be moved, a bridge is a permanent facility which cannot be easily moved.
We have heavy and light industry in those areas. They build large objects for our gas, oil, and mining industries - a lifeblood of the Northern Territory. When they planned this road and its structures, they have failed to adequately take into account the need to move over-dimensional loads. We will accept that it is not every day we move over-dimensional loads, and it can be accepted that 6.5 m is a large load in the first place and, so, it is not going to be every day a load will exceed 6.5 m in total height. However, even though it is rare these large objects which we proudly build in the Territory will be shipped down our highway, we have built them in so they cannot be moved without great expense. One departmental person told an industry leader they would have to ship it via Brandt Road around the back of the military barracks. He was then promptly told: ‘Well, that is great …’
Mr Giles: Aren’t there power lines?
Mr BOHLIN: You are right; you are spot on. There are power lines that go around that way. That will mean you will need Power and Water to lift the lines, or to take the lines completely out during the transport phase, adding tens of thousands of dollars to the trip every time.
The response by the government agent was: ‘You should have enough margins in your project to cover that cost’. This government says: ‘We have planned pathetically and you, as the industry that supports Darwin and the Northern Territory, will just have to wear another $10 000 or $20 000 debt every time’ - because you failed to plan. Would you like to issue a media release about that? And say: ‘Because we failed to plan we wish to slug you $10 000 or $20 000 every time you do something for the Territory’s growth’. The worse part is that I know some of the industry leaders have been raising this with the department for over six months. There is one particular part to this whole facility which did not need to be built in the way it was - there were no major changes - and that is the push bike bridge.
There are loops that take us around Marjorie Street, and other loops that take us around the main bridges that have Tiger Brennan Drive going under. However, all roads have been funnelled under this push bike bridge at the southern end of the highway. All roads lead under a push bike bridge restricting, like a varicose vein, all industry in and out of Darwin.
There was a solution; that is, to put culvert tunnels underneath. The explanation I was given by the project manager was that this would have had security and flooding risks. The whole Tiger Brennan Road extension under the tunnels is deeper than the culvert bridge would have been, so, particularly that it is a swampy area where it has been built, you could have just run the drain straight down into the Tiger Brennan Drive path - problem solved. It is not hard - gravity, water - you know the rest of the science; you have seen it before.
The security issue is relevant to both a bridge and to an underground facility. There are other culverts in the Palmerston area that do not have problems, and that leads from the Palmerston City Council Chambers straight across to the skate park into the university. In my years of policing in Palmerston, I was never called to that culvert for trouble. I am not saying there has never been trouble, but I was never called to that culvert in six years of policing in Palmerston. I am sorry; the culvert would have been the way to go. It would have allowed for access for our heavy and light industry, for our port, and the Essential Services Minister to have moved his new generators from the port all the way to Alice Springs. However, he has to now wear the extra $10 000 or $20 000 when he moves the new generator to Alice Springs because that will not even fit under the bridge, I have been told. It is about planning …
Dr BURNS: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I move the member be given an extension of time to complete his remarks, pursuant to Standing Order 77.
Motion agreed to.
Mr BOHLIN: Thank you, Madam Speaker and member for Johnston.
It is important to get planning right. When you get it wrong, you must admit to it. There have been a huge number of faults. This document is but a glossy brochure, and it is nine years too late. You think the public will swallow that you now have all the answers in this one document? You do not. I take the time now to remind the public that planning was a big part of our power failures. The Casuarina Zone Substation incident was caused by a failure to plan adequate maintenance to ensure nothing went wrong. I have highlighted this once before. I have seen people walking around this great building with thermal cameras taking photos of all our switchboards so this great building does not burn down.
It is about the planning and, yet, this government tried to slam us with their nine years of failings when the Casuarina Zone Substation failed. They said: ‘You are the ones to blame for lack of maintenance’. Maintenance is progressive. I have said before, every six months I have to service my car. Every 10 000 km I have to service it. The Power and Water grid - same thing. So, do not be surprised when people become bemused over why we do not have a power system that consistently works in all areas like Humpty Doo, Howard Springs and parts of Palmerston, and why your generators, when you go to replace the ones in Alice Springs, will not fit under your bridge - so I am told. But that is all right; that will just add another $10 000 or $20 000 to each generator as it goes around.
I cannot help but have a go at this. The Planning minister, in his retort during the censure, took us all the way back in time, where there was a horse rail outside his school and he rode in with his 10-gallon hat. He started to talk about 1978; how we had some fault in 1978 ...
Mr McCarthy: You were not born then.
Mr BOHLIN: I was actually, thank you. Are you admiring my good looks or what? 1973, for the record.
I find it amazing that the Planning minister decided to take us all the way back to 1978 and imply we had some fault back then. I do not know where he was going, but he rode in on his horse. He forgot to tie his horse up, and it did the bolt.
It is about planning. The public will not forget you have had nine years for this. You have failed to plan. This glossy brochure will not forgive the sins; it will not forgive your failure to plan. Every time our industry goes out there to push the Territory, to support the Territory, and your planning slugs them another $10 000 or $20 000 because you failed to build the right bridges, they will remember that. Every time 3000 spectators go to the Top End mud racing facility, and 45 000-odd go to the V8 Supercars, they will say: ‘Geez, they planned that well, didn’t they?’, because people are talking. Do you really think you can silence the people? The people are talking, and they are saying: ‘How could they have made such catastrophic mistakes? Surely, it was not hard to plan that correctly?’
Some of these things leave me absolutely rattled that they could not have achieved better, allegedly having some of the best brains around, yet, making such monumental failures - all in the name of vanity, perhaps; I am not sure. I tell you now, people in my electorate are not happy. People around the Territory are not happy. They want to see real action.
They do not want to hear that this government is trying to take advantage of a housing crisis and reap money out of the developers every which way they can. They actually want to see land available. Businesses in the housing industry have to plan for the lack of land to get through this year financially. Businesses say they would like to be building 60 houses this year; they want to build several hundred houses. They are finding they will be not even meet half their targets because they do not have the land you failed to deliver, for which you caused a dramatic rise in price, and a dramatic rise in rent, all through land restrictions. It was poor planning, poor delivery, and poor behaviour!
We talked about education today. It is obvious, from when I visit my schools - and I must say thank you very much to the Planning minister for mentioning Driver Primary School in such good manner - the principals do the best they can. They work very hard but they need better support. They need a better vision, a better plan which will deliver better results for the future of our children.
Ms WALKER (Nhulunbuy): Madam Speaker, I welcome the opportunity to respond to the Chief Minister’s statement, and build further on comments I made on this subject in May 2009 in the House when the Territory 2030 strategy was before us as a draft. I believe there are two really important things to note and emphasise about this body of work, and the Chief Minister has already been very clear about this as, I add, has the Territory 2030 committee chair, Mr Bill Moss AM.
First, this strategic document, this road map, has been produced by an independent steering committee of eight well-qualified and well-credentialed individuals – Vicki O’Halloran, the co-chair for social inclusion; Mr Bill Moss, as I have already mentioned, the co-chair economic development; and Michael Berto, Dr Jan Ferguson, Ted Egan AO, Professor Jonathan Carapetis, Steve Margetic and Denis Mackenzie. This group of individuals has an incredible level of knowledge, experience, and expertise in matters relating to the Northern Territory.
On the basis of the evidence of widespread views they have gathered in wide consultation with Territorians, they have produced the Territory 2030 document. Parallel to the collection of Territorian views, has been the mapping of baseline data which shows where we are, where we will be, where we want to be, and how we should get there in the years to come.
Data collection is one thing, but collecting the views of individuals and organisations across the Territory about what they want and see as important for our future is another thing altogether. In addition to the 75 or so written submissions, which included some from my electorate - there was one from ARDS, Aboriginal Resource Development Service, and a separate one from its chairperson Dr Djiniyini Gondarra. In addition to those submissions, members of the steering committee and members of the Territory Growth Planning Unit travelled to as many parts of the Northern Territory as possible to meet face-to-face with a broad cross-section of people to better understand those views. I was able to attend one of those meetings when it was convened in Nhulunbuy. All of that was in the lead-up to the draft stage; upon release of the draft, there were a further 46 formal submissions received. In doing all of this, as the Chief Minister said, we are ‘building a growing knowledge bank of the issues of importance to Territorians’.
The Chief Minister is quite correct when he says Territorians are generally keen participants in their community. This is certainly true for people in my electorate. There are some very keen and forward-thinking individuals who were happy to contribute to the development of the Territory 2030 strategy, whether it was through submissions or their participation in one of the two or three community consultation meetings.
In fact, there was clearly an element of disappointment for one local businessman from Nhulunbuy who, on receipt of the final strategy in December, spoke with me and wanted to know why Nhulunbuy did not rate a mention or a page in its own right. It is a salient point for those of us who reside in remote areas and tend to get lumped under the banner of regional and remote. Given the enormity of the task, I am willing to put my faith in a framework which identifies priorities in the Territory as a whole, and I have trust the strategy will drill down to remote and regional and link in with those important policy areas identified by this government.
My first point is about the evidence gathered and presented in the Territory 2030 Strategy. I recognise the importance of it coming from an independent steering committee which has had the direct contact with Territorians. My second point is about recognising the importance of the road map, the vision, the plan for the future, which Territory 2030 delivers. Having revisited the Parliamentary Record to remind myself of what my colleagues on the other side of the House had to say in this debate in May last year, there were mixed reactions from the members opposite, including some begrudging support of some good ideas, according to the member for Goyder. She objected to being described as a ‘non-Indigenous Territorian’ and requested the term ‘other Territorian’ be used. Fair enough.
Then, we had a surprising contribution from the member for Braitling - surprising because it was one of the few positive comments – where he said:
From there, we went to the out-and-out dismissal by the member for Katherine, and the member for Fong Lim with his observation: ‘It is all wind and will go no where in the end’. Perhaps a little like the member himself, Madam Speaker.
This kind of negativity is so characteristic of the CLP. Are they willing to recognise, grudgingly or otherwise, there are good things happening in their electorates? If they cannot see the wood for the trees at the whole Territory level, can they look at their electorates individually and see what good things are happening out there?
A vision statement backed by a plan is, as the member for Braitling has said himself, a good way of doing business; a sensible way of going about the process. It is at the core of how business and organisations work. When I think of the many businesses and organisations operating in my electorate, there are some which stand out because of their bold vision statements which are at the heart of their operating philosophy. It is like their compass to the future and showing the direction they desire to take to see them remain on the right path to achieve their goals.
Off the cuff, I can just think of a few of them: our Dhimurru Rangers, Miwatj Health, YBE(2) Pty Ltd, our schools in the region, the East Arnhem Tourism Association, the East Arnhem Economic Development Committee, and all their vision statements and goals. I think of Marthakal Homelands located on Elcho Island and the very entrepreneurial approach to business in order to generate income to support the homelands, such they can reach their goal of being independent of government support within 10 years. That is their vision. I think of Laynhapuy Homelands and their vision:
If the Laynhapuy Homelands’ vision of its Mala leaders and its purpose and mission statement, which supports it comes to mind, it is because when the Chief Minister and I travelled to Gurrumuru July last year - Gurrumuru is one the Laynhapuy homelands - he honed in on their vision and made it very clear, at that meeting, it was a vision shared by his government, and that we would work together to deliver that vision.
No one would argue the visions and plans of these organisation are important in delivering for the future and, so too, the Territory 2030 plan. The Territory 2030 plan is singularly unlike any earlier planning undertaken in the Territory, not only because of the scale on which it has been undertaken but because, from the outset, it was not a government plan; it is a Territory plan. I reiterate the words of Ms O’Halloran and Mr Moss which the Chief Minister included in his statement: The goals and aims of the community are now the goals and aims of the government’. It certainly does set a new benchmark in engaging with communities, Indigenous Territorians and ‘other Territorians’ - have I got that right, member for Goyder? - about how planning for the future might take place.
There are many things I have learned in the relatively short time, 18 months, I have been a member of this House. The need for a whole-of-government approach and for the three tiers of government to work together is very clear to me.
As a bush member, I have seen some huge, transformational reforms which have been taken on not only by the current Henderson government, but by the Labor government since coming to power in the Northern Territory in 2001. For instance: the introduction of the local government reforms; the policy to transform Indigenous education; the Department of Education and Training’s Smart Territory Strategy for the five-year period 2009 to 2012 launched last year; the Strategic Indigenous Housing and Infrastructure Program; and A Working Future policy which is the umbrella overarching all of these areas and more. It is recognising the inter-connectedness, the inter-relatedness across government which is so important. It is this approach which underpins the Territory 2030 Strategy approach. I do not have to say the Territory government’s cooperative approach in working with the government at federal level is also key in delivering these strategies and plans.
I will not go through all the six themes, but I would like to address a couple of them, starting with education, because it is, indeed, the starting point; it is what underpins everything. It is what empowers people to shape their future. It is no secret it is an area where so much work needs to be done for Indigenous Territorians, especially those in remote areas in the larger communities, but in the homelands as well. It is certainly an area this government has worked very hard on to deliver. I can think of a number of examples I could provide in homeland communities where I have seen so much progress being made around the delivery of education.
Of course, it is about children before they even get to school and providing help and support to parents, as we see this demonstrated and supported through the Parents As First Teachers Program which was launched by this government more than a year ago. If we are talking about education, it is about getting children to school and, then, engaging them to keep them there by providing a curriculum and the means of delivering that curriculum which is meaningful and makes children want to go to school, to be at school, to have something they value, and they want to see their school days right through to Year 12.
Education is not just about preschoolers and school-aged children, but it is also about engaging with those people, whether young adults or older adults, who have, somehow, fallen or drifted out of the system, and about re-engaging these people through education, training, employment, or a combination of all of these. In all of the greatest education systems in the world, we will always struggle to see positive outcomes for children, especially Indigenous children, if we cannot get them to school every school day, completing their senior schooling through to Year 11 or 12 to obtain their Northern Territory Certificate of Education, and leave their school literate and numerate in English.
As we heard the minister for Education say during debate earlier today, it has to be a partnership between parents, families, and communities within our education system. Let us also remember the point made by the Chief Minister during Question Time today: running a school out bush is not like running a school in say, Parap, which he gave as an example. The Deputy Chief Minister mentioned earlier today there were some hard and unpopular decisions - in some quarters anyway - made by this government toward achieving this, not the least of which are changes to the bilingual program.
There remain some fairly polarised views on this subject at Yirrkala Community Education Centre in my electorate. However, there is an important point which needs to be made. It is not about whether it is a question of either/or about English language versus mother language; it is very much about retaining, valuing and having first language very much part of the classroom and part of the process of scaffolding, using mother language to bring in English language to young ones. It is also about putting the emphasis back on the need to have students complete school and, when they do, to be literate and numerate in English, and in a position to enter the workforce or engage in further training or tertiary studies. At the same time, we recognise and value Indigenous language as part of the school, the home, and the community.
One of the points perhaps overlooked in this debate as well is that, if I look at the Yirrkala homelands, students in those schools operate under ESL or English as a Second Language policy. They do not have a bilingual policy and, interestingly at those homeland schools, we have a really strong attendance. We have students coming through with excellent results. We have students completing Year 12, and we have people going into meaningful employment or training beyond that. Homeland people speak very strongly of the need for their children to be able to speak English, recognising as well that, at the same time, they retain strong language, strong culture, and they lose none of that.
The opposition seems to have misunderstood what has been captured in the Territory 2030 is already under way; things are happening, they have been happening. After listening to the member for Drysdale for 20 minutes or so, you would think nothing had happened, and the document is treated as something sitting there ready to go, and their greatest fear is it will be left on a bookshelf to collect dust. They fail to understand what is happening in Territory 2030 is already under way; it is building on what we are already doing and what we already know but, importantly, it is mapping out a future for the next 20 years or so to ensure we remain on task.
I was even surprised to hear the Leader of the Opposition, during Question Time today, asking questions about why there were no tutors in schools. The answer from the Chief Minister was: ‘Well, there are’. Indeed, there are tutors out in the schools in my electorate.
Talking about remote schools, and giving some examples of the really positive things happening which demonstrate the government’s and the federal government’s commitment in partnership to delivering outcomes in remote areas, let us just have a think about the years of CLP.
I know the CLP hate it when we do this but, if you ask people in my electorate what the CLP might be remembered for as their contribution to education in north-east Arnhem Land over the 26 years or so they were in government, they would probably say the one thing they do remember about the CLP was the closing of the only boarding facility in the region, Dhupuma College, which was situated about a half-hour drive outside of Nhulunbuy at a little place called Gulkula, which is where the Garma Festival now operates from. There is not much there now; a couple of concrete slabs, one remaining old dilapidated building but, basically, there is really nothing there to see.
Interestingly, I have heard the name Dhupuma College in a number of conversations recently, because there is a process under way, at this very moment, to identify where a boarding facility would be best located in north-east Arnhem Land. It is one of three boarding facilities. When we talk about three boarding facilities, there are two 40-bed facilities and one 72-bed facility, which have been committed to by the Australian government under Closing the Gap for Indigenous Territorians. With it is a commitment of $30m, plus a further $15m committed from the Indigenous Land Corporation. People in my region are understandably excited about this. Following the consultation process, which we are in the midst of at the moment - I know there are some visits out to homeland communities next week. Following all of that process and recommendations to the federal minister, we will, no doubt, be advised which community has been identified as the site for the boarding facility, which will see students board while undertaking their secondary schooling in the north-east Arnhem region.
That is a real positive. Is that not interesting - that we had a boarding facility there - it was closed down? The new breed of CLP - what did they come up with last year? ‘We need boarding facilities out in regions’. Well, you actually used to have them and you closed them. We are now getting them up and running to get Indigenous children back to school and, importantly, to secondary school.
I will talk about progress at Yilpara, which is the largest of the Laynhapuy homelands, which is approximately a three-hour drive from Nhulunbuy. It is home to around 150 people. Last year, it achieved small school status, which means it is no longer a homeland learning centre with visiting teachers. When I say visiting teachers, these are teachers who fly in on a Monday morning. They take a swag and stay there for three nights. There may be a one-bed sit for them but, for the most part, they are teachers who take their swags out. Quite a bit of dedication goes with that. This school has gone from a homeland learning centre with visiting teachers to a small school status. There have been two permanent teacher houses built there for permanent teachers. Just recently, at the start of the year, we have seen the appointment of a permanent principal; a quality teacher - I know, because he used to be Principal at Nhulunbuy Primary School. He has returned to that community with his wife. Things at Yilpara are looking quite positive.
In addition to that, Yilpara can also boast a new school building to complement the existing classrooms. This building has recently been completed and it will enable the school to offer a full program for preschool children, primary and secondary as well. I know the traditional owner out there, Mr Djuwalki Marika, is quite pleased about the promising future for education in his community.
I also want to touch on the themes of society and health and wellbeing under the Territory 2030 Strategy. It includes, amongst other things, ensuring communities are safe and there is access to affordable housing, as well as infrastructure and public amenities. The government’s A Working Future policy covers a raft of matters, including growth towns, which would see our larger remote communities - and in my electorate that includes Galiwinku and Yirrkala - become proper towns with the same level of service and amenities as one would expect to find in a town of comparable size in any other part of rural Australia. While it is an ambitious plan, it is a natural extension of the local government reforms we have seen, and we will certainly see improvements …
Dr BURNS: Madam Speaker, I move the member be given an extension of time, pursuant to Standing Order 77.
Motion agreed to.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Nhulunbuy, I note that that will take you to 9.02 pm. Do you wish to do that or do you wish to stop …
Ms WALKER: I may not need that much time, Madam Speaker, thank you
With the growth towns, we will see improvements in remote service delivery and improvements in the quality of life for people who are resident in those growth towns.
I add a comment about local government reforms, and commend the work and commitment to date of shires and, in particular, the East Arnhem Shire and its elected council members who, in under two years of being an entity, have worked incredibly hard, and continue to work hard, to improve service delivery in the huge corner of north-east Arnhem Land they cover.
I know the average employment rate for Indigenous people within the shires is some 75% of their workforce. The East Arnhem Shire boasts an Indigenous employment rate of 85%. Whilst they are responsible for a huge range of services, I have been particularly impressed by the work they are doing in age and disability, and was equally impressed with the work they are doing with Night Patrol. In Nhulunbuy, they have recently taken over the running of the sobering-up shelter, which marries in extremely well with their Night Patrol activities.
Under the theme of health and wellbeing, I also comment on alcohol strategy. In north-east Arnhem Land we have seen some highly successful systems introduced which have addressed alcohol abuse and, with it, antisocial problems including domestic violence and family dysfunction. The system in Gove, which has been in place for nearly two years, limits takeaway liquor sales to permit holders only. It is based on the model which has been operating on Groote Eylandt for three or four years.
The systems in place have resulted in a dramatic reduction in liquor-related problems, and this has been demonstrated by hard data including the dramatic drop in presentations at Gove District Hospital, the dramatic drop in police call-outs, and the dramatic drop in the number of people taken into protective custody. It is a system which is really working well. I must say we are fortunate, in isolated and island communities, that implementation of systems such as this are successful, in part because of the very nature of the isolation which prevents people from getting in a car or on a bus and making their way to those larger towns on the Stuart Highway. I certainly listen to members from Alice Springs and Katherine about the alcohol-related issues they are dealing with.
It also highlights the fact, in finding solutions to these kinds of social problems, so often there is not a-one-size-fits-all solution in the Northern Territory. However, while the liquor permit system in north-east Arnhem Land does have problems from time to time, I can assure you, in the various forums I attend in the Gove region, not once has anyone ever suggested one of the measures we might consider to address alcohol-related problems is to increase or extend the opening hours of takeaway liquor premises. It still does my head in as to how that can possibly be a solution in the Alice Springs region.
I was encouraged by some of the remarks of the Health Minister as he spoke this afternoon. He was highlighting there are many positive aspects of life in the Territory and what we do have here. I do see the occasional letter to the editor of the Northern Territory News in the same vein. No one says it is perfect. The government knows it is not perfect, and there is certainly no claim Territory 2030 is perfect. However, if the very best the opposition can dish up to us as a vision is what I lifted out of today’s Northern Territory News then the future certainly looks very bleak.
Madam Speaker, I commend the statement to the House.
Debate adjourned pursuant to Standing Order 41A.
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, it now being 9 pm, pursuant to Standing Order 41A, we complete the item of business before the Chair. The Assembly does now adjourn.
Mr HENDERSON (Wanguri): Madam Speaker, on a sad note, I acknowledge the passing of Margaret (Peg) Caroline Nelson who died peacefully on Tuesday, 2 February, at the grand age of 96. Last Monday, hundreds of Centralians including many long-term Territorians farewelled Peg.
Peg lived a remarkable life. Her father Lewis (Lew) Bloomfield, was a well-known horseman in the Finke Valley area of the Territory at the turn of the last century. Her mother was Lillian (Lil) Kunoth. When Lew and Lil were married, they bought Loves Creek Station at Ross River east of Alice Springs, and bred horses for the Indian Army. These horses were walked to Oodnadatta and went by train to Adelaide to be shipped to India.
Peg was born in September 1913 at Oodnadatta in northern South Australia - a three week walk from Alice Springs in those days. When the demand for horses declined with military mechanisation, Loves Creek Station concentrated on breeding cattle. Lew and Lil had three children – Peg, Jean (Mrs Ted Hayes), and Harry. Peg grew up with many of the pastoral families whose names are prominent in Central Australia today. She was a true bush girl at heart. As she grew up, she became an accomplished horse rider and, in her teens, was a jockey at many picnic race meetings that were, and still are, popular across the Territory.
Peg was a great source of Territory history. She lived in interesting times and saw much change in the Territory in her long life.
At the time of her birth in 1913, the Commonwealth had recently taken over the administration of the Northern Territory in 1911, with the promise of completing the Adelaide to Darwin railway. At that time, the rail had come as far north as Oodnadatta. During her childhood, she saw the first plane land in the township of Stuart, as Alice Springs was known then. She listened to the first radio broadcast in Central Australia.
As a teenager, during the Roaring Twenties, Peg was in attendance when the rail line was finally completed to Alice Springs in August 1929. Many years later, in February 2004, aged 90, she was also present at the Alice Springs Railway Station to farewell the first train to make its way to Darwin and across the continent from south to north.
Peg was introduced to her beloved Jock by her brother, Harry. Marrying John Norman (Jock) Nelson in 1934, the couple moved to Tennant Creek where Jock operated a butcher shop on the goldfields. Later, Jock worked sinking bores before joining the Army during World War II and serving in the Top End. During this time, Peg worked at the Royal Flying Doctor Service in Alice Springs. After the war, Peg and Jock started Stewart and Lloyds, and the Dalgety Agency in Alice Springs.
No mention of Peg’s life would be complete without a mention of her association with politics in the Territory. At the time of her birth, Territorians had limited representation. The Territory’s first federal representative was her father-in-law Harold (HG) Nelson. Peg was to witness the evolution to self-government in the Territory from an appointed advisory board to the Administrator, to what we have today - the Legislative Assembly with 25 fully-elected members. Peg’s husband, Jock, was a member of the Legislative Council as member for Stuart from 1947 prior to becoming a long-serving member of the House of Representatives between 1949 and 1966. Jock was Alice Springs’ first mayor in 1971, and became Territory Administrator in December 1973. He was also the Administrator at the time of Cyclone Tracy.
Following his retirement in 1976, Peg and Jock settled in Alice Springs. Sadly, Jock passed away in 1991, but is well remembered for his selfless service to the country and community he loved.
Peg was always involved in community organisations: the CWA, the Alice Springs Memorial Club, the Alice Springs Netball Association, the Red Cross, and she was a proud member of the Labor Party. One of her achievements was to instigate, with friend, Telka Williams, the Brownies of the Air for bush kids.
Peg moved to her cottage at Old Timers in 1993. She was an inspiration to generations of Territorians, especially Territory women. Margaret Whitlam summed it up when speaking to an enthusiastic crowd at a dinner in Alice Springs in 2001 saying:
Mrs Whitlam went on to say:
These comments were greeted with a standing ovation.
Those of you who know Alice Springs will be aware that the Old Timers Retirement Village is between the town and the airport. It was not uncommon for Prime Ministers, ministers, Chief Ministers and others to drop in on Peg on arrival, or when leaving Alice Springs. Peg was always welcoming with her easy charm, but that did not stop her from making comment, both positive and negative, about the state of affairs in the nation.
Peg was always involved in her community. She loved gardening, sewing, crafts and lace making. Well into her 90s, she was still active and could often been seen shuffling her shopping trolley around Woolworths in Alice Springs on shopping day. Peg was early to bed and early to rise. She was particularly attached to her cottage at Old Timers and tended to her chores each day before settling down for her well-known happy hour in her back yard each afternoon about 5 pm.
Peg is survived by daughters Pat and Louanne who both now live in South Australia.
The Centralian Advocate, in its obituary, described Peg as:
She was truly a Territory gem and a legend. My condolences to Peg Nelson’s family and everyone who knew her. She lived a remarkable life in remarkable times. The Territory of 1913 to the Territory of 2010 is an extraordinary life. She lived through not only two World Wars, but enormous technological and constitutional change in Australia. The last 100 years has been a time when mankind has seen enormous changes. She lived through all of those changes and touched the lives of everyone who met her.
Mr MILLS (Blain): Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, I report on a trip taken last year in October by a parliamentary bipartisan delegation to, principally, the parliament of Timor-Leste. The trip took place on 26 to 28 October. It was the first parliamentary delegation to visit this new nation, not far from Darwin, with a population of 1.1 million people. The party consisted of Madam Speaker leading the delegation, with the member for Nhulunbuy, Lynne Walker; member for Nelson, Gerry Wood; the member for Sanderson, Peter Styles; and me. It was a tremendous opportunity to be able to go that next step, after having talked about such a need to engage our neighbour, to have a delegation finally go. I commend the Speaker for taking the initiative and allowing this to occur. It helped us to bring about a real show of support from this parliament to the parliament of Timor-Leste.
It also enabled a stronger connection between the East Timorese community in Darwin and the Northern Territory - the Top End specifically - and the people of East Timor. Upon arrival, a briefing gave us a lot of information which put us in the picture, particularly with DFAT providing us with an overview within an AusAid briefing. We were able to learn of the approach of Australia in providing practical support for the people of East Timor. In and around that, we noticed the involvement of many donor countries active in East Timor, principally the role of Portugal and Brazil which, upon investigation, we learned one of the requirements for their continued support is the preservation of the Portuguese language, which has some other challenges for the people of East Timor. That issue was discussed in a number of different forums, particularly with parliamentarians.
It was instructive for me, as a parliamentarian, to be a part of that team to go and visit another parliament so close to us with such real, historical and people connections. You would assume we would go there knowing it all, and wanting to learn from the other. Yes, we had much we could share. It brings to mind we are a parliamentary democracy of many years - we are a mature democracy. Challenging as it is, even for us, how much more challenging it is for a new nation with such a history which is very challenging - nothing like any of us had experienced - and how their parliament is endeavouring to cut a path, a new way forward, for the people of East Timor.
I believe, as citizens in this place, we have an obligation to reach out. I was encouraged and strengthened in my understanding and appreciation of the role of parliament. The things we may take for granted here, I now no longer take for granted after visiting another parliament. We learnt of the systems they have in place, and of the political challenges they face. There is some similarity with our government. Theirs is a government by virtue of alliances which have been made, an opposition which is strong, challenges which have been made to the legitimacy of the alliance, and the opposition having to adjust to being in opposition. All these things were very interesting, and you could not help but draw some parallels.
I have to say, however, their history leading up to the point we were observing was very different than we have here, when you consider some of the activities of last year and the year before.
It was a great honour to meet President Ramos-Horta, who has been a guest in this parliament, and the Prime Minister, Xanana Gusmao. They were wonderful hosts. It was good also, as a local member and resident of Palmerston, to be able to meet members of our Defence Force and receive a high-level briefing of their operation. That was instructive. It helps me now understand the stories of those around me I meet from time to time, who have served in East Timor. I now know a bit more about what they have experienced and the sort of operation they have been involved in.
It was good sharing a sandwich and a cool drink with the members of the International Stabilisation Force. It was interesting to learn there was a New Zealander in charge at the time. They have a regime where there is no alcohol permitted at all. The Kiwis are not allowed to drink at all at any time, whereas the Australians have an allowance of a can or two. There was a challenge between the two regimes and how one would manage in such an environment. That was interesting.
For me, having visited West Timor many times, it kept alive the memory of the connection between East Timor and the events of 1942 around the time Darwin was bombed, when West Timor and then East Timor were captured by the Japanese forces. We had Sparrow Force deployed in the region. We had one company, drawn principally from Tasmania, in the west, and the 2/2nd Independent Company was located in what was neutral territory in Dili. They were principally drawn from Western Australia commandos. Most of those in the west were captured, but those who were in the east, of the 2/2nd Independent Company, survived. They survived largely due to the protection provided by the East Timorese.
It was particularly touching to go to the display which was set up in Darai, and to learn of the great work of Kirsty Sword Gusmao; how she has assisted those soldiers, particularly those from the 2/2nd Independent Company in Perth who are now leaving us due to old age, who have continued to extend their appreciation of gratitude to the people of East Timor. It is just lovely to see Kirsty Sword Gusmao keeping that flame burning. As a relative of one who served in East Timor who, sadly, lost his life in Papua New Guinea, I have met a number of the 2/2nd Independent Company in Western Australia. They feel that great sense of debt owed to the people of East Timor. It comes home so strongly when you see the display and, for me, on a personal note, to see photographs of the faces of these soldiers with their big beards - because they have been cut off and did not have much to keep themselves going other than to live off the land, under the support of the East Timorese - and to see amongst the crowd my father’s uncle who was pictured in one of the groups of soldiers.
It was good to be part of a broader operation, to see the skills of people I know had been deployed and running a delegation such as that. Brendan Doran did an outstanding job, as did Robyn Smith and Karen Philp from the department. The level of preparation was first-class.
We learnt of some of the needs they have in East Timor. One quite practical one we could assist with, is in their parliament of 65, they have some difficulty hearing each other. They have a sound system which a donor has provided, but they are having some trouble with it - as we know we have trouble with our equipment here. They have the equipment, but they do not have the capacity to get it fixed. I thought that is something we could probably do; help fix that technical problem. They would like to learn more about the Auditor-General and the Ombudsman and how those roles work, and how they could work in their parliament.
They also told us how useful it is to be proficient in English, and that is something we could do through the membership of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association; that is possible. A precedent has been set, and it could be extended, I believe, to East Timor. I am grateful for the opportunity to be part of this. I would urge members, in whatever way they can, to provide practical support to our near neighbour.
Dr BURNS (Johnston): Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, I was very interested to hear the adjournment by the member for Blain; it was very interesting. I believe it underlines the fact we should, as a parliament, be giving as much support we can to the people and the parliament of Timor-Leste. I know the member for Blain has raised within the CPA …
Mr TOLLNER: A point of order! In the Alice Springs sittings we were informed members are not allowed to refer to other members by their seat names if they hold a position. In this regard, the Leader of Government Business should know better, and he should refer to him as the Opposition Leader. I was pulled up on this point several times in Alice Springs, you may recall.
Mr ACTING DEPUTY SPEAKER: Please pause, member for Fong Lim. I will seek clarification.
During debate it is convention or a courtesy. During the adjournment debate, we are slightly more relaxed and it can be allowed, though ...
Mr TOLLNER: A further point of order, Mr Acting Deputy Speaker! My understanding is it was a ruling which came directly from Madam Speaker. I am prepared to let this flow but, maybe, at some future point, you might want to talk to Madam Speaker and get her take on it, and she can advise you where it appears in the standing orders or whatever ...
Mr ACTING DEPUTY SPEAKER: Member for Fong Lim, if you could please sit. I appreciate the point of order. I have received advice from the Clerk that during general business the courtesy has been to refer to people by their title. We are now in the adjournment debate ...
Mr Tollner: Speaking to the point of order …
Mr ACTING DEPUTY SPEAKER: No, member for Fong Lim, you have made your point of order. I have heard it; I appreciate it.
Member for Johnston, I ask you to refer to the member for Blain if you like as member for Blain but, as a courtesy, he is also the Opposition Leader.
Dr BURNS: The Opposition Leader. As I was saying before the point of order, I was very interested in the adjournment given by the Opposition Leader on his trip to Timor-Leste. I know the Opposition Leader has been very keen within the CPA, for us to give as much support as we can to Timor-Leste and the parliament of Timor-Leste, and I certainly support that. I would hope we, as a parliament, have more delegations to Timor-Leste. It was my good fortune, as a minister, to go on a number of delegations last year. They are our near neighbour and I am very keen we should build relationships there in a bipartisan way.
I encourage members to go on further delegations but, also, at a personal level, to go there for a holiday with your family because it is very close, and Airnorth has a very good service. I did listen with interest to what the Opposition Leader had to say in his adjournment.
Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, tonight I take this opportunity to wish everyone, in this House and my electorate, a fantastic 2010. The start of the year is also an exciting time, as we return to parliament refreshed and looking forward to a good year working hard to achieve our best for our constituents, and for all Territorians.
However, it is with regret I must mention and pay tribute to two good people who passed away recently. They have been members of my electorate for many years, and many years before I became the member, and part of the Territory fabric since the early 1970s.
In November last year, Mr Brian Lenon of Moil passed away following a brave four-year battle with lymphoma and, in later stages, lung cancer. Brian would be a familiar face to many long-time Territorians. He ran the rubbish tip from 1983 until he retired in 1993. Brian also set up the daily tip shop which only opened on Sundays, before he took over the management. As anyone will know who visited Brian’s shop, it was a great place to find items which cannot be found anywhere else. Together with running the tip, Brian also managed the skip bin business in the Darwin region during that time, which has been a very fantastic service to us all having a large amount of garden debris on occasions.
Brian was born in Mount Isa in 1945, one of 10 children. He joined the Army in 1965-66, and served three years at Puckapunyal before moving to Darwin in 1970, where he met his wife Gaie. Before taking over the rubbish dump, Brian and Gaie ran a catering service together, and raised Gaie’s five children who have now spread interstate and overseas.
Brian loved his football and was a member of the RSL football club. He spent most of his spare time scouring the Top End’s old camp sites for old bottles and more debris, like bits and pieces of bombs and the like. This was his passion; he was thrilled with some of his finds. He was an avid collector, and had a good eye for quality. In fact, Gaie reports she will be having a collector’s sale in the near future to pass on Brian’s treasures to other collectors.
Brian was forced to retire from the tip at the age of 50 due to damaged neck and shoulders, which he put squarely at the door of his younger life when, at the age of 12, he started physically carrying and carting coal briquettes to help support his family of 10. The weight of the briquettes took its toll, but Brian was always a very dedicated family man. Retiring early gave Brian more time to spend on his collecting and with his beloved galahs, Charlie and Georgie. He used to sit in the garden with them having coffee with his wife, and also many of his mates when they dropped in and, of course, his birds. It was my pleasure when doorknocking to spend time with Brian and Gaie.
Brian refused to lie down and fought his bad health, never complaining; a real trooper to the end. Vale, Brian Lenon.
Just after New Year arrived, Mr Arsenio de Guzman left us. I first mentioned Arsenio in my adjournment debate of 27 November 2001 following a fundraiser he coordinated for the Pinoy Aussie Association, held on 27 October that year. During the next nine years, I had close association with Arsenio, not only attending his association’s fundraisers, but also as a constituent and friend in and around my electorate.
When I was able, I enjoyed joining Arsenio and his wife, Ricarda, at the Thursday Senior Citizens get together at Casuarina Square, where all the members of the group had a great time playing bingo, sharing a meal and singing. Arsenio was very much involved in keeping the group going.
As I said, I first met Arsenio through an invitation to the Pinoy Aussie Society, which he founded in 1990 as an organisation to help fellow Filipinos integrate into the Darwin community. I remember he was always in my office photocopying his flyers and brochures for the fantastic fundraising events he organised, and also never being backward in asking for a donation for the wonderful causes which I was always very pleased to provide.
Arsenio retired from teaching for the second time, having taught at Katherine High School in 1972 to 1973 before moving to Darwin High School, Casuarina Senior College in 1975 to 1985, Sanderson High School from 1986 to 1994 and, following his first retirement, returned to teaching in Darwin and Dripstone in 2000 until retiring permanently in 2002. My oldest son, David, had the pleasure of being taught by Mr Arsenio de Guzman.
Arsenio and his wife, Ricarda, had five children, losing one early. They arrived in Australia in 1972 and spent most of the rest of their lives in the Territory going through Cyclone Tracy and the rebuilding of Darwin, making lost of friends and volunteering their time to the community, in particular the Filipino community. Sadly, Ricarda passed away in 2007, and I do not think Arsenio was ever able to come to terms with her loss. I do not think life was the same; they were a very close couple.
One of the highlights of Arsenio’s life was being recognised in 2008 by the Chief Minister for his service to the community. Whilst he did not seek glory, being honoured in this way was very important to Arsenio and his family. Arsenio was a dedicated husband, father, teacher, and community worker, and he will be sadly missed by his family, friends, and all those he helped. Vale Arsenio.
Mr ELFERINK (Port Darwin): Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, tonight I have a happy duty because, prior to the Christmas period, my office decided to put out a Christmas card. Rather than put out the usual thing that is produced by politician’s offices, we got in contact with a couple of primary schools in my electorate and had a Christmas card competition. That Christmas card competition was ultimately won by Tippi Morgan, aged 6, from Larrakeyah Primary School, and Claudia King, aged 6, from St Mary’s Primary School. I seek leave to table a copy of the Christmas card involved.
Leave granted.
Mr ELFERINK: There were many entries from both schools in relation to the Christmas card competition. The Christmas card competition returned some wonderful and most excellent Christmas card entries. I can only say I was disappointed I was not able to incorporate all of them, and there had to be winners and runners-up in this particular competition. I am glad to say that Tippi and Claudia did do very well and they were represented on the Christmas card sent to many hundreds of people. Also, it is worth now demonstrating the quality of the entries to the Christmas card competition by registering in the Parliamentary Record the names and ages of every entrant in the Christmas card drawing competition. I seek leave to have entered into the Parliamentary Record for posterity the names and schools of all Christmas card entry winners.
Leave granted.
Name Age
Larrakeyah Primary School:
Marni Shanks-Bywater, 12
Shania Webb 12
Claire Mathews 8
Brody Clark 9
Aimee Rodrick 8
Tony Tsougranis 8
Qian fei Chew 9
Alice Devos 8
Reece Van Tienhoren 9
Rory Duff 9
Liam Franklin 7
Patrick Wiltshire 8
Rivah Nasir-Denniss 8
Godwin Esto 9
Robert McKee 9
Isabella Daniel-Knox 8
Eloise Avery 8
Tessa McVann 8
Emily Vander Heyden 7
Jakiya Whitfield 8
Kasia Haddrill 7
Leon Danicic 11
Emma Phan 9
Georgie Halkitis 11
Yashara Silva 10
Lucas Wilson 10
Caitlin Riedel 11
Lauren Seden 11
Faith Wehrmann 8
Emily Cunnington 8
Lucy Addamson 7
Harrison Duff 7
Sam Cook 7
Catie McClymont 8
Ellie Senior 8
Claire Townsend 8
Daisy Senior 8
Qian Jet 7
Kaiya Jones 8
Amanda Goodsell 7
Brendan Learpyd 8
Sushan Karekar 7
David Munro 7
Brooke Hellbig 7
Keith Matilla 8
Tuscany Abala 8
William Thompson 8
Alex Bishop 7
Phoebe Wear 8
Harry Whitehead 6
Fleur Liveris 8
Lauren Reiter 8
Joshua Bentes 8
Joshielle Pastor 6
Laura Yoeman 7
Jacinta Knight 6
Ethan Goodsell 7
Katie Van Teinhoren 7
Jamie Hannon 7
Timothy Earl 7
Jemma Dawson 7
Blake Lambert 8
Mengting Qi 7
Bradley Eastaway 7
Gus Higgins 7
Stanley Shinkfield 7
Kimberlei Manurung 7
Damian Pill 7
Riley Loy 8
Zane Ward 8
Jack Jordan 7
Kaiya Hancock 7
Tippi Morgan 6
Stafan Englund 9
Daniel Ferguson 10
Lucy Chin 10
Prune Gilly-Eydoux 9
Ciara Collister 10
Bailey Hellbig 10
Caitlyn Taylor 10
Anya Richardson 9
Max Higgins 9
Taylor Gwyther 9
St Mary’s Primary School:
Liana Boscato 6
Leo Cook 5
Ryley Craven 6
Addison Dohnt 5
Chiara Gagliardo 6
Hannah Greaves 5
Claudia King 6
Jack Livesley 5
Declan MacCarthy 5
Norah Nassif 6
Carmela Panaligan 6
Kurt Reddan 5
Emily Stokes 6
Catherine Tilbrook 6
Paris Vadourous 6
Harper Weekers 5
Bronte Zerafa 5
Mr ELFERINK: Also, for future reference when these children grow up and get older, they will at some point - as I do naturally nowadays very often, when I become nostalgic about what happened when I was a kid, but have no record of any of those sorts of things I used to do as a kid. I suspect when these children become of an age where they do become nostalgic in their 30s or 40s they, too, will have disposed of all of the things they did when they were in primary school. So, to avoid that from occurring, rather than returning all these items to the children and their parents, I have determined we should, on the permanent record of the Northern Territory as tabled papers, record all entries for future reference by these children and other Territorians of the Christmas card competition.
Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, I seek leave to have tabled on the permanent record of the Northern Territory Parliament all entries in the 2009 Christmas Card Competition which was run through the member for Port Darwin’s office.
Leave granted.
Mr ELFERINK: Thank you, Mr Acting Deputy Speaker. Now that all that material is tabled for the record, I thank honourable members for their forbearance and, once again, I thank Tippi and Claudia for their excellent work. I hope, at some future point, all these children when they grow up, get to a place so they can come back and look at the work they did in a Christmas Card Competition in 2009, and have a bit of nostalgia left on the Parliamentary Record.
Mr STYLES (Sanderson): Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, this evening I report on a trip I made as part of a parliamentary delegation of this parliament to Timor-Leste last year. The delegation consisted of the Speaker, the member for Nightcliff, Mrs Jane Aagaard; the Deputy Speaker, the member for Nhulunbuy, Ms Lynne Walker; the Leader of the Opposition and member for Blain, Terry Mills; the member for Nelson, Mr Gerry Wood; and me.
We were ably assisted by Mr Brendan Doran, Director of Asian Relations in the Chief Minister’s Department; Executive Officer to the Clerk, Ms Robyn Smith; and Speaker’s staff member, Ms Karen Philp. I have to say the staff members looked after the delegation superbly. Everything went very smoothly, and I am sure it was because of the dedication and efforts of those people to ensure that, a short trip as it was - which was absolutely packed full of meetings and events - went off so smoothly. I commend those members of staff.
On arrival, we were met by the staff of the Australian Embassy, who briefed us and assisted us for the duration in Timor-Leste. Their service was exemplary and of an excellent standard at all times. I thank those people because, without some of their advice and information, our trip would not have been as successful as it was.
This was a bipartisan delegation to strengthen ties and to ascertain how the Northern Territory parliament may be of assistance to the parliament of Timor-Leste. Whilst there, we met with the Acting President of the Parliament, His Excellency, Mr Vicente Gutierrez. We met with a various other parliamentary leaders, probably too numerous to name. We had the honour of meeting the President of Timor-Leste, His Excellency, Dr Jose Ramos-Horta, who received us in the Presidential Palace. We had some rather frank and fruitful conversations about how we might be of assistance to each other.
Later in the same day, we met with the Prime Minister, Mr Xanana Gusmao. Again, we had some very fruitful discussions in relation to how we might benefit each other, and how the Northern Territory parliament might help the parliamentary process of East Timor. It was a pleasure to meet all the other leaders of the minority parties, and meet with the opposition parties. It became very apparent to us that all these people in Timor-Leste were asking for practical support and training for staff members of the parliament of Timor-Leste. In fact, I am led to believe there are a number of positions being made available for staff members to work in our parliament with our Legislative Assembly staff so they may pick up some of the skills and knowledge we have.
We were very fortunate to meet the Catholic Bishop Alberto Ricardo da Silva. We went to a church service in the early hours of the morning at a makeshift church at the rear of the cathedral which, I must say, is a magnificent cathedral and probably one of the largest in the southern hemisphere. It was nearing completion at that time, and I believe it was completed on 9 December and a mass held in the Catholic church on that date. This early morning church service was led by our very own Northern Territory Catholic Bishop, Eugene Hurley, and to his great credit it was conducted in Portuguese.
Having finished that, we were off to visit various other people in Dili. Later, we were received by the Bishop in his home, and there we discussed the various programs that Caritas Australia is running in East Timor and, how, practically, we may be of assistance to those people in East Timor less fortunate than ourselves. It was very interesting.
We also met with the Islamic community leader, and the President of that community, Mr Mahafut Baziher, and had some very frank and fruitful discussions. Those people were very keen to meet us. I am led to believe that this is the first time they have met a delegation from the Territory - in fact, it may even be a delegation from Australia. There are obvious benefits which flow from communicating with people from all walks of life, and from all areas and communities within East Timor.
We were fortunate to meet with the Prime Minister’s wife, Ms Kirsty Sword Gusmao. She runs a number of not-for-profit organisations which are designed to be of assistance to the locals, especially the people who live outside Dili, and who still live in what might be described as extreme third-world conditions. They live in the hills, and spend much time coming and going from the markets of Dili. Kirsty Sword Gusmao runs an organisation that sells the products made in the cottage industries which exist in the hills and the surrounding areas around Dili.
Whilst there, we were escorted by Kirsty Sword Gusmao into the hills outside Dili where there is a fine view of Dili and the oceans that surround it. Up there is a memorial at a location which is known as Dare. The memorial commemorates the lives lost during World War II of people of East Timorese origin, and also Australian soldiers. It is an emotional place to visit. Quite a number of Australian soldiers who were lost are there. As a result of Australia’s participation, and the help the East Timorese people gave to the Australian soldiers, they incurred losses somewhere between 40 000 to 70 000. Unfortunately, many of those lost their lives during the Japanese occupation which followed the withdrawal of the Australian soldiers.
The 2/2nd Commando Squadron was in East Timor during that time. I note my colleague, the Leader of the Opposition, spoke about that so I do not propose to go into it at length. However, one very positive thing that came out of this parliamentary delegation is I was able to speak to a lady by the name of Yvonne Walsh, whose husband was a member of the 2/2nd Commando Squadron which was in East Timor for the 12 to 18 months when they were running guerrilla tactics against the Japanese, and holding up thousands and thousands of Japanese troops which could not be taken from Timor and sent to the Kokoda Trail, which I am sure assisted saving thousands and thousands of Australian soldiers’ lives. I was able to put her in touch with the director of the Darwin Military Museum, Dr Tom Lewis. I am since led to believe, by Dr Tom Lewis, they have actually been in contact. They will be establishing, hopefully, an exchange between the museum at Dare and the museum located at East Point.
There are a number of things happening this year in relation to Gull Force which was over there during the war. I believe, later this year, there will be a delegation from the Northern Territory going to Timor to celebrate that particular event.
Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, the opportunity to meet and mix with local peoples from all walks of life - from government, from business - was facilitated by a number of functions hosted by our delegation and that of the Timor-Leste government. It was extremely fruitful, and I encourage the government, and anyone else, to encourage these delegations of this nature to go to all our immediate neighbours in the north, and to travel, meet and strengthen our ties, both culturally and for trade, and help make those businesses in the Territory who do business with those people, make it a lot easier and give them and added resource.
Mr GILES (Braitling): Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, tonight I thank, in particular, ANZAC Hill High School for the 23 years of teaching they undertook in Alice Springs before they were closed late last year. I particularly thank Mr John Cooper, who has done an amazing job of Principal of ANZAC Hill High School before the merger into the middle school in Alice Springs.
I thank Mr Mark Goonan, the Assistant Principal; Mandy Hargreaves; Narelle Cameron; and Helen Wilkinson, who are the coordinators of ANZAC Hill High School. I particularly thank the teachers: Ben Balmer; Liza Bowers; Wendy Cowen; Jo Dutton; Kerry Lavell; Prasad Nair; John O’Brien; Chris Osborn; Narelle Panjer; Constance Price; Michele Robinson; Loie Sharp; Kristelle Sherwood; Patrick Ward; and the administrators, Liz Collins; Lyn Andrews; Donna Anderson; Carolyn Bindle; George Frank; Tenneil Helliwell; Nadine Larson; Anna Montgomery; and Heather Robinson. I also thank the people in wellbeing: Mica Alcedo; Sophia Baliva; Kate Fisher; Naomi Beale; Daryl Preston; and, from the tutors, Joanne Dermody; Michael Kaaan; Anita Tooloo; Rachael Tohi; Isaak Manu; and Jordan van der Shuit. I also thank those of the football academy, Ian McAdam; Charlie Maher; and Jodi Lennox from Girls at the Centre.
There are many people there who continue in similar roles at the new school. However, they went through a tumultuous period in the time leading up to the closing of the school. I spent a lot of time with the school council representatives, in particular, Allan Smith, the President of the ANZAC Hill High School Council. He went through a tough time trying to keep that school open. However, we have moved on to different things now. I also thank Faith White, the secretary of the school council, and the parent representatives: Donna Andersen; Belinda Harding; Christine de Chambord; Cynthia Mallard; Santana Ponga; Carwyn Taitumu-Ponga; Cheryl Shembri; the treasurer, Liz Collins and, once again, the Principal, John Cooper and the teachers, John O’Brien and Michelle Robinson. They did a fantastic job at ANZAC Hill High School, many for a very long time.
I acknowledge the award winners at the graduation night last year. I particularly thank Jackie Frost who provided the welcome, and Allan Smith and Cynthia Mallard from the school council who participated in the night, and the ANZAC student leaders, Jessica Newland; Stephanie Glyde; and John Hanak for the work they did. I will quickly run through the awards and thank those people who were successful in getting those awards - Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, I am happy to table this. I seek leave to table this.
Leave granted.
Mr GILES: I will table it so I will not read you the whole thing, just to make it a little easier. I also seek leave to table the final Year Book for ANZAC Hill High School.
Leave granted.
Mr GILES: Thank you very much. I thank very much the member for Daly, who was very excited about that.
While I am on my feet, I point out a funny thing I saw which was issued by the Northern Territory government. There are many funny things that come out. This one is from the Business Territory document they issue. The Chief Minister was highlighting the new direct flights to Canberra. He was talking about an extra 1000 seats weekly between Canberra and Darwin. That is great, but I did not know they had a 747 flying between Darwin and Canberra. I thought that was quite funny; that they would use that illustration to promote it.
I also point out we have had another lazy day today in parliament; we debated legislation for half-an-hour and spoke about a ministerial statement where the government likes to promote itself, and how they were so bereft of ideas they had to outsource the vision of someone else. The member for Nhulunbuy said that I had said the 2030 statement is a good idea. I do think it is a good idea; however, I believe it is quite surprising the government is so lacking in ideas they have to pay other people to come up with their vision. I thought that was quite amusing.
There is no here and now with this government. It was funny; I popped outside parliament 10 or 15 minutes ago and saw a young man, Danny, sleeping on the steps. I stopped and had a chat to him and asked him what he was actually doing. He is here with his sleeping bag, a pillow and a book. He is lodging a bit of a protest. He said he is going to stay there for as long as possible to highlight the problems of housing in the Northern Territory. He has been on the priority housing list for quite some time, he alleges, and tells us he has been told it will only be nine months, or 18 months, or only a certain period of time but, yet, he is still out there homeless. He is just one of a number of people right across the Northern Territory living in terrible housing conditions.
This man is a homeless man who has decided he would like his plight broadcast to the Northern Territory parliament, so the Northern Territory parliament can understand exactly the situation he is living in. He is not alone, but he is one who is courageous to sleep on the steps of Parliament House. I am sure the Northern Territory government ministers will ensure he does not have a chance to sleep there. I am sure they will have him moved on. He is just an example of what is happening right across the Northern Territory.
I look at the 2030 vision and say you have a lot of motherhood statements in there. Yes, it is good to have a vision, even though you had to pay someone else to come up with your ideas. However, what about Danny who sits on the front step who has nowhere to sleep tonight? He is sitting there right now unless he has already been moved on. He is sitting there right now. The member for Daly is sitting there with a smile on his face thinking: ‘I am glad I got rid of Housing in December. I am glad it is the member for Johnston’, as he gives me that wink. He is sitting there thinking: ‘Poor Danny is now the member for Johnston’s problem’. After nine long years, this dysfunctional Labor government is going to leave Danny out on the steps tonight.
Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, on that sombre note, I will sit down and hope people like Danny, in the future, will have the opportunity to get a house, to get accommodation through models such as the transitional housing arrangements the Country Liberals have proposed. If only the member for Nelson would support us so we could house people like Danny, instead of letting them sleep alone on the streets at night.
Mr KNIGHT (Daly): Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, if the CLP had not sold off 2000 houses over the last three years of their term, Danny would probably have a home. If the CLP had not run the economy into the ground, Danny would probably have had a job and be able to get private accommodation. If the CLP’s housing policy ever got up, the government would be broke because it is the most corrupt, incomplete housing policy we have ever seen in real life. The richest …
Mr GILES: A point of order, Mr Acting Deputy Speaker! I do not think there is any corruption. It is a far cry for the member for Daly to allege corruption. I ask the member for Daly to withdraw.
Mr ACTING DEPUTY SPEAKER: There is no point of order. Member for Daly, you have the call.
Mr KNIGHT: The richest man in ...
Mr TOLLNER: Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, further to the point of order! You can only make allegations of corruption through substantive motion and we are certainly not doing that at the moment.
Mr ACTING DEPUTY SPEAKER: He referred to the document as corrupt, member for Fong Lim. I ask you to resume your seat.
Mr KNIGHT: I referred to the CLP, not to an individual member. After six years in the federal parliament, you would think the member for Fong Lim would actually know some standing orders, one or two …
Mr TOLLNER: Hang on. Whilst we are debating the point of order, Madam Speaker has made rulings to that effect in the past, and this is another little thing to check up in your discussions with Madam Speaker …
Mr ACTING DEPUTY SPEAKER: Member for Fong Lim and member for Daly, please resume your seats for a second.
Member for Daly, thank you for clarifying. I thought you were referring to the document. You mentioned you were referring to the CLP. That is actually something that does require withdrawal, and I ask you to withdraw.
Mr KNIGHT: Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, I will withdraw.
It is the most abysmal housing policy, because it will send the government broke. The richest person in the Northern Territory can actually get a subsidy from the government of half their house under the CLP policy. It is a great policy for the richest people in the Northern Territory. Anyway, I digress.
One of the highlights of the beginning of each year is the Australia Day commemorations. It is a chance to recognise some of the most wonderful people and events from the electorate of Daly. I was very honoured to attend the celebrations in Batchelor and give the Australia Day address before assisting the Coomalie Council’s President, Andrew Turner, and CEO, John Hughes, in presenting their Australia Day Awards. Congratulations go to Tala Turner as the 2010 winner of the Student Citizen Award; Mitchell Northey, the Young Sports Person of the Year; Bruce Jones, the Sports Person of the Year - with a bit of controversy - for his efforts in bowls.
The Lingalonga Festival was the Community Group of the Year and also the Community Event of the Year. Congratulations to all the participants in the Lingalonga Festival. It was very exciting for Marilyn Reeves of the Lingalonga Festival, and her committee, for a nomination in two categories but, to be the winners of both of these categories, has to be congratulated. The community works extremely hard and, with the support of the Coomalie Council, was able to secure grants from Fest OZ, ARTS NT and the Community Benefit Fund to put on one of the biggest festivals during 2009.
Australia Day Awards for the Coomalie region went to Sue Bligh as a Community Hero; Sharna Mulhall for the Young Citizen of the Year; and Citizen of the Year went to Rinaldo Scarton. There are many nominees who should also be congratulated in all these categories. This year saw an amazing 11 nominations for the Coomalie Citizen of the Year.
Citizen of the Year for Naiyu Nambiyu went to Aaron McTaggart, and Christopher Miler Junior was the winner of the Young Citizen category. It was great to hear the Merrepen Arts Festival was the Community Event of the Year. I look forward to heading to the Merrepen arts and sports festival later this year.
Dundee Social and Recreation Club celebrated Australia Day with many fun events planned to keep the residents of Dundee in high spirits. It was on for young and old, and the sheer determination on the faces of many in the egg and spoon races was absolutely priceless; everyone got stuck right into it. All the favourite sporting events were scheduled – cricket, sack racing, thong throwing, and yours truly won the crab pot throwing contest, amongst quite a controversy about my style. Congratulations to the president, Peter, secretary, Lyn and all the organisers of the social and recreation club for putting on a fantastic day.
Wagait shire’s Citizen of the Year was Geoff Hutchison, who works in the clinic. Congratulations to Geoff. The Community Event of the Year went to the Wagait Beach Fishing Club Kids Competition, which is great for the kids during the school holidays. I was fortunate to be able to attend some of these events held by the Wagait Shire Council. To everyone involved, congratulations to you. The volunteers from the Fire and Emergency Services group put on a display and, of course, the cricket and tug-o-war brought out the best in the sportsmen and sportswomen from the Cox Peninsula.
I would like to mention the other students who received an Australia Day Citizen Award in my electorate. They are Bill Swain from Adelaide River Primary School; Tara Moreen from Belyuen Primary School; Jessie Innes from Berry Springs Primary School; and Sian Phelps from the Douglas Daly Primary School. Congratulations to all these students. They receive these awards for not only their contribution to their school, but also to their community as well. They are young leaders in our community, and are respected by their teachers and also their peers.
As I said in my opening remarks, Australia Day is a great start to the calendar of events for the year. To many of my constituents who are recognised for their contributions, I congratulate both them, and also the nominees in all those categories.
Mr WOOD (Nelson): Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, I am glad you called me member for Nelson, because I want to talk about Peg Nelson. I will explain to you a little later why. I believe the Chief Minister spoke about Peg, who died recently at a ripe old age. She would not call herself that, but she was a pioneer of the Central Australian area, and I recognise her with a little history.
In 1908, Peg’s father, Lewis Bloomfield, bought Loves Creek Station, later known as Ross River. The story is it was the choice between Loves Creek Station and the Stuart Arms Hotel, but he decided he knew more about cattle than serving beers, so they bought Loves Creek Station. Peg’s mother was Lillian Kunoth, who was born at Anna Creek, where her parents were dam sinkers. There were no birthing facilities in Alice Springs so Peg and her sister were born in Oodnadatta. In fact, the story goes her mother’s first child was born on the station and only lived for four days, and they decided then any other children were to be born in the hospital at Oodnadatta.
Peg did her school by correspondence, which took up to four weeks to return to Loves Creek. Of course, that had all the teacher’s comments.
Her mother had bad eyes and lived in Adelaide for three years, and an old aunt looked after the girls during that time. Supplies used to come from Oodnadatta by camel, and they would be delivered to Oodnadatta from Port Augusta once every 12 months. In the documentation I was looking through, Peg’s sister, Jean, mentions when the supplies came they were so heavy on the back of the camel, when they took the supplies off the camel, the camels relieved themselves and some of the supplies did not taste so good after that. That was one of the things they mentioned later about why it was so nice to live in Alice Springs because the food was a bit fresher than having to wait 12 months for supplies.
Peg and her sister, Jean, travelled to Alice Springs and witnessed many firsts for Central Australia. They saw the first train arriving in 1929, they heard the first wireless, and they saw the first plane land in the town called Stuart in October 1921. Peg met her husband, Jock Nelson, through her brother, Harry, when Jock was doing bore and road works. Harry and Jock loved running, and that was how they met.
She married Jock in 1934, and they moved to Tennant Creek where Jock was the butcher, but went broke. They then travelled around the country putting bores down, living in a camp and bough. Peg said, ‘I was young then so it did not matter’.
When Jock went to Borneo with the Army, Peg went back home until her father died, and she moved with her mother into town. When Jock returned from World War II, he became a pastoralist, and then followed his father into politics in the early 1960s. Peg did not go to Canberra with Jock because they had two young girls in school. Back then, politicians did not fly home on weekends, so he would be away for months. Jock also became Alice Springs’ first Mayor, which was another change in lifestyle for Peg.
Peg moved to Darwin with Jock when he became the Administrator, and they were visiting Alice Springs for Christmas in 1974 when Cyclone Tracy arrived, which was probably pretty lucky if you have ever seen photos of the Administrator’s house. Peg was in Darwin for three years and missed her family in Alice Springs greatly. She said they did not entertain much but they did entertain royalty. In her words: ‘We had Margaret with us; the Queen could not come but we had a lovely night on the Britannia’. Obviously, that was parked out in the harbour.
Peg was the founder of the ‘Memo’ bowls club in around 1958, and cut the cake at the club’s 50th birthday. I believe John Williamson did a story on Peg and her sister, Jean. He was saying he was doing a story about the pioneers. Their response to him was they were not the pioneers; it was their parents who were the ones who first came. They had the easier life.
The reason I speak about someone, you might say, has nothing to do with the Top End except for being up here for a number of years as the Administrator’s wife, of course, is I met Peg in Alice Springs when the Northern Territory parliament first met in Alice Springs in 2003. From my little contact with her, I found her a really lively, very happy going person. She would have been fairly old even then, but she was certainly a lady with a lot of spirit. I got talking to her because my electorate is named after Harold Nelson who was her father-in-law, Jock Nelson’s father. He was the first MHR - Member of the House of Representatives - for the Northern Territory. He was an Independent; as much as some Labor people sometime claim him as their own. Later in his service, he joined the Labor Party, but he was an Independent, and that is where my electorate gets its name.
I have a photo, taken at Alexandra Downs, of Harold Nelson and his family all dressed up in their finery. It is to remind me of one of our true pioneers when it comes to politics. I thought I would relate today I did have the privilege of meeting a connection – not a direct connection - with that person. I was lucky to know this lady. My understanding from people who have known her was she was a fantastic person, a lively person. She might have even liked a bit of whisky occasionally. She was a lady who lived life to the full.
I am just reading through the notes here. She lived quite a few years in the Old Timers in Alice Springs. Someone threw a piece of wood over the back fence that was alight, and it started to burn the outdoor furniture and part of the verandah. She said it was not until the fire brigade turned up she even knew the back of her apartment was on fire.
If you get a chance to read some of the stories of people like Peg Nelson, you realise they are just ordinary people who lived what we would say were pretty tough lives when you consider where they lived. However, they did not take it that way. They enjoyed their life living in Central Australia. They contributed to what is Central Australia today. We all should thank people like Peg Nelson and her sister, Jean, and all those people in the Nelson family who have done so much for the Northern Territory to be such a great place it is today.
Mr HAMPTON (Stuart): Madam Deputy Speaker, I also pay tribute tonight to a woman who, in her own quiet way, helped with the Northern Territory, in particular, Central Australia, Peg Nelson. I also acknowledge the contributions from the member for Nelson and the Chief Minister in this tribute.
Margaret Nelson, or Peg as everyone knew her, passed away in Alice Springs on 2 February after close to a century of living in the Northern Territory. She reached the ripe old age of 96. I was honoured to join many Central Australians and Territorians at her service in Alice Springs at the Old Timers home the other week. It really was a diverse range of people who attended the service. There were many traditional pastoral families well known throughout Central Australia, as well as many Indigenous people who grew up at that particular time along with Peg and her family.
Sadly, I never had the opportunity of meeting Peg personally, but her friends tell me they remember a woman of quiet dignity; someone who enjoyed a good laugh and who was passionate about the Territory, and Alice Springs in particular.
As we have heard tonight, Peg was the daughter of Lewis and Lillian Bloomfield of Loves Creek Station east of Alice Springs. Her mother travelled to Oodnadatta to give birth to Peg, and mum and baby travelled back to the Centre by buggy. Dave Richard’s website, alice online, has a lovely interview with Peg recorded just before Christmas last year. In the interview, Peg shares her memories of the remote outpost of Alice Springs, or Stuart, as it was known back then. I quote:
Peg saw lots of firsts in her life, some of those were heard tonight - a lot of things we take for granted now in Alice Springs: the first plane landing in 1921, and Peg was there when the very first train pulled in to Alice in 1929. The Chief Minister also said tonight she was there to see the first train pull away from Alice Springs to Darwin only a few years ago. She also listened to the first radio broadcast in the region.
In 1934, Peg married Jock Nelson, who went on to play a major role on the Territory’s political life. Jock was a member of the ALP, and was the member for the Northern Territory in the federal parliament from 1949 to 1966. He was also voted in as the first Mayor of Alice Springs in 1971, and was a former Territory Administrator.
When they first married, Jock and Peg lived in Tennant Creek where Jock was the local butcher. After World War II, during which Peg worked for the Royal Flying Doctor Service, Peg and Jock started their Dalgety agency in Alice Springs.
Peg played an active role in political life. She was no silent partner, and worked tirelessly for the Northern Territory. She was actively involved in choosing the site for the Old Timers Home in Alice Springs where she would later live. She started up with a friend, Telka Williams, the Brownies of the Air for kids who lived in the bush.
During Jock’s political career, Peg enjoyed meeting people from many different walks of life, from jackeroos through to Queen Elizabeth. She talked of how she lived like a lady in Government House - very flash. Peg and Jock returned to Alice Springs in 1975 after his term as Administrator, and Peg again threw herself into community life. She was a keen netball supporter, and was Patron of the Netball Association in Alice Springs. She enjoyed a game of bowls at the ‘Memo’ club in Gap Road and was active in the CWA and Red Cross.
Peg was also a passionate supporter and worker for the Labor Party and was generous in sharing her time and wisdom with us aspiring politicians and members. Peg Nelson touched the lives of many people. I extend my condolences, as the current member for Stuart and Minister for Central Australia, to her daughters, Pat and Louanne, and their families.
Madam Deputy Speaker, Alice Springs and the Northern Territory is a richer community thanks to the contributions Peg Nelson made over her long life.
Turning to the Katherine part of my electorate, I inform the House of the encouraging work the Hawthorn Football Club is doing in the Katherine and Big Rivers region. I recently attended a dinner function, a fundraiser, at the Nitmiluk Visitor Centre hosted by the AFL in Katherine to welcome the Hawthorn Football Club to the Big Rivers region on their first visit for the year. I congratulate the Jawoyn Association and Nitmiluk Tours for their excellent service in hosting and sponsoring of the event. The verandah at sunset is a wonderful venue, and the meal arranged by the General Manager, Clive Pollack, and his staff was first class.
I also booked in to stay overnight at the new chalet accommodation site at Nitmiluk and was very happy with the night’s sleep I got there. The vision of the permanent hotel, the five-star Cicada Lodge at Nitmiluk National Park, is a credit to the determination of the management at Nitmiluk, and the Jawoyn Association to develop Nitmiluk as a world-class tourist destination. I encourage all members in this House to visit the Nitmiluk National Park if you have not already, and enjoy the first-class facilities of this beautiful part of the Northern Territory.
Turning back to the Hawthorn mission, towns and communities wanted to put on a great show for the Hawthorn Football Club, which let them know exactly what life is like as an AFL footballer. It was a bit of cultural exchange. The Hawthorn Football Club is really to be congratulated. They have gone out on their own and made this agreement with the AFL in Katherine. They really want to drive home, particularly to the young Indigenous men and the region, the importance of physical exercise and healthy living messages. The Hawks visit is in conjunction with the Menzies School of Health and the Rioli Fund set up by none other then Dean Rioli, the ex-Bomber star, to help with Indigenous health and the Beyond Blue Foundation, an initiative to alert young people about issues of mental health and depression.
The Hawks had a three-day program while in the region, including a trip to the Jilkminggan community in my colleague, the member for Barkly’s electorate. They were entertained and they also entertained the community, encouraging and teaching the children about healthy lifestyle messages while enjoying some local hunting and delicacies such as kangaroo.
They also attended the local schools and the YMCA for a hip hop concert as part of their visit in Katherine. Hawthorn have committed to three visits under their agreement with the Katherine Football League to the Big Rivers region over the next three years, including trips to Ngukurr and Kalkarindji.
The AFL Foster-ship Program is an initiative of the AFL and has proved very successful on the Tiwis with Essendon, and is now being rolled out across the Northern Territory, including with the Richmond Football Club in Alice Springs.
Hawthorn is at the pointy end of a push by the AFL in Katherine to take the Big Rivers Football League to regional towns for home and away games. This includes the push for the construction of community ovals that can be used, not only for sports events, but for music and cultural occasions. An example is the Barunga oval in my electorate of Stuart, of how infrastructure development can improve community life and attract significant events such as the Barunga Festival. Taking the Big Rivers Football League to towns and communities means there is the flow-on effect of income coming into the communities from spectators and the travelling teams, while keeping a lot of the young fellas back home on their communities. The Northern Territory government is excited about the efforts of the Hawthorn Hawks and look forward to their continued presence in the Big Rivers region, and the positive result for young Territorians these programs can deliver.
I also thank a few people who were involved in the fundraiser as well, including big Doug Kelly from Katherine for sharing his football journey stories with us on the night. He certainly has been a journeyman in AFL football, with a stretch from Darwin, right through the Centre right down to Alice Springs over many years. He shared many funny stories with the people on the night. There were about 70 people at the fundraiser, which was a great result for the people involved in organising it. I thank Denis Coburn, the President of the AFL in Katherine for doing a fantastic job in organising it. The auction raised some $3000.
I particularly thank the Recruiting Manager, Gary Buckenara from Hawthorn Football Club, a legend in his own right, along with Shaun Burgoyne, who visited the communities, and the other players from Hawthorn, including Clinton Young, Max Bailey and Brendan Whitecross.
Madam Deputy Speaker, it is these types of events, and sports such as football, which provides a real opportunity to turn people’s lives around. As the Sports minister, and as a local member, I congratulate Hawthorn, once again, and look forward to many successes coming out of this partnership.
Mr BOHLIN (Drysdale): Madam Deputy Speaker, I wish to pay particular thanks to quite a few people. I admit, I might not know all their names but, for various reasons, I hope they understand my thanks are genuine.
This Christmas past, unfortunately, I fell foul to some sort of bug which infected some of my face, which has been widely publicised. I thank the Mount Barker regional hospital and their staff for their very prompt referral. The brief background is, basically, I got an infection of the follicles in my face and rapid swelling occurred, causing a great deal of anxiety to me. I took myself off to hospital to see the doctors at the Mount Barker hospital and, although they do not have 24-hour emergency access, they promptly referred me to the Mount Barker Medical Clinic. The Mount Barker Medical Clinic saw me with great haste. I received fantastic treatment there from a lovely lady by the name of Dr Adams. She prescribed me the various medications and saw me on another two occasions over the next five days.
Unfortunately, due to the type of infection I had called folliculitis, I was further referred by Dr Adams, after the treatment was not totally successful, to the Flinders Medical Centre. I must say, all the doctors and nurses gave me fantastic treatment there. When I was confronted with the thought of spending at least five days in hospital, I did like a lot of politicians do, and said: ‘Oh, well maybe not this week. Maybe we can work some deal’, and started to work my way through because, of course, at that stage, we were three days from Christmas. My purpose for going to South Australia was to spend some time with my mother and father, and I certainly was not keen to be spending that time in hospital, when they were in Port Augusta.
The staff began their various treatments and, the following morning, I had plastic surgery on two locations on my face - the front of my chin and to the side of my jaw. The doctors and nurses were absolutely fantastic, although some of the treatment post-dressing was not quite as comfortable as I would have liked. They did everything with due diligence and with a smile on their face, considering it was the lead-up to Christmas, and they were working and missing out on their family time. Many of us do not really take the time to remember those who work through the Christmas period, and I thank all those Flinders medical staff who did that for, not just me, but everyone else there.
I have to thank the doctor who treated me. I have to look back through some records to find her name. I do not think I was in a fit state to actually recall it. The doctor kindly let me out on Christmas Eve afternoon, and I was very lucky to be able to get to Port Augusta to my mother and father to spend time with them for Christmas.
I thank the Port Augusta Hospital. Christmas morning, we went into their triage and had my wounds dealt with. This became a daily routine of mine; visiting the Port Augusta Hospital staff - I am sure not to their pleasure and I guarantee the visits were not for my pleasure. They were fantastic staff. They did it with a smile on their face; without doubt, a lot of cheek at times. Again, this was during a time of festivity when they surely would have liked to have been home with their family.
Treatment, once the public holidays were over, led me to my family’s general practitioner, at the Carlton Parade Medical Centre, where I continued to receive excellent treatment. The treatment from their triage nurse was a more robust treatment – more of the traditional old style of ‘She’ll be right, mate. Here, do it like this’. I will say it was good treatment. All due care was taken and all my wounds are healing very well.
I thank all the Territorians who have shown a great deal of concern. My office fielded a lot of calls, with many people dropping in asking how I was. I am very flattered to think there were so many people who would take that extra bit of time to ask those questions - not to leave out, of course, some of those questions ended up at the Northern Territory News and, subsequently, they contacted me, which then led to the story that ran, not only in Darwin, but nationally and, then eventually, went international - all because of an infection in my face. But, hey, nothing like a bit of embarrassment to get you going for the year.
I went to South Australia to spend some time with my mother and father. My mother, Dorothy Rae Bohlin, and father, Gordon Charles Oscar Bohlin, always showed due parental care when dealing with my face saying: ‘Oh, you poor little boy’. My mum is not the most agile lady anymore. She certainly has a lot of her own ailments and gave us a lot of concern leading into Christmas with her fragile health. However, even with that fragile health, she was still surprisingly worried for her now grown-up son: ‘Are you all right? Are you looking after that wound? Don’t get it dirty. Don’t do this. Do you need a torch to walk to the house?’ - all the things mothers will always do. It might be, sometimes, a little more annoying when you are getting older, but it is only because they do truly love you and care for you. I must say I love both my mother and my father dearly and I was very glad that I could spend some time with them.
So, thank you to all those people. It made what was a bizarre infection at least tolerable. Their treatment was fantastic. I was fully aware of what was occurring. I have healed rather well, albeit with a scar. I thank all my colleagues who have given me great support in calling me names such as scar face.
Motion agreed to; the Assembly adjourned.
MESSAGE FROM ADMINISTRATOR
Message No 14
Message No 14
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I have received from his Honour the Administrator Message No 14 notifying assent to bills passed in the November sittings of the Assembly.
TABLED PAPER
Government Administrative
Arrangements Order
Government Administrative
Arrangements Order
Mr HENDERSON (Chief Minister)(by leave): Madam Speaker, I advise members of the Ministry and Administrative Arrangements of government arising from the ministerial changes of 4 December 2009. I table the Administrative Arrangements Orders dated 9 February 2009. The ministers and ministerial officers are as follows:
- Paul Raymond Henderson: Chief Minister; Minister for Police, Fire and Emergency Services; Minister for Major Projects and Economic Development; Minister for Multicultural Affairs; and Minister for Defence Liaison.
- Delia Phoebe Lawrie: Deputy Chief Minister; Treasurer; Minister for Justice and Attorney-General; Minister for Racing, Gaming and Licensing; and Minister for Alcohol Policy.
- Christopher Bruce Burns: Leader of Government Business; Minister for Education and Training; Minister for Public and Affordable Housing; and Minister for Public Employment.
Konstantine Vatskalis: Minister for Health; Minister for Children and Families; Minister for Child Protection; and Minister for Primary Industry, Fisheries and Resources.
Daniel Robert Knight: Minister for Business and Employment; Minister for Trade; Minister for Asian Relations; Minister for Essential Services; Minister for Defence Support; Minister for Senior Territorians; Minister for Young Territorians.
Malarndirri Barbara Anne McCarthy: Minister for Local Government; Minister for Regional Development; Minister for Indigenous Development; Minister for Tourism; Minister for Women’s Policy; and Minister for Statehood.
Karl Rio Hampton: Minister for Natural Resources, Environment and Heritage; Minister for Parks and Wildlife; Minister for Climate Change; Minister for Sport and Recreation; Minister for Information, Communications and Technology Policy; and Minister for Central Australia.
Gerald Francis McCarthy: Minister for Lands and Planning; Minister for Transport; Minister for Construction; Minister for Correctional Services; and Minister for Arts and Museums.
MOTION
Public Accounts Committee –
Change of Membership
Public Accounts Committee –
Change of Membership
Mr HENDERSON (Chief Minister)(by leave): Madam Speaker, l move that:
(a) the member for Johnston, Dr Burns, be discharged from service on the Public Accounts Committee; and
MOTION
Territory Insurance Office –
Fire Bombing of Premises
Territory Insurance Office –
Fire Bombing of Premises
(c) express the Assembly’s appreciation to Police, Fire and Ambulance Services and members of the public who unselfishly provided first assistance to the injured.
Together with everyone in the Northern Territory, I was absolutely shocked to the core when I heard of the incident at the TIO office. It is something that none of us would ever have expected to occur in the Northern Territory. It is certainly an event that could not have been planned for. The way everyone responded was absolutely magnificent. I was certainly shocked, saddened and really angry about what happened. The senseless violence perpetrated on innocent people going about their daily duties was deeply disturbing.
I was actually at a meeting with Palmerston City Council when the call came through to me about what happened. It was a really uncomfortable half hour, I have to say, when all we knew was that there had been an explosion in the office and police were on the way to the scene. I spent a very traumatic half hour or so just waiting on the news of what had happened, how it had happened, and how many people were injured and affected. It was a very difficult time for all Territorians, I believe.
Many Territorians were injured. They and their families have suffered physical trauma and all the mental anguish that accompanies such an event. Such a senseless act of violence really does leave an impact on the community.
I grew up in the United Kingdom. When I was a teenager, the IRA used to set bombs in public houses in the city near where I was living. Remembering those days, I know full well the absolute trauma that goes through a community when things like that happen. I am not saying this incident in any way is on the same scale, but when such events occur it affects everyone.
As I said at the time, Darwin is still very much a tightknit community; everyone knows someone who knows someone. Someone would have known either some of the injured victims or some of the passers-by who provided assistance. It was an event which resonated through this community.
My thoughts remain with the injured and their families, including the TIO staff and customers who were going about their business.
The day after the event, I visited Royal Darwin Hospital and met with all the victims in the hospital at the time, and their families. I was unprepared for what I experienced. I had heard Len Notaras on the radio early in the morning and had spoken to him the previous evening regarding how seriously injured people were affected. Of course, the great Doctor Len - and everyone at Royal Darwin Hospital – was talking about 15% to 30% burns. When you confront what 15% to 30% burns actually is on a human being, it is deeply affecting. For the victims suffering from those burns, my heart absolutely went out to them, and their families who were by their side.
I stress - and I believe it to my very core - the two victims who are still in the hospital, and everyone who was treated, received the best possible burns care and attention that could be provided anywhere in Australia. I stress again: you would not get better care anywhere in Australia than you will receive at Royal Darwin Hospital. I extend my thanks to the doctors, nurses, and staff at the hospital.
On the day, I met Bruno Long, Tim Harding, Patrick Dunks, Amanda Virgen and Kalisteni Ioannou. I am advised that Amanda and Kalisteni are recovering well but, tragically for them and their families, they are still in hospital. We all hope they make a full recovery.
Listening to some of the stories told to me on that day, burns will recover in time, but it is a long, painful recovery from such serious burns injury. However, the memories of what happened that day will certainly last people an absolute lifetime. From a couple of the stories I heard, it is amazing no one lost their lives.
As well as meeting the victims at the hospital, I also met with a number of people who were among the first to respond to the emergency, showing tremendous and extraordinary courage. They did not know what they were walking into; they had no idea. There had been a very loud explosion and a fire. There was thick black smoke, and people walked into that to provide assistance and care for the people who were injured - absolute heroes!
I have a few names here, but it is not exhaustive. Woolworths employees, Paul Burgess, Michael Hewett and Patrick Dunks - Patrick was the one who was hospitalised - and staff from the nearby pharmacy and bakery did an amazing job helping people get out of the office and helping with the injured. With thick black smoke and enormous heat in the building, the two Woolworths fellows were really quick to get torches and walk into the entrance of the building holding torches so people could see a way out. One of the victims told me he did not know where to go. Seeing those torches and hearing people calling, he managed to get out of the building away from the heat and the fire. Without doing that, those people were totally disorientated and goodness knows what would have happened.
The people in the bakery next door provided immediate care for a couple of the injured. They had no idea what happened; the bakery had gone black and thick black smoke came through. The ladies at the pharmacy down the road – it was just extraordinary - dropped everything, saw that there were burns victims, went back to the pharmacy, loaded up with the appropriate medical aid, and provided care, assistance, and comfort to people at the drop of a hat - extraordinary people.
To all of those people, those great Territorians who responded in the way they did, without one iota of thought about their own safety, my thanks and, I am sure, the thanks of everyone in the Assembly. You did a magnificent job.
I welcome TIO’s support for the hospital burns service, with the company donating $50 000 to staff a public appeal. To Alison and all of the crew in the Burns Unit, you do an amazing job. I have had firsthand experience through my family of the work Alison and her team do at that unit as a result of someone in my family being hurt recently. They do an incredible job. They are held in enormous regard nationally. Dealing with burns victims and their pain is, I would imagine, extraordinarily confronting for many people. To Alison and the crew, you do a magnificent job. I am fully behind the appeal TIO has launched to assist with items for the Burns Unit.
I will host a private parliamentary reception to recognise those directly affected by the incident. All members will be invited. This is about all of us, as community leaders, bringing people together, not only victims and families, but people who rushed to their aid, people from Police, Fire and Emergency Services, and the hospital staff who cared for them. It is, in some small way, bringing people together and thanking them for their extraordinary efforts. Hopefully, it will bring some sense of this to the victims - possibly not closure, but at least letting them know the people who represent them in this parliament, on behalf of all Territorians, want to say thank you and best wishes to those affected. I will let all members know when it is appropriate to do that.
This is an extraordinary motion to bring forward to this parliament. It is one, I hope, never has to be presented in this parliament again. To those people who have been injured: my heartfelt best wishes for a full and speedy recovery. For the families of those who have been injured: our thoughts are with you during this difficult time. For the wonderful people who responded: a heroic effort by fantastic Territorians.
Madam Speaker, I commend this motion to the House.
____________________
Visitors
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I draw your attention to the presence in the gallery of Year 5/6 students from Holy Spirit Primary School, accompanied by the principal, Ms Bernadette Morriss; and teachers, Ms Ruth Egner and Mr Doug Bon; and Year 3/4/5 Moil Primary School students, accompanied by Mrs Rosita Kandiah and Mr Damon Feng.
On behalf of honourable members, I extend to you a very warm welcome.
Members: Hear, hear!
____________________
Mr MILLS (Opposition Leader): Madam Speaker, we commence our gathering here in 2010 and, this time last year, we paused to consider those who had suffered so badly and are still struggling with what occurred in Victoria.
Going forward 12 months, we have to pause our proceedings to reflect on what has happened in our own community.
I commend the Chief Minister and the role the Chief Minister has taken in this very important event for our community. I am very pleased to hear there will be that reception. These are noble and important gestures which need to be extended within our community to allow us to process and to come to a better place.
The sorrow we are asked to consider as a result of this event is very real. Darwin is a place unaccustomed to such events. We have received buffeting in the past but, to have something such as this occur in our own street, in our own community, in the CBD, causes sorrow - how could this be? - for those who have suffered pain, and not just the physical pain.
In my own family, there was an accident a few years ago on a farm which involved fire. One of the young workers lost his life, the other - my nephew – lives in terrible pain and has to undergo constant treatment. However, is not that which causes the greater pain: it is the memory. Pain is on one level, and memory is on another. It is the sorrow we express for what has occurred which has an imprint upon those who were involved in this, who suffered that shock. This is why it is so good we are able to pause to reflect, and to respond.
How could this happen in Darwin? How could someone think this could be a solution without any regard for the effect this may have on fellow citizens? That this could occur causes sorrow. The sympathy is hard to muster and, as the Chief Minister has referred, we remember personal experience to help us at least relate and connect with those who have suffered, are suffering, and will continue to suffer, even when these scars have reduced. We express that sympathy; that point of connection.
Everyone has a point of connection because, without a doubt, the way a family or a community deals with such matters is by talking to one another. This parliament is talking about it. However, up until this point, there have been conversations, people stopping in the street, people at functions telling their story - and it is important their story is told. This helps us to understand it and to respond. In that whole dialogue of a community which is still talking about it, the sympathy which has been expressed, even by this gesture now, is important as a response.
As is, of course, our appreciation. The event, in some respects, shakes our confidence because we never expected anything like this to occur. There are TIO workers thinking: ‘That could have been me’. Who do we put into that position now? People will have a second thought when dealing with a customer who becomes overly anxious, concerned, and agitated. It shakes the confidence, and we have to respond to that as a society, as a community, and in our work practices. It shakes confidence; however, that shaking has caused strength to occur when we see the extraordinary response from ordinary people.
Most notable amongst those, as I have heard in many conversations, is the staff from Woolworths. I know one of those three young lads very well. I have bought groceries from him for years. For young Michael to do what he did without a second thought stands in stark contrast to the shaking which occurs as a result of such an event, and causes us to feel proud and strong that we have such capacity within our own community. Those first on the scene have caused us to increase in our confidence, our pride, and in the strength and virtue of our community. Yes, it has been tested, but we have been found to have that capacity, that strength to respond.
For the police, I have heard nothing but praise about the swift and decisive action, as with the firefighters, and the role the ambulance officers took. We responded, and responded well; families came in and helped.
Because I was challenged, I use this opportunity to put this challenge to members. I was at a function and someone wanted to tell their story; they were there. This person had current first aid qualifications. This made me wonder whether I have current first aid qualifications. If I happened to be in that situation at that time would I have been able to respond with some confidence in the qualification I had - or did not have? It was quite a telling moment, and I believe it is a challenge to all of us.
I came upon the scene of an accident a few years ago - and I make this admission now - and at that time I thought I should get my qualification. I have not done that and I am determined, as my new year’s resolution, that I, for one, will become qualified in the event I am called upon as a citizen.
I commend all of those who hold current first aid qualifications - keep them active for the moment they are called upon. It may never occur - I hope to God it does not - but, in the event that it does, you have the capacity to respond and provide appropriate help. So, for those who have taken that step, I pay further compliment to you. For those who have current first aid qualifications, thank you. I face it as a challenge that personally sits with me, and I extend that to other honourable members.
Having said that, confidence has been shaken but we have found able to stand. I believe that which has caused harm and injury - physical, emotional and social challenge - has been responded to by this Territory community and embodied in a few good people who were on the scene and were able to respond. To those behind the scenes, whose names may not be recorded, we thank you for the strength that has been demonstrated in our community.
Madam Speaker, I am very pleased this motion has been brought before us, for the leadership that has been shown, and for the ongoing response. I commend this motion to honourable members.
Mr WOOD (Nelson): Madam Speaker, the Territory Insurance Office is a company we take as our own - remember the nearly 15 000 signatures on a petition which said: ‘Our TIO not for sale’? We may have our odd disagreement with TIO, such as when they closed our local rural branch at Coolalinga, but it is still our TIO: the one insurance company which employs locals who raise their families in the Territory and are part of the Territory.
So when a branch is fire bombed, as happened in Darwin, we all feel the pain and tragedy because the people who were injured were ordinary Territorians doing their job and serving Territorians.
The trauma of that tragic day, both physically and mentally, will be felt long after the terrible event. Staff, customers, passers-by, and rescuers from nearby businesses will be affected in different ways. What it shows is, although we are sometimes a very individual lot, when something happens that affects us, people pull together to help and provide comfort.
I extend my thanks to all those who helped on the day – Police, Fire and Emergency personnel, paramedics, the rescuers, doctors and nursing staff at RDH, counsellors, and anyone else who assisted in any way. I also extend my best wishes to the staff and customers who were present in the TIO branch at the time. I hope that not only the physical scars, but also the mental scars, will heal with time so that your lives can one day return, as much as possible, as they were before this event.
To the manager of the branch, whom I know personally, I pray that you will come through this time and one day return your local branch to the happy place it was before. You are a strong person; it is not an easy time, but I know you will come through it all. To the TIO management and staff who have also felt the shock and pain of being part of the TIO family, I extend my wishes to you all.
It was a tragic day in the Territory, one that we hope will never happen again. Every effort needs to be made so it does not happen again.
Madam Speaker, I support this motion.
Ms LAWRIE (Deputy Chief Minister): Madam Speaker, I support this motion. The fire bombing of the TIO office was a serious, terrible and shocking event; it affected the lives of many innocent people. Nineteen innocent people suffered injuries and trauma as a result of this horrible act. Six TIO staff, two customers, 10 passers-by who came to aid others, and one policeman were injured. My sympathies go out to those affected, their families, and the TIO family group.
I extend my thanks to the TIO management and all those people who offered assistance: the people passing by who, we have heard in this debate, undertook truly heroic acts to assist the people in the TIO office; the other shop staff who acted swiftly and bravely; the police and our firefighters who were swift, professional and comprehensively responded; the medical support delivered by the staff of St John Ambulance; and, of course, the Royal Darwin Hospital, particularly the Burns Unit.
We do not ever expect to see an incident like this in the Territory, but those quick-thinking actions, those courageous acts, encourage all of us in the sense of strength and spirit of our community.
Six TIO employees were hurt: Amanda Virgen, Kalisteni Ioannou, Barry Hamill, Garifalia Tsangaris, Maria Tutt and Robert Cotton. As the Chief Minister said, two of those people still remain in hospital receiving the care of hospital staff. Our thoughts are with Amanda and Kalisteni. We wish them a full recovery. They are going through a very painful period in their lives. As we all know, incidents like this leave physical scars and also, very seriously, emotional scars which people will carry with them through their lives.
The TIO acted swiftly and appropriately to support all of those affected by this horrible act. I commend Richard Harding, the CEO, and his team. Psychological counselling support has been offered to all injured employees and their families. TIO is funding the same counselling support for the other people directly involved in the incident.
Information during these times is critical, and helps support people through the incident. The TIO provided comprehensive information to TIO staff on the status of the injured, including non-staff members, updates on security, information on support services, and information to assist with public inquiries. The We Say Thank You Appeal launched by the TIO provides our community an avenue to acknowledge all those affected by this event by supporting, importantly, the Royal Darwin Hospital’s burns service.
We know a person is before the courts having been charged with numerous counts including attempted murder, arson, intent to cause explosion, and reckless endangerment of life. As TIO management has advised, a threat was made and this information was conveyed to the police and measures put in place to increase security. The TIO, like similar scaled businesses, has had to develop business continuity plans to respond to a range of events including disasters and threats of attack. These plans were activated in response to this incident and included regular communication to TIO staff and the board, and the establishment of a temporary CBD branch which was up and running the morning following this horrific fire bombing.
An external review of TIO’s systems and processes and its response to the incident will be conducted, including reviewing security arrangements and responses to threats. TIO has commenced action to select an independent expert to undertake this task.
Madam Speaker, I thank the TIO staff involved in response to this crisis, led by the CEO, Richard Harding, and his management team. My thoughts are with those affected by this terrible incident, and the families still struggling to cope with its aftermath. May we not see the like of this incident ever again in our harmonious community.
Mr ELFERINK (Port Darwin): Madam Speaker, I speak primarily because this incident occurred in the electorate I represent. At the outset, I express my gratitude this is a motion of thanks rather than a condolence motion. That would have been so much worse and so much grimmer.
I heard with interest what the Chief Minister had to say about this matter. He was set in mind of the activities of the IRA in England when he was a young man. In my experience, I had been at 10 Downing Street a few days before a mortar attack by the IRA. I was in northern Spain - it would have been in the early 1990s – when I watched the Bank of Madrid explode into the street in a small town called Vitoria. I was in southern Africa in a cinema and, a few days later when I had arrived back in Australia, I turned on the radio only to hear that that cinema in South Africa had been a target of a bomb.
I was sitting in the mall when I started to hear a few stories trickle through as to what had occurred at the TIO office. One of the first thoughts that jumped into my head was that I hoped no one was hurt. However, the description of this as a bomb going off in our community made me concerned, because I thought, am I as a community leader - as we are community leaders - failing? Has it now come to the point where politically-motivated people will go into our public buildings and target the innocent for the purposes of some wicked political or religious agenda? That was starting to prey on my mind.
I do not in any wish to diminish what occurred at the TIO office because, clearly, what happened was utterly disgusting and repugnant to the good order of our community. However, I do take comfort in this: this safe country that we live in, Australia, has so far been largely free of these sorts of politically/religiously-motivated attacks. I express my gratitude and take comfort, in this sense, that the attack on the TIO – and, of course, it is up to the Coroner who will be investigating the fire, and to the courts which will turn their mind to the guilt or innocence of the accused person - seems to have been an isolated incident, more in the nature of what was committed by Douglas Crabbe at Yulara all those years ago, than an attack of the nature the IRA, the Basque separatist movement, ETA, or, for that matter, any anti-apartheid organisation would have been pursuing. Therefore, the integrity of what makes this country safe still holds true in my mind’s eye.
At the beginning of this parliamentary sittings, we recognised a legitimacy was given to this place by a welcome to country from a descendant from the original inhabitants of the area, followed shortly thereafter by a blessing from the Chinese community of the Northern Territory. Consequently, I take comfort we live here in an environment where there is a level of harmony which does not spill over into the politically-motivated violence we see in other parts of the world. For that, I am grateful. I find it remarkable, when you point out to people we have a Christian church next to a mosque in the northern suburbs, most people do not say: ‘Yes, we are very proud of our multicultural heritage’. The more common reaction is: ‘Oh yes, I never noticed’. It is that low on the radar and, for that reason, I am grateful.
Burns are horrible injuries. They are the most difficult to heal; they invite infection far more readily than most other forms of injury. They are time-consuming in their healing process and, in the scars and the cicatrix left behind. The problem is the injuries are permanent, and the people who are burned will carry that legacy with them for life.
What I am also grateful for, and I wish to express my gratitude for, is what I have now come to expect as a standard; that is, ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances do extraordinary things. I have seen it again and again over the years, and witnessed it yet again when I turned on my television set that evening and saw people doing extraordinary things. For that I am grateful, because it resonates through our society and our community that we would rather live in a place that enjoys good order and peace but, when that good order and peace is disturbed, almost everyone stands up and is prepared to be counted immediately to restore that good order. I am grateful for that.
Madam Speaker, this is a motion of gratitude. For all of those reasons, I continue to be grateful. I thank the bystanders, the police, the ambulance services, the medical staff for their efforts, but I also thank the community of this country, that we still maintain a community and a society which is inherently civil and orderly in the way it goes about its business. For that, too, I am grateful.
Motion agreed to.
RESPONSES TO PETITION
The CLERK: Madam Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 100A, I inform honourable members responses to petitions No 24, 27 and 28 have been received and circulated to honourable members. The text of the responses will be placed on the Legislative Assembly website. A copy of the responses will be provided to the member who tabled the petition for distribution to the petitioners.
- Petition No 24
Independent Environment Protection Agency
Date Presented: 12 October 2009
Presented by: Mr Chandler
Referred to: Minister for Natural Resources, Environment and Heritage
Date response due: 11 February 2010
Date response received: 3 February 2010
Response:
- The Northern Territory Environment Protection Authority (EPA) is created under specific legislation – the Environment Protection Authority Act 2007 (the EPA Act).
The EPA has always been, and remains, independent of the minister in conduct of its functions. This independence is specifically secured through the legislation via section 8(1) of the EPA Act which states ‘The Authority is not subject to the Minister’s direction’. Section 8(2) of the EPA Act goes on to indicate that ‘in particular, the Authority is not subject to the Minister’s direction in relation to the preparation and contents of any advice or recommendation of the Authority’.
By law, all findings of the EPA must be made public.
Government has introduced amendments to the EPA Act to the Legislative Assembly that will see the EPA have expanded capacities and will require its findings to be tabled in the Legislative Assembly.
Petition No 27
- Transitional Housing Proposal
Date Presented: 21 October 2009
Presented by: Mr Styles
Referred to: Minister for Housing
Date response due: 29 April 2010
Date response received: 9 December 2009
Response:
- The Northern Territory government has looked into the proposal forwarded by Mr Mills. The proposal does not provide any in-depth cost analysis. Recent experience of the Department of Local Government and Housing holds that the cost of developing and operating an ‘emergency transitional housing’ facility on the scale and location suggested would run to several million dollars.
I also convened a meeting of the non-government sector regarding this proposal and options to address homelessness during the Wet Season. The majority of the non-government sector was not supportive of Mr Mills’ proposal and did not believe it would bring about good outcomes for potential tenants of the ConocoPhillips’ site.
The challenge of homelessness in the NT housing system is complex and has several root causes. Therefore, it is important to tackle this issue from a number of angles. Government is currently working hard to deliver more housing and supported accommodation options across the Northern Territory.
Under the stimulus package, the Northern Territory government received from the Commonwealth government:
Repairs are well under way, with 289 dwellings to date having received repairs and/or maintenance under this program.
The $7.1m has meant an additional 22 dwellings under construction in the Northern Territory. Four four-bedroom homes will be completed in the coming weeks with the remainder of the properties due to be completed by mid-2010.
The $48.4m will bring almost 200 additional dwellings across the Territory. Projects include:
18 units at Berrimah;
eight units of transitional accommodation (26 beds) at Malak;
Construction of a 12-bedroom Group Home at Catherine Booth House to be managed by the Salvation Army;
20 units at Coconut Grove to be managed by the St Vincent de Paul Society;
four two-bedroom duplexes at Bellamack;
35 units for renal patients in Alice Springs;
construction of eight units at Goyder Street, Alice Springs, to be managed by the Salvation Army;
four apartments at The Gap; and
24 units of transitional accommodation in Alice Springs.
- The majority of these construction projects are expected to be completed by the end of 2010.
In the interim, I recently announced $2.2m for transitional accommodation options. Successful non-government organisations were:
- This funding is expected to deliver an additional 100 beds as quickly as possible.
In January 2010, we anticipate the opening of the Christian Outreach Centre’s transitional accommodation located at Berrimah. This will also deliver an additional 80 beds.
I have also announced more than $1m in federal funding has also been allocated for homelessness support services in the Territory under the Crisis Accommodation Program and Community Housing Program.
The Northern Territory government and Commonwealth government have also signed the National Partnership Agreement on Homelessness. This agreement will deliver $54m of projects over the next four years across the Northern Territory.
The Northern Territory government is committed to providing more housing and support options for families. We are committed to working with the non-government sector to ensure the best outcomes possible.
Petition No 28
Tiger Brennan Drive – Safety Barrier
- Date Presented: 24 November 2009
Presented by: Mr Tollner
Referred to: Minister for Infrastructure
Date response due: 5 May 2010
Date response received: 3 February 2010
Response:
- City Valley Estate was developed in the 1990s and involved rezoning of industrial land to residential land adjacent to an existing arterial road. The developer and the ensuing purchasers of the land and homes in the area undertook those decisions in full knowledge of the status of the adjoining road corridor.
The metal wall that exists was provided by the developer and remains the responsibility of the landowners. The Parap Grove wall referred to by the petitioners was fully funded by the developer of the subdivision through the sale of the residential land. As with City Valley, the subdivision occurred by rezoning of the industrial land adjacent to a major arterial road.
The current road works are consistent with the progressive upgrading of Tiger Brennan Drive as the principal road access between the Darwin central business district and Palmerston. The planning of Tiger Brennan Drive, which dates back to the 1970s and which was documented in several public documents, provides for ultimate upgrading to a six-lane freeway, and also can accommodate a rapid transit public transport service within the corridor.
I am unable to support the request for government to construct a noise wall adjacent to City Valley, considering that the development proceeded in full knowledge of its location adjacent to the Tiger Brennan Drive corridor.
The Department of Lands and Planning has assessed the ‘safety’ issues raised in the petition and has recommended the installation of a safety barrier adjacent to this section of Tiger Brennan Drive. I have approved the department’s recommendation for a ‘safety barrier’ which will now be installed in conjunction with the landscaping at the completion of the road works.
PUBLIC INFORMATION BILL
(Serial 77)
(Serial 77)
Bill presented and read a first time.
Mr HENDERSON (Chief Minister): Madam Speaker, I move the bill now be read a second time.
The primary purpose of the Public Information Bill is to establish a transparent and accountable mechanism for the review of public information produced by public authorities. This review process will ensure public funds are used appropriately to provide the public with information which does not promote party political interests, and clearly differentiates between facts and opinion.
As honourable members would agree, an essential role for any government is the provision of comprehensive information to the public about government policies, programs, and services which impact on their rights and obligations and, for a democracy to be successful, political parties and politicians should be able to engage in free and open debate about each other’s views and policies in the public arena. However, where these cross over, it can result in claims information given to the public has been politicised, is misleading, or inaccurate.
This legislation is groundbreaking. There is no precedent in the Territory, or any other Australian jurisdiction, for a legislative mechanism to review public information as proposed by this bill, and is another example of my government’s commitment to being transparent and accountable.
Considerable work has been undertaken to examine the options available to review public information, in particular the type of information which should be subject to review, the most appropriate person to conduct the review, the type of review and referral mechanisms, and the framework to review public information.
This bill provides power for the Auditor-General to review information given to the public by members of the Assembly and government departments, and to advise this Assembly if the content of public information contravenes the following principles contained in the bill in relation to the provision of public information. Those principles are that the content of public information:
must not promote party political interests; or
The Auditor-General will review public information to determine whether the information has contravened these principles, and will be able to make recommendations in relation to his findings. This role provides significant new power to the Auditor-General, and should not be underestimated. Whilst I consider the Auditor-General is the most appropriate person to perform this role, I am cognisant it would be undesirable for the Auditor-General’s independence to be compromised. This Assembly relies on the Auditor-General to provide independent advice that government activities are carried out consistent with the Assembly’s intention, and it would be inappropriate for the Auditor-General to be perceived as having any part in the decision-making role for the provision of information to the public.
Under the proposed arrangements, the Auditor-General will conduct a post-assurance review of public information referred to him by a member of this Assembly, or on the Auditor-General’s own initiative.
The bill will be supported by a set of guidelines to assist public authorities in their compliance with the principles, and the Auditor-General in his review role. These guidelines will be necessarily prescriptive, and set the criteria for the standards and content of the types of public information produced by government ministers, the Leader of the Opposition, members of this Assembly, and government agencies.
I turn to the specific elements of the bill. Part 1 of the bill deals with preliminary matters, including the objects upon which the bill is drafted, and contains the central interpretation clause of the bill. In relation to specific interpretation clauses, it defines the basic concepts of what does and does not constituent public information, and what a public authority is. The definition of public information is very broad, and extends to any information given to the public which utilises money or property of the Territory.
Information produced by a member of this Assembly for their electorate using their electorate allowance, and media releases of a member of this Assembly, are excluded from the purview of the Auditor-General. It is considered honourable members should retain the discretion over the use of their electoral allowance, and free debate about the policies of the government and the opposition should be able to continue through the use of media releases.
This part also defines the bodies that are not public authorities as a judge, magistrate or person acting in a judicial capacity (for example, the Coroner), the Auditor-General, a local government council, the Territory Insurance Office and Power and Water Corporation, or a person or body prescribed by regulation.
Part 2 of the bill establishes the functions and the powers of the Auditor-General in relation to the review of public information. The Auditor-General must, at the written request of a member of this Assembly, conduct a review of an item of public information to determine whether it contravenes the principles relating to public information. Strengthening the Auditor-General’s independence and that of the review process is the ability for the Auditor-General, under his own initiative, to undertake a review of an item of public information if he believes that an item of public information may be in breach. The Auditor-General will have complete discretion about how the review is to be conducted, but must have regard to the guidelines created under this bill when determining if the item of public information has breached the principles.
The Auditor-General will be required to prepare a report for tabling in this Assembly about the review. The report must specify whether the Auditor-General determines that the information breaches the principles, and the reasons for his determination. For example, the Auditor-General may find an item of public information promotes party political interests because it uses a slogan or photographs that are associated with a political party.
At any time in the process of conducting a review, if the Auditor-General considers that an item of public information may breach the principles, prior to finalising his report the Auditor-General can recommend to the public authority responsible for providing that information that it be withdrawn or modified. The public authority must consider the recommendation and decide whether or not to implement the recommendation.
Some commentators may be of the opinion that the provision only allowing the Auditor-General to make recommendations is inadequate, and that the Auditor-General should have the power to direct a public authority to withdraw or modify the public information. A recommendation made by the Auditor-General to withdraw or modify the information should not be taken lightly. In the event that a public authority chose not to act on a recommendation, and the public information was found to be in breach of the principles, the public authority would be answerable to this Assembly to explain the reasons for their decision.
As I have previously indicated, I am cognisant that, above all else, the Auditor-General’s independence should not be compromised and there should be no perception the Auditor-General is, in any way, involved in any facet of public administration. This Assembly relies on the Auditor-General, an independent statutory officer, to provide it with information about whether government activities are being carried out and accounted for consistent with parliament’s intentions.
Legal advice obtained supports the position that it would be inappropriate for the Auditor-General, an officer of parliament whose traditional role it is to assist and report to parliament independent of the executive government, to have a power to direct facets of public administration.
This part also contains a natural justice provision requiring the Auditor-General allow a public authority the opportunity to provide comments in relation to the findings of his review. The Auditor-General must then consider the public authority’s comments when finalising his report.
Part 3 of the bill provides the power to create guidelines to support the legislation. The purpose of the guidelines will be to assist public authorities in their compliance with the legislation. By their nature, the guidelines will also assist the Auditor-General in determining whether an item of public information has breached the principles relating to the provision of public information.
Part 4 contains a standard transitional provision providing that the Auditor-General can only review public information given to the public on, or after, the date the act commences.
Part 5 is a consequential amendment to the Audit Act to extend the power of the Auditor-General to undertake the functions relating to the review of public information. This is necessary, giving limited scope of the Auditor-General’s powers under the act which are primarily related to financial audits.
In conclusion, I am confident this bill provides an independent and transparent mechanism to review public information. It will allow a government to continue to connect with the public to provide information about programs which their taxes fund, but will also increase accountability and provide the public with confidence that the public information is objective, factual and free from political bias.
Madam Speaker, I commend this bill to honourable members, and table the explanatory statement to accompany the bill.
Debate adjourned.
PAYROLL TAX AMENDMENT BILL
(Serial 72)
(Serial 72)
Continued from 26 November 2009.
Mr ELFERINK (Port Darwin): Madam Speaker, I indicate our support from this side of the House for this bill. It is a fairly commonsense bill dealing with a fairly commonsense issue, but with an un-commonsense tax in mind.
In the Northern Territory, it is particularly sad we are so reliant on Commonwealth income as our actual self-generated income - our own source revenue - is fairly small; especially when you compare it to other jurisdictions such as New South Wales and Victoria where some 30% or 40% of their income is reliant on Commonwealth sources. If you include the arrangements under the intergovernmental agreements, then you quickly discover we are close to 80% reliant on funding from the Commonwealth. Also, this particular payroll tax, whilst a tax on jobs, creates a substantial slice of our own source revenue. Therefore, of course, it will not be an easy tax to wind back or to abandon altogether.
I note, whilst the arrangements are to draw us into a position where we are in line with other jurisdictions, the fact remains our capacity to set our own rates and thresholds still remains in place. There is a negligible budgetary impact as a result of passage of this legislation that enables us to create an environment where an uncomfortable tax still has to be paid by an employer; then at least they do so where the taxation arrangements are consistent across jurisdictions.
To that end, we see the common sense in this particular legislative instrument. There is nothing that flows out of this particular instrument that is of concern to the members on this side of the House. Therefore, Madam Speaker, we seek the bill pass and the new arrangements be put in place as quickly as possible.
Mr GUNNER (Fannie Bay): Madam Speaker, I support the bill. It is good to have the support of the member for Port Darwin and members opposite for this bill. It adds to our reform agenda for harmonisation of payroll tax that has been worked out between the states, territories and the Commonwealth. It makes it simpler for business to work across jurisdictions between states and territories. Obviously, this legislation has been mirrored in parliament across jurisdictions to make that happen.
Essentially, we are creating what is described as a nexus for businesses operating across those jurisdictions. When an employee works in more than one jurisdiction over a calendar month, then their payroll tax is payable to the state which the employee has their principal place of residence, rather than the state where the wages are paid. So, one state or one territory, and one bill – which makes it much simpler for business and reduces red tape and complications in those internal administrations for business. Obviously, the reduction of red tape and finding ways to make the job of business simpler is something we all support.
In one of those great complications of parliament, these changes already commenced in July last year, I understand, to coincide with the financial year. They will have the most benefit for those businesses whose employees travel a lot across borders. In the Territory, that is essential for airlines and transport industry. So, there are big improvements to businesses that are crucial to the development and growth of the Territory. We all catch airplanes; we all buy products which are brought up on road trains. That is, obviously, good for reducing red tape for some of those industries which are crucial to the Territory.
These changes are one more step in a series of reforms we have made for payroll tax. Since we came to office, we have constantly found ways to reduce the impost of payroll tax on business. Successive Labor governments have reduced payroll tax and made the Territory the lowest taxing jurisdiction for small to medium business. It is worth reminding the House of those reforms. Since 2001, we have reduced the payroll tax rate from 6.5% to 5.9% and increased the exemption threshold from $0.6m to $1.25m. By making those cuts, we have also saved business $105m. I understand, Treasurer, that we have committed to more payroll tax cuts which will deliver a further $10m per year in savings for business - which is all pretty good. That is why we are the most competitive payroll tax regime for businesses with wages up to $5m. There is no land tax and no Fire and Emergency Services levy in the Territory.
We reform tax because we support Territory business and we support jobs. If you want a job, come to the Territory. In the last year, we have seen 6000 new jobs in the Territory. We cut tax, we support business and we create jobs.
Madam Speaker, I commend the bill to the House.
Ms LAWRIE (Treasurer): Madam Speaker, I thank the opposition for their support of the Payroll Tax Amendment Bill which creates nexus arrangements between all the jurisdictions, essentially covering the situation where you have employees undertaking their work across state borders. This really evolved from an argument around payroll tax receipts between the larger jurisdictions affected – New South Wales and Queensland – but it required all the Treasuries to work together across our nation to come to these arrangements. The agreement that was ultimately struck provided for a commencement of 1 July 2009. Here we are in 2010 with the legislation before us.
That being said, appropriately so as Treasurer, I issued a media release at the time announcing the legislative changes coming forward and the nexus arrangements in place between the states and territories so that employers were given fair and due warning. Transitional arrangements are in place to ensure taxpayers facing those transitional changes as a result of the bill may make any necessary adjustments in relation to the months prior to this bill receiving the Administrator’s assent as part of the annual reconciliation process for the 2009-10 assessment year, and they will not receive any penalty. Whilst, administratively, our Commissioner for Taxation has always taken it in that vein, the legislation actually provides for that surety of not receiving any penalty – a fair and just approach.
The nexus rules, as I said, do not really significantly affect the Territory, but they certainly put to bed an argument that was raging between the large jurisdictions where those employees were crossing state borders. That being said, of course, we have, with the hub of Jetstar here, a situation where we have more employees in those types of industries based in the Territory. We all know that transport is a key industry for the Territory.
This provides the clarity for employers paying payroll tax, because providing for that principal place of residence as a test is important. Often, an employee will have their bank account, for example, in another jurisdiction, so that raises issues, and this provides for clarity of where the wages are paid.
As to the political argument introduced by the member for Port Darwin, to sit there and rail against the payroll tax receipts the Territory receives is somewhat hypocritical. I remind him it was the Country Liberal Party that introduced the payroll tax system ...
Mr Elferink: You are outrageous.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr Elferink: You are absolutely outrageous.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr Henderson: You refused to cut it, did you not?
Mr Elferink: That is wrong.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr Elferink: That is also very wrong. Every time you open your mouth on money, you bugger it up.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, member for Port Darwin!
Ms LAWRIE: The CLP is the father of payroll tax in the Territory - I remind him of that point …
Mr Elferink: Thank God, because if you guys had installed it, it would have been three times the rate.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, member for Port Darwin!
Mr Elferink: Madam Speaker, she is being very provocative.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, member for Port Darwin! I ask you to cease interjecting.
Ms LAWRIE: They truly are a rabble.
Madam Speaker, the CLP was the father of payroll tax in the Territory, and Labor has a very proud record of, the moment we won government, getting in and not just reducing the rate of the payroll tax but, importantly for Territory businesses, changing the threshold. It got to the point where our local businesses are out of the payroll tax picture. It is the large multinational companies paying payroll tax in the Territory.
It is nonsense to run the line that Labor is somehow crippling business through the payroll tax arrangements. We have the most competitive payroll tax arrangements in the nation, slashing that payroll tax rate from 6.5% to 5.9%. And, yes, we have more work to do; we are on a commitment. The most important thing for local business was changing that exemption threshold from $600 000 to $1.25m. Apart from the rate slashes, that is what truly helped our local businesses - the threshold change was fundamental.
We have a very small jurisdiction, of course; we have approximately 100 000 people in the Territory who are able to be taxed in one form or another. Of course, we have a small own source revenue. We are growing own source revenue because we are growing our economy. We are creating more jobs - some 6000 more jobs in the Territory in the last 12 months. Therefore, we have a booming economy - the strongest economy in the nation – so, with that, you receive in revenue more from the taxation regime.
However, we remain the most competitive in the nation for small- and medium-size businesses, and we are proud of that record. Whilst this is purely a nexus arrangement which deals with the situation of employees who are crossing state borders, and where those payments should go regarding payroll tax, I welcome the foolishness from the member for Port Darwin in getting into the broader debate around payroll tax per se. The CLP was the father of payroll tax ...
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I do not want to see this House bogged down in requests to make personal explanations, but if she continues to ascribe to me words I have never uttered, that is exactly what is going to happen.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Port Darwin, there is no point of order.
Ms LAWRIE: Thank you, Madam Speaker. We have introduced legislation which is being introduced across the nation. Half the states have introduced and passed it and half the states are in a process of getting it through their legislatures. It provides clarity. We stand very proudly on our record of continuing to slash payroll tax, helping businesses in the Territory, not just the rate but, importantly, the threshold as well.
Madam Speaker, I commend the national payroll tax nexus arrangements bill to members of the House.
Motion agreed to; bill read a second time.
Ms LAWRIE (Treasurer) (by leave): Madam Speaker, I move that the bill be now read a third time.
Motion agreed to; bill read a third time.
LEAVE OF ABSENCE
Member for Araluen
Member for Araluen
Mr ELFERINK (Port Darwin): Madam Speaker, I move that leave of absence be granted to the member for Araluen, Ms Carney, for this sittings week.
Motion agreed to.
MINISTERIAL STATEMENT
Territory 2030
Territory 2030
Mr HENDERSON (Chief Minister): Madam Speaker, 3 December 2009 was a significant day for the Territory. On that day, I stood beside Vicki O’Halloran and Bill Moss AM, co-chairs of the Territory’s 2030 Steering Committee, and launched the first long-term strategic plan for the future of the Northern Territory.
It was a significant day because this is the first time a Territory government has attempted to put in place this level of forward planning. It was significant too because, unlike planning by other governments around Australia and the world, this plan was driven by the people of the Northern Territory.
Territory 2030 is very much a product of Territorians, and it is a reflection of how they want our community to grow and evolve. The government has endorsed and adopted the outcomes of extensive public consultation right across the Territory. Furthermore, we have adopted the most extensive, open and transparent reporting requirements of any strategy document ever released in the Territory. This is a measure of how seriously we take this plan.
The journey to Territory 2030 began after the last election. I had become increasingly concerned about the need to provide more detailed planning for the future of the Territory. I said I would lead a government that prepared and planned for the future. I have said repeatedly a failure to plan is a plan to fail.
Territory 2030 is a public demonstration of the government putting its money where its mouth is. With a strong and rapidly growing economy, with high population growth right across the Territory compared to what we inherited, and with increasingly complex demands on the resources and attention of government, I realised unless we plan our priorities our effort would be dispersed and blunted in its effectiveness. We decided we needed an explicit framework to ensure decision-making by government supported the priorities of the Territory as a whole.
I was also increasingly of the view that, in the 21st century, governments needed to introduce more ideas and thinking from outside government. Territorians, generally, are keen participants in their community; it is a matter of pride for all of us. However, as our community has become larger and more complex, the opportunity to participate in decision-making has been reduced; our lives become busier, the issues become more complex. I was determined to reverse the trend and expand the usual mechanisms of advice to government by bringing the public into decision-making in a very direct way.
With those issues in mind, Territory 2030 was born. Territory 2030 sets a new benchmark in community engagement for government planning. The foundation of this was the appointment of an independent steering committee in 2008. We were fortunate, indeed, to appoint a group of eight extremely talented individuals to the steering committee. Members included: Vicki O’Halloran, Co-chair for Social Inclusion; Bill Moss AM, Co-chair for Economic Development; Michael Berto; Dr Jan Ferguson, Ted Egan AO; Professor Jonathon Carapetis; Steve Margetic; and Denis Mackenzie. Collectively, this group of individuals represents an extraordinary level of knowledge, experience and expertise in matters relating to the Territory. It is at this point that I must place on the public record my sincere thanks to the eight steering committee members for their dedication and hard work over the 12 months the steering committee sat.
The Territory 2030 Steering Committee is now disbanded, but the legacy of their tireless work is before us in a strategic plan. Each of those individuals already had very busy professional lives in their own right, and each one of them contributed many hundreds of hours in bringing the plan to fruition. I thank them all. Their expertise across the full spectrum of social, economic, business, and community interests, their passion and belief in an exciting future for the Territory, and their independence from government has culminated in a vision that is truly representative of what Territorians want for their future.
The steering committee worked tirelessly in developing Territory 2030 and talked to hundreds of people during the process. The steering committee members were emphatic that what they could contribute was only a small part of the overall knowledge required to develop the plan. This is why the committee undertook a community consultation process in two phases.
Their first step was to call for submissions from the community about what should be included in the plan which resulted in more than 75 submissions from individuals and organisations. The submissions raised issues across the spectrum of the community with subject areas ranging from education, health, housing, crime, recycling, food security, infrastructure development, our pristine environment, and climate change.
In addition to seeking written submissions, an intense program of public forums and industry and community consultation was held between January and March 2009. Steering committee members visited and spoke to Territorians in many centres including Darwin, Katherine, Galiwinku, Alice Springs, Wadeye, Maningrida, Nhulunbuy and Groote Eylandt. To build on the advice offered by Territorians, expert round tables were convened by the steering committee to enable them to hear from experts in several fields.
An education round table brought experts from primary, secondary, and tertiary institutions, as well as the non-government and community-based sectors. This was followed by a health and wellbeing round table. Again, experts from government, non-government, aged care and allied health sectors provided advice to inform development of the strategy. A business round table was also held garnering views and opinions from industry groups, peak organisations, property developers, small business operators, and major investors in the Territory.
The steering committee also sought advice from government agencies and called for briefings on specific issues, all the while building a growing knowledge bank of the issues of importance to Territorians now, and of what Territorians wanted the Northern Territory to look like in the future.
Over a number of weeks, the steering committee considered all the information they had before them and, from this, developed a consultation draft of the strategic plan. The consultation draft was made public in April last year and the steering committee took this back to Territorians to test their findings. Again, an extensive program of public consultation in remote, regional, and urban communities was held in Darwin, Katherine, Alice Springs, Nhulunbuy, Tennant Creek, Galiwinku, Angurugu, Ali Curung, Borroloola, Hermannsburg, Lajamanu, Santa Teresa, Nguiu, Ngukurr, Palmerston, Litchfield, Yuendumu and Maningrida.
A further 46 formal submissions were received in response to the draft strategic plan. These came from individual Territorians, peak groups, and a range of organisations across business, industry, environmental, and community sectors. This represents an extraordinary level of interest and input from the community.
As another first, the steering committee used technology to encourage debate and discussion on the draft plan. The entire document was based on the Territory 2030 website in a form that was totally editable. A number of Territorians took the opportunity to edit the document as a way of making suggested changes and improvements to the draft. After reviewing and considering all the feedback, the steering committee finalised the plan and presented it to government. Government accepted the steering committee’s recommendations and this then led to the Territory 2030 Strategic Plan’s official launch on 3 December 2009.
As Ms O’Halloran and Mr Moss said at the time: ‘The goals and aims of the community are now the goals and aims of the government’. These are important words because they reflect a vitally important point - this is not a government plan, this is a Territory plan.
Territory 2030 contains 129 targets linked to six key priorities. None of the 129 targets stand alone; they are all interconnected across the six key priorities. Some targets link together and support other targets. This is particularly demonstrated in some of the education, health and wellbeing targets. Some targets require clever work and action; for example, continuing to grow the Northern Territory economy and managing the Northern Territory’s natural resources according to the principles of ecologically sustainable development. This will require the government and the community to be smart in how we develop the Territory into the future.
At the centre of the strategic plan is education. To use the words of one community submission to the Territory 2030 Steering Committee:
- education - as a journey of continuous learning throughout the life course of Territorians - is the foundation for creating an inspired community that actively participates in the work, life and health of the Territory. This is the best legacy that we can create for the future.
Within the education theme, there were three high-level objectives: meeting or exceeding national standards for education and training; promoting lifelong participation in education; and developing a world-class education system. The education theme is not just about the school system. It is about lifelong learning beginning with a supportive family, early childhood and preschool arrangements, through to our primary, secondary and tertiary institutions and out-of-school study. It includes learning for pleasure through informal courses, on-the-job training, professional development programs, and informal knowledge sharing that continues on throughout people’s lives, often well after retirement.
Whilst education is the No 1 priority, there are five other priorities: society, economic sustainability, health and wellbeing, the environment and, finally, knowledge, creativity and innovation. As outlined in the strategic plan, the test of a well society is how it includes all its citizens in its sphere of influence. We need to remain fixed on the goal of including all of our fellow Territorians in our thinking.
The society theme addresses these issues. It is about ensuring our communities are safe, enjoyable places to raise families, and where Territorians choose to stay and grow old. It is about ensuring we all have access to appropriate and affordable housing, and we have a balanced housing market. It is important to Territorians to have access to the important staples of life that make us strive as individuals and as a community. It is about ensuring we have appropriate infrastructure and high levels of public amenity.
Another theme is economic sustainability. It is about growing our economy and sharing the prosperity this brings across the entire Territory. It is about fostering business opportunities across our regions. It is about ensuring we provide an environment that encourages future investment in the Territory. In 2008-09, we recorded the strongest economic growth in the country - more than twice the national growth - and this strong growth is predicted to continue over the next five years. This sets the right course for achieving the economic sustainability targets within Territory 2030 in the short and medium term.
The health and wellbeing theme is about all working towards better health outcomes for all Territorians. Not all Territorians are as healthy as they should be. There are parts of our community that suffer from a range of serious health issues, chronic conditions, and lifestyle-inspired conditions including obesity, alcoholism, heart disease and smoking-related illness. A large proportion of Indigenous Territorians experience severe health outcomes linked to social disadvantage. Territory 2030 sets targets to address these important issues and bring into focus the idea of wellness and prevention as a priority for all. This shift to wellness and prevention from current focus on treating people who are already unwell will require significant effort and reform across the health sector. We know it is a long-term target, but we are not afraid to tackle this issue head on.
The environment theme is about ensuring the Territory’s natural environment remains relatively intact and continues to be recognised nationally and internationally for its significance. It is about reducing our carbon footprint and ensuring we balance the interest of economic development with environmental sustainability so that future generations can continue to enjoy and reap benefit from the unique asset our natural environment offers.
Members would be aware that, in the immediate wake of the launch of Territory 2030, the government also released the Territory’s climate change policy. This policy points to the detailed way we intend to fulfil some of the key goals and aspirations of Territory 2030.
The knowledge, creativity and innovation theme is about setting a course to develop a knowledge-based economy in the Territory, fostering our creative arts, and helping Territory business to work smarter. This is an important challenge to build on the edge we have established in various creative and innovative niches, including the desert and tropical research centres, our well-developed Indigenous arts programs, and the university and research sectors we have developed and grown to date.
When releasing this document, the key issue raised with me and my ministers was the issue of implementation. This is a natural reaction. Whilst applauding the government fulfilling this initiative, people wanted to be reassured we would make the plan happen. I can assure all Territorians and this House we are very determined to implement this plan.
Following the launch, I acted quickly to ensure there is sharp focus within my government and government agencies on delivering the Territory 2030 vision. On 4 December, I announced a reshuffle of the Cabinet to further build on the release of the 2030 strategic plan. This was to ensure that ministries more directly align with our plans for the Territory’s growing and exciting future. At the same time, a departmental restructure was announced to better align agency business priorities with Territory 2030 targets.
Territory 2030 is the overarching framework, the strategic roadmap that sets the direction for government over the next 20 years. However, it does not stand alone, nor does it provide the detail of actions that will be taken to progress targets. That is not the purpose of a strategic plan; that job is now with government agencies which will work with strategic partners to progress the 129 targets in the plan. What it does do, however, is acknowledge we need to make progress in many interrelated spheres if we are to achieve the vision. For example:
access to a quality education will impact on an individual and a community’s economic prosperity;
an investment in research and development will have a positive impact on business productivity and economic growth; and
an inclusive society which values cultural diversity and promotes gender equity will have a positive impact on the safety and wellbeing of all Territorians.
Territory 2030 sets targets in all of these areas and more and, in doing so, provides the impetus for government agencies and, indeed, business and community organisations, to consider how they can contribute towards making progress - perhaps beyond their traditional responsibilities and interests - to reach our vision for 2030.
Importantly, Territory 2030 recasts how government will do its business. Territory 2030 demands a corporate responsibility approach, a joined-up approach that reaches beyond any single government agency. An example of how we are recasting this is through our key government policy frameworks. These include: A Working Future; A Healthier Territory; Smart Territory; Greening the Territory; Housing the Territory; Growing the Territory; A Safe Territory; Good Governance; and An Affordable Territory. They bring together key government activity under each policy framework, rather than presenting this information on a government agency by government agency approach.
One of the key points of difference for Territory 2030 is its governance arrangements. Apart from setting a new benchmark in public consultation for government planning, Territory 2030 is also at the cutting edge when it comes to how we intend to keep Territorians informed and involved. It is about an open government, transparency and accountability.
The foundation of this is through the Territory 2030 Cabinet subcommittee which has been established to oversee implementation of the strategy and to monitor and report on progress. This is the first time non-elected people have been brought into the Cabinet process in the Territory; it is a rare process in the entire nation. The two co-chairs from the former Territory 2030 Steering Committee sit on the Cabinet subcommittee as full members - Vicki O’Halloran and Bill Moss - in effect representing the voice of the people, and will help to keep focus on achieving the vision that Territorians have set out in Territory 2030.
I also appointed a Parliamentary Secretary to focus on Territory 2030 implementation, and I was pleased that the member for Arafura accepted this role. Given her extensive experience in government and her complementary role on the Council for Territory Cooperation, the member is perfectly placed to play an important oversight role in the implementation of the plan.
The government expects the subcommittee to play a very important role in ensuring the plan is being implemented. It will have extensive powers to call people from across agencies to ensure they are on target. The subcommittee has already met and has identified a number of priority targets for this first year of the strategy. Further Cabinet subcommittee dates have been set for the year. A dedicated Implementation Unit has been established within my department to coordinate implementation across the public sector and to support the Cabinet subcommittee in its work.
We will be going back out to Territorians again in the coming weeks and months to ensure we keep people informed about progress. A series of engagements across the Territory to brief key stakeholders and encourage participation at all levels of the community is being planned. Already, several key organisations have received briefings on Territory 2030, and more are under way. The process of realigning government business is well under way within government agencies. This will culminate in all agencies’ strategic and business plans being driven by Territory 2030 targets.
A series of Territory 2030 conferences will be held over the first couple of years of the strategy to progress priority issues, or to examine in more detail some of the underdeveloped targets in the plan. The first conference will be announced soon.
Importantly, in this targets-based strategy, it is data which will show how we are progressing. In some areas, data is readily available and will be used as a baseline against which future progress will be measured. In other areas, we will need to collate data and develop new ways to assess progress to determine how far we have to travel, and the path we need to get there. The Territory is often described as ‘data poor’, and, where there are data gaps, the Territory 2030 Strategic Plan proposes we undertake a household survey every two years.
Work will commence shortly on developing the first survey so we are ready to undertake the first one late next year. The findings from the household survey and existing data collections will not only provide the evidence base for decision-making, but will also inform our reporting to Territorians.
Furthermore, the government will publish a score card every two years so progress against targets can be scrutinised by Territorians, with the first one due in 2012. Public reporting on progress against targets is an integral element of our transparency framework. We will publish a score card detailing where we are and what we have achieved every two years. This will be a warts-and-all picture of how the strategy is tracking. As an interim measure, whilst the household survey and score card is under development, information about a number of the Territory 2030 targets and how the Territory is tracking will be published on the Territory 2030 website shortly. Territorians will be able to access information about where we are with a number of targets. For some targets, we already have access to information; however, there are some targets where there is no data available. As data collections are improved or developed, this information will be made available on the website for all Territorians to see.
We will be looking at the Northern Territory budget and how it is developed to ensure alignments with the objectives of Territory 2030. The budget development process will be linked to Territory 2030 to ensure the government investment is directed towards achieving Territory 2030 outcomes.
Each Northern Territory government chief executive will have key strategic Territory 2030 targets written into their performance agreements. A review of Territory 2030 will be undertaken every four to five years to ensure the strategic plan remains contemporary and relevant to the Territory. The review mechanism is to ensure Territory 2030 remains contemporary and relevant to a changing Territory. The strategy needs to be understood and considered as a living document. This will be an independent process where I will call together an independent steering committee to evaluate Territory 2030 and recommended improvements.
Whilst government is recasting how it does business to align with Territory 2030, government alone cannot achieve the targets laid out in the plan. To be a success, not only will government agencies work more closely together, but there will be an increased focus on strategic partnerships with business and industry, local government, the environmental sector, and the community. I cannot say this often enough: this is a plan for the Territory and not just for government; everyone can play a role. All these measures add up to an unprecedented level of openness and accountability in delivering on this major government strategy.
Territory 2030 is about the future; it is about our future. It is about working together to support the first ever long-term plan for the Territory. It is also about strong and decisive government action right now; this is what is happening. I believe it is a long overdue element of government planning, and provides an important framework for where we are heading as a community. It will be worked on over the next 20 years; it will be modified. However, it will form the basis of action provided there is a political will to adopt it. My government has demonstrated its will. Importantly, we have determined our actions now, and our planning for the future, and our future actions, will bring about the vision for the future Territorians have crafted through Territory 2030. It is an exciting vision,
Madam Speaker, I commend the statement to the House. I move that the Assembly take note of the statement.
Mr MILLS (Opposition Leader): Madam Speaker, at the outset I need to, and must, recognise the contribution of the members of the 2030 committee. Many of them I know quite well, and all of them I respect, and respect the contribution they have been called upon to make.
Yes, it is about fresh ideas and, yes, as the Chief Minister has said, it is important for governments to think outside the square. It is important to have such plans in place.
What I am to say is not a dissection or analysis of the quality of the ideas, because I believe those ideas stand on their own merit. What is in question here is the use of such mechanisms for political purposes. The quality of those ideas, the targets that have been set, the objectives that have been described, are appropriate and they have their place. However, the community is saying that the role of government is to set an agenda and achieve a result, and they are elected to make decisions, to cut a path, to take a risk and cause an idea to give birth to something that bears evidence of action, rather than a tool or a mechanism to create the impression something is happening.
You cannot fool the people all the time. They have had this approach to government for some time, where such enterprises are embarked on, with much activity, careful communication to stakeholder groups, where you establish your earnest credential to really listen, engage, and hear. In fact, it is not about listening and hearing in order to do - it is to listen and hear to create an impression you are doing something because you need to manage a political situation.
It is all ladder and no rung, because what is needed is the action plan that is going to result in something meaningful today. There is nothing more boring than a person who turns up at your house and talks about great plans of stuff they are going to do. You have been to all the meetings where people are talking about all their fantastic, well considered, intricate, detailed plans - and they do not do anything. They are boring people; they lose their credibility. That is what we have here: a boring government that talks about stuff.
People want to see a house they can afford to live in. They want to see the answer to the problem of land, which has been talked about for so long, result in something they can respond to today. They want to know what this city will look like in 20 years. Fine, but what is going to happen today which will make that possible? Where is the rung in the ladder?
We talk about what is at the top of the tree and we do not talk about anything that is happening today. We have revelations of a certain report on education, and we have fluffy talk out there, but what is happening today?
When we talk about leadership, you are going to have to take on something some people will violently disagree with and push it through, because you believe that the end of this exercise is worth the pain, the cost and the political risk. We do not see any of that. All we have is ‘fluffery’. We have, in fact, at the heart of this, an abdication of the central role of a government. A government is elected to lead and to make decisions.
The areas that have been researched by the committee are fine. However, what the community wants is not another slogan, another construct, another communiqu, and not promises that facts will be provided just before the next Territory election. This is all about managing community perception, managing a political process.
I am not alone in those views. The people are growing tired. They want to see something happen. We can put it out there and push it just out of reach. We can say all the right things, workshop those words, do some focus group work and all that kind of exercise, press a few buttons so people get a good feeling about this, and put statehood out there just out of reach.
Well, that is all right, but what is happening today that gives evidence one way or another that we are making progress? The intervention. How did that occur? It occurred as an abdication of responsibility and a genuine response to calls. They were not heeded and when they were finally responded to as result of political pressure, those exercises such as the inquiry were sat on until pressure increased again. Then it was released and it was too late - there was an intervention. Yet, we put statehood out there. What happens today to give any credibility to that dream?
I do not want to turn my mind to the details of the recent issues because I find it distressing; that is, child protection. There has been more skating around this to avoid direct moral responsibility, managing the perception, changing the deck chairs around to create some kind of impression, rather than deal with an issue honestly before your community, and inspire them that you care. Yet, we have fluffery, an abdication of responsibility and the role of government to take a risk, cut a path. Do something controversial, make a decision. Maybe the people will not like it but, at the end of the day, they will look back and say: ‘They believed in something more than process’.
I believe the community has had enough. I am not speaking alone on this. I hear what people are saying. They are frustrated and they want action; they want an outfit that will hear and do. How is it we have had media release after media release, story after story - even glossy brochures paid for by Territorians - about the response to the land crisis? This is a real issue. How often have you been down the back lots and looked at those people who do not have a house and are living hidden from view? Do you go and hear their story? Do you take pause to consider the things you have said; the expectations you have raised; the flood of people who come into my office the moment you responded - you changed tact. You responded and said: ‘Oh yes, yes, it is a problem and it is going to be the biggest land release the Territory has ever seen’. You issued all the media releases and put ads in the paper; managed the community, raised their expectations.
However, you failed to deliver - except more media releases to buy more time to manage community expectations. And, still, two options both failed. Expectations were raised and the community frustrated. Ordinary people paying rents - that you were warned about - balance supply and demand. Turn your heart and your mind to it and do something. Do not occupy all the resources of government to manage the message, manage the media; spin these things whichever way you like. I have been to two forums in here and economic summits. It is fine, but you were elected to make leadership decisions that could be hard to make. It is beyond how popular you are. It is about how right you are and how seriously you take your job.
I would much prefer to be led by an outfit that has the courage of its convictions to make hard decisions the community may not like - but hold your ground because you know what you are doing and you are doing it for the right reason. That is not to bolster and manage your popularity and your profile in your electorate.
This is the issue with this: there is no concern for the quality of the ideas. I commend the people who were involved in this. They were called upon to be involved in this. You know, probably if you took the time and had the smarts to ask them what they thought, what the real issue is, it is not the ideas. The real issue is the capacity to implement the ideas, and to say: ‘Yes, this government has the will’. It has the will to organise processes, to create impressions – oh, yes, that is your will and you make efforts there. Do you have a will to make a way to benefit Territorians - those families out there who are looking to government now to see that there is going to be, finally, a genuine admission that you have concealed evidence with regard to the protection of children? Have you had a change of heart?
You can have the best game plan in the world but, unless you have a coach who inspires the team, it is going to be: ’Oh, yes, another plan’. ‘Do not worry, I am going to put it on glossy paper and we are going to have them break up into small groups and we are going to talk about it’ - this great plan. They want to be inspired, to take a risk, and to be inspired with a quality of leadership that is honest. You have concealed information about a most serious issue.
I was at a meeting last night and someone did not want to talk about it – a hard man with a piercing in his eyebrow and ear; a tough guy, and he could not talk about it. He could not talk about what had occurred in our own community with children. Yet, this government will conceal that information, even when it is leaked, not provided. That is the absence of courage and moral conviction required if we are to take such a plan seriously. Otherwise, we have that boring git at the barbecue who tells about all their great plans they have, things they are going to do. Well, I do not think I will go back to the barbecue. I lost my interest. I want to see someone who has done something, who is honest, who has some courage and conviction beyond their own appearance or preservation.
That is the missing ingredient here. I can point at any area, and my colleague will do that. I see there is all the right talk, all the right gobbledegook, with regard to how this process language is constructed. There is the use of the word ‘data’, like evidence. It gives you that assurance because the words are used, and we think: ‘Oh, we want to see action’. Therefore, ‘action’ is used, the world ‘will’ is used - there is a ‘will’ in this government. A will to do what? We do not know after all this time. However, I do not see any data there. I trust that the ministers who will stand will provide real data, because we have pie-in-the-sky, we have nothing on the plate right now we can relate to. It is ‘going to do’, ‘want to do’, ‘hope to do’, ‘hope it happens’, with all the right dressing of all the right language around that to create the right impression.
I tell you that people are fed up with it. They are fed up to the back teeth with this kind of approach. They want to see a change of heart in the government, to get on with the business and attend to stuff which would show you really do care about the interests of Territorians. Spend time with people. I know Dr Burns spends time at the markets. I am sure people line up and tell him. I know others may have conversations but, perhaps, it is getting hard to hear. I can hear it, and I know what they want. They want the rungs on the ladder - what happens today, tomorrow, the next day - that makes us think this is real. We can talk about statehood and push it over the horizon, but if the actions today betray that sentiment, then it becomes meaningless. We do not inspire, we do not build courage, and we do not build that resilience within our community. It is just fluffery, and people go about their own business, and reduce their operations into smaller patterns of ever-diminishing circles - people disconnect. Let us inspire them, let us challenge them.
Madam Speaker, that being said, I hope to hear from the ministers who will speak of data, evidence, something concrete. I hope to see, from this point forward, ministers with the courage of their convictions stand before public audiences and state their case and argue their claim, rather than have media minders or guns for hire come down and manage difficult issues like shire reform, education, and so on. When do you see the minister stand up and take the crowd on that might be hostile, and have the courage of their convictions to have that battle in public? You do not see that courage from this government. You will have the professional public relations experts wheeled in who can manage the crowds. Where is the minister, the elected person, to stand in front of a hostile crowd?
I hope that occurs, that you stand and show that you have that ticket. I should not tell you this, because I know the community will reward you for it even if they do not agree with you, because they have not seen it from this government. They have not seen that level of courage, where you have the courage of your convictions to stand and be able to confront them.
The former Labor member for Macdonnell is the only one I can recall who has done that - but is no longer with Labor. I hope that is one thing we will see: someone stand and raise a contention, and show the courage of their convictions. I hope to see real data, real evidence, presented by the ministers, and something which is genuinely real, manageable, and achievable. However, it is right here and now which challenges. Perhaps it is contentious, but we know it is far more than just managing the media cycle.
The idea at the heart of this is fine. The role of government has been abdicated, in my view. These things have occurred before. I remember Foundations for Our Future from Denis Burke. I came into parliament about that time.
Mr Vatskalis: Was that the longest suicide note?
Mr MILLS: What did he say?
Mr Elferink: Yes, that is right. The longest suicide note in Territory history. Know what? It applies right here, right now.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Port Darwin, the Leader of the Opposition has the call, not you.
Mr MILLS: Thank you, Madam Speaker. He is not the only person to have made the connection between Foundations for Our Future and the attempt to create some kind of framework. We know the end of that story. The view is we see the same thing being played out here - many similarities. We will wait and see whether this is, in fact, about managing cycles and being captured by the process, or about real action. We will wait and see but, member for Casuarina, I favour the view that this is history repeating itself.
Ms LAWRIE (Treasurer): Madam Speaker, I thank the Chief Minister for this important statement. It is important to have it debated now on the first parliamentary sitting day of the year.
The Leader of the Opposition talked about leadership and courage. It was a courageous Chief Minister who embarked on a process, at arm’s length to government, which brought him eminent people such Bill Moss and Vicki O’Halloran as co-chairs of the economic and social committees to bring the steering committee together with a series of eminent experts across a range of backgrounds and experience, and told them to communicate with the people of the Territory on behalf of government and listen to what they said. That will form a basis of the blueprint for the focus and direction of government efforts to take us through to 2030, to create the Territory we, as a broader community, want to see in 2030 - not a foundation politicians might want to see.
It was a genuine process which involved consultation with people across the communities of the Territory by a body of experts who were not politicians bent on playing a bizarre game of political football you saw described by the Leader of the Opposition today in this Chamber. Shame on him for showing a lack of leadership this morning in this debate. Shame on him for not understanding 2030 is a vision genuinely formed by the people of the Territory, as opposed to what politicians might want to see for political benefit and outcome. It genuinely is a vision owned by the people of the Territory.
It was courageous also in that the Chief Minister said he will, for the first time in the history of the Territory, create a Cabinet subcommittee which has representatives outside Cabinet on it, to scrutinise the implementation of this vision, and have the ability to bring before it senior public servants, ministers, and other people who can provide commentary on whether the implementation is actually occurring.
This is visionary, strong leadership from the Chief Minister, setting out a very clear pathway through the 2030 vision to create a better, more vibrant, safer, stronger Territory through the views of the community - the views of the people of the Territory - being communicated through the forums that were held and all the submissions provided. We will not lose sight of that work. We will not put that report on a shelf and say the job is done. The job has started; the work will continue.
I sit on the subcommittee of Cabinet as the Deputy Chief Minister. I am participating in those meetings, and I am very aware of the vigour in the room with the Chief Minister, Bill Moss, Vicki O’Halloran, with me and now to be joined by the member for Arafura and our Indigenous policy minister driving the implementation. So it is not a body of work which sits on the shelf and people pay lip service to it. CEOs will be made accountable for the work they are doing with their departments to implement this strategy.
The Leader of the Opposition continues to trash the Territory: ‘Woe is the Territory. All of these things are bad about the Territory’. Well, stand up for the Territory. We are punching above our weight. We are the smallest jurisdiction in population in our nation, yet, we punch above our weight. We are the strongest growing economy in the nation. We are the future of our nation. We have the natural resources, the mineral resources, the oil and gas but, importantly, we have dynamic and vibrant people.
It is the people who fundamentally make all of these things work. Territorians, in other jurisdictions, often rise to the top very quickly because they are innovative, they have courage, they have strength, and they know it takes a range of approaches to achieve an outcome. They are used to doing it tough, in tough conditions, with the odds against them, and coming out and winning.
Territory 2030 sets out where we need to win; where we need to get those wins to make the Territory the best place for the people of the Territory - to be a powerhouse for our nation. It is absolutely achievable. What is in here is achievable.
Instead, we get strange waffle from the Leader of the Opposition instead of focusing on the issues that 2030 lays out. I will talk about courage and a minister standing up and having the courage.
Local government reform was, and remains, contentious. The Council of Territory Cooperation is looking into local government reform. It is fundamentally contentious, fundamentally difficult to do - taking all those community councils and bringing them into a shire-based system, and taking unincorporated areas of the Territory and ensuring they are part of shires, reducing to the number of shires we have now. I watched our Local Government ministers go into communities right across the Territory, and face the crowds and talk about local government reform. I watched our former member for Barkly do it, and I watched our member for Daly pick up that mantle and continue that work. I am now watching our member for Arnhem continue to do that.
The most significant reform in government in the history of the Territory and it has been the courage of Labor to do it. It took the courage of our ministers to walk out the door and face the crowd and have the debate, while the CLP has fluffed around in that space for decades with a half-hearted attempt in the Tiwi. We came in and we did it - difficult reform, tough reform to do. It took a long time in its implementation to ensure our shires are strengthened through the reforms. We are part way down that path and we have a long way to go; it is so significant to improving the conditions for people in the bush. We never lost sight of that outcome. We never lost sight of the opportunities for the bush through local government reform - tough to do, courageous to do. It took real leadership to do, and I watched my ministerial colleagues, one by one, walk out that door and take it on.
I challenge the Leader of the Opposition; he has blinkers on. Take the blinkers off. Understand the real work being done here and now in the Territory and embrace it, be a part of it, be positive. Find the ideas and find the solutions, instead of just trashing the Territory. The old divide-and-rule CLP is back, and it is a shame to see it. The politics of blame is back and it is a shame to see it ...
Mr Tollner: You do not need us to divide you; you are at each other’s throats all the time - and you are the leader of it.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Fong Lim.
Ms LAWRIE: It comes back to they will resort to their old ways very quickly. The blame game is back, instead of clear ideas, positive solutions, and suggestions around strengthening the Territory. We are a small jurisdiction with enormous challenges and significant disadvantage which has existed for decades, which we will tackle and are tackling. We are putting the resources in, but no government in the Territory can do it on its own. It takes a collaborative approach with the Commonwealth government. With successive Commonwealth governments we have been in there working. We will continue to work hard to achieve the significant investment and resources it will take to turn around disadvantage in the bush.
Territory 2030 was a critical turning point in saying: ‘Let us actually listen to what the people at the community level want. What are their aspirations? What do they want to see as the vision for the future of the Territory?’ To bring that together was a difficult, lengthy process for government to go through because it was challenging. There are ambitions in it which are challenging to people who are working in government to achieve. We are not underestimating the challenges in the 2030 vision. We have signed up to it, and we have a process in place to keep us on task. The subcommittee of Cabinet is there to keep us on task. We have Bill Moss and Vicki O’Halloran sitting on that subcommittee with the Chief Minister and senior ministers, and the Parliamentary Secretary to drive it. The member for Arafura has the skills, knowledge of government, and is a former Deputy Chief Minister who only stepped down due to ill health. She has the skills and ability to drive this as Parliamentary Secretary.
This is an initiative by the Chief Minister showing leadership, capturing by listening to the ambitions of Territorians. It has six key areas in it. It is not trying to be all things for all people and, therefore, achieving nothing. There are six key areas where there is a real focus to drive the Territory forward.
Education, of course, is the No 1 key that underpins our vision for 2030. It underpins the task and the work we have ahead of us. It is our first objective. Territorians need to meet or exceed the national standards for education and training. It sounds simple but, with the deficit we have in education, particularly in the bush, it is an enormous challenge. We have had early successes if you look at accelerated literacy and what that has meant to the improvements at the school level in NAPLAN tests. We have the pointers on the pathway to show us how to achieve it.
Accelerated literacy is but one. It is a significant objective to have Territorians meet or exceed the national standards for education and training. Education is at the core of the health of our society - from early childhood, which is pre-school in the true sense before preschool, right through preschool, primary, middle, secondary, tertiary and, of course, vocational education and training. We are bringing that together - lifelong learning, providing learning for our adults who have missed that opportunity in the past, which is a significant challenge, particularly in the bush, but a challenge 2030 binds us to.
We will have to report on it. There will be reports and score cards on this work. We are not going to have this sit on the shelf and say: ‘Well tick that box; we have a vision’. We will be reporting against how we are achieving the priorities in that vision.
On education, the Leader of the Opposition said: ‘I have not seen ministers with the courage to stand out there and face the crowds over something that might not be popular but is the right thing to do’. Well, I have never heard such hypocrisy. In education, a fundamental turning point was a courageous decision which was made in delivering Indigenous education – a decision that has been debated up hill and down dale in this House and will continue to be - the decision to introduce four hours of English learning in the formerly bilingual system. That was contentious, it remains contentious but, at the end of the day, it is a strong Education minister who said that our kids need to be able to speak, read, and write English to have the opportunities all Territorians enjoy.
Courageous, she went out the door. The member for Arafura went to the communities, had a series of community meetings. They were heated, they were difficult, and it continues to be contentious to this day. Our Education minister continues to work on that issue. Our minister for Indigenous policy continues to look at how to retain and strengthen Indigenous language in the Territory - contentious, courageous and real leadership to tackle the core of a need, which is Education; the ability for our kids to speak, read and write English to give them a chance at the opportunities in the Territory or, indeed, anywhere in our nation.
That took courage and leadership. It was a minister who went out and took the bullets, meeting after meeting, in the communities affected, in meeting after meeting with delegations coming to her in Darwin. As a Cabinet, we stood solidly with her, and we still do. We recognise it is contentious, we recognise the importance of Indigenous language and culture in our communities, and maintaining and strengthening that, and that is the work being undertaken by our minister for Indigenous policy. We have not put that issue to rest. We will continue to work on it from an education and an Indigenous policy perspective.
Education in the remote communities, for Indigenous Territorians, whether they are remote, regional or urban, is a key issue for us. We will continue to pursue a fair outcome and opportunities for all Territorians. That takes in resources and programs such as Accelerated Literacy. It takes in the tutors in the schools, the workers to help get the kids to school, but we will continue to do that and we will be reporting against that in our score card.
There was courage and leadership every step of the way down that debate, and the opposition just slammed it - used it as a political football rather than taking it as an opportunity to see real reform in education in the Territory. There is a lack of courage and leadership from the CLP.
The other area is society. The society key area covers topics from housing affordability through to public safety. Territory 2030 has the very admirable goal of making the Territory one of the nation’s most affordable housing markets in the country. We do not underestimate that challenge in a growing economy where we have high population growth rate.
It is important to point out this is not about sending property prices spiralling down. It is about having a stable property market with supply coming on to meet demand ahead of time. Our Housing the Territory strategy currently - action, real action now - includes the release of six blocks over the next five years. Real action now is seeing the release at Bellamack. Real action now is seeing the release at Mt Johns Valley in Alice Springs. Real action now is seeing the release of Johnston - real action now.
We have worked with Defence to get Lyons out the door. We have worked with Defence for Muirhead to get out the door as well. We have released land into the property market in Katherine. We have released land into the property market in Tennant Creek. We are doing the lease agreements for the major Indigenous communities across the Territory. We are setting the plans in place, for the first time, for where the residential, the commercial and services will be - real action, right here, right now. It is tough action, tough to do, tough to pursue, and it takes a lot of resources. However, we are putting the resources in - $130m in the 2009-10 Budget alone for infrastructure to support land release. We are dedicating within that release dedicated public housing stock and affordable housing stock. New policy for the Territory; it took a Labor government to do it!
Under the A Safe Territory strategy, the government has a comprehensive approach to improving community safety. Alcohol is a factor in around 60% of all crime reported in the Territory: 59% of assaults involve alcohol, and 51% of assaults involve domestic violence. Talk about courageous, leadership, and bold - we are the only place in the world with a universal mandatory reporting system for domestic violence. The first place in the world - innovative, bold, courageous leadership. Ministers are going out and facing the nay-sayers of that …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, order!
Ms LAWRIE: Strong, bold and basic measures …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, member for Fong Lim!
Ms LAWRIE: … to tackle domestic violence; putting the resources into police for dedicated Domestic Violence Units; putting the resources into the courts to assist the victims of domestic violence; and putting resources into the shelters and the NGOs to support the victims of domestic violence. That all takes courage. We are talking about the unpalatable subject of domestic violence; we are putting it out there, taking action on it, making it safer for victims of domestic violence.
We are not stopping with that. We are putting in training programs. The family violence training program has been a great success where we are bringing people in from communities and training them in the skills they need to be the champions of safety in their community. The men’s group has worked right across the Territory for men to be champions of safety in their communities. That is innovative. It is not occurring anywhere else. It is here in the Territory. We are doing it. We are pushing the boundaries ...
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order Madam Speaker! I move the member be given an extra 10 minutes so she may complete her remarks, pursuant to Standing Order 77.
Motion agreed to.
Ms LAWRIE: Thank you, Madam Speaker. I am aware of the time, and I will try to stick to 12 pm.
We have introduced legislative changes to provide the tools to assist police for greater community safety: CCTV cameras, the antisocial behaviour hot line, patrol services - whether it is the First Response Patrol or the Night Patrols and the Day Patrols to assist in the ancillary roles which keep police focused on responding to crime - more police on the beat, the City Safe initiatives, tougher sentences, a secure taxi rank, and alcohol management plans. Talk about tough, talk about leadership, talk about courageous, talk about an ID system in Alice Springs and …
Mr Tollner: That is what it is all about, talk. It is all about talk.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Fong Lim!
Ms LAWRIE: All you want to do is trash it, say it is not fair; it is not the right thing to do. Yet, we are seeing alcohol consumption reducing in Alice Springs. We are able to prohibit people in Alice Springs because of the ID system. It does not exist elsewhere. Courageous and bold ministers walked out the door and did it. The member for Johnston pursued that as Minister for Alcohol Policy. He took on the crowds in Alice Springs and has continued the debate about it.
Economic sustainability is a key priority within the strategy. As Treasurer, the objective of economic sustainability, of course, is a priority I am pursuing. Under our government, we have seen strength in our economy and economic growth. Access Economics is predicting we will be the strongest growing economy in our nation for the next five years, punching above our weight.
That being said, we are certainly seeing the flow-on effects of the global financial crisis. We stepped up to the plate; we put the extra investment in infrastructure to keep jobs, to create new jobs - 6000 new jobs. It is real action here right now.
When the CLP was last in power, the only jobs growth was furniture removalists because hoards of Territorians had to leave because our economy had flatlined …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, order! Member for Katherine!
Ms LAWRIE: There was plenty of work for furniture removalists, but everyone else had to head south to find a job. They did not want to go; they loved living in the Territory, but they had to head south to find a job. You can get a job in the Territory ...
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, order!
Ms LAWRIE: Manpower Queensland say we are the best place to go if you want a job. We have the strongest growth in the nation - right here and right now – with strength of leadership in economic management. We took it from deficits under the CLP into successive surpluses under Labor.
Yes, it is a tough job, and this coming financial year, 2011, will be the toughest of them all. We are predicting a deficit. We chose to go into deficit to create jobs. We make no apology for that - 6000 jobs created. The Territory is the place to be if you want a job. The families of the Territory say: ‘Thank God, because without a job, try feeding a family, try paying the rent’. A job is fundamental to the economic health of a family.
Health and wellbeing is a priority area. As Minister for Alcohol Policy, I have a core responsibility here. There is no doubt our plan to reduce the amount of alcohol Territorians consume to the national average is bold. It is an enormous challenge. However, we will continue to roll out the alcohol management plans; we will continue to put the interventionist tools in place. The alcohol court which, of course, the CLP trashed and slammed is taking real action in tackling alcohol. We have 300 additional treatment and rehabilitation beds in the Territory under Labor; we have more being funded.
We will tackle alcohol at every level. We are introducing new laws to tackle the alcohol-fuelled violence in our pubs and clubs. We are supporting the hoteliers with the action they are taking. We are supporting our police with the action they are taking. A total of 70% of alcohol consumption is off licence, and that is a massive issue. That is why we have alcohol management plans. Groote Eylandt is a good example of real action which creates real change - 50% reduction in crime with the alcohol management plan there.
Nhulunbuy, Alice Springs, Tennant Creek, and Katherine already have plans, and the challenge is on for Darwin and Palmerston. I know there will be political footballs being kicked around by the CLP because they are not fair dinkum about reducing alcohol consumption in our community.
In 2008, there was a reduction in the supply of alcohol into the Territory of 0.3% while our population grew at 2%. Change is occurring right here and right now.
We have a pristine environment, and protecting our environment is a core part of our approach to sustainable development. We have two prime objectives here: being the custodians of our natural heritage, and sustainable living. It is about living and growing in harmony with our environment. We can manage the Territory’s natural resources according to the principles of ecologically sustainable development. Again, Territory 2030 sets out clear targets under each of these objectives.
Madam Speaker, I am running out of time so I will be brief. This is such an exciting area of the vision of 2030 - knowledge, creativity, and innovation. It is the last of the key areas in 2030. It is about developing a focus on research and innovation, increasing participation in arts and cultural activities and events, and improving access to and the use of technology. Here is a very exciting opportunity for the Territory; we are innovative in what we are doing. We have distance learning innovation. We have health service innovation regarding distances. There are other parts of the world intrinsically interested in the innovation we have here: the research teams at Charles Darwin University; the research centres, Desert Knowledge amongst them.
There is such an exciting opportunity in innovation, research and knowledge which is occurring right here and now, and I am so pleased to see it as a bedrock priority area in 2030. We have some incredible talent in the Territory regarding the thinkers in the world. Professor Grahame Webb is the head of the Crocodile Research Society in the world. We have some incredible thinkers here. Jonathan Carapetis is acknowledged for the work he does; he has participated right through 2030. I am proud of the Territorians and the talent we have which can deliver in this area of innovation, research, and knowledge. I am proud to be a part of a government which will ensure we are focused on that area to support its growth and the delivery of the opportunities in the Territory.
I sincerely thank the co-chairs, Bill Moss and Vicki O’Halloran, for the work they have done to date, their ongoing commitment, and the work they will continue to do. I have the privilege of working with them. They are dynamic, visionary people who have the energy to continue down this pathway to deliver the vision for 2030.
I thank everyone who made those 75 submissions. I thank everyone who went out as the steering committee and participated in all of those community forums. I thank the members of our community for putting forward their ideas. I sincerely thank the 2030 steering committee for listening to them. We have an exciting vision. It is not going to be a document that sits on the shelf and collects dust. It will continue to be recorded against by government. There will be a score card. We will be testing CEOs of our departments to ensure they are meeting the requirements set down in the 2030 vision. As ministers, we will each be responsible for answering to our colleagues how we are driving and implementing 2030. We are up for the task. We are up for the challenge because we have a leader who has a vision.
Debate suspended.
LEAVE OF ABSENCE
Member for Arafura
Member for Arafura
Dr BURNS (Leader of Government Business): Madam Speaker, I move the member for Arafura, Ms Scrymgour, have leave of absence today on account of ill health.
Motion agreed to.
TABLED PAPER
Pairing Arrangement –
Members for Arafura and Araluen
Pairing Arrangement –
Members for Arafura and Araluen
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I have received a document relating to pairs for the members for Arafura and Araluen. It is signed by both the Government Whip and the acting Opposition Whip.
MOTION
Proposed Censure of Chief Minister and Minister for Education and Training
Proposed Censure of Chief Minister and Minister for Education and Training
Mr MILLS (Opposition Leader): Madam Speaker, I move that the Chief Minister and the Minister for Education and Training be censured for:
- (a) failing to uphold their 2001 election promise to make education their highest priority;
- (b) continuing to fail to invest the necessary resources into the Education portfolio;
- (c) lying to Territorians about the state of education standards and the causes for these lower standards;
- (d) failing to set a timetable for action with a measurable target of improvement in basic education standards in the Territory;
- (e) attempting to mislead Territorians in respect to actions and policies set down by the opposition while offering no actions to address one of the most profoundly important issues in the Territory; namely, the worst educational outcomes in the nation; and
- (f) failing to have the decency to provide schools and teachers with the resources they so desperately need to lift literacy and numeracy standards in the Northern Territory.
We had interjections to start this debate with attacks across the table referring, as their main point, that they have money, and lots of it, which has been spent. It is how that money is spent, the thinking behind it, and the employment of that money which achieves results. However, you are not going to make that effort, and that is why the Chief Minister and the Minister for Education and Training should be censured for their blatant dishonesty.
It is akin to a parent who receives a report card from their child, and that student report card indicates the child is not performing to their capacity or their ability; then, having a dishonest response to that, condoning that falling and declining standard and giving false and empty platitudes to the student by saying: ‘Everything is okay. Do not let anyone dare tell you that this is a bad report card’. If anyone does try to tell them the truth, they leap to their defence because their feelings may be hurt.
We have to have a new approach here, and it starts with, first, recognising there is a problem. This government has failed to recognise there is a problem. While admitting there is reporting, it easily crafted a response; that being, it is an Indigenous issue. You can amplify that and then falsely reassure everyone else that everything is just fine and, in the words of the member for Karama: ‘We are punching above weight. We are on a par. Do not worry everyone else. We are all doing just fine’.
My school results came out; they are afraid of that level of scrutiny. That level of scrutiny is presented for all. It requires some leadership and an honest response. It might be hard news to tell but, if you want to build some capacity within your community (1) recognise there is a challenge, and (2) set about responding to that challenge.
Does it or does it not indicate the false assurances of the Chief Minister - the empty, pathetic, and weak leadership shown by this Labor government – which will cover over a lower standard and a lower level of achievement as being just fine. It, in fact, goes one step further and deceives with false assurances. What do you think parents are going to think? What do you think the system is going to think if their leader tells them everything is okay? ‘Let us attack the instrument which has been used to measure this which shows us a result we do not like. Let us pull that apart. Oh dear, there is not a Liberal and conservative outfit behind this. It is Julia Gillard who is behind it, so we cannot attack on that front’.
When another community leader, the Opposition Leader with shadow responsibility for education and a desire to call it as it is, recognises it as a challenge and, to move to a solution makes a statement that there is a challenge here, a systemic problem that needs a solution, the messenger is attacked. You would rather attack the messenger than to accept there is a need for leadership. You would prefer to hang with those who feel uncomfortable because there is some news out there that may be a challenge, and placate them and say: ‘There, there, that nasty Opposition Leader. His motives are this, that and the other’.
Well, I can tell you my motives will be shown over time because I am not leaving this spot. I have been involved in education for 17 years, and I will fight for high standards. I will not compromise, and I will ensure teachers in my system tell the truth to parents so there could be a plan put in place to lift those standards to which students could aspire. It is a bit like having a sporting carnival and dropping everything down so everyone feels they are doing okay but, in their heart of hearts, they know they are not. That is deception. That is false illusions that provide no sense, or no capacity for anyone to make any progress in life. That is the call; in fact, the demand of leadership: to tell the truth.
Instead of admitting - and if you were at that media conference, the media staff who were there knew the whole story. Who is playing politics here and who sees this through only a political lens? Who sees the object of the politics is to protect the interests of government? ‘Forget the kids. Forget the problem that has been highlighted. Let us attack the messenger. Let us see this through a political lens so that we can deal with it politically’. It is totally inadequate, and you leave exposed that which needs to be defended right now.
There are a number of debates which could occur but, at the heart of it, you do not have a desire to respond to a hard challenge; that is, to lift standards in the Territory. You have failed the kids. You have failed those teachers. To falsely tell those teachers the terrible Opposition Leader is attacking teachers - nothing could be further from the truth. What those teachers need is proper leadership and support from this Labor government. They need a government that has the capacity to call it as it is and respond with courage, rather than excuse making and grubby politics where you will seize hold of information and use it to your political advantage, just to confuse and deflect responsibility from yourselves.
You can talk about 2030, pie in the sky, and great plans and visions for the future with cleverly crafted words about magnificent processes, but you cannot tell the truth, face up to reality, or accept the challenge. You abdicate yourself from the responsibility of leadership; and you then shoot the messenger. You are happy to do that. It is the least of my concerns. However, the worst of this is, if you have ever been involved in this kind of leadership, you know it is hard. The schools try hard; they work hard. There are so many hard-working teachers out there. There is nothing wrong with our kids - nothing at all. You tell me there cannot be improvements in the way those teachers are supported. You try to tell me you cannot make any kind of improvement - that is what you are saying: ‘We are accepting a lower standard’. That is unacceptable.
To stand here as community leaders and play that deceitful and disgusting game, and to leave the field when leadership is required, is disgraceful. Who is being let down here? What ground has been left exposed? It is the ground that needs to be protected for these kids. These kids need to know that more can be expected of them, and to work hard to allow them to achieve that.
That is why this censure is most fitting. I put much more behind this. You can say whatever you like. You can talk about media releases I should have known about. I know about those media releases because, typical of Labor, they talk about the amount of money which is spent as though that is some kind of extraordinary achievement. Achievement is achieved by people with properly constructed programs that activate and release the capacity within a person to make change. That change should occur in the system.
First, recognise there are challenges. There was a policy that was outlined - no briefing, you just had your little clique upstairs to work out how you can deal with this politically.
You would not have recognised this because I do not think you believe people make a difference; you think programs and money make the difference. I believe people make the difference. The program you have so deceitfully denigrated without paying it the courtesy of consideration in the interest of providing good and sound leadership in this debate.
We talk about having a conversation. We have a member on the other side who goes by the title of Doctor. If you are going to have a contest of ideas, let us have a fair contest of ideas and a debate. If you were involved in that media conference, you would have known the whole story was told - not just the political story as you would like it to be. You judge me by the motives that you are operating under yourselves. You think the only way I am operating is to try to score a political point. That is not the case because, in visiting those schools, I have nothing but respect for those teachers. There is nothing wrong with our kids.
For the life of me, I cannot accept the Education minister, and the former Education minister, the Chief Minister, could play a game that confounds, confuses, deceives, and accepts, condones, and endorses a low standard, and makes every kind of excuse because they are only operating politically. This is the difference. The difference is money versus the use of that money to achieve a result. The result is achieved through it being spent to empower decision- making at the grassroots level. It starts with the classrooms. That is why money was spent in the classroom.
You talk about tutors in the classroom; you had better get out there and have a look at that tutor scheme which was falsely described here as though it is in existence - not in the form that was described here in this policy. This is the form we will put in place to ensure we can provide the help where it is most needed - in the classroom. To even squib on that, and to falsely assert in the Chamber here, for the benefit of those who think this is some kind of political contest: ‘Oh no, we already have that’. You do not know the detail and you are not interested in the detail of this; you are operating only politically, and that is the end of the story.
You would have tutors in every classroom, from Year 2 to Year 6, irrespective of whether schools like Karama, for example, are making wise use of the funds that go into the school to provide a support to every kid in that school. It can only be provided for some schools. If the message of that broad resource, for the support of that teacher in that classroom, you would find you would have the support of the teachers.
However, you are not interested in that level of leadership; you just want to play politics. To strengthen and support the operation in the classroom is what this policy is about. Where is your detail? Where is the truth about the detail of your policy and how it, in fact, works? It was dishonest representation and is warranting further censure, because those hard-working teachers need that additional support.
We need to provide the additional support to COGSO for those parents who want to be involved in and strengthen their partnership role in education. To deceitfully dismiss this and misrepresent those initiatives is undermining the very principles which will build strong education: strengthening the partnerships empowering those parents to be more active participants in the decision-making at the school level. No, you are not interested in any of that, because it is a political game, so you can chuck all that away. Well, that will not be dismissed and it will not be pulled out of the marketplace; it will stay there because, I believe, this is what is needed. The so-called Education minister, with his little clique up there, is developing some kind of response to this. He has a league table, and it is disgraceful. Here is my league table and it shows there is still a serious problem. However, he cannot see that. There is none so blind as those who would not see.
He lists what the opposition say they will do: ‘We are doing all this stuff’ – no detail. You have had nine years to respond to the call from COGSO about providing some real support to them - nine years to do it. You have the audacity to say: ‘Oh yes, we are in ongoing discussions with COGSO about providing them with some support’. Ongoing discussion! As though that is some kind of noble rebut to this shallow proposition, which has real money beside it and a real commitment, and based on a real principle that parents are valuable and their contribution to the school should be strengthened by an investment from government. You have had nine years to do it, and you say: ‘We are in discussions about that, so we are already doing it, in effect’. That is Labor speak for: ‘If we think about it and put out an announcement that is effectively doing it. What are we doing? We are just managing the politics of this; we are just managing the perceptions of this. We are not actually doing anything. We are spending money, but do we understand how change occurs?’ It starts by telling the truth!
There is COGSO and AEU NT. Even though there is merit in both - they probably said it, and it was selectively amplified: ‘These guys are going to test all the Year 1 kids and we already have enough league table business going around. Now, they are going to test the Year 1s, poor little tackers. They will not be able to cope with that’. That helps you score a political point. Do you understand what that is about?
Any Year 1 teacher can tell whether a kid in their charge is going to experience some challenge. What this is about is to ensure there is a system in place where any issue which is going to impede the learning capacity of that kid is going to be responded to. That is what it is about. You throw out league tables. Julia’s league table is put out as a bogey man, as a distraction from the real issue. To make sure, you pick it early, and you respond early; you put a plan in place early.
That is what it is about, and I will not leave that space no matter how deceitfully my opponents on the other side try to play this out for political interest. I am staying in this space. I am not moving from this spot, because I have spoken to parents and I visited schools. Yes, I was complimentary, because I admire the work of those teachers. However, what they could do with is stronger and more courageous leadership rather than the game playing we are getting from the Labor administration. They fluff themselves around. They like being at school assemblies, and say how lovely everything is and how nice things are. However, if a result comes out you say that nasty opposition is making you feel embarrassed about things, rather than that you could do better.
If your local football team is not scoring too many goals and is not quite getting into the top eight or whatever, do you tell them they are doing fine; that they are actually grand finalists? You tell them this is where we are, and this is what we need to do to respond. That is real love; that is real care.
My son did not do so well at school. Did I say: ‘You are fantastic. You are doing as well as your sister’? He knew! What did we do? We found out where he was and took him from that spot to another spot. Did we say his report was fantastic? No. We said: ‘You need to lift your game, sport, and this is how we are going to help you’. We told him the truth.
These are the people who would say: ‘No, everything is hunky-dory. The nasty man over there is telling us we are not doing a good job and he hates teachers’. That is rubbish!
In visiting the schools, I admire the work of those teachers. They are doing an extraordinary job. Could there be better support? Could the money be spent in different ways to empower activities at the grassroots level? Absolutely, and that is what this policy is about. I believe the power should be sent, to a greater degree, out to the schools - to the school councils, the classrooms - so there can be innovative programs put in place by those school communities to respond to the challenges that real information provides them with, so they can go from one place to another; from strength to greater strength.
That is what it is about, rather than say: ‘There is no problem in the position you are in. Everything is fine; do not worry’. That is deception, because we could do better. What we have heard, as Sarra concluded in his review, was this is a system which has struggled, and is struggling, under low expectations. That culture has to change. If you have a low expectation - and I am sure the member for Johnston has heard this story. There was a sociologist, I understand in, let us call it New York. He conducted an experiment in a school system. They pulled two teachers aside and said: ‘We are going to do an assessment on these classes’. One was an average to above average class, and one was a class with below average academic performance.
Under Labor that would not happen because they would be told everything is fine, there are no standards, everything is just fine. Let us just forget about Labor for a second.
There was an assessment done, and there was an analysis. One class in that school community was known as having lower academic standards, the other one middle to higher academic standards. Testers came into the school and did the assessment. They called the two teachers in and said: ‘We have just done an assessment on these two classes’. The whole system regarded the underperforming class, the one with the lower academic standards, as such and that tag had sat over them. However, the astonishing thing which occurred when they did their assessment was they found those kids, in fact, have very high IQs. Those kids could achieve at the highest levels. They changed the description of those kids by showing the results.
Then, they went to the other class and said: ‘These kids are regarded in the system as having middle to higher level, but we have found some of them are plodders and there is not the level of IQ we had in the other class’. It told the system one class, in fact, had been misrepresented and had a higher IQ and a higher capacity than the other. They switched the perceptions around and put that argument, that message, in the minds of the teachers, and the whole system then responded to those two classes.
Do you know what happened after 12 months? They tested those two classes - and they moved. The one that had the assessment and the view within the community that they had a lower IQ, a lower capacity, a lower standard expected, achieved accordingly. However, when that was changed, their standards rose significantly so they almost matched the other class. It is a well documented record. If you have an expectation of a low standard, that is what you will get. Do you think it will stay low? It will get lower.
You have to fight this. What is happening here is you are not fighting it; you are fighting me because I said this. You are fighting the Country Liberals because we have said this. You misrepresent it to the teachers and anyone who will listen and who wants to support the government position one way or another, so you can deflect the requirement of responsibility to respond to this truthfully, in the interest of leadership, to raise those standards. It is easier to drop standards; it is harder to raise them. The requirement and burden of leadership is to fight that fight and lift those standards.
The shameful thing here is this Chief Minister and this minister for Education know better, but are so caught up in the political game they want to run a different argument altogether. The only thing at stake, in their minds, is the political battle.
You deserve this censure which will remain in place. I will not move from the positions which have been described here. You can check my record. In what I have said in 10 years in parliament, I have not changed my message. It is being refined now because there is a need for leadership. That leadership has been vacated; there has been an abdication of leadership by the Chief Minister and the Education minister.
They misrepresent the information which has been presented in the My School website which Julia Gillard herself put there. I admit, as I said on the record, it has some challenges. The challenge is to have some resolve to handle this in a way that promotes progress - but you have to tell the truth for starters. They cannot even come to that point. You cannot fix something unless you identify there is a problem. If you do not believe there is a problem, you have no will to fix anything.
However, you will dismiss and twist and turn this in any way you like. You have this weird idea, because I guess you judge me by the standards under which you operate; you judge me by your own motives. You believe I stood at that media conference - I should have invited you there - and said: ‘Isn’t this great? I have a political point I can score against the government. This is fantastic, the schools are doing appallingly. That is going to be really good for us because it will show they are baddies and we are goodies’. That is a simplistic type of analysis you guys come up with. You quickly turn and use the schools as a human shield. You then say: ‘This nasty man is attacking all the schools and all those poor kids in them; it is deceitful and dishonest and should be condemned’.
I opened the media conference by saying: ‘It brings me no pleasure to present this, but the fact is we have evidence that what Sarra said is the case: there is an expectation, a low standard in the Territory. It has been condoned and there has been a false assurance given to parents. This shows us that we are falling below the national average’.
I believe - and the government has had this information for some time; the rest of us have not - when the Chief Minister and minister Scrymgour spoke about this, they told everyone: ‘No, it is only the Aboriginal kids who are giving us a hard time with our reporting and our profile nationally. The rest of us - we are doing just fine; we are punching above weight. We are on the money’.
Well, if you are going to stay there, nothing is going to happen. We start with - here it is - we are falling below the standards. You say: ‘Oh, yes, but in other states it is the same’. This is a national average. Should we aspire to that national average or not? That is the question. I say yes, government says no. Should we aspire to a national average? Should we try to reach there? Should we commit ourselves to some goal, such as 5% that was contained in my policy? Government will say: ‘No, because we cannot expect any more. We think everyone is just doing fine, there is no problem’. Do we commit ourselves to a standard, to a target and put a plan in place to achieve that and then describe that plan in detail? You have a task force, I have an expert panel. We have the same thing.
The difference is $27m on the table, around some specifically targeted programs to benefit activities in the classroom, strengthen decision-making at the school level, provide practical support for those learning difficulties and behavioural problems presented at the school, and to provide greater support for COGSO. That detail is described. What is the detail of the Labor side?
Have you not been reading those media releases? Lots of money and vague descriptions of how it might be used - all in the language of process and how a big amount of money, big cleverly-worded programs, will result in a big change. However, the big problem is you have not admitted there is a need to change. You think everything is okay and I am making people feel uncomfortable by simply putting up Julia’s table and saying: ‘Well, it looks like the system is performing according to what Sarra has described’. Yes or no? Sarra says this, Julia’s table says that. You want to ignore that and say: ‘He is terrible for doing this’. Is it a leaked table? No, this is presented on the My School website. This information is listed alphabetically for the purposes of demonstrating not one school, but that the whole system is not achieving the national average.
Then you shift it and say: ‘Oh, what about like to like?’ Well, sorry, the story is not good there either. Unless you have those markers in place you will not put a plan in place to make any difference. Who do you let down? Kids. Who do you benefit with the approach you are taking? You will attempt to benefit yourselves in the short term politically, but that is doomed to failure because, ultimately, parents will know. They will know by your actions whether you are serious about kids’ education, responding in an honest way to the challenges presented with this data, and putting a meaningful plan in place.
Put the politics aside and get on with the business. The business is responding to the challenge. The challenge is not an easy one. It is easier to pull someone down than it is to lift them up. We have here the identification of a problem, but you deny that: ‘There is no problem; we will use a different measure. He is terrible, he has done this, he has shown us that. Well, we will show you this one, it has green on it’. Well, that green one does not tell you much good news either, if you had the honesty to read that properly.
You would like someone to have at least the most basic of standards in reading, or writing in Year 3, 5, 7 or 9 - the most basic standard, getting across that line. You think that now is the standard. That is the most basic and it should be past that, beyond the benchmark. You should reach past that - not try to reach to the lowest point, but at least try to reach the point which is the national average for our urban schools.
After all, you told us that was the case. You told us we were doing okay. Now, Julia’s table shows us we are not, so you will attack me and say I am attacking teachers. That is disgraceful leadership. You are letting kids and parents down with that kind of approach. Your approach deserves censure. I will not leave this spot. I do not care what you say and what you do out there ...
Madam SPEAKER: Leader of the Opposition, your time has expired.
Mr MILLS: … to advance your position, I will not move my position.
Dr BURNS (Education and Training): Madam Speaker, it is really hard to know where to start. The Opposition Leader, in his speech in the censure, and in Question Time today, used words like ‘dishonesty’, and ‘failing’ quite a lot. I suggest, Leader of the Opposition, you are the one who is being dishonest here, because you have waved about your little purple table and said: ‘This is Julia’s table’. It is not Julia’s table. That is a table you have assembled yourself, breaking the like-school comparison, which is the whole basis of the My School website. So, let us not talk about dishonesty here.
Regarding failing, Leader of the Opposition, I believe you are the one who is failing. The hysteria which was in this morning’s paper, and the way you have conducted yourself here today shows an opposition which is failing. You failed before as Opposition Leader, and you are failing now. You are very desperate in what you are saying and what you are trying to do ...
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Dr BURNS: I believe this whole attack you have mounted in relation to the My School website, and the My School result, is uncovered by the reality of the situation. The first reality is that the My School website is all about like-school comparisons. I quoted from the New South Wales Liberal member - and the Liberal Party in New South Wales actually passed the law, along with the Greens – of the up to $5000 fine for those who publish league tables, as you have. He was very clear about the way in which it would stigmatise schools, teachers and students.
I had the opportunity to go to a very good school where success was encouraged, and through university. For the Opposition Leader to try to assert I have an attitude of allowing failure, or not promoting success in my life, is completely untrue. I want to see every Northern Territory student achieve success - become the best they can. That is my aim as Education minister. However, at the same time, I am very aware of the challenges which confront our education system.
A couple of times in his speech, the Leader of the Opposition alluded to the Ladwig and Sarra report. As the Leader of the Opposition said, the Ladwig and Sarra report was quite critical of the education system; that it did not have a culture of imbuing success in the students, of trying to exhort and encourage the students for success. However, the Ladwig and Sarra review came out with recommendations and a plan which this government has adopted. The Ladwig and Sarra review was presented to government last year, and the government has adopted the recommendations of that plan.
We have a strategy, we have a plan. We have funds behind it, and we have targets, irrespective of what the Leader of the Opposition says. I will go to the targets very soon. The very core of the government’s strategy around education is all about quality. It is about quality teachers; about recruiting and retaining quality teachers. It is about having quality programs, and I will allude to some of those soon. It is about having quality systems and support for our students and our teachers and the system as a whole.
This is how I will be responding to the Leader of the Opposition: this is a government which does have a program. We have a policy and serious money behind it. That serious money is also coming from the Commonwealth government. As alluded to earlier today, there is $120m for 131 schools across our system to address these very issues of literacy and numeracy, which is so important, particularly for our Indigenous students, to allow them to achieve and to go from school into work.
Yes, the system has failed many of our Indigenous students. Yes, it is fair to say, in the 30-odd years I have been in the Northern Territory, that things have become worse for Indigenous people in a whole range of areas, including education, particularly for those who are living in remote areas.
I am crucially aware of that, and am committed to addressing that issue. However, there has to be partnerships. The Leader of the Opposition talked about people and partnerships. There has to be a partnership; a recognition by Indigenous people of the value of education. It is a two-way street. It is not only the education system changing, which it is, but it is also about the changes which need to occur regarding the attitude of parents. Too many kids are not going to school. We see them in Darwin; we see them in the remote communities. That is why I welcome the strategies which are in the process of being implemented in Alice Springs. That is why we are working with the Commonwealth government on the SEAM trial – Improving School Enrolment and Attendance through Welfare Reform Measure.
I am not satisfied with the SEAM trial at present. I am aware evidence was given to the Senate committee yesterday. I am not satisfied with that. I am looking at other measures, as Education minister, to boost school attendance. Significantly, in the policy the Leader of the Opposition released yesterday, there was no mention of attendance - not one mention of attendance - within his strategy or his policy. There was not one mention of Indigenous students; there was not one mention of remote schools.
Yes, we need to look after all kids. Every kid in our system needs to do better; we need to support them to do better. We also need to recognise where the deficits and the arrears are within our population. We have a very complex demographic mix within our schools in the Northern Territory - in Darwin, Palmerston, our regional centres, and also within our remote schools. Often, you have very different clan groups, and there are dynamics there also. We have a very complex situation but, in partnership with the Commonwealth government, and with the plan developed through the Ladwig and Sarra review, this government has embarked on a process of change.
I will also talk about some of the targets we have: attendance, at least 80% in very remote schools; at least 90% in remote schools; at least 90% in our conventional schools - which, on the My School website is categorised as Darwin, Palmerston and the rural area which surrounds us.
We have targets for student outcomes: 20% increase in Northern Territory Certificate of Education completion; 20% completion for VET in schools - that is another focus we have as a government, particularly in the 20 growth towns government has brought front and centre our policy of transition between school to the jobs available in those communities; 3% of non-Indigenous students meeting NAPLAN outcomes; and 9% increase in Indigenous students meeting NAPLAN benchmarks.
The Leader of the Opposition talked much about benchmarks and, to some degree, denigrated them. The Leader of the Opposition talked about his history as an educator. I have not taught in primary or secondary schools, but I spent probably nine or 10 years teaching, at a tertiary level, medical students, nursing students, and Aboriginal health workers where you need to assess whether people reach the benchmark of knowledge so they can move on to the next part. I have been involved in course development, particularly in the nursing area where the Nurses Registration Board accepts whether the basic benchmark of someone who goes through the course fits them out to be a nursing practitioner. We are talking about life and death here; of someone who has the ability, the knowledge, the understanding to be a nurse and to administer quality care. Yes, there are some students who achieved 90%, 98%, who probably knew more about the topics I was teaching than I knew. You always get students who know more than you do, and anyone who is a teacher should not say that is not the case. There are some very bright people around. There are some exceptional students, and there are also those students who meet benchmarks.
Meeting benchmarks is a pass; it is not a fail. The Opposition Leader is trying to assert all those students who meet the national benchmark or above have failed.
As I have said before, he turned the like-school comparisons within the My School website on its head by comparing averages. Those of us who know a little about statistics know how dangerous it is to be comparing averages without the full statistical information to enable you to do that or, in fact, whether the comparison of averages is valid. In some cases, particularly if you have a number of different student groups, you may be better comparing medians rather than means or averages. I do not think the comparison of averages is very meaningful in the situation of the My School website.
The table I presented to the public is the comparison of individual student performance, not an average which has been averaged across students - individual student performance makes that a more valid comparison. I am prepared to have the debate with the Leader of the Opposition any time about policies.
I acknowledge, quite openly here, we can do better. I am not satisfied with what we have. I always want better. I want our Indigenous students to do better. I want all students, those who met the benchmarks and above, to be doing better. I am arguing that this is a government which has the strategy. This is the government which has the funding. This is the government which has the targets - in comparison to a fairly threadbare policy released by the Leader of the Opposition yesterday.
For someone who has been going around saying there are systemic failures within the education system in the Northern Territory and that the system itself is systemically failing, to come out with what amounted to window dressing. There was nothing deep or system changing about what the opposition came out with yesterday. In fact, many of the things the Opposition Leader alluded to in his key points the government is already doing in partnership with the Commonwealth government.
I am not going to talk about the infrastructure both governments are putting into our education system, but I will talk about the $120m of funding which is flowing from the Commonwealth to the 130 schools in the Northern Territory. The focus is improving literacy and numeracy outcomes - the very basics we need. To that end, the task force has been formed and it will go to all those schools in the Northern Territory. It will engage with students, parents, communities, and schools. It will also work with teachers and principals.
I talked about quality in education before; that is what this government is about. We are doing it through our teacher registration system. I am not going to pre-empt debate on the bill will be debating in here tomorrow. We are also doing it through our recruitment processes and our demands on teachers about more professional education. This is absolutely essential. For any other profession, whether it is a doctor, a pharmacist, a physiotherapist in the health field, there is an onus on that professional to continue their professional education. It is rightly so with teachers also. I know teachers will welcome the opportunity to continue their education to improve their professional approach to the job but, most of all, the focus is improving the results for our kids.
In the policy released by the Leader of the Opposition, he talked about literacy and numeracy; about Year 1 literacy and numeracy assessments. The assessments are already going on in Transition. They have already started and children will be assessed in Transition, or are being assessed in Transition. They will also be assessed in Year 2. That is already happening. The Leader of the Opposition is actually announcing something already happening within this government’s strategy.
Additional class-based teaching resources: I talked about the additional funding of $120m from the Commonwealth partnership. Basically, there are also investments through the Northern Territory government: $86m in Indigenous education through Closing the Gap; $5m for Families as First Teachers – that is all about working with the families as the kids come to kindergarten and Transition, particularly with the mothers, but also the wider community, to encourage them in their literacy and numeracy, in reading and writing and imparting that to their children. This is all about a government that is working in partnership with communities and families.
It is wrong of the Opposition Leader to come in here and say: ‘This is a government that is all about money; you are not about people, you are not about results’. I believe we are about results. Look at the announcement I made today about a sporting academy for young Indigenous women. We currently have the Clontarf Academy operating throughout the Territory, having wonderful success in building an attitude of success, particularly for young Indigenous males, using that sporting way to try to give them more self-esteem, to support them to engage with the system, and to see their life as a success, not only in the sporting field, but in the wider field of life.
The announcement was made today of $2.1m from the Commonwealth over the next three years, matched by $2m from the Northern Territory government. We are also looking for partnerships - and are fairly confident of partnerships - with the private sector up to another $2m. This will be great for young Indigenous girl students. There was a great atmosphere at Palmerston High School today with the young ladies who were there. I had a go at throwing a few rings with the basketball. I might have been a bit quick on the pass to one of the students but, there you go. I talked to those young women and Bo De La Cruz who is very enthusiastic about this program. It is not only going to operate in Palmerston, it is going to operate in West Arnhem at Gunbalanya and Jabiru, in Katherine, and in Alice Springs. In this year, we are looking to engage with 300 young women who are at school. The next year, we are looking to bump that up to 380. This is a government looking at various ways to try to address this situation of disengagement with the education system, and also with employment.
This is the government which is very focused on the issue of attendance, unlike the opposition whose members did not even mention it within their policy. I am just amazed that such a major issue we have to address did not even rate a mention in the member for Blain’s policy announcement yesterday. He talked about psychologists heading up multidisciplinary teams for behavioural management, etcetera. We have had behavioural management teams in place for some time. As a government, we have employed 21 new student counsellors within the system to address this very issue.
Regarding assistance for COGSO, we are engaged with COGSO. Even before the Opposition Leader came out with his policy, I met with COGSO and there is a clear understanding about where their funding is going from now on. COGSO is quite enthusiastic about the way government will further fund them to give support to school councils. There are a number of members here who regularly attend school councils as I do, and I know their support will be very welcome.
This is a very important debate. We are a government which does not endorse low standards, as was asserted by the Leader of the Opposition. I am all about success for our students; about empowering and encouraging our students to be the best they can. I believe this is a government with the right policy settings based on the Ladwig and Sarra review. We have the funding behind it, we have targets, and we are accountable in all of this.
However, there needs to be some honesty in this debate. It is not honest of the Opposition Leader to wave around his compilation and say it is Julia’s table. It is not Julia Gillard’s table. It is a table that has been compiled by the Leader of the Opposition in complete contradiction to what the My School website is all about. That website is really all about comparison of like schools.
It is foolish and meaningless to be comparing means in the way the opposition have. I will come back to what the New South Wales - I do not know whether I have it here - Liberal member of parliament said about what an anathema it was, and was very critical of those who would compile league tables to denigrate schools. I believe they were the exact words he used. So, it was the Liberal Party in New South Wales, along with the Greens, that passed the law in the Upper House, amended legislation and put on a $5000 fine for exactly what the Opposition Leader is doing here in this parliament, and in the community of the Northern Territory.
I am not, for one instance, saying that is where we should go. I am not supporting that sort of fine and action. The Labor Party in New South Wales did not support it, as I understand it, but that is where the Liberal Party went for their reasons. I agree with their reasons; I do not agree with what they have done.
The Leader of the Opposition is flashing around his table, asserting that meeting national benchmarks and above is actually a failure, and the majority of our students and our schools are failing. That is quite mischievous, and it is not helpful. If he wants to have a debate about education and what is going on within the education system, I am prepared to have that. It is just interesting. This is the first parliament I have been Education minister. Now I have the Leader of the Opposition as an opponent and he is using a bit of bile and vindictive words against me, such as ‘the failed Health minister’, whatever. He can say whatever he likes, but it is just a bit of a window on his soul, the way he goes about things and tries to tag people in this place.
If he wants a tussle of policy ideas and a debate, I am up for it. Intellectually or any other way, I am not spooked by the Leader of the Opposition. One of his failings - and he has told me this himself – is he has never been a member of an education union – never in his whole teaching career has he been a member of an education union. That is an incredible failing. Our Australian Education Union is a wonderful advocate for teachers and our education system. They also deplored what the Leader of the Opposition did through the publication of his league table, and teachers made their views known. I am very suspicious of someone who has not been a member of the union that represents teachers. He has been a teacher himself. What does that tell you about him? It tells me he is not really interested in the issues that confront teachers in the workplace. He is not really interested in being an advocate for that at any meaningful level.
I am not sure of the exact coverage of the Australian Education Union in the Northern Territory, but I suspect it is probably somewhere around 80%, which is a significant number of teachers. If I was a teacher, I would be a member of the Australia Education Union. As minister, I am going to be having blues with them, we are going to have our differences, but I respect them for their advocacy for teachers. I am always a little suspicious of people who will not join professional bodies, or unions of the professions of which they belong. That is a big question in my mind about the Leader of the Opposition; that he has been a teacher and a principal, and he has never been a member of an education union. We will see how that plays itself out within the EBA that is coming out for teachers. No doubt, he will be promising the world.
However, as Education minister, and also Minister for Public Employment, I will be looking for an equitable result for our teachers - I have already told them this - that makes them amongst the best paid within Australia. That is government’s commitment for our teachers. I do commend them, right across the length and breadth of the Northern Territory, for the job they do, often in very trying and difficult circumstances. Teachers have my support.
Madam Deputy Speaker, I could say more about what the opposition, and the Opposition Leader, have said today. I thought it was a pretty weak lead-up to a censure …
Mr Elferink: You always say that.
Dr BURNS: I do not always say that.
Mr Elferink: Yes, you do. It is your standard line.
Dr BURNS: This one was pretty weak. It shows an Opposition Leader who talked about students and schools failing. I believe the Opposition Leader himself is failing. I discussed his lack of honesty. He waved around the table and said it was Julia’s table. It is not Julia’s table, it is his table, and I believe he is presenting the results in quite a mischievous and less than honest way.
Before I sit down, I affirm my commitment to teachers and, most importantly, to students. I believe I have outlined this is a government built on a report into our education system, the Ladwig and Sarra review. We are implementing the policies which have come out of that report, and its recommendations. We are very glad of the partnership we have with the Commonwealth government. I am sure we will be achieving better results for our students and schools as time progresses.
Mr CHANDLER (Brennan): Madam Deputy Speaker, I am worried the current minister, in his merry-go-round of ministries, will worry about me. I have been a member of several unions – the ASU and the CPSU, and a section councillor for the CPSU. I am letting you know I have been involved with unions and know exactly what it is like.
I was a little disappointed with what was a personal attack on the Opposition Leader today. In fact, the minister has reminded me of a fearful dog. A fearful dog is something you should be fearful of! It was an attack on the Leader of the Opposition, who should be the Chief Minister, which reminded me things can get personal from time to time in this Chamber. It reminded me of someone who is scared and fearful because they know some truth has been said today.
I put down to many reasons that we are where we are. I do not honestly believe there is anyone out there - whether they are politicians, public servants or teachers - who is out to do what is wrong. I believe one of the major concerns we have in schools, and perhaps many government departments, is we have this schools clean-up act. I put it to you, every time the Chief Minister visits one of our schools, there is effort put in by the students and the teachers to clean up the school before the Chief Minister arrives. Why do they do that? They want to put out the best possible appearance they are doing all right; it is a clean school, a good school. I believe the same thing happens as we move up the chain until we get to the level of minister where, unfortunately, they are looking through rose coloured glasses as they have been told everything is well and dandy.
In fact, it is not well and dandy. I want to talk today about some of the statements this government has made over the years, then we will match it to the results today. Let us see if it is words or decent outcomes.
In the 2007 Labor budget speech, the Martin government had determined to lift educational outcomes for Territorians. Three years ago, you were going to lift the standards. Have they improved? I do not believe so.
In 2008-09, a media release said the government would fund an additional $3.3m, rising to $4.4m, for upgraded bus services for students, and also provide additional services for special needs in Darwin, Humpty Doo and Alice Springs. I note Palmerston missed out; of course, it often misses out on things.
We can look at the special needs of Palmerston High School. There is a good example of where you think things are going all right, yet that lovely little school which does a wonderful job, is left with one electronic Whiteboard. You talk about providing resources for teachers across the board. Admittedly, it is a small school, but there is more than one classroom; there are seven or eight classrooms. However, there is one electronic whiteboard - but you are a government that is going to support teachers.
In fact, we will go back to where it said you were going to upgrade bus services. I know of one case last year, where I was given the impression from the Minister for Transport at that time, that a situation I had raised in this House was being addressed. In fact, I am positive the minister thought it had been addressed. When it was raised with him, he went to the extraordinary lengths of providing cab charges to this family to get this student to school. I commend the minister for doing that, but what it proves to me is, quite often, things which are actually truthful do not flow up the chain. It gets back to that school’s cleanup prior to anyone turning up.
Let us talk about some of the things this government says it is doing to improve education and, yet, by the results you can see they have failed miserably. It talked about training and providing assistance with higher education, and even research at Charles Darwin University. Let us look at Certificate II in IT. Certificate II in IT is funded for 16 positions at CDU; which is to cover all the high schools across the Darwin regions. An Introduction to Certificate II in IT is now required as a minimum standard for the police force. You only provide 16 spaces for all schools across Darwin and the Palmerston region.
Let us look at VET training. Just recently, it was brought to my attention we have a training provider with a good track record that, basically, put in a submission to be accredited this year. A number of students who have used this accredited trainer before are left in the lurch because someone in government decided they have not met the criteria, which was to submit their application on time electronically. In this case, there was submitted hard copy. Goodness gracious me, we are in 2010. I do not know how hard it is to actually scan documents today, but you can make things electronic. The reality is you have a training provider - and the minister stood up here and said VET training is something that is very important – who is going to be ruled out on a technicality because their submission was not received electronically. So you have a number of students who, today, cannot use that training provider because of a technicality. I know that particular application was received on time. The fact that it was not electronic - I am just amazed. After all, it is 2010.
In the 2008-09 budget there was a section called Closing the Gap on Education. Your government outlined a comprehensive reform agenda for improving Indigenous education:
- This is a priority for the Henderson government and is a key element of Closing the Gap.
Budget 2008 delivers education initiatives including over $17m towards education in remote areas.
What are the results showing us?
If we are talking completely honestly - and you raised the point of honesty quite a few times when you suggested the results shown in these tables were not honest. Well, if you are completely honest - and I hope people are listening to this - the $120m you talk about is federal money. If you are being completely honest, you would have told Territorians today the $120m you are talking about is federal money, and not from your government. That is if you are completely honest.
I have a little chart here, another one of these charts, actually indicating a number of schools which are not being funded, that have not met the standards but are not part of the $120m. These are the schools which are not receiving the money: Alawa Primary School did not meet the benchmarks, Bakewell Primary School, Durack Primary School, Larrakeyah Primary School, Leanyer Primary School, Nakara Primary School, Nightcliff Primary School, Parap Primary School, Stuart Park Primary School, Wanguri Primary School and Wulagi Primary School. They are not meeting the benchmarks and, yet, are not part of the $120m funding to help these schools. Middle schools in Darwin including Dripstone, Nightcliff and Sanderson are all, according to the charts, not meeting the minimum standards, not being assisted, along with, in the rural area, Bees Creek Primary, Berry Springs Primary, Girraween Primary, Humpty Doo Primary, and Taminmin College; in Nhulunbuy, Nhulunbuy High School; in Alice Springs, Ross Park Primary School; Katherine, Casuarina Street Primary School; Alyangula Area School; Jabiru Area School; and Yulara School.
Tell me where these people are in the classrooms who provide literacy and numeracy support to teachers that you talk about? Where are those people who can tutor the class in support of the teacher that is not English as a second language, or our ISAs? You can use your own examples of how this government resources extra help.
Let me tell you about ISAs for a second. I have declared before - not today - my wife was once an ISA. That is one group where, unfortunately, government departments focus on funding and government bureaucracy, rather than focus on the students. I know, and you can check this out: go to any school and ask what the ISAs have been tasked with at the moment. I tell you right now they are not always tasked with just looking after the children with special needs. You might have one ISA who is looking after three or four students with special needs and, all of a sudden, they are tasked with extra work including looking after students with behavioural issues. I do not have a problem with students being given extra curriculum and help who are, perhaps, bullies or do not fit into a normal classroom environment. However, you are taking away the skills from the people who really need it: the kids with special needs.
We all know schools are funded for ISAs depending on the students they have. It breaks down to hours and is a bucket of money. We know today the bucket of money is given to the schools and it is up to the schools to manage it the best way they can. I put to you it is not the best way to manage special needs and some of the issues that have been faced in the classroom. It is not good enough. It is not good enough because your focus is just on the bucket of money, not on the children.
These ISAs are often tasked with looking after students, as I said, with behavioural and other issues. That is one area, at least, the Country Liberals’ policy addresses - dealing with extra support in the classroom. There is not a teacher out there who would not welcome additional support within the classroom. Even with that support with bullies - bullying in schools is one thing which has really let our school systems down today. We do not manage bullies well. In fact, I put to you that, in some schools, bullies are sometimes rewarded for their efforts because they are pulled out of their classrooms, sent somewhere to colour in or to be mothered by some well-intentioned teachers. However, it is not dealing with what the issue is; that is, bullying. These kids in the classrooms today who are causing disruption and low literacy rates are who need to be dealt with. These are the resources a Country Liberals’ policy wants to target.
Let us have a look at some other announcements made by the government over the years.
- The Territory government will spend $6.6m over the next five years to develop partnership programs to improve student engagement and community involvement in remote areas.
The results speak for themselves; the outcomes are not favourable.
- Funding of $2.67m is also provided for the National Accelerated Literacy program to improve the literacy skills of students who have failed to make appropriate literacy gains.
How are the outcomes? They are not looking good.
- Spending on education and training this year will be $719m.
I believe we are talking about 2008 here.
- This is in addition to the significant capital spending in both our urban and remote schools.
What are the outcomes? Time and time again in this House, this Labor government talks and talks and talks about the money it spends. Unfortunately, there does not seem to be much real focus on what you are actually getting for the money. What are Territorians getting for the money?
- Budget 2008 also continues to build and upgrade urban education infrastructure.
It goes on here:
- The biggest urban initiative is the two new schools which will be built at Rosebery at a cost of $48.8m …
Wonderful schools we should have had a few years ago. These will go a long way to addressing some of the concerns in Palmerston, but it was a long road.
You know I was there; I was part of that process. I have seen certain people come out now and proudly stand in front of those schools with their little helmets on. Unfortunately, I know the real work behind the scenes done by volunteers and principals out of hours, when there was not much local support at the time. In fact, the support at the time was just the party line: we did not need schools in Palmerston. Now, we have people standing in front of their schools proudly saying: ‘Look what we are delivering’. I take my hat off to the government for finally making the decision to build the schools there, but it is only a start and there needs to be more. Palmerston, we all know, will continue to grow. That is an argument for another day, because that is another area where this government has failed miserably in planning.
In 2009, the Labor budget said:
- The $808m Education and Training budget will improve educational outcomes for all Territory students.
Again, the latest lot of figures are not suggesting you have some good outcomes for the money you are spending. As the chairperson of a primary school council for many years, time and time again, I had Defence people who had been posted out of Darwin and into Darwin, talk to me about the fact that, when they arrived down south, their children were very much behind the eight ball when it came to their level of literacy and numeracy skills. There were times where they would return to Darwin and find children were coming home telling parents: ‘Mum and Dad, what we are doing this year is what we did last year in Bendigo’, or last year somewhere in South Australia or elsewhere.
I confronted principals and teachers, and questioned them on the facts people were telling me. Time and time again, teachers and principals would tell us, no, that is the curriculum we are teaching from the department. I racked my brains a little but, now, it has become quite clear, because we know what this government considers average is, in fact, a D interstate. I grew up in a system were a C was average, B was above average, and A well above average. You had to send out a letter with the reports late last year to actually say that, if you were comparing results from interstate, you would need to consider a D was considered average. That is not average, that is below average. Yet, that is the benchmark this government is setting - and that is the truth. If our benchmarks are low, if our minimum standards are considered to be a D, the average certainly is a C, and our students across the board, in many cases, are not meeting the average marks across Australia. We are below average and that is just not good enough.
It is true these parents have not been lying to me. It is a fact that the curriculum which appears in the Territory, I can only put it down to it seems a year behind the year. When you go interstate, the level is higher, therefore, the curriculum they are teaching is at a higher level. Of course, when they return, they are being taught at a lower level.
I put it to you: this is not an attack on our teachers in the Northern Territory. It was disgraceful for the minister to attack the Leader of the Opposition - as the Chief Minister did time and time again today in Question Time - saying he is attacking teachers. What a load of tripe - absolute tripe! It is not an attack against teachers, but perhaps it is an attack against the curriculum which is being taught.
A teacher can only use the tools they are given. It is a bit like comparing a cave man first developing the wheel to a modern Toyota Prius, for instance – not the one with the accelerator problems ...
Ms Purick: The dodgy brakes.
Mr CHANDLER: Yes. The blueprints the caveman was using and the skills he had at the time allowed him to build a wooden wheel. Today, we are building very technical vehicles, and the blueprints for those vehicles are very different. What I am saying is the tools that are being used, provided by this government, by the Education department, are not appropriate to lift our students to the level they should be.
Madam Deputy Speaker, $27m in practical classroom support is something the Country Liberals are putting forward; a policy already condemned by the minister. He went on to say: ‘We are using part of it. We are going to condemn it, but we are using part of it’. I do not understand his rationale. I have a media release, in which minister Burns said:
- We already know that 86% of Top End students are achieving national benchmarks …
- … but we’re determined to help our students achieve even higher results and importantly give more support to those that have fallen behind.
That is 14% who do not even meet the national benchmarks. That is the minimum standard; 14% are not meeting it.
Based on a media release I issued in December 2009, stating the Territory Education department has used the A to E grading system to further confuse parents, stating:
- The D grade aligns with the Australian Mean for your child’s year level in English and Mathematics.
That is, basically, saying …
Dr BURNS: A point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker! I ask the honourable member to table the quote from me, and its source, so I am able to see - I do not recall saying those words he has alleged I have said. Do you mind tabling it?
Mr CHANDLER: It was sent out with all the reports. I will bring you the letter ...
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Speaker! There is no point of order. This is a ridiculous attempt to wind down the clock.
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Can we just pause the clock, please, Mr Deputy Clerk? One moment, I would just like to confer with the Deputy Clerk for some advice.
Dr Burns: At least say what the source was.
Mr Chandler: It was sent out with all the reports last year.
Members interjecting.
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! Member for Brennan, are you prepared to table that document? Are these personal notes you are reading from?
Mr CHANDLER: Not at this stage, Madam Deputy Speaker, because …
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Are they personal notes you are reading from?
Mr CHANDLER: Excuse me?
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Are they personal notes or can …
Members interjecting.
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! Member for Braitling, I am addressing the member for Brennan.
Member for Brennan, the minister is asking for you to divulge the source of your information, or are these personal notes you are reading from?
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker.
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Please pause, I have asked the member for Brennan a question, then you can put your point of order.
Mr CHANDLER: Madam Deputy Speaker, I have indicated the source of this information was from information sent out by the department which accompanied report cards last year.
Dr Burns: But you said I said it.
Mr Tollner: Yes, it was your signature underneath it.
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Member for Port Darwin, your point of order?
Mr ELFERINK: Madam Deputy Speaker, just to advise you, if a member chooses to make any assertion in this House, they will be judged on the quality of how they support that assertion, not on some demand by a minister as to whether or not they are going to follow up that assertion. If the minister wants to pursue this he has every right to pursue it, but there is nothing in standing orders anywhere that can have the minister demand a member table anything.
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Thank you, member for Port Darwin. You are not required to table the document, member for Brennan.
Mr CHANDLER: I have 10 seconds. I say again: the Territory Education department has used the A to E grading system to further confuse parents stating …
Mr CONLAN: A point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker! I move the member be given an extension of time, pursuant to Standing Order 77.
Motion agreed to.
Dr BURNS: A point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker! Whilst it is very unusual for a member to have an extension of a time in a censure debate, in this case I am very interested to hear - and there were points of orders raised, so I believe it is reasonable for the member to have an extension of time. I would really like him to substantiate the allegation that I said certain things. I will be going through the Hansard record ...
Members interjecting.
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! Order! Members of the opposition, please. Member for Brennan, you have the call.
Mr CHANDLER: Madam Deputy Speaker, in my media release I said:
- … it appears logical the Australian Mean would be a C grade, and that a B grading would be reserved for students who achieved results above the mean rating.
The information sheet from the government also said:
- The D grade aligns with the National Minimum Standard in NAPLAN.
According to minister Burns only 86% of Territory students get a D or above. In fact, in 2009, Year 3 in the Northern Territory meeting the minimum national standards are: reading, 68.6%; writing, 74.4%; spelling, 62%; grammar, 63%; and numeracy, 10.6%.
How many thousands of early childhood students have their future potential in peril because of a failure to deliver in education? In December 2009, minister Burns said:
- This year, more Territory students met the minimum national standard in 17 out of the 20 categories in literacy and numeracy.
- This year we had outstanding participation rates in NAPLAN testing, up by 14.5% overall and at least 25% in very remote schools.
Yet, while blaming the Indigenous children for bringing down the averages and failing in its policies of improving school attendance, I wonder about the statistical significance of those increased numbers. Do we actually see these numbers changing the result for the worst? What it shows is, even though you widen the pool tested, the results are exactly the same. The system fails children, it continues to fail children year by year and, without a step change in education – something that cannot, obviously, be achieved under a Labor government - another year of students will get to the point of early assessment to find the system has failed them.
I recalled before that my eldest son reached Year 10 within this system when we found out he had the numeracy and literacy levels of Year 5. How is it that parents can get to the stage where they do not find out until the child reaches Year 9 or 10 that they have Year 5 literacy and numeracy levels? By all accounts, with all the meetings with teacher and all the reports sent home, indicate the kid is not brilliant but he is average; he is doing all right; he is a good kid. Yet, as parents, we have a child that reached Year 9 and Year 10 with Year 5 understanding and appreciation of literacy and numeracy. As parents, we took the only alternative we had, which was to employee a tutor. Now, our kid is flying along and he is doing much better today. He is still in the public system, of course. He attends Palmerston High. He is doing an IT course at Charles Darwin University on Wednesdays, and is enrolled in a work ready program. He is doing better, but it is only because of a tutor. How can a system allow a kid to get to Year 9 or 10 with Year 5 numeracy and literacy levels - and no one has told the parents?
We have been misled the whole time. If a kid mucks up, if a kid does not win the race, they cannot be told they have won the race, because they did not. We have this paternalistic Labor policy through out governments around Australia today that lead us into some of the situations we face in our community. If we cannot even tackle bullying at primary school level, what chance have they got in high school? Then, what chance does our community have - the wider community that is - to deal with some of the issues of these drop-kicks who get through our system? How have we failed? How have we failed as a community, when these types of things are happening? We have some serious issues in the community with kids who do not seem to have the respect that, perhaps, everyone in this room once had. I respected my mum, my dad, my grandparents, our friends, and mum and dad’s friends. Today, that same respect has gone.
I see it pretty often, unfortunately, at Palmerston Shopping Centre when kids sometimes converge in the afternoon, and they start fighting in uniforms. It brings disrespect on their schools. It dampens the very good work the teachers and principals do, particularly at Palmerston High. They have done some amazing work to lift the standards of that school, and to change people’s perception of it. When you see kids doing that, it brings it down. It is sad, and I wonder why kids do what they sometimes do today. Much of it is because they do not have respect, they are not brought through.
We need to introduce some tough love to some of these kids. Unless we tackle bullying, unless we give the teachers the resources and the tools to lift the standards in our schools, we are not going to see better results, no matter how much money you throw at them. Unless you are targeting the results, it is not going to make one iota of difference.
I have not even touched on rural and remote students, but to do so, we are only going to bring out some bad news, and that is sad. Where you have targeted the Country Liberals’ policy, that we have forgotten Indigenous students is so wrong - so wrong. We do not see them as any different. We should have the same benchmarks for Indigenous students in our schools, whether it is in Alice Springs, Katherine, Darwin, or any of our remote or rural communities. We should set the bar higher. People can only achieve higher levels if they can aim higher. We have to push our benchmarks up.
Madam Deputy Speaker, how can we have any faith in a Chief Minister who appoints a minister with a track record - and this is not a personal attack at all against you, but it is about the record. It is about the record under your leadership. There are other ministers here who have failed miserably. How can we have faith in a Chief Minister who puts education, which is supposed to be at the top end – this is what we have. Minister, you failed our students and the wider community.
Mr Tollner: Oh here we go, an old chalky.
Mr McCARTHY (Lands and Planning): Thank you, member for Fong Lim. I am honoured to speak to this censure motion as a teacher, a father, an ex-member of school councils, a Territorian, and a person who just sat here and witnessed through Question Time the politicising of one of the most important aspects of Territory youth. So, I will put on my teacher’s hat.
Let us have a little history lesson for the young Country Liberals over there. I will go back to where the censure starts in 2001. However, let us shift a bit before. Let us shift to a Country Liberal Party government from 1978, and let us talk about systemic failure in education ...
Members interjecting.
Mr McCARTHY: This will give you a history lesson …
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! Member for Barkly, if I could …
Mr McCARTHY: To give you a starting point …
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! Member for Barkly!
Members interjecting.
Mr McCARTHY: Let us see if they were listening, Madam Deputy Speaker …
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order, order! Member for Barkly, I remind you to direct your comments through the Chair please, as opposed to the opposition.
Mr KNIGHT: A point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker! There are interjections straight across the Chamber. They know they cannot interject when a person is speaking ...
Mr Elferink: Yes, they can.
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Thank you. I remind members, please, of Standing Order 51:
- No Member may converse aloud or make any noise or disturbance, which in the opinion of the Speaker is designed to interrupt or has the effect of interrupting a Member speaking.
Member for Barkly, you have the call.
Mr McCARTHY: Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. It was the year 1999 after successive closure of schools and in relation to a number of CEs who departed their offices over failure to address budgets and keep budgets under wraps. It was a policy of no more resources for education; bring it in under budget. However, there was a glimmer of hope, and hope we all celebrated in the Northern Territory in the education community. It was called Learning Lessons.
Upon merit, I was appointed to the team to implement the Country Liberal Party Learning Lessons project. It was hope. It was real determination to change things in educational outcomes right across the Northern Territory. However, it was shut down. It was closed down. I was a member on that team developing the self-sustaining schools model - new innovative work from great minds to deliver outcomes for government – but it was shut down. I returned home to Tennant Creek and then left staff at 2001.
The Labor government in the Northern Territory hit the ground running with Learning Lessons and they started to implement the recommendations. We are talking about real change; a time when the old school was disbanded. We are talking about a government which started to move forward to address educational outcomes right across the Northern Territory. The implementation of Learning Lessons in pilot studies and projects was the way forward.
The censure says: ‘failure to invest the necessary resources into the education portfolio’. It was from that time we saw real resources put into education and training, to lead to real employment. It was the Labor government that was investing heavily in attendance initiatives, in engagement initiatives, in partnerships with parents, in infrastructure, in our teachers, and in our programs. We were targeting literacy and numeracy, health and physical education, and nutrition. We suddenly started to embark on providing secondary schools in the bush. That was something new; something seen as important - a challenge. The Labor government took the bit between the teeth and ran with it. They were tough times, but they took up the challenge.
The alternative education program, where I ended up, is another example of where we took the bit between the teeth and ran with it. We explored, basing our strategies on evidence, and taking an holistic approach.
The censure motion went on to talk about: ‘lying to Territorians about the state of education’. I do not think lying to Territorians is actually very relevant. In Question Time it was extremely irrelevant, because I am a Territorian. I am a father. I have my last son still going through the education system. I have never been lied to. The reason it is not appropriate to use ‘lying’ in this censure motion is because I am out there taking an active interest in what happens in the education process. I know what government is doing. I know the challenges on the ground, and I am there working every step of the way with my child and any other kids I can assist in the Northern Territory. No one is being lied to here.
I was at Driver Primary School last week, in a Transition class, and I was honoured to walk into a well-ordered and disciplined classroom - a classroom where you could see the learning was taking place. It was oozing learning. There was a teacher in charge of that class who was proud of what she did, and those kids were proud to be there. They were proud to have a visitor, and we worked together on road safety. That is just one small example. However, lying to Territorians was not the case in Driver Primary School last week. No one was interested in politicising; they were interested in working forward. They were interested in how this government’s resources were strategically placed and targeted to get the best outcomes. It is a battle that goes on every day. There is no quick fix. As the member for Brennan said, there are those people who slip through the net, which is unfortunate. This is where our school communities work daily, tirelessly, to address that.
I mention Canteen Creek School and the letters I have to respond to as an MLA - a remote area school. I do not believe they would accept the line from the Country Liberals that we are lying to Canteen Creek School. Canteen Creek School is now delivering at the NTCE level in Year 12 in a remote area. Students in the senior part of the school are writing me letters, as the MLA, and challenging me and our government directly. It is not about lying. It is about challenging and us acknowledging and listening to those students, taking on board what they are saying, and forming policy to deal with it. This is a team over this side; this is the way we work.
Supporting the disadvantaged is in the frame of good education policy. The Henderson government is in the space of supporting all Territory kids, which is why the censure motion is good for debate. However, I do not agree with the words and the sentiments.
Another part of the censure is: ‘failing to set a timetable for action with measurable targets for improvement’. The minister for Education proudly acknowledged the work which has been done in this area - extensive work with educational leaders, with parents, with community, with teachers, and with professionals. This is not fly-by-night or a shallow grab; this is extensive work moving us towards 2030. This is another major move in our education sector in the Northern Territory.
The Henderson government has a comprehensive plan to deliver quality education and training in the Northern Territory. That is right, it is a plan, and you need a good plan - a Smart Territory. Our key components are establishing quality strategies and programs across all phases of education, moving now into post-school education and links with industry and employment, ensuring we have tracked and developed quality people. We establish quality partnerships with industry, across government agencies, and with the broader community, ensuring we have coherent, aligned and transparent quality systems and support. We have attendance targets. We have student results clearly in the frame. How you get there is by investing in our youth, our teachers, and in our families - no quick fixes; no easy answers. We can hear the individual anecdotes and the stories of failure from across the floor. We are not interested. We are interested in moving forward and doing the best job we can.
Let us talk about some of the investments. Let us talk about $500m into infrastructure. I can talk about Tennant Creek. In Tennant Creek this year three major infrastructure projects are going into education. That is not counting what happened last year, or what is happening across the region - three major infrastructure projects. As I mentioned in Corrections, infrastructure supports good education and rehabilitation programs. Infrastructure is imperative to deliver good programs. There is $30m infrastructure over the next four years for special schools, special-needs education; $20m into teacher housing; establishment of 20 growth town colleges to support children from the time they are born until the time they complete their schooling - growth town colleges; new, innovative, targeting the real needs.
The member for Brennan mentioned $120m into literacy and numeracy, $44m in Closing the Gap in 76 remote communities, $4.5m for literacy and numeracy across the Territory, $70m for lower socioeconomic areas, and $1m for recruitment, development and retention of teachers. These are buckets of money, but it is what you do with it. I do not talk about buckets of money - I talk about resourcing. Everything has a dollar value attached to it. Successive Education ministers in the Labor government since 2001 have fought hard to resource education. We have seen an incredible increase in educational resources in the Northern Territory since 2001.
Attempting to mislead Territorians regarding actions and policies set down by the opposition, I do not believe anyone is in the space of misleading Territorians. However, I did witness today a classic example of politics. It is a new business; it is a good business. The member for Fong Lim is nodding; he is a very experienced politician. I often quote the member for Fong Lim when I am deconstructing and exploring political strategies on how the member does it. I saw a whole team approach today: ‘Let us politicise education; let us throw that out on day one of the sittings. Let us censure this government so we can debate it’.
The debate is as shallow as the policy announcement. If you want to develop your policy, I encourage it. Get with it, get real; get with the people who know about education. Get with people who can help you with your policy. You are quoting concepts, one liners. The member for Brennan is quoting report cards from schools. Go back to school. Go back and learn about what is happening in the education sector. Go back and read Territory 2030 and see that Education is right at the top of the list for the Northern Territory. That is where we are going to deliver. That is where our kids are going to be.
Running down the Territory, impacting on schools, students, and families, with negative comments, with a negative political strategy, is not good. However, that is only my opinion. We have heard about bipartisan and working together. If there is one thing we should be united on, it is the development of every Territory kid. There is plenty of room to move in this, and there is plenty of room for your policy development. I suggest that is where the energy should be put, as opposed to what I witnessed in Question Time today.
Another part of the censure motion: ‘failing to provide schools with teachers and resources’. Once again, we are talking about a targeted approach, money, and resources. Let us look at the Strategic Plan 2009-12. Let us talk about this plan, the latest plan, the plan that has the big picture Territory in its focus.
I would like to talk about one issue; the ‘clean up our schools’ the member for Brennan mentioned - a little conspiracy about a ministerial visit to schools. Let me tell you a story, member for Brennan. Back in the good old Country Liberal days, when you had a minister coming to your school, did you clean it up? Absolutely! What do you take me for? An idiot? Would you educate the school community about what it means to have a minister arrive at your school? Absolutely! Would you talk about the political system? Would you talk about how the constituents have an opportunity to talk to a minister on their own ground? Absolutely! What were we doing at the time of one ministerial visit? We were scratching in the dirt, chipping bindies to create a soccer field. We were told: ‘The minister is coming’. I was told something very special: ‘You impress this guy and you may get what you want’. Well, that is not a good way to do business, I have learned later in life, but that was the way business was done in those days, so I took the opportunity.
Did Driver Primary School clean up for my visit the other day? No way! I have been a teacher for over 30 years. I can pick a con job, anywhere for that matter. Driver Primary School was spot on. It was just a moment in their time; likewise, when I went to Canteen Creek School.
I am not saying everyone is succeeding. We have big challenges, there is no doubt. However, I am saying we should be acknowledging our teachers, our parents, and our school communities for the hard slog they are doing, for the hard work they are involved in.
The partnership with the Australian government is very important. There was, once again, politicising of where the resources come from. Frankly, in the Barkly electorate, I do not think people give a hoot where they come from, as long as they are strategically targeted and those partnerships enable school communities to work together to deliver. It is not a one-way street in any of this; it is a combination of clear thinking, shared values, and how to work together. So waving league tables around, or politicising the education debate, is one way of doing business, and it has created a good debate. It has created a debate where we have all participated. Let us take it the next step forward.
I applaud the minister for Education for enlightening the House about the new move into girls’ education. We will go back to a bit of history debate. Education was being focused on boys, education swung back to girls; we needed to swing back to boys and, now, we are going to make sure the girls are not left behind. This is good educational thinking; targeting needs that are real in our society.
That brings me to my conclusion. I would like to make a comment on bullying. Bullying is an extremely challenging behaviour within our society and our schools - not easily solved but, working together, it can be solved. Let us look at what we have. Let us look at the changes - where I started my part in this debate - from the late 1990s to now, the new millennium. Let us talk about different cohorts of kids, different cohorts of families, and different educational thinking. That is what the Henderson government has been tracking the whole time. It is not a one-hit wonder or a quick fix; it is a hard slog. In some cases out there, it is communities that are doing it tough. However, they are doing it the best way they can and it is our responsibility to give them a hand up. That is what this education plan is all about.
Madam Speaker, thank you for the opportunity, and I am honoured to participate in this debate. Let us talk more about education. Let us never forget education in the Northern Territory.
Madam SPEAKER: The question is the motion as moved by the – yes, member for Fong Lim.
Mr TOLLNER: Is the censure time up or …
Madam SPEAKER: It is. Usually, it is just two on two.
Mr TOLLNER: I am sure it is a time period, Madam Speaker.
Dr BURNS: Madam Speaker, speaking to that, usually there is an arrangement that it is two on two and …
Madam SPEAKER: Two on two has been the practice in here.
Dr BURNS: … from the opposition and the other side.
Mr TOLLNER: Madam Speaker, my understanding is that it is a time period that is allowed rather than a limit on speakers.
Madam SPEAKER: No, that is an MPI, member for Fong Lim.
The question is that the motion be agreed to.
The Assembly divided:
Ayes 10 Noes 11
Mr Bohlin Mrs Aagaard
Mr Chandler Dr Burns
Mr Conlan Mr Gunner
Mr Elferink Mr Hampton
Mr Giles Mr Henderson
Mr Mills Mr Knight
Ms Purick Ms Lawrie
Mr Styles Mr McCarthy
Mr Tollner Ms McCarthy
Mr Westra van Holthe Mr Vatskalis
Ms Walker
Motion negatived.
TABLED PAPER
Remuneration Tribunal Determination No 1
of 2009 – Overseas Travel Reports
Remuneration Tribunal Determination No 1
of 2009 – Overseas Travel Reports
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, pursuant to paragraph 4.2 of the Remuneration Tribunal Determination No 1 of 2009, I table Overseas Travel Reports.
Members will remember that, if there is overseas travel undertaken by a member, they have to give me a report within 30 days of that travel. Also, for this year, although in theory that part does not start until 4 May 2010, for all interstate travel, members are also required to provide a report to me within 30 days.
I table my report relating to the parliamentary delegation to Timor-Leste; reports from the Deputy Speaker and the member for Nelson in relation to the Timor-Leste travel; the member for Goyder for her CPA travel to New Zealand; and also the member for Braitling for his CPA travel to the United Kingdom.
MOTION
Note Statement - Territory 2030
Note Statement - Territory 2030
Continued from earlier this day.
Mr ELFERINK (Port Darwin): Madam Speaker, I also address this statement. At the outset, I am going to try to be very mindful of the process that is being applied here by the Chief Minister. I fully understand that, whilst this has been spoken about before in this House, regarding the 2030 policy, the Chief Minister has delivered to this House, essentially, what one would describe as a progress report as to how things are going. I find that commendable, and I thank the Chief Minister for keeping the House and Territorians informed how the 2030 policy is advancing.
For that reason, this particular statement deserves a careful and close examination in due deference to the fact that it is an attempt to update the House and report progress. However, fully a third of the statement is dedicated to the chronology of events which have occurred, essentially, since this particular policy was launched, and the processes that were engaged in by the Chief Minister and the other participants in the program to consult far and wide about what this program is trying to achieve. I also note, with interest, there will be a continued roll-out of reports as to how the program advances.
My concern about this program is not its intention. I am not going to stand here and suggest for one second that the government of the Northern Territory, headed by the Chief Minister, actually does not want the things outlined in this program to actually occur. I genuinely believe they do. The point is, there is often a void, with this government, between stated intention and capacity to deliver on the intention.
I was thinking about this particular issue last night as I read the statement - and I thank the Chief Minister for early transmission of the statement to us on this side of the House. I was thinking to try to demonstrate to the House a vehicle by which I could demonstrate this void between stated intention and outcome. I had a few examples in mind. The Treasurer of the Northern Territory was kind enough to offer me a classic example of stated intention and the void between that intention and outcome. The example she used in demonstrating the effectiveness of this government was the compulsory reporting of domestic violence.
The Treasurer, quite rightly, pointed out they introduced unique legislation. She said it was exclusive to the Northern Territory in global jurisdictions - and it may well be; I will have to take her word for it. The concept is we are going to protect Territory families, and increase the protection of Territory families by introducing a compulsory requirement to report serious domestic violence. That requirement has been introduced, and I believe it has been around for six or eight months now.
Let us compare intention - we have passed the legislation, we have done the media releases, we have put out all the information - to the result. The result is: how many prosecutions have been successful against people who have failed to report domestic violence? The answer is none. That is really indicative of the void between reality and desire.
I believe it was around 28 or 29 April 2007 - the date would have to be confirmed, but we will say April 2007 - when the Treasurer, then Minister for Lands and Planning, said on Stateline the Northern Territory only had to produce – the Top End I think was the quote – 300 blocks a year to keep up with the amount of land that was required to be released into the marketplace to satisfy the growing demand of the marketplace.
The reason I raise this issue is it continues to demonstrate the capacity to see the future and deliver on your stated intention is absent when it comes to this government. Even at that time in 2007 - we are only talking about two-and-a-half years ago - the Lands and Planning Minister was being told by numerous sources - not least of which were the members on this side of the House - there was going to be a shortfall in the release of land. Rather than taking that advice on board, the minister dug her heels in, continued to believe a requirement for only 300 blocks of land would be necessary in the Top End, and everything would be sweetness and light on the road to the future.
Clearly, now, the manifestation of the working homeless in the Northern Territory is a demonstration that failure to release land in a timely fashion has led to an extraordinary set of outcomes in the Northern Territory. In this instance, we not only have a failure to meet expectation, but the expectation was not present in the first place. This goes to the very essence of governance itself; that is, the capacity to plan and to see what is going to happen in the future.
I believe the Chief Minister actually repeats the old platitude in this statement: a failure to plan is a plan to fail. It could not be truer, but we have to be led by the evidence we have before us to see if the planning capacity of this government is in place.
I am disheartened and unedified by the lack of detail. The Chief Minister said there are some 129 areas government is going to pay attention to, and he mentioned three in this particular debate. For me, that is not any sort of evidence the Chief Minister considers the other 126 issues as a matter of priority, when they do not even rate a mention. I hoped there would have been tabled documents. Whilst I appreciate this material is available on the Internet, tabled documents along with this statement would have demonstrated and fleshed out what this particular program is trying to do.
I believe, in his haste to pad out this statement with the chronology, and then to speak in the most general, almost nebulous, terms about the intention, there are certain elements of this still worth visiting. The first thing is the fact the Chief Minister, calls it unique - and I do not doubt it is - having a subcommittee of Cabinet made up of non-elected members - doubtlessly unique. However, the reason it is unique is if Cabinet is not capable of doing the job of Cabinet and it requires propping up by non-Cabinet people to enable it to do its job as a Cabinet alone, it bodes ill for the future of the Northern Territory. The Cabinet, from an administrative point of view, at least, is the supreme decision-making body of the executive of government. If that organ is so bereft of experience, capacity, and knowledge it needs to rely on other people to make its decisions for it, then what you are technically achieving is Cabinet becoming a vehicle by which to rubber stamp the suggestions of non-elected people who do not carry the Crown’s commission.
There is a general word for that. Whilst I realise the participants in this process, in the subcommittee of Cabinet, are not necessarily bureaucrats, it is generally bureaucrats, public servants - and these people will be public servants of one fashion or another - who then have the decision-making capacity handed to them, whereas the Cabinet then abrogates itself of its decision-making capacity, and sees itself as a rubber stamp or figurehead only.
It is interesting to note, with past members and current members, that sort of thinking is actually betrayed in comments those members make. For example, at estimates of one or two years ago, the then minister for Sport, Matthew Bonson, was asked his opinion on a particular issue. His answer was: ‘I will refer that to my CEO’. The member for Barkly last year was asked a question in the Estimates Committee. He was asked an opinion, to which the response was: ‘Do you want my opinion or my ministerial opinion?’ Whilst we laugh and chortle about it, it sends a shiver up my spine. The reason it sends a shiver up my spine is that the decision-making organs of governance in the Northern Territory no longer reside in the Cabinet room. It resides outside the Cabinet room, and it undermines the very principles of responsible government.
I believe Sir Humphrey Appleby once observed it was very important for bureaucracies to housetrain their ministers. Well, if it was important for Sir Humphrey Appleby, then it appears the same philosophy has been thrust upon our bureaucracy by this ministry. It is not a case of the minister being housetrained by the bureaucracy; it is now the minister asking the bureaucracy for housetraining. For that reason, I am concerned about what is being sold to us in this package.
I listened with interest to the member for Casuarina remind honourable members, by way of interjection before the luncheon period, about Foundations for Our Future. The member for Casuarina rocked back in his chair and chortled to himself: ‘Ha, ha, the world’s longest suicide note’. For those people who are not aware of what that was a reference to, it was a reference to these documents here, Foundations for Our Future. They are very interesting. I had to dust them off, drag them out of the ancient filing cabinet I keep upstairs. These were the documents that were going to take the Territory forward.
The reason this is interesting is this was produced by the former Chief Minister, Denis Gabriel Burke. That Chief Minister came into power after the departure of the former Chief Minister, Shane Stone. Anyone who knows Shane Stone knows one thing: love him or hate him, the man knew his mind and knew what he wanted. He would go out and get it in ways that left other observers breathless. Sometimes, he demonstrated more brass and effrontery in achieving results for the Northern Territory than I would have ascribed to Napoleon Bonaparte. However, having made that observation, I know he always acted with the very best intentions for the future of the Northern Territory - always, without question; it was his primary driver. Whilst some people saw him as arrogant, I saw him as supremely confident and, frankly, they are two facets of the same coin. The guy had a sense of self-belief which was astonishing to behold. With that passion and drive, he achieved remarkable things for the Northern Territory in the time he was Chief Minister.
He was replaced by the next Chief Minister, Denis Burke. Denis Burke was quite a different character. I still believe he had the very best intentions of the Northern Territory at heart. However, in the way he presented things, he needed a far more structured fashion. I once said to him that Foundations for Our Future was, in many respects, an attempt to corporatise the Northern Territory - and he agreed, because of the corporate model of governance. That has now percolated into so many levels of governments. You see it in the uniform presentation framework, through the budget papers, and reflected in government policy.
The parallels are interesting, with the change of leadership from Shane Stone, who took the Country Liberals to a crushing victory in 1997 over the Labor Party, who was then replaced by Denis Burke. Denis Burke needed to find a way to stamp his own imprimatur. Filling Shane Stone’s shoes was an impossibly large task, and Denis Burke’s vehicle to attempt to do so was Foundations for Our Future. In the space between 1997’s crushing Labor defeat, to the crushing Labor victory in 2001, dare I say, we saw a huge change come over the political landscape in the Northern Territory. When I say crushing Labor victory, I know full well it came down to a handful of votes in Millner but, nevertheless, it was a Labor victory.
Subsequent to that time, the Labor government had enjoyed power. However, their leader of that day, Clare Majella Martin, was a woman who, I believe, passionately wanted to defend the rights of the Territory. I may not have agreed with her ideologically, and sometimes I believe she was captured by the media machine rather than necessarily doing the right thing. Nevertheless, she was a standout performer for the Labor Party in Australia. She was, after all, the great CLP slayer - something Graham Richardson never thought would happen on his visits here in the past. Her passion and drive led her into controversial areas. Then, she was replaced – violently, as occurs in politics from time to time - by another leader, Paul Henderson, who is now the Chief Minister of the Northern Territory.
It is interesting to draw the parallels between the transition from Shane Stone to Denis Burke, and compare that to Paul Henderson and Clare Martin, because Paul Henderson has chosen to fill the vacuum left by Clare Martin’s departure with the 2030 policy.
The parallels continue. Even if you compare the stated intentions of the policy’s five areas to which government attention will be paid, it is remarkable, on the back of Foundations for Our Future, a similar document has been produced, except it has six areas. Foundations for Our Future was a little tighter on economic development policy and drive – it did not go into those broader concepts of social policy that members of the opposite side hold so dear. However, it looks uncannily similar to Foundations for Our Future. So, if the member for Casuarina thinks that Foundations for Our Future was the world’s longest suicide note, then he would be well aware of the precedent which has been set, and the history which is being replayed now in this place.
Territory 2030 is a vehicle by which we plan for the future and distract ourselves from the present. In doing so, government is attempting to draw attention away from those things which are critical now; to show there is a rosy future ahead. I can see, in Foundations for Our Future, the same thing being done. In this instance, it is being done in a more obvious way than Foundations for Our Future attempted to do.
It is for this reason I believe the Labor government in the Northern Territory really has run its race. It concerns me that we still have to wait until 2012 for the next election, because the best we will be doing - at very best - between now and that time is marking time.
As much as the government would like to ascribe the calamitous problems we have had in all manner of areas, historically, to the Country Liberals, the fact is they are issues for which they now carry responsibility. It is incomprehensible that a person who takes up a job spends the next 10 years complaining that all of their failures are a product of someone else’s employment prior to them taking up the position. It does not happen. If I take up a job in a company - let us say working for a law firm or whatever - and the guy before me stuffed everything up, so I had to go and fix it - 10 years later, nine years later, five years later, two years later, six months later - that argument would not hold water. That assertion would not hold water.
Yet, the problem is we find ourselves in the situation where the government is doing just that in an attempt to deflect and abrogate from their responsibility. That is why I feel cynicism about this statement - not because of its intent, or stated intent, but the implied intent, and the real motivation which, I believe, lies beneath the words in this statement. For that, I believe we are seeing a rewrite of the world’s longest suicide note. I well believe the member for Casuarina has it right. Those people who forget the lessons of history are very much condemned to repeat them.
We see a divided government in front of us, desperately scraping around. The Leader of Government Business holds the Treasurer in the highest level of pulchritude. You can only hope the axe will fall on this government sooner rather than later. It is for this reason I implore the member for Nelson to look seriously at the agreement he has with the members of this government. Even that agreement now is in breach in several areas because the government still cannot even achieve the things in that agreement.
One of the grounds for the axe falling on this government was evidence of maladministration. There are now numerous areas, not least of which includes child protection, where maladministration is not only evident, but proven, if one reads the coronial findings of those awful cases in recent times.
Madam Speaker, this statement is tired, weak and exhausted, and it reflects a tired, weak and exhausted leadership, which is now sitting like a tumour on the top of the heads of the rest of our community.
Dr BURNS (Education and Training): Madam Speaker, there has been a fair bit of political prognostication, particularly from the member for Port Darwin, in relation to the 2030 statement, with a reflection about Denis Gabriel Burke - a dictatorial character as I remember the member for Port Darwin describing him when he was the member for Macdonnell. I well remember a conversation I had with the member for Port Darwin at the Camel Cup in Alice Springs. We got on to the subject of Moby Dick and, I suppose, the dictatorial manner of Denis Gabriel Burke. However, that is another story.
A quote from Paul Keating might be apt here. It is probably apt in relation to the advertisement that was in today’s paper, and some of the sentiments put forward by the member for Port Darwin. Paul Keating was saying this to the Coalition federally: ‘They are like the Bourbons. They have learnt nothing and they have forgotten nothing’. Well, I say the CLP is exactly the same as the Bourbons, as Paul Keating’s commented. I well remember in 2001 when they lost. As the member for Port Darwin said, it was a crushing defeat. There were a handful of votes in Millner. I can remember a number of members on the side opposite saying something like: ‘Yes, but we received a majority of votes across the Territory and we really deserve to be in government but, by some default, some mistake, the Labor Party is in government’. I would retort: ‘Well, there was not a majority of votes in my seat’, and neither has there been since.
I well remember Steve Dunham got into trouble over this one night. He was alluding to the new candidate at that time - it was the 2005 election for the seat of Nightcliff, and he was extolling the virtues of this particular candidate. He made a comment after the 2005 election, something to the effect of: ‘We will be returned to government; it is our right to rule’. ‘Our rightful place’, I believe he said.
I believe this has been the problem with the CLP since 2001, and was in comments of the member for Port Darwin. He talked about marking time until 2012. In August 2009, the CLP was set, they had their meeting, they had even allocated offices, I understand. Then, suddenly, things did not go their way. The same as it did not go their way in 2001 it certainly did not go their way in 2009. So, all this recrimination started. It is almost: ‘We are born to rule, things will fall into place next time around and, until then, we will grudgingly play the game or mark time. We do not really need to do anything. We do not need to develop really meaningful policies; we have a right to rule’.
You will have to do more than mark time over the next two-and-a-half years, member for Port Darwin. You are going to have to do more than the policy announced by the Leader of the Opposition yesterday regarding education. You are going to need much more detail to put yourself forward as an alternative government for the Northern Territory. You are going to have to do much better than this effort in today’s paper.
I was asked for my comment about it earlier today and I said the words ‘bitter and twisted’. There is bile, venom and recriminations. It is building up and up. It is almost as if it is in a big concrete mixer and someone has hit the lever and it has all fallen out on the pages in the newspaper. It is very feverish; it is almost a bit nutty to be honest with you.
Of course, at the end, there was the big shot at the member for Nelson. I believe the member for Nelson is a former chook farmer, but he is a tough old rooster, and is a bit tougher than you give him credit for. He has much support out in the community; I am well aware of that. He has much family support, and the support of friends. Within his heart, he has much strength. I believe the more you try to crush him, the stronger he will become, and the weaker you will become. It does not really do you any favours to put this in the newspaper. People will make their own decisions about this.
It is like something you get through the mail sometimes. As an elected member, I have had them - a pamphlet anonymously annotated in a feverish …
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The minister has been on his feet for five minutes, and I would like him to say the words Territory 2030 once to give me some sense of relevance to the matter under debate.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Port Darwin, it has been a fairly wide-ranging debate from all members to date. Minister, I am sure you will be getting to the point of this statement.
Dr BURNS: Of course, Madam Speaker. What I am saying is the Territory 2030 statement is about the future, about aspirations, and also about targets.
Whilst the CLP indulge in their navel gazing and vitriol, this is a government which is getting on and looking to the future of the Northern Territory. I believe if the CLP really want to get back into government and rule, they are going to have to do much more work, and lift their game more than they are at the present.
The Chief Minister, in his statement, has demonstrated the Henderson government has vision, is transparent, engages the community, and listens to their view. The strategy demonstrates this government has plans and strategies in place to grow the Territory and deliver services to meet the needs of the current and future community. Importantly, it has put in place processes to ensure government agencies are joined up, focused on the strategy, and will harness their collective resources to deliver the outcomes sought by government and the broader community. The government is guiding and shaping the Territory’s future. We are committed to growing our economy, our prosperity and, importantly, our community’s wellbeing.
As the new Minister for Education and Training, Minister for Public and Affordable Housing, and Minister for Public Employment, I welcome the challenges and opportunities adopted in the Territory 2030 strategy. My portfolios span two important pillars of the strategy.
Importantly, education is the centrepiece of the 2030 strategy. This is by deliberate design because the steering committee, government, and the broader community recognise that education is the key enabler for strategic social reform of the kind envisioned in the Northern Territory. With education as its core, Territory 2030 sets priorities for a society: economic sustainability, health and wellbeing, the environment, knowledge and creativity and innovation. As the Chief Minister pointed out, none of the targets contained in the strategy can stand alone; they are all interconnected across the priority areas.
Education and the principle of lifelong learning is the cornerstone of the Territory 2030 strategic plan. The core of education is formal study from preschool through to highest level of academia.
The Territory is an active participant in the national reform agenda which is delivering a stronger focus on formal education and training across our nation. Importantly, many of the Territory 2030 targets are based on national standards and nationally agreed education targets. Out-of-school study; on-the-job training; professional development programs; and informal knowledge sharing should be recognised for the value they bring to the overall education of our citizens.
The links between education and other factors including health, housing, poverty, and social status must be better understood. We must address the gap between those students who are doing very well and those who are not achieving minimum levels of participation and achievement.
The government has already commenced reform of the education system to achieve this. A key tool is the Department of Education and Training’s 2009–12 Strategic Plan. This plan was developed in line with the Territory 2030 directions in respect of education. The department’s strategic plan is focused on delivering a Smart Territory through quality education and training, with real and improved student outcomes. Through quality strategies, programs, people, partnerships, and systems, the Department of Education and Training will grow educated, skilled and smart Territorians.
The education theme of 2030 has been framed around three related critical priorities: achievement, participation and engagement, and access and equity. Each of these priorities is the focus of high-level 2030 objectives. Targets and strategic actions across the whole lifespan of learning, where appropriate, have been identified for each of these objectives. We have already seen in the national media achievement levels are important. They are critical for successful life options and pathways of individuals, groups, and society in general.
The target set within the objective of Territorians meeting or exceeding national standards for education and training relate to the following: improving the proportion of children starting school with the skills for life and learning, as measured by the Australian Early Development Index; meeting the commitment by first ministers to halve the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous student achievement within a decade; Territory 2030 goes further with the target to have all Territory students comfortably meeting national literacy and numeracy achievement rates by 2030; improving Year 12 achievement including the Northern Territory Certificate of Education and Training completions, and the proportion of young people with Year 12 or Certificate II or above being at nationally agreed levels by 2012; continuing to increase the number of students completing higher education or vocational education and training courses at tertiary institutions; and improving understanding of Indigenous culture by having all Territory students demonstrate achievement in Indigenous Studies by 2020.
All these strategic priorities are designed to ensure these achievement targets are met. For example, the department will work with industry to implement the National Quality Early Childhood Education Care Framework; ensure all schools have a literacy and numeracy plan; refine datasets for all aspects of school training and system improvement; and ensure all relevant quality datasets are made publicly available. It will also measure progress towards literacy and numeracy targets, and report appropriate aggregated levels. This includes targets at the class, school, region and system levels that are aligned with the 2030 and nationally agreed targets and introducing awards for school excellence program with the support of the industry partners.
There are quite a number of other initiatives here, but I will move on to a very important aspect of improving the levels to meet achievement targets. One of the key enablers is increased participation and engagement. To this end, Territory 2030 targets have been set in the area of participation and engagement, which include increasing preschool participation so that, by 2020, Territory levels will meet and, by 2030, exceed national preschool participation level; increasing school participation and engagement amongst Indigenous Territorians; improving the proportion of Year 11 and Year 12 enrolments to meet or exceed national levels by 2020; increasing the proportion of the young people aged between 15 and 24 participating in post-school education training or employment to be at national agreed levels by 2020; doubling the number of people undertaking higher education study at a Territory institution by 2030; improving participation in vocational education and training; expanding the availability of the education and training in the prison system - I am sure my colleague will also speak about that; and increasing the number of Territorians participating in adult education.
The focus on growth towns has already been mentioned. We will also be implementing the Family as First Teachers for families with children aged from zero to eight years, enabling increased participation and engagement with children and their families in their critical formative years, and also increase access to materials to help these parents, carers, or families develop early literacy and numeracy in their children prior to engaging them in formal schooling. We will also be establishing positive learning centres in urban settings, and be piloting the successful school-wide positive behaviour programs at selected middle schools.
I have also alluded to VET, which is of crucial importance to this government. We have targets – and we are meeting those targets - around apprenticeships and traineeships of 10 000 over this term of government. They were met in the previous term of government also. It is a very crucial aspect.
I also have very important responsibilities in the area of public and affordable housing. It is a key issue affecting the social and economic wellbeing of the Northern Territory. The first objective is this government will work in this area to ensure the Territory offers affordable and appropriate housing that meets the varying needs of Territorians. To pursue this objective, this government must take a number of actions including: reducing the number of rough sleepers; reducing waiting times of public housing; increasing social housing rental stock; providing more supported accommodation places; reducing the average bedroom occupancy in remote dwellings to two people by 2030; delivering on the Strategic Indigenous Housing and Infrastructure Program; and developing an ongoing remote housing program, post-SIHIP.
To reduce the percentage of rough sleepers, government is working on a number of initiatives. The Australian and Northern Territory governments have jointly funded $54m for a Homelessness National Partnership Agreement. This will provide additional support services and 32 additional dwellings. Also, this government recently invested $2.2m on projects to assist people from the street into a home. Non-government organisations will be operating these services. They include St Vincent de Paul, the Salvation Army, the Mental Health Association of Central Australia, and the YMCA. Other projects which will assist in this area include the Domestic and Family Violence Strategy for increasing the delivery of range of specialist homeless services amongst young people in Darwin, Palmerston, Alice Springs and Tennant Creek; the Intervention and Case Management Service which is working with a range of controlling rehabilitation and accommodation services; a commitment to enable a smooth reintegration of prisoners into the community; and provide alcohol and other drugs services where needed.
We will also be taking action to reduce public housing wait times. This is one of my key priorities as the new Minister for Public and Affordable Housing. To achieve this, we are undertaking a significant construction program which will see over 200 dwellings under construction in this year alone. The department is also moving to have multiple contractors by regions to speed up the repair of dwellings left damaged, and to reduce the turnaround times in getting this accommodation into the hands of the next tenants. Essentially, this will enable the department to house people quicker and more efficiently.
The third action is to increase the percentage of social housing rental stock. The Henderson government is committed to working with the non-government sector to increase the social housing rental stock. To this end, we are establishing an affordable housing rental company to provide more options in the marketplace. An affordable housing rental company will provide another option for people who cannot afford private accommodation. There are successful examples of these types of companies throughout Australia. An expression of interest will soon be released with the aim of the company being established before the end of this year.
Also, under the stimulus package, a number of construction projects will deliver more social housing. Examples of this include 20 units to be constructed by the St Vincent de Paul Society at Coconut Grove and the redevelopment of the Wirrina.
The fourth action is to reduce the number of Territorians being turned away from supported accommodation services for people who are homeless or who are escaping domestic and family violence. I have already spoken about the construction program under way, which includes supported accommodation services and the Homelessness National Partnership Agreement. The department is working closely with the Department of Health and Families to ensure there are a range of support services available for those who find themselves homeless or at the risk of homelessness. Three of the action steps aimed at attaining the objectives are interrelated: reduce average occupancy in remote dwellings to two persons per bedroom by 2030; deliver on seniors by 2013; and develop an ongoing remote housing program post-SIHIP.
SIHIP will deliver 750 new houses, 230 rebuilds, and 2500 refurbishments by 2013 within the $672m allocated for the program. This will assist in relieving overcrowding in communities. Work is now under way under this initiative in 16 communities across the Territory, employing over 100 Indigenous people locally. There are now 56 new houses completed or under way. This includes four new houses completed to lock-up stage across the communities of Nguiu and Gunbalanya, and two fully-completed and tenanted at Wadeye. A total of 291 refurbishments and rebuilds are now complete or under way.
The department is also working on an asset management strategy, which will take into account the current number and condition of dwellings in remote communities, current and future demographics, and projected housing growth. This will allow the department to put together a comprehensive housing program post-SIHIP. The department is working to implement a new housing management model for housing in remote communities and urban community living areas ...
Mr KNIGHT: Madam Deputy Speaker, I move an extension of time for the minister to complete his remarks, pursuant to Standing Order 77.
Motion agreed to.
Dr BURNS: I thank members and I will not be very long.
Under the National Partnership Agreement on Remote Indigenous Housing, the department assumed responsibility for the management of all community housing in the 73 identified communities, and has begun implementing the Remote Public Housing Management Framework. Key features of the management framework include tenancy management, property management and tenancy support. The management framework is aligned with the Urban Public Housing Framework to ensure a consistent approach across all public housing in the Northern Territory, while appropriately addressing cultural and remote issues and improving local participation in the program. Affordable housing for low- to middle-income earners to purchase will also assist in meeting the gap for those who do not qualify for public housing but find the private market too tough.
The second target under this part of the Territory 2030 strategy seeks to meet this gap and aims to establish a balanced housing market, offering good value for money and affordability, ultimately becoming one of Australia’s most affordable housing markets across all market segments.
An important action to be taken in support of this is to increase home ownership among all Territorians. Since July 2004, the department has assisted a total of 1284 households to purchase their own home, with over $263m in loans and shared equity purchases. For the 2008-09 financial year, 101 households have been assisted with $25.8m in loans and shared equity purchases. This financial year, increases to income and purchase price limits in the Homestart NT Scheme, formerly HomeNorth Xtra, have had a positive impact. One hundred and fifteen households have been assisted to purchase their own home, with over $34.4m in loans and shared equity purchases.
Another important action under this target is to reduce the proportion of Territory households experiencing rental stress. The establishment of the affordable housing rental company will assist with providing accommodation for those on low to middle incomes at an affordable price. I am currently dealing with this initiative as a priority, and I look forward to updating the House on progress of this very important project in future. This work will ensure there are affordable rental properties available to those families which need them.
My third portfolio is Public Employment. The Office of the Commissioner for Public Employment is the central agency within the Northern Territory public sector, with sector-wide responsibility providing an effective employment framework for the management and development of the Northern Territory Public Service workforce. Agencies will need to be contemporary, agile and dynamic in nature, to support the implementation of Territory 2030. The Commissioner for Public Employment and his team will deliver valuable support to chief executives and agencies over forthcoming years to ensure the employment framework underpins the need.
I hope from what I have reported, members will see considerable effort is now under way across all my agencies, and between agencies and the broader community, to respond to the objectives set out in Territory 2030. I commend the steering committee for their efforts, and other members of the community for the contributions they have made to the development of the strategies. My departments are assimilating the targets and aspirations of Territory 2030 into their corporate planning, strategies, and budget preparation. I can assure you Territory 2030 is now at the heart of my conversations with my chief executives, and with representatives of the broader community. We are committed to its implementation, and this is evidenced by our investment in the Smart Territory and Housing the Territory strategies.
Madam Deputy Speaker, I commend the statement to the House.
Mr CHANDLER (Brennan): Madam Deputy Speaker, I must say there is not much in the Chief Minister’s statement today I disagree with. I also would like to congratulate the people involved in delivering a plan of ideas to government. However, do I think this government has the capacity to deliver any of these aspirational concepts? Not on your nelly! As I have had some time observing how this failed administration operates on many levels - not on your nelly! I will bet this effort will amount to nothing more than another document which becomes filed, forgotten and, in the mind of Labor minders, has done its job to shift the focus from the monumental failures this government has presided over - monumental failures hurting everyday Territorians from a government which, on one hand, says publicly it cares, while behind the scenes has no conscience regarding how its long-term, long line of failed policies has and does hurt everyday people deeply.
Words, sadly, are not enough, and government needs to take the lead; take responsibility to get involved and ensure those at the coalface - the heart of the public service – are resourced accordingly, and basic needs are being met - not catering for the needs of boardrooms and high end public servants. Who cares? I will tell you right now that Mr and Mrs Average out there could not give two hoots if the water being served in a conference room is the right temperature and has been filtered. What they care about is knowing the service government should be providing, will be - nothing more, nothing less.
Let me start by focusing on the Chief Minister’s statement: ‘This the first time ever a Territory government has attempted to put into place this level of forward planning’. Let us consider this rather brash and, perhaps arrogant, statement for a minute. It is a statement which is supposed to suggest the Henderson government is the first ever government to plan. As one example, the very building we are sitting in today must have, indeed, taken a fair amount of forward planning. In fact, I could list any number of achievements the former CLP government provided to Territorians through good planning, including urban planning, where the cost of land was managed - nothing more, just managed - to keep up with growth.
It is certainly not rocket science and should not take a southern consultant to indicate to this shoddy bunch of hypocrites how it is done: balance supply and demand. Do you need to hear that again? Balance the supply and demand.
While everyone agrees there needs to be good planning to ensure the future prosperity of our cherished Northern Territory, this plan appears to fail in so many ways. It fails to provide real measurable outcomes and is more akin to just another well-presented advertisement, a presentation of conceptual ideas with no real tangible strategies to make it happen. Ideas while inspirational – no, not really, not even aspirational; no real plan to actually make it happen.
I have even had people working within the Chief Minister’s own department express a high level of frustration over needing to spend a great deal of time on a plan they know will not happen; staff on contracts far shorter than the time frame we are talking about here. How can a government, a Labor government no less, expect long-term thinking, long-term ideas, from staff they will not even give contracts to, in most cases, for more than 12 months. No wonder public service morale is out of control; in fact, unmeasurable, I have been told. It is unmeasurable because there is nothing left to measure. Just how many of our public servants are on contracts?
Perhaps the Chief Minister should concentrate on the here and now, listen and respond with empathy to all Territorians, and apologise for the mess his government has created before he goes down this road of navel gazing. Perhaps the Chief Minister can be honest, for once in his political life, to say that this plan of his is nothing more than an attempt to shift the focus on his government’s miserable failures.
Perhaps this is yet another example of the Henderson government’s addiction to smoke and mirrors, to managing community perception, and taking absolutely no responsibility whatsoever when maladministration or failed policies have been highlighted or uncovered. Of course, this has been demonstrated, time and time again, with this current merry-go-round ministry - a ministry led by government heads, the media, and internal spin doctors. The tail here certainly wags the dog.
That is the truth, and enough is enough. For goodness’ sake, for Territorians’ sake, take the lead and, if you could just use a fraction of that effort today used to manage the perception, and actually use that energy to deliver at the coalface, perhaps you could become a good government.
That energy is a powerful beast. Do not be fooled by the power to control community perception to the level this government has been able to do, at the very same time that systematic failures are all around us - failures in education, health, family services, land and housing, in power delivery through the lack of maintenance of vital infrastructure, and in just about every service this government is supposed to deliver. To have the ability to cloud these issues to such an extent where some unfortunate people feel this bunch is doing a decent job is absolutely remarkable, and is testament to this government and how well they do that one thing.
The sad thing for all Territorians is that some have been fed an illusion and aspirational Labor paternalistic policies that promised so much and deliver so little. Even our own Prime Minister, a Labor Prime Minister, apologised to the nation’s Aboriginal people: ‘We will be okay now. Uncle Kev will make it all good, take responsibility and fix all the wrongs of the past’. Well, guess what? Aboriginal people and the rest of Australia have been sold a dud, just like right here in the Northern Territory. We have been sold a dud. We have a government fixated on spin, and smoke and mirrors, and this 2030 plan is just another tool in the armoury of Labor illusion.
As I said, if just some of this energy could be focused on delivering services instead of covering up the reasons they have failed, I am positive we would be at least halfway there. The Territory needs a government focused on solutions. Let us look a little deeper, because I have learned to map some of the words we hear in this Chamber with actual delivery in the community. Sadly, I am often left with an inability to draw that line. Unfortunately, many of the issues raised in the community which attract some media attention are often forgotten even weeks after the issue has been raised. It would appear extremely obvious the focus is on managing today’s media; promising much and, the moment the issue is out of focus, deliver nothing.
On the second page of the statement, the Chief Minister mentioned the people who work hard to provide the information leading to this plan. I thank them for what they have done, but it is unfortunate that working alongside this government has made me cynical. I do not think I was cynical before. I apologise, but methinks the Chief Minister uses so many consultants and advisors as a method to shift the blame when things go pear-shaped. Again, it is another opportunity not to take responsibility whenever yet another plan or policy fails to deliver on its promises.
They say they consult with the community. I have been to many consultations this government has held, and let me tell you there was no consultation whatsoever. It was a method to tell people what they were doing - not about community consultation, not about listening but, at the end of the day, they can put on their little strips that - guess what? - they consulted with the community.
Page 3 talks about the complex demands on government because of growth. Oh, bugger me, that is nothing more than an excuse for mismanaging everything from land release to the high cost of living, rents and housing. It is not as if these things snuck up on them. This government has been sprouting about how successful the Territory has been for years. It has spruiked about the strength of our economy, praising the economy and how good they were, and how they are good at managing it, etcetera. Let us just stop for one moment and think about this. Think about how they were able to spruik about the growth and the bubbling economy they, of course, take full responsibility for delivery. I tell you, it comes from organisations like the ABS. For goodness sake, the NT has its own statisticians who work on predictions based on a number of factors - that is how. So, how the flaming hell have they not been able to keep up with this demand? Why, for heaven’s sake, have they taken their eye of the ball when it comes to land release, when they knew all along the Territory was growing? Everyone was telling them, even the experts. Perhaps they were concentrating on the year 2030 when they should have been working on managing the here and now.
In light of today’s statement about our future, it is prudent to mention just a few of the normal everyday government processes that are failing Territorians. Education, as we have already heard today, needs serious attention. Politics aside, we should and need to work together to solve some of these issues. VET training, of which I have said already today there are training providers out there which have not been approved this year because of a technicality, is very thin on the ground. The CDU, which I already mentioned in an earlier debate, has only 16 positions for Certificate II in IT – 16 positions to cater for all the Top End’s high schools.
During the Christmas break, I was surprised at how many people came into the office to tell me more sad stories of things that are happening across the Territory; things this government is responsible for delivering. I have had some horrible stories on processes and people not talking to each other in PATS - the interstate travel for patients – where it appears departments have left hands not talking to the right hands.
One gentleman who came to see me had had a heart attack. He was rushed to Royal Darwin Hospital and was told he was not going home because they wanted him on the next plane interstate. After 14 days of mismanagement - 14 days of the left hand not telling the right hand what to do - finally, they were on the plane. However, part of that process included on the morning they were departing, the nurse who was accompanying him going to get the defibrillator, which was flat. On checking the drugs that accompanied them, most of them were out of date, and they had to replace them. When they finally got to leave the hospital, there was no taxi organised to get them there. They had to find their own way to the airport. Meanwhile, Qantas had been contacting them time and time again: ‘Where are you; the doors are about to close?’ How hard is it to organise people?
Another story was of a young family, in the middle of the night, ended up in Melbourne only to find out the accommodation they had been promised was booked through the department, was not booked. What do you do at 3 am with your family when you arrive in Melbourne? Actually, it was a bit after three, I think it was a bit after 6 am. The advice given to them was to try Ronald McDonald House and, if they could not get accommodation there, then just try to contact the department. But the department does not work on weekends.
How is you have these systematic failures delivering services that should just be pretty much tick-box stuff? This is done; this is done; this is done. How is it that young families can arrive interstate with tired young children, finding no accommodation has been booked?
How is it that medical equipment has flat batteries and drugs are out of date when they are supposed to be for emergency situations? How is it that Qantas, in this case, had seats three days in a row available and, yet, because of the incompetence of government to ensure the processes are correct, led to nurses on standby for three days in a row and situations where people are waiting 14 days to go interstate for much-needed surgery?
The here and now is what we have some real concerns about. The year 2030 will be here before most of us realise it, and we all need good planning. I stress again, planning is important, and good plans take time to develop and, in the right context, become a powerful tool. I worry, however, that this plan is just another ploy to control community perception, and offers no real-time improvements for Territorians. Planning should be both aspirational and inspirational. I was certainly not inspired by this plan.
However, there were some things in there I believe we all agree we should be aiming for; things I am sure, even in this plan, both sides of this House agree is the direction we should be taking. Again, I cannot but think this is a vehicle - and, indeed, a disingenuous vehicle - to provide cover for the onslaught of bad news we are sure to hear over the coming months and years ahead, and this 2030 plan will be used as an excuse every time another issue is raised. It will all be fixed by the year 2030. Any time that we raise a concern, or the public comes to talk to us and raise concerns they have with government delivering services, they have a plan to fix it. I believe this is a plan to plan. It certainly does not show anywhere in there that it is going to fix it.
Madam Deputy Speaker, to that end, I implore the Chief Minister and his merry-go-round ministry to take just a moment and concentrate on the here and now. Get your head out of the sand and recognise not all is good, and that you are directly responsible for mismanaging, maladministration, and creating human misery. A plan for 2030 is not going to solve many of the problems facing Territorians today. As the Chief Minister, you have the responsibility and the ability to act now. The question is, will you? Do you have the courage? Will you ignore your minders, your media friends, and internal spin machine and do what is right and what is expected of a Chief Minister?
Mr VATSKALIS (Health): Madam Deputy Speaker, I support the Chief Minister’s statement on the Territory government’s 2030 strategy. I welcome the opportunity to be part of the first 20-year strategic plan for the future of the Territory. Usually, governments set their plans for four years during the electoral cycle, or three years. This is one of the first times we have seen a plan for the next 20 years.
I know the member from the other side said the CLP has plans but, let me tell you, I cannot see on the other side any of those dynamic people who, since 1978 and until 1989-90, achieved something. Most of the work of the CLP achievements was done by people who are not sitting in the desks opposite; they have long retired. For the railway, you can name Barry Coulter. For Channel Island, you can name the previous member for Barkly who now lives in Perth. The original plan was for a coal-fired power station but, thank God, somebody had the idea that a coal-fired power station was not the best idea for Darwin, and they converted it to gas. So, the so-called achievements of the Country Liberals are not achievements of the Country Liberals. They are of people who were here long before any of them - actually most of them - were in the Territory.
This is the first time a government, and a government in this jurisdiction, has a long-term plan. We have asked Territorians for their input and have listened to them. This is not a government directive or planning by a government bunch of bureaucrats; this is what the people want. That is why many people outside government were involved, and why these people were given free rein to talk to Territorians and come back with suggestions.
The 2030 strategy provides government with common goals and aims with measurable targets. It makes our way of doing business more transparent and open, and will guide our policy decisions.
I will turn to my portfolios because they will be impacted by change in the Territory, and they will impact on a changing Territory. Under the health and wellbeing banner, there are three main objectives: (1) to reform the Territory’s health system; (2) the health and wellbeing of Territorians will be better at all stages of life, and (3) the Territory makes considerable headway into lifestyle illnesses.
The steering committee said the Territory needs to create a culture where individuals take responsibility for their own health and wellbeing. We must learn to look after ourselves first, then our fellow citizens. I believe if we rise to this challenge in our health system we will be leaders in the field. The government has made record investment in health and families. We have the first $1bn health budget. We now employ 600 more nurses and 180 more doctors than in 2001.
I was listening to the member for Brennan, and if I did not know better I would think I live in a miserable place, from where I would like to pack up and catch the plane tomorrow for somewhere else. Everything is falling apart, everything is broken - well, I do not know if he lives in a different dimension, but walking out of this building tonight I will be in a place which is the envy of other people in Australia. I live in a place where people have a job; we have an unemployment rate which is one of the lowest in the country. I live in a place where the potential for tomorrow is enormous. I live in a place with fantastic natural beauty. I live where I have made my place because I know it can make a difference to my life, and I can make a difference to this place.
Let me give you an example of the health system. This is not government spin; this is a report by a Commonwealth authority about the health system of the Territory. Northern Territory hospitals are acknowledged to be the busiest in Australia. The Northern Territory has more than double the number of hospital patient separations compared to the national average – 480 patient separations in the Territory compared to 118 in the rest of Australia. We have the highest rate of emergency department attendances. It was one every 10 minutes in 2007-08. We spend more per person in public hospitals than other jurisdictions. We spend $1776 per person, compared to $1200 in the other states. We have more doctors and nurses per 1000 people; 1.6 full-time equivalent doctors, and 5.7 full-time equivalent nurses, compared to a national average of 1.2 and 5. We have more hospital beds than any other jurisdiction - 2.8 hospital beds per 1000 people. Victoria has 2.4, Queensland 2.5, and the national average is 2.7. All our hospital beds are accredited. They are not in other states such as New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia or Tasmania.
Unfortunately, we have the lowest access to Medicare funding in Australia. We have just over half the national average of GPs, and that impacts seriously upon our emergency department for the simple reason if people cannot access their GP, they will go to the emergency department; they have no other alternative. Of course, we have large numbers on the waiting list for the simple reason we do not have the specialist doctors as in other places. We have challenges, and the challenges are going to become worse, for the simple reason we have a significant number of Territorians with preventable or chronic disease, and also we get older.
When I first came to the Territory in 1993, I was astounded that the number of old people you would meet in the street was very small. I remember we went to South Australia and were walking the Port Augusta streets, and my eldest son said to me: ‘There is something strange in this place’. I said: ‘What is so strange?’ He said: ‘It is full of old people’. In the Territory you saw very few old people. Everyone who retired packed up and went somewhere else. Now it does not happen; we stay here.
Because of the ageing population, the system will be impacted upon, and it will be a serious impact. There are external unavoidable drivers: ageing population as I mentioned before; the available workforce; the escalation of costs for hospital care; and the increasing demand for hospital services.
We are now developing a keener appreciation of the serious harm caused by obesity, alcohol, smoking, and other substance misuse. The national health reform agenda, led by the Rudd government, has identified a focus on wellness, health promotion, primary health care, and illness prevention should be a more prominent part of Australia’s health system if we are to become an overall healthy nation and manage the burden on the health system.
A particular focus is on the Northern Territory Indigenous population; it is 30% of the population, on which we spend 60% of our health expenditure. Improving access to essential health care services that are culturally secure and are delivered with an expanded Indigenous workforce are just some of the strategies that will help us move forward in making a real difference in health outcomes.
We have introduced the Expanding Health Services Delivery Initiative 2008-13 with the support of the Australian government and the Aboriginal Medical Service Alliance. We aim to establish the Territory as a world leader in remote area and Indigenous health services delivery, linking education, research and policy, and service provision by 2030. We have built effective partnerships with the Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Flinders University, the Centre for Remote Health and the Baker Institute.
We currently have facilities in our health system which are the envy of the nation. The Trauma Centre and the response of the Trauma Centre to the two most recent incidents - the TIO bombing and the Greyhound Bus crash in Tennant Creek - shows how efficiently and well our systems can respond to emergencies. Paul Lucas, the Deputy Premier and Health Minister of Queensland, told me he was very impressed by the response of the Trauma Centre in Darwin to the TIO bombing victims. He told me if Queenslanders are involved in a terrorist attack in South-East Asia, he will demand they be evacuated first to Darwin and then to Brisbane because the time factor is very important.
Territory 2030 is a long-term plan. We cannot develop extensive complex strategies without robust planning. We know we need to expand hospital services in the Top End to meet the demands of the growing population, but this cannot be done based on flimsy ideas overnight like the CLP. We have engaged the consultants, Ernst & Young to undertake a comprehensive hospital services planning study to guide development of acute care services for the next 20 years. Consultations will occur with key stakeholders across the Territory. The studies are scheduled to deliver a final report to the steering committee at the end of March for consideration by government. The project includes demand modelling for future hospital services, master site planning options, financial modelling, workforce planning, and consideration of technology.
This is the difference between us and the opposition. We plan our action; the opposition make promises just before the elections and, then, they tell us the health system is in crisis, and adopt our suggestions to improve the health system in the Territory. What suggestions? Another inquiry into acute services, and build a car park in Royal Darwin Hospital. These are the major promises by the CLP.
We are continuing to plan and expand essential health services in the community. The Palmerston urgent care after-hours service opened in December 2008 as the first stage of the Palmerston GP Super Clinic, to increase after-hours urgent medical access for residents of Palmerston and the rural area. To date, 10 000 people have attended the super clinic, just in one year of operation. Stage 2 of the super clinic - a joint initiative between the Northern Territory government and the Australian government - is under construction and will open fully provided services later this year.
I am also very pleased to tell you we have delivered to the Territory the first ever Cancer Care Centre. The Alan Walker Cancer Care Centre was opened by the Prime Minister on Friday, 22 January 2010. It is a $28m investment, $15m more than Tony Abbott was offering to the then member for Solomon to deliver a service that was not even possible to be constructed with $13m …
Members interjecting.
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! Order! Member for Fong Lim! Cease interjecting, please! Thank you. You have the call, minister.
Mr VATSKALIS: If the member for Greatorex had bothered to turn up to the appointments he had to visit the Alan Walker Cancer Centre, he would have found out …
Members interjecting.
Mr VATSKALIS: I twice arranged appointments after consultation with you about a date. You did not turn up on either of those dates. To their credit, the member for Fong Lim, the Leader of the Opposition, the member for Katherine, the member for Brennan and others, came and took a tour of the centre. They met the specialist at the centre. If you had turned up to the opening, you would have met the oncologist …
Members interjecting.
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! Order! Member for Fong Lim! Order, member for Fong Lim!
Mr Tollner: We did not even know there was a damn opening; we read about it the paper the next day. So much for your bipartisanship, fool!
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Member for Fong Lim!
Mr Conlan: Before you start mouthing those type of comments …
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order, member for Greatorex! Cease interjecting or we may see members asked to withdraw from the Chamber. Please!
Mr TOLLNER: A point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker! The minister knows this government has done five-eighths of absolutely nothing to get that oncology unit out of the ground …
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: There is no point of order. Resume your seat!
Mr TOLLNER: … they have not put one single cent into it and now they say it is our fault that they cannot attract any specialists.
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Member for Fong Lim! Member for Fong Lim! There is no point of order. When I ask you to resume your seat, I ask you to do so, please. Minister, you have the call.
Mr VATSKALIS: Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. The Northern Territory government is putting in $2m a year for running costs. The Northern Territory government has …
Mr Tollner: You have done nothing.
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order!
Mr VATSKALIS: The Northern Territory government is providing $2m for running costs per year ...
Mr Tollner: You have done nothing! Stop crying about it; you should hang your head in shame.
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Please pause, minister. Member for Fong Lim, you have been asked three times now to cease interjecting, and I ask you do so, please. Thank you. Minister, you have the call.
Mr VATSKALIS: We have employed the physicists, the consultants, and a team from the Adelaide hospital to work here in the Territory. The first patient in the oncology department will be attending on 22 February and, after a few weeks - because that is how long it takes to prepare that person for irradiation – they will be undertaking radiation. I know very well the member for Greatorex never liked it. That is why he did not bother to turn up to have a look. However, other people can vouch for the most modern, most efficient cancer centre in Australia, and one which will not have a waiting list.
The people will be accommodated in a $4m refurbished facility at Mirambeena. The facility will have en suites, units for families, kitchens, outdoor areas for people who stay there without any cost, because the cost will be covered by us. This is the reality. I know very well they do not like it, but the reality is there. Many people have seen the oncology centre and were very impressed, including the Prime Minister.
The rest is totally untrue; it is an attempt by the member for Greatorex to derail the cancer centre. He did not like it. The reality is the cancer centre is the newest, most modern and most efficient cancer centre. I will take him personally, if he bothers next time to come to the appointment, to show him the cancer centre.
In reforming the Territory health system, we have also committed to making services for senior Territorians and people with disability, or who require rehabilitation, as accessible as elsewhere in Australia. Hard work continues to be required to ensure Indigenous people, over-represented with disabilities, have improved access to disability services. The department has implemented a central intake process to ensure equitable access to services by guaranteeing all requests for service follow the same process for determining eligibility and identifying service need.
The second objective guides us to ensure the health and wellbeing of Territorians will be better at all stages of their life course. We have made inroads in maternity health, especially with Indigenous people. We have improved the life expectancy, especially in Indigenous women, and decreased infant mortality. We have done much, but we can do more. We can do much more and we are prepared to do it. We want to provide the same services in the bush as we provide in the urban environment. We have worked very closely in the past with Aboriginal Medical Service Alliance, Good Health Alliance NT, and the General Practice Network of the Northern Territory - and we have delivered. We have delivered the services and will be doing the same in the future.
A few weeks ago, I launched the Chronic Conditions Prevention and Management Strategy. I have to admit the strategy is a major revision of the original 1999 strategy by the CLP government that was very effective. Credit is given where it is due; that was an effective strategy. However, it was outdated and had to be revised. I am very pleased to say, working together with Aboriginal Medical Service Alliance, Good Health Alliance NT and the General Practice Network, we are going to do it.
Chronic conditions account for 60% of the burden of disease in the Northern Territory. The focus will be on cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, chronic respiratory diseases, and chronic kidney disease. Important new inclusions are chronic mental illness and preventable cancers.
It is now acknowledged the focus on the early years of life is essential for preventing the development of chronic conditions in adulthood. A focus on prevention and health promotion amongst adults is also important to reduce the risk factor known to be significant contributors to these chronic conditions. The environment is right for a more strategic approach to prevention and health promotion with national reform guiding the way.
What really bothers me, as Minister for Health, is the fact that many of these diseases are preventable and are caused by substance abuse. Most of these are legal substances such as cigarette smoking and alcohol. There has been a lot of focus on smoking, and there are anti-smoking campaigns and stopping people smoking inside clubs and pubs and restaurants. However, the one that really bothers me is alcohol. That is why I have asked the Health Advisory Council, which met for the first time last week, to have a very close look at the alcohol factor and impact on human health in order to develop strategies to address some of these diseases. We pay a big price for alcohol and its impact. It is not that someone can actually affect their life; it can affect other people’s lives with domestic violence, drink-driving, and committing offences in which alcohol is a factor.
The other thing we have to do - and this is very important - is ensure all children in the Territory are safe and grow in a safe environment. I have to say, our government, since 2001, has made enormous steps in improving the safety of the children. When we came to government, the expenditure for Children Services by the then CLP government was $7m. Today, it is $9m. When you came to government, there were only about 100 child protection workers; today there are 213. We are the first government to make reporting of domestic violence mandatory. We are the first government to put the Child Abuse Task Force in Darwin and Alice Springs, which resulted in 99 arrests and 26 summonses. We have Aboriginal community workers in 13 communities. We have mobile protection teams. We put one of the most modern acts in Australia in place. Is everything perfect? No, it is not. Is everything good? No, it is not.
There is much work to be done. When we have a 69% increase in the number of notices from one year to another, obviously, there is a problem - and a serious problem, especially with Indigenous communities. First of all, there is tyranny of distance; second, the conditions in which they live. We cannot guarantee safety of children when there is an overcrowded house and when there is no food in the house. We have very serious issues and I am determined, as I said before, and prepared to look at structures and policies in the department in order to ensure children in the Territory are going to be safe. I do not care about the background, the colour, or the ethnicity. What is important is that a child of the Territory feels and is safe.
There is much work to be done. A lot of discussion has taken place to date, but our commitment is to ensure our government - and, as a matter of fact, every single government - should provide a safe and nurturing environment for children. That is why we have asked for the widest inquiry of Children’s Services. The panel, headed by Dr Howard Bath, Professor Muriel Bamblett and Dr Rob Roseby, is going to conduct this inquiry. The first sitting took place in Nhulunbuy, and today I believe there was another forum in Tennant Creek. The government is committed to listen to the advice of the panel, of the inquiry, to adopt their recommendations, and provide the necessary equipment, tools, and funds to address this significant issue about Children’s Services in the Territory.
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Minister, your time has expired.
Mr STYLES (Sanderson): Madam Deputy Speaker, I add to the debate on the ministerial statement of Territory 2030. However, before I do, I acknowledge the hard work of all the people who had input into that document. Preparing any strategic document for such a broad range of time is difficult. The co-chairs, Vicki O’Halloran and Bill Moss, should be commended for the work they have done.
This document is about the future and how to get there, and where they want to be in 2030. That is great, but what I do not see is where we are right now, and what is going to happen tonight, tomorrow and next week. This government has had in excess of eight years to get many of the things they should have done right, but they have not. We heard the Deputy Chief Minister espousing that we, on this side of the Chamber, are always in blame mode, and are always blaming everyone else. Well, I heard her today come straight back and blame us for all the woes of the Territory.
It is the issues about the immediate future which concern me and my constituents, and the people who form part of my shadow portfolios. In particular, I want to address the youth issues.
I heard the member for Wanguri talk about the government making a decision to go outside government to get advice on which direction they should go, and how they should organise their critical path planning to get to Territory 2030. I ask the Chief Minister to address some of the ideas of the opposition, because he has asked for ideas from all sorts of people. There are many people on this side of the House who speak to people on a daily basis about the issues which confront them and the hardships they face. I ask the Chief Minister to take note of those issues raised by members on this side of the House.
I quote from various notes I made while listening to the Chief Minister in this Chamber today: education is an ongoing journey; access to quality education is something everyone needs; and access to housing. I ask the Chief Minister if, at some stage, he could explain why access to quality education is still a dream for some people - not even on some people’s radar - and access to housing is something we can spend many hours in this Chamber debating. He talked about transparency, yet, every time we attempt to get information on what the government is doing, we are held back by exorbitant fees for freedom of information. If you want to not be transparent you simply make it almost impossible, financially, for anyone - including the opposition - to get access to what you are doing. When you do, and you get bills for $25 000 to $30 000, and it is a bunch of pages with black lines through them, that is hardly what I call transparency. They are just a few issues.
I then heard the member for Karama talk about: ‘We are the future; we have done this’ and we have done that’. From her statement you would think the Territory did not come into existence until August 2001 when, miraculously, we appeared on the earth and the current government took control of the Northern Territory. You would hardly think there was anything done in the Territory before they took the control of government. The other thing the member for Karama said is: ‘We are the future of this country; we have the oil and gas’. She went on to espouse how wonderful the Territory was. I agree; it is a great place – a land of opportunity.
She then said: ‘We have the people’. I wonder for how much longer ‘we have’ those people. People come to this town and try to rent a house. First, you cannot find a house to rent and, then, it is too expensive. Recently, I spoke to some people who work for Telstra. Their jobs have been moved – 67 jobs - have moved from the Territory to Adelaide. I asked: ‘Why is that?’ They said the prime reason is the cost of housing and the cost of renting. People who are doing those jobs cannot afford to live here. Telstra cannot afford to pay them enough to stay here. What happens? Telstra shifts the jobs to Adelaide. That is one example.
There are numerous examples of people who come to my office, let along other members - and I am sure members of government get the same thing in their offices, but they are probably not prepared to stand up in this House and say what those people are on about. We, on this side, have people coming to our offices saying they cannot rent a house, they cannot afford the rent, and they cannot afford to live after paying the rent. This goes to the very fabric of our community, where things like that rip families apart. I have said in this House on numerous occasions this government, through the systemic failure of its policies and failure to release sufficient land driving the cost of housing up, has led to families, and kids from families, having to move south just to survive.
The member for Karama pointed out six points; we have only gone through a few of them. Education underpins everything - and I absolutely agree with her. It is absolutely important. All people in the Territory need access to a quality education; that is, remote, rural, regional, urban - everyone. She also said education should be lifelong learning. That is great; it takes programs like Accelerated Literacy, but that all hangs on kids being able to go to school.
There are reasons why some kids do not go to school. One is they are in fear of being bashed; of being teased and bullied; and of embarrassing themselves. I spent considerable years of my working life as a community police officer. I found, when you talk to young people, they will not go out of their way each day to embarrass themselves. If we do not get it right at the beginning of school in those early years, and kids do not get their education at that particular level and they fall behind, then it stands to reason, as they go through, they are not going to catch up - they are not going to get a lot of help. They need extra help.
We released the policy recently which takes care of that. It is interesting to note the government still has not committed the same level of financing to those particular projects to get those kids help. What happens is these kids then start to drop out. They do not want to embarrass themselves and, if they are not smart enough to keep up with their peers, then they start to wag school. That actually brings in a different range of problems. That is where we, as a community, need to pay particular attention.
I will summarise what the Western Australian Association of Child Psychologists identified: that a growing body of work, both nationally and internationally, indicates poor peer relations and emotional behaviour disorders in children and adolescents can lead to language and communication disorders, and delayed motor development. Further to that, the association says that poor language development, concentration or attention problems, hyperactivity and impulsive self-control difficulties constitute risk factors for the development of criminal behaviour, delinquency, violence and antisocial behaviour.
Health economists estimate that for every dollar spent on early intervention, between $7 and $18 is saved. As a community, there is no better investment than early intervention. Early childhood intervention represents an effective long-term investment for individuals and the wider community.
I went to a meeting at Leanyer water park last Saturday between the African community and the Aboriginal community. The African community had about 45 or 50 people present. The Aboriginal community had about six or seven; it was lopsided. It was disappointing to see that one particular group was not well represented. However, there is an effort on both sides to try to resolve the problems.
In my previous life as a school-based police officer, we used to deal with these matters on a regular basis. I recall, in 2004, we had issues like this. We fixed it. Why? Because of early intervention. Therein lies a situation where we, as a community, need to be supporting the building of confidence in these young people to do all sorts of things; that is, to protect themselves, to understand there are people in the community who will support them - not just counsellors, etcetera, but people in authority who appear to be neutral, and are there to support all of these people in the community.
Youth violence in the northern suburbs is currently a major community concern. It is a situation where I believe school communities need to intervene. It also indicates to me that these situations are not happening in the schools; they are actually happening outside. However, experience has taught me, if you worked in primary schools with facilities and tools such as the DARE program school-based police officers used to have - more recently some other programs were nowhere near as effective - and actually went into classrooms in primary schools and taught these young people right from early childhood - that is, in Transition all the way through - that there are people who are prepared to listen to them, help them, guide them, and work with them to resolve their problems, it did not escalate into some terrible problems out in the community where you have groups of people wanting to bash each other in parks after a game of soccer. As a community, we should not tolerate that.
I believe it is absolutely imperative, as a community, we support anything in those schools that is going to have an early intervention factor where we can prevent these things from occurring. There is an old saying that my mother taught me that an ounce of protection is worth a pound of cure. In this case it rings true because, if we do not go out there, we go back to what the health economists say: for every $1 spent on early prevention, between $7 and $18 is saved.
In relation to school-based policing, I note from my own experience there seems to be a lack of support these days for school-based police officers, to the point where we have had a reduction in numbers. I quote from the 2002-03 Annual Report for Police, Fire and Emergency Services. On page 33, at the top is says:
- School-based Officers.
Twenty school-based officers serviced 135 of the 182 primary and secondary schools in the NT. Each officer serviced an average of seven schools and delivered personal safety lessons and crime prevention advice. School-based police conducted regular patrols of school crossings, shopping centres, bus interchanges and other areas. A total of 3600 patrols were conducted.
I then go to the Police, Fire and Emergency Services report from 31 May 2009, on the left-hand side of the page where it says:
- Numbers of school-based policing unit – total sworn police establishment 13; actual eight males and three females.
That is almost a 50% reduction in the number of school-based police officers in schools. What I hear out in the community at the moment is there is concern the government is reducing their commitment to school-based policing even further. If they are not left in schools there could be an escalation in various forms of violence.
The idea of going into primary schools and teaching these young people is to empower them to say no to bullying. I was at the meeting last night with about 25 youths, and they were telling me one of the major problems in our schools and our community is bullying. Yet, there is no one out there at the moment because it would appear there is a huge reduction in manpower and in the number of lessons and time spent in classrooms developing a rapport with these people.
For instance, the DARE program was taken out of schools at the end of June 2005, but there was a program instigated called Seven Core Themes which was not completed. The first three years of primary school were partly written when they took what was considered by most in the community to be a very effective and good program which is recognised internationally - it is an international program - out of schools. This partly-written, half-baked program called Seven Core Themes was introduced.
If one has a look at the problems out there, and how everyone is saying the youth problems have escalated over the last few years, I suggest in those days when I had tools like the DARE program as a school-based police officer, I was able to go into classrooms and build a rapport with children.
Sadly, these days those youth do not seem to have the same access to that type of help and understanding. I ask the government to consider those sorts of things, because they have a massive impact on youth suicide. We all worry about things such as the tragedy which occurred yesterday in Queensland, where a young boy lost his life in tragic circumstances at school. That is tragic enough; however, there is the other side of this situation, whereby you have young people who are subject to bullying, all sorts of taunting and threats at school, and they commit suicide. That is the sad and lonely situation some of these young people find themselves in, where they make terrible choices and decisions to take their own lives. As a community, we think it is sad that happens, but we are not outraged at the reasons why that occurs.
When I was a school-based police officer, I used to wear a police uniform with the badge on the sleeve of which I was very proud. The motto of the Northern Territory Police is ‘To Serve and Protect’. When you talk about protect, and early intervention and preventing things from happening, if that is not protecting the community, then I do not know what is. Maybe it is me who has it all wrong; if you are not protecting the community by preventing these things from happening. As a community, and especially as police officers, do they look at early intervention, and preventing crime, or do they allow the situation to go to the point where they come along and clean up the mess afterwards? That includes cleaning up, unfortunately sometimes, the death and destruction that follows some of the tragic events which occur in our community.
I ask the government to consider the things they do, and where they take their policies; in particular in relation to people in our community who are in authority who can go into schools and empower young men and women, that they do not have to put up with bullying, and all the taunts that occur in schools. Take last week. My understanding was, at Nightcliff Middle School, they were very busy all week trying to keep the violence down. The fact is there was a school-based police officer there virtually all week. If people are happy and contented, and they get around in ones and twos, nobody feels threatened. When people feel they are threatened then, unfortunately, we are going to see more and more violence in schools, and that is going to be a very sad day.
Madam Deputy Speaker, it is with great concern I have learned school-based policing is dropped even further. If we want to get to 2030 intact as a community, then I believe there is this and many other things we have to look at.
Mr KNIGHT (Business and Employment): Madam Deputy Speaker, I support the Chief Minister’s statement on the Territory 2030 strategic plan. The Territory is enjoying unprecedented economic and population growth, and it is important, as a growing society which becomes more complex, we put ourselves in a position to plan to look into the future. One of the great things about the 2030 strategic plan is it provides an opportunity for not just government to have input into planning for the future, but also allows ordinary Territorians to become involved. One thing I have learned about Territorians is, not only do they have strong opinions, but they are also very practical. They are people who do have a great deal of common sense and want to take ownership of the future direction the government takes them. Through this process, Territorians have certainly been voicing their opinions; they made a great deal of contribution into this strategic plan and they are worth listening to.
The Power and Water Corporation has embarked on the biggest capital investment in its history: some $1.4bn over five years. This is a staggering investment in a vital institution. With the Territory going through a sustained period of growth, Power and Water is planning for the power, water and sewerage needs of Territorians into the future. New power stations have been, or are being, constructed in the Top End and in Alice Springs. Work also includes a major life extension program for the Channel Island Power Station, completing the refurbishment of six generators.
The power network will also be supplemented through the Channel Island 132 kVA switch yard extension program to improve its flow and security, and reliability of the station. In the Darwin region, additional high voltage transmission lines will enhance security of supply, and deliver electricity from the new Weddell Power Station. New zone substations are being built at Archer, which is nearly complete, and at Marrakai. Further substations are planned for Leanyer, East Arm, and Darwin Airport, and plans for an additional new substation in Alice Springs, the Lovegrove Substation, are well under way. Major zone substations refurbishments are also being planned for Darwin’s Snell Street and City Zone Substations. Alice Springs will be getting a new $130m power station at Owen Springs. Additional underground high voltage cables will also run through from Alice Springs into the new Lovegrove Substation. It is a huge investment in the future of Alice Springs.
It is great to see Power and Water is rebuilding, growing from years of neglect by the CLP. It was, basically, run into the ground, neglected, prepared for sell off, and staff sacked. Now, we have a government committed to keeping Power and Water in-house, in the hands of Territorians, so they can determine the future of this vital organisation.
Power and Water has taken account of the six specific target areas of the Territory 2030 strategy and how they might impact on the operation and results of the corporation. When it comes to the Territory 2030 strategy, Power and Water has a set of specific targets. They are: by 2015, reduce greenhouse gas emissions’ intensity of power generation at the Power and Water Corporation Channel Island and Weddell Power Stations by 10% compared to 2009 levels; reduce the amount of water Territory households use by 20% by 2015, and a further 10% by 2020 compared to 2009 consumption level; by 2020, wholesale electricity purchases in the Northern Territory will meet their 20% renewable energy target from Territory sources; by 2020, the Northern Territory will have replaced diesel as a primary source of power generation in remote towns and communities and will be using renewable or low emission energy sources instead; energy and water efficiency in residential and commercial buildings in the Territory will meet standards in the building code of Australia; and, lastly, develop Weddell as a world-class green city and a model for the future, not only of the Territory, but Australia.
As Power and Water prepares for the release of its Statement of Corporate Intent in May, it will investigate and model a range of options and remediation measures related to reducing the level of greenhouse gas emissions’ intensity reduction through improved efficient power generation, enhancement of water sustainability through modernisation of water demand, and appropriate use of recycled water. The corporation will further examine the development of alternative energy sources, particularly in the displacement of diesel as a primary fuel for power generation in remote communities. It will also assess the operational drivers to reduce the corporation’s ecological footprint.
The Department of Business and Employment has a number of responsibilities under the Territory 2030 strategy. These are to ensure its success, and the action required to meet our objectives and targets.
As you have heard the Chief Minister say, education is central to the six key priority areas of the 2030 plan. Nowadays, information and communication technology is central to education. ICT is the responsibility of the Department of Business and Employment. My agency will work to assist the development of education and training in remote settings based on best practice and innovative use of ICT. Everyone in this House recognises the challenges of delivering strong educational outcomes in the Territory’s remote regions. This government is committed to turning around decades of neglect in education in our more remote regions.
The Department of Business and Employment’s ICT Division will manage the Digital Regions National Partnership Agreement to provide Territory growth towns with access to high-speed broadband and enhanced e-learning services and e-health services by 2011. The overall project has a budget of $15.5m, including a contribution of $5m from the Department of Business and Employment. The ICT Division has also signed the national partnership agreement and secured $7m in funding from the Australian government.
The department is also working towards improving Indigenous employment rates under objective five; that is, investing in and valuing our people, culture, and communities. A number of programs are being run to drive Indigenous employment rates. These include programs targeting the long-term unemployed and use of Northern Territory public sector apprenticeship programs. The draft employment strategy is supporting a target of 3000 Indigenous commencements in employment in line with the Indigenous Economic Development Strategy. The Northern Territory and Australian governments have signed a national partnership agreement on Indigenous economic participation.
The Territory growth town initiative, part of A Working Future strategy, is entrenched in the Territory 2030 plan. We recognise the challenges of making a positive change in the lives of people living in the bush. It is our aim to have made significant inroads towards doing just that by 2030.
We are also working with the Indigenous Development Unit to help shape innovative and effective business development programs that are accessible to entrepreneurs. These will be reinforced with the objective to grow the size and skills of the workforce to meet our growth targets.
The draft employment strategy includes a workforce development framework. The Territory currently enjoys the highest employment participation rate, and the lowest unemployment rate of all Australian jurisdictions. Even so, we must continue to grow the workforce to meet the needs of our growing economy and the aspirations of Territorians.
Since becoming minister for Business, a recurring theme during my discussions with local business operators in the Territory is the Territory’s shortage of skilled labour. As a government, we are working to attract and retain local, national, and international workers to the Territory. This will require us working with the federal government, particularly in the area of overseas skilled labour. As members will realise, the federal government is effecting changes in the area of skilled migration, but we are hoping Canberra will take into account the Territory’s unique circumstances in relation to this supply of skilled labour. The particular circumstances, obviously, are that we have a booming economy and we are very different to a lot of other parts of Australia.
Despite what some of the opposition might say climate change is now a real issue which must be dealt with into the future. My agency has contributed to the development of a Climate Change Policy, and has responsibilities for the implementation and oversight of a range of targets, actions and outcomes within the Climate Change Policy. These include: the ecoBiz program; green office building policies; greening the government fleet; green procurement; greening information, communication and technology; and green industry development. In addition, the Department of Business and Employment has an advocacy role encouraging businesses to adopt climate-conscious business practices and guiding green industry development initiatives.
The government has adopted the green office building policy which will result in a significant reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and power costs to government and industry. The policy applies to leases of more than 2000 m2. These are specific provisions for existing and new building developments. From 1 July 2012, as existing government leases expire, owners of those buildings will be encouraged to meet the national best practise energy efficiency rating of 4.5-stars National Australia Building Environment Rating Scheme - NABERS is the acronym. Many building owners have agreed to improve energy efficiency as part of lease renewal negotiations. In addition to NABERS, new office developments are required to obtain a green-star rating. The green-star rating is a voluntary environmental rating system which assesses the environmental design and construction of new buildings.
The Territory government’s program which has been operating since March 2009 is ecoBiz NT, which aims to help local small to medium enterprises achieve cost savings by reducing the carbon footprint, and often reduce their costs through reduced energy consumption. It has been instrumental in assisting a number of Territory businesses to reduce energy consumption and, hence, to cut costs. In the first four months of operation, ecoBiz liaised with 25 businesses and, of those, provided energy audits to eligible businesses, with 16 of those businesses receiving grants totalling more than $300 000. These businesses are expected to save a combined total of 550 tonnes of CO2 - which equates to taking 122 cars off Australian roads permanently - and stimulated approximately $600 000 of business trade.
In the 2009-10 financial year to date, ecoBiz has continued to assist Territory businesses reduce their carbon footprint. This year, ecoBiz has liaised with a further 126 businesses and, again, assisted eligible businesses with energy audits, and provided seven businesses with grants of more than $70 000. These businesses are expected to save a combined total of 1271 tonnes of CO2 - which equates to taking 282 cars off Australian roads - and preventing the disposal of approximately 400 L of solvent-based degreaser. In addition, it stimulated approximately $1.2m of business trade. Two of ecoBiz’s most successful clients have been A & H Panel Works and the Asian - United Foodservice.
Government is also looking to improve the environmental performance of our ICT services. Our policy mandates several measures to effect a 10% energy saving by 2012. As a default, all ICT equipment must meet gold category of the International Standard EPEAT, which is the Electronic Production Environmental Assessment Tool. Through this planning, the total cost of ownership will be considerably reduced with the improved environmental performance.
The Green Fleet strategy commenced on the 1 July 2009 in line with the Commonwealth government’s Green Vehicle Guide of 5.5 for passenger vehicle and 3.5 for light commercial vehicles. The strategy aims to reduce the Territory government’s fleet’s greenhouse gas emission by a minimum of 20% over the next five years. The strategy implementation is in two stages. The first is to reduce emissions by 14% over two years, with a total CO2 reduction of 1850 tonnes over those two years. Stage 2 will involve a review of the reductions achieved, and a determination of whether an increase in the green fleet rating is required to ensure the government reaches its target of 20% reduction over the next five years. Since the introduction of the Green Fleet strategy, the Northern Territory government fleet directly contributed to climate change by increasing the number of Northern Territory government vehicles with greenhouse ratings of 7.5 or more, by 75%.
These are just some of a few examples of positive and real action programs the Department of Business and Employment, together with the Territory business community, is engaging in through the Territory Climate Change Policy. There is no doubt challenges posed by climate change are real and substantial and, through careful forward planning, mitigation, adaptation and innovative technologies, we can make our communities, businesses and the economy environmentally sustainable. The Northern Territory government is taking sensible, positive and effective action in response to the climate change challenges we face. We have achieved real results already. There is still much more to be done, though. The Northern Territory Climate Change Policy plays out the play for action.
Madam Speaker, I now turn to senior Territorians. The Territory’s population aged 65 years and over is projected to triple by the year 2036. For too long, the Territory has been seen as a place people leave once they reach a certain age. As a government, we are working to encourage more Territorians to choose to live here once they have ceased full-time employment. Government policies and programs will need to consider the needs of an ageing population. As I have already said, the government wants to hear from Territorians about their future.
We have now established the Senior Territorians Advisory Council, abbreviated as STAC. It held its first meeting, which I attended, on 28 January this year, and it gave me great pleasure to meet all those members of the STAC. The STAC will provide advice to me on seniors’ issues, government programs and policies, and identify future opportunities to progress outcomes for senior Territorians. Membership of the STAC consists of: Ms Lillian Mann, who is from Virginia in the rural area; Mrs Loraine Braham, who was not at that meeting and is well known to this Chamber; Kathy Martin, a local traditional owner from Alice Springs; Mr Brian Hilder, who is well known for his involvement with COTA; Mr Graham Kemp - everybody knows Graham, he has been the CEO of a number of different representative bodies, more recently as the Master Builders Association CEO; Ms Janet Durling, who is from Darwin; Mr Art Libian, who is from Palmerston; everybody knows Banambi Wunungmurra, from East Arnhem; and Mr Colin Hardaker from Tennant Creek. It was great to see Colin there; I had a good chat with him.
At the meeting, we announced the chair of the STAC. It was Janet Durling, and I am sure she will do a fine job. Membership of STAC reflects the diversity of the Territory community and ensures an adequate representation from the various social, cultural, and geographic groups.
Government has also developed a Framework for Active Ageing in the Northern Territory. This document was released in November 2007. The framework informs stakeholders of government’s commitment to support people as they age, and encourage them to take responsibility for their own health and financial wellbeing. The framework has three key objectives: people maintaining their physical and mental health for as long as possible so the effects of ill health are minimised; people having the resources to maintain their preferred lifestyle; and lastly, society supports old people to remain active, independent and connected. Active Ageing focuses on how people can maintain their good health and continue to remain mentally and physically active and retain independence, no matter what their age. So, under the STAC, there are quite capable groups and I look forward to interacting with them.
In the youth portfolio, I have the Youth Round Table, and that is a great body. Previous ministers have enjoyed the contribution they make. Obviously, for those young Territorians on the Youth Round Table, they will be, I guess, 20 years older by 2030, and nearing the age of many of us and taking on a great deal of responsibility. Looking at them and where they see the future of the Territory …
Mr WESTRA van HOLTHE: Madam Speaker, I move the member be given an extension of time, pursuant to Standing Order 77.
Motion agreed to.
Mr KNIGHT: Thank you, member for Katherine, I will wrap up now.
It is very important we do have a plan; not just a plan for the sake of a plan. Territory 2030 focuses so much on what we are doing now, but also involves the community. It is about bringing it all together. Bringing it around education is vital; education is the core - the core of business success and of future concerns and measures to address the environment. Better education also leads to a better social level within the community. It really is the core for the success of the community.
The idea of turning Darwin into a university town is vital to attract and retain people here. I was at a function not so long ago in Melbourne with medical students from Flinders University and James Cook University. At the moment, they do their two years practical here. However, as of next year, there will be full-blown medical studies for a medical degree at Charles Darwin University. That is great news for the Territory. When I first came to the Territory the university was not really well thought of but, now, I can say it is vastly different. People are staying there, and they can do a whole range of courses. It is absolutely vital. The Territory is growing up very quickly. It is experiencing growing pains, but here is the opportunity with this plan, to see where it is going, because it is going to grow up very quickly and we want to ensure it goes in the right direction, in the right areas, in the right way. I congratulate the Chief Minister.
This plan does not emulate, as the member for Port Darwin alluded to, the CLP policy, but emulates other successful policies from around Australia. It brings together individual initiatives within individual parts of government and the community into one plan, moving forward - having Vicki O’Halloran and Bill Moss very independent, very much in touch with the community, and the economic side of the community as well. I have great faith in them to retain independence and stay connected with the community with, obviously, a high level of interaction within the Cabinet subcommittee, with the Treasurer and the Chief Minister.
Madam Speaker, I congratulate the Chief Minister, and look forward to participating, within my portfolios, to make it a success.
Mr WOOD (Nelson): Madam Speaker, I welcome the statement by the Chief Minister on Territory 2030.
There is no doubt any government needs a vision. Without a vision you cannot have any direction. I support the process the government has put forward by selecting a number of well-known influential Territorians to work on bringing this strategic plan together. My biggest concern is you can have the best intentions but, as happens with many strategic plans, they sometimes disappear from view as time goes on, or they are simply not able to meet the rhetoric with results. I believe that is the key issue in relation to this plan.
There are a number of actions here; they are actually smaller targets. For instance, say you took a target about increasing the number of aviation passengers and shipping movements in the Territory. The action says ‘increase the number of domestic and international aviation passengers by 50% by 2014 for Darwin Airport’. It is not so much an action, it is really a target. You want to increase that number. What action you need to achieve that target should be in another column. This particular strategy does not have that other column, that road map. That, according to the Chief Minister, will come at a later time.
As I said before, it is fine to have a plan and a vision, but the goals have to be achievable. It is better to bet on something, as at the races, which has a fair chance of winning rather than going for the long shot. One example I see in the Territory 2030 statement is it says ‘every Territorian will have access to appropriate accommodation by 2030’. That is fine, but is that really realistic? We are so behind, especially in Indigenous housing. An example we have from visiting Tennant Creek with the Council of Territory Cooperation, they said they will need 280 houses just to catch up with present population growth. That is why I do not feel some of these goals are actually realistic. In the case of Tennant Creek, what will the population be in 2030? It is better to aim for successes which are realistic rather than going for targets which are simply not achievable.
We do need a road map, of course. If you are going to say we need to have all Territorians with appropriate accommodation by 2030 then, if the public is to believe that is achievable, what really needs to happen is for someone to show us how it is achievable. You can write things on paper but, if you are fair dinkum about them, then you really need to say how we will get there. It says in here the government will be reporting on how it is going every two years. My suggestion is, if the government is realistic about achieving these goals, then it has to put in a system which puts people - whether they are businessmen with a record of getting things done or they are high-achieving public servants - into the government, in these various sections of the strategy plan, and say: ‘You have to achieve these goals. You have to show a growth every two years. Or you have to show changes required every two years. If you achieve those goals you get a bonus’. It is an incentive program. A 2030 program will not achieve anything if the people behind it are really not that interested.
If it is about bringing home a pay packet every night and having a nice weekend, that is fine. However, I am not sure if the government really wants these quite - I am just trying to think of the word you could use for targets that are visionary. If you want to achieve those and you really believe we can achieve those, then you are going to have to have the right people implementing these changes. If these people do not achieve these changes, then they either say goodbye to the job or are put back somewhere on a lower pay scale. If you cannot drive this plan, then it will not happen.
I will talk about local government. Unfortunately, for some reason, local government is not mentioned in the 2030 plan. It is a bit disappointing, since the government has spent all the time doing this reform process for local government, saying this is the way forward. Local government does not get a mention, as far as I can see, in the 2030 plan. It is something which should be added to the plan when it is being reviewed.
I give you a classic example. We know the government promised local government many things when it was being reformed. We know the IT system failed and will not be repaired until April. There has been no extra money for roads, which was part of the carrot which said: ‘If you get reform in local government we will get you a bucket of money similar to what they got in the Pitjantjatjara lands’. We ended up with a broken down IT system, and no money for those roads. Who was the public servant in charge of that who actually went out to these communities and said: ‘This is what we are going to achieve’? I say those promises were made and were not achieved - similar to what you are doing with this 2030 strategy - and they should either be sacked or demoted.
Another example is the strategy in this 2030 program which talks about a reduction in waiting times for public houses. That is a pretty simple goal in theory, although I must admit something strange has happened on the web page. In early January, I looked up the web page and the waiting lists had asterisks for Darwin, Casuarina and Palmerston; in other words, the waiting list for public houses had disappeared. When I looked it up today, the waiting list had been re-established. I thought that was very interesting because I was going to say if the waiting times were not there then you do not have the base data to say you have reduced the waiting lists.
I noticed some issues about the waiting list. Perhaps the government needs to work through those waiting lists and see who is really eligible for some of this public housing. Be that as it may, we have a wait list presently published on the website. We have a goal in this document which says we are going to reduce waiting times for public housing. That is under Society on page 21. How are we going to achieve that? We know we need money; we cannot build more houses without money. Who is going to drive it? Not sure, but that is what the government is going to work at.
Government is going to have to pick someone out in the private industry who has been in the building industry for years, who has had success in building houses, hotels or high-rises, or has had some success in that industry. Put them in charge with a bonus at the end of two years to see if they have achieved your goal. I do not believe, as I said before, you are going to achieve these things unless you put the right people in, pay them the right money, and give them the right incentive. This has to be driven otherwise it will become a bunch of motherhood statements on a dusty shelf. Many of these targets are good, but they will only be good - and forever and more will only be good - unless someone drives them to the goals that have been set out in the strategic plan.
Education is a classic example. There has been plenty of debate today and, to some extent, I was a bit disappointed that an important debate ended up part of a censure motion. Censure motions are filled with things such as someone has been lying to Territorians, and I do not take too much of that stuff. It is not a style I really appreciate. I would rather a good debate about the NAPLAN system so everyone could be prepared for that discussion. I have done a fair bit of work researching the issues around that, and it would be good if the government came back with a statement where we could all put our ideas forward, especially around the present debate about the NAPLAN statistics, where we are going, and how it affects the Territory.
Also, in this strategy, the Chief Minister talked about targets and said they are hoping to halve the gap in Northern Territory students reading and writing and numeracy by 2020 and, by 2030, achieving those standards completely. They are great, but who is going to make them work? Do we have a whiz-bang person in Education who says: ‘My job will be to change this, to make it actually work’? Again, we need the right people to do it. How will these targets be achieved? Will we only have more committees and subcommittees? I know there are going to be more conferences in coming years. I hope we do not end up with too many conferences, subcommittees, or this and that. We should know how to achieve some of these targets with the right people. Perhaps we need mini benevolent dictators in charge of some of these departments so they can actually drive through some of the bureaucracy which causes these targets never to be achieved.
It is interesting the statement on land release talked about there will be a Territory land use strategy by 2010. Well, we are in 2010. I am looking for the Territory land use strategy, and it was not found on the government’s web page. I am not sure where it was. When you see something like that, you think if we cannot do something which is actually written in the paper already, you lose a bit of confidence you are going to achieve some of the big stuff. It said there will be a Territory land use strategy in the Territory ‘by’ 2010. It did not say ‘in’ 2010, and I am not sure where it is. So, if we are going to have these things here, then we are going to have to be serious about achieving them.
Unfortunately, agriculture hardly gets a nod in this strategy. It is a little like local government. It reflects what I have always felt; that this government does not give the effort required to promote agriculture as a large part of our economy in the Northern Territory. You cannot be put off by people whose lives seem to be concerned entirely about greenhouse gas emissions and, in the process, they send out a message that agriculture is all bad. The government takes that too seriously. Well planned, well-thought-out agriculture should be part of our 2030 strategy. Do people not see what goes in those big triples along the road and gets off at the wharf and then goes to Indonesia? They are called cattle. They make a lot of money for people in the Northern Territory, and many businesses depend on it. A strategy for 2030 should, by its very nature, include agriculture. Look at the Ord River. Part of it is in our own back yard. Is the Ord River mentioned in the 2030 strategy? Not that I can see. There are some gaps there.
The one big failure in the 2030 strategy is education has been put - the group of people who put this together, and I am not knocking them; they are fine people. However, education and employment should have been the key; that should be the centrepiece. Education without a job is not worth two bob. Why educate yourself if you cannot get a job? You can watch TV; you do not need to be too educated for that. There should have been far more emphasis on employment. There are a few mentions of improving business, increasing non-Indigenous and Indigenous partnerships, but there is no real emphasis on employment.
If your strategy in 2030 is to reduce unemployment, especially in Indigenous communities, that should be equal with education. The two must go hand-in-hand; the two depend on one another. They are Siamese twins. Oh hang on, you do not call them that now, you have to call them something else: co-joined, to be politically correct. However, that is what they are. One without the other is not really worth having. That is a major failing in the emphasis placed in this document. There is a big emphasis on education, but a very small emphasis on employment. I believe that is an area which needs looking at.
This is a document that, probably if you went page by page, each page could be worthy of debate. I do not know whether some people realise there are a few things in here which are our objectives. For instance, how much discussion was held with both the amateur fishers and the professional fishers about ensuring an ongoing increase in the length of coastline and marine protected areas in each marine bioregion? That is an issue which is a hot topic at the moment. I certainly do not think it has been settled, because there is a lot of discussion about the worthiness of marine parks. I am not necessarily against the concept of marine parks, but I would not want to put something in here that was just a motherhood statement for which there was no scientific backing.
Under Environment it talks about reducing water buffalo impacts on Territory culture and environments by 90%. I must admit, I did not know where they came from but, obviously, someone says water buffaloes are doing a lot of damage again. I know we have buffaloes around. It is interesting we talk about that, yet there is no mention of cane toads. I could not see cane toads in here. There is no real talk about gamba grass, which this parliament issued some quite serious recommendations on and, since, have put some limitation on the growth of it. Some of those things could have been in here.
I can nitpick and say we could not put everything in here but, occasionally, there have been some issues which could have been included. Sustainable living is fine. We talk about trying to reduce the dependency on greenhouse gas emission sources - fine. Anyone brave enough to look at the possibility of nuclear power? We have talked about having solar energy in houses - fantastic. We should put far more emphasis on putting solar into domestic situations and less reliance on the grid. We need base-load power, whether we like it or not.
If we want to run cars on electricity, as many people would like, you need a lot of grunt somewhere to supply those cars with the power to run. If you do not want to have greenhouse gas emissions, you cannot use coal- or gas-fired power stations to provide the energy for a car. That car is taking a long, circuitous route to putting carbon back into the atmosphere. We might have different opinions about nuclear power, but why is it not in the Territory 2030 strategic plan to be looked at as a possible lower or nearly nil form of greenhouse gas emission energy supply for Northern Territory, especially when we know we have large areas that can be mined for uranium? Why is that left out? Is it not politically correct? If you are looking at a strategic plan, you certainly should allow that debate to occur. Whether you agree or not, that is not the relevance in this statement; it is a matter of whether it should, at least, be part of a plan in relation to sustainable living.
There is no doubt it is good the government has at least done this. I believe the member for Port Darwin mentioned there have been a few of these things around before. That is what scares me. Will this be a nice document, or will it be achieved? It has possibilities. I believe the government needs to set in place the right people, pay them the right amount of money, set them a goal and, if they do not achieve, they are out the door; or if they do achieve, they get bonuses. This has to be driven by people who really believe in it, and you will not do it if you set up subcommittees and umpteen other sorts of committees. It really has to have definite targets for definite times. If those cannot be achieved, then we get other people to achieve it.
Of course, it has to have the money to back it. If you do not have the money to back these programs, you are wasting our time. No one can doubt the targets in the report are good for the Northern Territory. If we can achieve many of these targets, it is good for the Territory. We have to be careful we do not go for the pie-in-the-sky stuff with no hope of achievement. We need to ensure our feet are firmly on the ground; these targets are achievable; and we have the right people to achieve the goals.
I believe we will come back in two years time and, if we are not achieving those goals, we will have to ask what the heck was this all about in the first place. I do hope this strategic plan can work; however I am also realistic enough to know that we have seen these plans before …
Mr GUNNER: Madam Speaker, I move an extension of time for the member for Nelson, pursuant to Standing Order 77.
Motion agreed to.
Mr WOOD: Thank you, member for Fannie Bay.
Madam Speaker, I do not want this plan to end up being like other plans. The government has to put the money where its mouth is in this case for it to succeed. I would like many of these visions to succeed. As I said, when they are reviewing this strategy, please put more emphasis on employment, please more put emphasis on local government, and please put far more emphasis on agriculture. They do not seem to have the emphasis we need for a strategic plan for the future.
Mr HAMPTON (Natural Resources, Environment and Heritage): Madam Speaker, I am very pleased to speak in support of the Chief Minister’s statement on our Territory 2030 Strategy. The great strength, I believe, of the Territory 2030 strategy is it is owned and supported by Territorians. This is quite simply because the strategy was based on extensive community consultation and engagement. Businesses and community groups, as well as individuals, came together from across the Territory to suggest goals and priorities.
The Territory 2030 Steering Committee received 77 submissions, each with its own agenda, but all contributing to the development of the Territory 2030 strategy. Some of those submissions are from well-known organisations such as the Cattlemen’s Association, which looks to the future of the food production sector with optimism, while raising issues of biosecurity, transport, and renewable energy. Also, the Central Desert Shire, which looks forward to the equality of opportunity and service provisions between the city and the bush. Or the Arid Lands Environment Centre in Alice Springs, which highlighted ecologically sustainable development, while raising climate change as the biggest economic and environmental threat facing the Northern Territory.
Other submissions came from individuals such as Jim Sullivan, a constituent of mine at Cave Creek Station in Mataranka, who shared with us the benefits of his wisdom gained from half a century of hard toil in isolated parts of the Northern Territory; a group of six friends from the suburbs of Darwin - Georgia Glenn, Angie Bretfield, Lavine Diatschenko, Jack Tinapple, Karen Cieri and Debbie Hudson - who sat down and wrote an eight-page submission focusing on how to improve policy relating to the environment and the arts; and Peter Strachan from Alice Springs, who put forward ideas on the future direction of education and training policy. Thank you for that, Strachie.
These are the Territorians who own the 2030 strategy. It is their knowledge and expertise we have drawn on to develop a policy which is both transparent and measurable, and will guide the government of the Northern Territory over the new two decades.
I turn now to some of the targets which are contained within areas for which I have portfolio responsibility. As we heard from the Chief Minister, the Territory 2030 strategy consists of 129 targets linked to six key priorities with education at the heart. The other five priorities are health and wellbeing, economic sustainability, society, environment and knowledge, creativity, and innovation. The Chief Minister mentioned many targets are interconnected across the six priority areas. I start by giving a prime example: access to high-speed broadband.
Broadband is an enabling technology. It allows the user to make giant leaps in performance and capability in almost any field imaginable. While there is no specific broadband-related target within the priority area of education, it is clear access to high-speed broadband will be fundamental to delivering world-class educational opportunities in the Territory, particularly in our remote regions. We find the first actual target in the priority area of society. The target is that Territorians in our suburbs, cities, towns and regions are connected by appropriate infrastructure with the associated action: ‘increase the proportion of the Territory households with broadband Internet access’.
In a priority area of economic sustainability, one of the targets is to identify new solutions to the key infrastructure challenges in the Northern Territory by 2010 for rural roads and highways and, by 2012, for high-speed broadband. Finally, in the area of knowledge, creativity and innovation, one of the targets is that ‘Territorians in major towns and communities will have access to high-speed broadband and the Internet on the same terms as the rest of Australia as a matter of priority’. There is a long list of associated actions including increasing the number of Territory growth towns with access to Australia parity broadband, increasing the number of Territory schools and health clinics with access to broadband, and increasing the number of computers available in libraries with broadband access free of charge to the national average.
What are our measurable achievements? The Henderson government invested jointly with Telstra, Rio Tinto Alcan and the Northern Land Council to lay some 800 km of optic fibre across Arnhem Land. This provided seven of our 20 growth towns - Galiwinku, Gapuwiyak, Maningrida, Milingimbi, Gunbalanya, Ramingining and Yirrkala - with high-speed broadband connections.
In August 2009, the Commonwealth invited expressions of interest for up to $7m of matching funding for health, education and emergency service applications using broadband in regional and remote Australia. Our bid was the only one to receive the maximum $7m, which we are more than matching with our own contribution of $8.5m. This should provide an additional six Territory growth towns including Ntaria or Hermannsburg, Ali Curung, Daguragu, Lajamanu, Elliott and Papunya with access to high-speed broadband. It should also deliver broadband-enabled health, education and training services to the 17 connected growth towns.
Meanwhile, the Territory is at the forefront of the National Broadband Network, a nation-building project worth up to $43bn. The first step was the Commonwealth’s $250m commitment to immediately address lack of competition and back haul capacity of the existing optic fibre network. In May last year, I wrote to Senator Conroy putting the case for the Territory’s need for a competitive fibre link to Darwin which would reduce telecommunication costs and improve available services for all Territorians. In December, Senator Conroy announced the awarding of a $100m contract to Nextgen Networks to build, maintain, and operate a new competitive fibre link to Darwin. Construction is due to commence later this year. This is a fantastic result for the Northern Territory, and owes much to the persistent lobbying from our federal members, Damian Hale, Warren Snowdon, and Trish Crossin.
As I said previously, I will continue to work constructively with the Commonwealth and, in particular, Senator Conroy, to ensure the best possible outcome for all Territorians in connecting them to the 21st century and high-speed broadband.
Turning to my portfolio of Climate Change, we treat this as a serious issue, not as a joke like some of the members opposite. I look forward to, at these sittings, delivering a statement on the Northern Territory’s Climate Change Policy. This will provide a comprehensive insight into the government’s role in tackling climate change.
I will be brief today and will just touch on a few points, as I will be delivering the statement during the sittings. The first I would like to make is the overwhelming view of scientists around the world, using peer-reviewed evidence, that greenhouse gas emissions are affecting the planet’s climate and this will impact on all human beings during the course of this century. The second point I make is the government is committed to real action to tackle climate change with a policy incorporating more than 40 targets and 100 actions, all the result of consultation with numerous community organisations.
Turning to my Environment portfolio, I will start by highlighting our Environment NT Grants Program which has been running since 2004. This program provides more than $600 000 each year to schools, community groups, and industry organisations to help them undertake environmental projects throughout the Northern Territory. The 2010-11 program will have a strong focus on projects in regional and remote communities, specifically those involved with Indigenous communities and organisations. The proposed categories for grants include climate change, basic species management, waste and resource recovery, water conservation, and wildlife conservation, all of which addresses objectives set out in the priority area of environment in the 2030 document.
We are continuing with our Energy Smart Rebate Scheme which has paid out more than $30 000 since it began in July last year. We will continue to work with traditional owners, ranger groups, land councils, industry, and other organisations to promote greenhouse emissions abatement projects such as the successful West Arnhem Land Fire Abatement Project. We will set the target of reducing the amount of waste being taken to our rubbish dumps by 2020, with an associated action of establishing a container deposit system. We have been looking at a number of options for the system, and I am sure the member for Nelson will be pleased to hear we are very close to choosing between them.
Most of the targets within the priority area of environment have a direct relationship with my portfolio of Parks and Wildlife. We are currently drafting our first fire diversity conservation strategy, even more appropriate considering 2010 is the United Nations International Year of Biodiversity. We are continuing the fight against exotic weeds and feral animals, and we are working with stakeholders to develop our 21st century Eco-link. We are investing in our national parks including upgrades to visitor facilities at Litchfield, Howard Springs, Berry Springs, Nitmiluk and the West MacDonnells.
Turning to my portfolio of Sport and Recreation, this generally falls within the priority area of society, although some aspects could be included in the health and wellbeing areas. The targets include providing Territorians with access to a wide range of facilities and activities which enhance the Territory lifestyle, as well as increasing Territorians’ participation in sport and an active lifestyle. This government is investing in our sporting facilities as never before. This year, we have $1.3m in repairs and maintenance and $1.1m in minor new works earmarked for our sporting facilities. We have major upgrades under way at the Hidden Valley Motor Sports Complex, with upgrades in the pipeline for TIO Stadium and Traeger Park in Alice Springs.
Planning is well under way for Palmerston sporting facilities benefiting tennis, Aussie Rules, soccer and Rugby League. We have contributed $8m towards the Alice Springs Aquatic Centre. As I drive by there on a daily basis, work is well under way. We are bringing more and more elite sports to the Territory. You name it, we have it - AFL, NRL, NBL, AHL, ANL, WNBL, pro tennis, international cricket and, of course, the popular Hottest 7s.
Through NT Major Events, we support the V8 Supercars, the Finke Desert Race, the Arafura Games, the Masters Games, the World Solar Car Challenge, BassintheDust, BassintheGrass and, of course, the Superbikes. Our calendar is almost full.
In conclusion, I join the Chief Minister in thanking the members of the 2030 Steering Committee, as well as the organisations and individuals who have taken the time and effort to share their knowledge and aspirations with us. Madam Speaker, I am very pleased to support the Chief Minister’s statement.
Mr McCARTHY (Lands and Planning): Madam Speaker, I support the Chief Minister’s statement on Territory 2030. I commend the Chief Minister on having the vision and courage to work with Territorians to develop a long-term strategic plan for the Territory. As we have heard, Territory 2030 has been developed by the community. This is the plan Territorians want to see implemented. This is a clear direction from Territorians to the government. This is the future Territorians want and expect. They expect government to begin implementing the plan immediately.
I take Territory 2030 very seriously. It provides a clear direction to me, as a minister, as it outlines what my priorities must be and what work must be done. Nowhere in this work is more important than the area of Lands and Planning. Territory 2030 identifies our population will continue to grow and, as more people choose to make the Territory their home, affordable housing will remain an absolute priority. This government is taking action to deliver more land release for housing development. In the greater Darwin area, around 3000 lots of land will be released over the next four years and, in the Palmerston East suburbs of Bellamack, Johnston, Zuccoli and Mitchell. The development of Bellamack and Johnston are already well under way. In Bellamack, 220 lots of land have already been sold, and titles will be issued to new landowners in the coming months. In Johnston, the developers of Stage 1 have also started selling land to Territory families who will be able to begin building their homes early next year.
We also have a plan for a fourth major Territory city, Weddell. To be located 16 km south of Palmerston, Weddell will provide at least 10 000 homes across four suburbs, with up to 40 000 Territorians expected to call the new city home. As you can imagine, a new city requires comprehensive planning, and Territory 2030 gives the necessary direction in that planning process. Territory 2030 outlines Weddell will be a world-class green city, with strong transport linkages, and significant social infrastructure planning.
Across the rest of the Territory, we are also working to provide more land for housing development as a strategic and measured program. We are also looking at new ways of developing land to ensure land is released to Territory families as quickly as possible.
The role of the Land Development Corporation has been extended to include residential land and affordable housing in partnership with private ventures. The Land Development Corporation has already begun this work, with the development of 28 units and townhouses at Bellamack Gardens. The work of the LDC will continue to expand to provide more housing alternatives across the Territory.
As our population continues to grow, Territory 2030 identifies the growth of our infrastructure across the Territory in our cities and bush communities as a priority. To address the needs of our bush communities, we are working to establish the necessary infrastructure across 20 growth towns. We are putting in place a specific infrastructure strategy for each of these growth towns to ensure we can provide for the population and economic growth in these towns. We are also working to ensure our cities can support a growing population. We have a record infrastructure budget across the Territory, which includes projects such as Rosebery School, upgrades to cyclone shelters, Palmerston water park, and $322m on roads, including the investment in Tiger Brennan Drive.
As we develop the Territory, each of these projects will also address other policy areas of 2030. As we build infrastructure, we will ensure we are also greening the Territory. Only last week, I announced Territory homes will now be required to be built to a 5-star energy efficiency rating. As a government, we have raised the bar to what minimum standards our builders and developers must deliver when building new homes for Territorians. For the first time, units will also need to meet energy efficiency requirements. A 3.5-star rating has been introduced, and we are working with industry to implement commercial energy efficient ratings.
Another important component of greening the Territory is providing a public transport system which allows people to leave their cars at home. The Henderson government is planning for all transport needs, including walking and cycle paths, bus stops, and parking initiatives. We are planning our road networks to allow for safe bus access through urban areas. Territory 2030 calls on the government to better promote sustainable living by setting the target to reduce the impact on the environment through reducing reliance on private motor vehicles.
A good level of transport services and infrastructure provides for the efficient movement of people. It makes it easier and safer for people without motor vehicles to access services. It reduces the need for private motor vehicles through providing a choice of alternative travel modes, and reduces the adverse environmental and social impacts of transport on communities. We are integrating transport planning into the design of new communities, and considering transport services and infrastructure up-front in the development and location, scale, density, design, and mix of land uses. As Planning minister, I know getting the transport equation right at the front end of the design can play a major role in reducing the need for the movement of people, the length of journeys, and the need to provide for car parking.
As the urban spread of Darwin and Alice Springs continues, strategic planning for future transport requirements includes the protection of appropriate corridors for future rapid transport systems between the major centres of activity such as Palmerston and Darwin. The protection of corridors allows choices to be made in the future as to appropriate transport options; for example, bus ways, cycle ways, or light rail. We also need to engage with the community about the developments appropriate in and around our key transport nodes.
Education features strongly in Territory 2030 as does Health, and access to these services, especially in the bush, throws up transport challenges for government. Attending school gives students the best chance to get a good education. The numbers tell the story. Our school buses travel approximately 1.8 million kilometres a year moving over two million Territory kids each year. This means thousands of Territory families are benefiting from the education of our most important assets – our children.
The Northern Territory Regional Integrated Transport Strategy, and the overarching 10-year NT Transport Strategy, will include initiatives targeting the specific infrastructure requirements of each region in the Territory. We are developing initiatives to introduce, improve, or expand regular bus transport to remote communities, and the viability of regular pubic transport air routes in relation to both freight and passenger services.
I am also very interested in opportunities to develop the support systems and services required to run transport services into the regional and remote areas of the Territory. For example, Territory 2030 will develop Alice Springs as a regional transport and service centre, and Katherine as a regional transport hub. These are great opportunities for our regional centres.
Earlier this month, the Minister for Central Australia announced a new $185 000 school bus service for all school students from the Jay Creek community. The number of students using this new service has been very good, now with more than 30 per trip, and it is continuing to grow. The Jay Creek kids will be able to learn the skills needed so they can successfully grow their own Territory families, and help build a better Territory into the future. Since January 2009, the Henderson government has provided free travel on our public buses for seniors, pensioners, carers and students, and the Jay Creek kids are enjoying this free transport to school and home each day. The Henderson government is committed to improving education outcomes for all Territorians, and the new Jay Creek bus service is a good example of that.
The Henderson government is taking action to improve opportunities for people living with disabilities. By comparison, the Northern Territory, at 22%, has the greatest proportion of wheel-chair accessible taxis within its taxi fleet of any Australian jurisdiction by considerable margin. Territory 2030 will see this proportion of the taxi fleet grow, increasing transport options for disabled Territorians, and supplementing this government’s other initiatives such as the Lift Incentive Scheme, reduced taxi licence fees, and the NT Taxi Subsidy Scheme. Furthermore, the government is investing $500 000 per year over a five-year period to roll out Disability Discrimination Act compliant bus stops and shelters. Increasing the proportion of buses that are accessible for people living with disabilities is another outcome of 2030 this Henderson government will achieve.
The incidence of trauma and tragedy on our roads is too high. It is painfully true that the Northern Territory road toll is about three times the national average. Territory 2030 sets ambitious targets to reduce the Territory’s road fatalities and injuries to the national rate. It is ambitious because of the reduction in our road toll will require a change in our driving culture, and this will take time.
Just last week, I was delighted to announce the introduction of the Safer Roads school curriculum resource for early childhood teachers from Transition to Year 3. This program will be delivered in all Territory schools and will continue to be expanded for all students up to Year 10. Furthermore, development is under way on the Drive Safe NT program which will provide novice drivers throughout the Territory the opportunity to develop the appropriate knowledge and skills to drive safely on our roads. Work has also commenced on the development of an NT Road Safety Strategy for the period 2011-20, which will supplement a new national road safety strategy for the period 2011-20 agreed to by the Australian Transport Council.
Another target outlined in Territory 2030 is to ensure all Territorians feel safe. The Henderson government is working to make all of our communities safer. There are more police on our streets than ever before, and the police are doing a good job. This means there are more offenders in our prisons, and Corrections is working to help all Territorians feel safe by providing a new era in Corrections. A new era will make our streets safer by putting a stop to the cycle of re-offending. When people do the wrong thing and are sentenced to prison or a community service order, we want them to participate in real education and rehabilitation to ensure they do not offend again. Instead, we want all offenders to receive training so, when they leave the Corrections system, they have the necessary skills to contribute in a meaningful way to their community.
This also addresses the absolute priority of Territory 2030 to ensure all Territorians have access to quality education. As stated by the steering committee:
- Education is the key to meeting many of the challenges faced by the Northern Territory. Our social, economic and community wellbeing relies on achieving dramatic gains in education.
This includes the most disadvantaged in our community who often enter our Corrections systems. We know education and training is the best way to reduce re-offending in our communities. That is why we have committed $300m to build new correctional facilities. We are continuing to work with the member for Nelson to determine the best way to use these resources to ensure we get the best results we all want.
As we finalise the details of the new era in Corrections, we are continuing to improve our prisons. We have committed $23.6m to infrastructure in our prisons to provide appropriate accommodation and education facilities for prisoners. These facilities will be further improved as we implement the new era in Corrections. In the Barkly, we are finalising negotiations to build a work camp in Tennant Creek. The work camp will provide the opportunities for prisoners to prepare for work and life once their sentence is completed. Work camps will get prisoners out the door every day, working in the community. By being involved in real work opportunities, prisoners will learn real skills they can use to gain employment, and this will allow them to make a significant change in their lives as they begin making a contribution to their communities and to the Territory.
Madam Speaker, I am excited about the challenges and opportunities which are ahead. We are delivering record infrastructure budgets to grow the Territory. Territory 2030 sets many challenges in moving forward, and paves our direction for the next two decades. I look forward to continuing to work with and for Territorians to deliver on the targets and initiatives set within Territory 2030.
Ms McCARTHY (Local Government): Madam Speaker, I am pleased to support the Chief Minister’s statement on Territory 2030. Listening to comments across the Chamber this evening, on this side of the House we are in no doubt this is a document that is more than a document which will sit on a shelf. It is a document which will be a living document - is a living document. I acknowledge the co-authors of this document, Vicki O’Halloran and Bill Moss, who I know have been absolutely committed to wanting to see a future vision for the Northern Territory driven by our government, but also by each and every member of this Chamber in our leadership roles within our own constituencies.
Vicki O’Halloran is the Chief Executive Officer of Somerville Community Services and sits on a number of government and non-government boards and committees, and Bill Moss is the Chairman of Moss Capital and has 33 years experience in the Australian and global finance and banking industries - eminent Territorians who have been able to look into what the future of the Northern Territory can be like by listening to the people across the Northern Territory. This document also encompasses the thoughts of people on the committee such as Michael Berto, the Chief Executive Officer of the Roper Gulf Shire; Jan Ferguson, the Managing Director of the Desert Knowledge Cooperative Research Centre; Ted Egan, the former Administrator of the Northern Territory who also has an extensive history in the Northern Territory dating back to the 1950s; Professor Jonathan Carapetis, a paediatrician and the Director of the Menzies School of Health Research; Steve Margetic, Managing Director of one of the Northern Territory’s largest privately-owned building contractors, Sitzler; and Denis Mackenzie, foundation shareholder and the Managing Director of Connected Solutions Group, CSG.
These people knew we would not want to see this as a document that sits on a shelf; that it does have life. As Indigenous Development Minister, one of the ways of making sure this is a living document is by having the subcommittee of Cabinet. By no means does that belittle or diminish the role of Cabinet by having a subcommittee which includes people who are not elected members. In fact, if anything, it will give added support and encouragement for ensuring this plan for the future of the Northern Territory is carried out in the many areas which are covered in it – education, society, economic sustainability, health and wellbeing, environment, knowledge, creativity, and innovation.
This is plan that focuses on the issues which need to be addressed and the outcomes Territorians demand - a plan all of our constituents can relate to and feel connected to. When I look at the areas I need to cover in regard to the regions of the Northern Territory, I am very confident we have a plan that is about equality for all Territorians, whether they live in Darwin city, Alice Springs, or the remote regions of the Northern Territory. I am confident, if supported through these early formative days, the positive results of 2030 will soon be clearly apparent. We have established the necessary building blocks and can look forward to the achievement envisioned by 2030.
I will advise parliament how each of my portfolios of Local Government, Indigenous Development, Regional Development, Tourism, Women’s Policy and Statehood is currently delivering what is encompassed in the future vision. The days of Darwin politicians and bureaucrats being the sole determinants of what is best for the Central desert and east Arnhem regions will be a memory. Territory 2030 is, fundamentally, an integrating plan. I am looking forward to a pivotal role through this work on the Cabinet subcommittee, ensuring the work of our government and local government comes together to deliver the prosperous future for the Northern Territory, for all Territorians.
Local government councils will be a major partner in the implementation of Territory 2030, and I am looking forward to supporting and working with elected members of local government, both in our shires and in the municipal councils, in delivering the future outlined in 2030. Our government has embarked on incredible reform across the Northern Territory at a local government level. It began in the first term of the Labor government.
On taking on the portfolio in the last two months, one of the first places I visited was Gunbalanya to hear directly from people as to how things were going. We are still, obviously, in the infancy of such a massive social reform through government reforms. One of the things I firmly want to see over this next 12 months is the strengthening of the local boards within the shires. I have met with the East Arnhem Shire, the West Arnhem Shire, the Tiwi Shire, the Roper Gulf Shire, and with Wagait in recent weeks. I look forward to being involved and in touch with the remaining shires in the Centre region.
With regard to Indigenous Development, closely linked to the roll-out of the shires is the policy decision to develop 20 growth towns. These towns, in time, will become dynamic regional centres and service hubs. This decision is the greatest change in policy since the formation of most of these former settlements and missions in the 1950s and 1960s, and marks a dramatic shift from the policies of the past which espoused protectionism and isolation. It will enable these remote towns to enter the economic mainstream and become active participants in the greater Australian society.
A key objective and opportunity for me is to ensure a strong connection between A Working Future and Territory 2030. By 2030, our aim is residents of the 20 growth towns will enjoy facilities and services available in other regional centres in Australia of a similar size. This will include all local government services across these towns. The Northern Territory government will focus on both delivering our own responsibilities, but also supporting local government in their service delivery roles. The roll-out of A Working Future is well under way across all the Territory and relevant Australian government agencies.
It is important to look at the planning process within A Working Future. So many times we hear the negativity which surrounds how process is carried out. However, when we look at the building of the future of the Northern Territory, recognising we have to reach out to the remote regions which are fast growing in their population, we have to be very clear about the process in which we are carrying out this growth. This House has heard from my colleagues, in particular the growth in infrastructure, the transport, planning and programming which is being conducted, but also in the IT situation, where we have seen the cable network cut across vast areas over remote Arnhem Land, allowing people in these regions to have immediate access to the world-wide web, where five to 10 years ago it was just an incredible dream. If we can see change in linking any person in remote Northern Territory with the rest of the country and the world through such technology in that short space of time, imagine what we are going to achieve in the next five years.
The first six monthly report of the Northern Territory Coordinator-General was released in December, and indicated satisfactory progress in respect of remote service delivery on a number of fronts. The Coordinator-General’s report also noted A Working Future provides the best opportunity the Northern Territory has ever had to correct all the compounding problems of the past: ‘We have now been offered all of the ingredients for optimism’. I will be working with Bob Beadman, the Coordinator-General for the Northern Territory, my ministerial colleagues, my portfolio agencies, and local governments, to ensure we build on this early work, we build momentum and effectively integrate our work with the objectives outlined in the Territory 2030 plan.
Mr Beadman reported on improving coordination of effort within the Northern Territory government, and the importance of the government’s Integrated Regional Transport Strategy to plan for the essential infrastructure underpinning the future we aim for. This is critical. It is an issue of essential transport infrastructure, which is also recognised in the Territory 2030 plan. Local government has been, and will continue to be, an important partner in the management of roads and aerodromes in particular. The Northern Territory government will work with this sector to ensure we are, collectively, able to implement the required changes.
The NT Coordinator-General’s report also stressed the importance of obtaining land tenure, the creation of genuine job opportunities, and flourishing economic development to the successful progress of A Working Future.
Territory 2030 recognises many outstations and homelands will continue as an important part of the Territory’s social and economic landscape. As part of A Working Future, the government has recently consulted with outstations, homelands, residents, and service providers across the Northern Territory to determine the best and the most effective way of providing government services to outstations. We are also working to explore and support regional economic development, supporting family-scale enterprises and economic activity at outstations and homelands.
In relation to Indigenous and regional development, I also reflect on the important objectives Territory 2030 sets out regarding health and wellbeing. The aim of improving health of Territorians in early childhood is critical to seeing reduction of chronic diseases and major gains in health and education in later life. This is of great importance to Indigenous Territorians, particularly in the regions. It is hard to estimate the degree to which health problems, including lifestyle diseases, limit the ability of Aboriginal Territorians to be meaningfully engaged in the economy.
I also touch on the issue of community, family, and individual wellbeing. It is great that Territory 2030 tackles this vexed issue of social wellbeing as well as economic wellbeing. It is, surely, one of the key outcomes we want for the Northern Territory. In fact, speaking at a national level in relation to the national plan for the protection of women across Australia, economic independence was a very strong factor as a key indicator of how we can see the improvement in women’s lives. What I said at the national level is, while we have used that in other areas in gender equity, we need to now focus also on the women of the Northern Territory and, in particular, Indigenous women. The Territory 2030 plan provides for more work on this issue and the further development of measures of wellbeing. I applaud this approach and look forward to our own Indigenous Affairs Advisory Council having a key role in developing a framework for measuring and reporting on wellbeing, as well as other areas of the Northern Territory, in advancing the lives for Indigenous people across the Northern Territory.
In my portfolio of Regional Development, Territory 2030 is a key regional development policy document, promoting new initiatives to encourage new businesses to commence in Indigenous towns. An initiative with important regional development repercussions will be the flagged establishment of a Northern Territory futures fund as a source of investment capital. This is an exciting idea and a key tool to help address the infrastructure deficit which inhibits regional development, and a key idea which deserves strong support. Provision of access for appropriate level of services and amenities in the regions, a key objective of A Working Future, will provide critical precursor to business development and much-needed private sector investment.
In partnership with the Australian government, a significant investment in housing, infrastructure and service delivery is being rolled out in Territory growth towns at Maningrida, Wadeye, Borroloola, Nguiu, Galiwinku, Milingimbi, Ngukurr, Angurugu, Umbakumba, Gunbalanya, Yirrkala, Numbulwar, Yuendumu, Hermannsburg, Ramingining, Gapuwiyak, Daguragu, Kalkarindji, Lajamanu, Papunya, Elliott, and Ali Curung.
The 2030 plan notes the Northern Territory’s economy is largely based on the narrow central spine, with varying sized economies placed along its path. The future economy needs to extend to the fullest extent, and Indigenous people have to become active participants in every aspect of the economy. Some 2030 objectives to achieve the above include: securing increased private sector investment; continuing high levels of public sector investment; looking at alternatives to accelerate infrastructure development - for example, the futures fund; undertaking long-term planning of provision of utilities to support investment; and development of appropriate economic infrastructure in all towns and cities.
Education is a key theme of 2030. While a sound education system underpins all we aspire to do, it is of critical importance in regional development and long-term wellbeing of Territorians. The detrimental effect of low levels of literacy and numeracy in regional Northern Territory represents, perhaps, the biggest barrier to regional socioeconomic development.
We are working hard to overcome the huge legacy of decades of neglect. The fundamental importance of that is reflected in the priority education holds in the 2030 strategy. Territory 2030 has an aim that we have, by 2030, a highly-skilled workforce operating in a competitive workforce environment. Regional skill shortages are repeatedly identified as a major barrier in development. I and other members of our government will be working hard - we are working hard - with local government and the private sector to deliver regional employment opportunities and resultant socioeconomic development. Naturally, provision of housing is also a key regional development issue.
One of the ways we want to see the regional economy thrive in our remote areas and through A Working Future is to have these future forums. I have mentioned in this House on previous occasions that we need to have these future forums. Ngukurr will be the first one to kick that off, to look at what its plan is, what the plan of the people of Ngukurr is for Ngukurr and how that links in with 2030, and what their vision is for the town of Ngukurr for 2030. I look forward to seeing how that future forum comes to pass and the outcomes. At the end of the day, our government wants each and every community to be the drivers of how they want their communities to grow.
Tourism will certainly play a key role in facilitating future growth and prosperity of the Northern Territory. Tourism contributes an estimated $1.6bn to the Northern Territory economy, and expanding the tourism industry in the Northern Territory is certainly a dedicated aim of Territory 2030. The importance of tourism has also been integrated into a number of other 2030 targets that focus on developing Darwin as an international hub for exports; developing Katherine as a regional hub for the Top End; lifting the Territory’s national and international profile as a place for business, employment and education opportunities; increasing aviation capacity to and within the Northern Territory; and increasing Indigenous business partnerships.
The five-year plan for the tourism industry was implemented in 2008 by my agency, Tourism NT, following extensive consultation with industry members. It provides a solid platform on which to expand the tourism industry in the Northern Territory. The strategies outlined in the five-year plan will assist in delivering on the visionary 2030 targets. Only last week, I had the opportunity of being with many of our tourism businesses in Sydney for the Northern Territory Muster where …
Ms WALKER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I move that the member be granted an extension of time to conclude her comments, pursuant to Standing Order 77.
Motion agreed to.
Ms McCARTHY: Thank you, Madam Speaker and member for Nhulunbuy.
Only last week, I had the privilege of being in Sydney with 39 or 40 businesses from the Northern Territory showcasing their wares to the people of Sydney and, most importantly, to the travel agents of Sydney. This muster is in its 13th year and is another fine example of where we are going with tourism and the creation of tourism opportunities in the Northern Territory. In particular, I was very pleased to also see the participation of Indigenous business in that muster, and hearing good things as I travel across the Territory. I look forward to spending some time in Alice Springs with the launch in the Centre next week.
Tourism NT is cognisant of specific 2030 targets, and will ensure actions to achieve these aims are incorporated as it reviews existing strategies and documents over the coming months. For example, supporting and maintaining a strong aviation industry is critical to local industry, business, tourism, and remote and regional communities. The Territory 2030 plan outlines clear, and most certainly ambitious, targets for growing airline services and links to the Northern Territory. This includes increased domestic and international aviation passengers to Darwin by 50%, and to Alice Springs by 20%; increased accessibility with airlines providing services throughout the day with three services per day to most Australian capital cities by 2030; and improved access to regional air services.
I also have been able to see firsthand the importance of aviation services, by speaking with a number of the airlines on taking on the Tourism portfolio and being responsible for aviation in and out of Darwin. I have had an immediate opportunity to meet with these airlines and I can see, with our growth in the Northern Territory, the airlines are going to be knocking down our doors, wanting to fly into Darwin to base themselves here.
As my colleague, the Minister for Transport said in his response, while we are advocating strongly for the Northern Territory at the national and international levels, we are also advocating just as passionately for Territorians who want to fly between the regional centres of the Northern Territory. This is a very exciting and important plan.
As Minister for Women’s Policy, I am pleased that 2030 includes targets to build the participation of women in leadership and decision-making roles in our communities, including women standing for election to government. This year is actually the year to celebrate women in local government, and the election of women in local government, and to encourage more participation of women at any level of leadership - whether it be in government at a local, Territory, or federal level, or a particular organisation or private businesses as chair.
On statehood, it is fantastic to see the Statehood Steering Committee out on the road, canvassing the views of people across the Northern Territory. It was important for the Territory 2030 committee to include the voice of becoming the seventh state in the federation in the growth of the Northern Territory, not only as the people and the population of the Territory grows, but as we continue on our road of wanting to harness the hearts of our fellow Australians to allow us to be equal citizens under the Constitution of Australia.
Mr BOHLIN (Drysdale): Madam Speaker, I reply to this statement on the 2030 plan. It is ironic they have put out this great glossy brochure when there seems to be, everywhere we turn, a failure to plan. Unfortunately, we have had the dubious task of constantly pointing out this government’s failure to plan. Now, nine years into their failed planning process, they want to make the public believe they have the plan. Nine years after taking government, they now have the plan.
We noticed there was the planned Bellamack land release that took two-odd years and, for the record, there is still not one house on that land. Yet, we have sold off the land or portions of that land to prospective buyers but because of the rhetoric in the glossy brochures there is still no land available in the sense that a builder cannot come on to that land and physically start building a much-needed home for Territory people. Last year, we spent a lot of energy highlighting this ever-growing need – urgent, dramatic need - for better land release and better results, so we can help the Territory public with their housing crisis. The people on that side seem to just go along and, as I said, produce their glossy brochures, try to brush over it with a highlighter or a bit of colour and say: ‘It is all great, we have the plan’.
No greater point was when the Johnston land sales fell through at auction. The plan was rip the rest of society off for as much money as you could get, in the full knowledge that we are in a land crisis. It was opportunistic, if not mean-hearted, by this government – a very disgusting approach by a government which truly does not care. We have seen the back-door deals that had to be made to effect turn-off at Johnston ...
Ms Lawrie: You do not have a clue!
Mr BOHLIN: Although it has been stated by the opposite side that I do not have a clue why, then, are those deals secret? They are secret. Can anyone speak up and deny those deals are not secret - because they are? You failed at a public auction because you were opportunistic. You were not interested in helping out the Territory people; you are interested in helping out your own back pocket and fixing up the debt-laden crisis you have put yourself in.
Weddell is our future saviour, along with Zuccoli and others. However, your plan, which has come after nine years of failure by this government, still leaves the land release well short of its target of – what? - 1700 lots of land - homes, to be more precise - needed every year. I have mentioned it before; it is in the public record and in the media. Yet, your own housing figures fall short on the land release for that five years down the track. The five-year plan fails to meet the demand stated by your own growth figures. How can the Territory public trust you to plan anything? Poor planning is the systemic situation that comes from this government. Poor planning is why we have so many problems. Nine years of abhorrent behaviour …
Mr GILES: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I draw your attention to the state of the House. This is a very important speech and I expect the government to be here to listen to the responses.
Madam SPEAKER: Ring the bells. A quorum is called.
Ms Lawrie: There are not many members of the opposition here.
Ms Purick: You are the government.
Mr BOHLIN: Your statement.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! I remind you that, in fact, a quorum relates to all members, not simply government members. Yes, a quorum is present.
Mr BOHLIN: Thank you, Madam Speaker. Thank you, member for Braitling.
There are lists of poor planning issues from the government everywhere we turn. It is nine years of an absolute failed government - a pathetic Labor government.
I have a passion for motor sport; look at the debacle happening at the Hidden Valley MotorSports Complex at the moment. This government was gifted $3m by the …
Mr Knight: Going to the Superbikes? They are a great initiative of this government.
Mr BOHLIN: I will, actually. This government was gifted $3m by the federal Labor government to upgrade the Hidden Valley drag racing facility. That was a fantastic gift. After two years of failed planning and nine project managers, we do not see the facility upgraded yet. However, we have a federal election coming; we have federal politicians breathing down the neck of this government asking: ‘Where is my drag racing strip I promised the Prime Minister of Australia you guys would deliver?’ Now, we find the motor sports complex will need to be closed for four months this year during the Dry Season because you could not plan. You had two years to plan it, $3m to spend and, now, you are going to lock out the users of the facility for four months from July onwards because your department could not plan to facilitate the works in a way where it will not disrupt the facility.
They have been asked to effect works in a certain way, which would enable the rest of the facility to be used - apart from the drags of course, because that is where they are going to work - but they have persistently said, no, they need it closed for four months; that is the end of the story. We have the motor sports association – TERRA and NAMSC - locked out of their facilities through their peak season. Major and national events are held at club level. These major sporting events produce a large amount of money for these clubs. Police driver training will not even be able to use the facility. I have not even looked into how that will affect the roll-out of new police constables.
There is a business, V8Race drive experience, based there. It is likely he will have to hand back his contract vehicles to someone interstate, and will lose six months work because you failed to plan. It is not because you did not have the money, the drawings were not done, or people were not ready to work with you. You failed to plan. You failed to get your departments to do their job - nine project managers and $3m which was not your money but you were responsible for delivering it, and you could not. Come a federal election in the near future, suddenly panic stations: ‘We have to make the Prime Minister happy. We have to pretend we have done the right thing’.
Take that as a warning, if you like, for the Sports minister. He has been doing some work there recently, and I have had some good feedback. However, we have to get it fixed. It is not a hard thing. Only one month needs to be lost. I will say to the Sports minister that if he wants to discuss it with me we can do so during these parliamentary sittings. Maybe we can help negotiate a better deal for all motor sports enthusiasts.
I will go to the rezoning of land around Hidden Valley. I will preface this with the fact I know there has been significant progress with this. It would appear there has been some good consultation, and some pretty good outcomes for all parties involved. I must say the Sports minister has actually helped out here very well ...
Mr Hampton: Good on you.
Mr BOHLIN: Good on you, Sports minister. I appreciate that and I am sure the industry does. However, it was the planning in the first place that failed the whole system.
A rezoning application was put in for land around Hidden Valley, straight through the middle of the Top End Mud Racing Association’s pits. The planning application said there would be no organisation affected by it, or words similar to that; there were no interested parties. ‘Yes, we will just take the land’. With 3000 spectators per event, there are a few people that will affect - 3000 spectators. I commend the Sports minister on this occasion that he has been able to intervene and begin better planning on this count. However, it was the poor planning in the first part that let these people down.
I must add, though, there is still no greater plan for the expansion of the Hidden Valley MotorSports Complex. We are very proud of this complex, and we all should be in the sense it is held as an iconic venue in Australia for motor sports enthusiasts because of its unique nature, where it is the venue for so many types of motor sports. That, and its ability to expand, deserves to be protected.
I will turn to my Drysdale electorate. In that area is another example of poor planning; that is, the Tiger Brennan Drive extension. It is a plan for future expansion, but it has again been simple little things that have let the planning of this development down. I know organisations have made representations to the department in regard to the height of the bridges, and the restrictive nature in which they have been developed. The clearance that will be occurring is 6.5 m on all those bridges for an underpass. They are on the Tiger Brennan Drive extension part leading on to the Stuart Highway. It is a simple thing to say the Stuart Highway is the road in and out of Darwin. It is also coming straight from the heart of the port and should have been a clean run in and out of Darwin. Our port is supposed to be one of our lifeblood to the sea. However, through poor planning, we have left it with obstructions. Unlike a little road barrier or a stop light that can be moved, a bridge is a permanent facility which cannot be easily moved.
We have heavy and light industry in those areas. They build large objects for our gas, oil, and mining industries - a lifeblood of the Northern Territory. When they planned this road and its structures, they have failed to adequately take into account the need to move over-dimensional loads. We will accept that it is not every day we move over-dimensional loads, and it can be accepted that 6.5 m is a large load in the first place and, so, it is not going to be every day a load will exceed 6.5 m in total height. However, even though it is rare these large objects which we proudly build in the Territory will be shipped down our highway, we have built them in so they cannot be moved without great expense. One departmental person told an industry leader they would have to ship it via Brandt Road around the back of the military barracks. He was then promptly told: ‘Well, that is great …’
Mr Giles: Aren’t there power lines?
Mr BOHLIN: You are right; you are spot on. There are power lines that go around that way. That will mean you will need Power and Water to lift the lines, or to take the lines completely out during the transport phase, adding tens of thousands of dollars to the trip every time.
The response by the government agent was: ‘You should have enough margins in your project to cover that cost’. This government says: ‘We have planned pathetically and you, as the industry that supports Darwin and the Northern Territory, will just have to wear another $10 000 or $20 000 debt every time’ - because you failed to plan. Would you like to issue a media release about that? And say: ‘Because we failed to plan we wish to slug you $10 000 or $20 000 every time you do something for the Territory’s growth’. The worse part is that I know some of the industry leaders have been raising this with the department for over six months. There is one particular part to this whole facility which did not need to be built in the way it was - there were no major changes - and that is the push bike bridge.
There are loops that take us around Marjorie Street, and other loops that take us around the main bridges that have Tiger Brennan Drive going under. However, all roads have been funnelled under this push bike bridge at the southern end of the highway. All roads lead under a push bike bridge restricting, like a varicose vein, all industry in and out of Darwin.
There was a solution; that is, to put culvert tunnels underneath. The explanation I was given by the project manager was that this would have had security and flooding risks. The whole Tiger Brennan Road extension under the tunnels is deeper than the culvert bridge would have been, so, particularly that it is a swampy area where it has been built, you could have just run the drain straight down into the Tiger Brennan Drive path - problem solved. It is not hard - gravity, water - you know the rest of the science; you have seen it before.
The security issue is relevant to both a bridge and to an underground facility. There are other culverts in the Palmerston area that do not have problems, and that leads from the Palmerston City Council Chambers straight across to the skate park into the university. In my years of policing in Palmerston, I was never called to that culvert for trouble. I am not saying there has never been trouble, but I was never called to that culvert in six years of policing in Palmerston. I am sorry; the culvert would have been the way to go. It would have allowed for access for our heavy and light industry, for our port, and the Essential Services Minister to have moved his new generators from the port all the way to Alice Springs. However, he has to now wear the extra $10 000 or $20 000 when he moves the new generator to Alice Springs because that will not even fit under the bridge, I have been told. It is about planning …
Dr BURNS: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I move the member be given an extension of time to complete his remarks, pursuant to Standing Order 77.
Motion agreed to.
Mr BOHLIN: Thank you, Madam Speaker and member for Johnston.
It is important to get planning right. When you get it wrong, you must admit to it. There have been a huge number of faults. This document is but a glossy brochure, and it is nine years too late. You think the public will swallow that you now have all the answers in this one document? You do not. I take the time now to remind the public that planning was a big part of our power failures. The Casuarina Zone Substation incident was caused by a failure to plan adequate maintenance to ensure nothing went wrong. I have highlighted this once before. I have seen people walking around this great building with thermal cameras taking photos of all our switchboards so this great building does not burn down.
It is about the planning and, yet, this government tried to slam us with their nine years of failings when the Casuarina Zone Substation failed. They said: ‘You are the ones to blame for lack of maintenance’. Maintenance is progressive. I have said before, every six months I have to service my car. Every 10 000 km I have to service it. The Power and Water grid - same thing. So, do not be surprised when people become bemused over why we do not have a power system that consistently works in all areas like Humpty Doo, Howard Springs and parts of Palmerston, and why your generators, when you go to replace the ones in Alice Springs, will not fit under your bridge - so I am told. But that is all right; that will just add another $10 000 or $20 000 to each generator as it goes around.
I cannot help but have a go at this. The Planning minister, in his retort during the censure, took us all the way back in time, where there was a horse rail outside his school and he rode in with his 10-gallon hat. He started to talk about 1978; how we had some fault in 1978 ...
Mr McCarthy: You were not born then.
Mr BOHLIN: I was actually, thank you. Are you admiring my good looks or what? 1973, for the record.
I find it amazing that the Planning minister decided to take us all the way back to 1978 and imply we had some fault back then. I do not know where he was going, but he rode in on his horse. He forgot to tie his horse up, and it did the bolt.
It is about planning. The public will not forget you have had nine years for this. You have failed to plan. This glossy brochure will not forgive the sins; it will not forgive your failure to plan. Every time our industry goes out there to push the Territory, to support the Territory, and your planning slugs them another $10 000 or $20 000 because you failed to build the right bridges, they will remember that. Every time 3000 spectators go to the Top End mud racing facility, and 45 000-odd go to the V8 Supercars, they will say: ‘Geez, they planned that well, didn’t they?’, because people are talking. Do you really think you can silence the people? The people are talking, and they are saying: ‘How could they have made such catastrophic mistakes? Surely, it was not hard to plan that correctly?’
Some of these things leave me absolutely rattled that they could not have achieved better, allegedly having some of the best brains around, yet, making such monumental failures - all in the name of vanity, perhaps; I am not sure. I tell you now, people in my electorate are not happy. People around the Territory are not happy. They want to see real action.
They do not want to hear that this government is trying to take advantage of a housing crisis and reap money out of the developers every which way they can. They actually want to see land available. Businesses in the housing industry have to plan for the lack of land to get through this year financially. Businesses say they would like to be building 60 houses this year; they want to build several hundred houses. They are finding they will be not even meet half their targets because they do not have the land you failed to deliver, for which you caused a dramatic rise in price, and a dramatic rise in rent, all through land restrictions. It was poor planning, poor delivery, and poor behaviour!
We talked about education today. It is obvious, from when I visit my schools - and I must say thank you very much to the Planning minister for mentioning Driver Primary School in such good manner - the principals do the best they can. They work very hard but they need better support. They need a better vision, a better plan which will deliver better results for the future of our children.
Ms WALKER (Nhulunbuy): Madam Speaker, I welcome the opportunity to respond to the Chief Minister’s statement, and build further on comments I made on this subject in May 2009 in the House when the Territory 2030 strategy was before us as a draft. I believe there are two really important things to note and emphasise about this body of work, and the Chief Minister has already been very clear about this as, I add, has the Territory 2030 committee chair, Mr Bill Moss AM.
First, this strategic document, this road map, has been produced by an independent steering committee of eight well-qualified and well-credentialed individuals – Vicki O’Halloran, the co-chair for social inclusion; Mr Bill Moss, as I have already mentioned, the co-chair economic development; and Michael Berto, Dr Jan Ferguson, Ted Egan AO, Professor Jonathan Carapetis, Steve Margetic and Denis Mackenzie. This group of individuals has an incredible level of knowledge, experience, and expertise in matters relating to the Northern Territory.
On the basis of the evidence of widespread views they have gathered in wide consultation with Territorians, they have produced the Territory 2030 document. Parallel to the collection of Territorian views, has been the mapping of baseline data which shows where we are, where we will be, where we want to be, and how we should get there in the years to come.
Data collection is one thing, but collecting the views of individuals and organisations across the Territory about what they want and see as important for our future is another thing altogether. In addition to the 75 or so written submissions, which included some from my electorate - there was one from ARDS, Aboriginal Resource Development Service, and a separate one from its chairperson Dr Djiniyini Gondarra. In addition to those submissions, members of the steering committee and members of the Territory Growth Planning Unit travelled to as many parts of the Northern Territory as possible to meet face-to-face with a broad cross-section of people to better understand those views. I was able to attend one of those meetings when it was convened in Nhulunbuy. All of that was in the lead-up to the draft stage; upon release of the draft, there were a further 46 formal submissions received. In doing all of this, as the Chief Minister said, we are ‘building a growing knowledge bank of the issues of importance to Territorians’.
The Chief Minister is quite correct when he says Territorians are generally keen participants in their community. This is certainly true for people in my electorate. There are some very keen and forward-thinking individuals who were happy to contribute to the development of the Territory 2030 strategy, whether it was through submissions or their participation in one of the two or three community consultation meetings.
In fact, there was clearly an element of disappointment for one local businessman from Nhulunbuy who, on receipt of the final strategy in December, spoke with me and wanted to know why Nhulunbuy did not rate a mention or a page in its own right. It is a salient point for those of us who reside in remote areas and tend to get lumped under the banner of regional and remote. Given the enormity of the task, I am willing to put my faith in a framework which identifies priorities in the Territory as a whole, and I have trust the strategy will drill down to remote and regional and link in with those important policy areas identified by this government.
My first point is about the evidence gathered and presented in the Territory 2030 Strategy. I recognise the importance of it coming from an independent steering committee which has had the direct contact with Territorians. My second point is about recognising the importance of the road map, the vision, the plan for the future, which Territory 2030 delivers. Having revisited the Parliamentary Record to remind myself of what my colleagues on the other side of the House had to say in this debate in May last year, there were mixed reactions from the members opposite, including some begrudging support of some good ideas, according to the member for Goyder. She objected to being described as a ‘non-Indigenous Territorian’ and requested the term ‘other Territorian’ be used. Fair enough.
Then, we had a surprising contribution from the member for Braitling - surprising because it was one of the few positive comments – where he said:
- This document is a good one. Having been a manager in different areas and managing different projects, I see that producing a document like this is a good way of doing business. It is a sensible way of going about the process.
From there, we went to the out-and-out dismissal by the member for Katherine, and the member for Fong Lim with his observation: ‘It is all wind and will go no where in the end’. Perhaps a little like the member himself, Madam Speaker.
This kind of negativity is so characteristic of the CLP. Are they willing to recognise, grudgingly or otherwise, there are good things happening in their electorates? If they cannot see the wood for the trees at the whole Territory level, can they look at their electorates individually and see what good things are happening out there?
A vision statement backed by a plan is, as the member for Braitling has said himself, a good way of doing business; a sensible way of going about the process. It is at the core of how business and organisations work. When I think of the many businesses and organisations operating in my electorate, there are some which stand out because of their bold vision statements which are at the heart of their operating philosophy. It is like their compass to the future and showing the direction they desire to take to see them remain on the right path to achieve their goals.
Off the cuff, I can just think of a few of them: our Dhimurru Rangers, Miwatj Health, YBE(2) Pty Ltd, our schools in the region, the East Arnhem Tourism Association, the East Arnhem Economic Development Committee, and all their vision statements and goals. I think of Marthakal Homelands located on Elcho Island and the very entrepreneurial approach to business in order to generate income to support the homelands, such they can reach their goal of being independent of government support within 10 years. That is their vision. I think of Laynhapuy Homelands and their vision:
- To determine our own future, to manage our own affairs, to become self-sufficient so the homeland mala can continue to live in peace and harmony.
If the Laynhapuy Homelands’ vision of its Mala leaders and its purpose and mission statement, which supports it comes to mind, it is because when the Chief Minister and I travelled to Gurrumuru July last year - Gurrumuru is one the Laynhapuy homelands - he honed in on their vision and made it very clear, at that meeting, it was a vision shared by his government, and that we would work together to deliver that vision.
No one would argue the visions and plans of these organisation are important in delivering for the future and, so too, the Territory 2030 plan. The Territory 2030 plan is singularly unlike any earlier planning undertaken in the Territory, not only because of the scale on which it has been undertaken but because, from the outset, it was not a government plan; it is a Territory plan. I reiterate the words of Ms O’Halloran and Mr Moss which the Chief Minister included in his statement: The goals and aims of the community are now the goals and aims of the government’. It certainly does set a new benchmark in engaging with communities, Indigenous Territorians and ‘other Territorians’ - have I got that right, member for Goyder? - about how planning for the future might take place.
There are many things I have learned in the relatively short time, 18 months, I have been a member of this House. The need for a whole-of-government approach and for the three tiers of government to work together is very clear to me.
As a bush member, I have seen some huge, transformational reforms which have been taken on not only by the current Henderson government, but by the Labor government since coming to power in the Northern Territory in 2001. For instance: the introduction of the local government reforms; the policy to transform Indigenous education; the Department of Education and Training’s Smart Territory Strategy for the five-year period 2009 to 2012 launched last year; the Strategic Indigenous Housing and Infrastructure Program; and A Working Future policy which is the umbrella overarching all of these areas and more. It is recognising the inter-connectedness, the inter-relatedness across government which is so important. It is this approach which underpins the Territory 2030 Strategy approach. I do not have to say the Territory government’s cooperative approach in working with the government at federal level is also key in delivering these strategies and plans.
I will not go through all the six themes, but I would like to address a couple of them, starting with education, because it is, indeed, the starting point; it is what underpins everything. It is what empowers people to shape their future. It is no secret it is an area where so much work needs to be done for Indigenous Territorians, especially those in remote areas in the larger communities, but in the homelands as well. It is certainly an area this government has worked very hard on to deliver. I can think of a number of examples I could provide in homeland communities where I have seen so much progress being made around the delivery of education.
Of course, it is about children before they even get to school and providing help and support to parents, as we see this demonstrated and supported through the Parents As First Teachers Program which was launched by this government more than a year ago. If we are talking about education, it is about getting children to school and, then, engaging them to keep them there by providing a curriculum and the means of delivering that curriculum which is meaningful and makes children want to go to school, to be at school, to have something they value, and they want to see their school days right through to Year 12.
Education is not just about preschoolers and school-aged children, but it is also about engaging with those people, whether young adults or older adults, who have, somehow, fallen or drifted out of the system, and about re-engaging these people through education, training, employment, or a combination of all of these. In all of the greatest education systems in the world, we will always struggle to see positive outcomes for children, especially Indigenous children, if we cannot get them to school every school day, completing their senior schooling through to Year 11 or 12 to obtain their Northern Territory Certificate of Education, and leave their school literate and numerate in English.
As we heard the minister for Education say during debate earlier today, it has to be a partnership between parents, families, and communities within our education system. Let us also remember the point made by the Chief Minister during Question Time today: running a school out bush is not like running a school in say, Parap, which he gave as an example. The Deputy Chief Minister mentioned earlier today there were some hard and unpopular decisions - in some quarters anyway - made by this government toward achieving this, not the least of which are changes to the bilingual program.
There remain some fairly polarised views on this subject at Yirrkala Community Education Centre in my electorate. However, there is an important point which needs to be made. It is not about whether it is a question of either/or about English language versus mother language; it is very much about retaining, valuing and having first language very much part of the classroom and part of the process of scaffolding, using mother language to bring in English language to young ones. It is also about putting the emphasis back on the need to have students complete school and, when they do, to be literate and numerate in English, and in a position to enter the workforce or engage in further training or tertiary studies. At the same time, we recognise and value Indigenous language as part of the school, the home, and the community.
One of the points perhaps overlooked in this debate as well is that, if I look at the Yirrkala homelands, students in those schools operate under ESL or English as a Second Language policy. They do not have a bilingual policy and, interestingly at those homeland schools, we have a really strong attendance. We have students coming through with excellent results. We have students completing Year 12, and we have people going into meaningful employment or training beyond that. Homeland people speak very strongly of the need for their children to be able to speak English, recognising as well that, at the same time, they retain strong language, strong culture, and they lose none of that.
The opposition seems to have misunderstood what has been captured in the Territory 2030 is already under way; things are happening, they have been happening. After listening to the member for Drysdale for 20 minutes or so, you would think nothing had happened, and the document is treated as something sitting there ready to go, and their greatest fear is it will be left on a bookshelf to collect dust. They fail to understand what is happening in Territory 2030 is already under way; it is building on what we are already doing and what we already know but, importantly, it is mapping out a future for the next 20 years or so to ensure we remain on task.
I was even surprised to hear the Leader of the Opposition, during Question Time today, asking questions about why there were no tutors in schools. The answer from the Chief Minister was: ‘Well, there are’. Indeed, there are tutors out in the schools in my electorate.
Talking about remote schools, and giving some examples of the really positive things happening which demonstrate the government’s and the federal government’s commitment in partnership to delivering outcomes in remote areas, let us just have a think about the years of CLP.
I know the CLP hate it when we do this but, if you ask people in my electorate what the CLP might be remembered for as their contribution to education in north-east Arnhem Land over the 26 years or so they were in government, they would probably say the one thing they do remember about the CLP was the closing of the only boarding facility in the region, Dhupuma College, which was situated about a half-hour drive outside of Nhulunbuy at a little place called Gulkula, which is where the Garma Festival now operates from. There is not much there now; a couple of concrete slabs, one remaining old dilapidated building but, basically, there is really nothing there to see.
Interestingly, I have heard the name Dhupuma College in a number of conversations recently, because there is a process under way, at this very moment, to identify where a boarding facility would be best located in north-east Arnhem Land. It is one of three boarding facilities. When we talk about three boarding facilities, there are two 40-bed facilities and one 72-bed facility, which have been committed to by the Australian government under Closing the Gap for Indigenous Territorians. With it is a commitment of $30m, plus a further $15m committed from the Indigenous Land Corporation. People in my region are understandably excited about this. Following the consultation process, which we are in the midst of at the moment - I know there are some visits out to homeland communities next week. Following all of that process and recommendations to the federal minister, we will, no doubt, be advised which community has been identified as the site for the boarding facility, which will see students board while undertaking their secondary schooling in the north-east Arnhem region.
That is a real positive. Is that not interesting - that we had a boarding facility there - it was closed down? The new breed of CLP - what did they come up with last year? ‘We need boarding facilities out in regions’. Well, you actually used to have them and you closed them. We are now getting them up and running to get Indigenous children back to school and, importantly, to secondary school.
I will talk about progress at Yilpara, which is the largest of the Laynhapuy homelands, which is approximately a three-hour drive from Nhulunbuy. It is home to around 150 people. Last year, it achieved small school status, which means it is no longer a homeland learning centre with visiting teachers. When I say visiting teachers, these are teachers who fly in on a Monday morning. They take a swag and stay there for three nights. There may be a one-bed sit for them but, for the most part, they are teachers who take their swags out. Quite a bit of dedication goes with that. This school has gone from a homeland learning centre with visiting teachers to a small school status. There have been two permanent teacher houses built there for permanent teachers. Just recently, at the start of the year, we have seen the appointment of a permanent principal; a quality teacher - I know, because he used to be Principal at Nhulunbuy Primary School. He has returned to that community with his wife. Things at Yilpara are looking quite positive.
In addition to that, Yilpara can also boast a new school building to complement the existing classrooms. This building has recently been completed and it will enable the school to offer a full program for preschool children, primary and secondary as well. I know the traditional owner out there, Mr Djuwalki Marika, is quite pleased about the promising future for education in his community.
I also want to touch on the themes of society and health and wellbeing under the Territory 2030 Strategy. It includes, amongst other things, ensuring communities are safe and there is access to affordable housing, as well as infrastructure and public amenities. The government’s A Working Future policy covers a raft of matters, including growth towns, which would see our larger remote communities - and in my electorate that includes Galiwinku and Yirrkala - become proper towns with the same level of service and amenities as one would expect to find in a town of comparable size in any other part of rural Australia. While it is an ambitious plan, it is a natural extension of the local government reforms we have seen, and we will certainly see improvements …
Dr BURNS: Madam Speaker, I move the member be given an extension of time, pursuant to Standing Order 77.
Motion agreed to.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Nhulunbuy, I note that that will take you to 9.02 pm. Do you wish to do that or do you wish to stop …
Ms WALKER: I may not need that much time, Madam Speaker, thank you
With the growth towns, we will see improvements in remote service delivery and improvements in the quality of life for people who are resident in those growth towns.
I add a comment about local government reforms, and commend the work and commitment to date of shires and, in particular, the East Arnhem Shire and its elected council members who, in under two years of being an entity, have worked incredibly hard, and continue to work hard, to improve service delivery in the huge corner of north-east Arnhem Land they cover.
I know the average employment rate for Indigenous people within the shires is some 75% of their workforce. The East Arnhem Shire boasts an Indigenous employment rate of 85%. Whilst they are responsible for a huge range of services, I have been particularly impressed by the work they are doing in age and disability, and was equally impressed with the work they are doing with Night Patrol. In Nhulunbuy, they have recently taken over the running of the sobering-up shelter, which marries in extremely well with their Night Patrol activities.
Under the theme of health and wellbeing, I also comment on alcohol strategy. In north-east Arnhem Land we have seen some highly successful systems introduced which have addressed alcohol abuse and, with it, antisocial problems including domestic violence and family dysfunction. The system in Gove, which has been in place for nearly two years, limits takeaway liquor sales to permit holders only. It is based on the model which has been operating on Groote Eylandt for three or four years.
The systems in place have resulted in a dramatic reduction in liquor-related problems, and this has been demonstrated by hard data including the dramatic drop in presentations at Gove District Hospital, the dramatic drop in police call-outs, and the dramatic drop in the number of people taken into protective custody. It is a system which is really working well. I must say we are fortunate, in isolated and island communities, that implementation of systems such as this are successful, in part because of the very nature of the isolation which prevents people from getting in a car or on a bus and making their way to those larger towns on the Stuart Highway. I certainly listen to members from Alice Springs and Katherine about the alcohol-related issues they are dealing with.
It also highlights the fact, in finding solutions to these kinds of social problems, so often there is not a-one-size-fits-all solution in the Northern Territory. However, while the liquor permit system in north-east Arnhem Land does have problems from time to time, I can assure you, in the various forums I attend in the Gove region, not once has anyone ever suggested one of the measures we might consider to address alcohol-related problems is to increase or extend the opening hours of takeaway liquor premises. It still does my head in as to how that can possibly be a solution in the Alice Springs region.
I was encouraged by some of the remarks of the Health Minister as he spoke this afternoon. He was highlighting there are many positive aspects of life in the Territory and what we do have here. I do see the occasional letter to the editor of the Northern Territory News in the same vein. No one says it is perfect. The government knows it is not perfect, and there is certainly no claim Territory 2030 is perfect. However, if the very best the opposition can dish up to us as a vision is what I lifted out of today’s Northern Territory News then the future certainly looks very bleak.
Madam Speaker, I commend the statement to the House.
Debate adjourned pursuant to Standing Order 41A.
ADJOURNMENT
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, it now being 9 pm, pursuant to Standing Order 41A, we complete the item of business before the Chair. The Assembly does now adjourn.
Mr HENDERSON (Wanguri): Madam Speaker, on a sad note, I acknowledge the passing of Margaret (Peg) Caroline Nelson who died peacefully on Tuesday, 2 February, at the grand age of 96. Last Monday, hundreds of Centralians including many long-term Territorians farewelled Peg.
Peg lived a remarkable life. Her father Lewis (Lew) Bloomfield, was a well-known horseman in the Finke Valley area of the Territory at the turn of the last century. Her mother was Lillian (Lil) Kunoth. When Lew and Lil were married, they bought Loves Creek Station at Ross River east of Alice Springs, and bred horses for the Indian Army. These horses were walked to Oodnadatta and went by train to Adelaide to be shipped to India.
Peg was born in September 1913 at Oodnadatta in northern South Australia - a three week walk from Alice Springs in those days. When the demand for horses declined with military mechanisation, Loves Creek Station concentrated on breeding cattle. Lew and Lil had three children – Peg, Jean (Mrs Ted Hayes), and Harry. Peg grew up with many of the pastoral families whose names are prominent in Central Australia today. She was a true bush girl at heart. As she grew up, she became an accomplished horse rider and, in her teens, was a jockey at many picnic race meetings that were, and still are, popular across the Territory.
Peg was a great source of Territory history. She lived in interesting times and saw much change in the Territory in her long life.
At the time of her birth in 1913, the Commonwealth had recently taken over the administration of the Northern Territory in 1911, with the promise of completing the Adelaide to Darwin railway. At that time, the rail had come as far north as Oodnadatta. During her childhood, she saw the first plane land in the township of Stuart, as Alice Springs was known then. She listened to the first radio broadcast in Central Australia.
As a teenager, during the Roaring Twenties, Peg was in attendance when the rail line was finally completed to Alice Springs in August 1929. Many years later, in February 2004, aged 90, she was also present at the Alice Springs Railway Station to farewell the first train to make its way to Darwin and across the continent from south to north.
Peg was introduced to her beloved Jock by her brother, Harry. Marrying John Norman (Jock) Nelson in 1934, the couple moved to Tennant Creek where Jock operated a butcher shop on the goldfields. Later, Jock worked sinking bores before joining the Army during World War II and serving in the Top End. During this time, Peg worked at the Royal Flying Doctor Service in Alice Springs. After the war, Peg and Jock started Stewart and Lloyds, and the Dalgety Agency in Alice Springs.
No mention of Peg’s life would be complete without a mention of her association with politics in the Territory. At the time of her birth, Territorians had limited representation. The Territory’s first federal representative was her father-in-law Harold (HG) Nelson. Peg was to witness the evolution to self-government in the Territory from an appointed advisory board to the Administrator, to what we have today - the Legislative Assembly with 25 fully-elected members. Peg’s husband, Jock, was a member of the Legislative Council as member for Stuart from 1947 prior to becoming a long-serving member of the House of Representatives between 1949 and 1966. Jock was Alice Springs’ first mayor in 1971, and became Territory Administrator in December 1973. He was also the Administrator at the time of Cyclone Tracy.
Following his retirement in 1976, Peg and Jock settled in Alice Springs. Sadly, Jock passed away in 1991, but is well remembered for his selfless service to the country and community he loved.
Peg was always involved in community organisations: the CWA, the Alice Springs Memorial Club, the Alice Springs Netball Association, the Red Cross, and she was a proud member of the Labor Party. One of her achievements was to instigate, with friend, Telka Williams, the Brownies of the Air for bush kids.
Peg moved to her cottage at Old Timers in 1993. She was an inspiration to generations of Territorians, especially Territory women. Margaret Whitlam summed it up when speaking to an enthusiastic crowd at a dinner in Alice Springs in 2001 saying:
- Peg may be small but she always had a strong shoulder to lean on for support.
Mrs Whitlam went on to say:
- Peg was a mentor in the early days when Gough first entered parliament and I became a politician’s wife. Our friendship goes back nearly 50 years.
These comments were greeted with a standing ovation.
Those of you who know Alice Springs will be aware that the Old Timers Retirement Village is between the town and the airport. It was not uncommon for Prime Ministers, ministers, Chief Ministers and others to drop in on Peg on arrival, or when leaving Alice Springs. Peg was always welcoming with her easy charm, but that did not stop her from making comment, both positive and negative, about the state of affairs in the nation.
Peg was always involved in her community. She loved gardening, sewing, crafts and lace making. Well into her 90s, she was still active and could often been seen shuffling her shopping trolley around Woolworths in Alice Springs on shopping day. Peg was early to bed and early to rise. She was particularly attached to her cottage at Old Timers and tended to her chores each day before settling down for her well-known happy hour in her back yard each afternoon about 5 pm.
Peg is survived by daughters Pat and Louanne who both now live in South Australia.
The Centralian Advocate, in its obituary, described Peg as:
- … a beautiful, gentle person who … touched so many lives. She was, and will remain always, special to everyone who met her.
She was truly a Territory gem and a legend. My condolences to Peg Nelson’s family and everyone who knew her. She lived a remarkable life in remarkable times. The Territory of 1913 to the Territory of 2010 is an extraordinary life. She lived through not only two World Wars, but enormous technological and constitutional change in Australia. The last 100 years has been a time when mankind has seen enormous changes. She lived through all of those changes and touched the lives of everyone who met her.
Mr MILLS (Blain): Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, I report on a trip taken last year in October by a parliamentary bipartisan delegation to, principally, the parliament of Timor-Leste. The trip took place on 26 to 28 October. It was the first parliamentary delegation to visit this new nation, not far from Darwin, with a population of 1.1 million people. The party consisted of Madam Speaker leading the delegation, with the member for Nhulunbuy, Lynne Walker; member for Nelson, Gerry Wood; the member for Sanderson, Peter Styles; and me. It was a tremendous opportunity to be able to go that next step, after having talked about such a need to engage our neighbour, to have a delegation finally go. I commend the Speaker for taking the initiative and allowing this to occur. It helped us to bring about a real show of support from this parliament to the parliament of Timor-Leste.
It also enabled a stronger connection between the East Timorese community in Darwin and the Northern Territory - the Top End specifically - and the people of East Timor. Upon arrival, a briefing gave us a lot of information which put us in the picture, particularly with DFAT providing us with an overview within an AusAid briefing. We were able to learn of the approach of Australia in providing practical support for the people of East Timor. In and around that, we noticed the involvement of many donor countries active in East Timor, principally the role of Portugal and Brazil which, upon investigation, we learned one of the requirements for their continued support is the preservation of the Portuguese language, which has some other challenges for the people of East Timor. That issue was discussed in a number of different forums, particularly with parliamentarians.
It was instructive for me, as a parliamentarian, to be a part of that team to go and visit another parliament so close to us with such real, historical and people connections. You would assume we would go there knowing it all, and wanting to learn from the other. Yes, we had much we could share. It brings to mind we are a parliamentary democracy of many years - we are a mature democracy. Challenging as it is, even for us, how much more challenging it is for a new nation with such a history which is very challenging - nothing like any of us had experienced - and how their parliament is endeavouring to cut a path, a new way forward, for the people of East Timor.
I believe, as citizens in this place, we have an obligation to reach out. I was encouraged and strengthened in my understanding and appreciation of the role of parliament. The things we may take for granted here, I now no longer take for granted after visiting another parliament. We learnt of the systems they have in place, and of the political challenges they face. There is some similarity with our government. Theirs is a government by virtue of alliances which have been made, an opposition which is strong, challenges which have been made to the legitimacy of the alliance, and the opposition having to adjust to being in opposition. All these things were very interesting, and you could not help but draw some parallels.
I have to say, however, their history leading up to the point we were observing was very different than we have here, when you consider some of the activities of last year and the year before.
It was a great honour to meet President Ramos-Horta, who has been a guest in this parliament, and the Prime Minister, Xanana Gusmao. They were wonderful hosts. It was good also, as a local member and resident of Palmerston, to be able to meet members of our Defence Force and receive a high-level briefing of their operation. That was instructive. It helps me now understand the stories of those around me I meet from time to time, who have served in East Timor. I now know a bit more about what they have experienced and the sort of operation they have been involved in.
It was good sharing a sandwich and a cool drink with the members of the International Stabilisation Force. It was interesting to learn there was a New Zealander in charge at the time. They have a regime where there is no alcohol permitted at all. The Kiwis are not allowed to drink at all at any time, whereas the Australians have an allowance of a can or two. There was a challenge between the two regimes and how one would manage in such an environment. That was interesting.
For me, having visited West Timor many times, it kept alive the memory of the connection between East Timor and the events of 1942 around the time Darwin was bombed, when West Timor and then East Timor were captured by the Japanese forces. We had Sparrow Force deployed in the region. We had one company, drawn principally from Tasmania, in the west, and the 2/2nd Independent Company was located in what was neutral territory in Dili. They were principally drawn from Western Australia commandos. Most of those in the west were captured, but those who were in the east, of the 2/2nd Independent Company, survived. They survived largely due to the protection provided by the East Timorese.
It was particularly touching to go to the display which was set up in Darai, and to learn of the great work of Kirsty Sword Gusmao; how she has assisted those soldiers, particularly those from the 2/2nd Independent Company in Perth who are now leaving us due to old age, who have continued to extend their appreciation of gratitude to the people of East Timor. It is just lovely to see Kirsty Sword Gusmao keeping that flame burning. As a relative of one who served in East Timor who, sadly, lost his life in Papua New Guinea, I have met a number of the 2/2nd Independent Company in Western Australia. They feel that great sense of debt owed to the people of East Timor. It comes home so strongly when you see the display and, for me, on a personal note, to see photographs of the faces of these soldiers with their big beards - because they have been cut off and did not have much to keep themselves going other than to live off the land, under the support of the East Timorese - and to see amongst the crowd my father’s uncle who was pictured in one of the groups of soldiers.
It was good to be part of a broader operation, to see the skills of people I know had been deployed and running a delegation such as that. Brendan Doran did an outstanding job, as did Robyn Smith and Karen Philp from the department. The level of preparation was first-class.
We learnt of some of the needs they have in East Timor. One quite practical one we could assist with, is in their parliament of 65, they have some difficulty hearing each other. They have a sound system which a donor has provided, but they are having some trouble with it - as we know we have trouble with our equipment here. They have the equipment, but they do not have the capacity to get it fixed. I thought that is something we could probably do; help fix that technical problem. They would like to learn more about the Auditor-General and the Ombudsman and how those roles work, and how they could work in their parliament.
They also told us how useful it is to be proficient in English, and that is something we could do through the membership of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association; that is possible. A precedent has been set, and it could be extended, I believe, to East Timor. I am grateful for the opportunity to be part of this. I would urge members, in whatever way they can, to provide practical support to our near neighbour.
Dr BURNS (Johnston): Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, I was very interested to hear the adjournment by the member for Blain; it was very interesting. I believe it underlines the fact we should, as a parliament, be giving as much support we can to the people and the parliament of Timor-Leste. I know the member for Blain has raised within the CPA …
Mr TOLLNER: A point of order! In the Alice Springs sittings we were informed members are not allowed to refer to other members by their seat names if they hold a position. In this regard, the Leader of Government Business should know better, and he should refer to him as the Opposition Leader. I was pulled up on this point several times in Alice Springs, you may recall.
Mr ACTING DEPUTY SPEAKER: Please pause, member for Fong Lim. I will seek clarification.
During debate it is convention or a courtesy. During the adjournment debate, we are slightly more relaxed and it can be allowed, though ...
Mr TOLLNER: A further point of order, Mr Acting Deputy Speaker! My understanding is it was a ruling which came directly from Madam Speaker. I am prepared to let this flow but, maybe, at some future point, you might want to talk to Madam Speaker and get her take on it, and she can advise you where it appears in the standing orders or whatever ...
Mr ACTING DEPUTY SPEAKER: Member for Fong Lim, if you could please sit. I appreciate the point of order. I have received advice from the Clerk that during general business the courtesy has been to refer to people by their title. We are now in the adjournment debate ...
Mr Tollner: Speaking to the point of order …
Mr ACTING DEPUTY SPEAKER: No, member for Fong Lim, you have made your point of order. I have heard it; I appreciate it.
Member for Johnston, I ask you to refer to the member for Blain if you like as member for Blain but, as a courtesy, he is also the Opposition Leader.
Dr BURNS: The Opposition Leader. As I was saying before the point of order, I was very interested in the adjournment given by the Opposition Leader on his trip to Timor-Leste. I know the Opposition Leader has been very keen within the CPA, for us to give as much support as we can to Timor-Leste and the parliament of Timor-Leste, and I certainly support that. I would hope we, as a parliament, have more delegations to Timor-Leste. It was my good fortune, as a minister, to go on a number of delegations last year. They are our near neighbour and I am very keen we should build relationships there in a bipartisan way.
I encourage members to go on further delegations but, also, at a personal level, to go there for a holiday with your family because it is very close, and Airnorth has a very good service. I did listen with interest to what the Opposition Leader had to say in his adjournment.
Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, tonight I take this opportunity to wish everyone, in this House and my electorate, a fantastic 2010. The start of the year is also an exciting time, as we return to parliament refreshed and looking forward to a good year working hard to achieve our best for our constituents, and for all Territorians.
However, it is with regret I must mention and pay tribute to two good people who passed away recently. They have been members of my electorate for many years, and many years before I became the member, and part of the Territory fabric since the early 1970s.
In November last year, Mr Brian Lenon of Moil passed away following a brave four-year battle with lymphoma and, in later stages, lung cancer. Brian would be a familiar face to many long-time Territorians. He ran the rubbish tip from 1983 until he retired in 1993. Brian also set up the daily tip shop which only opened on Sundays, before he took over the management. As anyone will know who visited Brian’s shop, it was a great place to find items which cannot be found anywhere else. Together with running the tip, Brian also managed the skip bin business in the Darwin region during that time, which has been a very fantastic service to us all having a large amount of garden debris on occasions.
Brian was born in Mount Isa in 1945, one of 10 children. He joined the Army in 1965-66, and served three years at Puckapunyal before moving to Darwin in 1970, where he met his wife Gaie. Before taking over the rubbish dump, Brian and Gaie ran a catering service together, and raised Gaie’s five children who have now spread interstate and overseas.
Brian loved his football and was a member of the RSL football club. He spent most of his spare time scouring the Top End’s old camp sites for old bottles and more debris, like bits and pieces of bombs and the like. This was his passion; he was thrilled with some of his finds. He was an avid collector, and had a good eye for quality. In fact, Gaie reports she will be having a collector’s sale in the near future to pass on Brian’s treasures to other collectors.
Brian was forced to retire from the tip at the age of 50 due to damaged neck and shoulders, which he put squarely at the door of his younger life when, at the age of 12, he started physically carrying and carting coal briquettes to help support his family of 10. The weight of the briquettes took its toll, but Brian was always a very dedicated family man. Retiring early gave Brian more time to spend on his collecting and with his beloved galahs, Charlie and Georgie. He used to sit in the garden with them having coffee with his wife, and also many of his mates when they dropped in and, of course, his birds. It was my pleasure when doorknocking to spend time with Brian and Gaie.
Brian refused to lie down and fought his bad health, never complaining; a real trooper to the end. Vale, Brian Lenon.
Just after New Year arrived, Mr Arsenio de Guzman left us. I first mentioned Arsenio in my adjournment debate of 27 November 2001 following a fundraiser he coordinated for the Pinoy Aussie Association, held on 27 October that year. During the next nine years, I had close association with Arsenio, not only attending his association’s fundraisers, but also as a constituent and friend in and around my electorate.
When I was able, I enjoyed joining Arsenio and his wife, Ricarda, at the Thursday Senior Citizens get together at Casuarina Square, where all the members of the group had a great time playing bingo, sharing a meal and singing. Arsenio was very much involved in keeping the group going.
As I said, I first met Arsenio through an invitation to the Pinoy Aussie Society, which he founded in 1990 as an organisation to help fellow Filipinos integrate into the Darwin community. I remember he was always in my office photocopying his flyers and brochures for the fantastic fundraising events he organised, and also never being backward in asking for a donation for the wonderful causes which I was always very pleased to provide.
Arsenio retired from teaching for the second time, having taught at Katherine High School in 1972 to 1973 before moving to Darwin High School, Casuarina Senior College in 1975 to 1985, Sanderson High School from 1986 to 1994 and, following his first retirement, returned to teaching in Darwin and Dripstone in 2000 until retiring permanently in 2002. My oldest son, David, had the pleasure of being taught by Mr Arsenio de Guzman.
Arsenio and his wife, Ricarda, had five children, losing one early. They arrived in Australia in 1972 and spent most of the rest of their lives in the Territory going through Cyclone Tracy and the rebuilding of Darwin, making lost of friends and volunteering their time to the community, in particular the Filipino community. Sadly, Ricarda passed away in 2007, and I do not think Arsenio was ever able to come to terms with her loss. I do not think life was the same; they were a very close couple.
One of the highlights of Arsenio’s life was being recognised in 2008 by the Chief Minister for his service to the community. Whilst he did not seek glory, being honoured in this way was very important to Arsenio and his family. Arsenio was a dedicated husband, father, teacher, and community worker, and he will be sadly missed by his family, friends, and all those he helped. Vale Arsenio.
Mr ELFERINK (Port Darwin): Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, tonight I have a happy duty because, prior to the Christmas period, my office decided to put out a Christmas card. Rather than put out the usual thing that is produced by politician’s offices, we got in contact with a couple of primary schools in my electorate and had a Christmas card competition. That Christmas card competition was ultimately won by Tippi Morgan, aged 6, from Larrakeyah Primary School, and Claudia King, aged 6, from St Mary’s Primary School. I seek leave to table a copy of the Christmas card involved.
Leave granted.
Mr ELFERINK: There were many entries from both schools in relation to the Christmas card competition. The Christmas card competition returned some wonderful and most excellent Christmas card entries. I can only say I was disappointed I was not able to incorporate all of them, and there had to be winners and runners-up in this particular competition. I am glad to say that Tippi and Claudia did do very well and they were represented on the Christmas card sent to many hundreds of people. Also, it is worth now demonstrating the quality of the entries to the Christmas card competition by registering in the Parliamentary Record the names and ages of every entrant in the Christmas card drawing competition. I seek leave to have entered into the Parliamentary Record for posterity the names and schools of all Christmas card entry winners.
Leave granted.
Name Age
Larrakeyah Primary School:
Marni Shanks-Bywater, 12
Shania Webb 12
Claire Mathews 8
Brody Clark 9
Aimee Rodrick 8
Tony Tsougranis 8
Qian fei Chew 9
Alice Devos 8
Reece Van Tienhoren 9
Rory Duff 9
Liam Franklin 7
Patrick Wiltshire 8
Rivah Nasir-Denniss 8
Godwin Esto 9
Robert McKee 9
Isabella Daniel-Knox 8
Eloise Avery 8
Tessa McVann 8
Emily Vander Heyden 7
Jakiya Whitfield 8
Kasia Haddrill 7
Leon Danicic 11
Emma Phan 9
Georgie Halkitis 11
Yashara Silva 10
Lucas Wilson 10
Caitlin Riedel 11
Lauren Seden 11
Faith Wehrmann 8
Emily Cunnington 8
Lucy Addamson 7
Harrison Duff 7
Sam Cook 7
Catie McClymont 8
Ellie Senior 8
Claire Townsend 8
Daisy Senior 8
Qian Jet 7
Kaiya Jones 8
Amanda Goodsell 7
Brendan Learpyd 8
Sushan Karekar 7
David Munro 7
Brooke Hellbig 7
Keith Matilla 8
Tuscany Abala 8
William Thompson 8
Alex Bishop 7
Phoebe Wear 8
Harry Whitehead 6
Fleur Liveris 8
Lauren Reiter 8
Joshua Bentes 8
Joshielle Pastor 6
Laura Yoeman 7
Jacinta Knight 6
Ethan Goodsell 7
Katie Van Teinhoren 7
Jamie Hannon 7
Timothy Earl 7
Jemma Dawson 7
Blake Lambert 8
Mengting Qi 7
Bradley Eastaway 7
Gus Higgins 7
Stanley Shinkfield 7
Kimberlei Manurung 7
Damian Pill 7
Riley Loy 8
Zane Ward 8
Jack Jordan 7
Kaiya Hancock 7
Tippi Morgan 6
Stafan Englund 9
Daniel Ferguson 10
Lucy Chin 10
Prune Gilly-Eydoux 9
Ciara Collister 10
Bailey Hellbig 10
Caitlyn Taylor 10
Anya Richardson 9
Max Higgins 9
Taylor Gwyther 9
St Mary’s Primary School:
Liana Boscato 6
Leo Cook 5
Ryley Craven 6
Addison Dohnt 5
Chiara Gagliardo 6
Hannah Greaves 5
Claudia King 6
Jack Livesley 5
Declan MacCarthy 5
Norah Nassif 6
Carmela Panaligan 6
Kurt Reddan 5
Emily Stokes 6
Catherine Tilbrook 6
Paris Vadourous 6
Harper Weekers 5
Bronte Zerafa 5
Mr ELFERINK: Also, for future reference when these children grow up and get older, they will at some point - as I do naturally nowadays very often, when I become nostalgic about what happened when I was a kid, but have no record of any of those sorts of things I used to do as a kid. I suspect when these children become of an age where they do become nostalgic in their 30s or 40s they, too, will have disposed of all of the things they did when they were in primary school. So, to avoid that from occurring, rather than returning all these items to the children and their parents, I have determined we should, on the permanent record of the Northern Territory as tabled papers, record all entries for future reference by these children and other Territorians of the Christmas card competition.
Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, I seek leave to have tabled on the permanent record of the Northern Territory Parliament all entries in the 2009 Christmas Card Competition which was run through the member for Port Darwin’s office.
Leave granted.
Mr ELFERINK: Thank you, Mr Acting Deputy Speaker. Now that all that material is tabled for the record, I thank honourable members for their forbearance and, once again, I thank Tippi and Claudia for their excellent work. I hope, at some future point, all these children when they grow up, get to a place so they can come back and look at the work they did in a Christmas Card Competition in 2009, and have a bit of nostalgia left on the Parliamentary Record.
Mr STYLES (Sanderson): Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, this evening I report on a trip I made as part of a parliamentary delegation of this parliament to Timor-Leste last year. The delegation consisted of the Speaker, the member for Nightcliff, Mrs Jane Aagaard; the Deputy Speaker, the member for Nhulunbuy, Ms Lynne Walker; the Leader of the Opposition and member for Blain, Terry Mills; the member for Nelson, Mr Gerry Wood; and me.
We were ably assisted by Mr Brendan Doran, Director of Asian Relations in the Chief Minister’s Department; Executive Officer to the Clerk, Ms Robyn Smith; and Speaker’s staff member, Ms Karen Philp. I have to say the staff members looked after the delegation superbly. Everything went very smoothly, and I am sure it was because of the dedication and efforts of those people to ensure that, a short trip as it was - which was absolutely packed full of meetings and events - went off so smoothly. I commend those members of staff.
On arrival, we were met by the staff of the Australian Embassy, who briefed us and assisted us for the duration in Timor-Leste. Their service was exemplary and of an excellent standard at all times. I thank those people because, without some of their advice and information, our trip would not have been as successful as it was.
This was a bipartisan delegation to strengthen ties and to ascertain how the Northern Territory parliament may be of assistance to the parliament of Timor-Leste. Whilst there, we met with the Acting President of the Parliament, His Excellency, Mr Vicente Gutierrez. We met with a various other parliamentary leaders, probably too numerous to name. We had the honour of meeting the President of Timor-Leste, His Excellency, Dr Jose Ramos-Horta, who received us in the Presidential Palace. We had some rather frank and fruitful conversations about how we might be of assistance to each other.
Later in the same day, we met with the Prime Minister, Mr Xanana Gusmao. Again, we had some very fruitful discussions in relation to how we might benefit each other, and how the Northern Territory parliament might help the parliamentary process of East Timor. It was a pleasure to meet all the other leaders of the minority parties, and meet with the opposition parties. It became very apparent to us that all these people in Timor-Leste were asking for practical support and training for staff members of the parliament of Timor-Leste. In fact, I am led to believe there are a number of positions being made available for staff members to work in our parliament with our Legislative Assembly staff so they may pick up some of the skills and knowledge we have.
We were very fortunate to meet the Catholic Bishop Alberto Ricardo da Silva. We went to a church service in the early hours of the morning at a makeshift church at the rear of the cathedral which, I must say, is a magnificent cathedral and probably one of the largest in the southern hemisphere. It was nearing completion at that time, and I believe it was completed on 9 December and a mass held in the Catholic church on that date. This early morning church service was led by our very own Northern Territory Catholic Bishop, Eugene Hurley, and to his great credit it was conducted in Portuguese.
Having finished that, we were off to visit various other people in Dili. Later, we were received by the Bishop in his home, and there we discussed the various programs that Caritas Australia is running in East Timor and, how, practically, we may be of assistance to those people in East Timor less fortunate than ourselves. It was very interesting.
We also met with the Islamic community leader, and the President of that community, Mr Mahafut Baziher, and had some very frank and fruitful discussions. Those people were very keen to meet us. I am led to believe that this is the first time they have met a delegation from the Territory - in fact, it may even be a delegation from Australia. There are obvious benefits which flow from communicating with people from all walks of life, and from all areas and communities within East Timor.
We were fortunate to meet with the Prime Minister’s wife, Ms Kirsty Sword Gusmao. She runs a number of not-for-profit organisations which are designed to be of assistance to the locals, especially the people who live outside Dili, and who still live in what might be described as extreme third-world conditions. They live in the hills, and spend much time coming and going from the markets of Dili. Kirsty Sword Gusmao runs an organisation that sells the products made in the cottage industries which exist in the hills and the surrounding areas around Dili.
Whilst there, we were escorted by Kirsty Sword Gusmao into the hills outside Dili where there is a fine view of Dili and the oceans that surround it. Up there is a memorial at a location which is known as Dare. The memorial commemorates the lives lost during World War II of people of East Timorese origin, and also Australian soldiers. It is an emotional place to visit. Quite a number of Australian soldiers who were lost are there. As a result of Australia’s participation, and the help the East Timorese people gave to the Australian soldiers, they incurred losses somewhere between 40 000 to 70 000. Unfortunately, many of those lost their lives during the Japanese occupation which followed the withdrawal of the Australian soldiers.
The 2/2nd Commando Squadron was in East Timor during that time. I note my colleague, the Leader of the Opposition, spoke about that so I do not propose to go into it at length. However, one very positive thing that came out of this parliamentary delegation is I was able to speak to a lady by the name of Yvonne Walsh, whose husband was a member of the 2/2nd Commando Squadron which was in East Timor for the 12 to 18 months when they were running guerrilla tactics against the Japanese, and holding up thousands and thousands of Japanese troops which could not be taken from Timor and sent to the Kokoda Trail, which I am sure assisted saving thousands and thousands of Australian soldiers’ lives. I was able to put her in touch with the director of the Darwin Military Museum, Dr Tom Lewis. I am since led to believe, by Dr Tom Lewis, they have actually been in contact. They will be establishing, hopefully, an exchange between the museum at Dare and the museum located at East Point.
There are a number of things happening this year in relation to Gull Force which was over there during the war. I believe, later this year, there will be a delegation from the Northern Territory going to Timor to celebrate that particular event.
Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, the opportunity to meet and mix with local peoples from all walks of life - from government, from business - was facilitated by a number of functions hosted by our delegation and that of the Timor-Leste government. It was extremely fruitful, and I encourage the government, and anyone else, to encourage these delegations of this nature to go to all our immediate neighbours in the north, and to travel, meet and strengthen our ties, both culturally and for trade, and help make those businesses in the Territory who do business with those people, make it a lot easier and give them and added resource.
Mr GILES (Braitling): Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, tonight I thank, in particular, ANZAC Hill High School for the 23 years of teaching they undertook in Alice Springs before they were closed late last year. I particularly thank Mr John Cooper, who has done an amazing job of Principal of ANZAC Hill High School before the merger into the middle school in Alice Springs.
I thank Mr Mark Goonan, the Assistant Principal; Mandy Hargreaves; Narelle Cameron; and Helen Wilkinson, who are the coordinators of ANZAC Hill High School. I particularly thank the teachers: Ben Balmer; Liza Bowers; Wendy Cowen; Jo Dutton; Kerry Lavell; Prasad Nair; John O’Brien; Chris Osborn; Narelle Panjer; Constance Price; Michele Robinson; Loie Sharp; Kristelle Sherwood; Patrick Ward; and the administrators, Liz Collins; Lyn Andrews; Donna Anderson; Carolyn Bindle; George Frank; Tenneil Helliwell; Nadine Larson; Anna Montgomery; and Heather Robinson. I also thank the people in wellbeing: Mica Alcedo; Sophia Baliva; Kate Fisher; Naomi Beale; Daryl Preston; and, from the tutors, Joanne Dermody; Michael Kaaan; Anita Tooloo; Rachael Tohi; Isaak Manu; and Jordan van der Shuit. I also thank those of the football academy, Ian McAdam; Charlie Maher; and Jodi Lennox from Girls at the Centre.
There are many people there who continue in similar roles at the new school. However, they went through a tumultuous period in the time leading up to the closing of the school. I spent a lot of time with the school council representatives, in particular, Allan Smith, the President of the ANZAC Hill High School Council. He went through a tough time trying to keep that school open. However, we have moved on to different things now. I also thank Faith White, the secretary of the school council, and the parent representatives: Donna Andersen; Belinda Harding; Christine de Chambord; Cynthia Mallard; Santana Ponga; Carwyn Taitumu-Ponga; Cheryl Shembri; the treasurer, Liz Collins and, once again, the Principal, John Cooper and the teachers, John O’Brien and Michelle Robinson. They did a fantastic job at ANZAC Hill High School, many for a very long time.
I acknowledge the award winners at the graduation night last year. I particularly thank Jackie Frost who provided the welcome, and Allan Smith and Cynthia Mallard from the school council who participated in the night, and the ANZAC student leaders, Jessica Newland; Stephanie Glyde; and John Hanak for the work they did. I will quickly run through the awards and thank those people who were successful in getting those awards - Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, I am happy to table this. I seek leave to table this.
Leave granted.
Mr GILES: I will table it so I will not read you the whole thing, just to make it a little easier. I also seek leave to table the final Year Book for ANZAC Hill High School.
Leave granted.
Mr GILES: Thank you very much. I thank very much the member for Daly, who was very excited about that.
While I am on my feet, I point out a funny thing I saw which was issued by the Northern Territory government. There are many funny things that come out. This one is from the Business Territory document they issue. The Chief Minister was highlighting the new direct flights to Canberra. He was talking about an extra 1000 seats weekly between Canberra and Darwin. That is great, but I did not know they had a 747 flying between Darwin and Canberra. I thought that was quite funny; that they would use that illustration to promote it.
I also point out we have had another lazy day today in parliament; we debated legislation for half-an-hour and spoke about a ministerial statement where the government likes to promote itself, and how they were so bereft of ideas they had to outsource the vision of someone else. The member for Nhulunbuy said that I had said the 2030 statement is a good idea. I do think it is a good idea; however, I believe it is quite surprising the government is so lacking in ideas they have to pay other people to come up with their vision. I thought that was quite amusing.
There is no here and now with this government. It was funny; I popped outside parliament 10 or 15 minutes ago and saw a young man, Danny, sleeping on the steps. I stopped and had a chat to him and asked him what he was actually doing. He is here with his sleeping bag, a pillow and a book. He is lodging a bit of a protest. He said he is going to stay there for as long as possible to highlight the problems of housing in the Northern Territory. He has been on the priority housing list for quite some time, he alleges, and tells us he has been told it will only be nine months, or 18 months, or only a certain period of time but, yet, he is still out there homeless. He is just one of a number of people right across the Northern Territory living in terrible housing conditions.
This man is a homeless man who has decided he would like his plight broadcast to the Northern Territory parliament, so the Northern Territory parliament can understand exactly the situation he is living in. He is not alone, but he is one who is courageous to sleep on the steps of Parliament House. I am sure the Northern Territory government ministers will ensure he does not have a chance to sleep there. I am sure they will have him moved on. He is just an example of what is happening right across the Northern Territory.
I look at the 2030 vision and say you have a lot of motherhood statements in there. Yes, it is good to have a vision, even though you had to pay someone else to come up with your ideas. However, what about Danny who sits on the front step who has nowhere to sleep tonight? He is sitting there right now unless he has already been moved on. He is sitting there right now. The member for Daly is sitting there with a smile on his face thinking: ‘I am glad I got rid of Housing in December. I am glad it is the member for Johnston’, as he gives me that wink. He is sitting there thinking: ‘Poor Danny is now the member for Johnston’s problem’. After nine long years, this dysfunctional Labor government is going to leave Danny out on the steps tonight.
Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, on that sombre note, I will sit down and hope people like Danny, in the future, will have the opportunity to get a house, to get accommodation through models such as the transitional housing arrangements the Country Liberals have proposed. If only the member for Nelson would support us so we could house people like Danny, instead of letting them sleep alone on the streets at night.
Mr KNIGHT (Daly): Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, if the CLP had not sold off 2000 houses over the last three years of their term, Danny would probably have a home. If the CLP had not run the economy into the ground, Danny would probably have had a job and be able to get private accommodation. If the CLP’s housing policy ever got up, the government would be broke because it is the most corrupt, incomplete housing policy we have ever seen in real life. The richest …
Mr GILES: A point of order, Mr Acting Deputy Speaker! I do not think there is any corruption. It is a far cry for the member for Daly to allege corruption. I ask the member for Daly to withdraw.
Mr ACTING DEPUTY SPEAKER: There is no point of order. Member for Daly, you have the call.
Mr KNIGHT: The richest man in ...
Mr TOLLNER: Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, further to the point of order! You can only make allegations of corruption through substantive motion and we are certainly not doing that at the moment.
Mr ACTING DEPUTY SPEAKER: He referred to the document as corrupt, member for Fong Lim. I ask you to resume your seat.
Mr KNIGHT: I referred to the CLP, not to an individual member. After six years in the federal parliament, you would think the member for Fong Lim would actually know some standing orders, one or two …
Mr TOLLNER: Hang on. Whilst we are debating the point of order, Madam Speaker has made rulings to that effect in the past, and this is another little thing to check up in your discussions with Madam Speaker …
Mr ACTING DEPUTY SPEAKER: Member for Fong Lim and member for Daly, please resume your seats for a second.
Member for Daly, thank you for clarifying. I thought you were referring to the document. You mentioned you were referring to the CLP. That is actually something that does require withdrawal, and I ask you to withdraw.
Mr KNIGHT: Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, I will withdraw.
It is the most abysmal housing policy, because it will send the government broke. The richest person in the Northern Territory can actually get a subsidy from the government of half their house under the CLP policy. It is a great policy for the richest people in the Northern Territory. Anyway, I digress.
One of the highlights of the beginning of each year is the Australia Day commemorations. It is a chance to recognise some of the most wonderful people and events from the electorate of Daly. I was very honoured to attend the celebrations in Batchelor and give the Australia Day address before assisting the Coomalie Council’s President, Andrew Turner, and CEO, John Hughes, in presenting their Australia Day Awards. Congratulations go to Tala Turner as the 2010 winner of the Student Citizen Award; Mitchell Northey, the Young Sports Person of the Year; Bruce Jones, the Sports Person of the Year - with a bit of controversy - for his efforts in bowls.
The Lingalonga Festival was the Community Group of the Year and also the Community Event of the Year. Congratulations to all the participants in the Lingalonga Festival. It was very exciting for Marilyn Reeves of the Lingalonga Festival, and her committee, for a nomination in two categories but, to be the winners of both of these categories, has to be congratulated. The community works extremely hard and, with the support of the Coomalie Council, was able to secure grants from Fest OZ, ARTS NT and the Community Benefit Fund to put on one of the biggest festivals during 2009.
Australia Day Awards for the Coomalie region went to Sue Bligh as a Community Hero; Sharna Mulhall for the Young Citizen of the Year; and Citizen of the Year went to Rinaldo Scarton. There are many nominees who should also be congratulated in all these categories. This year saw an amazing 11 nominations for the Coomalie Citizen of the Year.
Citizen of the Year for Naiyu Nambiyu went to Aaron McTaggart, and Christopher Miler Junior was the winner of the Young Citizen category. It was great to hear the Merrepen Arts Festival was the Community Event of the Year. I look forward to heading to the Merrepen arts and sports festival later this year.
Dundee Social and Recreation Club celebrated Australia Day with many fun events planned to keep the residents of Dundee in high spirits. It was on for young and old, and the sheer determination on the faces of many in the egg and spoon races was absolutely priceless; everyone got stuck right into it. All the favourite sporting events were scheduled – cricket, sack racing, thong throwing, and yours truly won the crab pot throwing contest, amongst quite a controversy about my style. Congratulations to the president, Peter, secretary, Lyn and all the organisers of the social and recreation club for putting on a fantastic day.
Wagait shire’s Citizen of the Year was Geoff Hutchison, who works in the clinic. Congratulations to Geoff. The Community Event of the Year went to the Wagait Beach Fishing Club Kids Competition, which is great for the kids during the school holidays. I was fortunate to be able to attend some of these events held by the Wagait Shire Council. To everyone involved, congratulations to you. The volunteers from the Fire and Emergency Services group put on a display and, of course, the cricket and tug-o-war brought out the best in the sportsmen and sportswomen from the Cox Peninsula.
I would like to mention the other students who received an Australia Day Citizen Award in my electorate. They are Bill Swain from Adelaide River Primary School; Tara Moreen from Belyuen Primary School; Jessie Innes from Berry Springs Primary School; and Sian Phelps from the Douglas Daly Primary School. Congratulations to all these students. They receive these awards for not only their contribution to their school, but also to their community as well. They are young leaders in our community, and are respected by their teachers and also their peers.
As I said in my opening remarks, Australia Day is a great start to the calendar of events for the year. To many of my constituents who are recognised for their contributions, I congratulate both them, and also the nominees in all those categories.
Mr WOOD (Nelson): Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, I am glad you called me member for Nelson, because I want to talk about Peg Nelson. I will explain to you a little later why. I believe the Chief Minister spoke about Peg, who died recently at a ripe old age. She would not call herself that, but she was a pioneer of the Central Australian area, and I recognise her with a little history.
In 1908, Peg’s father, Lewis Bloomfield, bought Loves Creek Station, later known as Ross River. The story is it was the choice between Loves Creek Station and the Stuart Arms Hotel, but he decided he knew more about cattle than serving beers, so they bought Loves Creek Station. Peg’s mother was Lillian Kunoth, who was born at Anna Creek, where her parents were dam sinkers. There were no birthing facilities in Alice Springs so Peg and her sister were born in Oodnadatta. In fact, the story goes her mother’s first child was born on the station and only lived for four days, and they decided then any other children were to be born in the hospital at Oodnadatta.
Peg did her school by correspondence, which took up to four weeks to return to Loves Creek. Of course, that had all the teacher’s comments.
Her mother had bad eyes and lived in Adelaide for three years, and an old aunt looked after the girls during that time. Supplies used to come from Oodnadatta by camel, and they would be delivered to Oodnadatta from Port Augusta once every 12 months. In the documentation I was looking through, Peg’s sister, Jean, mentions when the supplies came they were so heavy on the back of the camel, when they took the supplies off the camel, the camels relieved themselves and some of the supplies did not taste so good after that. That was one of the things they mentioned later about why it was so nice to live in Alice Springs because the food was a bit fresher than having to wait 12 months for supplies.
Peg and her sister, Jean, travelled to Alice Springs and witnessed many firsts for Central Australia. They saw the first train arriving in 1929, they heard the first wireless, and they saw the first plane land in the town called Stuart in October 1921. Peg met her husband, Jock Nelson, through her brother, Harry, when Jock was doing bore and road works. Harry and Jock loved running, and that was how they met.
She married Jock in 1934, and they moved to Tennant Creek where Jock was the butcher, but went broke. They then travelled around the country putting bores down, living in a camp and bough. Peg said, ‘I was young then so it did not matter’.
When Jock went to Borneo with the Army, Peg went back home until her father died, and she moved with her mother into town. When Jock returned from World War II, he became a pastoralist, and then followed his father into politics in the early 1960s. Peg did not go to Canberra with Jock because they had two young girls in school. Back then, politicians did not fly home on weekends, so he would be away for months. Jock also became Alice Springs’ first Mayor, which was another change in lifestyle for Peg.
Peg moved to Darwin with Jock when he became the Administrator, and they were visiting Alice Springs for Christmas in 1974 when Cyclone Tracy arrived, which was probably pretty lucky if you have ever seen photos of the Administrator’s house. Peg was in Darwin for three years and missed her family in Alice Springs greatly. She said they did not entertain much but they did entertain royalty. In her words: ‘We had Margaret with us; the Queen could not come but we had a lovely night on the Britannia’. Obviously, that was parked out in the harbour.
Peg was the founder of the ‘Memo’ bowls club in around 1958, and cut the cake at the club’s 50th birthday. I believe John Williamson did a story on Peg and her sister, Jean. He was saying he was doing a story about the pioneers. Their response to him was they were not the pioneers; it was their parents who were the ones who first came. They had the easier life.
The reason I speak about someone, you might say, has nothing to do with the Top End except for being up here for a number of years as the Administrator’s wife, of course, is I met Peg in Alice Springs when the Northern Territory parliament first met in Alice Springs in 2003. From my little contact with her, I found her a really lively, very happy going person. She would have been fairly old even then, but she was certainly a lady with a lot of spirit. I got talking to her because my electorate is named after Harold Nelson who was her father-in-law, Jock Nelson’s father. He was the first MHR - Member of the House of Representatives - for the Northern Territory. He was an Independent; as much as some Labor people sometime claim him as their own. Later in his service, he joined the Labor Party, but he was an Independent, and that is where my electorate gets its name.
I have a photo, taken at Alexandra Downs, of Harold Nelson and his family all dressed up in their finery. It is to remind me of one of our true pioneers when it comes to politics. I thought I would relate today I did have the privilege of meeting a connection – not a direct connection - with that person. I was lucky to know this lady. My understanding from people who have known her was she was a fantastic person, a lively person. She might have even liked a bit of whisky occasionally. She was a lady who lived life to the full.
I am just reading through the notes here. She lived quite a few years in the Old Timers in Alice Springs. Someone threw a piece of wood over the back fence that was alight, and it started to burn the outdoor furniture and part of the verandah. She said it was not until the fire brigade turned up she even knew the back of her apartment was on fire.
If you get a chance to read some of the stories of people like Peg Nelson, you realise they are just ordinary people who lived what we would say were pretty tough lives when you consider where they lived. However, they did not take it that way. They enjoyed their life living in Central Australia. They contributed to what is Central Australia today. We all should thank people like Peg Nelson and her sister, Jean, and all those people in the Nelson family who have done so much for the Northern Territory to be such a great place it is today.
Mr HAMPTON (Stuart): Madam Deputy Speaker, I also pay tribute tonight to a woman who, in her own quiet way, helped with the Northern Territory, in particular, Central Australia, Peg Nelson. I also acknowledge the contributions from the member for Nelson and the Chief Minister in this tribute.
Margaret Nelson, or Peg as everyone knew her, passed away in Alice Springs on 2 February after close to a century of living in the Northern Territory. She reached the ripe old age of 96. I was honoured to join many Central Australians and Territorians at her service in Alice Springs at the Old Timers home the other week. It really was a diverse range of people who attended the service. There were many traditional pastoral families well known throughout Central Australia, as well as many Indigenous people who grew up at that particular time along with Peg and her family.
Sadly, I never had the opportunity of meeting Peg personally, but her friends tell me they remember a woman of quiet dignity; someone who enjoyed a good laugh and who was passionate about the Territory, and Alice Springs in particular.
As we have heard tonight, Peg was the daughter of Lewis and Lillian Bloomfield of Loves Creek Station east of Alice Springs. Her mother travelled to Oodnadatta to give birth to Peg, and mum and baby travelled back to the Centre by buggy. Dave Richard’s website, alice online, has a lovely interview with Peg recorded just before Christmas last year. In the interview, Peg shares her memories of the remote outpost of Alice Springs, or Stuart, as it was known back then. I quote:
- The Stuart Arms Pub, a police station, a couple of stores and three or four private homes, that’s all. Camel wagons bringing goods up about twice a year. Mum and Dad used to get their goods by camel team by the old Afghans twice a year.
Peg saw lots of firsts in her life, some of those were heard tonight - a lot of things we take for granted now in Alice Springs: the first plane landing in 1921, and Peg was there when the very first train pulled in to Alice in 1929. The Chief Minister also said tonight she was there to see the first train pull away from Alice Springs to Darwin only a few years ago. She also listened to the first radio broadcast in the region.
In 1934, Peg married Jock Nelson, who went on to play a major role on the Territory’s political life. Jock was a member of the ALP, and was the member for the Northern Territory in the federal parliament from 1949 to 1966. He was also voted in as the first Mayor of Alice Springs in 1971, and was a former Territory Administrator.
When they first married, Jock and Peg lived in Tennant Creek where Jock was the local butcher. After World War II, during which Peg worked for the Royal Flying Doctor Service, Peg and Jock started their Dalgety agency in Alice Springs.
Peg played an active role in political life. She was no silent partner, and worked tirelessly for the Northern Territory. She was actively involved in choosing the site for the Old Timers Home in Alice Springs where she would later live. She started up with a friend, Telka Williams, the Brownies of the Air for kids who lived in the bush.
During Jock’s political career, Peg enjoyed meeting people from many different walks of life, from jackeroos through to Queen Elizabeth. She talked of how she lived like a lady in Government House - very flash. Peg and Jock returned to Alice Springs in 1975 after his term as Administrator, and Peg again threw herself into community life. She was a keen netball supporter, and was Patron of the Netball Association in Alice Springs. She enjoyed a game of bowls at the ‘Memo’ club in Gap Road and was active in the CWA and Red Cross.
Peg was also a passionate supporter and worker for the Labor Party and was generous in sharing her time and wisdom with us aspiring politicians and members. Peg Nelson touched the lives of many people. I extend my condolences, as the current member for Stuart and Minister for Central Australia, to her daughters, Pat and Louanne, and their families.
Madam Deputy Speaker, Alice Springs and the Northern Territory is a richer community thanks to the contributions Peg Nelson made over her long life.
Turning to the Katherine part of my electorate, I inform the House of the encouraging work the Hawthorn Football Club is doing in the Katherine and Big Rivers region. I recently attended a dinner function, a fundraiser, at the Nitmiluk Visitor Centre hosted by the AFL in Katherine to welcome the Hawthorn Football Club to the Big Rivers region on their first visit for the year. I congratulate the Jawoyn Association and Nitmiluk Tours for their excellent service in hosting and sponsoring of the event. The verandah at sunset is a wonderful venue, and the meal arranged by the General Manager, Clive Pollack, and his staff was first class.
I also booked in to stay overnight at the new chalet accommodation site at Nitmiluk and was very happy with the night’s sleep I got there. The vision of the permanent hotel, the five-star Cicada Lodge at Nitmiluk National Park, is a credit to the determination of the management at Nitmiluk, and the Jawoyn Association to develop Nitmiluk as a world-class tourist destination. I encourage all members in this House to visit the Nitmiluk National Park if you have not already, and enjoy the first-class facilities of this beautiful part of the Northern Territory.
Turning back to the Hawthorn mission, towns and communities wanted to put on a great show for the Hawthorn Football Club, which let them know exactly what life is like as an AFL footballer. It was a bit of cultural exchange. The Hawthorn Football Club is really to be congratulated. They have gone out on their own and made this agreement with the AFL in Katherine. They really want to drive home, particularly to the young Indigenous men and the region, the importance of physical exercise and healthy living messages. The Hawks visit is in conjunction with the Menzies School of Health and the Rioli Fund set up by none other then Dean Rioli, the ex-Bomber star, to help with Indigenous health and the Beyond Blue Foundation, an initiative to alert young people about issues of mental health and depression.
The Hawks had a three-day program while in the region, including a trip to the Jilkminggan community in my colleague, the member for Barkly’s electorate. They were entertained and they also entertained the community, encouraging and teaching the children about healthy lifestyle messages while enjoying some local hunting and delicacies such as kangaroo.
They also attended the local schools and the YMCA for a hip hop concert as part of their visit in Katherine. Hawthorn have committed to three visits under their agreement with the Katherine Football League to the Big Rivers region over the next three years, including trips to Ngukurr and Kalkarindji.
The AFL Foster-ship Program is an initiative of the AFL and has proved very successful on the Tiwis with Essendon, and is now being rolled out across the Northern Territory, including with the Richmond Football Club in Alice Springs.
Hawthorn is at the pointy end of a push by the AFL in Katherine to take the Big Rivers Football League to regional towns for home and away games. This includes the push for the construction of community ovals that can be used, not only for sports events, but for music and cultural occasions. An example is the Barunga oval in my electorate of Stuart, of how infrastructure development can improve community life and attract significant events such as the Barunga Festival. Taking the Big Rivers Football League to towns and communities means there is the flow-on effect of income coming into the communities from spectators and the travelling teams, while keeping a lot of the young fellas back home on their communities. The Northern Territory government is excited about the efforts of the Hawthorn Hawks and look forward to their continued presence in the Big Rivers region, and the positive result for young Territorians these programs can deliver.
I also thank a few people who were involved in the fundraiser as well, including big Doug Kelly from Katherine for sharing his football journey stories with us on the night. He certainly has been a journeyman in AFL football, with a stretch from Darwin, right through the Centre right down to Alice Springs over many years. He shared many funny stories with the people on the night. There were about 70 people at the fundraiser, which was a great result for the people involved in organising it. I thank Denis Coburn, the President of the AFL in Katherine for doing a fantastic job in organising it. The auction raised some $3000.
I particularly thank the Recruiting Manager, Gary Buckenara from Hawthorn Football Club, a legend in his own right, along with Shaun Burgoyne, who visited the communities, and the other players from Hawthorn, including Clinton Young, Max Bailey and Brendan Whitecross.
Madam Deputy Speaker, it is these types of events, and sports such as football, which provides a real opportunity to turn people’s lives around. As the Sports minister, and as a local member, I congratulate Hawthorn, once again, and look forward to many successes coming out of this partnership.
Mr BOHLIN (Drysdale): Madam Deputy Speaker, I wish to pay particular thanks to quite a few people. I admit, I might not know all their names but, for various reasons, I hope they understand my thanks are genuine.
This Christmas past, unfortunately, I fell foul to some sort of bug which infected some of my face, which has been widely publicised. I thank the Mount Barker regional hospital and their staff for their very prompt referral. The brief background is, basically, I got an infection of the follicles in my face and rapid swelling occurred, causing a great deal of anxiety to me. I took myself off to hospital to see the doctors at the Mount Barker hospital and, although they do not have 24-hour emergency access, they promptly referred me to the Mount Barker Medical Clinic. The Mount Barker Medical Clinic saw me with great haste. I received fantastic treatment there from a lovely lady by the name of Dr Adams. She prescribed me the various medications and saw me on another two occasions over the next five days.
Unfortunately, due to the type of infection I had called folliculitis, I was further referred by Dr Adams, after the treatment was not totally successful, to the Flinders Medical Centre. I must say, all the doctors and nurses gave me fantastic treatment there. When I was confronted with the thought of spending at least five days in hospital, I did like a lot of politicians do, and said: ‘Oh, well maybe not this week. Maybe we can work some deal’, and started to work my way through because, of course, at that stage, we were three days from Christmas. My purpose for going to South Australia was to spend some time with my mother and father, and I certainly was not keen to be spending that time in hospital, when they were in Port Augusta.
The staff began their various treatments and, the following morning, I had plastic surgery on two locations on my face - the front of my chin and to the side of my jaw. The doctors and nurses were absolutely fantastic, although some of the treatment post-dressing was not quite as comfortable as I would have liked. They did everything with due diligence and with a smile on their face, considering it was the lead-up to Christmas, and they were working and missing out on their family time. Many of us do not really take the time to remember those who work through the Christmas period, and I thank all those Flinders medical staff who did that for, not just me, but everyone else there.
I have to thank the doctor who treated me. I have to look back through some records to find her name. I do not think I was in a fit state to actually recall it. The doctor kindly let me out on Christmas Eve afternoon, and I was very lucky to be able to get to Port Augusta to my mother and father to spend time with them for Christmas.
I thank the Port Augusta Hospital. Christmas morning, we went into their triage and had my wounds dealt with. This became a daily routine of mine; visiting the Port Augusta Hospital staff - I am sure not to their pleasure and I guarantee the visits were not for my pleasure. They were fantastic staff. They did it with a smile on their face; without doubt, a lot of cheek at times. Again, this was during a time of festivity when they surely would have liked to have been home with their family.
Treatment, once the public holidays were over, led me to my family’s general practitioner, at the Carlton Parade Medical Centre, where I continued to receive excellent treatment. The treatment from their triage nurse was a more robust treatment – more of the traditional old style of ‘She’ll be right, mate. Here, do it like this’. I will say it was good treatment. All due care was taken and all my wounds are healing very well.
I thank all the Territorians who have shown a great deal of concern. My office fielded a lot of calls, with many people dropping in asking how I was. I am very flattered to think there were so many people who would take that extra bit of time to ask those questions - not to leave out, of course, some of those questions ended up at the Northern Territory News and, subsequently, they contacted me, which then led to the story that ran, not only in Darwin, but nationally and, then eventually, went international - all because of an infection in my face. But, hey, nothing like a bit of embarrassment to get you going for the year.
I went to South Australia to spend some time with my mother and father. My mother, Dorothy Rae Bohlin, and father, Gordon Charles Oscar Bohlin, always showed due parental care when dealing with my face saying: ‘Oh, you poor little boy’. My mum is not the most agile lady anymore. She certainly has a lot of her own ailments and gave us a lot of concern leading into Christmas with her fragile health. However, even with that fragile health, she was still surprisingly worried for her now grown-up son: ‘Are you all right? Are you looking after that wound? Don’t get it dirty. Don’t do this. Do you need a torch to walk to the house?’ - all the things mothers will always do. It might be, sometimes, a little more annoying when you are getting older, but it is only because they do truly love you and care for you. I must say I love both my mother and my father dearly and I was very glad that I could spend some time with them.
So, thank you to all those people. It made what was a bizarre infection at least tolerable. Their treatment was fantastic. I was fully aware of what was occurring. I have healed rather well, albeit with a scar. I thank all my colleagues who have given me great support in calling me names such as scar face.
Motion agreed to; the Assembly adjourned.
Last updated: 04 Aug 2016