2011-02-15
Madam Speaker Aagaard took the Chair at 10 am.
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I take this opportunity to thank Ali Mills for her Welcome to Country, and the Chung Wah Society for their very colourful Gong Xi Fa Cai for the Year of the Rabbit. I do not know if any members are rabbits – you have to be a multiple of 12 in this year.
Members: Hear, hear!
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I have received from the Administrator Message No 23 notifying assent to bills passed in the November/December 2010 sittings of the Assembly.
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I advise the presence in the gallery of Year 11 Palmerston Senior College legal students accompanied by Ms Taryn Wilson and Ms Emma Gavican; Year 5/6 St Paul’s Catholic Primary School students accompanied by Ms Phillipa Pond and Ms Jenny Cotter; and Nemarluk School students accompanied by Ms Philippa Jones and Ms Fiona Wheatley. On behalf of honourable members, I extend to you a very warm welcome.
Members: Hear, hear!
The CLERK: Madam Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 100A, I inform honourable members that responses to petitions No 45, 46 and 47 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 petitioners.
Petition No 45
Presented by: Mr Bohlin
Date response received: 13 January 2011
Response:
signage on Stuart Highway outbound to provide clear direction regarding Marjorie Street access has been erected;
allowance for road trains to move into the left-hand lane of Stuart Highway prior to the Marjorie Street intersection has been made by signalising the Yarrawonga Road/Roystonea Avenue intersection;
an alternative road train route via Yarrawonga Road has been developed and the McKinnon Road/Stuart Highway intersection will be upgraded for road train access;
the construction of a Marjorie Street to Tiger Brennan Drive on-ramp will be investigated.
Mr HENDERSON (Chief Minister) (by leave): Madam Speaker, I move that the Assembly:
a) acknowledge with great sadness the devastation occasioned this summer by two of the worst natural disasters Queensland has ever experienced, including unprecedented flooding and Tropical Cyclone Yasi;
b) extend its deepest sympathy to the families of those who have lost loved ones, and to affected communities, and acknowledge the enormous efforts of the Australian Defence Forces, emergency workers, and many volunteers in responding to these disasters; and
In January 2011, we saw catastrophic flooding across three-quarters of Queensland. They will be remembered as floods of unprecedented proportions; an inland tsunami so powerful it swept away lives and shattered communities, and the most powerful cyclone ever to make landfall in Australia.
We all left this House at the beginning of December looking forward to spending time with family over the Christmas holidays - holidays down south catching up with family and friends. It is a time of great enjoyment for all Australians and what unfolded in January has really hurt. I cannot remember a period after Christmas where the whole nation has felt sad, devastated, very flat - people going back to work. The enormity of what we saw day after day unfolding on our television screens was something no one could comprehend or remember flooding of such devastation over such an enormous area.
Everyone in the Northern Territory would have family or friends, do business, or have business dealings in Queensland. If you did not have family, friends or business relationships, most Territorians would have visited Queensland for a holiday. Australia is still, by and large, a pretty small nation and everyone knows someone who was affected by these enormous events. It has touched people deeply right across this nation. Mother Nature has been unforgiving, and at her most intense and worst.
The challenges of not only surviving those floods and the cyclone, the horror of rebuilding is going to take months and years to move forward from the New Year period. It has been an extraordinary and very difficult time.
On this day one month ago, southeast Queensland residents were counting the cost of cleaning up after the Brisbane River peaked 40 hours earlier. The river peaked at 4.46 m at 4 am on Thursday, 13 January, compared with the 5.45 m peak in 1974. A total of 67 suburbs across Brisbane were affected. At the flood peak, 11 900 homes and 2500 businesses were completely flooded, with a further 14 700 homes and 2500 businesses partly flooded; and 1200 evacuees spent the weekend at RNA Showgrounds and QE2 emergency centres.
No one will ever forget the velocity and ferocity of the flood which tore through Toowoomba with hardly any notice. The devastation in the Lockyer Valley was extraordinary to see. An inquest will be held into these events. I have never visited Toowoomba; however, people I have spoken to cannot imagine how such a ferocious velocity of water could have moved through that city.
The inland tsunami swept through the Darling Downs city of Toowoomba and the Lockyer claiming 25 lives. Thirty-five lives have been lost across Queensland since November and another seven people are still missing. When those floods first hit, the emergency services people and the Queensland Premier had no idea how many people could be missing, there was talk it could be hundreds. It was a very difficult time.
The youngest flood victim was 23 month old Jessica Keep. Jessica was cruelly ripped from the arms of her mother, Stacy, as the raging waters swept through Grantham in the Lockyer Valley. Her parents, Matthew and Stacy, tragically lost their mothers in the flood. To have your child ripped out of your arms is a horror of unthinkable proportions. No one ever wants to go there. Our hearts, minds and prayers go to her parents, Matthew and Stacy, and everyone related to the flood victims.
The aftermath of the floods has seen an enormous outpouring of community spirit and the Aussie character of mateship as thousands have volunteered to assist with the massive cleanup. All of us as members of this parliament, as local MLAs, have participated in fundraising efforts in our communities. There would not be a sporting club, a community organisation, a multicultural organisation, a business, or a workplace that has not raised money for these flood victims. Territorians are extraordinarily generous.
As I have moved around talking with people affected or who know people in Queensland, one of the things which keeps coming back in conversation is the Australian character and the spirit of mateship. Thousands of people around Australia personally disconnected from the floods are giving as much as they possibly can; people volunteering their time to clean up the mess and thousands of volunteers turning up in Queensland in appalling conditions to clean up people’s homes and businesses they do not even know. That really comes down to the Australian character of mateship: when times are tough, you roll up your sleeves and you get stuck in. It has been an extraordinary response.
Thousands continue to donate to the Queensland Premier’s flood appeal. In Brisbane alone, over 22 000 people volunteered in the first weekend, and more than 62 000 volunteers registered with Volunteering Queensland. That is an extraordinary response from our Australian population.
It is also great to see Australia’s multicultural community banding together to lend a hand. During the floods, multicultural translators volunteered their services to translate crucial flood messages. The Gold Coast multicultural community sent 35 tonnes of household items to affected people, the Islamic community donated a truck and workers, and the Japanese community donated building materials.
An Indigenous organisation in Ipswich set up a clinic to help affected Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. Brisbane’s ethnic broadcasting radio station 4EB remained on air during the floods to ensure multicultural communities had access to vital information, despite their power being off and the roads being cut. They operated by generator with volunteers. 4EB has commenced a flood appeal which will run until the end of this month; so far they have raised over $80 000. The Muslim community in the western suburbs of Brisbane provided halal meals for people in recovery centres.
It is not just the great, native-born Australian spirit of mateship. Our multicultural community, also Australian, has responded in the same spirit of mateship and it has been an amazing response. A significant number of our multicultural communities in Darwin have also held fundraising appeals and done everything they can to help.
While southeast Queensland was mopping up, Tropical Cyclone Yasi was forming in Fiji. Category 5 Cyclone Yasi made landfall in North Queensland about 1 am on 3 February and left 150 000 homes without power. I was reflecting - all of us as we went to bed that night with Yasi bearing down on northern Queensland and the size and the intensity of that storm - I do not believe many people slept very well that night being fearful of what we would wake up to in the morning. Like everyone in this parliament, the first thing I did when I woke up was go straight to the computer and log on to see what had happened overnight. I also reflected: why do these cyclones always cross the coast in the middle of the night at a time when it is pitch black, the power goes out, and the intensity of the fear ratchets up a few notches because of the blackness people are encased in? It must have been a terrifying night for tens of thousands of people across northern Queensland who did not know what was going to happen.
The hardest hit communities were Cardwell, Tully, Innisfail and Mission Beach. Several years ago my wife and I spent a few days on holiday at Mission Beach. We bumped into quite a number of Territorians in shops and restaurants; people coming up and saying hello. There is a small enclave of Territorians at Mission Beach. Most of Mission Beach was completely destroyed, although some houses were saved. There would be nothing left of the resort my wife and I stayed at. I have found out that Territorians who lived at Mission Beach are all okay, thank God.
I congratulate the Emergency Services organisations in Queensland and the Queensland Premier. The leadership shown by the Premier and by Emergency Services through these disasters was magnificent. People did not die as Yasi crossed the coast because people took heed of the warnings, there were clear plans in place for evacuation, people listened to those instructions because they were on a regular basis, and it shows when everyone listens and adheres to advice they have been given, lives are saved.
Callers to local ABC radio described their experiences saying Cyclone Larry was nothing compared to this. One woman tearfully pleaded for people to think of those on farms as she told of writing her phone number on her horses - which were lost - in the hope they could be found again. Another resident described 100 foot coconut trees, planted in 1918, which were bent in half by the winds.
Like all Australians, Territorians watched in horror as the scenes of devastation unfolded in our lounge rooms. For many Territorians, a number of people in this room - people who were here in Cyclone Tracy - it brought back appalling memories. This event will never leave the people affected by it.
Territorians have responded magnificently because we know what it is to be hit by such devastating forces of nature. Cyclone Tracy, the Katherine floods - our nation responded magnificently when we needed help and Territorians have responded magnificently as Queensland has needed our help.
Our government took the decision very quickly to donate $0.5m to help Queenslanders overcome the worst series of disasters in their history. We also placed our Northern Territory Emergency Services crews on standby to help their Queensland counterparts and granted leave with pay to public servants who volunteered with organisations such as the Australian Red Cross. We waived payroll tax for Northern Territory businesses which allowed paid leave to employees who volunteered with the recovery efforts.
We also matched the NT News fundraising efforts dollar for dollar with the sale of their Saturday edition, and donated to the Mix 104.9 auction held at Wisdom Bar and Caf. Small things; however, I thank our public servants and our emergency services people who volunteered to go to Queensland to assist with the recovery effort, and those who will go in the months ahead. Last weekend, 10 NTES volunteers returned to Queensland, this time to clean up after the damage caused by Cyclone Yasi.
Working alongside Emergency Management Queensland and the Queensland SES, the NTES volunteers will be deployed to Townsville. I look forward to hosting a small reception for those volunteers when they return to the Territory, hearing of their time in Townsville and thanking them for donating their time. These volunteers are storm damage specialists and will be assisting private residences and businesses in Townsville and surrounding districts during their five day deployment.
With more than 3.1 million people and 26 000 homes affected by the floods, the recovery effort to repair damaged homes and infrastructure will take many months, probably years. Talking with Premier Bligh at COAG recently, it is really starting to hurt now. People who have lost their homes, their businesses – I imagine the adrenaline and nervous energy of the event in the immediate aftermath kept people’s spirits up, also seeing how our Defence Forces and everyone was responding. Now, as the cold, hard reality of the loss suffered hits - not only financial loss; for many people all memories of family have been blown or washed away - it is becoming really tough for people rebuilding their homes, businesses and lives and trying to keep their kids focused, on track and happy. For many people it is going to be a long road home; it is going to be a very hard time recovering everything.
I am glad to see yesterday there was a meeting in Ipswich, the western suburbs of Brisbane, where insurance companies promised to do everything they could to honour their obligations to flood payments.
One issue discussed with premiers and the Prime Minister recently is the need for a consistent definition of flood insurance - people who believe they have flood insurance get what they are paying for. On top of the anguish of rebuilding your home or business, the last thing you need is an argument with your insurance company about whether you are covered. That is trauma on top of trauma many people are experiencing at the moment.
All Australians agree Queensland needs to be rebuilt as quickly as possible. This will have a major economic impact on the nation; however, at the end of the day it is the individuals I really feel for; people who have to rebuild a business, rebuild a home and recover their life. It is an extraordinary anguish for people to go through. Australians will not back off from their response to this. It will be a consistent response over many months, possibly years in some areas.
I also pay tribute to our Australian Defence Force personnel. Once that armada is brought together it is a very formidable force. There has been an extraordinary effort by the men and women of our Defence Force, in very trying conditions, doing what they do best, helping people out. They have made an extraordinary effort. The recovery would not have happened in anywhere near the time it did without our Defence Force personnel. It is not what they sign up to when they join the Defence Forces; however, they are there and respond in such a magnificent way it is testament to their professionalism.
I will not go through this; however, for honourable members and the Parliamentary Record I will table the presentation from the Queensland Premier to COAG officials on Sunday. It details the events which occurred in Queensland, the number of people affected, the economic impact and the costs. It details more eloquently than I could exactly what has happened in Queensland.
Madam Speaker, on behalf of this Chamber, I extend our deepest sympathies to the families of those who have lost loved ones and to all affected communities across Queensland. Each and every one of us as MLAs, and people who have friends and family in Queensland - my mother lives in Woodridge, South Brisbane and I spent about three days on the phone with mum as the rivers were rising. Thank goodness she was in one part of the city which was not affected. My mum, at 88 years of age, living by herself, was very much in a high state of anxiety. We had neighbours looking after her and, thank goodness, that part of Brisbane was okay. She was in tears and very distraught about what was happening in the place she now calls home, and to her family and friends. It was a tough time for my mum; thankfully she is okay.
It has been a very traumatic start to 2011 and I extend our condolences, our sympathies, and our best wishes for recovery to the people of Queensland. I am certain individually, and as members of parliament, we will continue to support the effort in rebuilding Queensland.
Madam Speaker, I commend the motion to the House.
Mr MILLS (Opposition Leader): Madam Speaker, as we reflect on that which occurred over the Christmas period, families are recovering now in one way or another. The first recovery, and the most catastrophic, is the loss of life of a loved one. That leaves a wound which is very difficult to heal. For those, we stand together, I am certain, in recognition of the pain of the loss of mothers having lost children, and of families having lost loved ones. We stand with you and acknowledge the pain that you feel.
The second loss from both these disasters is the material loss. That loss leaves a scar and damage; however, it is a wound which is easier to heal and recover from. Nonetheless, we stand with you because there is something we can do and many have done.
Before going further, with the floods and the cyclone which occurred in Queensland – it seems a curious thing with Christmas and that period - there was a wider, national impact. There are those who have suffered, and are suffering, beyond the boundaries of Queensland. The colossal devastation at the Gascoyne, a place I am familiar with, is overshadowed by the magnitude of what occurred in Queensland. Into New South Wales and Victoria, it is widespread, significant, and something to cause one to stop and consider. The Chief Minister has succeeded in describing the magnitude of the loss and those details.
However, that which we reflect upon in such times is what first inspires us, which we learn in times of difficulty such as this. As Australians, we are accustomed to such disasters; however, we are not alone. People around the world experience disaster. There is a national and international response which demonstrates we are all together. It was not so long ago the tsunami had a terrible effect in our region.
A small thing which occurred in the midst of this disaster which spoke volumes was a contribution from Indonesia to this appeal. It said much about our relationship. When we have times where there is loss, hurt, and pain, it breaks things up; it throws people apart. However, when we look again we see it brings us together; we stand together. That which is designed to destroy actually builds something and grows and strengthens those bonds one with another. We all look for that common point. We recognise the importance of family; we are reminded of it once again.
I would like to speak on several matters the Chief Minister referenced. One of those is it gives us an idea of the Australian character - a human response to situations such as this. I read an article in The Australian by a United Kingdom correspondent observing the response of Australians. It was good to see that description from another set of eyes. What did he see? He saw a stoic response; there was: ‘knock down, get back up and just get on with it’. There was that laconic response where there is humour in adversity and plainness and ordinary speaking which was quite impressive; there was no overdressing it. As a media correspondent he observed a genuine strength which was particularly telling. That quietness and underlying strength in the Australian character was demonstrated.
You cannot ignore, to be fair, the small group which warrant the condemnation of fellow citizens for taking the opportunity - much smaller in number than we have seen in other communities or societies. More dominant were episodes which spoke volumes - seen and unseen - of ordinary people rolling their sleeves up and helping people they did not know. Probably we have all seen those reports where someone was in tears at the loss but overwhelmed at the generous response of people they did not even know. That was powerful. Those responses are a compliment to this nation. Every one of us, in our own way, has responded to the problems families and fellow citizens have faced during this period.
I compliment the Premier of Queensland. That was an example of how we call out for leadership in a time of crisis, and a steady hand at that time was a lesson to all of us as community leaders. I looked to that and was encouraged when I saw it, because the community looks for leadership in such times and it found well in Anna Bligh.
Finally, I want to talk about two things. One is generosity. Two aspects need to be balanced very carefully. One is the natural generosity of people to give in response to the problems that have befallen other citizens; generosity in material gifts, in turning the efforts of their own undamaged enterprises to funnel profits and assistance directly to those in need. We must never underestimate the power of that generosity. Sometimes, when we look for a national response we have to negotiate it carefully so we do not discourage the generosity because it may be: ‘I have already given so I do not have to give because someone else is giving on my behalf’. It is not to pass criticism. It is to raise the alert that there needs to be the negotiation of how a national response occurs, at the same time recognising the generosity which springs up naturally.
You cannot discourage it - it must be encouraged. I say to all those who have responded generously and selflessly, you are the asset and true wealth of this nation. I compliment and applaud you, particularly those quiet people who have given an enormous amount without drawing attention to themselves. They did it because it was the right thing to do, and in no way should anything discourage or devalue that gift.
Second, the agricultural industry: something very close to my heart is the spirit you see in those in the backblocks who suffered enormous loss. We see on our television screens that which is easy to capture because it is around capital cities and places of high population - there are many cameras and it is easier to portray those images. What is not seen so easily is the damage experienced by those on the land. It is not only their house; their complete livelihood has been destroyed. Australia has a history of farmers quietly suffering without much fanfare or acknowledgment. It is not that they seek it. I stand with the farmers and say my heart goes out to you because you have lost entire crops. I left the land because of failure of crops - I was unable to stay there. That was during drought. To have entire crops destroyed – and you have farmers’ sons wondering whether they have a future on the land, whether they can recover. I ask those at the shopping centres wondering about the price of ginger, for example - just to name one which has gone through the roof because it is only grown in Queensland - which seems to have quadrupled and I will rail against anyone who complains because you need to consider the loss suffered by those who draw their livelihood from the land.
A beautiful thing about those who work on the land, whether it is in the Gascoyne, Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria or Tasmania is, in the words of a John Williamson song I particularly like: They turn around when the crop has failed and they plant it back again. They just get on with it; they clean up and get on with it. My heart goes out to those families in the farming industry.
In closing, the words from Dorothea Mackellar talk about loving a sunburnt country. We are reminded it is a country of droughts and flooding rains, and the rain is falling upon us here. I cannot believe what is happening in the Centre. It would be falling upon the sensibilities of those who are wondering about what is happening with the climate. There is much rain and it may cause people to reconsider certain judgments they have made about the weather. It is something beyond us. It is powerful, it is far more complex, and we need to be in awe of what we have seen and respond appropriately. The inland sea is there now; Lake Eyre is full and that is good.
Madam Speaker, we stand with those who have suffered physical loss, the loss of loved ones, particularly those families who have lost their kids, and with families who have lost livelihood. They have lost their income and their dreams have been washed away. We stand with them to get back up and get on with it, with our support.
Ms LAWRIE (Treasurer): Madam Speaker, I join with members today to recognise the devastation affecting Queensland, and the floodwaters affecting New South Wales and Victoria. After the catastrophic floods in Queensland with more than 60% of the state declared a disaster area, North Queensland had to brace itself for the ferocious winds of Cyclone Yasi.
Territorians are no strangers to dramatic natural disasters. Many of us survived Cyclone Tracy on Christmas Eve 1974; many also went through the devastating floods in Katherine. I believe the empathy Territorians show when we have significant natural disasters in our nation is often greater than empathy shown elsewhere because we understand absolute and total devastation. We understand the devastation to lives and livelihoods. We understand the tragic and enduring loss which occurs with the loss of loved ones, and the dramatic changes which occur within every family affected by a significant natural disaster.
Late December and early January were a gripping few weeks as we saw unfolding through the news bulletins incredibly tragic tales and the extent of dramatic devastation. We saw more than 3.1 million people and some 26 000 homes affected by those floods. Sadly, 35 lives have been lost and seven people are still missing. Recovering from these events will not take months. It will take years to rebuild and for many their lives are dramatically changed forever.
Many will make emotional recoveries as quickly as they can. Many will endure the scars of such tragic loss forever and emotional recovery will at times be patchy and always something they struggle to deal with. The rebuilding effort is enormous. Some figures stretch to around $6bn in infrastructure reconstruction alone. Many of us who went through Cyclone Tracy saw the years it took to rebuild on such a scale. The scale in Queensland is greater. Homes, businesses, public infrastructure - about $6bn of rebuilding. The effect on the mining industry and the GDP has been significant, and it will be a particularly unique challenge for our nation to ensure the recovery and rebuild in Queensland is strong and does not take away the need to continue to construct across our great nation.
As a Treasurer I understand the levy. I am fully supportive of it; however, I also know the federal government is faced with a very difficult task of making significant cuts across budgets to meet the cost of the rebuild.
You heard the Chief Minister and the Leader of the Opposition talk about the strength of the Australian spirit - how strong it is to quickly rise to a call when there is need. I am advised approximately 62 000 people volunteered to assist in the Queensland disaster, 22 000 in the first weekend alone. The incredible spirit of Aussie mateship was seen unfolding, dealing with the dramatic and devastating effects of this disaster in Queensland.
Territorians responded strongly. Our government provided $500 000 very quickly to the Queensland Premier’s Flood Relief Appeal, and we embarked on matching dollar for dollar fundraising efforts from the NT News. We also participated in every way we could in a range of fundraising efforts. We have tried to provide practical assistance where possible; we invoked the special leave provisions under the PSEMA Act to enable Northern Territory public servants to go on full pay if they were registered volunteers assisting with the recovery.
We had 10 Northern Territory Emergency Services volunteers assist in Queensland. As Acting Chief Minister, I met them on their return and they did not want to come home. They had embraced the task of the cleanup so significantly they felt they were simply doing the right thing, and whilst they were on a rotation to return it was very hard for them to break that gripping bond they had formed during the recovery efforts. They were individual heroes. They raised their hands from across the Territory - from Central Australia through to the Top End - to be volunteers.
We have waived payroll tax for Northern Territory businesses which allowed paid employees to assist with the recovery efforts, and in matching the NT News fundraising we provided approximately $15 000 additional to the $500 000 provided for the flood relief appeal. I am advised that, to date, more than $212m has been raised in the flood appeal across the nation. This shows individual strength - we all go through Christmas and we know what that does to family budgets to provide the Christmas cheer. Everyone is strained; however, they dug that little bit deeper to assist with the flood appeal.
The level of rebuilding in Queensland is of a scale unprecedented in our nation. Those who saw the scale of reconstruction in Darwin and Katherine understand the damage which can be caused by floods and cyclones. The cost and extent of the reconstruction in Queensland is unprecedented. Members today have mentioned the pain is starting to deepen, and the frustration people will experience in discussions with insurance companies - whether they had any insurance at all - and the day-to-day hand-to-hand struggle they are enduring to rebuild their lives.
Some people will be in a land of limbo regarding homes let alone their business - so many businesses were affected. The Leader of the Opposition spoke about the men and women on the land, the devastation of crops and the effect that will have on grocery prices. These things will continue to roll out.
As we saw with Tracy, some people will leave and not return. That is a personal decision people will make. It is something we are aware of. It presents an opportunity for us to say: ‘Come to live in the Territory; it is a great place to live. We have jobs here’. At the same time we know our subbies, our tradies, will be heading to Queensland to assist with the rebuild - that is natural. There will be a movement in the flow of people across the state boundaries of Queensland and the Northern Territory. We have all been fairly porous. There are members of this parliament from Queensland. I expect, as the recovery unfolds, as people are making decisions about their lives, we will see a flow of people from Queensland to the Territory and I believe it will be a two-way flow.
My deepest sympathies and condolences go to families who have suffered through the floods and Cyclone Yasi. I was deeply moved by the tragedy I saw unfold over that January period, and very worried and frightened for the families bracing for Cyclone Yasi. It was of a phenomenal scale; 600 km wide with wind gusts of 295 km/h - an incredible natural disaster.
We can take from this the knowledge our building code, and the structural soundness of our buildings, is correct. That is important for Territorians to understand. Our experience shows us anything built to Category 4 standard across the Northern Territory - the previous experience we had - sustained structurally very well, and intact, a Category 5 cyclone. People were somewhat sceptical and I hope that scepticism has gone forever. You need a community to have confidence in the structural integrity of the built environment in which they live. Cyclone Yasi showed us, with those phenomenal winds of 295 km/h, houses built to Category 4 standard were structurally sound. Tragically, we saw the devastation and destruction of the earlier built homes similar to what we experienced in Cyclone Tracy. This is a good message for people living in cyclone-prone areas across the Top End: our current building code is sound, strong, adequate and stood up to the test of Cyclone Yasi.
We are proudly Territorians; however, at the end of the day we are a nation of Australians. We have seen the heartache and tragic loss of our dear neighbours in Queensland. I am proud of the way Australians have responded as a whole, and particularly proud of Territorians who have responded. The Chief Minister will host an event in early March to thank the various organisations which have raised money across the community for the appeal. I do not want to single any out; it is still ongoing. The relief and donation effort is still rolling out across the Territory.
I attended an Indonesian function on Saturday night aptly titled Because we Care, Fundraising for the Queensland Disaster. The Chinese/Timorese community has raised significant sums. Across our multicultural communities, from the Muslim community at the mosque - you name it - they have been fundraising. Red Cross has done an incredible job. I acknowledge the fantastic work of Sharon Mulholland and her team at Red Cross. They have organised, trained, and sent volunteers and will continue support for quite a long period of time. My heartfelt thanks to Sharon Mulholland and the team at Red Cross. They were inundated with about 1000 phone calls when our government made the announcement public servants could go to Queensland and help with the recovery on leave with pay. We worked through that process with them, and I know they were pleased we made that announcement.
I thank the Chief Minister for the motion today. I hope it reminds us that as important as it is in your life to build and create opportunities for your family, there is nothing more important than your family and the people you love. Tragedies of this scale remind us of the fundamental importance in our lives. My heart goes to those who have lost so much. My thanks go to all those who have helped so much.
I concur with the Chief Minister: the Defence Force at a time of national disaster does a fantastic job. I saw the way they helped us, hand to hand, house to house, yard to yard, street to street after Cyclone Tracy, and they are doing that in Queensland right now. They did it for the floods; they are doing it for Cyclone Yasi. Members of the Defence Force truly are our unsung heroes.
I hope the lessons learnt, such as insurance and construction, hold us in good stead for any further disasters this nation encounters. As the Leader of the Opposition pointed out, the weather is changing for the worse. I know there are some climate change sceptics here; however, you must wonder how much longer you can remain a sceptic.
Ms PURICK (Goyder): Madam Speaker, I commend the Chief Minister for bringing this motion to the House and thank him for his comments. There is no doubt the cyclone and flooding in Queensland through to New South Wales, and elsewhere, was enormously destructive resulting in loss of life, which is tragic as lives cannot be replaced, and loss of property, which can be replaced. And, as has been mentioned, there has been a loss of livelihood, which affects many people across those areas.
It was not so much that people were caught unawares. The Queensland government and emergency services personnel were exceptionally well prepared and well organised. It was the sheer volume and viciousness of the water which took the people of Queensland, and the whole nation, by surprise.
I have written to the Queensland Premier commending her on what she and her government did during that time. She took a leading role and took the people of Queensland, and the nation, with her.
There is no doubt that multimedia brought the impact and severity of the flooding and cyclone into our lounge rooms. In decades past, we did not have that technology - some might say luxury. Like the member for Karama, I was also here during Cyclone Tracy and my family were relatively unscathed - property damage but no loss of life. It comes back to you when you see the impact it can have on families and livelihoods.
Perhaps the member for Karama can help me: I recall the nation raised $13m for Cyclone Tracy - an extraordinary amount of money in 1974.
Not only that, a large number of products flowed into the Territory through all manner of companies - some of them pretty useless; however, the thought was there. My mother tells me the Country Women’s Association - I am unsure where from - sent parcels of lipstick, beads, hankies and things of that nature to women in Darwin because they felt that was what they could do. Perhaps that was all they could do; they wanted to bring joy to the shattered lives of people in Darwin.
There was loss of life in the floods and, as the Deputy Chief Minister said, some people are still missing and perhaps will never be found, which will be sad for the people who mourn them. During Cyclone Tracy, the late Tom Bell made the decision to move and sadly his wife, Marlina, was killed and he never quite recovered from that. I am sure some people in Queensland will also have difficulty recovering from the loss of life.
I will leave it at that, Madam Speaker.
Mr KNIGHT (Business and Employment): Madam Speaker, these events bring back many memories for the member for Goyder who went through Cyclone Tracy. It brings memories back for many people.
I pass on my condolences to the people of Queensland who have suffered by losing a friend or a family member, and to people who are suffering financially and professionally because of these disasters which swept through Queensland during December and January, and continued through into New South Wales, Victoria, and even parts of Tasmania.
This horrific time was attributed to the La Nia effect and produced abnormal weather patterns. It started with Cyclone Tasha crossing the North Queensland coast on 25 December bringing torrential rain which swept through Bundaberg down to Rockhampton. In the New Year we saw images of Rockhampton being devastated by crop damage. I acknowledge the damage caused in North Queensland by Cyclone Tasha, and direct my comments to the devastation of southeast Queensland from Toowoomba to Brisbane.
I experienced that devastation. I went for a relaxing and uncomplicated holiday with my children to visit family. Flying into Brisbane I was aware of what was happening in the north; Brisbane had very little sunshine for over a month and the rain continued. However, it was still quite pleasant and people were unaware of any danger to the Brisbane area. On Monday, 10 January, I was travelling on ferries up and down the Brisbane River. Even then there was debris coming down the river - gas bottles and trees; all manner of things. We stopped at the Regatta Hotel. Seeing the before and the devastation afterwards was and eye-opener.
The first inkling of real danger were the floods in Toowoomba - massive downpours. They talk about an inland tsunami - they really did not have any warning whatsoever. I imagine the Royal Commission will be looking into an early warning system. It is reminiscent of the Katherine floods in 1998 where people were unaware of the magnitude of water coming down the Katherine River because the river gauges were not working as they were under water. If there is the possibility of an early warning system the people of Toowoomba would appreciate that.
Psychologically, there had been drought; Toowoomba is on a plateau and people were not thinking that way. The floodwaters pouring down the Lockyer Valley sweeping through Fernvale, Ipswich, Goodna and Grantham were devastating. During that period everyone was glued to the television as there was almost 24/7 coverage. I compliment Channel 7 and Channel 9 in particular – they carried extensive coverage of events and practical information to enable people to make decisions.
On Tuesday, 11 January, I was on the Gold Coast and received a phone call saying I had better get home or I would be cut off. What was happening started to twig. I reached my brother’s house, which overlooks the Brisbane River, and my nephews, eight and six, were saying: ‘Look at this; here comes another one’. Pontoons were coming down the river, some with boats and some with jet skis. They live at Jindalee, a long way up the river, and still saw many pontoons moving down. The devastation was coming - the river had not peaked.
Things built from there. People started to prepare in the low areas; however, the magnitude still did not twig. As floodwaters rose on the Tuesday and Wednesday people were preparing themselves. We went to one area of Jindalee – one side of the road backs onto the golf course which is on the downside, and people were helping those on the downside move their gear across the road into other people’s garages. We stopped and my kids and nephews helped.
A group of Samoan Seventh Day Adventists - big boy Samoans and a group of ladies - were going from house to house. About 20 of them would go to a house, move all the gear then go to the next house – from house to house to house. They were doing a fabulous job. I went to the house of an older couple and the bottom of their house already had a foot of water through it. We were removing the carpets and they were panicking. They had not had floods there for 45 years - it was all shocking to them. I helped them rip up the underlay and pull out the ground level kitchen.
After a period of time I went to introduce myself. I said: ‘Excuse me, what is your name?’ She looked at me and burst into tears; she realised there were strangers in the house and the whole moment got to her - that fear and uncertainty, and this lady broke down and wept. Five minutes later she was back at it again. I was talking to her husband when he noticed a man at the door he could not recognise - it was his son. Everyone was in a state of panic and fear not knowing what to do.
On Thursday, people braced for the peak. Luckily, it did not reach the heights of the 1974 flood. The extra 0.4 m or 0.5 m could have caused extensive damage. In Brisbane, 120 000 homes were without power. The home I was staying at was without power for three days. Quite rightly, ENERGEX turned the power off to protect gear for the recovery. It was a surreal situation similar to the Katherine floods where you were looking for somewhere to recharge a mobile phone to communicate with people. You did not know what was going on. It was an unusual situation. You were trying to find ice to keep things cold.
Then came the cleanup. The worst part was the cleanup. I returned to the same house where they were lucky it did not reach the second storey. There was devastation and mud everywhere. My sister lives in the same suburb and she was fine. My oldest nephew disappeared with my son to the local shop to help the owner clean the place. I went back to the same family and they had everyone there. The amount of help was amazing. On the first Sunday there were approximately 20 000 volunteers and people were being turned away.
I compliment Brisbane City Council and Campbell Newman for his preparedness. He issued early warnings about being prepared for the floods. The council received criticism over its sandbagging offer well before these floods; however, they did a fabulous job keeping people informed and organising the recovery. Council organised and registered the volunteers so if there were any problems people knew who was there. They were turning volunteers away, which was unprecedented.
My sister is a nurse and we all received a tetanus shot, from the kids through to the adults. With all these things happening it was very eye-opening and emotional.
The ferry terminals were all wiped out and ferries will not be running for 12 to 18 months. The devastation is amazing. The Regatta Hotel did not go under this time. There was much devastation and the cost of rebuilding is in the billions of dollars.
To sum up the experience and what was happening: there were two floods in Queensland. One flood came from the sky - rain; the other was the flood of compassion, caring, and camaraderie which came from the people. That was the most telling thing. It was not constructed; people just did it. We went to an area in Jindalee where people were looking at the river - this is down near the boat ramp - with barricades. After the floodwater started to recede we saw a handwritten sign taped to a barricade saying: ‘I have room for six people in my house, here is my mobile phone number’. Things like that occurred. On wheelie bins there would be handwritten signs saying: ‘We have half a garage if you need to store your gear’. There was an incredible amount of caring.
I was drawn to an article written by Cameron Dick, the Attorney-General and member for Greenslopes, in The Courier Mail of 20 January. That third week in January must have reminded him of the inaugural speech of JFK 50 years ago, the youngest person ever to be elected as President of America, and one of the shortest inauguration speeches ever. It hit the mark regarding what was happening in Queensland and what was required. I quote from Cameron Dick’s article:
Cameron reflected on that whilst helping clean houses in Norman Park, Oxley and Fairfield. Many people reflected on those comments, where people gave of themselves unquestionably. They brought anything they could. There was a massive ripping out, cleaning up and washing down; everything piled in the street and the council taking everything away. What remained was the faade of a house and when you looked inside most houses there was no gyprock, just stud walls and a massive amount of rubbish to go.
I took the opportunity to visit the Mayor of Ipswich, Paul Pisasale, who put in a sterling effort. The Chief Minister mentioned insurance companies; Paul Pisasale has taken on the challenge of confronting insurance companies to get them to do the right thing - to err on the side of the person who lost their house, to err in the wording of insurance policies to give them the benefit of the doubt. He puts that challenge out. The Chief Minister mentioned COAG - insurance policies need to be clearer. Am I insured or not? Tick the box - put a cross if you do not want it. People need to understand the choices they are making: I am insuring for this, I am not insuring for this. Insurance needs to be very clear.
Paul is doing a fabulous job. When I visited him he had two phones going and was talking to a third person - he is a very busy man. Office staff took me to see him in Goodna and there was devastation all the way. Some parts of Goodna are very low areas. Water had gone 1 m into the second storey of the RSL club. It was amazing. His staff member lives across the road from a childcare centre I was taken to and she had lost everything. Her elevated house had been wiped out and she was back at work trying to help people and doing a fabulous job. Paul needs to be commended for his efforts in getting Ipswich CBD running, getting businesses opening their doors and, where possible, trading.
Last weekend I opened a dog show in Darwin. In talking to breeders there it appears that that industry has been wiped out in the Lockyer Valley. I did not realise the Lockyer Valley was home to many kennels - all those dogs gone. It leaves a massive hole, not only for those people but for the industry as well.
It is poignant the last big flood was in January 1974 and we had Cyclone Tracy in December 1974. They did not believe there would be another flood; they believed the Wivenhoe Dam would protect them and it would never happen again. It did, and it is a poignant reminder to us in the Top End that Darwin is going to get a big one again and we need to be prepared for it - to be focused on that. Brisbane and all those upper reaches of the Bremer and Brisbane rivers have to plan where people can and cannot build. The future is something we need to be focusing on.
It was good to hear Professor McGorry talk about the psychological aspect of this; you can clean up the house, rebuild the house; however, people are traumatised and we need to watch out for them. During the floods I could see people pumping with adrenaline, getting things ready, cleaning up and then the volunteers went away, the news cycle moved on and they were left psychologically damaged. People need to be watching out for friends and family into the future.
I also met Northern Territory Emergency Services personnel in Queensland. It was great to see them giving their time to help businesses. Some have their own business; some are working and took time off, extended their leave or took annual leave to help. I met them at a motel and they were with volunteers from other groups. It was such a collegial atmosphere - they were all reminiscing about their experiences. That is going to serve us into the future as well - the support of Australia through volunteers. We need to support our volunteers as best we can because they give up so much. They put their lives on the line and any way we can support them - further training or protective equipment - we should.
It was great to see donations from the Northern Territory government and the Northern Territory community. The many fundraisers have shown the spirit of Australia. It was something we all celebrated on Australia Day: the spirit shown in Brisbane is a reinvigoration of the Australian spirit, which may have waned, but is back; it was unprompted, but shone through.
I particularly congratulate Premier Anna Bligh. She did a comprehensive job informing the community what was happening …
A member: Campbell Newman.
Mr KNIGHT: I complimented Campbell Newman a minute ago. From late December there was a series of disasters and to have the third largest city in Australia go under water and the CBD shut down - all power off in the CBD of the third largest city in Australia - is very confronting. Anna Bligh played a very straight, honest bat and needs to be commended.
Moving to Cyclone Yasi, dealing with the aftermath of the flooding then preparing for the largest cyclone in many decades in Australia challenged Anna Bligh and her government. I had the opportunity to meet with the Minister for Natural Resources, Mines and Energy, Stephen Robertson, after the floods to see how they were going and discuss power networks.
We have solid counter disaster plans across government and the agencies which support it - the public sector, the private sector, and the NGOs. You can learn from real life disasters and we will see how things go in Queensland. The social media played a huge role and is something we need to be cognizant of. A number of Facebook sites were established during Cyclone Yasi and you did not know who was who - some quite derogatory. Ergon Energy had an informative Facebook site; people were using it to communicate and it is something we need to look at in the future.
I went through the 1998 Katherine floods and was not affected materially - I was there for the weekend whilst living at Timber Creek. However, the psychology affected the town for many years and we need to be cognizant of that.
Businesses need to look at their insurance policies not only for flooding, but for interruption to trade. Many businesses in the Territory have insurance for one or two months; however, when you have major disasters - we have cyclones but are unlikely to get too many floods in urban areas of the Top End so many businesses would be affected by supply and demand - the whole economy would be disrupted. People need to ensure they have six or 12 months insurance for interruption to trade. The big effort made was to get doors open, people back into jobs and income back into pockets because when the economy slows down it affects the whole community.
I pay regard to all Queensland volunteers. It shows the true Australian spirit - the fact we are one nation. We have done our bit and will continue to do so for those people in Queensland who will help us in our time of need.
Mr BOHLIN (Drysdale): Madam Speaker, I commend the Chief Minister for bringing this statement on today. It is hard to put everything into one short speech - I will not attempt to cover everything. Over the last few months Western Australia had its share of cyclone clips and has not escaped unscathed. The Gascoyne has suffered, the surrounds of Perth have been devastated by bushfires with 64 homes lost and over 32 buildings damaged, and down our east coast the first round of floods through Queensland, followed by the much heavier and intense floods which tore at the heart of Australia.
The images I saw coming from the Lockyer Valley really rocked me. I did not know people there; however, it was gut-wrenching. Watching the 60 Minutes program on Sunday brought tears hearing stories of how hard it was. I remember assisting with the cleanup of the 1998 floods in Katherine when I was a member of the Australian Defence Force. My colleagues and I were eager to get there; we wanted to know why we were not moving quicker. Many Defence Force people around Australia would be feeling the same way – wanting to do their bit. They understand their role is to protect the country and will do everything they can to do a great job.
Most telling was the tens of thousands of civilians who marched their way into Brisbane. It was amazing to see people find any way possible to help their fellow Australians. I do not see that same level of caring elsewhere in the world - we are not the only country to have suffered natural disasters. In fact, in many ways the effects were light. To see the way our country lifted to serve and protect its own people was so awe-inspiring it is hard to give justice with words. Members from both sides know what. The member for Daly, being there and being part of that good job, saw it firsthand where most of us watched from a distance.
Seeing the footage of the lone boater who guided the pontoon all the way down the Brisbane River avoiding what could have caused catastrophic damage to any bridge it became wedged on – that simple act of heroism, the absolute skill of one person piloting that boat, without doubt enabled access routes to remain open. If it had taken out a bridge it would have caused huge damage because the next bridge may have also gone. That roll-on effect is sometimes missed. He did an amazing job to protect that infrastructure for Brisbane and the people of Queensland. He did not do it for his own benefit; he did it because he believed it was the right thing to do. We should ensure people who have done so much are rewarded.
Thousands of people in Queensland and across this country have volunteered to help out. Our emergency services people were on standby, ready and willing to put their backs to the wall to fight for other communities around Australia.
The simple things have made this an amazing period of time in Australia’s history – things like the federal member for Solomon, Natasha Griggs, helping gather donations to tie in with the member for Katherine’s efforts. I believe 14 pallet loads of goods, such as toothbrushes and combs, things to make people feel good, went from this part of the Territory. If you have found yourself without toiletries for days, if not weeks, the feeling of brushing your teeth is uplifting. Those little things are washed away and you do not think about it. When you get them back it gives you strength to keep going on a very arduous journey.
The rebuilding will take an extremely long time. Local governments, and the Queensland government, have done a great job of resurrecting the infrastructure quickly. Those services are vital to keeping the regions going. It will cost money; there will be ongoing debate on whether the levy is right or not. We want to see real action - the debate might go on in the background - what happens on the ground matters to the people of Queensland.
My thoughts go out to those in the Lockyer Valley. The local member for Wright, Scott Buchholz, worked in conjunction with Natasha Griggs and the member for Katherine. We can easily see the physical damage and count the loss of lives; what cannot be measured is the mental trauma these people will endure for years and years to come. The member for Goyder recounted things this morning in this House, and it was evident some wounds are still not healed today. We are talking many decades ago, so we cannot forget the mental support Queenslanders need through all this, and those through New South Wales and Victoria who have suffered floods and fires. It has been a striking year already.
Yasi was a monster. I was doorknocking in Marlow Lagoon the night Yasi was due to crash violently into Queensland. One of my constituents was on the phone to her daughter who had relocated to the hinterland around Cairns and was still very concerned because Yasi was a massive beast and covered so much of Australia.
Communication from all levels of government, without doubt, saved lives. All those involved, including Premier Bligh, did a fantastic job. I genuinely believe that preparedness saved lives. We must ensure if we come under threat we act to protect our lives and that of our friends and neighbours.
I will leave it there. There is so much to discuss I could go on for a long time. My colleagues from Central Australia, who had to prepare themselves for potential flooding from Yasi, may wish to make comments. Would you believe Melbourne suffered flooding from the tail of Yasi? Friends in Melbourne were on Facebook telling us their stories.
Thank you for bringing this motion to the floor; I support it fully. To all those who have suffered and continue to suffer, we wish you the best on this extremely arduous journey.
Mr CONLAN (Greatorex): Madam Speaker, I concur with the Leader of the Opposition who talked about agriculture and prices which went through the roof during the floods, and also the fires in Western Australia. I was in Perth over Christmas and in Carnarvon mangoes were $6.50 each.
As I grew up in Brisbane I thought I would speak on this. I also attended boarding school in Toowoomba, so I have a connection with both towns. Between Brisbane and Toowoomba are the Lockyer Valley, Grantham and Murphys Creek, so I know it quite well and know people from the region. Watching the landmarks I know well devastated by the floods was extraordinary. The Regatta Hotel has been mentioned - a great old stomping ground of mine. Toowong, Indooroopilly, Paddington and Roselea are places I grew up in. I had my 21st birthday in Roselea. The restaurant has been replaced by other restaurants and a caf - all that went under along the Baroona Road area.
Looking at my own back yard - where my family is – the devastation by the floods was almost surreal. My mother was evacuated from her home in Indooroopilly. In 1974 the place went under; this time it did not. It must have been that metre which did not quite rise. She is below the Western Freeway on that side of Indooroopilly, but must be high enough above Centenary Bridge. She was very lucky this time; she evacuated to higher ground at her sister’s house. My sister’s house had water at the doorstep; she was quite lucky. Many friends in Yeerongpilly had to be evacuated and pretty much lost everything. They spent the next few weeks - and are still - cleaning it out.
Despite that, nothing compares with the loss of life experienced by so many. The most enduring image of those floods will be the family on top of the Subaru in Grantham. The Channel 7 news chopper spotted them and went back to find rescuers. When they returned there were only two; the father had been swept away and is yet to be found. That image, which was beamed right around the world, will remain the most enduring of the floods. The little boy who sacrificed his life for his younger brother said: ‘Save my 10-year-old brother!’ The Chief Minister has mentioned the child snatched from her mother’s arms. Nothing can compare to loss of life of that magnitude.
I also lived in far north Queensland and worked on Dunk Island, which was savaged by Cyclone Larry several years ago and touched by Yasi. I worked at 4KZ, Innisfail, also hit by Yasi and suffered severe damage during Cyclone Larry, and 4TO Townsville, which I want to commend. The minister for Business mentioned the television networks; the radio stations really stepped up to the plate and I commend 4TO Townsville. I dialled them on the Internet. They broadcast from a staff house doing everything off iPod. There is an anomaly in their broadcasting arrangement with the Commonwealth government; they are allowed to have an AM transmitter as well as an FM transmitter for such a purpose and if a cyclone comes through they can remain on air. That transmitter is at Magnetic Island - hats off to all those guys at 4TO.
My brother lives in Cairns and kept me up to date. They were worried until the last minute, but Yasi diverted and came across into Mission Beach, a beeline straight across Dunk Island, and caused extensive damage to that magnificent township. It is a beautiful spot, a wonderful part of Australia, a real sleepy hollow. They suffered, as did Dunk Island and the other townships along the Cassowary Coast such as Babinda, Kurrimine Beach, Innisfail, Cardwell, and Tully. Tully probably received the worst of Cyclone Yasi - my condolences to all those affected.
I congratulate the emergency services, the military personnel who stepped in, the Brisbane City Council led by Lord Mayor Campbell Newman, and the Queensland government. Anna Bligh’s stocks have lifted enormously as a result of the leadership she displayed throughout the crisis. There were media conferences every two hours - you could see it was taking a toll on her. She clearly loves Queensland, which was demonstrated in spades by the leadership shown. Not only Anna Bligh, but the Brisbane City Council and all those in the emergency HQ set up with the military and the SES.
In such adversity and devastation we witnessed enormous strength displayed by the army of volunteers. We have already mentioned that. On day one they asked for 6000 volunteers and received 11 500. I am a Facebook friend of Campbell Newman and was following that also. He was absolutely overwhelmed. In the end they were turning people away because there were more than enough volunteers - at one point it was 22000. They are incredible numbers and the community displayed strength during this adversity.
It makes me proud to be an Australian and proud to be from Queensland, having grown up in Brisbane, far north Queensland and Toowoomba - the Darling Downs. It is a privilege and honour to pay tribute to those people who sacrificed so much and put so much effort into it, and to honour the lives of those lost throughout this tragedy. I thank parliament for the opportunity to do so as a member of the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly.
Mr WOOD (Nelson): Madam Speaker, I support the condolence motion moved by the Chief Minister.
Many things go through your mind when such a motion is put to parliament. As a Territorian, one has a certain affinity with what has happened in Queensland. I remember my first flood at Daly River in 1974. If you lived at Daly River long enough you would have experienced floods which go through your house. The smell of a flood after it has receded never leaves you. I thought of those people in Brisbane and the little country towns - we must not forget many people were affected outside Brisbane. The stench which goes through a house after a flood has gone down is something you do not forget.
I remember the 1998 floods in Katherine; again it is the affinity. We talk about all the volunteers who stepped up to the plate in Brisbane to help clean houses. I remember the busloads of people leaving Darwin to help clean up Katherine. I took the gloves, the scrubbing brush and the bucket and headed off and - lo and behold! - I was given Mike Reed’s house - the then member for Katherine. The funny thing was about a week before I was having a ding-dong argument with him over the closing of Yulara Town Council. Tim Baldwin, the then minister for Local Government was participating in the closure, and I threw politics out the door and scrubbed Mike Reed’s house. It was a brand new house with water 1.5 m up the walls. Not only did we have to clean the house, we had to cut the walls and remove those parts which were permanently damaged.
I thought of all those people in Brisbane who would be doing exactly the same thing. The Territory has an affinity – Cyclone Tracy, Cyclone Yasi – with many cyclones in between.
It is funny how time has changed things. We lost over 50 people in Cyclone Tracy. I was on Bathurst Island, we knew it was coming, we did not know how bad it was and we did not know exactly where it was. We did not have the Internet then, some television and no satellite coverage. Now, 30 or 40 years on, everyone could see where the cyclone was travelling. There were continual broadcasts telling people to move out or go to their cyclone shelter, and very little loss of life. One person lost their life during Cyclone Yasi; they were gassed by fumes from the generator they had running.
Things have also changed. It is amazing Queensland had organisations which ensured there was no loss of life. The people of Queensland should pat themselves on the back. Unfortunately, that was not the case with the flood. You think of floods coming up slowly as they do at the Daly River. You normally have time because people at Katherine, on the King River or the Ferguson River will tell you the river is rising. However, in the case of the floods in Toowoomba, no one knew they were going to rush through the main street or go down the Lockyer Valley. It was very unusual.
The loss of life is tragic. Those scars will remain with families and communities for a long time. However, you have other scars – people’s livelihood. The member for Daly mentioned the effect it has on industry, cropping, roads, railway, bridges, stormwater drains in the area - a whole range of things affecting the economy of the area.
I missed the floods in Brisbane by one day. I was in Newcastle looking at closing times of pubs in the CBD. On Tuesday afternoon I was meant to head to Brisbane to meet Stephen Bowers, one of the organisers of the Weddell forum, to show me around suburbs of Brisbane which are examples of good planning. He was going to meet me after he visited Toowoomba in the morning. That did not happen because the day he was to be in Toowoomba was the day of the big flood. It is funny how coincidences happen in life.
I was also meant to visit Gladstone. I had a trip organised to see how they contained spillage when loading coal at the port. Because of the floods there was no coal, and coal is still not being exported from Queensland. That has a major effect, not only for Australia’s exports, but on the people who rely on the coal industry: the miners, the businesses in those coal towns, the train drivers who deliver the coal, and the people who work at the port operating the machinery to load it onto the ships. There is a huge range of after effects when you have a natural disaster.
Although we are deeply saddened by the loss of life, for some people the loss of livelihood is much more painful because it will continue for a long time. In some cases it may be the end of a business, especially if you have lost crops. I saw a grape grower trying to pick the grapes by boat. He was delivering his workers by boat, hoping he could get the last grapes off before the vines went under water and grapes died. It had a major effect on people’s lives.
Again, there is that great spirit of getting things done. It will cost much money and it will take time. I support the levy - not a one-off levy. I am probably more a fan of Bob Katter and having a continual levy which goes into an ongoing natural disaster fund so we are not caught short. We do not know when these will happen. It is like having our own insurance company to deal with major disasters which occur – and they will come; there is no doubt about it. The predictions of people looking at climate change say they will be more often and larger so we need to be prepared.
If we are to maintain our economy we have to have enough money. When the crops start to grow the roads need to be fixed, the railway lines need to be operating, and the ships need to be leaving the port. All these things need to be looked at. It is not only the great work many people have done in raising money to help the flood victims, part of our responsibility as a nation is to ensure there is enough money to fix all the other things to bring Queensland, and other parts of Australia, back to what they were previously.
It is good to hear there is a review of insurance; however, I give our TIO a pat on the back. I am certain during the Katherine floods in 1998 the one company which did not argue about what constituted a flood was the TIO. It paid straight out. Other companies argued whether the water came up the stormwater drains or not, or whether the water came through the roof before it came up the main street. The TIO stuck with its interpretation of flood and paid out accordingly. For far too long insurance companies have said read the small print. I say to insurance companies, ensure when you sell your product the person knows what flood means, or you spell it out clearly in large print so people understand, and explain the difference between water coming through the roof against water from a broken pipe inside your house, or water which comes up from the stormwater drains, or flood - when a river breaks its banks and comes through your house.
Insurance companies have an obligation not to rely on small print. You might sign up to membership of a footy club and they say: ‘Have you read all the terms and conditions?’ which are in 10 font and go for two pages. I do not have time to read them all so I tick them off, say yes, and get my membership. There may be something I probably should know, and in the case of more serious things like insurance, companies have a responsibility.
This also raises the issues of good planning. I notice most of the old Queensland-style houses in Rockhampton were not inundated except for the bottom floor; the house itself, in many cases, was not. There were exceptions as many ground level houses were flooded. You have the issue of whether you build in flood prone areas, and much of that Queensland coast is flood prone. It is not saying you should not build there; if you are, perhaps what has to be regulated is the type of house to be built. If anyone has been to the Daly River and seen the houses which continually flood - I lived through three floods on the Daly River - you can build a house which will take water, you can build a kitchen made out of stainless steel and hose it down and start again, or you can build it on stilts like the Queensland houses. By good building management you can reduce the cost of flooding.
I visited Augathella on the way home after diverting from Newcastle across central New South Wales. Augathella is a little town in southern Queensland where they were repairing the levee bank because they were expecting the water to come down from the floods. Levee banks, in some cases, can be an option. They may be expensive but with good planning and done properly they can save the town. Bourke is protected by a levee bank. People build outside those levee banks at their own risk. Planning always needs to be looked at, and many councils in Queensland will be reviewing their planning guidelines for building in those areas now such damage has occurred.
We should not forget the other areas of Australia affected over the last six months. I was reading a news story about a lettuce producer in Tasmania who had a huge lettuce paddock ready to harvest and water had gone over the top. He lost the entire crop. There was a picture recently of a rose farmer in Victoria who was hoping to have hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of red roses ready for Valentine’s Day and the flood went through his glasshouses. He lost his entire crop. Crops and houses were severely damaged in Carnarvon. Northern New South Wales suffered from the flooding in Queensland, and the big floods in central and northern Victoria - massive floods which did not go down as quickly as in other parts of Australia - went down slowly and damaged many crops.
The irony of this is in Western Australia there are bushfires, which highlights what Australia is all about. I hope good will comes out of this because there is much sadness for the people who have lost loved ones. Nature has a way of replenishing: rivers flood, they leave silt; silt brings nutrients to the soil and new crops are grown. How long have we talked about the drought in Victoria and New South Wales? We have grown 5% more of our rice crop over the last six or seven years, and large numbers of citrus trees have been cut back or left to die in the Renmark/Mildura area and now Mildura goes under water.
Hopefully we will have enough water to ensure our agricultural and horticultural economies have some buoyant years, although many farmers will find it hard as they expected good crops this year. This morning’s news mentioned the price of cotton. Quite an amount of cotton was damaged in Queensland. The price of cotton is between $600 and $1000 a bale. That is a good price and some people will benefit, some will miss out.
Madam Speaker, I support the motion the Chief Minister has put before the House. We, as a parliament, express our deepest sympathy to the families and friends of people who lost their lives and we hope the various states, local governments, businesses, farmers and all people affected will get through this and, in the not too distant future, recover and things return to normal.
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I also extend my condolences and sympathy to the people of Queensland. I grew up on the Brisbane River and my mother still lives in one of the major flood affected areas, Yeronga.
It reminded me of the 1974 floods when I was still living at home - I had just left school. The difference between this flood and the 1974 one was we had little torches. People did not have the things we have in cyclone kits then and transistor radios were new technology. We had one in the house, which was not that great, and one of my brothers found a crystal set so we were able to work out what was going on because there was no power. Around our house - which was not flooded but all the houses around it were - people were boating across the top of people’s roofs. Across the river, where the tennis centre now is at Tennyson, was some kind of experimental farm and there were horses and cows floating along the river with pontoons. It was very distressing. I thought it was Armageddon at the time.
I am sure the people of Queensland will continue and Queensland will recover as it did in 1974. Thank you, honourable members.
Motion agreed to.
Members stood in silence for one minute as a mark of respect.
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I am sure you are aware there is a cyclone watch over Darwin and surrounding areas with the possibility of a cyclone forming by late tomorrow afternoon. Parliament House has cyclone procedures and the parliamentary committee will be meeting this afternoon. I will advise you progressively on what is happening with the cyclone.
Mr CONLAN (Greatorex): Madam Speaker, I move - That this House censure the Northern Territory government and all its ministers for its fundamental incapacity to protect Territorians from the criminal element in our community, and its consequential failure to protect the whole of the Territory community from flow-on effects from crime in our community.
In the last reported year there were more than 1700 crimes against the person - assaults, serious assaults, rapes and murders - a staggering 25% increase from the previous year. Alice Springs is a town under siege. We have said this over and over again; we have endured one of the worst summer periods I have seen in my time in Alice Springs. January was absolutely appalling with 1700 crimes against the person - assaults, serious assaults, rapes and murders.
Last night, the licensee of the club, Eastside, was forced to sleep in the community club to protect it from yet another break-in. People in clubs and pubs across the town are forced to sleep in their business to protect it from the ongoing crime wave sweeping Alice Springs. To read a list of the businesses broken into during the last year would take hours. Some are the Gillen Club; the Memo Club; Federals Club, which is now the Eastside Community Club; the Town and Country Tavern; the Gap View and the Todd Tavern.
The question is: what does the Chief Minister propose to do to tackle the spiralling costs small businesses face as a result of repeated break-ins and vandalism? Alice Springs has been neglected for 10 years. This is a 10-year serial offence by the Northern Territory government.
Mr Henderson: How would you know? You have not been here for 10 years?
Mr CONLAN: I have, Chief Minister, so it might be worth checking some of those facts. I was here when the CLP lost government; I was here when you took government and I have seen the deteriorating state of Alice Springs ever since. I was here well before you took government and am able to compare the two eras. There is a tidal wave of crime across the town year after year after year. Businesses are vandalised and robbed like clockwork, houses broken into, property stolen and vandalised with a regularity which is unparalleled.
Ten Years of Hard Labor is the title of this document and never has a truer word been spoken. Innocent bystanders, particularly women and children, randomly attacked not only at night, but in broad daylight on the streets of Alice Springs - assaulted in broad daylight for committing no crime, for simply walking across the street with a shopping trolley. They are assaulted, attacked, abused and humiliated, and they are petrified.
Protective custody rates are at astronomical levels - tens of thousands of people through our gaol cells each night. Nightly break-ins into houses and businesses recorded by the dozens - one particular night in January this year we had 16 reports to police of break-ins and property damage in Alice Springs, including my own property which has since been broken into twice in the last two months. Drunks intimidating innocent bystanders not only in broad daylight but 24/7, threatening and offending residents who have done nothing other than cross the street, go to the shop, or enjoy the serene surrounds of Alice Springs.
It is a complete disregard for the important contribution Alice Springs makes to the Northern Territory economy. Alice Springs, Tennant Creek, Katherine, Darwin, Gove - these are the engine rooms of the Northern Territory economy. You would think this is important to protect, not to mention the damage this is doing to our tourism industry.
Let us look at this document, Ten Years of Hard Labor. Crime rate rises is a staggering statistic. Crime rates in the Northern Territory are twice as high as the Australian average in most categories, and in some are significantly higher. The latest Police, Fire and Emergency Services Annual Report shows the rate of violent crime in the Territory continues to climb. There were 570 more crimes against the person in 2009-10 than in 2008-09. The rate of violent assault has risen by 80% during Labor’s decade of denial – 10 years of hard Labor. Last financial year there were 7296 crimes against the person compared with 6226 the previous year - that is an 8.5% increase in 12 months. This is out of control! On average, there are 18 crimes against the person in the Territory every day. I will repeat that: 18 crimes against the person every single day in the Northern Territory!
Alice Springs has felt the brunt of Labor’s failed law and order policies since it came to government in 2001. Since 2004-05, robbery has increased by 450%; assaults by 87%; sexual assault by 97%; house break-ins by 64%; commercial break-ins by 185%; motor vehicle theft by 97%, and property damage by 71%. Absolutely staggering figures! The long-term recorded crime statistics between 2004 and 2010 show commercial break-ins are up 180%. That figure is beyond comprehension.
Feelings of safety are declining. Our community is feeling unsafe; people feel threatened, unsafe and unloved by their government. The Northern Territory’s crime wave is taking its toll on people’s feeling of safety at home and in the community. Thirty-six per cent of Northern Territory adults felt unsafe compared to 26% of adults nationally. The Northern Territory also has the highest crime victimisation rate of 12%, and the highest proportion of victims who felt unsafe at 58%.
The Northern Territory has the highest proportion of prisoners in gaol for assaults at 39%, almost double the national average which sits around 20%. The Northern Territory also has the highest proportion of prisoners in gaol for theft. The Northern Territory has the highest rate of homicide at 8.2% per 100 000 people compared with the national average of 1.2% for 100 000 people. These figures are damning and an indictment of this government’s policies to tackle and stay on top of law and order.
I draw your attention to the story in the Northern Territory News on Sunday, 23 January, stating the Northern Territory government rates the worst in the nation. It is a very good effort to beat the New South Wales government but you have done it. Congratulations! The Northern Territory government rates the worst in the nation followed by a lovely picture of the smiling Cabinet.
Our community is at crisis point: Alice Springs, Tennant Creek and Katherine need rescuing. It has become so acute people are departing our towns in droves. Businesses are packing up; businesses are closing down ...
Mr Bohlin: Over 700 last year.
Mr CONLAN: Seven hundred businesses?
Mr Bohlin: No, 700 people left last year.
Mr CONLAN: Seven hundred people left the Northern Territory. I am unsure how many business people have left town because of the continuing violence and assaults they were experiencing; I am sure it is quite high. Anecdotal evidence in Alice Springs would indicate more businesses are closing down and leaving than are opening for business. The member for Stuart, if he looks deep into himself, will know this is the case. Last week we had a …
Mr Hampton: What is your solution?
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Order!
Mr CONLAN: We are happy to give you a briefing on what we would do to address law and order issues in Alice Springs. We would put 20 extra full-time police on the beat immediately in Central Australia to tackle the wave of crime. We would also place a task force there for a limited time to deal with the crime wave sweeping Central Australia pretty much since Christmas.
This is not new. This angst and fear in the community is not something which has all of a sudden appeared. Let us go back to 29 January 2010. There is the newspaper:
That is 12 months ago. Here we go:
Here we go: ‘Nightmare by the park’. This is 5 February 2010:
That was three newspapers in a week-and-a-half in Alice Springs. It has been happening ever since this government came to office. You have lost the battle with law and order. You have not shown any respect for the town of Alice Springs. Nearly four years ago we had 500 people protesting outside the convention centre – ‘parliament house’ - against this government and its inept ability to provide Alice Springs with a safe and secure environment. The then Chief Minister, Clare Martin, put her hand on her heart and said: ‘I have heard the cries of Alice Springs. I hear the call and will answer it’. She then engaged in a series of forums which came up with a plan which became a website called ‘Moving Alice Ahead’. ‘Moving Alice Ahead’ – wasn’t that great? Very short-lived; it did not go very far.
This has dominated Alice Springs for much longer. Its crescendo was 500 people outside ‘parliament house’ in 2007 voicing their displeasure with the lack of law and order policies from this government.
I hope that can be replicated to give this government a message. However, it is too late for you; you cannot do anything. You were never engaged in the battle. You never bothered to engage yourself in this battle of law and order. You have thrown your hands up in the air and said: ‘It is all too hard; we do not care about Alice Springs. If we are going to go down at the next election, we are going to take Alice Springs with us’. It will be up to another government to repair the damage you have done to Alice Springs. Whether or not it is a twisted tactic of yours, who knows? However, if it is, you should be ashamed and absolutely disgraced.
Nevertheless, you are not smart enough to plan that far ahead. You do not have a heart when it comes to Central Australia. You fly in, you look around, and you fly out. I can read from my Facebook page of today when I posted I was in Parliament House; I had the photo and received a comment from someone I do not know very well but am a friend of on Facebook who says: ‘Why don’t you invite them to visit our town without the media hype so they can see everything, not just what they are being shown?’ Very good question; very good point! However, that may be too confronting and you might have a jolt of conscience and feel you have to do something.
I do not believe you were ever engaged in Alice Springs or you have ever given two hoots about Central Australia. It is a very important part of the Northern Territory, a very important part of Australia, and the Chief Minister can say: ‘You have only been there five minutes, what do you have to say?’ That does not matter. I am an Australian and it is part of this country. I am an Australian first and foremost, Chief Minister, and I choose to live in Central Australia. It is a wonderful Australian town; a wonderful Northern Territory town. I have every right to be concerned about what is going on in my community of Central Australia. My next child will be born there in about three weeks, and I have one child born there in 2009. We are setting this up as our home, our community. This is why I went into politics - not because I was hell-bent on being a politician or because I had an ego bolt through me to be a politician. I entered politics to speak up for the community I love: the community of Central Australia, the community of Alice Springs.
As mentioned in the condolence motion, I grew up in Brisbane and attended school in Brisbane and Toowoomba - I was a Queenslander. I spent all my life in southeast and far north Queensland, and only through several radio jobs did I travel beyond those borders. I never thought I would fall in love with the desert. I applied for a radio job in Central Australia and thought: I will see how it goes; might be a bit of fun in the outback. I had no idea it would capture my heart and I would fall in love with it. It did not take long for me to see why Central Australia is so special and why so many people come for a day and stay a lifetime - I am one of those. Yes, I have only been in Central Australia for 11 or 12 years - not a long time. Ask Ted Egan how long he has been in the Territory and he says: ‘65 years and I am still passing through’.
We all have to start somewhere. My son was born there; my wife has been there for 15 years. We choose to make that community our home and want to stay there. It is difficult for me to stay if we see continual neglect. It is going to be increasingly difficult for families to buy a house and raise a family in a small country town. Let us face it - Alice Springs is a small country town. We should not be faced with these enormous antisocial and law and order issues. Country towns are not like that. Country towns are where you know the butcher, the baker and the candlestick maker - we are all friends, help each other out and get together. Alice Springs is that. That is why I fell in love with it - it has a unique spirit. Central Australia is incredible and it is very hard to put your finger on it. So many people have experienced it - come for a day or a week and they spend the rest of their life there. I hope to be one of those.
At the moment Alice Springs is very challenging for families and businesses. We are seeing huge rates of crime and huge rates of antisocial behaviour. It does not have to be an issue of violence or vandalism; it might be a threat. People feel threatened on the street. People are accosted and abused on the street for no reason. People are abused and hassled because they are white, others because they do not subscribe to the policies of others. I do not need to go into details. Serious issues are facing the town of Alice Springs.
I became an MLA to bring the concerns of people of Central Australia to the Northern Territory parliament, to defend the town of Alice Springs, and to help provide a better community. It is difficult for me to sit on this side of the House, in opposition, and see the town I have grown to love, have committed to, my wife, my children, my friends, other family members - my brother was born in Alice Springs. Another brother was born in Darwin, and a brother and sister born in Katherine. Four of my brothers and sisters were born in the Northern Territory. We go back a long way. I was born in Gympie and my eldest brother was born in Charleville. We are spread around the outback of Queensland and the Northern Territory.
I feel a kinship to Alice Springs and it distresses me to see what is happening on the streets. Good people in Alice Springs are throwing their arms up saying: ‘I cannot believe it’. People were so proud of the town, long-term locals, people who were born there, people who have spent half their life there and really love the town, who were so proud to go to Sydney or Melbourne and say: ‘I am from Alice Springs. I live in Alice’. That seems to be diminishing. People come to my office saying: ‘You know how much I love this place, mate. I invest in it, I am committed to it, and have raised my children here. It is really giving me the heebie-jeebies at the moment. What are we going to do? What can we do? I do not know if I can take much more’.
These are not isolated incidents; they are regular occurrences and I am not embellishing the argument - I have better things to do. I am here to tell the Northern Territory government this is taking place. I am sure the member for Braitling can tell the same, as can the members for Araluen and Stuart.
Mr Giles: He does not care. He does not have a clue.
Mr CONLAN: I believe he does care; I wish he would stand up a little more. Karl, you could raise your stocks enormously. We have seen Anna Bligh on the nose politically, with people out to annihilate her at the next election, all of a sudden become a Queensland hero because she stood up for the community. Karl, people are desperate to see you stand up for your community. You could win; you could hold the record. You could receive 100% of the vote next time if you stood up for Alice Springs against some of the policies, or lack of, being rolled out for Alice Springs.
I have listed the facts and figures. There are so many enormous statistics. There is 80% here, and 97% house break-ins; 185% commercial break-ins; motor vehicle theft 97%. We have been over this ad nauseum in this Chamber.
What I find most frustrating is looking my community in the eye - people who elected us, particularly me. People say: ‘What are you going to do about it, Matt? I cannot stand it any longer, I have to go’. I say: ‘Please hang on. Can you hang on; give us a shot in 2012. I believe we can do a really good job. I believe we can do a much better job’. They say: ‘I do not know if I can hang on for another 18 months’.
People are feeling persecuted; they are desperate; bereft of energy. The town needs to be rescued; the government needs to do something. I fear it is too late for the Northern Territory government. You have had all this time and do not have a grip on it. You have not engaged properly in the battle of law and order. You had 10 years to make real reform in law and order; be a reformist, fix it. You have done nothing and it has become worse, Chief Minister. You must know it - you fly to Alice Springs. As my Facebook friend says, maybe we need to take the media out of the equation so you can see it yourself. I remember several stand-up blows the member for Johnston and I had in my former life regarding visiting Alice Springs - stay for a few days and walk down the mall in the middle of the night. Person after person would call up and say: ‘Do it, do it, do it’.
The government stands condemned for the neglect of the most basic of any government’s responsibility, to provide a safe and secure environment for its residents.
I will conclude with a passing shot at the most powerful person in the Northern Territory, the Police Commissioner, who may have good intentions, but on radio before Christmas he said: ‘What we do not want is people committing offences and going through the criminal justice system. We would rather see program after program running parallel to welfare’. Is the end game for this government that you can commit an offence, terrorise the streets of Alice Springs, terrorise already terrified people with no end consequence whatsoever for those people?
Without law and order the community breaks down into chaos. It is the fundamental task of government to provide a safe and secure environment - you cannot do anything else. You cannot have the world’s greatest health system, the best education system, the world’s most affordable housing, the world’s most beautiful harbour; you cannot have anything unless you have law and order.
The government has failed in this task. I believe it is too late, and I do not know how you are going to rescue it. It is beyond your control now. It is becoming insurmountable, is unsustainable, and people in Alice Springs will vote with their feet and leave town. People of Tennant Creek, Katherine and Darwin are leaving town.
Madam Speaker, I believe the government has lost this battle. It has failed in its most fundamental role to provide a safe and secure environment for the people of the Northern Territory.
Madam SPEAKER: Before I call the Chief Minister, I have an update on the weather.
At 2.29 pm there was a severe thunderstorm warning for Darwin and the rural area for destructive winds. It is for people in Darwin and Palmerston, and parts of Litchfield Shire and Cox Peninsula areas. The Bureau of Meteorology warned that at 2.20 pm potential severe thunderstorms were detected on weather radar near Mandorah, Beagle Gulf and the mouth of Darwin Harbour. These thunderstorms are moving towards the southeast and are forecast to affect Darwin City and Channel Island by 2.50 pm and the northern suburbs, Palmerston and Lee Point and Berry Springs by 3.20 pm. Destructive winds are likely.
The bureau advises it is not a tropical cyclone warning, and the Northern Territory Emergency Service has advised people they should secure loose outside objects and avoid remaining in the open when storms threaten. There should be another warning shortly.
Mr HENDERSON (Chief Minister): Madam Speaker, in my response to this censure motion I will engage in debating solutions to the problems affecting Alice Springs as opposed to amplifying the problems. I will resist the temptation to come out swinging and punching against the member for Greatorex.
I acknowledge and accept this summer period in Alice Springs has seen unacceptable levels of crime and antisocial behaviour on the streets. What disappointed me was the member for Greatorex did not propose any way forward. I know the member for Braitling will, and I look forward to his comments. Believe me, if there were any simple solutions, any silver bullets, any easy-to-implement strategies to resolve some of the very complex issues in Alice Springs, regardless of which government is in power, those solutions would have been put in place years ago.
Let us dispense with the nonsense that we do not care about Alice Springs and neglect it. You can say that for political effect and, yes, it has great political effect in Alice Springs. You have all the seats there; you will keep all the seats there. As Chief Minister of the Northern Territory - and I have said this to Cabinet – I intend to do the right thing by the people of Alice Springs in policies. This is not about politics - if it was we would not be doing anything in Alice Springs - it is about recognising we have some very significant and serious issues confronting the community in Alice Springs and are working through those issues with the best advice we have. I am not saying we are getting it right or we get everything right.
However, to run the cheap line that we do not care, we neglect it – I could talk about all the things we are doing, all the extra money being poured in to counter that. Those are, with respect, cheap lines which do not ring true. Anyone who knows me knows that is not the case. We have resolved to do the right thing by Alice Springs.
We all know the challenges we confront on the streets every night which lead to break-ins into homes, businesses, and commercial properties, and the domestic violence. I discussed with the Police Commissioner at 7.30 am, after seeing it in the daily paper, the tragedy on the street last night. The commissioner advised me the stabbing of a tourist was a serious isolated incident.
If you want to get to the bottom of this, members for Greatorex and Braitling, I will put on the table some of the police briefings I see in which 90% of the violent assaults in Alice Springs are Aboriginal men beating the hell out of Aboriginal women. That is what drives these figures; not the good white folk of Alice Springs. Yes, there are some assaults, which are one too many. All assaults are one too many ...
Members interjecting.
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order!
Mr HENDERSON: Be quiet! One of the problems we are facing in Alice Springs is predominantly of intergenerational poverty - disadvantage for whatever reason tearing sections of the community apart. That cannot be resolved overnight. In relation to events in …
Mr Westra van Holthe: You have not resolved them in 10 years!
Mr HENDERSON: I am trying to be constructive; you will have your go. If you want me to rant and rave, I will. I am happy to turn this into political theatre - I can play that part. I am trying to …
Mr Westra van Holthe: How about instead of talking you solve the problem?
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! Member for Katherine, cease interjecting!
Mr HENDERSON: … paint a realistic picture of the size of the problem we face. If you believe the solutions we are proposing are no good put some forward. All we have heard is amplification of the problems.
A trauma surgeon at Alice Springs Hospital says there has been a significant drop in the number of women being treated for stab wounds. Dr Jacob Ollapallil says his statistics show: ‘… on average we used to get …’ this is a horrendous statistic ‘… on average we used to get 250 female victims every year. Last year, the number has been significantly reduced to 146. Various things have contributed to this, but I think alcohol restrictions are a major factor’. That comment is from someone who patches up people at Alice Springs Hospital.
We are faced with intergenerational poverty, disadvantage and despair so many people live with in and around Alice Springs. The member for Greatorex said Alice Springs is unlike any other country town in Australia. That is right, because very few country towns anywhere in Australia are surrounded by communities with such huge levels of intergenerational poverty and disadvantage. We need to get on top of these things and there are no silver bullets, no single solution.
I agree with the member for Greatorex that people who break the law need to be held to account - I accept that position. Something which became clear to the Attorney-General and me over the Christmas/New Year period was the number of young people - some just over 20, some just under - in Alice Springs who were going through a revolving door of the justice system. Police were arresting people, charging people, people were going before the courts – not for major offences which would see people immediately put on remand; however, significant offences, and people were bailed not only once, they would be picked up a couple of weeks later and bailed again. Some people were being bailed over and over and over again.
This says to me there is an element in Alice Springs at the crime end of the equation, as opposed to the antisocial behaviour level of the equation, committing mid-level offences. For the businesses and homes being broken into they are very serious property offences. I have spoken to a number of business people in Alice Springs about these issues, as well as individuals and police, and it is unacceptable to this government that people are bailed over and over again and keep getting bailed. The government will introduce legislation into this House later this week to close that loophole and send a strong message to the courts that if people commit offences they need to be dealt with quickly. There is a hardcore of people in Alice Springs who do not fear any consequences because as a result of repeat bail being granted to them there are no consequences. I say that is totally unacceptable and the government will close that loophole.
I accept what the member for Port Darwin had to say; years ago decisions were made to close the corrections centre in Alice Springs. The government is prepared to say that possibly was a wrong decision, and we will open a new juvenile detention centre in Alice Springs to ensure the courts cannot weasel out of putting people on remand because they will have to go to Darwin. They will not have that excuse; they will be able to remand them to a juvenile detention facility in Alice Springs.
I also hear the cry and accept it is genuine - we need a curfew in Alice Springs. One of the responsibilities of being in government, as well as leading, is to take advice. My advice from police is this is the last thing they want in Alice Springs because if a blanket curfew were to be declared police would spend the rest of their lives playing cat and mouse with kids as they gleefully ran rampant through Alice Springs. Police would much rather target offenders and ringleaders than enforce an unenforceable curfew.
I know it plays out well in the media and sounds like a simple solution. If there was a simple solution it would have been effected. You will find that if, and at some point when, you return to government - no government is forever; I believe we are a good shot for next time and we will be fighting very hard for it. However, if you have the responsibility of government, as well as leading you have to take advice and sometimes you would be wise to listen to that advice.
The other suggestion is police should be armed with dogs to patrol the streets. Again, police reject that and do not believe it is warranted. At least there are a couple of ideas on the table.
Regarding juveniles on the streets, we accept police need to have somewhere to take these people and will be establishing short-term, secure, safe places for police to take them. If they can get many of the kids hanging around the edges of these problems into secure, safe facilities, they can better target the ringleaders. We will be progressing as quickly as possible to establish secure safe facilities.
In my discussions with police and police prosecutors in Alice Springs over the last few weeks were issues with the construct and interpretation the courts have of the Juvenile Justice Act which make it difficult for this hard-core criminal element of juveniles to receive custodial sentences. We are taking this on board and welcome any input the opposition may have. The government is acting; it is listening to and working with the community.
I urge members of parliament to be wary - and I am not being patronising or paternalistic saying this. I am very concerned with the continuous amplification of the problems we face - heaven knows the front page today is horrendous. I am concerned for our tourism industry in Alice Springs, an indirect employer of the majority of people who work in the private sector. We have a responsibility as leaders not to over-inflate the size of the problems so they become national and international stories which deter people from coming to Alice Springs. The people we want to serve will be economically and financially disadvantaged very quickly.
There is the end of the scale which says unless we make noise the government will not do anything. I am articulating in the tone and tenor of this debate that we are taking these issues very seriously; we are committing significant resources to Alice Springs with the help of the Commonwealth government. There are no simple solutions to these issues - we are dealing with enormous social and intergenerational poverty and disadvantage which is contributing to these issues. We do not need these issues to be proportionately blown off all scales of responsibility and deter people from visiting Alice Springs. Once a community gains a reputation of being unsafe it is a very long road back. I do not want to see good people in Alice Springs lose their livelihood as a result of us, as a parliament and leaders, not being in the solutions business but being in the business of amplifying the problems we all know are there.
I am not being patronising or paternalistic at all. I say to members who hold seats there you do not have to do this. You do not have to blow it out of all proportion. If you want to talk to me about what police are doing, how they are doing it, or if they are not doing their job properly, as Police minister I am happy to talk to you.
Let us deal with some of the intergenerational and social disadvantage in Alice Springs. Let us look at town camps which have been absolute hell holes and cesspits for so many years; a blight on Australia as a nation. I am not gilding the lily - they were hell holes and cesspits and how people lived there God above knows. However, working with the Australian government for the first time - it is not about who is in power or who is not, or politics; it is a reality and fact of life and both levels of government have acknowledged it will not continue. Under the Alice Springs Transformation Plan, the Commonwealth government is investing $130m in a very small town in Australia to build 80 new houses; renovate houses; clean up yards; erect fencing; build kerbs and guttering; put street lights and play equipment in, and rubbish removal which never existed before. That is the transformational policy and commitment of government to what was a totally unacceptable situation.
We took on the bleeding hearts on the left side of the community in Alice Springs. I am not being derogatory; however, that is where I put them, where we had to stare people down and say: ‘Unless you agree to leases we will compulsorily acquire those camps’. Our supporters, such as they are in Alice Springs, condemned us to hell and back for having the temerity to take that position. There was even a QC on the phone from his villa in Tuscany providing advice to people in the town camps about the evil governments seeking to overturn their rights by insisting on a lease before government would commit this money.
We did some hard yards. It was the right thing to stare down people who have traditionally supported us in Alice Springs to do the right thing - turn those hell holes and cesspits into suburbs. I was with Jenny Macklin and the minister in Trucking Yards Camp last week. I visited before the transformation plan commenced, and to see the new houses, to hand over keys to people moving into the houses, to go into the houses and talk to people - everyone in those houses was working around Alice Springs, and the pride they were taking – this is transformational, and to suggest no one is doing anything and government does not care is incorrect.
With regard to the short-term accommodation facility, the member for Braitling attended the opening recently ...
Mr Giles: Pouring rain.
Mr HENDERSON: … yes, in pouring rain. I was not very chivalrous leaving Jenny Macklin sitting on the stage; Karl was good, he stayed with her. Again, that is transformational. People will not have an excuse in Alice Springs – this goes to the hard end of tough love as well as doing the right thing – to sleep rough around town when the transitional accommodation facility is there. We will be able to say: ‘Look, you do not need to sleep rough’. To service providers in Alice Springs who want to assist people living rough, living in the river and abusing alcohol, we will be able to say: ‘You do not need to provide services to these people any more. If we are funding you to provide services to these people, we will pull that funding because these people should be in the temporary accommodation facility’. They will pay a small price to be in that facility. Again, that is transformational. Over the course of this year, something like 500 additional accommodation places …
Ms Lawrie: Yes, 520.
Mr HENDERSON: … 520 in Alice Springs at all levels of the social spectrum, to deal with people coming into and out of town.
That costs an enormous amount of money, partly funded from the Territory government, partly funded from the Commonwealth government. When, in the history of Alice Springs, have 500 new accommodation places for transient people been delivered? Never! To say government is doing nothing, has given up, is not right.
None of this is going to change until we, as well as dealing with the problems and the crime - if people are committing offences over and over again we need to have them locked up so they take notice their behaviour will not be tolerated.
Where the Police Commissioner was coming from in his interview - and working with all agencies - is we need to address this at the other end of the scale - getting kids to school. I spoke to a meeting of the Indigenous Economic Development Taskforce that my colleague, the Minister for Indigenous Development chairs, which had heads of peak Indigenous bodies from around the Northern Territory in Darwin last week. I laid down a challenge: all of us as leaders, whether of land councils, service organisations, members of parliament, or the Chief Minister of the Northern Territory, when we are in a remote town or community and school is on, and outside the store there is a family group sitting with kids not at school, we should walk up to that family group and challenge the parents as to why those kids are not in school, not walk past them.
Perhaps we become desensitised in the Northern Territory to things other people cannot believe occur. I looked at myself several months ago in Wadeye, Port Keats, scratching my head as to why people were sitting under trees and there was a perfectly good school across the road with brand new facilities - a fantastic new secondary school and kids not attending school, sitting with parents who are not sending kids to school. I resolved there and then I would not walk past that any longer. I will make myself unpopular and growl at people about why their kids are not at school. My colleague, the Education minister, has a comprehensive strategy. Unless we fix the problem all the tub-thumping in the world about how bad it is will not resolve it. We are talking about intergenerational disadvantage, poverty, and the social dysfunction which comes from that, which is playing itself out in the streets of Alice Springs.
We will be investing, with the Commonwealth, in additional alcohol and drug rehabilitation facilities. If you take the politics out of banning or not banning people, this parliament is pretty close in that we need people with alcohol problems compulsorily sent to rehabilitation. We are at the sharp end of the political debate on that. I have been around long enough to know what that debate is all about. Fundamentally, we are all saying people with chronic alcohol problems need mandatory referrals to sobering-up facilities. We will do that. I will not get into the politics of banning or not banning people; that will be played out for another day. Fundamentally, people opposite acknowledge and accept, as we do, unless we deal with the alcohol issues nothing is going to change on the streets of Alice Springs.
As we progress this debate, without patronising or being paternalistic, you can run the line we do not care. It plays out well in Alice Springs and your vote might go from 70% to 80%. However, the reality is it is not true. Sticks and stones - it does not worry me what line you run in Alice Springs. The government will continue to do the right thing.
I remind people as we debate these issues, at the end of the day we are also leaders and have a responsibility when we amplify issues to be very careful of the broader consequences of what we say and who we influence. I have real concerns. My office has been contacted by many tourism operators in Alice Springs and the Tourism minister has been inundated. Tourism enterprises are scared about the politics around this and the potential impact it is going to have on people far away in Europe, and other places, who are planning their trip of a lifetime to Australia and may not come to Alice Springs.
The Internet makes research readily available. Things spread like wildfire on the Internet and newspapers, Facebook sites and all sorts of social networking media can completely destroy a town’s reputation to the extent it would take years to recover. I am urging people as we debate these issues, and we go into the Alice Springs sittings where I am sure there will be another demonstration – the government will say it is doing the best it can; the CLP will say it has neglected Alice Springs and hates Alice Springs. That will play out again; all is fair in love and war. I would hate to trash Alice Springs’ reputation so much that people will lose their jobs, their livelihood, and potentially see their homes devalued as a result of a lack of leadership and maturity in discussing and addressing problems for which there are no simple solutions.
You could double the size of the police force tomorrow and it would not make an iota of difference. You cannot have a police officer on every corner, on every street in Alice Springs for 24-hours a day, seven days a week. There are no simple solutions to this.
I come to this debate tonight to assure members opposite, particularly members who hold those seats, that we are not neglecting this. If you have genuine ideas you want to bring forward – I saw an e-mail recently - the Minister for Central Australia might want to advise on this - from a resident of Tennant Creek who sent an e-mail to the Minister for Central Australia’s office which had some practical issues about a particular laneway and a 24-hour convenience store. Because it was a 24-hour store there were people on the street at 2 am or 3 am buying food and drinks.
Large numbers of people congregated around this store; alleyways were an issue. Suggestions were made: if you did this fewer people would hang around. I said to Tony Mayell: ‘I want some advice. Are these good ideas? Should we be pursuing these things as well as some of the broader intergenerational stuff we are dealing with?’ I say to members who hold those seats, if you have any ideas for localised solutions we should be looking at with the council, talk to me. I am happy to chat to you any time.
Madam Speaker, I commend the Mayor of Alice Springs whose leadership is inspirational whilst doing a very difficult job.
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker! I seek an extension of time for the Chief Minister, pursuant to Standing Order 77.
Motion agreed to.
Mr HENDERSON: I commend Damien Ryan, Mayor of Alice Springs because - I will choose my words carefully - he has an interesting council to lead - interesting characters with a range of interesting views. He is showing leadership in working with all levels of government and the community to find solutions to these issues. The mayor has my mobile phone number and rings me from time to time when things get tough. I always return his calls and try to assist him.
There has been some politics around CCTV cameras in Alice Springs. The reality was police were trying to recruit auxiliaries to monitor those CCTV cameras in Alice Springs. A police auxiliary’s job is pretty good; it pays around $65 000 a year. Once fully qualified there are opportunities for promotion or transition to become a fully sworn police officer. I would have thought it would be an attractive job in Alice Springs. The reality was no one was applying for those jobs. As well as taking advertisements out in the papers and using local recruitment agencies, police also tried to headhunt people for the jobs. Police could not recruit auxiliaries to carry out monitoring of cameras from the Alice Springs Police Station. The negotiated response with the Alice Springs Town Council was for the local taxi company to monitor the cameras. With all due respect to the taxi company in Alice Springs, the person monitoring those cameras at 3 am probably does not have the training, the acuity and the interface with police they should have. It was not an optimal solution by any stretch of the imagination.
Technical issues needed to be resolved regarding reserved bandwidth for those cameras to be monitored at the Peter McAulay Centre in Darwin, where additional staff could be recruited to monitor those cameras. Technical issues took time and money to resolve; however, a much better outcome for Alice Springs in having competent, well-trained police officers working in a team to monitor the cameras and very quickly target police patrols through the same command and dispatch systems in Alice Springs to hot spots, rather than having the cameras monitored by the taxi company in Alice Springs.
The mayor said he was getting heat from the council about this and I said: ‘Come to Darwin, Damien. I will get you into the Peter McAulay Centre to see for yourself the professionalism, the skill, how the cameras are being monitored, what the command and dispatch rules are, the operational procedures. You can explain to your council it is a much better solution for Alice Springs’. He saw that, was very grateful, and returned and maybe hosed his council down on that.
I say to members opposite, if you have concerns about this, come and see me! I will get you into Peter McAulay Centre to see what they are doing. Do it from an informed basis, not from amplifying the last person who spoke saying it is appalling that these things are monitored from Darwin, Darwin does not care about Alice Springs, and whatever other nonsense was being suggested.
In conclusion, I take these issues very seriously. The Minister for Central Australia is doing a magnificent job. It is pretty tough country down there as the only Labor MLA. I work well with the Minister for Central Australia, as does the Attorney-General and other ministers, to support the work he is doing. I assure members of this House that the government does not ignore and neglect Alice Springs. It is focused on improving the lives of all people in Central Australia. I accept the town is going through a tough time at the moment. If there was a magic wand or a silver bullet, the wand would be waved or the bullet would be fired. We all know that is not the case.
We are dealing with a complex set of issues. I hope I have shown people in this parliament tonight that we acknowledge that. There are many programs running; multiple approaches to dealing with these issues; the investment is there. It is not necessarily about more dollars. You can always spend more dollars on any problem; however, more money is flowing into Alice Springs around these issues than ever before.
To those people who have felt, as a result of the bail provisions, they are untouchable in Alice Springs, think again. When we make these changes you will not be going through a revolving door of never-ending bail. You will be held to account and it will give police the ability to crack down on the hard core who, for whatever reason, have been going through a revolving door of bail. The government will also fix the shortcomings of the Youth Justice Act.
Madam Deputy Speaker, I thank the member for Greatorex for bringing on the debate and look forward to further contributions.
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Honourable members, I have received an update that the cyclone watch has progressed to a cyclone warning. As such, the Chief Minister is required to leave the parliament.
We have a pairing arrangement in place effective now until close of parliament today for the member for Wanguri with the member for Port Darwin. I table that document.
Mr ELFERINK: From our side of the House we appreciate the unusual circumstances of the Chief Minister’s departure and accept that means he will not be able to deliver his statement. We understand the circumstances and will accommodate him in any way we can.
Mr WOOD (Nelson): Madam Speaker, the hardest debate in this parliament to get both sides working together is the issue of crime and alcohol abuse. The one debate generally easiest to put into a party political spectrum is crime and alcohol. For me, it is the one thing where we should show leadership in the community and work together to find a solution. You cannot blame one side or the other; you cannot say parliament or government is the only solution. This has to come from the community; this has to come from our leaders.
Many of the issues in Alice Springs are about Indigenous young people - not always young - and there needs to be far more leadership in the Indigenous community. It is easy to blame the government; it is much harder to work together as a unified parliament to find solutions, and we should be sending a message out to the wider community that it is also part of the solution. People from Alice Springs have said swiping the card is terrible because only a minority cause the problem, so why should they suffer. On a very shallow level I understand that; however, we are all part of a community, good or bad, black or white; we are not separate and sometimes go down that path to avoid our responsibilities as a community to address problems in our society.
I can talk about the issues in this censure motion - crime is nothing new. I came to the Territory in 1970. I saw alcoholism and people being bashed. I arrived when I was 19 and had never seen such things in my life. I saw pubs serve warm beer to Aboriginal people, a boat with a licence at Robbie’s Sandbar pick up Aboriginal people, take them to the sandbar, get them drunk and bring them back to the community where they bashed people and caused problems. It is not something new.
Let us not forget the CLP was in power for 25 years. While you blame the ALP for being in power for 10 years, it goes around in a circle - blame game, blame game. It does not serve any purpose. This issue is far too serious and damaging to the Territorians we should be helping. We talk about child protection - this is about child protection. If kids are running the streets of Alice Springs they should be removed because child protection is not only about sexual or physical abuse, it is about neglect. From talking to Professor Vimpani recently with the CTC, the majority of child abuse is neglect. I visited an island off the coast I will not name at the moment, and found over 50% of children under three suffer from malnutrition. Is that not child neglect?
When talking about crime we need to talk about the cause of crime. Are children being raised in a family that loves and cares for them, where there is some discipline and they attend school? Prime Minister Gillard gave a great speech recently about closing the gap. I do not agree with everything in the Closing the Gap philosophy. She said Aboriginal people must send their children to school and that is right: responsibility must go to those people who are not doing the right thing. You can blame the government but the community as a whole has to take some responsibility for the problems.
Most kids are in trouble because of circumstances relating to their upbringing. I visited a therapeutic community in Ohio – it is a special type of prison - and sat in front of six prisoners and asked them why they were in prison. They said because they came from broken homes or drug and alcohol abuse at a very early age, such as 10 or 11 - marijuana and alcohol. We see the same thing happening in the Northern Territory.
There is a whole range of solutions not heard from the opposition - I hope they come back with some positives. There is more than locking people up and ensuring people cannot get repeat bail. There is a whole raft of factors governments have to look at to turn things around. It must start in the home and must be about early intervention. If it means government has to take some hard decisions so kids grow up properly, it has to make those hard decisions. If we are serious about child protection, protect kids from parents who do not look after them; protect kids from turning into criminals because their parents did not look after them. We have to make hard decisions at the start. Government needs to spend more money on this - we tend to spend money fixing the problem rather than preventing it. I have seen figures saying if you spend $1 when someone is three or four-years-old to help them start off better in life, you will save $20 when you house them in a prison.
If we are going to discuss crime in the Northern Territory we cannot only focus on it being bad in Alice Springs at the moment. It is bad in Alice Springs. The member for Macdonnell told me it is bad, and I have firsthand information from people in Alice Springs saying things are not good. Many people gather behind Hoppy’s Supermarket at night. I have seen people fighting on the Stuart Highway. It is somewhat confronting when you have dropped in for an iced coffee and, all of a sudden, you see people rolling across the highway belting one another.
The issue is not only in Alice Springs. It happens in Borroloola - thankfully, some of the alcohol controls in Borroloola have reduced it. It happens in Katherine - there have been reports of windows being smashed recently. It happens in Tennant Creek, yet Tennant Creek has become the model for another country - I cannot remember which - looking at alcohol control in that …
Ms Lawrie: South Africa.
Mr WOOD: South Africa is looking at that as a possible model for alcohol controls. Maybe South Africa has the same problems. This is not unique to the Northern Territory; however, we seem to have a small population with many problems. It is a problem in Palmerston and Darwin. I have said on radio recently - and the Chief Minister said it recently – people who have lost control because of alcohol abuse should have mandatory rehabilitation - be taken off the street.
I was at Uncle Sam’s last night and there was a bloke humbugging …
Ms Lawrie: Uncle Sam’s!
Mr WOOD: Yes. I do not stay at 5-star hotels, member for Karama, and I do not eat at flash restaurants.
That is where you meet people; where you see real life in Darwin. You see people who are drunk, or if not drunk are affected by alcohol, humbugging ordinary people going to the video shop. We have major issues. Young people are roaming the street attacking people - and it is not only Aboriginal people. An article in the Sunday paper talked about a policeman down south being bashed. Kids only 14 or 15 ran across the road to attack him. It is not only an Aboriginal problem - it is bigger than that. Some Aboriginal people are more prominent, which is why people think Aboriginal people are the problem in relation to excessive alcohol and violence. It goes beyond that - you only have to read the paper these days.
We should be looking at early intervention. We need a prison farm in Central Australia and more work camps for youth. At the last election the government said it was funding several youth camps - the Hamilton Downs Camp out of Alice Springs – however, that has dropped off. Three youth camps were sponsored by the government – that has finished. Someone told me they are doing camel treks.
Ms Lawrie: No, not finished.
Mr WOOD: I hope it is not. Camel treks are not what we are after. We need to send kids out bush, get them some work, some education, and get them away from the trouble staying around a community like Alice Springs can cause.
The proof in the pudding is places like Mt Theo. You get kids with a petrol sniffing problem, take them out bush, get them away from the problem, talk about what they are going to do, where they want to go in life and give them time to clear their heads because sometimes they need time out. We should be using the pastoral industry more to help these kids. You would have seen today’s paper - a great initiative. Kids from Ngukurr are doing a certificate course in mechanics. That is terrific. Ngukurr has already held a course at Mataranka Station for cattlemen. That is great. We have to put some positive things out. If we need to send kids out there, do it. Get them off the streets of Alice Springs and Katherine. There are two sides to this; one is to help a young person turn their life around; two is getting them off the back of the community which is sick of them. You have to call a spade a spade. People are sick of beggars in Darwin; people are sick of someone camping on a back lawn, defecating, and most of it has to do with alcohol.
As a parliament, we have to put away political digs at one another and work together. We need to tell sectors of the community they have to come along, have to lead, because it is a community problem which cannot be solved only by government. The government makes whatever law it wants. You can take a horse to water but the community has to come along as well.
The government is making changes to prisons; I would like to ensure no one wants to return to prison. I do not want a soft prison; I want one where prisoners have to work – they can receive training - all day. I have visited our prison and I know that not everyone works - everyone should work. If not, you do not get cigarettes, television or the pool table. We have to be stricter after release also.
The other side is what do people do when they are released from prison? We have other community problems: employment and inadequate housing. Some people go to prison, are released and are back in exactly the same circumstances. What have we done? We have probably won a few brownie points in the press, probably looked good for a few months, and then are back to square one. We have big issues around housing and unemployment. I repeat: in many communities the welfare money should go to the council to create jobs for people. If there are no real jobs - which is why I have problems with the Closing the Gap statement at times - you have to create jobs so people are doing something for their dignity, something to stop them being bored, and something to put pride into their community. You need a raft of policies around prevention of crime from the beginning to the end - ongoing. Do not drop the funding! One of the problems we have is the three-year funding cycle and then it stops. We need to ensure it is an ongoing program supported by parliament.
These issues are easy to turn into political point scoring. If people really believe this is a problem far greater than party politics - there is nothing wrong with politics; it is about dealing with the community as we should as members of parliament - we should strive for that.
I have been to communities with lovely little kids. I was at Bathurst Island for a long time. Kids had big, fat cheeks and the women would squeeze them to make them cry. I do not understand how they thought that was a sign of endearment. They were fantastic kids and at that age you think they are wonderful kids. Then you discover Bathurst Island has the highest youth suicide rate. What a waste of humanity; what a waste of life.
Those bigger issues should drive us to ensure the young people we see - I want to see black doctors; I want to see black lawyers; I do not want to see pretend. I was talking to a school principal recently who said teachers from Batchelor cannot teach – it is paternalism. They cannot teach. Why should Aboriginal schools be different? They should have properly qualified teachers. They should not be pretend teachers with half a certificate from Batchelor. These are major issues. He also said 3% of kids going to secondary school are literate. Where will they get a university education when they finish secondary school? Do not gloss over the facts! For sure, things are not good. Tell them they are not good and put positives forward - say how we are going to fix them and ensure the community comes along.
I would say to Aboriginal community leaders: it is time you stood up and worked to find solutions. You cannot blame the government all the time; that becomes boring. I cannot fix the problem. People say: ‘You are the man with all the power’. No, I am not. This is a problem the community has to grasp and I am saying to people let us work towards a solution.
Alcohol is a major problem in the Northern Territory. We should not be afraid to take on the alcohol industry. Notice the power of the Australian food and grocery industry at the moment. Watch the alcohol industry if you say: ‘I think there should be changes to the way alcohol is advertised’. I do not believe sweetened-up drinks of vodka should be easily available. The alcohol industry supplies alcohol which goes from a soft drink to straight, hard liquor without much difference in taste – it is not silly. We should look at the way alcohol is advertised in the Northern Territory, the way it sponsors sport, and ask if that is the way we want to go. We have the highest alcohol consumption per person in Australia. You have to ask: is it all about the heat? That was the excuse when I arrived. It is not all about the heat. It is a culture which needs looking at carefully. Part of that culture is part of the problem we have - part of the reason for this censure motion today - because alcohol is one of the main reasons we have so much violence and crime in the Northern Territory.
A whole range of issues need to be looked at. I could go on. I could give more examples of what we should do; however, I would rather see this censure motion move to something positive where we could work together. At the Alice Springs sittings people will be jumping up and down. Something which annoys me in Alice Springs is I feel like an alien. I like Alice Springs; Alice Springs does pretty well from funding. I saw a swimming pool recently which was pretty good. I have played cricket in Alice Springs; it has many cricket ovals. For a town of 25 000 people it does well. St Philip’s College is as good as anywhere in Australia. What an amazing college! Alice Springs is a fantastic place; we should put the positives out there as well.
Do not say: ‘I do not like Alice Springs’. You are also saying you do not like Borroloola - it is south of the Berrimah Line. My home is south of the Berrimah Line; people in Katherine and Timber Creek are south of the Berrimah Line. Alice Springs can wear out that record because there are some great facilities there. That is not denying there are not real problems, as in Katherine. I visit Katherine and it is a bit scary to go to Red Rooster - another high class restaurant - opposite the pub at 7 pm at night; it is not very comfortable. These are issues we have to grasp.
Madam Speaker, it is a Territory problem. Let us work together, let us find solutions. Let us ask the community to join with us and see leaders from outside government help change things for the better.
Ms ANDERSON (Macdonnell): Madam Speaker, I would like to contribute to this censure motion. For the last two-and-a-half weeks I have been sitting in the streets of Alice Springs until 1.30 am some nights observing what the town is up to. Go from the Royal Flying Doctor grass to the front of the 24 hour – the old Melanka - Kentucky Cross I call it instead of Kentucky Fried Chicken car park because it deserves the name Kentucky Cross - and the council grass. It is not only young people; we are talking about people in their 40s and 50s who should be setting an example to the young Aboriginal people going there to get young girls. It is not only the Aboriginal population; it is also the Sudanese population.
I have taken the number plate of a vehicle with five Sudanese inside who put girls in the car. I have given it directly to the Police Commissioner who has, I believe, forwarded it to the commander in Alice Springs. There is also an Indigenous woman in a little red car who picks up young girls. Her boot is always full of alcohol and drugs. She drives around picking up young girls and taking them to the Royal Flying Doctor grass. She is doing what happens in Kings Cross.
It is interesting to observe what goes on in the town. For people in this House who do not do that, as the member for Nelson said, it becomes a battle between parties rather than finding solutions.
One of the things I placed in the Centralian Advocate last week was there are two different standards of living conditions in Alice Springs. We automatically tell Indigenous people they can live in the town camps. If you build 500 houses in the town camps you are encouraging 500 extra people to come into town.
Not only Territorians come to town. People have come from Balgo, Jigalong and Kiwikurra; all from Western Australia. In Ananga Pitjantjatjara lands people are there from Freegon, Ernabella, Mimili, Indulkana, and Amata; it is not only Territorians. We have encouraged people from across the border to come to Alice Springs because there are alcohol restrictions in towns like Port Augusta. That is what you see in that little square of Alice Springs every night.
The member for Braitling and I went out on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights last year, and the year before. Today it is Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Do not go there at 9.30 and, as the Deputy Chief Minister did, walk through Alice Springs with police officers in front cleaning up so she did not see the antisocial behaviour. She also had backup police walking with her.
If you want to see the real thing, go out at 10.30 pm and sit at Kentucky chicken and watch. You will see it happening in front of you. What can you do? You have two officers from Family and Community Services walking the street from the end of the mall to Alice 24 Hour. They have no power under the current legislation to pick up any one of those children; all they can do is offer them a ride home. They have become a taxi service. I have stood with them at Alice 24 Hour. I have heard them say to children: ‘Would you like a lift home?’ If the children say: ‘No’, that is it, they keep walking. I have seen the Family and Community Services vehicle and the guys with the SYOS on the back of their shirts pull up at Alice 24 Hour for five minutes, do a round next to the Royal Flying Doctor, and go away.
I sent an e-mail to the Police Commissioner on Tuesday morning. The Deputy Mayor of Alice Springs, Brendan Heenan, came with me on Wednesday night. A transformation of that area is what happens when you get the Police Commissioner’s attention. I believe, with the Chief Minister’s approval, they would have done that. That whole area was swarming with police walking and police in cars. Brendan Heenan could not believe it: Tuesday night, 282 people; Wednesday night when the police were doing the patrols, 67. That was 67 around Kentucky Fried Chicken through Alice 24 Hour to the Royal Flying Doctor. If we continued that intensity in the vicinity we could remove the problem. The problem has become really big.
I acknowledge it is not only the government’s problem; it is not Alice Springs Town Council’s problem. In the Centralian Advocate last week I called on Indigenous leaders who have been silent on this issue in Alice Springs to start looking after their town as well, being active in the town, walking around and talking to their people because these are people from all over cross-border - Anangu Pitjantjatjara, Western Australia, South Australia and the Northern Territory. I even met a man from Camooweal who told me he loves lying around on the Alice Springs lawns. He said it is his home. If you go to the new Imparja block, down the creek at the sacred site for Lhere Artepe, you have people from Balgo, Jigalong, Kiwikurra, Kintore, Mt Liebig, Papunya and Haasts Bluff all living in that small area. A German backpacker also lives there; he came all the way from Germany and is under the bridge. They are people in the town who have come with many problems: cross-border problems, our own problems in the Northern Territory.
You have children walking around town. I have never seen so many children exposed to the amount of violence so late at night as I saw last Tuesday night. Babies are being carried by their grandmothers down the creek because their mothers are drinking nearby. This has become a serious issue. We can say: ‘Let us not allow it to become political’. We can say Alice Springs has never ever had so much money put into it - that is not the issue. Let us develop good policy – we have not had good policy. We have agencies everywhere running around doing the same thing.
When I was Minister for Central Australia we had all youth agencies discuss each other’s role. I heard one of the youth people on ABC saying the youth organisations need to come together. We have to ensure every agency knows exactly what they are doing; they know what they are doing at 1 am; they know what they are doing at 10 pm. However, what you have is one agency, Tangentyere Night Patrol. I have watched Tangentyere Night Patrol many times – music on full blast, windows down, off they go, and people are singing out to them and they do not stop. There was a lady on Saturday night with a child in a pram who wanted to go to Ilparpa. She could not walk there. This was about 9.30 pm and she was waiting for the night patrol.
The government has to look at where the money is going. If Family and Community Services people have no legislative power to pick these children up, why waste resources and have two people walking the street at night? What purpose does it have? Why have two people walking around from 9.30 pm or 10 pm at night until 2 am or 3 am if they cannot do anything except offer children a lift? If those children refuse the lift, they walk off and contact another child. I watched the SYOS three nights ago - youth officers on the ground - they walked straight past six youths - did not go near them. This is the hardship we put on the workers we have.
We have to get community people to take control of their own children and their own people who come into town. One of the things I suggested was having the Alice Springs Town Council meet with the MacDonnell Shire and the Central Desert Shire - that is where most people are coming in from - along with the governing bodies of all town camps. Unless they set a standard of entry into their town camps, it does not matter if you build 1000 houses you are encouraging 1000 people, because those people, at 4 am, go home somewhere.
Let me tell you where they go. They go back into the new houses you have built in the town camps and sleep around the verandahs and in the lounge and kitchen of your new homes. Unless the bar of entry into those town camps is raised by people living there, you will never solve the problem. We have seen the non-Indigenous population jump up and down about the antisocial behaviour, the businesses and other people living in the town but we have not heard from the Indigenous people. They are very silent. Their silence is deafening. We need to call them out as well and have them take action on behalf of their own people.
In sitting around with these people at Royal Flying Doctor and Kentucky Cross, and also the Alice Springs Town Council, I started noticing the yellow boxes were starting to come out at about 9.30 pm or 10 pm. That is one litre of white wine in a cask. I said: ‘Where are you getting all this grog?’ - the bottle-o shuts at nine. They showed me a couple of places. You would have seen the front page of the Centralian Advocate last week - Indigenous people selling to Indigenous people; Indigenous people living on the misery and sickness of their own people. If government is legislating against Bottle-o’s, or outlets in any town with a closing time, and you have these people living in our community doing this to their own people, then we should not accept them as part of our society. We need to crack the whip with these people.
It is not only alcohol. People in many flats and houses in Alice Springs sell ganja to these people. You not only have alcohol in the vicinity of Royal Flying Doctor and Alice Springs Town Council, you also have ganja. The Sudanese community needs to talk to its people because there are young Sudanese fellows racing around picking up young Aboriginal girls. In relation to our children, Aboriginal people need to talk to Aboriginal people.
There was an incident on Thursday night with my niece. I spotted her at Royal Flying Doctor at 1 am; at 5 am she tried to commit suicide and ended up in intensive care. I received a phone call from intensive care at 11.15 pm and had to ring my brother, 250 km away at Papunya, to come in because his daughter was on life support in intensive care. That is the type of issue we are dealing with - real issues of substance abuse not just poverty. These people do not live in poverty. I do not know where people get the idea Aboriginal people live in poverty. They receive Centrelink; a single person probably gets $275 a fortnight and the wife probably gets $1000 if they have two children.
We have to focus on children who do not go to school. I agree with the Chief Minister: we have to force children to go to school. There is no use fining people; we have to get truancy officers on the road and knocking on doors. Every child should be registered at school age and if they are not attending school let the truancy officers knock on the door and ask the parents: ‘Why is your child not at school? Send your child to school unless that child has a medical certificate!’
Madam Speaker, I agree with the member for Nelson. I have heard this and have made it quite public. The teacher assistants and health workers coming from Batchelor college cannot teach in a classroom, cannot even plan a lesson, so how do you expect children to be educated if you keep pushing that line? You will have uneducated kids because you have uneducated people teaching them. Let us give them the same qualifications you would give your children instead of giving them a blackfellow qualification; then you have a blackfellow kid who fails in literacy and numeracy.
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, before I call the next member I have a statement from the Australian government Bureau of Meteorology, issued at 4.21 pm today.
The Bureau of Meteorology warns that at 4.20 pm potential severe thunderstorms were detected on weather radar near Howard Springs, Beagle Gulf, Shoal Bay and Gunn Point. These thunderstorms are moving towards the east to southeast and are forecast to affect Koolpinyah and Lambells Lagoon by 4.50 pm and the northern suburbs, Lee Point and Middle Point by 5.20 pm. Damaging winds are likely. This is not a tropical cyclone warning.
The Northern Territory Emergency Service once again advises people to secure loose outside objects and avoid remaining in the open when storms threaten. I rang my daughter a little while ago and where we live in Nightcliff we had major trees down in our yard and bins were running along Nightcliff Road. It is not too good out there.
Mr HAMPTON (Central Australia): Madam Speaker, I too thank the member for Greatorex for bringing on the motion. Although it does not state ‘Central Australia’, the focus of this discussion so far, and contribution from all members, has been on Central Australia and I welcome that.
I will start by acknowledging the Chief Minister and his very sensible contribution. It showed a great deal of sensitivity to the issues and, as much as could be, was non-political. That is the approach we need in dealing with this motion before the House.
In many ways that is how I approach these issues. Being Minister for Central Australia is a privilege and I take the role very seriously. For me there are no votes in Alice Springs - it is not my electorate. I could easily sit back and not fight for resources or funding for Alice Springs through Cabinet. The member for Nelson acknowledged there are many great things happening in Alice Springs: sporting facilities; resources and funding – much happens. Politically, I do not have to prove anything to anyone; I do not have to win votes; I do not have to score political points. I do it because I love Alice Springs - Alice Springs is my home. I was born there; I grew up down the Gap and my family will always be there. I will live in Alice Springs post my political career. That is what drives me and, as the member for Greatorex said, we all become involved in politics to make a difference. The Chief Minister said there is no magic wand, no silver bullet for the difficult issues discussed in this motion, and the intergenerational issues he outlined so well in his contribution.
I am fully aware of that, as most members would be. The issues we are dealing with are difficult. I can say this honestly: government does not neglect Alice Springs. Every week around the Cabinet table my colleagues and I discuss issues, and Alice Springs is something my Cabinet and Caucus colleagues take very seriously. It is not a matter of politics for us. As the Chief Minister said, it is about doing the right thing for the people of Alice Springs, the people of Central Australia, and for all Territorians. That is what drives me. It is not in my electorate, I do not have to win votes there; however, I love Alice Springs and it is the right thing to do by the people of Alice Springs.
We have the Alice Springs Youth Action Plan. The Chief Minister touched on parts of the plan, and parts of the Alice Springs Transformation Plan. I have worked closely on both during my time as Minister for Central Australia and my five years in parliament. For me it is about building on the strengths of our community. I approach things by building on strengths and recognising the hard work and dedication of the many people tackling issues in the Centre. These issues have been around for a long time, as the member for Nelson stated. We have to move past the politics. I understand we have a by-election coming up for the Alice Springs Town Council and we have the Alice Springs sittings coming up. That is the politics we are facing. I acknowledge the real issues in Alice Springs. No one is denying there are issues but I would like to build on the strengths of our community. That is where I want to deal with these issues; there is much community strength in Alice Springs.
The Youth Action Plan is something the member for Macdonnell kicked off as Minister for Central Australia. Much work was done then and much work has been done since. It is not the perfect policy. We can always do better and I, like the Chief Minister, am always open to discussion with opposition members, particularly those in Alice Springs. My door is always open; it is a matter of picking up the phone and talking; I am always prepared to listen.
The Youth Action Plan has achieved a fair amount over recent years. We had the opening of the Police Beat in the Todd Mall. We now have the Youth Outreach Service operational seven nights a week and, like members opposite, particularly those from Alice Springs, I have been on the streets with the youth workers. I have also been on the streets by myself on many occasions. As a young teenager I was on those streets and know where the youth are coming from. Much is boredom and much is about behaviour, which is what we have to change. The Youth Outreach Service operates seven nights a week as part of the Youth Action Plan. We have additional funding for the Gap Youth Centre and other youth service providers. We can always do with more funding, something I will be fighting for – for other youth service providers to receive more funding as part of the Youth Action Plan. There is additional funding for the Gap Youth Centre, a place I grew up across the road from and used many times. They provide a great service.
There is also the Youth Hub established at the ANZAC campus and the upgrade to Centralian Middle School. There is $9.5m - I know it is not all about dollars; however, I visited CMS school recently. They have record enrolments, and we have heard from many members the importance of education. Every Child, Every Day - my colleague, the minister for Education, is very hot on this issue, as is government. It is important for our kids to attend school every day. A good education is what got me to where I am. I am sure the member for Macdonnell will acknowledge that a good education opens doors for you. It was a great opportunity to visit Centralian Middle School in Alice Springs to see the facilities: the Internet caf; the Girls Sports Academy room; the new caf; the Clontarf room; and the gymnasium. These things all help in getting our kids to school and keeping them there.
The Girls Sports Academy is doing fantastic things. It is building on the strengths of people who work in programs such as the Girls Sports Academy at CSM or at Centralian Senior Secondary. The other great program is the Clontarf Academy. Brad Puls, Ian McAdam, Shaun Cusack, Charlie Maher, many of them local Aboriginal guys, know what it is like growing up in Alice Springs - they were born and bred there. They know the challenges and are great role models for young Indigenous men coming through the Clontarf Academy.
We now have John Adams in the Youth Services Coordinator position. He is doing a great job pulling together the youth sector and the non-government sector. As the member for Macdonnell said, we do not want duplication in this sector. It is vitally important to Alice Springs that we have youth service providers working together in a coordinated manner because, often, they are dealing with the same kids. Those kids know the system and the youth services very well - we need people to be talking together about the same kids. I spoke to some of the providers recently about the announcements the Deputy Chief Minister and I made regarding tackling antisocial behaviour and supporting youth at risk. The No School No Service program has been introduced for some time and is well supported by business. Business is getting behind it; you see posters in shops all over town. It may not be the magic wand; however, it is an important part of the Youth Action Plan and getting kids to school.
There are new police powers to ban any person causing alcohol-fuelled violence or antisocial behaviour from the new Alice Springs CBD designated area for up to 48 hours. Courts can ban people from the area for 12 months. This is another tool in our armoury to tackle antisocial behaviour. For the period 1 January 2009 to 31 December 2010, there have been 9000 attempts detected by the ID system to purchase alcohol while either prohibited or against the liquor supply plan. That is a lot of grog not consumed by people who have been banned or prohibited from the purchase of grog.
I acknowledge my colleague, the Deputy Chief Minister, for cracking the whip in Alice Springs. She visited, patrolled with the youth services team, and met with the business community. I met with the business community as well and, honestly, was concerned by the aggressiveness of some business owners. I can sympathise with what they are going through. They are tired; they are sick of break-ins. Government acknowledges this and is putting measures in place to acknowledge what they are going through. However, I was concerned with the aggressiveness of some business owners …
Mr Giles: They have had enough. That is why.
Mr HAMPTON: That is right. They have had enough and I understand that; however …
Mr Giles: You are doing nothing. You are not a leader, mate.
Mr HAMPTON: I understand they have had enough …
Mr Giles: You need to pull the pin.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Braitling!
Mr HAMPTON: … member for Braitling, and government is taking steps regarding their concerns.
The next step - and the Chief Minister outlined this - is a new police patrol coordinator. It is something the member for Macdonnell acknowledged; there are many patrol services operating in isolation and the appointment of a Senior Sergeant Patrol Coordinator will go a long way in dealing with some of the issues the member for Macdonnell raised. That is funded through the Alice Springs Transformation Plan in cooperation with the Commonwealth government. Another is targeted patrols and Operation Harpoon, which targets youth on the streets at night with a focus on identifying and removing troublemakers and referring individuals for alcohol and other drug interventions.
The Chief Minister mentioned the tougher penalties for breach of bail. New laws will be introduced to make breaching bail an offence. There is a revolving door, with many juveniles being let off on bail. Magistrates do not want to put them in remand if they have to come to Darwin away from home and family. The other important initiative we have announced is the detention centre in Alice Springs. I visited, with the Deputy Chief Minister and Correctional Services staff, the new 24-bed facility which has already been built. Further work will be done to separate it from the main correctional centre near the cottages by fencing facilities inside that building. It has been built and will soon be operational.
Also, new short-term safe houses to accommodate juveniles taken off the streets at night by police. The member for Macdonnell said there is no legislative power for people to do that. My understanding is there is under the Youth Justice Act, but they do not have anywhere safe and secure to take those kids.
That has been a problem; however, the new short-term safe houses will deal with that and allow youth workers and police, who already have the power, to take them to a safe and secure facility.
Expansion and relocation of the preventative Bush Mob alcohol and other drugs facility is a very important announcement and the next step in dealing with the issues we are discussing this evening. The current location of Bush Mob in Schwartz Crescent is unacceptable. This facility will go a long way in dealing with kids I have seen firsthand chroming or sniffing on the streets of Alice Springs, while also supporting Bush Mob.
The Return to Country Blitz, getting kids to school - a one-off free Return to Country Blitz helping families and youth return to their communities and back to school is a very important initiative.
That briefly describes the Youth Action Plan. There is no silver bullet, no magic wand to wave. This government’s commitment to Alice Springs is in this most comprehensive Youth Action Plan. It may not be perfect but it shows government has taken this seriously. I thank my colleagues on this side of the House for their support in getting these initiatives up and running.
Turning to the Alice Springs Transformation Plan, if you visit the town camps as much as I do you can see a real transformation, not only in new houses being built, but also those being rebuilt and refurbished.
Mr Giles: You have used that word often today. Hoppy’s Camp has a big pile of cans.
Mr HAMPTON: Talk to the families moving into these new homes and they will tell you how proud and grateful they are for their own home. It makes a big difference with overcrowding - something which has come from the Little Children are Sacred report and the Growing them strong, together report. Housing is a critical issue in addressing the intergenerational problem we have. There should be bipartisan support for the transformation plan, not the politics we hear from the member for Braitling. I have spoken to many families who have moved into those new homes and they are glad to have them. Kids have their own rooms and can, hopefully, have a good sleep and go to school.
I am committed to continue fighting for the Centre. There are no votes in it for me - it is not my electorate; however, I love Alice Springs. The transformation plan is not only about building new homes or refurbishing and rebuilding homes in the town camps, it is about dealing with the intergenerational issues the Chief Minister identified and helping families and kids get their lives on track and providing a good education.
Many non-government organisations have been in receipt of grants. Tangentyere Council, with their youth service centre in Brown Street, does a fantastic job. It has a really good youth service team who do a very good job in tough circumstances. The Congress Safe and Sober Program and the family violence program have people on the front line who do it tough day in, day out getting families lives back on track. I acknowledge Mayor Damien Ryan, who has shown real leadership and been a great supporter of the Alice Springs Youth Action Plan and the Alice Springs Transformation Plan. I thank the police who do a fantastic job on the streets under enormous pressure; I acknowledge their contributions.
Focusing on some of the positives, I spoke to Neil and Julie Ross from Ross Engineering last week about some new announcements to tackle antisocial behaviour and support for youth at risk. They own a local business which has had its fair share of break-ins; however, they remain positive. Ross Engineering has a very good Indigenous employment strategy and they want to see young Aboriginal people in Alice Springs get their lives on track, get a great job and build a great future in Alice Springs. Julie, I believe, is still the Chair of the Alice Springs Chamber of Commerce. Neil and Julie have a positive way of dealing with opportunities through Indigenous employment.
The member for Araluen talked about the CCTV cameras and the member for Greatorex mentioned monitoring being done in Darwin. The Chief Minister has extended an invitation to visit the Peter McAulay Centre to view the monitoring. I have not been yet. I will look at how it works and would love the member for Araluen to come with me. I am happy to organise that through the Chief Minister. I want to see the best system for Alice Springs. I do not care where it is being monitored as long as it is reliable and does the job. If it means we have more police on the beat in Alice Springs instead of sitting behind a monitor, that is even better.
Madam Speaker, I will close by saying that this can easily be dealt with as a political issue. Alice Springs’ parliament is coming up …
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, your time has expired.
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I have just been advised there is now a cyclone warning in place for Darwin.
Mrs LAMBLEY (Araluen): Madam Speaker, this is clearly a very emotional topic, particularly for people who live in Alice Springs or who have a vested interest in Alice Springs. Yes, people and business owners feel very angry. The Minister for Central Australia alluded to receiving an angry reception from business owners he met with recently and, under the circumstances, that is quite reasonable. I did some doorknocking last week and the response I am receiving from constituents, particularly elderly people, is they are really scared. They do not feel safe and it is affecting the quality of their life.
We have to address this, and I am hearing from people on the opposite side of the room this is not a political issue - perhaps because what they have done has not worked. Sadly, it is a political issue. It is a hot issue in Alice Springs, which needs to become more of a focus for this government.
The Alice Springs community is pleading for this government to do something about the law and order problem. I will not talk about how it has affected Alice Springs - the member for Greatorex has done that. I would like to talk about the attempts this government has made to address law and order issues. Of course, the Minister for Central Australia has already talked about the Youth Action Plan, and there are some great aspects to it. Some services in Alice Springs do a fine job in helping support troubled kids or kids from difficult backgrounds. They are providing activities and possibly a future for these otherwise disillusioned youths. I will not denigrate any service contributing to helping children in Central Australia.
I have always had a problem with the Youth Action Plan and have made it clear to the Minister for Central Australia. It is souped up for the amount of substance in it - a Youth Action Plan which includes an old school building, an education facility - the Centralian Middle School - a physical location and some programs. I cannot get excited about it, and the average person in Alice Springs probably does not know what you are talking about when you mention it.
This government has lost so many opportunities to develop what could be an amazing array of youth services to address youth problems in Alice Springs. The member for Macdonnell mentioned the duplication of youth services and the lack of coordination. This has been a theme for years. I am a social worker by trade and have been for most of my life. I have lived almost half my life in Alice Springs and have a deep understanding of the provision of welfare and health services in the town. The duplication of youth services in Alice Springs is well identified by people in the sector. I spoke to someone recently who said there are no regular meetings of youth services providers. The lack of coordination has been present for a long time, I suspect throughout the duration of this government.
Another attempt made by the government to address law and order issues in Alice Springs is the plethora of alcohol restrictions imposed for the last six years which have systematically failed. We have been the social experiment of the Northern Territory; we have been used as guinea pigs to try every alcohol restriction the government could pluck up. People have had a gutful. You talk about aggression and anger; this is one of the main causes. These restrictions have demonstrated a generalised approach to addressing alcohol problems in Alice Springs does not work. The broad-brush approach this government is continuing to implement has never worked.
I recall the deputy leader, at the end of last year, said the government was targeting alcohol restrictions. I cannot see that. It is more of the same, and my analysis of why is that government has failed to identify who. Who is the problem? A light bulb moment in my four months as a member of parliament is when I heard the Chief Minister say this is an Aboriginal problem. Ninety percent of assaults in Alice Springs are between Aboriginal men and women. That is what he said. Did I hear right?
Mr Giles: Ninety nine percent.
Mrs LAMBLEY: Ninety nine percent. I heard 90% but I believe the member for Braitling when he corrects me. I have not previously heard this government define the problem as clearly as the Chief Minister did today. People in Alice Springs have been told for years they have an alcohol problem and need to restrict alcohol consumption because they cannot help themselves; we are all rolling drunks who cannot behave or manage the amount of alcohol we consume. This is wrong. This is a fundamental error in the complete alcohol restriction package this government has delivered over the last six or seven years in Alice Springs. The resources this government has wasted attempting to convince the Alice Springs community we all have an alcohol problem is an absolute disgrace, and a clear sign of the government’s lack of policy and direction in managing law and order in Alice Springs.
The member for Macdonnell delivered a great story to the Centralian Advocate last week exposing grog running as a major problem in Alice Springs. Grog running is a symptom of prohibition! It is a symptom of extreme alcohol restrictions. We saw the experience of America. We have seen other international jurisdictions try to impose extreme alcohol restrictions. You would not believe the problem we have with grog running in Alice Springs! People are telling us anecdotally it does not matter what they sell in the bottle shops because you can get it up the road, and the member for Macdonnell has given us more evidence to that effect.
We have had dry zones in Alice Springs for years - put another layer of restrictions on us! Let us have another geographical area imposed on the geographical area we have already designated for the dry zone and call it the designated area. It has had absolutely no effect!
Alcohol restrictions in Alice Springs have been a joke, have not worked, and have been the cornerstone of this government’s attempt to manage law and order problems. They fail to identify who, and we have a problem far worse than it was 10 years ago.
The Minister for Central Australia touched on my issue, and that of many members on this side of the House, about monitoring of CCTV cameras going to Darwin, not the police. I support police monitoring the CCTV cameras in Alice Springs; however, going to Alice Springs is a huge backward step. I spent a night with the people who monitored the Alice Springs CCTV cameras until about a week ago. They explained part of collecting evidence which can be used to convict criminals is to know where they go and follow them from camera to camera. It requires local knowledge and understanding. It requires knowing where the hiding spots are and where these people will go after they have committed an offence.
I have also spoken to people in the industry who say local knowledge is necessary when monitoring the cameras. You cannot expect someone sitting in a centre monitoring CCTV cameras in Darwin to know if you are running down Stott Terrace in Alice Springs because you have flogged someone’s handbag that you might run up to KFC or down the back of Bojangles and up the back of Reg Harris Lane. You will not know that is a possible route because you do not live there and would not understand the layout of the streets. This is why it should be in Alice Springs; it is a critical service which needs local input and local management - it is as clear as that.
Why has the Police Media Liaison Officer position been moved to Darwin? Why has such a critical position in information dissemination by the police been moved to Darwin? I would like the government to answer that. Is this in the best interests of Alice Springs? No, definitely not. We have not had the police communication system in Alice Springs for several years; however, constantly - and I say constantly without any exaggeration - I am told people are ringing through to the police and getting some obscure response, or no response at all. It is not a local service; it is based in Darwin and managed by people who do not have the best interests of Alice Springs at heart.
The government has failed with law and order and failed to provide proper child protection services in the Northern Territory. It is all inexplicably linked. You cannot talk about law and order issues without mentioning child protection services. The member for Nelson referred to this as being an essential ingredient in assisting and supporting children who are losing their way, committing crimes and making a nuisance of themselves on the streets. This is a big problem in Alice Springs. Children on the streets of Alice Springs are causing problems. Children - I am not talking about youth - I am talking about kids under the age of 15. There is a clearly identifiable group of people we are not assisting.
When I was an alderman on the Alice Springs Town Council, we presented a package to the deputy leader of government, who was, I believe, then Minister for Local Government, proposing the Northern Territory government implement a youth curfew. Part of that youth curfew - it really was not about youth - was about children, and perhaps we made an error calling it a youth curfew - it was a children’s curfew. Part of that curfew was to establish safe houses for children in Alice Springs. That was in 2007 or 2008 and now, four years later, the government is going to set up safe houses. That is fantastic. Why did it take three or four years for the government to listen? Listening is where this government has fallen down. The people of Alice Springs have been telling this government for many years of the problems, and potentially the solutions, and this government has not listened. It is a very political issue which cannot be made into a bipartisan problem because the government has had 10 years to act on it. We have been in opposition hammering away giving government solutions to no avail.
The other area where the government has contributed to law and order issues is by encouraging and facilitating Aboriginal people from communities to move into Alice Springs. This may be a contentious issue; however, it is quite correct and there is evidence to support this statement. The government, by setting up the transient accommodation facility in Percy Court, is assisting and facilitating people from the bush to move into town unnecessarily. We have to question the government on this. It is a kind and noble gesture to provide this amazing accommodation facility worth tens of thousands of dollars; however, it is allowing, assisting, facilitating and encouraging people who would normally stay in their communities to come into town. That is not in anyone’s favour, particularly when people do not have work and could be led astray by the constant attraction of drinking alcohol, which seems to be one of the main problems in town.
What would we do if we were to form government in 2012? We would trial a curfew for children in Alice Springs. This has been a request of Alice Springs for years - the Alice Springs community wanted to give it a go. As a community, we do not like to see children unsupervised on the streets of Alice Springs because it is dangerous and potentially a risk to the safety of the community.
We want to see police security dogs introduced into Alice Springs. This has been categorically rejected by the police commander on radio this morning, and also in the Centralian Advocate today. He said police security dogs would not be suitable for a range of reasons. Police security dogs are used extensively throughout Australia - in most other states and territories there are hundreds of police security dogs in use. They are effective and efficient in the long-term management of public drunkenness and antisocial behaviour. There is much evidence to support this, and I am shocked at the police commander’s response. He needs to do some research. I am surprised he does not have more knowledge of how successful and effective they can be.
We need more police. We see how effective regular targeted patrols in Alice Springs are, which demonstrates they need to be a permanent fixture, not something that happens now and then.
The alcohol restrictions need a targeted response. We need to be courageous to identify who has the problem, and thanks to the Chief Minister we can confirm the problem is Aboriginal people coming to Alice Springs drinking excessively and causing problems. We need to target those people. Yes, alcohol consumption has dropped significantly in Alice Springs over the last few years - down by about 18%, on average. However, who is drinking less? It is not the people we see on the street cavorting every night. The people drinking less are people like you and me, people in this room who function, who live fairly average lives, who work, who go about their business and do not cause disruption to other people. People with drinking problems in Alice Springs are the people queuing up at 2 pm every afternoon at the grog shops buying their liquor and proceeding to cause trouble through the night for their neighbours and the community. We all know who the people with the problem are. Let us not pretend it is everyone in the community - it is not. The Country Liberals have committed to a fairly comprehensive rehabilitation program for people with alcohol problems.
Why has this government been impotent in its ability to deal with law and order issues in Alice Springs? This government has shown a lack of courage in clearly identifying who has the problem and who is making trouble on our streets at night. In any problem solving process - you all know this, you are all good public servants and have been around the traps - you always identify the problem - who, what, where, when, how and why - this is where this government has failed.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Araluen your time has expired.
Mr GILES (Braitling): Madam Speaker, it would not be a proper censure motion on Alice Springs if I did not speak. I thank the member for Greatorex for bringing this censure motion on - it is very important. The situation in Alice Springs at the moment is of dire circumstances. The sombre tone the Chief Minister took in his response was appreciated. He sounded genuine, although I am unsure if he was. We will wait and see.
Politics has changed over the last few years in Australia and the Northern Territory. People are no longer content to listen to politicians talk in the media, respond to media releases, and make glib statements without doing anything. People want to see action on the streets and on issues which affect them.
It was interesting listening to the Chief Minister say he would like substantial ideas about how we might move forward in addressing some of the issues. Yes, some of them are generational and, yes, many have come about over the last 10 years of this government. It is not always good looking backward; sometimes we need to look forward.
I was talking to a friend in Alice Springs recently about two separate incidents of people being attacked with a machete in Todd St, Alice Springs in front of Bojangles on the council lawns. Nowhere should anyone be subjected to an attack by a machete; however, it has become the norm. The number of people leaving town because of crime and antisocial behaviour is devastating. To hear people have been attacked with machetes, the number of sexual assaults I am aware of, the home invasions and rapes is - zero crime is acceptable; however, the level of crime and the number of people affected is outrageous. I ask anyone in this parliament to find one person in Alice Springs who has not been the victim of crime, or does not know a victim of crime in the last 12 months.
Today I berated the member for Stuart, the Minister for Central Australia, the man who is too gutless to sit in the Chamber during debate and hear this ...
Ms Lawrie: Not true, not true.
Mr GILES: … because this is on his head.
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Any reference to a member’s presence in the parliament is contrary to standing orders.
Madam SPEAKER: Yes, that is correct.
Ms Lawrie: Read your standing orders.
Mr GILES: Speaking to the point of order, I did not make any reference to the person.
Members interjecting.
Ms SCRYMGOUR: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The member for Braitling said the minister is too gutless to listen to this debate.
Mr Giles: I did say that.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Arafura, resume your seat. Member for Braitling, can you withdraw the comment please.
Mr GILES: I withdraw.
Madam SPEAKER: Thank you.
Mr GILES: It is gutless of the member for Stuart, the Minister for Central Australia, not to listen to this debate. He is the person responsible ...
Ms LAWRIE: A point or order, Madam Speaker! There is clearly an inference to the member’s presence or otherwise in the Chamber. You have already asked him to withdraw it and he has repeated it.
Mr GILES: I did not repeat it. Speaking to the point of order, I said he is not listening. I did not say he was not here. If he is not in the Chamber I am not making a reference to it.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Braitling, you are on thin ice. Can you remember the standing orders? Do not refer to a member’s presence or absence and withdraw the comments, thank you.
Mr GILES: I withdraw, Madam Speaker.
Madam SPEAKER: Thank you.
Mr GILES: I was trying to be positive about this and add value. Let us talk about the absence of the Minister for Central Australia in this debate. Let us talk about how the member for Stuart has been absent for some time. We only have to cast our minds back to the Yuendumu debacle. We remember Politics 101 - when it becomes troubling what do you do? You get out of the fire. This is where we talk about the trouble of Yuendumu and how it impacted on Alice Springs and Adelaide. This is a map of Vanuatu, where the Minister for Central Australia, the member for Stuart, went during the time of crisis in his electorate. We know the Minister for Central Australia should have been in Central Australia during the times of crisis, when these issues are hot button issues, when crime, antisocial behaviour and law and order are out of control. This year it is much worse and where is he?
This is not a map of Alice Springs I am holding up; this is a map of Vietnam. This is where the member for Stuart, the man not listening, goes when there is trouble in town. Do you know what we should have done? We should have had football games on every day in Alice Springs because he would have been there for a photo. This is the member who is too gutless to talk to Aboriginal people - he cannot talk to his own people. He attends a function with his advisor, stands at the back and when it is time for photos stands in the middle, quickly gets the photo, leaves, and puts it in his newsletter. He is supposed to be a leader.
The Chief Minister wants to know how to solve the issues - I will tell him. Talk privately with me about doing this in a bipartisan way. One of the solutions will be removing the current Minister for Central Australia. The Minister for Central Australia does not lead; he is not a leader; he is not doing his job. This is a cry for help for the people of Alice Springs. This is a cry for help from the people who live on Jarvis Street who, two nights ago, had all the petrol taken from their cars. The security guard at the Northside shops was bashed by four people in front of shoppers on Friday night. These people want help: the lady who lives on Lyndavale Drive who was raped; the people who had their home invaded on East Side the other night. This is continuous. What is happening is vile!
The minister goes overseas - does not do his job. The Minister for Central Australia must be replaced. I call on the Chief Minister to rid us of Karl Hampton, the Minister for Central Australia. He is not doing his job; not standing up for Central Australians. The Chief Minister must find a new minister immediately so we have someone who leads Central Australia and can provide solutions. He says: ‘I am a born and bred Territorian; born and bred in Alice Springs’. He put a medal on his chest. That is not an award you want. The award is showing conviction, leadership and taking the community forward. He does not do that on an environmental, economic, cultural or social basis.
The town is burning; people are leaving. He should hang his head in shame. His family visited me to complain about him - requiring assistance. That is how bad it is! Culture, family and blood run deep - you support your own. However, I have people asking for assistance because you are not doing your job. If you are not up to it, walk out. People need help. You do not understand. Do you want to know why businesses are at your doorstep? Because you are not doing your job. Do you want to know why there are advertisements on television? Because you are not doing your job ...
Mr Hampton interjecting.
Mr GILES: You think it is funny. The Chief Minister laughs and says he expects a protest. This campaign will not be confined to Imparja or Southern Cross. This campaign will go Territory-wide, Australia-wide, and international because you are not doing your job. This is not politics. The Deputy Chief Minister and the Chief Minister know the politics - the numbers. They understand it. We all get it. But we want action. The Chief Minister must replace the Minister for Central Australia. I am happy to have the member for Arnhem become Minister for Central Australia. I will work with you, come up with ideas - guaranteed. Chief Minister, my arm is out, the extension is there, let us work together to find answers.
Let me tell you how gutless the member for Stuart, the Minister for Central Australia is. I do not discuss personal conversations. If I have a sly conversation with someone, it stays on the side. However, two years ago I was at the Alice Cup Ball at the Old Quarry in Alice Springs. The member for Stuart and I chatted. We had several beverages over dinner and were having a quiet chat. He said to me - this relates to what the Chief Minister mentioned earlier: ‘As part of the intervention I wish John Howard had taken over the town camps. We cannot do it; we are not able’. I thought: that is Labor versus CLP - that is how it works. Member for Stuart, I am sorry for repeating that conversation; however, it goes to the heart of what the Chief Minister said about wanting change and how you do not have the competence to do it.
Larapinta Valley Town Camp Housing Association members have come to me, en masse, asking for assistance to move into a residential subdivision development and become part of town. Minister for Indigenous Development, you would be interested in that - I am sure you are aware of it. It has gone to Jenny Macklin, the federal Indigenous Affairs minister. It has come to the Territory government. The Labor lefties want to stop it - it is all politics and votes. If the Chief Minister is serious, he will help. That will make a significant change to town. Take the politics out of it - it will make a massive change to town. You have 90 ha - up to 300 lots - help solve the housing issue and assist people with capital and it will make a big difference.
The member for Araluen spoke about the police media moving to Darwin - a significant change made by government. The reason was to control the media because government is not telling people what is really happening on the streets - not at all. I would like to see the Chief Minister talk about the murder rate in Alice Springs over the last six months. Aboriginal people are being killed in Central Australia as a result of alcohol and the numbers have increased.
Members interjecting.
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order!
Mr GILES: We have the John Boffas of the world saying the alcohol changes are very important; they are lowering the murder rate. We are seeing figures increasing.
Government wants to refer to Singapore, where I was working, because it has no answer - they are gutless. The Chief Minister was very humble, wanted to have some …
Members interjecting.
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order!
Mr GILES: … real dialogue about finding answers. I am talking about Larapinta Valley Town Camp and they want to berate me. That does not seem to work.
The member for Greatorex said people are berated because they are white - a real thing. It is important to step back to understand the issues. People have been racially vilified and slurred because they are white; they are being punched because they are white; they are being spat on because they are white; they are having their cars kicked because they are white - in the Coles shopping centre; in the Woolies shopping centre and parked on the side of the road. This is an all-day every-day occurrence. If this is not good, lead from the front and do something.
A member: You are inciting it.
Mr GILES: I am not inciting it. People should be able to walk to the shops and feel safe; they cannot do that now.
The Chief Minister spoke about tourism - already in significant trouble. Some tourist operators are doing well; however, the numbers are down. Crime has killed tourism. It is not when it happens; it has happened. We can thank Oprah all we want, it has happened and people know. The Chief Minister is correct; with the Internet and media this spreads like wildfire.
The Chief Minister wants to know how to fix things. Two things could make a massive difference immediately. He spoke about potential changes to bail. There needs to be an alcohol prison farm for chronic alcoholics to get off the street. They are endangering themselves, their family and people in the community. They have to be removed from the street. It has to be done in a bipartisan way with no politics. There are lefties all around Australia, whether Liberal lefties, Labor lefties or Greens, who will complain; however, these alcoholics have to be taken off the street, there is no other way.
The Chief Minister asked if police need to be on every corner. I do not advocate more police - that is not my position. There needs to be a security presence on every corner. Law has to be reinstated at the shops and in the community. If you cannot go to your local shopping centre without being attacked there is a problem. I am not calling for martial law. Wikipedia defines martial law as:
That is what is happening in town. The government of the Northern Territory is failing to maintain law and order in Alice Springs. The police are doing their job; they cannot do any more.
Security guards, funded by the Alice Springs Town Council under the auspices of Mayor Damien Ryan, were put in the mall for a period of time. That made a difference. We have to secure the business district of town. People need to feel safe to walk from Toddy’s Backpackers or Annie’s Place to Bojangles or Town & Country Tavern in the mall. You have to feel safe going to Woolworths without fearing being attacked in the car park. Shops at Northside are closing hours earlier because they cannot provide a secure environment. Security needs to be in place. During the intervention NORFORCE was called in to provide a secure environment. Whether you use NORFORCE, tourist police as they do in some nations, security guards or engage Lhere Artepe on a temporary basis to resecure the streets, it has to happen.
The front page of the Centralian Advocate today shows the Northside shops closing at 7 pm because they cannot provide a safe environment for shoppers or employees, particularly the kids who work on the local IGA front counter owned by Lhere Artepe. It is unfortunate but security forces need to be in place on street corners around the Alice Springs CBD to maintain law and order so residents feel secure, and to encourage tourists back into the CBD. At the moment it is not safe.
I asked the Chief Minister earlier today to walk down the street with me at midnight or 2 am. It is not safe. The member for Macdonnell and I have done it many times before and I have done it myself recently. It is not safe. Having 200 men, women and children rioting through the streets at night is not safe, and it is not all domestic violence - not 99% drunken domestic violence. It is people living in a lawless society out of control.
The Feds Club was broken into again. The member for Araluen spoke about grog running, as did the member for Macdonnell. You can put in place all the restrictions you want; however, they are not working, and people are …
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I seek an extension for the member pursuant to Standing Order 77.
Madam SPEAKER: There are generally no extensions in censure motions.
Mr ELFERINK: I did one for the Chief Minister. I thought it would be kind to return the privilege.
Ms Scrymgour: The minister could not get an extension.
A member: He did not ask for one.
Mr GILES: Madam Speaker …
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Port Darwin, are you putting the motion?
Mr ELFERINK: I did, Madam Speaker, yes.
Motion agreed to.
Madam SPEAKER: I remind you there are usually no extensions and usually only two government, two opposition and Independents.
Mr GILES: I thank my colleagues and government for supporting an extension of time. It is good to see a bipartisan approach when trying to solve such issues.
While there is a campaign to embarrass the government into taking action by concerned business people in Alice Springs, there will be a public rally next Tuesday night at the Andy McNeill Room of the Alice Springs Town Council at 5.30 pm. I encourage anyone in Alice Springs who is interested in the welfare of the town to attend. You can register to attend or seek more information by e-mailing actionforalice@gmail.com so catering can be organised. Currently, 120 businesses in Alice Springs have registered to take part in this action and are donating to the campaign. The media campaign will go national shortly in an attempt to embarrass the Northern Territory government into action, particularly to have the Chief Minister pull his Minister for Central Australia into line or sack him.
People are going into debt for this because they are losing business. Many people say this is an isolated Alice Springs issue. It is not only an Alice Springs issue and it is not isolated. We understand the situation around Tennant Creek - although Tennant Creek has improved. It is enjoyable visiting Tennant Creek, member for Barkly. Katherine has significant trouble with similar issues. I am aware of concerns in Palmerston. My good colleagues, the members for Drysdale, Brennan and Blain, tell me their concerns. I know what is happening in the greater Darwin region. Urban drift, over-population and social issues are causing extreme problems. Rest assured: urban drift is not confined to Alice Springs - it is coming to you. These are circumstances we will all have to address across the Territory if the government does not act now. Yes, fundamental philosophical changes are required. That needs to happen - you are not making those changes.
You ask what the Country Liberals did when in government. You have been in government for 10 years. Kids committing these offences are under 10 years of age; they were born during your era and they are committing crimes during your era. You are responsible for these kids and have to be accountable. If you have six-year-old kids running on the street now you cannot say: ‘The CLP did it’. That is beyond reason.
I am keen to sit down with the Chief Minister one-on-one for a few hours and talk about solutions. I have passed on an idea to the Minister for Indigenous Development which she can share with the Chief Minister about Larapinta Valley Town Camp. I have spoken about the need to secure the CBD and business districts of Alice Springs. That has to be a fundamental priority - you have to provide security to those areas. If people cannot go shopping or use retail shopping outlets it is a significant concern. The drunks have to be taken off the street.
The Minister for Alcohol Policy has programs running out. I am not going to get political about the Alcohol Courts or the things I believe to be garbage. You have to get drunks off the street. You have my full support to get them off the street. I am happy to sit down with you and say this is what I think. I have seen many of these facilities interstate and worked with them. You have to get them off the street otherwise the problem will not be fixed. You are aware of that; I do not know if you are able to it. I am keen to help you, Deputy Chief Minister.
This is a cry for help. It was my recommendation to put this up today because I have such concern …
Ms Lawrie: Why did you not lead it? Why did they give it to Conlan and not you?
Mr GILES: I can close it, minister. I am concerned about leadership. People do not want media releases and grabs on the radio; they want you to do something. I deal with the minister for Housing behind the scenes – we do not go through the media. I do things quietly. People want responses.
Mr Tollner: And he responds well.
Mr GILES: He does respond well. Would you like to be the Minister for Central Australia?
We need leadership. Cabinet, I implore you; please reconsider your Minister for Central Australia. He is not serving you well, and for the remainder of this year I, and my colleagues, will berate him for being incompetent, useless and not serving the interests of Territorians. If you do not get it right in Alice Springs the issue will spread like a disease. It will be in Darwin and you will not have six seats in Parliament at the next election, you might only have two or three.
Mr Elferink: Hear, hear! Well said, Adam.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Darwin, I understood that that was the end of the censure motion. That is what I have been advised.
Mr ELFERINK (Port Darwin): Madam Speaker, I indicated to the Leader of Government Business that I was going to say a few words in the spirit …
Madam SPEAKER: Go ahead, member for Port Darwin.
Mr ELFERINK: … which the Chief Minister spoke, and I thank him for his contribution. He basically threw out a challenge. What I am about to say is not Country Liberal policy; it is not any policy. He threw out a challenge about some of things which should be done. Some is Country Liberal policy, some is not.
Here is one: a regular trip to Canberra to initiate Centrelink reform to put into remote Aboriginal communities a compulsory system of work for the dole. This means the federal government should introduce into the Northern Territory a demand that if you are not at school and are under the age of 55 years and on the dole you front up to work from 8 am until 4 pm. You have an hour off for lunch, and do that at least four days a week if you are living in a remote Aboriginal community. If you are living in a major centre - maybe Alice Springs - you work three days a week and the next two days is spent looking for work. There will be no excuse to skip work. That is dole reform.
I realise the government cannot do that; however, I would like to hear the government say this has to occur in the Northern Territory to save lives. Is it paternalistic? Yes. Is it necessary? Absolutely! There is one thought. What about land rights reform? I do not mean taking Aboriginal land rights away from people; I am talking about accepting the last offer from Philip Ruddock and, hopefully, available from the new Labor government of patriation of the Land Rights Act to the Northern Territory with a view to creating an environment in which Aboriginal lands become much more economically mainstream than they currently are.
In that process, you have people who have to work for the dole on a daily basis having to work in any instance. If new jobs are created in remote Aboriginal communities, they will pay more than the dole and, hopefully, these Aboriginal people - or non-Aboriginal people, as the case may be - will move away from the dole to the better paid private sector job as a result of commercialisation of traditional lands. When I say ‘commercialisation’ I am talking about the same type of commercial environments which currently exist on non-Aboriginal land. Security of tenure should remain with the Aboriginal people. You could reform land rights substantially without taking away the rights of traditional owners. I would argue increasing the rights of our traditional owners because they would have more say on a local level as to how their lands are used.
The other suggestion I make, which is within the control of the Northern Territory government - this is not CLP policy; this is something I have scratched on the back of a piece of paper in the spirit in which I was invited to do so. What about flying squads? Communities erupt from time to time. Willowra has problems; Yuendumu has problems; Papunya occasionally erupts. We then have a police response which is always somewhat emergency-orientated. It puts police officers into an aircraft or, conversely, into a couple of trucks, and they drive out to the community.
Why not have a Pantech ready to go with all the equipment in the back, or a series of police officers - the 20 or more you use in Alice Springs? All of a sudden a community erupts. Let us say Willowra has a crack at doing what it usually does. You all pile onto the back of a Pantech with a courtroom in the back. You then hold courts the way they were conducted a few hundred years ago in rural places where, once police have restored order after moving into the area, they find the ringleaders and the court deals with them on the spot. Within a few hours of the Pantech arriving police have made arrests; collected evidence; the magistrate flies in, sets up the court in the back of the Pantech and deals with the troublemakers and ringleaders. They can find their way back to Alice Springs. The flying squad moves to the next community which requires it, or stays there long enough to restore order. The fact that this could operate and be mobilised within 24 hours would help people gain some trust in this government. That, by the way, is just a thought.
We have the Country Liberals’ habitual drunks policy, which has a fundamental difference to the government’s policy in one crucial area: once you go through the government’s policy with the banning orders and the so-called compulsory treatment there is no consequence - there is no actual institution ...
Ms Lawrie: Not true.
Mr ELFERINK: It is true.
Ms Lawrie: No, you are wrong. You are completely wrong. You do not understand it.
Mr ELFERINK: I am right, I am completely right. There is no ultimate consequence for breaching a banning order other than an extension of a banning order …
Ms Lawrie: You are stupid; you are incredibly stupid.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr ELFERINK: There is no consequence of the breaching of a banning order other than an extension of the banning order. There is no consequence - that is the problem.
Ms Lawrie: You are ignoring the tribunal. You are ignoring the …
Mr ELFERINK: Yes, you are talking about the drug unit. You have no compulsion, which is the problem. I was making these comments in the spirit the Chief Minister suggested. I suggest you live up to that spirit.
Ms Lawrie: No, not when you are talking rubbish.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Port Darwin, do you mind directing your comments through the Chair please? Thank you.
Mr ELFERINK: Yes, Madam Speaker. No real consequence flows from the government’s policy, which is sad.
Also, I would like to see that police are not afraid to do their job. Currently, the processes of accountability are nothing shy of astonishing. When I was recently the subject of an assault on a street corner in Darwin, police were called. Whilst I made no complaint about the police officers who attended the scene, the poor fellow trying to do his job and follow-up on the arrest he had made received numbers of calls interrupting him doing his job from up the line concerned about the potential political nature of the victim. That is very disappointing. I feel for the guys - they are always under the pump. Let them do their job. Let them lock people up if that is what is needed.
Here is a suggestion: change the liability applied under tort law for a police officer doing his job and say he cannot be prosecuted unless he acts in a bona fide manner. Perhaps that would make police more comfortable; however, you would have to look at the policy in more detail. Perhaps we could change the structure of government. Why do we have a Justice minister and a Police minister?
Ms Lawrie: And fundamental separation for a shadow.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr ELFERINK: Sometimes it is very hard listening to the Attorney-General who clearly demonstrates she does not have the vaguest idea what it is about. Once again, she trots out the line without any understanding of how it works. What about restructuring to something like a department of domestic security, where the same minister has carriage of both the Justice department and the Police department, both of which are part of the executive - no separation of powers.
Ms Lawrie interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr ELFERINK: Forget it, Madam Speaker - I will not waste my breath.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Order!
Mr ELFERINK: I was responding to the Chief Minister’s request …
Madam SPEAKER: Order! The question is the censure motion as moved by the member for Greatorex be agreed to.
Members interjecting.
Mr Elferink: For God’s sake, you are a dumb woman, you really are.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Port Darwin, I would ask you to withdraw that comment, thank you.
Mr ELFERINK: I withdraw, Madam Speaker.
Madam SPEAKER: Thank you.
The Assembly divided:
Ayes 10 Noes 11
Motion negatived.
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I table interstate study travel reports, pursuant to paragraph 3.15 of Remuneration Tribunal Determination No 1 of 2010, for the member for Nelson and the member for Fannie Bay.
MOTION
Note Statement – A Working Future for Indigenous Families in Remote Areas
Continued from 2 December 2010.
Ms WALKER (Nhulunbuy): Madam Speaker, I support the statement delivered by the Minister for Indigenous Development and acknowledge and thank the minister for her unwavering commitment and strong leadership to ensure Territorians living in remote areas, especially Indigenous Territorians, are valued and recognised for the important role they play in making the Territory the wonderful place it is.
The A Working Future policy is at the heart of Indigenous policy. It is a living document adopting a whole-of-government approach to looking after our remote areas and the people who live, work and raise families there. It is a subject close to my heart, being an elected member of a bush electorate. Each of us is proud to represent our constituents and boast that our electorate is the best, the most beautiful, the most vibrant. I am truly honoured to represent the people within my electorate of Nhulunbuy in northeast Arnhem Land.
Whilst I have lived there for more than 21 years, my role as local member for the last two-and-a-half years has taken me to the far corners of this special part of the Territory. I have had the privilege of seeing country and saltwater country which average Australians do not get to see, and also met with Yolngu people from many clans who are strong in their language, culture and law, proud of their ancestors and heritage, and fierce in protecting and speaking up for their country, their culture, their children and their future.
What has struck me from day one is the respect my Yolngu constituents show towards me as their elected member. That does not mean they shy away from giving me a piece of their mind on various government policies and decisions - they certainly do. However, I am humbled by the respect they show and always do my best to reciprocate that respect twofold. I recognise the enormous generosity of spirit my Yolngu constituents have, especially at a time where we have seen waves of government policy at both the federal and Territory levels: the intervention driven by Mal Brough and then Prime Minister John Howard; local government reforms and the subsequent roll-out of shires; two federal elections; a Territory general election; and local government elections for the first time for shire council members.
One of my earliest challenges as a new member was to attend community meetings at Yirrkala, and Galiwinku on Elcho Island, to talk with people about the homelands policy. That would have been in December 2008. The message was resoundingly clear and powerful in case I did not know: homelands are an integral part of Yolngu lives. ‘We do not own the land; the land owns us’, they told me on a number of occasions. This story is shared across the Territory by all Indigenous people. At the meeting at Galiwinku the sense of being overwhelmed by the changes in government policy was summed up for me by one man who asked: ‘How is it that Balanda laws are always changing? It is very hard for us to understand when our laws, the laws of our ancestors, never change’. It was not an easy question to answer and I empathised. However, what was also highlighted for me, which I continue to hear and is best summed up by paraphrasing the chairman of Laynhapuy Homelands - who I am delighted has been re-elected for another term as chair, Mr Barayuwa Mununggurr - who says: ‘We want to walk together with you side by side, not behind you, not in front of you, but walking together side by side and learning together’.
I know our Minister for Indigenous Development hears these words not only from Barayuwa, but also from other Indigenous Territorians. Walking together is her mantra also. Therefore, it comes as no surprise to hear the minister talk about the need to recalibrate the relationship between government and Indigenous people in the bush. Her statement mentions this in relation to the local implementation plans, or LIPs, which have been developed for each growth town and the communities and homelands they serve. This recalibration is critical because development of the local implementation plans has been by a process which is a clear break with the intervention, where policies and processes were imposed rather than agreed. When we look at the launch of the intervention, with no consultation, barely more than an announcement, it is no wonder Indigenous Territorians in the bush feel overwhelmed and disempowered.
I hope these newly developed LIPs - several of which had been signed with more to go before the end of June - are taking a completely different approach to development of policy and future plans in those communities. I was proud to represent the Northern Territory government at the signing of the local implementation plan for Yirrkala on 8 December. It was a fairly sombre occasion but also a very proud occasion. David Chalmers represented the Australian government, I represented the Northern Territory government, and other signatories were Banambi Wunungmurraas President of the East Arnhem Shire, and Barayuwa Mununggurr, Chair of Laynhapuy Homelands. LIPs are developed from the grassroots level through extensive consultation, building upon the seven building blocks for communities and mapping out a future with the plans and infrastructure communities want to include in the LIPs. I look forward to heading back to Galiwinku for the signing of the local implementation plan.
The A Working Future policy provides a map which recognises strategic policy must be developed, implemented, and delivered in close consultation with those who live in our remote areas. It is about delivering services, creating employment, generating economic opportunities, planning for now and 20 years time so people can lead strong and healthy lives in tune with strong cultural values. It recognises the population in our remote areas continues to grow and we need to plan, prepare, and deliver for that growth in the same way other similar sized towns in Australia work and grow, and that this takes a whole-of-government approach ...
Madam SPEAKER: Excuse me, member for Nhulunbuy, I have a further update relating to the cyclone.
I have been advised all schools will be closed tomorrow and all non-essential public servants are not required at work tomorrow. I am waiting for further advice from the Chief Minister; however, I imagine that means our parliament will not be sitting either.
Thank you, member for Nhulunbuy.
Ms WALKER: Thank you, Madam Speaker. I was talking about how we need to deliver for growth in the same way other similar sized towns in Australia work and grow, and that it takes a whole-of-government approach.
This is not something this government is going to do - we are doing it. Something which was listed in the LIP I was a co-signatory to at Yirrkala was a regional transport service, which was launched in September. I was proud to be part of that launch representing our Transport minister. Gove has a regional bus service between Yirrkala, Nhulunbuy and Gunyangara - Ski Beach - providing affordable and regular transport for people to get to work, training, shopping or attend sporting activities which, as a pilot, is fantastic. No doubt, we will see that rolling out into other remote areas around our growth towns.
Contrary to what members opposite might have us believe, good things are happening in the bush; it is not all doom and gloom. Talking about this government’s vision, I cannot let pass that during the August federal election campaign mobile polling was all but over by the time the opposition shadow for Indigenous Affairs, Senator Scullion, released a policy vision for Indigenous affairs. What a cynical exercise that was: to release the document after they had been mobile polling through the remote parts of the Territory.
This government knows the enormous amount of work needed to see the vision of A Working Future delivered; however, it is not all doom and gloom. Many goods things are happening which will see improvements in our remote areas and step by step improvement in people’s lives.
I would like to speak about things happening in my electorate, and will start with SIHIP. I acknowledge up-front this program has not been without its problems. However, SIHIP is delivering new and refurbished houses to address overcrowded and poor living conditions. It is the biggest housing program ever seen in the history of this country. I have visited Galiwinku many times since the commencement of SIHIP and have sought briefings and tours of works each time. The Minister for Public and Affordable Housing and I visited in early November 2010 to inspect the progress of works and meet with members of the Housing Reference Group. Given that day they were in the midst of a funeral ceremony for a young one who had passed away it was very gracious of them. Without a doubt, the program at Galiwinku is achieving great results. Of the 90 new houses to be built more than a dozen have been handed over, and a new subdivision is well under way with Indigenous people on the job. In addition to the 90 new homes, there are to be 53 refurbishments and 22 rebuilds.
On my first visit to Maningrida towards the end of last year, with the members for Nelson and Arafura as colleagues on the Council of Territory Cooperation, we saw the first of 110 new houses being built, most in a massive subdivision, and again, a number of Indigenous people on the job. We dined in the workers camp mess and spoke to a number of men who were keen to be working there, because it is not just about building and fixing houses, it is about delivering jobs and training to Indigenous people. This is important within the A Working Future policy.
If the opposition had not walked away from the Council of Territory Cooperation it would have the opportunity to visit parts of the Territory to see what is happening, ask questions of senior public servants and those who are associated with the alliances. It has chosen to stick its head in the sand and not be part of CTC, therefore surrendering very valuable opportunities for information.
This government delivered 150 new houses by the end of 2010, and 1000 refurbished and rebuilt homes. Because we hear from the opposition nothing is happening and SIHIP is not delivering houses, I have brought some photographic evidence. This is a completed house at Galiwinku with a family living in it. This is another house under construction at Galiwinku. This is a duplex under construction and now occupied by two families. That has a beautiful view over the ocean. This is a photograph of the subdivision within Elcho taken in November. I have since flown over that and there would be 12 or 15 homes under construction in this subdivision near the airport. Clearing has been done carefully - they have not cleared the entire acreage, only blocks for houses leaving greenery in between.
This photograph is of two of my constituents on the job at Elcho Island. I wish I had one of the Indigenous Painting Team and their boss, Gary Baker. Gary is a non-Indigenous man who is passionate about employing and training young men. He has a fantastic workforce in IPT who happily take on work at Elcho Island, or wherever else. I seek leave to table those photographs.
Leave granted.
Ms WALKER: Thank you. Infrastructure is a big part of the A Working Future policy; however, it is not only about developing infrastructure. It is also about developing economic opportunities. Transport, roads and access are a critical part of that infrastructure supporting economic development knowing we face real challenges in geographical terrain and weather conditions which sees many Top End communities isolated during the Wet Season, as well as a number of communities on the islands. The member for Arafura knows all about that.
We welcomed, during the 2010 budget, those announcements around infrastructure in the bush and, for my electorate, funding to upgrade barge landings and, critically, the $17m or $18m to upgrade the Central Arnhem Road. That will see four crossings upgraded making passage safer and keeping the road open significantly longer. I am told once completed, closure following an average Wet Season would be for around six weeks a year as opposed to the current six months. There are a number of growth towns dependent on access to the Central Arnhem Road. As local member, one of the issues high on my list of priorities is providing affordable freight services and an alternative to sea freight. There is nothing like some healthy competition and, with upgrades to barge landings and the Central Arnhem Road, we will see this competition.
Whilst on the subject of transport and transport infrastructure, it is in my electorate this government, the first government in the Territory, has delivered the pilot regional bus service mentioned earlier. The investment from this government has been around $180 000. The Australian government and Rio Tinto Alcan have made financial contributions, and it is supported by the Indigenous owned company, YBE, and the East Arnhem Shire. We have an affordable bus service operating Monday to Friday between those three communities. For Indigenous people, where vehicle ownership is low and the cost of taxis high, this is a very important pilot service. Tickets are $5. I also acknowledge local supermarket, IGA. There is an IGA supermarket in Nhulunbuy and Yirrkala, and they also run the butcher shop in Nhulunbuy. Tim Broadbent from IGA uses his business to sell tickets to people. You can buy a prepaid card, like a credit card, where you purchase so many trips then swipe it when you get on the bus and it calculates the number of trips. Thanks to IGA - they do not expect any commission in return.
On the subject of school infrastructure, we know education is not only about schools - it is about providing quality education and pathways linking school through to a job. We will work hard at getting kids to school every day, and the minister for Education has spoken about the Every Child, Every Day strategy, an important tool in providing a framework to work with communities, schools and children to ensure they get to school. At the end of the day, we need to encourage parents to accept responsibility for their role in that process. If we do not get kids to school every day and successfully complete secondary school to be literate and numerate in English, those kids will always be challenged to access meaningful work, economic independence and a future. As the new parliamentary secretary assisting the Minister for Education and Training, my focus is on developing pathways for kids where, once we get them into school, we offer what puts them on a pathway to a job, not welfare dependence. It is about offering people choice - that is what education does.
Many schools around the Territory are doing wonderful and innovative things. I want to single out Shepherdson College on Elcho Island. It is the government school in my electorate, and is one where they think outside the square and work collaboratively with families. The member for Nelson recently visited Shepherdson College, where he was greatly impressed with what he saw and the strong leadership provided by the principal, Bryan Hughes.
We need to change our mindset and not talk about enrolling students but enrolling families so they and, in turn, communities recognise and value schools as places where Indigenous and non-Indigenous knowledge is valued. We need families to see schools as places of opportunity, to recognise education is a foundation stone in building young lives and futures, and that a school completion certificate is a passport to a job and a future. The CLP groan every time this is mentioned. It did not support or deliver secondary education in the bush under its reign. If we have challenges as a government to help turn people’s lives around, it is in part because we inherited a shameful legacy from the CLP which, for the 27 years they were in power, did not see secondary education for Indigenous kids as important.
Ms SCRYMGOUR: Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, I seek an extension of time for my colleague pursuant to Standing Order 77.
Motion agreed to.
Ms WALKER: I attended the two conferences of Northern Territory government school principals called by the Minister for Education and Training late last year - one for Top End principals, and one for Central Australian principals. Professor Geoff Masters, who is currently working with the Department of Education and Training, spoke about the need for quality education, quality teachers and high expectations. If our attitude is it is all too hard and we have low expectations of learners, we are bound to fail.
Returning to Shepherdson College - where there is strong leadership and high expectation - it is trialling the nine-to-three program, which sees schools offering additional classes at the end of the normal school day. Where we have the infrastructure, or where we continue building in the communities, we need to maximise beyond the normal school day to use those resources. It is exciting for schools such as Shepherdson College to offer programs in the afternoon to attract students who cannot attend during the school day - perhaps they have been disengaged and are looking to return to school; perhaps young women have had a baby and are ready to continue their learning.
School terms will also be extended in some remote schools. This is supported by teachers and the Australian Education Union, and will extend from 40 to 50 weeks per year. In the Top End during the Dry Season roads are open and there is greater mobility to visit family, festivals and ceremonies. During the Wet Season mobility declines markedly, yet it is where our system of four school terms sits. Where we have people in communities during the Wet Season we need to extend the school year. Six weeks is too long for some communities, so to offer an extended school term will see positive outcomes, I am sure.
The massive spend in the bush is in the vicinity of $980m out of the total $5bn budget for this government. For the first time, a Territory government has been able to spell out what dollars are being invested in the bush. This brings with it a new level of transparency where the spend is, as the Minister for Indigenous Development said, tangible and real.
In recognising the importance of communicating with our growth towns, the Treasurer endeavoured to visit as many as possible to speak firsthand with residents about how and why money was being spent, and answer questions. I travelled with the Treasurer in May last year to Yirrkala and Galiwinku, and it did not escape people who attended those meetings that they had the Treasurer and Deputy Chief Minister on country talking about the money story and how the A Working Future policy would be delivered and funded through government. Though not part of my electorate, I also visited Gapuwiyak with the Treasurer, where she was warmly welcomed. Senior traditional owner from Gapuwiyak, Bobby Wunungmurra, offered thanks to the Treasurer, as Attorney-General, in recognition of her positive response to the request some months earlier for a community court in Gapuwiyak - to have a magistrate travel rather than residents having to travel to Nhulunbuy. This is the sort of thing growth towns and the A Working Future policy are all about: providing municipal and government services which you might reasonably expect to find in a similar sized community anywhere in Australia.
Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, this is the most progressive government reform since self-government. We are under no illusion this journey will not always be an easy one, recognising we need to be part of the healing in some of our remote communities. We will continue to work with people to build strong communities where people are strong, culture is strong, and the future promising. I thank the minister for her statement and commend it to the House.
Ms SCRYMGOUR (Arafura): Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, I support the Minister for Indigenous Development’s statement on A Working Future, a very important strategy for our remote Aboriginal communities. When the minister delivered that statement in November 2010, she asked:
My colleague, the member for Nhulunbuy, touched on the record of the CLP – sometimes it does not listen or take note of history. Unfortunately, that history is something we cannot change and Aboriginal people see that history. Look at the neglect in health and education for so many years - two critical areas. We need healthy, happy, safe children.
There has been criticism and bad publicity around SIHIP. Yes, there have been problems; however, communities in my electorate such as Maningrida will see 100 new houses built, with several hundred refurbishments and rebuilds. These houses did not exist prior to SIHIP. Yes, it has had problems but we are seeing results. We have to work with the alliances and the community to encourage employment and engagement of local Aboriginal people so, when this program moves from the community, we have trained a local workforce to maintain those houses.
The CLP has to acknowledge its track record. When we look at education - the minister for Education well knows this - the CLP, under duress, conducted the Learning lessons review. The decline in attendance and the poor literacy and numeracy outcomes commenced during this time. When it comes to education, health, or rebuilding communities to achieve a better outcome so the Northern Territory as a whole benefits, it should be bipartisan, and the CLP, rather than nitpicking, should join with us to turn these communities around. It is a huge challenge.
We had a motion this afternoon censuring the government on antisocial behaviour and law and order issues in Alice Springs. We have to stop using the influx of people into Alice Springs, which is no different to Darwin, Katherine, Tennant Creek or Nhulunbuy, as a political tool and recognise it for what it is. Many commentators have said the intervention brought these problems into major towns. We have to stop blaming the intervention and start looking at getting people to return to country and stay in their communities.
I listened to the member for Braitling say members of the left wing, whether at Territory or federal level, would be against intervening in an individual’s life, particularly if it came to alcohol issues. This government has been brave enough to take that next step, not only to legislate, but to back it up with funding and resources to break the cycle of dependency and get those people into rehabilitation to receive the assistance they need.
There was recently a signing off of the local implementation plan for Gunbalanya. Contained within that plan is a number of targets the community, with the government, wants to achieve. It puts the community in the driver’s seat regarding employment and other areas it wants to grow and develop. What is really important in the minister’s speech is she sees the plan as a means of making government accountable to work with and grow the community to achieve better outcomes.
My bush colleagues and I do not want to see the results we see today in 15 or 20 years time. We want to see change and, whilst some people want to paint doom and gloom in communities, some fantastic things are happening with some good people. We have a responsibility, as elected members and as individuals working with those communities, rather than being negative and pointing out the problems, to work with the communities to achieve the outcomes they are looking for. Sometimes, when surrounded by negativity, it is easy to say is all too hard and not look at longer term solutions which may come through working in a positive way with communities. Local implementation plans are a good way to work with communities to build that foundation. A Working Future provides a way forward to work with our communities to build strong foundations for stronger, healthier, safer communities. No member on our side of government has ever said otherwise. That is the goal: to build stronger, safer, healthier communities which are an important part of our regions, our homelands and our outstations. Strong communities will provide that service to the homelands and we will see a greater increase in school attendance. The minister for Education and his parliamentary secretary have been proactive in ensuring every child, every day will attend school.
I visited Gunbalanya last week with the Chief Minister and the infrastructure put into the school over the last nine or 10 years by this government makes it as good as you see in our urban schools. More work needs to be carried out; however, it has certainly been improved. Maningrida is the same. The minister noted in her statement that an additional $5m was put into Maningrida. The minister for Education has a long history with families at Maningrida. When you see the infrastructure which has gone into the school – the BER funding has been fantastic and I thank the federal government for that. Significant Northern Territory government funding has gone into these communities as well. When visiting communities and talking to principals and teachers they advise better classrooms and greater teacher resources has seen an increase in students attending school. If we build the infrastructure and put greater resources on the ground we will see a turnaround in attendance.
I congratulated the principal and teachers at Gunbalanya for getting so many kids to school in the first week. I mentioned we have to sustain those numbers, support families and have honest discussions within the community about how critical it is to ensure kids go to school every day. We have to build a strong education foundation for our kids because if we do not A Working Future will not be achieved. Education is fundamental. Our government has always been strong about secondary education facilities being built where kids do not have to leave their home community. We have resourced secondary teachers into those communities, and it is important to ensure we keep that resource in the community.
Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, I support the minister’s statement. It provides a blueprint and shows this government is supportive and working with the communities to create an economy. I checked Hansard on the number of speeches on Indigenous policy for the 10 years prior to 2001, and from 2001 to now. CLP members roll their eyes and say: ‘Here we go again, they are going to tell us’. For members new to this parliament and the landscape of the Northern Territory, read that history because you will see the journey we have taken. It is very important and I applaud the government, I applaud the minister, and I look forward, as parliamentary secretary working with the Chief Minister on Territory 2030 to it, and that the building blocks we need for our A Working Future are achieved.
Ms McCARTHY (Indigenous Development): Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, I thank all speakers for their feedback and comment on my ministerial statement. I was pleased to hear the broad support evident from both sides of this House to A Working Future.
We are beginning to make a transformation in the Northern Territory. We are on a journey which will be led, driven and determined by people living in our growth towns, supported by the Territory government, local government, the Commonwealth government and with the active participation of the land councils. I was pleased the Chief Minister described A Working Future as the most progressive, important and substantial policy reform seen in the Northern Territory since self-government. I am enthused by the Chief Minister’s strong support and leadership of a government committed to A Working Future, as I am with the support of the Treasurer evidenced by nearly $1bn-worth of investment this year, and all ministers responsible for the different elements of A Working Future. This is the way it should be: a government working together, combining resources, working in partnerships and focusing on creating new opportunities for Territorians living in the bush to prosper and enjoy the benefits of the growing Territory economy.
Times are changing. This is not about government knows best. This is about working in partnership and understanding government cannot create the change it wants on its own. It is also about establishing strong accountability, what is possible, what is realistic, and working with our regions, the Australian government, shires, and the land councils to put these plans into action.
I turn to some of the specific comments made in the debate about A Working Future. A big part of A Working Future is ensuring safe and secure communities and feelings of community wellbeing which will flow from people having confidence about community safety issues. Local implementation plans are a mechanism for community engagement and focusing on local priorities, and ensuring frontline investments align with local priorities. This is as much about changing the culture within government, and I endorse the Chief Minister’s comments in relation to this. I also commend the huge efforts being made by our public service to support A Working Future.
Over the coming weeks we will see the signing of LIPs in our towns. A number have already been signed - Gunbalanya being the first, Yirrkala, and Yuendumu recently. I am continually heartened by the level of support, and the work people are putting in to identify local priorities and local building blocks to transform their towns. The member for Braitling expressed concern that the statement was light on detail. I can assure the member for Braitling that a huge amount of work has gone on, and continues, into baseline data collection, job profiling, and town planning. As the member for Braitling knows full well, the challenge for government is to move beyond analysis of data and to ensure the plans adapt and reflect local priorities and needs.
The member for Braitling also criticised the rationale for the selection of the growth towns. I can assure the member the selection of growth towns was based on regional service factors, population, history, and the populations around the centre of town which would benefit from the services being delivered to the town. Delivery of services in the Northern Territory has always been a problem given our geography and dispersal of population. I, and everyone working in this industry, am focused on ensuring our growth towns do not leave people feeling they are not benefiting from this important work. That is why our local shires, local implementation teams, the land councils, and my own Indigenous Affairs Advisory Council, have an important role in staying connected to the implementation of A Working Future and helping to identify gaps and areas of work we need to focus on.
The member for Braitling has also recommended economic literacy programs to enable local people to access the broader economy we all live and work in. I was pleased to hear both the Chief Minister and the Minister for Business and Employment focus on these areas. The Minister for Business and Employment outlined the work in identifying the job and business opportunities his agency can deliver. An important vehicle for this work is our future forums mentioned in my statement. We are also working with the land councils to facilitate land leasing and investments by local Indigenous people and development opportunities.
I note the member for Braitling’s comments about the underlying health issues as critical to a better future for Indigenous Territorians, particularly the heavy impact of smoking and substance abuse. The member for Braitling is correct: we need to focus on these areas to achieve improved individual and family wellbeing. This government has moved in leaps and bounds to address the issue of health and smoking. We have taken the leadership role, the courageous decision to take those steps on behalf of all people of the Northern Territory. My call to the member for Braitling is to join us in that work and support measures beyond earlier opening hours for alcohol outlets in Alice Springs and employing dogs for community safety patrols.
A number of speakers, in particular the members for Daly, Wanguri and Johnston, spoke passionately about the role of education and vocational training, and the pathways for people to travel. While all in this House have accepted the notion of education as a pathway to wellbeing, we have to acknowledge there is more work to do on school attendance and helping Indigenous Territorians make that connection between education and future economic wellbeing. I put that challenge to people wherever I visit. There are many strong families and strong leaders showing the way.
I was pleased the member for Johnston highlighted the Growing our Own program to help Indigenous Territorians obtain qualifications to work as educators within their own community. The member for Johnston also mentioned the importance of engaging with parents and families to support school attendance and engagement. The member for Johnston said government schools cannot resolve these issues alone. We need parents and families to take responsibility, and the support of communities. He highlighted the important investment in early education, and preparing children and families for school with the Families as First Teachers program being rolled out in our growth towns.
The member for Port Darwin said we must be acutely aware of the sentiment of ‘we have heard it all before. What is different this time?’. What is different this time, member for Port Darwin, is the focus on local implementation plans, that we have a strong system of local government in the mix, and strong levels of investment from the Australian government which we have to build and maintain. Most importantly, the prospect of failure this time around cannot be contemplated. We are talking about the prosperity and future of a substantial proportion of our population.
The member for Port Darwin said he saw the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act making investment difficult because there is resistance to investment, resistance to change. I believe the member for Port Darwin is buried in the shadows of the past. Recently, a combined meeting of the Indigenous Affairs Advisory Council and the Indigenous Economic Development Taskforce was held at Parliament House. We heard how the land councils are embracing change to facilitate business investment. They recognise economic development and job creation is one of our key priorities. It is still the beginning - we have an enormous amount of work ahead.
The Chief Minister said we are starting on a journey where people are not going to give up their rights to land, or walk away from the whole concept of land rights and inalienable freehold title. People are saying: ‘We have land. How can we work and be our own property developers; work with people who want to invest alongside us to develop viable businesses?’. As the Chief Minister said, we are on a great journey.
I note the important contribution of the member for Macdonnell in articulating the vision for A Working Future and her observations about policy settings and directions. The member for Macdonnell constantly challenges the process and ensures resources are targeted where they should be for the services of people on the ground. The member for Macdonnell talked about pathways and her own experience of Indigenous Territorians acquiring knowledge and experience and contributing to their communities. An important objective of A Working Future is that we are assisting people in the bush visualise the opportunities within their own areas and beyond.
The member for Macdonnell said she hoped in 10 years time we could feel good about the changes we helped create. I hope to share that feeling with the member for Macdonnell in 10 years time. She also mentioned school attendance - we can all learn from the good work being done at Ntaria with school engagement and attendance.
I acknowledge the contribution of the member for Casuarina, who mentioned the important work his agency is doing supporting safe houses in our growth towns, responding to Growing them strong, together, and helping support happy, healthy, safe and resilient family environments for children to grow up in. He also spoke about the importance of the resources sector in remote areas of the Territory. I am working closely with the minister for Business to promote opportunities in the resources sector as part of A Working Future.
The member for Stuart reflected on how A Working Future is effecting change in his large, sprawling electorate where there are many challenges. Importantly, he spoke about cohesion in our government and how this presents the opportunity for ministers to work cooperatively on these important initiatives. He spoke about travelling around his community and engaging with people at the local level, and providing feedback on the challenges of delivering A Working Future.
We have spoken before in this House about the importance of information technology, including the National Broadband Network, in promoting engagement and access to the broader economy we all live and work in.
Some wonderful work has been done by the member for Barkly’s agency in creating the most comprehensive and up-to-date assessment of our infrastructure priorities with roads and other essential services infrastructure like power and water. We cannot fund these investments on our own. We need significant support from the Commonwealth government, but we cannot go cap in hand. We need to demonstrate to the Commonwealth government that we know what we need and argue our case as professionally as possible with a vision we can all work towards. This is particularly the case as the Commonwealth has been confronted with requests in recent weeks to assist in rebuilding areas affected by devastating floods, cyclones and fires. I was in Canberra recently working with my ministerial colleagues in the Commonwealth government, advising them of the issues we are facing here, seeking their support on A Working Future, and asking them to understand the importance of this work, and to see the clear evidence we have developed to underpin a joint government investment strategy. Infrastructure is a basic foundation if you want growth towns to be growth towns.
The member for Nelson raised the issue of government for smaller outlying places. This is an area I am acutely aware of and am looking to local members, land councils and the IAAC to work with me to ensure services to outlying areas will improve and all Territorians will see nett improvement in their services and no one misses out on A Working Future. I note the member for Nelson’s comments in relation to land leasing and assure him the government well understands the importance of tenure for business - we cannot attract the private sector into our growth towns without giving them the confidence that they can invest in these towns.
The member for Nelson has also touched on the future of CDEP. This is a challenge. On one hand we have the Commonwealth government determined to reform the current CDEP programs. On the other hand we have to demonstrate transitional programs are still required in our bush communities to support jobs and employment opportunities, particularly in local government. We have around 2500 people employed in the local government sector across our shires - over 70% are Aboriginal. Think about that. We do not want to lose that. We want to increase the number and capacity across our regions.
The member for Nhulunbuy spoke passionately about in Yirrkala, and the surrounding communities, families see schools as places of opportunity. The member for Nhulunbuy highlighted there has been greater transparency for spending in the bush as part of A Working Future; I am pleased to hear that; however, we always have to maintain our vigilance. It is not about doing it once - it is about doing it every single day.
The member for Nhulunbuy also spoke about the need to recognise that we must be part of the healing in some of these communities. It was good to hear the importance placed on the signing of the local implementation plan at Yirrkala. This is about a continual relationship between all levels of government and the local community so it can and will be the one to determine the future, knowing it has two levels of government for the first time in the history of the Northern Territory committed to working together with it.
Gunbalanya, in the member for Arafura’s electorate, had the first local implementation plan signed. The signing took place between me and the federal minister for Indigenous Affairs, Jenny Macklin. It was an important day with all kinds of things happening, none of which are without challenges reflective of the cultural situation, the geography of the place, and the fact you are trying to bring together very diverse groups to reach a common goal. Any attempt to bring together diverse groups always has its challenges. We saw that with the signing of the LIP at Gunbalanya. We see that with the 15 places with LIPs which need to be signed, and the further five or six LIPs to be signed thereafter.
This is part of a greater plan with the Commonwealth government, knowing, of their 29 sites across Australia, 15 remote service delivery sites are in the Northern Territory. The people of the Northern Territory can feel they have the support of the Commonwealth to achieve this; however, we also have, which is vital, the inclusion of our local government shires in these processes.
Madam Speaker, I thank all members of the House for their contribution. A Working Future is a high priority for me and our government generally. I urge all members of this House to work on our number one objective: to support people to follow pathways of education, training and employment for the benefit of their own personal and family wellbeing. This will have to include support for job creation schemes and business development schemes in the bush. We cannot sit by and watch another generation of young Territorians lost while we ponder and reflect on the best way to create jobs. A Working Future is a future for all of us.
Motion agreed to; statement noted.
STATEMENT BY SPEAKER
Cyclone Warning
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, before moving to adjourn the House, the Chief Minister has advised me he believes the House should sit tomorrow at 10 am. He is attending a Counter Disaster meeting at 9 am, and I have given him my leave that at 10 am he can give us an update on what is happening.
The latest advice is that it is more likely to be rain and squally conditions and, as I understand it, public servants will be required to go to work.
I have heard some of the roads leading out of Darwin are cut off so you might want to be careful how you get home, if you can get home. If you are having difficulty coming in tomorrow could you ring my office so we can give you leave. If you have children you may wish to approach me about taking leave because they will not be going to school. All schools are closed tomorrow.
Dr BURNS (Leader of Government Business): Madam Speaker, I move that the Assembly do now adjourn.
Ms PURICK (Goyder): Madam Speaker, I rise tonight to complement the censure motion and give an example of the problems we currently face regarding law and order - or perhaps the breakdown of law and order - in our community. My neighbour, Peta, and her husband live on Wallaby Holtze Road with their two young boys under the age of about 10. One Tuesday several weeks before Christmas, their house was broken into while they were at work. They came home and the criminals had broken through the back boundary fence and into the house. They stole cash, which included the children’s piggy banks, from the house. They also stole laptops and other electrical equipment. The house was locked; they have a dog, albeit an old one. They came home to find their world had been violated and were very distressed. After dealing with the police they decided not to stay in the house and they stayed at a hotel.
On Thursday of the same week, these two criminals - a man and a woman whose names I do not have unfortunately, because I would name them – returned and broke through the fence, which had been fixed, into the house, which had been repaired. This time they stole more than $40 000 worth of goods. This house has good security - perhaps not good enough. The culprits were caught.
He is 26 years old, has 250 charges against his name and is known to police. Now, 250 charges over 26 years equals 9.6 criminal charges per year. After the age of 10 he became known to police, so from 10 to 26 is 16 years. That is 15.6 charges of criminal activity per year. This fellow who distressed the family and traumatised the children received two months gaol. He has been committing crimes from about the age of 10 and he received two months gaol.
Another person around that time was caught with a small amount of marijuana in their car – a traffickable offence. Perhaps he was going to sell it. He received four years gaol, whereas this fellow had been breaking the law all his life and received two months gaol and will soon be out. The police advised they will let the family know but are not confident - not because the police would not do a good job – they have so many other things to do they might overlook it.
It is one thing to suffer the loss of property and have your home violated; it is another thing when children are left traumatised. The two children play junior soccer and now hide their soccer trophies and special personal possessions because they feel they will be stolen. Peta discovered this when she could not find the trophies. The boys hide things when they know they will be away from the house for an afternoon or whilst at school. That is really sad. It is an indictment on the system and our community that families have no confidence in law and order.
Peta’s family, and two neighbours who have also been broken into, have undertaken to erect a six foot fence across the back of their properties where the criminals came in - no small cost as you would be aware, Madam Speaker. It is a cyclone mesh security fence. Her husband has spent $10 000 Crimsafe-ing his house because of the trauma suffered by his family, particularly the children, who do not understand why this happened.
We have several itinerant camps around Wallaby Holtze Road, which is of concern and a separate issue. Peta’s husband drove around the area and found his empty wallet and other items; sadly, he did not find any of the bigger items which had been stolen.
It is beholden upon this government to explain to this family, particularly the young boys, why these criminals - there is no other word - can have a history of breaking into people’s properties? This same person is also responsible for breaking into Tom Finlay’s property down the road last year. He is known to police but keeps getting a rap on the knuckles for traumatising people, stealing property, breaking and entering, and damaging property. It is not good enough.
I urge the government to look at the suffering the breakdown in law and order is creating for Territory families and, in particular, families who go about their business, go to work, come home to discover their house has been broken into, damaged, trashed, and goods stolen. There is no real comfort that these boys will recover in the near future. When they are adults they may reflect on it and move on. The fact they are hiding their soccer trophies is an indictment on the system and on a government which has failed when it comes to law and order in our community.
Motion agreed to; the Assembly adjourned.
STATEMENT BY SPEAKER
Welcome to Country and Chung Wah Society Blessing
Welcome to Country and Chung Wah Society Blessing
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I take this opportunity to thank Ali Mills for her Welcome to Country, and the Chung Wah Society for their very colourful Gong Xi Fa Cai for the Year of the Rabbit. I do not know if any members are rabbits – you have to be a multiple of 12 in this year.
Members: Hear, hear!
MESSAGE FROM ADMINISTRATOR
Message No 23
Message No 23
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I have received from the Administrator Message No 23 notifying assent to bills passed in the November/December 2010 sittings of the Assembly.
VISITORS
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I advise the presence in the gallery of Year 11 Palmerston Senior College legal students accompanied by Ms Taryn Wilson and Ms Emma Gavican; Year 5/6 St Paul’s Catholic Primary School students accompanied by Ms Phillipa Pond and Ms Jenny Cotter; and Nemarluk School students accompanied by Ms Philippa Jones and Ms Fiona Wheatley. On behalf of honourable members, I extend to you a very warm welcome.
Members: Hear, hear!
RESPONSES TO PETITIONS
Petition Nos 45, 46 and 47
Petition Nos 45, 46 and 47
The CLERK: Madam Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 100A, I inform honourable members that responses to petitions No 45, 46 and 47 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 petitioners.
Petition No 45
- Tiger Brennan Drive Extension – Access for Cyclists
Presented by: Mr Bohlin
- Referred to: Minister for Construction and Infrastructure
Date response received: 13 January 2011
Response:
- The Tiger Brennan Drive extension is part of the largest ever road infrastructure project for the Northern Territory. The project comprises overpasses at the junction of Stuart Highway, Tiger Brennan Drive and Roystonea Avenue and an extension of Tiger Brennan Drive from Berrimah Road through to Stuart Highway.
- In order to meet the needs of cyclists and pedestrians, a separate non-vehicle overpass has been constructed as part of the interchange project. This overpass links the Stuart Highway and Robertson Barracks off-road with new works joining the Darwin to Palmerston cycling path network.
- Cyclists will also have access along Tiger Brennan Drive road shoulder between Berrimah Road and the Marjorie Street exit (outbound) or between Roystonea Avenue on-ramp (inbound) and Berrimah Road. This practice is consistent with current use along the existing section of Tiger Brennan Drive between Berrimah and Stuart Park.
- The use of the on-ramp shoulder between Roystonea Avenue and Tiger Brennan Drive (inbound) and the outbound routing of cyclists via Marjorie Street has been established through consultation with cycling groups and agreed as the most appropriate option available.
- The Northern Territory government is continuing to develop off-road shared paths in a prioritised manner through consultation with industry, local government and other agencies.
Petition No 46
Marjorie Street – Stop Closure of Left Turn
Date presented: 23 November 2010
Presented by: Mr Bohlin
Referred to: Minister for Transport
Date response due: 29 March 2011
Date response received: 19 January 2011
Response:
The Northern Territory government announced on 9 November 2010 that Marjorie Street would stay open. I support the petition, and pursuant to Standing Order 100A I provide the following:
signage on Stuart Highway outbound to provide clear direction regarding Marjorie Street access has been erected;
allowance for road trains to move into the left-hand lane of Stuart Highway prior to the Marjorie Street intersection has been made by signalising the Yarrawonga Road/Roystonea Avenue intersection;
an alternative road train route via Yarrawonga Road has been developed and the McKinnon Road/Stuart Highway intersection will be upgraded for road train access;
the construction of a Marjorie Street to Tiger Brennan Drive on-ramp will be investigated.
- Petition No 47
Rural Area Cycle/Walk Paths in the Rural Area
Date presented: 25 November 2010
Presented by: Ms Purick
Referred to: Minister for Transport
Date response due: 31 March 2011
Date response received: 25 January 2011
Response:
The Northern Territory government has an ongoing program to investigate the arterial network of paths which are managed and maintained by the Department of Lands and Planning.
- Government investment in recreational infrastructure is guided by public consultation and liaison with local councils to determine priorities.
- In addition to the arterial network of paths, local paths managed by the relevant local council are frequently used for recreational activities. The roads to which Petition No 47 refers seeking funding for the development of shared paths are the responsibility of Litchfield Shire Council.
- I have been advised that the Litchfield Shire Council has received a copy of the petition. The Department of Lands and Planning will continue to liaise with the council regarding their plans for shared paths on the specified roads.
CONDOLENCE MOTION
Queensland Natural Disasters
Queensland Natural Disasters
Mr HENDERSON (Chief Minister) (by leave): Madam Speaker, I move that the Assembly:
a) acknowledge with great sadness the devastation occasioned this summer by two of the worst natural disasters Queensland has ever experienced, including unprecedented flooding and Tropical Cyclone Yasi;
b) extend its deepest sympathy to the families of those who have lost loved ones, and to affected communities, and acknowledge the enormous efforts of the Australian Defence Forces, emergency workers, and many volunteers in responding to these disasters; and
In January 2011, we saw catastrophic flooding across three-quarters of Queensland. They will be remembered as floods of unprecedented proportions; an inland tsunami so powerful it swept away lives and shattered communities, and the most powerful cyclone ever to make landfall in Australia.
We all left this House at the beginning of December looking forward to spending time with family over the Christmas holidays - holidays down south catching up with family and friends. It is a time of great enjoyment for all Australians and what unfolded in January has really hurt. I cannot remember a period after Christmas where the whole nation has felt sad, devastated, very flat - people going back to work. The enormity of what we saw day after day unfolding on our television screens was something no one could comprehend or remember flooding of such devastation over such an enormous area.
Everyone in the Northern Territory would have family or friends, do business, or have business dealings in Queensland. If you did not have family, friends or business relationships, most Territorians would have visited Queensland for a holiday. Australia is still, by and large, a pretty small nation and everyone knows someone who was affected by these enormous events. It has touched people deeply right across this nation. Mother Nature has been unforgiving, and at her most intense and worst.
The challenges of not only surviving those floods and the cyclone, the horror of rebuilding is going to take months and years to move forward from the New Year period. It has been an extraordinary and very difficult time.
On this day one month ago, southeast Queensland residents were counting the cost of cleaning up after the Brisbane River peaked 40 hours earlier. The river peaked at 4.46 m at 4 am on Thursday, 13 January, compared with the 5.45 m peak in 1974. A total of 67 suburbs across Brisbane were affected. At the flood peak, 11 900 homes and 2500 businesses were completely flooded, with a further 14 700 homes and 2500 businesses partly flooded; and 1200 evacuees spent the weekend at RNA Showgrounds and QE2 emergency centres.
No one will ever forget the velocity and ferocity of the flood which tore through Toowoomba with hardly any notice. The devastation in the Lockyer Valley was extraordinary to see. An inquest will be held into these events. I have never visited Toowoomba; however, people I have spoken to cannot imagine how such a ferocious velocity of water could have moved through that city.
The inland tsunami swept through the Darling Downs city of Toowoomba and the Lockyer claiming 25 lives. Thirty-five lives have been lost across Queensland since November and another seven people are still missing. When those floods first hit, the emergency services people and the Queensland Premier had no idea how many people could be missing, there was talk it could be hundreds. It was a very difficult time.
The youngest flood victim was 23 month old Jessica Keep. Jessica was cruelly ripped from the arms of her mother, Stacy, as the raging waters swept through Grantham in the Lockyer Valley. Her parents, Matthew and Stacy, tragically lost their mothers in the flood. To have your child ripped out of your arms is a horror of unthinkable proportions. No one ever wants to go there. Our hearts, minds and prayers go to her parents, Matthew and Stacy, and everyone related to the flood victims.
The aftermath of the floods has seen an enormous outpouring of community spirit and the Aussie character of mateship as thousands have volunteered to assist with the massive cleanup. All of us as members of this parliament, as local MLAs, have participated in fundraising efforts in our communities. There would not be a sporting club, a community organisation, a multicultural organisation, a business, or a workplace that has not raised money for these flood victims. Territorians are extraordinarily generous.
As I have moved around talking with people affected or who know people in Queensland, one of the things which keeps coming back in conversation is the Australian character and the spirit of mateship. Thousands of people around Australia personally disconnected from the floods are giving as much as they possibly can; people volunteering their time to clean up the mess and thousands of volunteers turning up in Queensland in appalling conditions to clean up people’s homes and businesses they do not even know. That really comes down to the Australian character of mateship: when times are tough, you roll up your sleeves and you get stuck in. It has been an extraordinary response.
Thousands continue to donate to the Queensland Premier’s flood appeal. In Brisbane alone, over 22 000 people volunteered in the first weekend, and more than 62 000 volunteers registered with Volunteering Queensland. That is an extraordinary response from our Australian population.
It is also great to see Australia’s multicultural community banding together to lend a hand. During the floods, multicultural translators volunteered their services to translate crucial flood messages. The Gold Coast multicultural community sent 35 tonnes of household items to affected people, the Islamic community donated a truck and workers, and the Japanese community donated building materials.
An Indigenous organisation in Ipswich set up a clinic to help affected Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. Brisbane’s ethnic broadcasting radio station 4EB remained on air during the floods to ensure multicultural communities had access to vital information, despite their power being off and the roads being cut. They operated by generator with volunteers. 4EB has commenced a flood appeal which will run until the end of this month; so far they have raised over $80 000. The Muslim community in the western suburbs of Brisbane provided halal meals for people in recovery centres.
It is not just the great, native-born Australian spirit of mateship. Our multicultural community, also Australian, has responded in the same spirit of mateship and it has been an amazing response. A significant number of our multicultural communities in Darwin have also held fundraising appeals and done everything they can to help.
While southeast Queensland was mopping up, Tropical Cyclone Yasi was forming in Fiji. Category 5 Cyclone Yasi made landfall in North Queensland about 1 am on 3 February and left 150 000 homes without power. I was reflecting - all of us as we went to bed that night with Yasi bearing down on northern Queensland and the size and the intensity of that storm - I do not believe many people slept very well that night being fearful of what we would wake up to in the morning. Like everyone in this parliament, the first thing I did when I woke up was go straight to the computer and log on to see what had happened overnight. I also reflected: why do these cyclones always cross the coast in the middle of the night at a time when it is pitch black, the power goes out, and the intensity of the fear ratchets up a few notches because of the blackness people are encased in? It must have been a terrifying night for tens of thousands of people across northern Queensland who did not know what was going to happen.
The hardest hit communities were Cardwell, Tully, Innisfail and Mission Beach. Several years ago my wife and I spent a few days on holiday at Mission Beach. We bumped into quite a number of Territorians in shops and restaurants; people coming up and saying hello. There is a small enclave of Territorians at Mission Beach. Most of Mission Beach was completely destroyed, although some houses were saved. There would be nothing left of the resort my wife and I stayed at. I have found out that Territorians who lived at Mission Beach are all okay, thank God.
I congratulate the Emergency Services organisations in Queensland and the Queensland Premier. The leadership shown by the Premier and by Emergency Services through these disasters was magnificent. People did not die as Yasi crossed the coast because people took heed of the warnings, there were clear plans in place for evacuation, people listened to those instructions because they were on a regular basis, and it shows when everyone listens and adheres to advice they have been given, lives are saved.
Callers to local ABC radio described their experiences saying Cyclone Larry was nothing compared to this. One woman tearfully pleaded for people to think of those on farms as she told of writing her phone number on her horses - which were lost - in the hope they could be found again. Another resident described 100 foot coconut trees, planted in 1918, which were bent in half by the winds.
Like all Australians, Territorians watched in horror as the scenes of devastation unfolded in our lounge rooms. For many Territorians, a number of people in this room - people who were here in Cyclone Tracy - it brought back appalling memories. This event will never leave the people affected by it.
Territorians have responded magnificently because we know what it is to be hit by such devastating forces of nature. Cyclone Tracy, the Katherine floods - our nation responded magnificently when we needed help and Territorians have responded magnificently as Queensland has needed our help.
Our government took the decision very quickly to donate $0.5m to help Queenslanders overcome the worst series of disasters in their history. We also placed our Northern Territory Emergency Services crews on standby to help their Queensland counterparts and granted leave with pay to public servants who volunteered with organisations such as the Australian Red Cross. We waived payroll tax for Northern Territory businesses which allowed paid leave to employees who volunteered with the recovery efforts.
We also matched the NT News fundraising efforts dollar for dollar with the sale of their Saturday edition, and donated to the Mix 104.9 auction held at Wisdom Bar and Caf. Small things; however, I thank our public servants and our emergency services people who volunteered to go to Queensland to assist with the recovery effort, and those who will go in the months ahead. Last weekend, 10 NTES volunteers returned to Queensland, this time to clean up after the damage caused by Cyclone Yasi.
Working alongside Emergency Management Queensland and the Queensland SES, the NTES volunteers will be deployed to Townsville. I look forward to hosting a small reception for those volunteers when they return to the Territory, hearing of their time in Townsville and thanking them for donating their time. These volunteers are storm damage specialists and will be assisting private residences and businesses in Townsville and surrounding districts during their five day deployment.
With more than 3.1 million people and 26 000 homes affected by the floods, the recovery effort to repair damaged homes and infrastructure will take many months, probably years. Talking with Premier Bligh at COAG recently, it is really starting to hurt now. People who have lost their homes, their businesses – I imagine the adrenaline and nervous energy of the event in the immediate aftermath kept people’s spirits up, also seeing how our Defence Forces and everyone was responding. Now, as the cold, hard reality of the loss suffered hits - not only financial loss; for many people all memories of family have been blown or washed away - it is becoming really tough for people rebuilding their homes, businesses and lives and trying to keep their kids focused, on track and happy. For many people it is going to be a long road home; it is going to be a very hard time recovering everything.
I am glad to see yesterday there was a meeting in Ipswich, the western suburbs of Brisbane, where insurance companies promised to do everything they could to honour their obligations to flood payments.
One issue discussed with premiers and the Prime Minister recently is the need for a consistent definition of flood insurance - people who believe they have flood insurance get what they are paying for. On top of the anguish of rebuilding your home or business, the last thing you need is an argument with your insurance company about whether you are covered. That is trauma on top of trauma many people are experiencing at the moment.
All Australians agree Queensland needs to be rebuilt as quickly as possible. This will have a major economic impact on the nation; however, at the end of the day it is the individuals I really feel for; people who have to rebuild a business, rebuild a home and recover their life. It is an extraordinary anguish for people to go through. Australians will not back off from their response to this. It will be a consistent response over many months, possibly years in some areas.
I also pay tribute to our Australian Defence Force personnel. Once that armada is brought together it is a very formidable force. There has been an extraordinary effort by the men and women of our Defence Force, in very trying conditions, doing what they do best, helping people out. They have made an extraordinary effort. The recovery would not have happened in anywhere near the time it did without our Defence Force personnel. It is not what they sign up to when they join the Defence Forces; however, they are there and respond in such a magnificent way it is testament to their professionalism.
I will not go through this; however, for honourable members and the Parliamentary Record I will table the presentation from the Queensland Premier to COAG officials on Sunday. It details the events which occurred in Queensland, the number of people affected, the economic impact and the costs. It details more eloquently than I could exactly what has happened in Queensland.
Madam Speaker, on behalf of this Chamber, I extend our deepest sympathies to the families of those who have lost loved ones and to all affected communities across Queensland. Each and every one of us as MLAs, and people who have friends and family in Queensland - my mother lives in Woodridge, South Brisbane and I spent about three days on the phone with mum as the rivers were rising. Thank goodness she was in one part of the city which was not affected. My mum, at 88 years of age, living by herself, was very much in a high state of anxiety. We had neighbours looking after her and, thank goodness, that part of Brisbane was okay. She was in tears and very distraught about what was happening in the place she now calls home, and to her family and friends. It was a tough time for my mum; thankfully she is okay.
It has been a very traumatic start to 2011 and I extend our condolences, our sympathies, and our best wishes for recovery to the people of Queensland. I am certain individually, and as members of parliament, we will continue to support the effort in rebuilding Queensland.
Madam Speaker, I commend the motion to the House.
Mr MILLS (Opposition Leader): Madam Speaker, as we reflect on that which occurred over the Christmas period, families are recovering now in one way or another. The first recovery, and the most catastrophic, is the loss of life of a loved one. That leaves a wound which is very difficult to heal. For those, we stand together, I am certain, in recognition of the pain of the loss of mothers having lost children, and of families having lost loved ones. We stand with you and acknowledge the pain that you feel.
The second loss from both these disasters is the material loss. That loss leaves a scar and damage; however, it is a wound which is easier to heal and recover from. Nonetheless, we stand with you because there is something we can do and many have done.
Before going further, with the floods and the cyclone which occurred in Queensland – it seems a curious thing with Christmas and that period - there was a wider, national impact. There are those who have suffered, and are suffering, beyond the boundaries of Queensland. The colossal devastation at the Gascoyne, a place I am familiar with, is overshadowed by the magnitude of what occurred in Queensland. Into New South Wales and Victoria, it is widespread, significant, and something to cause one to stop and consider. The Chief Minister has succeeded in describing the magnitude of the loss and those details.
However, that which we reflect upon in such times is what first inspires us, which we learn in times of difficulty such as this. As Australians, we are accustomed to such disasters; however, we are not alone. People around the world experience disaster. There is a national and international response which demonstrates we are all together. It was not so long ago the tsunami had a terrible effect in our region.
A small thing which occurred in the midst of this disaster which spoke volumes was a contribution from Indonesia to this appeal. It said much about our relationship. When we have times where there is loss, hurt, and pain, it breaks things up; it throws people apart. However, when we look again we see it brings us together; we stand together. That which is designed to destroy actually builds something and grows and strengthens those bonds one with another. We all look for that common point. We recognise the importance of family; we are reminded of it once again.
I would like to speak on several matters the Chief Minister referenced. One of those is it gives us an idea of the Australian character - a human response to situations such as this. I read an article in The Australian by a United Kingdom correspondent observing the response of Australians. It was good to see that description from another set of eyes. What did he see? He saw a stoic response; there was: ‘knock down, get back up and just get on with it’. There was that laconic response where there is humour in adversity and plainness and ordinary speaking which was quite impressive; there was no overdressing it. As a media correspondent he observed a genuine strength which was particularly telling. That quietness and underlying strength in the Australian character was demonstrated.
You cannot ignore, to be fair, the small group which warrant the condemnation of fellow citizens for taking the opportunity - much smaller in number than we have seen in other communities or societies. More dominant were episodes which spoke volumes - seen and unseen - of ordinary people rolling their sleeves up and helping people they did not know. Probably we have all seen those reports where someone was in tears at the loss but overwhelmed at the generous response of people they did not even know. That was powerful. Those responses are a compliment to this nation. Every one of us, in our own way, has responded to the problems families and fellow citizens have faced during this period.
I compliment the Premier of Queensland. That was an example of how we call out for leadership in a time of crisis, and a steady hand at that time was a lesson to all of us as community leaders. I looked to that and was encouraged when I saw it, because the community looks for leadership in such times and it found well in Anna Bligh.
Finally, I want to talk about two things. One is generosity. Two aspects need to be balanced very carefully. One is the natural generosity of people to give in response to the problems that have befallen other citizens; generosity in material gifts, in turning the efforts of their own undamaged enterprises to funnel profits and assistance directly to those in need. We must never underestimate the power of that generosity. Sometimes, when we look for a national response we have to negotiate it carefully so we do not discourage the generosity because it may be: ‘I have already given so I do not have to give because someone else is giving on my behalf’. It is not to pass criticism. It is to raise the alert that there needs to be the negotiation of how a national response occurs, at the same time recognising the generosity which springs up naturally.
You cannot discourage it - it must be encouraged. I say to all those who have responded generously and selflessly, you are the asset and true wealth of this nation. I compliment and applaud you, particularly those quiet people who have given an enormous amount without drawing attention to themselves. They did it because it was the right thing to do, and in no way should anything discourage or devalue that gift.
Second, the agricultural industry: something very close to my heart is the spirit you see in those in the backblocks who suffered enormous loss. We see on our television screens that which is easy to capture because it is around capital cities and places of high population - there are many cameras and it is easier to portray those images. What is not seen so easily is the damage experienced by those on the land. It is not only their house; their complete livelihood has been destroyed. Australia has a history of farmers quietly suffering without much fanfare or acknowledgment. It is not that they seek it. I stand with the farmers and say my heart goes out to you because you have lost entire crops. I left the land because of failure of crops - I was unable to stay there. That was during drought. To have entire crops destroyed – and you have farmers’ sons wondering whether they have a future on the land, whether they can recover. I ask those at the shopping centres wondering about the price of ginger, for example - just to name one which has gone through the roof because it is only grown in Queensland - which seems to have quadrupled and I will rail against anyone who complains because you need to consider the loss suffered by those who draw their livelihood from the land.
A beautiful thing about those who work on the land, whether it is in the Gascoyne, Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria or Tasmania is, in the words of a John Williamson song I particularly like: They turn around when the crop has failed and they plant it back again. They just get on with it; they clean up and get on with it. My heart goes out to those families in the farming industry.
In closing, the words from Dorothea Mackellar talk about loving a sunburnt country. We are reminded it is a country of droughts and flooding rains, and the rain is falling upon us here. I cannot believe what is happening in the Centre. It would be falling upon the sensibilities of those who are wondering about what is happening with the climate. There is much rain and it may cause people to reconsider certain judgments they have made about the weather. It is something beyond us. It is powerful, it is far more complex, and we need to be in awe of what we have seen and respond appropriately. The inland sea is there now; Lake Eyre is full and that is good.
Madam Speaker, we stand with those who have suffered physical loss, the loss of loved ones, particularly those families who have lost their kids, and with families who have lost livelihood. They have lost their income and their dreams have been washed away. We stand with them to get back up and get on with it, with our support.
Ms LAWRIE (Treasurer): Madam Speaker, I join with members today to recognise the devastation affecting Queensland, and the floodwaters affecting New South Wales and Victoria. After the catastrophic floods in Queensland with more than 60% of the state declared a disaster area, North Queensland had to brace itself for the ferocious winds of Cyclone Yasi.
Territorians are no strangers to dramatic natural disasters. Many of us survived Cyclone Tracy on Christmas Eve 1974; many also went through the devastating floods in Katherine. I believe the empathy Territorians show when we have significant natural disasters in our nation is often greater than empathy shown elsewhere because we understand absolute and total devastation. We understand the devastation to lives and livelihoods. We understand the tragic and enduring loss which occurs with the loss of loved ones, and the dramatic changes which occur within every family affected by a significant natural disaster.
Late December and early January were a gripping few weeks as we saw unfolding through the news bulletins incredibly tragic tales and the extent of dramatic devastation. We saw more than 3.1 million people and some 26 000 homes affected by those floods. Sadly, 35 lives have been lost and seven people are still missing. Recovering from these events will not take months. It will take years to rebuild and for many their lives are dramatically changed forever.
Many will make emotional recoveries as quickly as they can. Many will endure the scars of such tragic loss forever and emotional recovery will at times be patchy and always something they struggle to deal with. The rebuilding effort is enormous. Some figures stretch to around $6bn in infrastructure reconstruction alone. Many of us who went through Cyclone Tracy saw the years it took to rebuild on such a scale. The scale in Queensland is greater. Homes, businesses, public infrastructure - about $6bn of rebuilding. The effect on the mining industry and the GDP has been significant, and it will be a particularly unique challenge for our nation to ensure the recovery and rebuild in Queensland is strong and does not take away the need to continue to construct across our great nation.
As a Treasurer I understand the levy. I am fully supportive of it; however, I also know the federal government is faced with a very difficult task of making significant cuts across budgets to meet the cost of the rebuild.
You heard the Chief Minister and the Leader of the Opposition talk about the strength of the Australian spirit - how strong it is to quickly rise to a call when there is need. I am advised approximately 62 000 people volunteered to assist in the Queensland disaster, 22 000 in the first weekend alone. The incredible spirit of Aussie mateship was seen unfolding, dealing with the dramatic and devastating effects of this disaster in Queensland.
Territorians responded strongly. Our government provided $500 000 very quickly to the Queensland Premier’s Flood Relief Appeal, and we embarked on matching dollar for dollar fundraising efforts from the NT News. We also participated in every way we could in a range of fundraising efforts. We have tried to provide practical assistance where possible; we invoked the special leave provisions under the PSEMA Act to enable Northern Territory public servants to go on full pay if they were registered volunteers assisting with the recovery.
We had 10 Northern Territory Emergency Services volunteers assist in Queensland. As Acting Chief Minister, I met them on their return and they did not want to come home. They had embraced the task of the cleanup so significantly they felt they were simply doing the right thing, and whilst they were on a rotation to return it was very hard for them to break that gripping bond they had formed during the recovery efforts. They were individual heroes. They raised their hands from across the Territory - from Central Australia through to the Top End - to be volunteers.
We have waived payroll tax for Northern Territory businesses which allowed paid employees to assist with the recovery efforts, and in matching the NT News fundraising we provided approximately $15 000 additional to the $500 000 provided for the flood relief appeal. I am advised that, to date, more than $212m has been raised in the flood appeal across the nation. This shows individual strength - we all go through Christmas and we know what that does to family budgets to provide the Christmas cheer. Everyone is strained; however, they dug that little bit deeper to assist with the flood appeal.
The level of rebuilding in Queensland is of a scale unprecedented in our nation. Those who saw the scale of reconstruction in Darwin and Katherine understand the damage which can be caused by floods and cyclones. The cost and extent of the reconstruction in Queensland is unprecedented. Members today have mentioned the pain is starting to deepen, and the frustration people will experience in discussions with insurance companies - whether they had any insurance at all - and the day-to-day hand-to-hand struggle they are enduring to rebuild their lives.
Some people will be in a land of limbo regarding homes let alone their business - so many businesses were affected. The Leader of the Opposition spoke about the men and women on the land, the devastation of crops and the effect that will have on grocery prices. These things will continue to roll out.
As we saw with Tracy, some people will leave and not return. That is a personal decision people will make. It is something we are aware of. It presents an opportunity for us to say: ‘Come to live in the Territory; it is a great place to live. We have jobs here’. At the same time we know our subbies, our tradies, will be heading to Queensland to assist with the rebuild - that is natural. There will be a movement in the flow of people across the state boundaries of Queensland and the Northern Territory. We have all been fairly porous. There are members of this parliament from Queensland. I expect, as the recovery unfolds, as people are making decisions about their lives, we will see a flow of people from Queensland to the Territory and I believe it will be a two-way flow.
My deepest sympathies and condolences go to families who have suffered through the floods and Cyclone Yasi. I was deeply moved by the tragedy I saw unfold over that January period, and very worried and frightened for the families bracing for Cyclone Yasi. It was of a phenomenal scale; 600 km wide with wind gusts of 295 km/h - an incredible natural disaster.
We can take from this the knowledge our building code, and the structural soundness of our buildings, is correct. That is important for Territorians to understand. Our experience shows us anything built to Category 4 standard across the Northern Territory - the previous experience we had - sustained structurally very well, and intact, a Category 5 cyclone. People were somewhat sceptical and I hope that scepticism has gone forever. You need a community to have confidence in the structural integrity of the built environment in which they live. Cyclone Yasi showed us, with those phenomenal winds of 295 km/h, houses built to Category 4 standard were structurally sound. Tragically, we saw the devastation and destruction of the earlier built homes similar to what we experienced in Cyclone Tracy. This is a good message for people living in cyclone-prone areas across the Top End: our current building code is sound, strong, adequate and stood up to the test of Cyclone Yasi.
We are proudly Territorians; however, at the end of the day we are a nation of Australians. We have seen the heartache and tragic loss of our dear neighbours in Queensland. I am proud of the way Australians have responded as a whole, and particularly proud of Territorians who have responded. The Chief Minister will host an event in early March to thank the various organisations which have raised money across the community for the appeal. I do not want to single any out; it is still ongoing. The relief and donation effort is still rolling out across the Territory.
I attended an Indonesian function on Saturday night aptly titled Because we Care, Fundraising for the Queensland Disaster. The Chinese/Timorese community has raised significant sums. Across our multicultural communities, from the Muslim community at the mosque - you name it - they have been fundraising. Red Cross has done an incredible job. I acknowledge the fantastic work of Sharon Mulholland and her team at Red Cross. They have organised, trained, and sent volunteers and will continue support for quite a long period of time. My heartfelt thanks to Sharon Mulholland and the team at Red Cross. They were inundated with about 1000 phone calls when our government made the announcement public servants could go to Queensland and help with the recovery on leave with pay. We worked through that process with them, and I know they were pleased we made that announcement.
I thank the Chief Minister for the motion today. I hope it reminds us that as important as it is in your life to build and create opportunities for your family, there is nothing more important than your family and the people you love. Tragedies of this scale remind us of the fundamental importance in our lives. My heart goes to those who have lost so much. My thanks go to all those who have helped so much.
I concur with the Chief Minister: the Defence Force at a time of national disaster does a fantastic job. I saw the way they helped us, hand to hand, house to house, yard to yard, street to street after Cyclone Tracy, and they are doing that in Queensland right now. They did it for the floods; they are doing it for Cyclone Yasi. Members of the Defence Force truly are our unsung heroes.
I hope the lessons learnt, such as insurance and construction, hold us in good stead for any further disasters this nation encounters. As the Leader of the Opposition pointed out, the weather is changing for the worse. I know there are some climate change sceptics here; however, you must wonder how much longer you can remain a sceptic.
Ms PURICK (Goyder): Madam Speaker, I commend the Chief Minister for bringing this motion to the House and thank him for his comments. There is no doubt the cyclone and flooding in Queensland through to New South Wales, and elsewhere, was enormously destructive resulting in loss of life, which is tragic as lives cannot be replaced, and loss of property, which can be replaced. And, as has been mentioned, there has been a loss of livelihood, which affects many people across those areas.
It was not so much that people were caught unawares. The Queensland government and emergency services personnel were exceptionally well prepared and well organised. It was the sheer volume and viciousness of the water which took the people of Queensland, and the whole nation, by surprise.
I have written to the Queensland Premier commending her on what she and her government did during that time. She took a leading role and took the people of Queensland, and the nation, with her.
There is no doubt that multimedia brought the impact and severity of the flooding and cyclone into our lounge rooms. In decades past, we did not have that technology - some might say luxury. Like the member for Karama, I was also here during Cyclone Tracy and my family were relatively unscathed - property damage but no loss of life. It comes back to you when you see the impact it can have on families and livelihoods.
Perhaps the member for Karama can help me: I recall the nation raised $13m for Cyclone Tracy - an extraordinary amount of money in 1974.
Not only that, a large number of products flowed into the Territory through all manner of companies - some of them pretty useless; however, the thought was there. My mother tells me the Country Women’s Association - I am unsure where from - sent parcels of lipstick, beads, hankies and things of that nature to women in Darwin because they felt that was what they could do. Perhaps that was all they could do; they wanted to bring joy to the shattered lives of people in Darwin.
There was loss of life in the floods and, as the Deputy Chief Minister said, some people are still missing and perhaps will never be found, which will be sad for the people who mourn them. During Cyclone Tracy, the late Tom Bell made the decision to move and sadly his wife, Marlina, was killed and he never quite recovered from that. I am sure some people in Queensland will also have difficulty recovering from the loss of life.
I will leave it at that, Madam Speaker.
Mr KNIGHT (Business and Employment): Madam Speaker, these events bring back many memories for the member for Goyder who went through Cyclone Tracy. It brings memories back for many people.
I pass on my condolences to the people of Queensland who have suffered by losing a friend or a family member, and to people who are suffering financially and professionally because of these disasters which swept through Queensland during December and January, and continued through into New South Wales, Victoria, and even parts of Tasmania.
This horrific time was attributed to the La Nia effect and produced abnormal weather patterns. It started with Cyclone Tasha crossing the North Queensland coast on 25 December bringing torrential rain which swept through Bundaberg down to Rockhampton. In the New Year we saw images of Rockhampton being devastated by crop damage. I acknowledge the damage caused in North Queensland by Cyclone Tasha, and direct my comments to the devastation of southeast Queensland from Toowoomba to Brisbane.
I experienced that devastation. I went for a relaxing and uncomplicated holiday with my children to visit family. Flying into Brisbane I was aware of what was happening in the north; Brisbane had very little sunshine for over a month and the rain continued. However, it was still quite pleasant and people were unaware of any danger to the Brisbane area. On Monday, 10 January, I was travelling on ferries up and down the Brisbane River. Even then there was debris coming down the river - gas bottles and trees; all manner of things. We stopped at the Regatta Hotel. Seeing the before and the devastation afterwards was and eye-opener.
The first inkling of real danger were the floods in Toowoomba - massive downpours. They talk about an inland tsunami - they really did not have any warning whatsoever. I imagine the Royal Commission will be looking into an early warning system. It is reminiscent of the Katherine floods in 1998 where people were unaware of the magnitude of water coming down the Katherine River because the river gauges were not working as they were under water. If there is the possibility of an early warning system the people of Toowoomba would appreciate that.
Psychologically, there had been drought; Toowoomba is on a plateau and people were not thinking that way. The floodwaters pouring down the Lockyer Valley sweeping through Fernvale, Ipswich, Goodna and Grantham were devastating. During that period everyone was glued to the television as there was almost 24/7 coverage. I compliment Channel 7 and Channel 9 in particular – they carried extensive coverage of events and practical information to enable people to make decisions.
On Tuesday, 11 January, I was on the Gold Coast and received a phone call saying I had better get home or I would be cut off. What was happening started to twig. I reached my brother’s house, which overlooks the Brisbane River, and my nephews, eight and six, were saying: ‘Look at this; here comes another one’. Pontoons were coming down the river, some with boats and some with jet skis. They live at Jindalee, a long way up the river, and still saw many pontoons moving down. The devastation was coming - the river had not peaked.
Things built from there. People started to prepare in the low areas; however, the magnitude still did not twig. As floodwaters rose on the Tuesday and Wednesday people were preparing themselves. We went to one area of Jindalee – one side of the road backs onto the golf course which is on the downside, and people were helping those on the downside move their gear across the road into other people’s garages. We stopped and my kids and nephews helped.
A group of Samoan Seventh Day Adventists - big boy Samoans and a group of ladies - were going from house to house. About 20 of them would go to a house, move all the gear then go to the next house – from house to house to house. They were doing a fabulous job. I went to the house of an older couple and the bottom of their house already had a foot of water through it. We were removing the carpets and they were panicking. They had not had floods there for 45 years - it was all shocking to them. I helped them rip up the underlay and pull out the ground level kitchen.
After a period of time I went to introduce myself. I said: ‘Excuse me, what is your name?’ She looked at me and burst into tears; she realised there were strangers in the house and the whole moment got to her - that fear and uncertainty, and this lady broke down and wept. Five minutes later she was back at it again. I was talking to her husband when he noticed a man at the door he could not recognise - it was his son. Everyone was in a state of panic and fear not knowing what to do.
On Thursday, people braced for the peak. Luckily, it did not reach the heights of the 1974 flood. The extra 0.4 m or 0.5 m could have caused extensive damage. In Brisbane, 120 000 homes were without power. The home I was staying at was without power for three days. Quite rightly, ENERGEX turned the power off to protect gear for the recovery. It was a surreal situation similar to the Katherine floods where you were looking for somewhere to recharge a mobile phone to communicate with people. You did not know what was going on. It was an unusual situation. You were trying to find ice to keep things cold.
Then came the cleanup. The worst part was the cleanup. I returned to the same house where they were lucky it did not reach the second storey. There was devastation and mud everywhere. My sister lives in the same suburb and she was fine. My oldest nephew disappeared with my son to the local shop to help the owner clean the place. I went back to the same family and they had everyone there. The amount of help was amazing. On the first Sunday there were approximately 20 000 volunteers and people were being turned away.
I compliment Brisbane City Council and Campbell Newman for his preparedness. He issued early warnings about being prepared for the floods. The council received criticism over its sandbagging offer well before these floods; however, they did a fabulous job keeping people informed and organising the recovery. Council organised and registered the volunteers so if there were any problems people knew who was there. They were turning volunteers away, which was unprecedented.
My sister is a nurse and we all received a tetanus shot, from the kids through to the adults. With all these things happening it was very eye-opening and emotional.
The ferry terminals were all wiped out and ferries will not be running for 12 to 18 months. The devastation is amazing. The Regatta Hotel did not go under this time. There was much devastation and the cost of rebuilding is in the billions of dollars.
To sum up the experience and what was happening: there were two floods in Queensland. One flood came from the sky - rain; the other was the flood of compassion, caring, and camaraderie which came from the people. That was the most telling thing. It was not constructed; people just did it. We went to an area in Jindalee where people were looking at the river - this is down near the boat ramp - with barricades. After the floodwater started to recede we saw a handwritten sign taped to a barricade saying: ‘I have room for six people in my house, here is my mobile phone number’. Things like that occurred. On wheelie bins there would be handwritten signs saying: ‘We have half a garage if you need to store your gear’. There was an incredible amount of caring.
I was drawn to an article written by Cameron Dick, the Attorney-General and member for Greenslopes, in The Courier Mail of 20 January. That third week in January must have reminded him of the inaugural speech of JFK 50 years ago, the youngest person ever to be elected as President of America, and one of the shortest inauguration speeches ever. It hit the mark regarding what was happening in Queensland and what was required. I quote from Cameron Dick’s article:
- At its heart, Kennedy’s inaugural address is a direct call to civic action - a direct challenge to the individual to be an active citizen in the affairs of their community, and country. Kennedy’s address challenges all of us to set aside selfish things by putting others first. His challenge is not to observe, but to act. It remains a call to arms to confront head-on the ills of the world, and in doing so, to reach out and to help others.
And it is the call to serve others that has always inspired me, and so many others. Kennedy’s most famous, brilliant and shimmering quote – ‘… ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country ...’ remains, for me at least, the essence of public service and civic duty.
Cameron reflected on that whilst helping clean houses in Norman Park, Oxley and Fairfield. Many people reflected on those comments, where people gave of themselves unquestionably. They brought anything they could. There was a massive ripping out, cleaning up and washing down; everything piled in the street and the council taking everything away. What remained was the faade of a house and when you looked inside most houses there was no gyprock, just stud walls and a massive amount of rubbish to go.
I took the opportunity to visit the Mayor of Ipswich, Paul Pisasale, who put in a sterling effort. The Chief Minister mentioned insurance companies; Paul Pisasale has taken on the challenge of confronting insurance companies to get them to do the right thing - to err on the side of the person who lost their house, to err in the wording of insurance policies to give them the benefit of the doubt. He puts that challenge out. The Chief Minister mentioned COAG - insurance policies need to be clearer. Am I insured or not? Tick the box - put a cross if you do not want it. People need to understand the choices they are making: I am insuring for this, I am not insuring for this. Insurance needs to be very clear.
Paul is doing a fabulous job. When I visited him he had two phones going and was talking to a third person - he is a very busy man. Office staff took me to see him in Goodna and there was devastation all the way. Some parts of Goodna are very low areas. Water had gone 1 m into the second storey of the RSL club. It was amazing. His staff member lives across the road from a childcare centre I was taken to and she had lost everything. Her elevated house had been wiped out and she was back at work trying to help people and doing a fabulous job. Paul needs to be commended for his efforts in getting Ipswich CBD running, getting businesses opening their doors and, where possible, trading.
Last weekend I opened a dog show in Darwin. In talking to breeders there it appears that that industry has been wiped out in the Lockyer Valley. I did not realise the Lockyer Valley was home to many kennels - all those dogs gone. It leaves a massive hole, not only for those people but for the industry as well.
It is poignant the last big flood was in January 1974 and we had Cyclone Tracy in December 1974. They did not believe there would be another flood; they believed the Wivenhoe Dam would protect them and it would never happen again. It did, and it is a poignant reminder to us in the Top End that Darwin is going to get a big one again and we need to be prepared for it - to be focused on that. Brisbane and all those upper reaches of the Bremer and Brisbane rivers have to plan where people can and cannot build. The future is something we need to be focusing on.
It was good to hear Professor McGorry talk about the psychological aspect of this; you can clean up the house, rebuild the house; however, people are traumatised and we need to watch out for them. During the floods I could see people pumping with adrenaline, getting things ready, cleaning up and then the volunteers went away, the news cycle moved on and they were left psychologically damaged. People need to be watching out for friends and family into the future.
I also met Northern Territory Emergency Services personnel in Queensland. It was great to see them giving their time to help businesses. Some have their own business; some are working and took time off, extended their leave or took annual leave to help. I met them at a motel and they were with volunteers from other groups. It was such a collegial atmosphere - they were all reminiscing about their experiences. That is going to serve us into the future as well - the support of Australia through volunteers. We need to support our volunteers as best we can because they give up so much. They put their lives on the line and any way we can support them - further training or protective equipment - we should.
It was great to see donations from the Northern Territory government and the Northern Territory community. The many fundraisers have shown the spirit of Australia. It was something we all celebrated on Australia Day: the spirit shown in Brisbane is a reinvigoration of the Australian spirit, which may have waned, but is back; it was unprompted, but shone through.
I particularly congratulate Premier Anna Bligh. She did a comprehensive job informing the community what was happening …
A member: Campbell Newman.
Mr KNIGHT: I complimented Campbell Newman a minute ago. From late December there was a series of disasters and to have the third largest city in Australia go under water and the CBD shut down - all power off in the CBD of the third largest city in Australia - is very confronting. Anna Bligh played a very straight, honest bat and needs to be commended.
Moving to Cyclone Yasi, dealing with the aftermath of the flooding then preparing for the largest cyclone in many decades in Australia challenged Anna Bligh and her government. I had the opportunity to meet with the Minister for Natural Resources, Mines and Energy, Stephen Robertson, after the floods to see how they were going and discuss power networks.
We have solid counter disaster plans across government and the agencies which support it - the public sector, the private sector, and the NGOs. You can learn from real life disasters and we will see how things go in Queensland. The social media played a huge role and is something we need to be cognizant of. A number of Facebook sites were established during Cyclone Yasi and you did not know who was who - some quite derogatory. Ergon Energy had an informative Facebook site; people were using it to communicate and it is something we need to look at in the future.
I went through the 1998 Katherine floods and was not affected materially - I was there for the weekend whilst living at Timber Creek. However, the psychology affected the town for many years and we need to be cognizant of that.
Businesses need to look at their insurance policies not only for flooding, but for interruption to trade. Many businesses in the Territory have insurance for one or two months; however, when you have major disasters - we have cyclones but are unlikely to get too many floods in urban areas of the Top End so many businesses would be affected by supply and demand - the whole economy would be disrupted. People need to ensure they have six or 12 months insurance for interruption to trade. The big effort made was to get doors open, people back into jobs and income back into pockets because when the economy slows down it affects the whole community.
I pay regard to all Queensland volunteers. It shows the true Australian spirit - the fact we are one nation. We have done our bit and will continue to do so for those people in Queensland who will help us in our time of need.
Mr BOHLIN (Drysdale): Madam Speaker, I commend the Chief Minister for bringing this statement on today. It is hard to put everything into one short speech - I will not attempt to cover everything. Over the last few months Western Australia had its share of cyclone clips and has not escaped unscathed. The Gascoyne has suffered, the surrounds of Perth have been devastated by bushfires with 64 homes lost and over 32 buildings damaged, and down our east coast the first round of floods through Queensland, followed by the much heavier and intense floods which tore at the heart of Australia.
The images I saw coming from the Lockyer Valley really rocked me. I did not know people there; however, it was gut-wrenching. Watching the 60 Minutes program on Sunday brought tears hearing stories of how hard it was. I remember assisting with the cleanup of the 1998 floods in Katherine when I was a member of the Australian Defence Force. My colleagues and I were eager to get there; we wanted to know why we were not moving quicker. Many Defence Force people around Australia would be feeling the same way – wanting to do their bit. They understand their role is to protect the country and will do everything they can to do a great job.
Most telling was the tens of thousands of civilians who marched their way into Brisbane. It was amazing to see people find any way possible to help their fellow Australians. I do not see that same level of caring elsewhere in the world - we are not the only country to have suffered natural disasters. In fact, in many ways the effects were light. To see the way our country lifted to serve and protect its own people was so awe-inspiring it is hard to give justice with words. Members from both sides know what. The member for Daly, being there and being part of that good job, saw it firsthand where most of us watched from a distance.
Seeing the footage of the lone boater who guided the pontoon all the way down the Brisbane River avoiding what could have caused catastrophic damage to any bridge it became wedged on – that simple act of heroism, the absolute skill of one person piloting that boat, without doubt enabled access routes to remain open. If it had taken out a bridge it would have caused huge damage because the next bridge may have also gone. That roll-on effect is sometimes missed. He did an amazing job to protect that infrastructure for Brisbane and the people of Queensland. He did not do it for his own benefit; he did it because he believed it was the right thing to do. We should ensure people who have done so much are rewarded.
Thousands of people in Queensland and across this country have volunteered to help out. Our emergency services people were on standby, ready and willing to put their backs to the wall to fight for other communities around Australia.
The simple things have made this an amazing period of time in Australia’s history – things like the federal member for Solomon, Natasha Griggs, helping gather donations to tie in with the member for Katherine’s efforts. I believe 14 pallet loads of goods, such as toothbrushes and combs, things to make people feel good, went from this part of the Territory. If you have found yourself without toiletries for days, if not weeks, the feeling of brushing your teeth is uplifting. Those little things are washed away and you do not think about it. When you get them back it gives you strength to keep going on a very arduous journey.
The rebuilding will take an extremely long time. Local governments, and the Queensland government, have done a great job of resurrecting the infrastructure quickly. Those services are vital to keeping the regions going. It will cost money; there will be ongoing debate on whether the levy is right or not. We want to see real action - the debate might go on in the background - what happens on the ground matters to the people of Queensland.
My thoughts go out to those in the Lockyer Valley. The local member for Wright, Scott Buchholz, worked in conjunction with Natasha Griggs and the member for Katherine. We can easily see the physical damage and count the loss of lives; what cannot be measured is the mental trauma these people will endure for years and years to come. The member for Goyder recounted things this morning in this House, and it was evident some wounds are still not healed today. We are talking many decades ago, so we cannot forget the mental support Queenslanders need through all this, and those through New South Wales and Victoria who have suffered floods and fires. It has been a striking year already.
Yasi was a monster. I was doorknocking in Marlow Lagoon the night Yasi was due to crash violently into Queensland. One of my constituents was on the phone to her daughter who had relocated to the hinterland around Cairns and was still very concerned because Yasi was a massive beast and covered so much of Australia.
Communication from all levels of government, without doubt, saved lives. All those involved, including Premier Bligh, did a fantastic job. I genuinely believe that preparedness saved lives. We must ensure if we come under threat we act to protect our lives and that of our friends and neighbours.
I will leave it there. There is so much to discuss I could go on for a long time. My colleagues from Central Australia, who had to prepare themselves for potential flooding from Yasi, may wish to make comments. Would you believe Melbourne suffered flooding from the tail of Yasi? Friends in Melbourne were on Facebook telling us their stories.
Thank you for bringing this motion to the floor; I support it fully. To all those who have suffered and continue to suffer, we wish you the best on this extremely arduous journey.
Mr CONLAN (Greatorex): Madam Speaker, I concur with the Leader of the Opposition who talked about agriculture and prices which went through the roof during the floods, and also the fires in Western Australia. I was in Perth over Christmas and in Carnarvon mangoes were $6.50 each.
As I grew up in Brisbane I thought I would speak on this. I also attended boarding school in Toowoomba, so I have a connection with both towns. Between Brisbane and Toowoomba are the Lockyer Valley, Grantham and Murphys Creek, so I know it quite well and know people from the region. Watching the landmarks I know well devastated by the floods was extraordinary. The Regatta Hotel has been mentioned - a great old stomping ground of mine. Toowong, Indooroopilly, Paddington and Roselea are places I grew up in. I had my 21st birthday in Roselea. The restaurant has been replaced by other restaurants and a caf - all that went under along the Baroona Road area.
Looking at my own back yard - where my family is – the devastation by the floods was almost surreal. My mother was evacuated from her home in Indooroopilly. In 1974 the place went under; this time it did not. It must have been that metre which did not quite rise. She is below the Western Freeway on that side of Indooroopilly, but must be high enough above Centenary Bridge. She was very lucky this time; she evacuated to higher ground at her sister’s house. My sister’s house had water at the doorstep; she was quite lucky. Many friends in Yeerongpilly had to be evacuated and pretty much lost everything. They spent the next few weeks - and are still - cleaning it out.
Despite that, nothing compares with the loss of life experienced by so many. The most enduring image of those floods will be the family on top of the Subaru in Grantham. The Channel 7 news chopper spotted them and went back to find rescuers. When they returned there were only two; the father had been swept away and is yet to be found. That image, which was beamed right around the world, will remain the most enduring of the floods. The little boy who sacrificed his life for his younger brother said: ‘Save my 10-year-old brother!’ The Chief Minister has mentioned the child snatched from her mother’s arms. Nothing can compare to loss of life of that magnitude.
I also lived in far north Queensland and worked on Dunk Island, which was savaged by Cyclone Larry several years ago and touched by Yasi. I worked at 4KZ, Innisfail, also hit by Yasi and suffered severe damage during Cyclone Larry, and 4TO Townsville, which I want to commend. The minister for Business mentioned the television networks; the radio stations really stepped up to the plate and I commend 4TO Townsville. I dialled them on the Internet. They broadcast from a staff house doing everything off iPod. There is an anomaly in their broadcasting arrangement with the Commonwealth government; they are allowed to have an AM transmitter as well as an FM transmitter for such a purpose and if a cyclone comes through they can remain on air. That transmitter is at Magnetic Island - hats off to all those guys at 4TO.
My brother lives in Cairns and kept me up to date. They were worried until the last minute, but Yasi diverted and came across into Mission Beach, a beeline straight across Dunk Island, and caused extensive damage to that magnificent township. It is a beautiful spot, a wonderful part of Australia, a real sleepy hollow. They suffered, as did Dunk Island and the other townships along the Cassowary Coast such as Babinda, Kurrimine Beach, Innisfail, Cardwell, and Tully. Tully probably received the worst of Cyclone Yasi - my condolences to all those affected.
I congratulate the emergency services, the military personnel who stepped in, the Brisbane City Council led by Lord Mayor Campbell Newman, and the Queensland government. Anna Bligh’s stocks have lifted enormously as a result of the leadership she displayed throughout the crisis. There were media conferences every two hours - you could see it was taking a toll on her. She clearly loves Queensland, which was demonstrated in spades by the leadership shown. Not only Anna Bligh, but the Brisbane City Council and all those in the emergency HQ set up with the military and the SES.
In such adversity and devastation we witnessed enormous strength displayed by the army of volunteers. We have already mentioned that. On day one they asked for 6000 volunteers and received 11 500. I am a Facebook friend of Campbell Newman and was following that also. He was absolutely overwhelmed. In the end they were turning people away because there were more than enough volunteers - at one point it was 22000. They are incredible numbers and the community displayed strength during this adversity.
It makes me proud to be an Australian and proud to be from Queensland, having grown up in Brisbane, far north Queensland and Toowoomba - the Darling Downs. It is a privilege and honour to pay tribute to those people who sacrificed so much and put so much effort into it, and to honour the lives of those lost throughout this tragedy. I thank parliament for the opportunity to do so as a member of the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly.
Mr WOOD (Nelson): Madam Speaker, I support the condolence motion moved by the Chief Minister.
Many things go through your mind when such a motion is put to parliament. As a Territorian, one has a certain affinity with what has happened in Queensland. I remember my first flood at Daly River in 1974. If you lived at Daly River long enough you would have experienced floods which go through your house. The smell of a flood after it has receded never leaves you. I thought of those people in Brisbane and the little country towns - we must not forget many people were affected outside Brisbane. The stench which goes through a house after a flood has gone down is something you do not forget.
I remember the 1998 floods in Katherine; again it is the affinity. We talk about all the volunteers who stepped up to the plate in Brisbane to help clean houses. I remember the busloads of people leaving Darwin to help clean up Katherine. I took the gloves, the scrubbing brush and the bucket and headed off and - lo and behold! - I was given Mike Reed’s house - the then member for Katherine. The funny thing was about a week before I was having a ding-dong argument with him over the closing of Yulara Town Council. Tim Baldwin, the then minister for Local Government was participating in the closure, and I threw politics out the door and scrubbed Mike Reed’s house. It was a brand new house with water 1.5 m up the walls. Not only did we have to clean the house, we had to cut the walls and remove those parts which were permanently damaged.
I thought of all those people in Brisbane who would be doing exactly the same thing. The Territory has an affinity – Cyclone Tracy, Cyclone Yasi – with many cyclones in between.
It is funny how time has changed things. We lost over 50 people in Cyclone Tracy. I was on Bathurst Island, we knew it was coming, we did not know how bad it was and we did not know exactly where it was. We did not have the Internet then, some television and no satellite coverage. Now, 30 or 40 years on, everyone could see where the cyclone was travelling. There were continual broadcasts telling people to move out or go to their cyclone shelter, and very little loss of life. One person lost their life during Cyclone Yasi; they were gassed by fumes from the generator they had running.
Things have also changed. It is amazing Queensland had organisations which ensured there was no loss of life. The people of Queensland should pat themselves on the back. Unfortunately, that was not the case with the flood. You think of floods coming up slowly as they do at the Daly River. You normally have time because people at Katherine, on the King River or the Ferguson River will tell you the river is rising. However, in the case of the floods in Toowoomba, no one knew they were going to rush through the main street or go down the Lockyer Valley. It was very unusual.
The loss of life is tragic. Those scars will remain with families and communities for a long time. However, you have other scars – people’s livelihood. The member for Daly mentioned the effect it has on industry, cropping, roads, railway, bridges, stormwater drains in the area - a whole range of things affecting the economy of the area.
I missed the floods in Brisbane by one day. I was in Newcastle looking at closing times of pubs in the CBD. On Tuesday afternoon I was meant to head to Brisbane to meet Stephen Bowers, one of the organisers of the Weddell forum, to show me around suburbs of Brisbane which are examples of good planning. He was going to meet me after he visited Toowoomba in the morning. That did not happen because the day he was to be in Toowoomba was the day of the big flood. It is funny how coincidences happen in life.
I was also meant to visit Gladstone. I had a trip organised to see how they contained spillage when loading coal at the port. Because of the floods there was no coal, and coal is still not being exported from Queensland. That has a major effect, not only for Australia’s exports, but on the people who rely on the coal industry: the miners, the businesses in those coal towns, the train drivers who deliver the coal, and the people who work at the port operating the machinery to load it onto the ships. There is a huge range of after effects when you have a natural disaster.
Although we are deeply saddened by the loss of life, for some people the loss of livelihood is much more painful because it will continue for a long time. In some cases it may be the end of a business, especially if you have lost crops. I saw a grape grower trying to pick the grapes by boat. He was delivering his workers by boat, hoping he could get the last grapes off before the vines went under water and grapes died. It had a major effect on people’s lives.
Again, there is that great spirit of getting things done. It will cost much money and it will take time. I support the levy - not a one-off levy. I am probably more a fan of Bob Katter and having a continual levy which goes into an ongoing natural disaster fund so we are not caught short. We do not know when these will happen. It is like having our own insurance company to deal with major disasters which occur – and they will come; there is no doubt about it. The predictions of people looking at climate change say they will be more often and larger so we need to be prepared.
If we are to maintain our economy we have to have enough money. When the crops start to grow the roads need to be fixed, the railway lines need to be operating, and the ships need to be leaving the port. All these things need to be looked at. It is not only the great work many people have done in raising money to help the flood victims, part of our responsibility as a nation is to ensure there is enough money to fix all the other things to bring Queensland, and other parts of Australia, back to what they were previously.
It is good to hear there is a review of insurance; however, I give our TIO a pat on the back. I am certain during the Katherine floods in 1998 the one company which did not argue about what constituted a flood was the TIO. It paid straight out. Other companies argued whether the water came up the stormwater drains or not, or whether the water came through the roof before it came up the main street. The TIO stuck with its interpretation of flood and paid out accordingly. For far too long insurance companies have said read the small print. I say to insurance companies, ensure when you sell your product the person knows what flood means, or you spell it out clearly in large print so people understand, and explain the difference between water coming through the roof against water from a broken pipe inside your house, or water which comes up from the stormwater drains, or flood - when a river breaks its banks and comes through your house.
Insurance companies have an obligation not to rely on small print. You might sign up to membership of a footy club and they say: ‘Have you read all the terms and conditions?’ which are in 10 font and go for two pages. I do not have time to read them all so I tick them off, say yes, and get my membership. There may be something I probably should know, and in the case of more serious things like insurance, companies have a responsibility.
This also raises the issues of good planning. I notice most of the old Queensland-style houses in Rockhampton were not inundated except for the bottom floor; the house itself, in many cases, was not. There were exceptions as many ground level houses were flooded. You have the issue of whether you build in flood prone areas, and much of that Queensland coast is flood prone. It is not saying you should not build there; if you are, perhaps what has to be regulated is the type of house to be built. If anyone has been to the Daly River and seen the houses which continually flood - I lived through three floods on the Daly River - you can build a house which will take water, you can build a kitchen made out of stainless steel and hose it down and start again, or you can build it on stilts like the Queensland houses. By good building management you can reduce the cost of flooding.
I visited Augathella on the way home after diverting from Newcastle across central New South Wales. Augathella is a little town in southern Queensland where they were repairing the levee bank because they were expecting the water to come down from the floods. Levee banks, in some cases, can be an option. They may be expensive but with good planning and done properly they can save the town. Bourke is protected by a levee bank. People build outside those levee banks at their own risk. Planning always needs to be looked at, and many councils in Queensland will be reviewing their planning guidelines for building in those areas now such damage has occurred.
We should not forget the other areas of Australia affected over the last six months. I was reading a news story about a lettuce producer in Tasmania who had a huge lettuce paddock ready to harvest and water had gone over the top. He lost the entire crop. There was a picture recently of a rose farmer in Victoria who was hoping to have hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of red roses ready for Valentine’s Day and the flood went through his glasshouses. He lost his entire crop. Crops and houses were severely damaged in Carnarvon. Northern New South Wales suffered from the flooding in Queensland, and the big floods in central and northern Victoria - massive floods which did not go down as quickly as in other parts of Australia - went down slowly and damaged many crops.
The irony of this is in Western Australia there are bushfires, which highlights what Australia is all about. I hope good will comes out of this because there is much sadness for the people who have lost loved ones. Nature has a way of replenishing: rivers flood, they leave silt; silt brings nutrients to the soil and new crops are grown. How long have we talked about the drought in Victoria and New South Wales? We have grown 5% more of our rice crop over the last six or seven years, and large numbers of citrus trees have been cut back or left to die in the Renmark/Mildura area and now Mildura goes under water.
Hopefully we will have enough water to ensure our agricultural and horticultural economies have some buoyant years, although many farmers will find it hard as they expected good crops this year. This morning’s news mentioned the price of cotton. Quite an amount of cotton was damaged in Queensland. The price of cotton is between $600 and $1000 a bale. That is a good price and some people will benefit, some will miss out.
Madam Speaker, I support the motion the Chief Minister has put before the House. We, as a parliament, express our deepest sympathy to the families and friends of people who lost their lives and we hope the various states, local governments, businesses, farmers and all people affected will get through this and, in the not too distant future, recover and things return to normal.
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I also extend my condolences and sympathy to the people of Queensland. I grew up on the Brisbane River and my mother still lives in one of the major flood affected areas, Yeronga.
It reminded me of the 1974 floods when I was still living at home - I had just left school. The difference between this flood and the 1974 one was we had little torches. People did not have the things we have in cyclone kits then and transistor radios were new technology. We had one in the house, which was not that great, and one of my brothers found a crystal set so we were able to work out what was going on because there was no power. Around our house - which was not flooded but all the houses around it were - people were boating across the top of people’s roofs. Across the river, where the tennis centre now is at Tennyson, was some kind of experimental farm and there were horses and cows floating along the river with pontoons. It was very distressing. I thought it was Armageddon at the time.
I am sure the people of Queensland will continue and Queensland will recover as it did in 1974. Thank you, honourable members.
Motion agreed to.
Members stood in silence for one minute as a mark of respect.
STATEMENT BY SPEAKER
Cyclone Watch
Cyclone Watch
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I am sure you are aware there is a cyclone watch over Darwin and surrounding areas with the possibility of a cyclone forming by late tomorrow afternoon. Parliament House has cyclone procedures and the parliamentary committee will be meeting this afternoon. I will advise you progressively on what is happening with the cyclone.
MOTION
Proposed Censure of Government
Proposed Censure of Government
Mr CONLAN (Greatorex): Madam Speaker, I move - That this House censure the Northern Territory government and all its ministers for its fundamental incapacity to protect Territorians from the criminal element in our community, and its consequential failure to protect the whole of the Territory community from flow-on effects from crime in our community.
In the last reported year there were more than 1700 crimes against the person - assaults, serious assaults, rapes and murders - a staggering 25% increase from the previous year. Alice Springs is a town under siege. We have said this over and over again; we have endured one of the worst summer periods I have seen in my time in Alice Springs. January was absolutely appalling with 1700 crimes against the person - assaults, serious assaults, rapes and murders.
Last night, the licensee of the club, Eastside, was forced to sleep in the community club to protect it from yet another break-in. People in clubs and pubs across the town are forced to sleep in their business to protect it from the ongoing crime wave sweeping Alice Springs. To read a list of the businesses broken into during the last year would take hours. Some are the Gillen Club; the Memo Club; Federals Club, which is now the Eastside Community Club; the Town and Country Tavern; the Gap View and the Todd Tavern.
The question is: what does the Chief Minister propose to do to tackle the spiralling costs small businesses face as a result of repeated break-ins and vandalism? Alice Springs has been neglected for 10 years. This is a 10-year serial offence by the Northern Territory government.
Mr Henderson: How would you know? You have not been here for 10 years?
Mr CONLAN: I have, Chief Minister, so it might be worth checking some of those facts. I was here when the CLP lost government; I was here when you took government and I have seen the deteriorating state of Alice Springs ever since. I was here well before you took government and am able to compare the two eras. There is a tidal wave of crime across the town year after year after year. Businesses are vandalised and robbed like clockwork, houses broken into, property stolen and vandalised with a regularity which is unparalleled.
Ten Years of Hard Labor is the title of this document and never has a truer word been spoken. Innocent bystanders, particularly women and children, randomly attacked not only at night, but in broad daylight on the streets of Alice Springs - assaulted in broad daylight for committing no crime, for simply walking across the street with a shopping trolley. They are assaulted, attacked, abused and humiliated, and they are petrified.
Protective custody rates are at astronomical levels - tens of thousands of people through our gaol cells each night. Nightly break-ins into houses and businesses recorded by the dozens - one particular night in January this year we had 16 reports to police of break-ins and property damage in Alice Springs, including my own property which has since been broken into twice in the last two months. Drunks intimidating innocent bystanders not only in broad daylight but 24/7, threatening and offending residents who have done nothing other than cross the street, go to the shop, or enjoy the serene surrounds of Alice Springs.
It is a complete disregard for the important contribution Alice Springs makes to the Northern Territory economy. Alice Springs, Tennant Creek, Katherine, Darwin, Gove - these are the engine rooms of the Northern Territory economy. You would think this is important to protect, not to mention the damage this is doing to our tourism industry.
Let us look at this document, Ten Years of Hard Labor. Crime rate rises is a staggering statistic. Crime rates in the Northern Territory are twice as high as the Australian average in most categories, and in some are significantly higher. The latest Police, Fire and Emergency Services Annual Report shows the rate of violent crime in the Territory continues to climb. There were 570 more crimes against the person in 2009-10 than in 2008-09. The rate of violent assault has risen by 80% during Labor’s decade of denial – 10 years of hard Labor. Last financial year there were 7296 crimes against the person compared with 6226 the previous year - that is an 8.5% increase in 12 months. This is out of control! On average, there are 18 crimes against the person in the Territory every day. I will repeat that: 18 crimes against the person every single day in the Northern Territory!
Alice Springs has felt the brunt of Labor’s failed law and order policies since it came to government in 2001. Since 2004-05, robbery has increased by 450%; assaults by 87%; sexual assault by 97%; house break-ins by 64%; commercial break-ins by 185%; motor vehicle theft by 97%, and property damage by 71%. Absolutely staggering figures! The long-term recorded crime statistics between 2004 and 2010 show commercial break-ins are up 180%. That figure is beyond comprehension.
Feelings of safety are declining. Our community is feeling unsafe; people feel threatened, unsafe and unloved by their government. The Northern Territory’s crime wave is taking its toll on people’s feeling of safety at home and in the community. Thirty-six per cent of Northern Territory adults felt unsafe compared to 26% of adults nationally. The Northern Territory also has the highest crime victimisation rate of 12%, and the highest proportion of victims who felt unsafe at 58%.
The Northern Territory has the highest proportion of prisoners in gaol for assaults at 39%, almost double the national average which sits around 20%. The Northern Territory also has the highest proportion of prisoners in gaol for theft. The Northern Territory has the highest rate of homicide at 8.2% per 100 000 people compared with the national average of 1.2% for 100 000 people. These figures are damning and an indictment of this government’s policies to tackle and stay on top of law and order.
I draw your attention to the story in the Northern Territory News on Sunday, 23 January, stating the Northern Territory government rates the worst in the nation. It is a very good effort to beat the New South Wales government but you have done it. Congratulations! The Northern Territory government rates the worst in the nation followed by a lovely picture of the smiling Cabinet.
Our community is at crisis point: Alice Springs, Tennant Creek and Katherine need rescuing. It has become so acute people are departing our towns in droves. Businesses are packing up; businesses are closing down ...
Mr Bohlin: Over 700 last year.
Mr CONLAN: Seven hundred businesses?
Mr Bohlin: No, 700 people left last year.
Mr CONLAN: Seven hundred people left the Northern Territory. I am unsure how many business people have left town because of the continuing violence and assaults they were experiencing; I am sure it is quite high. Anecdotal evidence in Alice Springs would indicate more businesses are closing down and leaving than are opening for business. The member for Stuart, if he looks deep into himself, will know this is the case. Last week we had a …
Mr Hampton: What is your solution?
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Order!
Mr CONLAN: We are happy to give you a briefing on what we would do to address law and order issues in Alice Springs. We would put 20 extra full-time police on the beat immediately in Central Australia to tackle the wave of crime. We would also place a task force there for a limited time to deal with the crime wave sweeping Central Australia pretty much since Christmas.
This is not new. This angst and fear in the community is not something which has all of a sudden appeared. Let us go back to 29 January 2010. There is the newspaper:
- Is this the Alice Springs we want …
Police disperse gangs of thugs near the Stuart Terrace park. The gangs drifted away but sauntered back within minutes of the police vehicles leaving. The same scenes were played out almost three times in an hour. Residents say it happens every night just metres away from the town’s tourist precinct.
That is 12 months ago. Here we go:
- Sorry business. Alice Springs shop owner robbed three times and assaulted. Sorry business. Restaurant owner Goldy at Flavours of India: ‘It is very hard to be a shop owner in Alice Springs.’
Here we go: ‘Nightmare by the park’. This is 5 February 2010:
- Alice Springs MLAs Adam Giles and Alison Anderson help ambulance officers care for a woman who they saw thrown out of a car onto the bitumen by the RFDS park where she lay unconscious.
That was three newspapers in a week-and-a-half in Alice Springs. It has been happening ever since this government came to office. You have lost the battle with law and order. You have not shown any respect for the town of Alice Springs. Nearly four years ago we had 500 people protesting outside the convention centre – ‘parliament house’ - against this government and its inept ability to provide Alice Springs with a safe and secure environment. The then Chief Minister, Clare Martin, put her hand on her heart and said: ‘I have heard the cries of Alice Springs. I hear the call and will answer it’. She then engaged in a series of forums which came up with a plan which became a website called ‘Moving Alice Ahead’. ‘Moving Alice Ahead’ – wasn’t that great? Very short-lived; it did not go very far.
This has dominated Alice Springs for much longer. Its crescendo was 500 people outside ‘parliament house’ in 2007 voicing their displeasure with the lack of law and order policies from this government.
I hope that can be replicated to give this government a message. However, it is too late for you; you cannot do anything. You were never engaged in the battle. You never bothered to engage yourself in this battle of law and order. You have thrown your hands up in the air and said: ‘It is all too hard; we do not care about Alice Springs. If we are going to go down at the next election, we are going to take Alice Springs with us’. It will be up to another government to repair the damage you have done to Alice Springs. Whether or not it is a twisted tactic of yours, who knows? However, if it is, you should be ashamed and absolutely disgraced.
Nevertheless, you are not smart enough to plan that far ahead. You do not have a heart when it comes to Central Australia. You fly in, you look around, and you fly out. I can read from my Facebook page of today when I posted I was in Parliament House; I had the photo and received a comment from someone I do not know very well but am a friend of on Facebook who says: ‘Why don’t you invite them to visit our town without the media hype so they can see everything, not just what they are being shown?’ Very good question; very good point! However, that may be too confronting and you might have a jolt of conscience and feel you have to do something.
I do not believe you were ever engaged in Alice Springs or you have ever given two hoots about Central Australia. It is a very important part of the Northern Territory, a very important part of Australia, and the Chief Minister can say: ‘You have only been there five minutes, what do you have to say?’ That does not matter. I am an Australian and it is part of this country. I am an Australian first and foremost, Chief Minister, and I choose to live in Central Australia. It is a wonderful Australian town; a wonderful Northern Territory town. I have every right to be concerned about what is going on in my community of Central Australia. My next child will be born there in about three weeks, and I have one child born there in 2009. We are setting this up as our home, our community. This is why I went into politics - not because I was hell-bent on being a politician or because I had an ego bolt through me to be a politician. I entered politics to speak up for the community I love: the community of Central Australia, the community of Alice Springs.
As mentioned in the condolence motion, I grew up in Brisbane and attended school in Brisbane and Toowoomba - I was a Queenslander. I spent all my life in southeast and far north Queensland, and only through several radio jobs did I travel beyond those borders. I never thought I would fall in love with the desert. I applied for a radio job in Central Australia and thought: I will see how it goes; might be a bit of fun in the outback. I had no idea it would capture my heart and I would fall in love with it. It did not take long for me to see why Central Australia is so special and why so many people come for a day and stay a lifetime - I am one of those. Yes, I have only been in Central Australia for 11 or 12 years - not a long time. Ask Ted Egan how long he has been in the Territory and he says: ‘65 years and I am still passing through’.
We all have to start somewhere. My son was born there; my wife has been there for 15 years. We choose to make that community our home and want to stay there. It is difficult for me to stay if we see continual neglect. It is going to be increasingly difficult for families to buy a house and raise a family in a small country town. Let us face it - Alice Springs is a small country town. We should not be faced with these enormous antisocial and law and order issues. Country towns are not like that. Country towns are where you know the butcher, the baker and the candlestick maker - we are all friends, help each other out and get together. Alice Springs is that. That is why I fell in love with it - it has a unique spirit. Central Australia is incredible and it is very hard to put your finger on it. So many people have experienced it - come for a day or a week and they spend the rest of their life there. I hope to be one of those.
At the moment Alice Springs is very challenging for families and businesses. We are seeing huge rates of crime and huge rates of antisocial behaviour. It does not have to be an issue of violence or vandalism; it might be a threat. People feel threatened on the street. People are accosted and abused on the street for no reason. People are abused and hassled because they are white, others because they do not subscribe to the policies of others. I do not need to go into details. Serious issues are facing the town of Alice Springs.
I became an MLA to bring the concerns of people of Central Australia to the Northern Territory parliament, to defend the town of Alice Springs, and to help provide a better community. It is difficult for me to sit on this side of the House, in opposition, and see the town I have grown to love, have committed to, my wife, my children, my friends, other family members - my brother was born in Alice Springs. Another brother was born in Darwin, and a brother and sister born in Katherine. Four of my brothers and sisters were born in the Northern Territory. We go back a long way. I was born in Gympie and my eldest brother was born in Charleville. We are spread around the outback of Queensland and the Northern Territory.
I feel a kinship to Alice Springs and it distresses me to see what is happening on the streets. Good people in Alice Springs are throwing their arms up saying: ‘I cannot believe it’. People were so proud of the town, long-term locals, people who were born there, people who have spent half their life there and really love the town, who were so proud to go to Sydney or Melbourne and say: ‘I am from Alice Springs. I live in Alice’. That seems to be diminishing. People come to my office saying: ‘You know how much I love this place, mate. I invest in it, I am committed to it, and have raised my children here. It is really giving me the heebie-jeebies at the moment. What are we going to do? What can we do? I do not know if I can take much more’.
These are not isolated incidents; they are regular occurrences and I am not embellishing the argument - I have better things to do. I am here to tell the Northern Territory government this is taking place. I am sure the member for Braitling can tell the same, as can the members for Araluen and Stuart.
Mr Giles: He does not care. He does not have a clue.
Mr CONLAN: I believe he does care; I wish he would stand up a little more. Karl, you could raise your stocks enormously. We have seen Anna Bligh on the nose politically, with people out to annihilate her at the next election, all of a sudden become a Queensland hero because she stood up for the community. Karl, people are desperate to see you stand up for your community. You could win; you could hold the record. You could receive 100% of the vote next time if you stood up for Alice Springs against some of the policies, or lack of, being rolled out for Alice Springs.
I have listed the facts and figures. There are so many enormous statistics. There is 80% here, and 97% house break-ins; 185% commercial break-ins; motor vehicle theft 97%. We have been over this ad nauseum in this Chamber.
What I find most frustrating is looking my community in the eye - people who elected us, particularly me. People say: ‘What are you going to do about it, Matt? I cannot stand it any longer, I have to go’. I say: ‘Please hang on. Can you hang on; give us a shot in 2012. I believe we can do a really good job. I believe we can do a much better job’. They say: ‘I do not know if I can hang on for another 18 months’.
People are feeling persecuted; they are desperate; bereft of energy. The town needs to be rescued; the government needs to do something. I fear it is too late for the Northern Territory government. You have had all this time and do not have a grip on it. You have not engaged properly in the battle of law and order. You had 10 years to make real reform in law and order; be a reformist, fix it. You have done nothing and it has become worse, Chief Minister. You must know it - you fly to Alice Springs. As my Facebook friend says, maybe we need to take the media out of the equation so you can see it yourself. I remember several stand-up blows the member for Johnston and I had in my former life regarding visiting Alice Springs - stay for a few days and walk down the mall in the middle of the night. Person after person would call up and say: ‘Do it, do it, do it’.
The government stands condemned for the neglect of the most basic of any government’s responsibility, to provide a safe and secure environment for its residents.
I will conclude with a passing shot at the most powerful person in the Northern Territory, the Police Commissioner, who may have good intentions, but on radio before Christmas he said: ‘What we do not want is people committing offences and going through the criminal justice system. We would rather see program after program running parallel to welfare’. Is the end game for this government that you can commit an offence, terrorise the streets of Alice Springs, terrorise already terrified people with no end consequence whatsoever for those people?
Without law and order the community breaks down into chaos. It is the fundamental task of government to provide a safe and secure environment - you cannot do anything else. You cannot have the world’s greatest health system, the best education system, the world’s most affordable housing, the world’s most beautiful harbour; you cannot have anything unless you have law and order.
The government has failed in this task. I believe it is too late, and I do not know how you are going to rescue it. It is beyond your control now. It is becoming insurmountable, is unsustainable, and people in Alice Springs will vote with their feet and leave town. People of Tennant Creek, Katherine and Darwin are leaving town.
Madam Speaker, I believe the government has lost this battle. It has failed in its most fundamental role to provide a safe and secure environment for the people of the Northern Territory.
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Statement by Speaker
Severe Weather Warning
Statement by Speaker
Severe Weather Warning
Madam SPEAKER: Before I call the Chief Minister, I have an update on the weather.
At 2.29 pm there was a severe thunderstorm warning for Darwin and the rural area for destructive winds. It is for people in Darwin and Palmerston, and parts of Litchfield Shire and Cox Peninsula areas. The Bureau of Meteorology warned that at 2.20 pm potential severe thunderstorms were detected on weather radar near Mandorah, Beagle Gulf and the mouth of Darwin Harbour. These thunderstorms are moving towards the southeast and are forecast to affect Darwin City and Channel Island by 2.50 pm and the northern suburbs, Palmerston and Lee Point and Berry Springs by 3.20 pm. Destructive winds are likely.
The bureau advises it is not a tropical cyclone warning, and the Northern Territory Emergency Service has advised people they should secure loose outside objects and avoid remaining in the open when storms threaten. There should be another warning shortly.
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Mr HENDERSON (Chief Minister): Madam Speaker, in my response to this censure motion I will engage in debating solutions to the problems affecting Alice Springs as opposed to amplifying the problems. I will resist the temptation to come out swinging and punching against the member for Greatorex.
I acknowledge and accept this summer period in Alice Springs has seen unacceptable levels of crime and antisocial behaviour on the streets. What disappointed me was the member for Greatorex did not propose any way forward. I know the member for Braitling will, and I look forward to his comments. Believe me, if there were any simple solutions, any silver bullets, any easy-to-implement strategies to resolve some of the very complex issues in Alice Springs, regardless of which government is in power, those solutions would have been put in place years ago.
Let us dispense with the nonsense that we do not care about Alice Springs and neglect it. You can say that for political effect and, yes, it has great political effect in Alice Springs. You have all the seats there; you will keep all the seats there. As Chief Minister of the Northern Territory - and I have said this to Cabinet – I intend to do the right thing by the people of Alice Springs in policies. This is not about politics - if it was we would not be doing anything in Alice Springs - it is about recognising we have some very significant and serious issues confronting the community in Alice Springs and are working through those issues with the best advice we have. I am not saying we are getting it right or we get everything right.
However, to run the cheap line that we do not care, we neglect it – I could talk about all the things we are doing, all the extra money being poured in to counter that. Those are, with respect, cheap lines which do not ring true. Anyone who knows me knows that is not the case. We have resolved to do the right thing by Alice Springs.
We all know the challenges we confront on the streets every night which lead to break-ins into homes, businesses, and commercial properties, and the domestic violence. I discussed with the Police Commissioner at 7.30 am, after seeing it in the daily paper, the tragedy on the street last night. The commissioner advised me the stabbing of a tourist was a serious isolated incident.
If you want to get to the bottom of this, members for Greatorex and Braitling, I will put on the table some of the police briefings I see in which 90% of the violent assaults in Alice Springs are Aboriginal men beating the hell out of Aboriginal women. That is what drives these figures; not the good white folk of Alice Springs. Yes, there are some assaults, which are one too many. All assaults are one too many ...
Members interjecting.
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order!
Mr HENDERSON: Be quiet! One of the problems we are facing in Alice Springs is predominantly of intergenerational poverty - disadvantage for whatever reason tearing sections of the community apart. That cannot be resolved overnight. In relation to events in …
Mr Westra van Holthe: You have not resolved them in 10 years!
Mr HENDERSON: I am trying to be constructive; you will have your go. If you want me to rant and rave, I will. I am happy to turn this into political theatre - I can play that part. I am trying to …
Mr Westra van Holthe: How about instead of talking you solve the problem?
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! Member for Katherine, cease interjecting!
Mr HENDERSON: … paint a realistic picture of the size of the problem we face. If you believe the solutions we are proposing are no good put some forward. All we have heard is amplification of the problems.
A trauma surgeon at Alice Springs Hospital says there has been a significant drop in the number of women being treated for stab wounds. Dr Jacob Ollapallil says his statistics show: ‘… on average we used to get …’ this is a horrendous statistic ‘… on average we used to get 250 female victims every year. Last year, the number has been significantly reduced to 146. Various things have contributed to this, but I think alcohol restrictions are a major factor’. That comment is from someone who patches up people at Alice Springs Hospital.
We are faced with intergenerational poverty, disadvantage and despair so many people live with in and around Alice Springs. The member for Greatorex said Alice Springs is unlike any other country town in Australia. That is right, because very few country towns anywhere in Australia are surrounded by communities with such huge levels of intergenerational poverty and disadvantage. We need to get on top of these things and there are no silver bullets, no single solution.
I agree with the member for Greatorex that people who break the law need to be held to account - I accept that position. Something which became clear to the Attorney-General and me over the Christmas/New Year period was the number of young people - some just over 20, some just under - in Alice Springs who were going through a revolving door of the justice system. Police were arresting people, charging people, people were going before the courts – not for major offences which would see people immediately put on remand; however, significant offences, and people were bailed not only once, they would be picked up a couple of weeks later and bailed again. Some people were being bailed over and over and over again.
This says to me there is an element in Alice Springs at the crime end of the equation, as opposed to the antisocial behaviour level of the equation, committing mid-level offences. For the businesses and homes being broken into they are very serious property offences. I have spoken to a number of business people in Alice Springs about these issues, as well as individuals and police, and it is unacceptable to this government that people are bailed over and over again and keep getting bailed. The government will introduce legislation into this House later this week to close that loophole and send a strong message to the courts that if people commit offences they need to be dealt with quickly. There is a hardcore of people in Alice Springs who do not fear any consequences because as a result of repeat bail being granted to them there are no consequences. I say that is totally unacceptable and the government will close that loophole.
I accept what the member for Port Darwin had to say; years ago decisions were made to close the corrections centre in Alice Springs. The government is prepared to say that possibly was a wrong decision, and we will open a new juvenile detention centre in Alice Springs to ensure the courts cannot weasel out of putting people on remand because they will have to go to Darwin. They will not have that excuse; they will be able to remand them to a juvenile detention facility in Alice Springs.
I also hear the cry and accept it is genuine - we need a curfew in Alice Springs. One of the responsibilities of being in government, as well as leading, is to take advice. My advice from police is this is the last thing they want in Alice Springs because if a blanket curfew were to be declared police would spend the rest of their lives playing cat and mouse with kids as they gleefully ran rampant through Alice Springs. Police would much rather target offenders and ringleaders than enforce an unenforceable curfew.
I know it plays out well in the media and sounds like a simple solution. If there was a simple solution it would have been effected. You will find that if, and at some point when, you return to government - no government is forever; I believe we are a good shot for next time and we will be fighting very hard for it. However, if you have the responsibility of government, as well as leading you have to take advice and sometimes you would be wise to listen to that advice.
The other suggestion is police should be armed with dogs to patrol the streets. Again, police reject that and do not believe it is warranted. At least there are a couple of ideas on the table.
Regarding juveniles on the streets, we accept police need to have somewhere to take these people and will be establishing short-term, secure, safe places for police to take them. If they can get many of the kids hanging around the edges of these problems into secure, safe facilities, they can better target the ringleaders. We will be progressing as quickly as possible to establish secure safe facilities.
In my discussions with police and police prosecutors in Alice Springs over the last few weeks were issues with the construct and interpretation the courts have of the Juvenile Justice Act which make it difficult for this hard-core criminal element of juveniles to receive custodial sentences. We are taking this on board and welcome any input the opposition may have. The government is acting; it is listening to and working with the community.
I urge members of parliament to be wary - and I am not being patronising or paternalistic saying this. I am very concerned with the continuous amplification of the problems we face - heaven knows the front page today is horrendous. I am concerned for our tourism industry in Alice Springs, an indirect employer of the majority of people who work in the private sector. We have a responsibility as leaders not to over-inflate the size of the problems so they become national and international stories which deter people from coming to Alice Springs. The people we want to serve will be economically and financially disadvantaged very quickly.
There is the end of the scale which says unless we make noise the government will not do anything. I am articulating in the tone and tenor of this debate that we are taking these issues very seriously; we are committing significant resources to Alice Springs with the help of the Commonwealth government. There are no simple solutions to these issues - we are dealing with enormous social and intergenerational poverty and disadvantage which is contributing to these issues. We do not need these issues to be proportionately blown off all scales of responsibility and deter people from visiting Alice Springs. Once a community gains a reputation of being unsafe it is a very long road back. I do not want to see good people in Alice Springs lose their livelihood as a result of us, as a parliament and leaders, not being in the solutions business but being in the business of amplifying the problems we all know are there.
I am not being patronising or paternalistic at all. I say to members who hold seats there you do not have to do this. You do not have to blow it out of all proportion. If you want to talk to me about what police are doing, how they are doing it, or if they are not doing their job properly, as Police minister I am happy to talk to you.
Let us deal with some of the intergenerational and social disadvantage in Alice Springs. Let us look at town camps which have been absolute hell holes and cesspits for so many years; a blight on Australia as a nation. I am not gilding the lily - they were hell holes and cesspits and how people lived there God above knows. However, working with the Australian government for the first time - it is not about who is in power or who is not, or politics; it is a reality and fact of life and both levels of government have acknowledged it will not continue. Under the Alice Springs Transformation Plan, the Commonwealth government is investing $130m in a very small town in Australia to build 80 new houses; renovate houses; clean up yards; erect fencing; build kerbs and guttering; put street lights and play equipment in, and rubbish removal which never existed before. That is the transformational policy and commitment of government to what was a totally unacceptable situation.
We took on the bleeding hearts on the left side of the community in Alice Springs. I am not being derogatory; however, that is where I put them, where we had to stare people down and say: ‘Unless you agree to leases we will compulsorily acquire those camps’. Our supporters, such as they are in Alice Springs, condemned us to hell and back for having the temerity to take that position. There was even a QC on the phone from his villa in Tuscany providing advice to people in the town camps about the evil governments seeking to overturn their rights by insisting on a lease before government would commit this money.
We did some hard yards. It was the right thing to stare down people who have traditionally supported us in Alice Springs to do the right thing - turn those hell holes and cesspits into suburbs. I was with Jenny Macklin and the minister in Trucking Yards Camp last week. I visited before the transformation plan commenced, and to see the new houses, to hand over keys to people moving into the houses, to go into the houses and talk to people - everyone in those houses was working around Alice Springs, and the pride they were taking – this is transformational, and to suggest no one is doing anything and government does not care is incorrect.
With regard to the short-term accommodation facility, the member for Braitling attended the opening recently ...
Mr Giles: Pouring rain.
Mr HENDERSON: … yes, in pouring rain. I was not very chivalrous leaving Jenny Macklin sitting on the stage; Karl was good, he stayed with her. Again, that is transformational. People will not have an excuse in Alice Springs – this goes to the hard end of tough love as well as doing the right thing – to sleep rough around town when the transitional accommodation facility is there. We will be able to say: ‘Look, you do not need to sleep rough’. To service providers in Alice Springs who want to assist people living rough, living in the river and abusing alcohol, we will be able to say: ‘You do not need to provide services to these people any more. If we are funding you to provide services to these people, we will pull that funding because these people should be in the temporary accommodation facility’. They will pay a small price to be in that facility. Again, that is transformational. Over the course of this year, something like 500 additional accommodation places …
Ms Lawrie: Yes, 520.
Mr HENDERSON: … 520 in Alice Springs at all levels of the social spectrum, to deal with people coming into and out of town.
That costs an enormous amount of money, partly funded from the Territory government, partly funded from the Commonwealth government. When, in the history of Alice Springs, have 500 new accommodation places for transient people been delivered? Never! To say government is doing nothing, has given up, is not right.
None of this is going to change until we, as well as dealing with the problems and the crime - if people are committing offences over and over again we need to have them locked up so they take notice their behaviour will not be tolerated.
Where the Police Commissioner was coming from in his interview - and working with all agencies - is we need to address this at the other end of the scale - getting kids to school. I spoke to a meeting of the Indigenous Economic Development Taskforce that my colleague, the Minister for Indigenous Development chairs, which had heads of peak Indigenous bodies from around the Northern Territory in Darwin last week. I laid down a challenge: all of us as leaders, whether of land councils, service organisations, members of parliament, or the Chief Minister of the Northern Territory, when we are in a remote town or community and school is on, and outside the store there is a family group sitting with kids not at school, we should walk up to that family group and challenge the parents as to why those kids are not in school, not walk past them.
Perhaps we become desensitised in the Northern Territory to things other people cannot believe occur. I looked at myself several months ago in Wadeye, Port Keats, scratching my head as to why people were sitting under trees and there was a perfectly good school across the road with brand new facilities - a fantastic new secondary school and kids not attending school, sitting with parents who are not sending kids to school. I resolved there and then I would not walk past that any longer. I will make myself unpopular and growl at people about why their kids are not at school. My colleague, the Education minister, has a comprehensive strategy. Unless we fix the problem all the tub-thumping in the world about how bad it is will not resolve it. We are talking about intergenerational disadvantage, poverty, and the social dysfunction which comes from that, which is playing itself out in the streets of Alice Springs.
We will be investing, with the Commonwealth, in additional alcohol and drug rehabilitation facilities. If you take the politics out of banning or not banning people, this parliament is pretty close in that we need people with alcohol problems compulsorily sent to rehabilitation. We are at the sharp end of the political debate on that. I have been around long enough to know what that debate is all about. Fundamentally, we are all saying people with chronic alcohol problems need mandatory referrals to sobering-up facilities. We will do that. I will not get into the politics of banning or not banning people; that will be played out for another day. Fundamentally, people opposite acknowledge and accept, as we do, unless we deal with the alcohol issues nothing is going to change on the streets of Alice Springs.
As we progress this debate, without patronising or being paternalistic, you can run the line we do not care. It plays out well in Alice Springs and your vote might go from 70% to 80%. However, the reality is it is not true. Sticks and stones - it does not worry me what line you run in Alice Springs. The government will continue to do the right thing.
I remind people as we debate these issues, at the end of the day we are also leaders and have a responsibility when we amplify issues to be very careful of the broader consequences of what we say and who we influence. I have real concerns. My office has been contacted by many tourism operators in Alice Springs and the Tourism minister has been inundated. Tourism enterprises are scared about the politics around this and the potential impact it is going to have on people far away in Europe, and other places, who are planning their trip of a lifetime to Australia and may not come to Alice Springs.
The Internet makes research readily available. Things spread like wildfire on the Internet and newspapers, Facebook sites and all sorts of social networking media can completely destroy a town’s reputation to the extent it would take years to recover. I am urging people as we debate these issues, and we go into the Alice Springs sittings where I am sure there will be another demonstration – the government will say it is doing the best it can; the CLP will say it has neglected Alice Springs and hates Alice Springs. That will play out again; all is fair in love and war. I would hate to trash Alice Springs’ reputation so much that people will lose their jobs, their livelihood, and potentially see their homes devalued as a result of a lack of leadership and maturity in discussing and addressing problems for which there are no simple solutions.
You could double the size of the police force tomorrow and it would not make an iota of difference. You cannot have a police officer on every corner, on every street in Alice Springs for 24-hours a day, seven days a week. There are no simple solutions to this.
I come to this debate tonight to assure members opposite, particularly members who hold those seats, that we are not neglecting this. If you have genuine ideas you want to bring forward – I saw an e-mail recently - the Minister for Central Australia might want to advise on this - from a resident of Tennant Creek who sent an e-mail to the Minister for Central Australia’s office which had some practical issues about a particular laneway and a 24-hour convenience store. Because it was a 24-hour store there were people on the street at 2 am or 3 am buying food and drinks.
Large numbers of people congregated around this store; alleyways were an issue. Suggestions were made: if you did this fewer people would hang around. I said to Tony Mayell: ‘I want some advice. Are these good ideas? Should we be pursuing these things as well as some of the broader intergenerational stuff we are dealing with?’ I say to members who hold those seats, if you have any ideas for localised solutions we should be looking at with the council, talk to me. I am happy to chat to you any time.
Madam Speaker, I commend the Mayor of Alice Springs whose leadership is inspirational whilst doing a very difficult job.
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker! I seek an extension of time for the Chief Minister, pursuant to Standing Order 77.
Motion agreed to.
Mr HENDERSON: I commend Damien Ryan, Mayor of Alice Springs because - I will choose my words carefully - he has an interesting council to lead - interesting characters with a range of interesting views. He is showing leadership in working with all levels of government and the community to find solutions to these issues. The mayor has my mobile phone number and rings me from time to time when things get tough. I always return his calls and try to assist him.
There has been some politics around CCTV cameras in Alice Springs. The reality was police were trying to recruit auxiliaries to monitor those CCTV cameras in Alice Springs. A police auxiliary’s job is pretty good; it pays around $65 000 a year. Once fully qualified there are opportunities for promotion or transition to become a fully sworn police officer. I would have thought it would be an attractive job in Alice Springs. The reality was no one was applying for those jobs. As well as taking advertisements out in the papers and using local recruitment agencies, police also tried to headhunt people for the jobs. Police could not recruit auxiliaries to carry out monitoring of cameras from the Alice Springs Police Station. The negotiated response with the Alice Springs Town Council was for the local taxi company to monitor the cameras. With all due respect to the taxi company in Alice Springs, the person monitoring those cameras at 3 am probably does not have the training, the acuity and the interface with police they should have. It was not an optimal solution by any stretch of the imagination.
Technical issues needed to be resolved regarding reserved bandwidth for those cameras to be monitored at the Peter McAulay Centre in Darwin, where additional staff could be recruited to monitor those cameras. Technical issues took time and money to resolve; however, a much better outcome for Alice Springs in having competent, well-trained police officers working in a team to monitor the cameras and very quickly target police patrols through the same command and dispatch systems in Alice Springs to hot spots, rather than having the cameras monitored by the taxi company in Alice Springs.
The mayor said he was getting heat from the council about this and I said: ‘Come to Darwin, Damien. I will get you into the Peter McAulay Centre to see for yourself the professionalism, the skill, how the cameras are being monitored, what the command and dispatch rules are, the operational procedures. You can explain to your council it is a much better solution for Alice Springs’. He saw that, was very grateful, and returned and maybe hosed his council down on that.
I say to members opposite, if you have concerns about this, come and see me! I will get you into Peter McAulay Centre to see what they are doing. Do it from an informed basis, not from amplifying the last person who spoke saying it is appalling that these things are monitored from Darwin, Darwin does not care about Alice Springs, and whatever other nonsense was being suggested.
In conclusion, I take these issues very seriously. The Minister for Central Australia is doing a magnificent job. It is pretty tough country down there as the only Labor MLA. I work well with the Minister for Central Australia, as does the Attorney-General and other ministers, to support the work he is doing. I assure members of this House that the government does not ignore and neglect Alice Springs. It is focused on improving the lives of all people in Central Australia. I accept the town is going through a tough time at the moment. If there was a magic wand or a silver bullet, the wand would be waved or the bullet would be fired. We all know that is not the case.
We are dealing with a complex set of issues. I hope I have shown people in this parliament tonight that we acknowledge that. There are many programs running; multiple approaches to dealing with these issues; the investment is there. It is not necessarily about more dollars. You can always spend more dollars on any problem; however, more money is flowing into Alice Springs around these issues than ever before.
To those people who have felt, as a result of the bail provisions, they are untouchable in Alice Springs, think again. When we make these changes you will not be going through a revolving door of never-ending bail. You will be held to account and it will give police the ability to crack down on the hard core who, for whatever reason, have been going through a revolving door of bail. The government will also fix the shortcomings of the Youth Justice Act.
Madam Deputy Speaker, I thank the member for Greatorex for bringing on the debate and look forward to further contributions.
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Tabled Paper
Pairing Arrangements - Members for Wanguri and Port Darwin
Tabled Paper
Pairing Arrangements - Members for Wanguri and Port Darwin
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Honourable members, I have received an update that the cyclone watch has progressed to a cyclone warning. As such, the Chief Minister is required to leave the parliament.
We have a pairing arrangement in place effective now until close of parliament today for the member for Wanguri with the member for Port Darwin. I table that document.
Mr ELFERINK: From our side of the House we appreciate the unusual circumstances of the Chief Minister’s departure and accept that means he will not be able to deliver his statement. We understand the circumstances and will accommodate him in any way we can.
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Mr WOOD (Nelson): Madam Speaker, the hardest debate in this parliament to get both sides working together is the issue of crime and alcohol abuse. The one debate generally easiest to put into a party political spectrum is crime and alcohol. For me, it is the one thing where we should show leadership in the community and work together to find a solution. You cannot blame one side or the other; you cannot say parliament or government is the only solution. This has to come from the community; this has to come from our leaders.
Many of the issues in Alice Springs are about Indigenous young people - not always young - and there needs to be far more leadership in the Indigenous community. It is easy to blame the government; it is much harder to work together as a unified parliament to find solutions, and we should be sending a message out to the wider community that it is also part of the solution. People from Alice Springs have said swiping the card is terrible because only a minority cause the problem, so why should they suffer. On a very shallow level I understand that; however, we are all part of a community, good or bad, black or white; we are not separate and sometimes go down that path to avoid our responsibilities as a community to address problems in our society.
I can talk about the issues in this censure motion - crime is nothing new. I came to the Territory in 1970. I saw alcoholism and people being bashed. I arrived when I was 19 and had never seen such things in my life. I saw pubs serve warm beer to Aboriginal people, a boat with a licence at Robbie’s Sandbar pick up Aboriginal people, take them to the sandbar, get them drunk and bring them back to the community where they bashed people and caused problems. It is not something new.
Let us not forget the CLP was in power for 25 years. While you blame the ALP for being in power for 10 years, it goes around in a circle - blame game, blame game. It does not serve any purpose. This issue is far too serious and damaging to the Territorians we should be helping. We talk about child protection - this is about child protection. If kids are running the streets of Alice Springs they should be removed because child protection is not only about sexual or physical abuse, it is about neglect. From talking to Professor Vimpani recently with the CTC, the majority of child abuse is neglect. I visited an island off the coast I will not name at the moment, and found over 50% of children under three suffer from malnutrition. Is that not child neglect?
When talking about crime we need to talk about the cause of crime. Are children being raised in a family that loves and cares for them, where there is some discipline and they attend school? Prime Minister Gillard gave a great speech recently about closing the gap. I do not agree with everything in the Closing the Gap philosophy. She said Aboriginal people must send their children to school and that is right: responsibility must go to those people who are not doing the right thing. You can blame the government but the community as a whole has to take some responsibility for the problems.
Most kids are in trouble because of circumstances relating to their upbringing. I visited a therapeutic community in Ohio – it is a special type of prison - and sat in front of six prisoners and asked them why they were in prison. They said because they came from broken homes or drug and alcohol abuse at a very early age, such as 10 or 11 - marijuana and alcohol. We see the same thing happening in the Northern Territory.
There is a whole range of solutions not heard from the opposition - I hope they come back with some positives. There is more than locking people up and ensuring people cannot get repeat bail. There is a whole raft of factors governments have to look at to turn things around. It must start in the home and must be about early intervention. If it means government has to take some hard decisions so kids grow up properly, it has to make those hard decisions. If we are serious about child protection, protect kids from parents who do not look after them; protect kids from turning into criminals because their parents did not look after them. We have to make hard decisions at the start. Government needs to spend more money on this - we tend to spend money fixing the problem rather than preventing it. I have seen figures saying if you spend $1 when someone is three or four-years-old to help them start off better in life, you will save $20 when you house them in a prison.
If we are going to discuss crime in the Northern Territory we cannot only focus on it being bad in Alice Springs at the moment. It is bad in Alice Springs. The member for Macdonnell told me it is bad, and I have firsthand information from people in Alice Springs saying things are not good. Many people gather behind Hoppy’s Supermarket at night. I have seen people fighting on the Stuart Highway. It is somewhat confronting when you have dropped in for an iced coffee and, all of a sudden, you see people rolling across the highway belting one another.
The issue is not only in Alice Springs. It happens in Borroloola - thankfully, some of the alcohol controls in Borroloola have reduced it. It happens in Katherine - there have been reports of windows being smashed recently. It happens in Tennant Creek, yet Tennant Creek has become the model for another country - I cannot remember which - looking at alcohol control in that …
Ms Lawrie: South Africa.
Mr WOOD: South Africa is looking at that as a possible model for alcohol controls. Maybe South Africa has the same problems. This is not unique to the Northern Territory; however, we seem to have a small population with many problems. It is a problem in Palmerston and Darwin. I have said on radio recently - and the Chief Minister said it recently – people who have lost control because of alcohol abuse should have mandatory rehabilitation - be taken off the street.
I was at Uncle Sam’s last night and there was a bloke humbugging …
Ms Lawrie: Uncle Sam’s!
Mr WOOD: Yes. I do not stay at 5-star hotels, member for Karama, and I do not eat at flash restaurants.
That is where you meet people; where you see real life in Darwin. You see people who are drunk, or if not drunk are affected by alcohol, humbugging ordinary people going to the video shop. We have major issues. Young people are roaming the street attacking people - and it is not only Aboriginal people. An article in the Sunday paper talked about a policeman down south being bashed. Kids only 14 or 15 ran across the road to attack him. It is not only an Aboriginal problem - it is bigger than that. Some Aboriginal people are more prominent, which is why people think Aboriginal people are the problem in relation to excessive alcohol and violence. It goes beyond that - you only have to read the paper these days.
We should be looking at early intervention. We need a prison farm in Central Australia and more work camps for youth. At the last election the government said it was funding several youth camps - the Hamilton Downs Camp out of Alice Springs – however, that has dropped off. Three youth camps were sponsored by the government – that has finished. Someone told me they are doing camel treks.
Ms Lawrie: No, not finished.
Mr WOOD: I hope it is not. Camel treks are not what we are after. We need to send kids out bush, get them some work, some education, and get them away from the trouble staying around a community like Alice Springs can cause.
The proof in the pudding is places like Mt Theo. You get kids with a petrol sniffing problem, take them out bush, get them away from the problem, talk about what they are going to do, where they want to go in life and give them time to clear their heads because sometimes they need time out. We should be using the pastoral industry more to help these kids. You would have seen today’s paper - a great initiative. Kids from Ngukurr are doing a certificate course in mechanics. That is terrific. Ngukurr has already held a course at Mataranka Station for cattlemen. That is great. We have to put some positive things out. If we need to send kids out there, do it. Get them off the streets of Alice Springs and Katherine. There are two sides to this; one is to help a young person turn their life around; two is getting them off the back of the community which is sick of them. You have to call a spade a spade. People are sick of beggars in Darwin; people are sick of someone camping on a back lawn, defecating, and most of it has to do with alcohol.
As a parliament, we have to put away political digs at one another and work together. We need to tell sectors of the community they have to come along, have to lead, because it is a community problem which cannot be solved only by government. The government makes whatever law it wants. You can take a horse to water but the community has to come along as well.
The government is making changes to prisons; I would like to ensure no one wants to return to prison. I do not want a soft prison; I want one where prisoners have to work – they can receive training - all day. I have visited our prison and I know that not everyone works - everyone should work. If not, you do not get cigarettes, television or the pool table. We have to be stricter after release also.
The other side is what do people do when they are released from prison? We have other community problems: employment and inadequate housing. Some people go to prison, are released and are back in exactly the same circumstances. What have we done? We have probably won a few brownie points in the press, probably looked good for a few months, and then are back to square one. We have big issues around housing and unemployment. I repeat: in many communities the welfare money should go to the council to create jobs for people. If there are no real jobs - which is why I have problems with the Closing the Gap statement at times - you have to create jobs so people are doing something for their dignity, something to stop them being bored, and something to put pride into their community. You need a raft of policies around prevention of crime from the beginning to the end - ongoing. Do not drop the funding! One of the problems we have is the three-year funding cycle and then it stops. We need to ensure it is an ongoing program supported by parliament.
These issues are easy to turn into political point scoring. If people really believe this is a problem far greater than party politics - there is nothing wrong with politics; it is about dealing with the community as we should as members of parliament - we should strive for that.
I have been to communities with lovely little kids. I was at Bathurst Island for a long time. Kids had big, fat cheeks and the women would squeeze them to make them cry. I do not understand how they thought that was a sign of endearment. They were fantastic kids and at that age you think they are wonderful kids. Then you discover Bathurst Island has the highest youth suicide rate. What a waste of humanity; what a waste of life.
Those bigger issues should drive us to ensure the young people we see - I want to see black doctors; I want to see black lawyers; I do not want to see pretend. I was talking to a school principal recently who said teachers from Batchelor cannot teach – it is paternalism. They cannot teach. Why should Aboriginal schools be different? They should have properly qualified teachers. They should not be pretend teachers with half a certificate from Batchelor. These are major issues. He also said 3% of kids going to secondary school are literate. Where will they get a university education when they finish secondary school? Do not gloss over the facts! For sure, things are not good. Tell them they are not good and put positives forward - say how we are going to fix them and ensure the community comes along.
I would say to Aboriginal community leaders: it is time you stood up and worked to find solutions. You cannot blame the government all the time; that becomes boring. I cannot fix the problem. People say: ‘You are the man with all the power’. No, I am not. This is a problem the community has to grasp and I am saying to people let us work towards a solution.
Alcohol is a major problem in the Northern Territory. We should not be afraid to take on the alcohol industry. Notice the power of the Australian food and grocery industry at the moment. Watch the alcohol industry if you say: ‘I think there should be changes to the way alcohol is advertised’. I do not believe sweetened-up drinks of vodka should be easily available. The alcohol industry supplies alcohol which goes from a soft drink to straight, hard liquor without much difference in taste – it is not silly. We should look at the way alcohol is advertised in the Northern Territory, the way it sponsors sport, and ask if that is the way we want to go. We have the highest alcohol consumption per person in Australia. You have to ask: is it all about the heat? That was the excuse when I arrived. It is not all about the heat. It is a culture which needs looking at carefully. Part of that culture is part of the problem we have - part of the reason for this censure motion today - because alcohol is one of the main reasons we have so much violence and crime in the Northern Territory.
A whole range of issues need to be looked at. I could go on. I could give more examples of what we should do; however, I would rather see this censure motion move to something positive where we could work together. At the Alice Springs sittings people will be jumping up and down. Something which annoys me in Alice Springs is I feel like an alien. I like Alice Springs; Alice Springs does pretty well from funding. I saw a swimming pool recently which was pretty good. I have played cricket in Alice Springs; it has many cricket ovals. For a town of 25 000 people it does well. St Philip’s College is as good as anywhere in Australia. What an amazing college! Alice Springs is a fantastic place; we should put the positives out there as well.
Do not say: ‘I do not like Alice Springs’. You are also saying you do not like Borroloola - it is south of the Berrimah Line. My home is south of the Berrimah Line; people in Katherine and Timber Creek are south of the Berrimah Line. Alice Springs can wear out that record because there are some great facilities there. That is not denying there are not real problems, as in Katherine. I visit Katherine and it is a bit scary to go to Red Rooster - another high class restaurant - opposite the pub at 7 pm at night; it is not very comfortable. These are issues we have to grasp.
Madam Speaker, it is a Territory problem. Let us work together, let us find solutions. Let us ask the community to join with us and see leaders from outside government help change things for the better.
Ms ANDERSON (Macdonnell): Madam Speaker, I would like to contribute to this censure motion. For the last two-and-a-half weeks I have been sitting in the streets of Alice Springs until 1.30 am some nights observing what the town is up to. Go from the Royal Flying Doctor grass to the front of the 24 hour – the old Melanka - Kentucky Cross I call it instead of Kentucky Fried Chicken car park because it deserves the name Kentucky Cross - and the council grass. It is not only young people; we are talking about people in their 40s and 50s who should be setting an example to the young Aboriginal people going there to get young girls. It is not only the Aboriginal population; it is also the Sudanese population.
I have taken the number plate of a vehicle with five Sudanese inside who put girls in the car. I have given it directly to the Police Commissioner who has, I believe, forwarded it to the commander in Alice Springs. There is also an Indigenous woman in a little red car who picks up young girls. Her boot is always full of alcohol and drugs. She drives around picking up young girls and taking them to the Royal Flying Doctor grass. She is doing what happens in Kings Cross.
It is interesting to observe what goes on in the town. For people in this House who do not do that, as the member for Nelson said, it becomes a battle between parties rather than finding solutions.
One of the things I placed in the Centralian Advocate last week was there are two different standards of living conditions in Alice Springs. We automatically tell Indigenous people they can live in the town camps. If you build 500 houses in the town camps you are encouraging 500 extra people to come into town.
Not only Territorians come to town. People have come from Balgo, Jigalong and Kiwikurra; all from Western Australia. In Ananga Pitjantjatjara lands people are there from Freegon, Ernabella, Mimili, Indulkana, and Amata; it is not only Territorians. We have encouraged people from across the border to come to Alice Springs because there are alcohol restrictions in towns like Port Augusta. That is what you see in that little square of Alice Springs every night.
The member for Braitling and I went out on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights last year, and the year before. Today it is Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Do not go there at 9.30 and, as the Deputy Chief Minister did, walk through Alice Springs with police officers in front cleaning up so she did not see the antisocial behaviour. She also had backup police walking with her.
If you want to see the real thing, go out at 10.30 pm and sit at Kentucky chicken and watch. You will see it happening in front of you. What can you do? You have two officers from Family and Community Services walking the street from the end of the mall to Alice 24 Hour. They have no power under the current legislation to pick up any one of those children; all they can do is offer them a ride home. They have become a taxi service. I have stood with them at Alice 24 Hour. I have heard them say to children: ‘Would you like a lift home?’ If the children say: ‘No’, that is it, they keep walking. I have seen the Family and Community Services vehicle and the guys with the SYOS on the back of their shirts pull up at Alice 24 Hour for five minutes, do a round next to the Royal Flying Doctor, and go away.
I sent an e-mail to the Police Commissioner on Tuesday morning. The Deputy Mayor of Alice Springs, Brendan Heenan, came with me on Wednesday night. A transformation of that area is what happens when you get the Police Commissioner’s attention. I believe, with the Chief Minister’s approval, they would have done that. That whole area was swarming with police walking and police in cars. Brendan Heenan could not believe it: Tuesday night, 282 people; Wednesday night when the police were doing the patrols, 67. That was 67 around Kentucky Fried Chicken through Alice 24 Hour to the Royal Flying Doctor. If we continued that intensity in the vicinity we could remove the problem. The problem has become really big.
I acknowledge it is not only the government’s problem; it is not Alice Springs Town Council’s problem. In the Centralian Advocate last week I called on Indigenous leaders who have been silent on this issue in Alice Springs to start looking after their town as well, being active in the town, walking around and talking to their people because these are people from all over cross-border - Anangu Pitjantjatjara, Western Australia, South Australia and the Northern Territory. I even met a man from Camooweal who told me he loves lying around on the Alice Springs lawns. He said it is his home. If you go to the new Imparja block, down the creek at the sacred site for Lhere Artepe, you have people from Balgo, Jigalong, Kiwikurra, Kintore, Mt Liebig, Papunya and Haasts Bluff all living in that small area. A German backpacker also lives there; he came all the way from Germany and is under the bridge. They are people in the town who have come with many problems: cross-border problems, our own problems in the Northern Territory.
You have children walking around town. I have never seen so many children exposed to the amount of violence so late at night as I saw last Tuesday night. Babies are being carried by their grandmothers down the creek because their mothers are drinking nearby. This has become a serious issue. We can say: ‘Let us not allow it to become political’. We can say Alice Springs has never ever had so much money put into it - that is not the issue. Let us develop good policy – we have not had good policy. We have agencies everywhere running around doing the same thing.
When I was Minister for Central Australia we had all youth agencies discuss each other’s role. I heard one of the youth people on ABC saying the youth organisations need to come together. We have to ensure every agency knows exactly what they are doing; they know what they are doing at 1 am; they know what they are doing at 10 pm. However, what you have is one agency, Tangentyere Night Patrol. I have watched Tangentyere Night Patrol many times – music on full blast, windows down, off they go, and people are singing out to them and they do not stop. There was a lady on Saturday night with a child in a pram who wanted to go to Ilparpa. She could not walk there. This was about 9.30 pm and she was waiting for the night patrol.
The government has to look at where the money is going. If Family and Community Services people have no legislative power to pick these children up, why waste resources and have two people walking the street at night? What purpose does it have? Why have two people walking around from 9.30 pm or 10 pm at night until 2 am or 3 am if they cannot do anything except offer children a lift? If those children refuse the lift, they walk off and contact another child. I watched the SYOS three nights ago - youth officers on the ground - they walked straight past six youths - did not go near them. This is the hardship we put on the workers we have.
We have to get community people to take control of their own children and their own people who come into town. One of the things I suggested was having the Alice Springs Town Council meet with the MacDonnell Shire and the Central Desert Shire - that is where most people are coming in from - along with the governing bodies of all town camps. Unless they set a standard of entry into their town camps, it does not matter if you build 1000 houses you are encouraging 1000 people, because those people, at 4 am, go home somewhere.
Let me tell you where they go. They go back into the new houses you have built in the town camps and sleep around the verandahs and in the lounge and kitchen of your new homes. Unless the bar of entry into those town camps is raised by people living there, you will never solve the problem. We have seen the non-Indigenous population jump up and down about the antisocial behaviour, the businesses and other people living in the town but we have not heard from the Indigenous people. They are very silent. Their silence is deafening. We need to call them out as well and have them take action on behalf of their own people.
In sitting around with these people at Royal Flying Doctor and Kentucky Cross, and also the Alice Springs Town Council, I started noticing the yellow boxes were starting to come out at about 9.30 pm or 10 pm. That is one litre of white wine in a cask. I said: ‘Where are you getting all this grog?’ - the bottle-o shuts at nine. They showed me a couple of places. You would have seen the front page of the Centralian Advocate last week - Indigenous people selling to Indigenous people; Indigenous people living on the misery and sickness of their own people. If government is legislating against Bottle-o’s, or outlets in any town with a closing time, and you have these people living in our community doing this to their own people, then we should not accept them as part of our society. We need to crack the whip with these people.
It is not only alcohol. People in many flats and houses in Alice Springs sell ganja to these people. You not only have alcohol in the vicinity of Royal Flying Doctor and Alice Springs Town Council, you also have ganja. The Sudanese community needs to talk to its people because there are young Sudanese fellows racing around picking up young Aboriginal girls. In relation to our children, Aboriginal people need to talk to Aboriginal people.
There was an incident on Thursday night with my niece. I spotted her at Royal Flying Doctor at 1 am; at 5 am she tried to commit suicide and ended up in intensive care. I received a phone call from intensive care at 11.15 pm and had to ring my brother, 250 km away at Papunya, to come in because his daughter was on life support in intensive care. That is the type of issue we are dealing with - real issues of substance abuse not just poverty. These people do not live in poverty. I do not know where people get the idea Aboriginal people live in poverty. They receive Centrelink; a single person probably gets $275 a fortnight and the wife probably gets $1000 if they have two children.
We have to focus on children who do not go to school. I agree with the Chief Minister: we have to force children to go to school. There is no use fining people; we have to get truancy officers on the road and knocking on doors. Every child should be registered at school age and if they are not attending school let the truancy officers knock on the door and ask the parents: ‘Why is your child not at school? Send your child to school unless that child has a medical certificate!’
Madam Speaker, I agree with the member for Nelson. I have heard this and have made it quite public. The teacher assistants and health workers coming from Batchelor college cannot teach in a classroom, cannot even plan a lesson, so how do you expect children to be educated if you keep pushing that line? You will have uneducated kids because you have uneducated people teaching them. Let us give them the same qualifications you would give your children instead of giving them a blackfellow qualification; then you have a blackfellow kid who fails in literacy and numeracy.
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Statement by Speaker
Severe Weather Warning
Severe Weather Warning
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, before I call the next member I have a statement from the Australian government Bureau of Meteorology, issued at 4.21 pm today.
The Bureau of Meteorology warns that at 4.20 pm potential severe thunderstorms were detected on weather radar near Howard Springs, Beagle Gulf, Shoal Bay and Gunn Point. These thunderstorms are moving towards the east to southeast and are forecast to affect Koolpinyah and Lambells Lagoon by 4.50 pm and the northern suburbs, Lee Point and Middle Point by 5.20 pm. Damaging winds are likely. This is not a tropical cyclone warning.
The Northern Territory Emergency Service once again advises people to secure loose outside objects and avoid remaining in the open when storms threaten. I rang my daughter a little while ago and where we live in Nightcliff we had major trees down in our yard and bins were running along Nightcliff Road. It is not too good out there.
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Mr HAMPTON (Central Australia): Madam Speaker, I too thank the member for Greatorex for bringing on the motion. Although it does not state ‘Central Australia’, the focus of this discussion so far, and contribution from all members, has been on Central Australia and I welcome that.
I will start by acknowledging the Chief Minister and his very sensible contribution. It showed a great deal of sensitivity to the issues and, as much as could be, was non-political. That is the approach we need in dealing with this motion before the House.
In many ways that is how I approach these issues. Being Minister for Central Australia is a privilege and I take the role very seriously. For me there are no votes in Alice Springs - it is not my electorate. I could easily sit back and not fight for resources or funding for Alice Springs through Cabinet. The member for Nelson acknowledged there are many great things happening in Alice Springs: sporting facilities; resources and funding – much happens. Politically, I do not have to prove anything to anyone; I do not have to win votes; I do not have to score political points. I do it because I love Alice Springs - Alice Springs is my home. I was born there; I grew up down the Gap and my family will always be there. I will live in Alice Springs post my political career. That is what drives me and, as the member for Greatorex said, we all become involved in politics to make a difference. The Chief Minister said there is no magic wand, no silver bullet for the difficult issues discussed in this motion, and the intergenerational issues he outlined so well in his contribution.
I am fully aware of that, as most members would be. The issues we are dealing with are difficult. I can say this honestly: government does not neglect Alice Springs. Every week around the Cabinet table my colleagues and I discuss issues, and Alice Springs is something my Cabinet and Caucus colleagues take very seriously. It is not a matter of politics for us. As the Chief Minister said, it is about doing the right thing for the people of Alice Springs, the people of Central Australia, and for all Territorians. That is what drives me. It is not in my electorate, I do not have to win votes there; however, I love Alice Springs and it is the right thing to do by the people of Alice Springs.
We have the Alice Springs Youth Action Plan. The Chief Minister touched on parts of the plan, and parts of the Alice Springs Transformation Plan. I have worked closely on both during my time as Minister for Central Australia and my five years in parliament. For me it is about building on the strengths of our community. I approach things by building on strengths and recognising the hard work and dedication of the many people tackling issues in the Centre. These issues have been around for a long time, as the member for Nelson stated. We have to move past the politics. I understand we have a by-election coming up for the Alice Springs Town Council and we have the Alice Springs sittings coming up. That is the politics we are facing. I acknowledge the real issues in Alice Springs. No one is denying there are issues but I would like to build on the strengths of our community. That is where I want to deal with these issues; there is much community strength in Alice Springs.
The Youth Action Plan is something the member for Macdonnell kicked off as Minister for Central Australia. Much work was done then and much work has been done since. It is not the perfect policy. We can always do better and I, like the Chief Minister, am always open to discussion with opposition members, particularly those in Alice Springs. My door is always open; it is a matter of picking up the phone and talking; I am always prepared to listen.
The Youth Action Plan has achieved a fair amount over recent years. We had the opening of the Police Beat in the Todd Mall. We now have the Youth Outreach Service operational seven nights a week and, like members opposite, particularly those from Alice Springs, I have been on the streets with the youth workers. I have also been on the streets by myself on many occasions. As a young teenager I was on those streets and know where the youth are coming from. Much is boredom and much is about behaviour, which is what we have to change. The Youth Outreach Service operates seven nights a week as part of the Youth Action Plan. We have additional funding for the Gap Youth Centre and other youth service providers. We can always do with more funding, something I will be fighting for – for other youth service providers to receive more funding as part of the Youth Action Plan. There is additional funding for the Gap Youth Centre, a place I grew up across the road from and used many times. They provide a great service.
There is also the Youth Hub established at the ANZAC campus and the upgrade to Centralian Middle School. There is $9.5m - I know it is not all about dollars; however, I visited CMS school recently. They have record enrolments, and we have heard from many members the importance of education. Every Child, Every Day - my colleague, the minister for Education, is very hot on this issue, as is government. It is important for our kids to attend school every day. A good education is what got me to where I am. I am sure the member for Macdonnell will acknowledge that a good education opens doors for you. It was a great opportunity to visit Centralian Middle School in Alice Springs to see the facilities: the Internet caf; the Girls Sports Academy room; the new caf; the Clontarf room; and the gymnasium. These things all help in getting our kids to school and keeping them there.
The Girls Sports Academy is doing fantastic things. It is building on the strengths of people who work in programs such as the Girls Sports Academy at CSM or at Centralian Senior Secondary. The other great program is the Clontarf Academy. Brad Puls, Ian McAdam, Shaun Cusack, Charlie Maher, many of them local Aboriginal guys, know what it is like growing up in Alice Springs - they were born and bred there. They know the challenges and are great role models for young Indigenous men coming through the Clontarf Academy.
We now have John Adams in the Youth Services Coordinator position. He is doing a great job pulling together the youth sector and the non-government sector. As the member for Macdonnell said, we do not want duplication in this sector. It is vitally important to Alice Springs that we have youth service providers working together in a coordinated manner because, often, they are dealing with the same kids. Those kids know the system and the youth services very well - we need people to be talking together about the same kids. I spoke to some of the providers recently about the announcements the Deputy Chief Minister and I made regarding tackling antisocial behaviour and supporting youth at risk. The No School No Service program has been introduced for some time and is well supported by business. Business is getting behind it; you see posters in shops all over town. It may not be the magic wand; however, it is an important part of the Youth Action Plan and getting kids to school.
There are new police powers to ban any person causing alcohol-fuelled violence or antisocial behaviour from the new Alice Springs CBD designated area for up to 48 hours. Courts can ban people from the area for 12 months. This is another tool in our armoury to tackle antisocial behaviour. For the period 1 January 2009 to 31 December 2010, there have been 9000 attempts detected by the ID system to purchase alcohol while either prohibited or against the liquor supply plan. That is a lot of grog not consumed by people who have been banned or prohibited from the purchase of grog.
I acknowledge my colleague, the Deputy Chief Minister, for cracking the whip in Alice Springs. She visited, patrolled with the youth services team, and met with the business community. I met with the business community as well and, honestly, was concerned by the aggressiveness of some business owners. I can sympathise with what they are going through. They are tired; they are sick of break-ins. Government acknowledges this and is putting measures in place to acknowledge what they are going through. However, I was concerned with the aggressiveness of some business owners …
Mr Giles: They have had enough. That is why.
Mr HAMPTON: That is right. They have had enough and I understand that; however …
Mr Giles: You are doing nothing. You are not a leader, mate.
Mr HAMPTON: I understand they have had enough …
Mr Giles: You need to pull the pin.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Braitling!
Mr HAMPTON: … member for Braitling, and government is taking steps regarding their concerns.
The next step - and the Chief Minister outlined this - is a new police patrol coordinator. It is something the member for Macdonnell acknowledged; there are many patrol services operating in isolation and the appointment of a Senior Sergeant Patrol Coordinator will go a long way in dealing with some of the issues the member for Macdonnell raised. That is funded through the Alice Springs Transformation Plan in cooperation with the Commonwealth government. Another is targeted patrols and Operation Harpoon, which targets youth on the streets at night with a focus on identifying and removing troublemakers and referring individuals for alcohol and other drug interventions.
The Chief Minister mentioned the tougher penalties for breach of bail. New laws will be introduced to make breaching bail an offence. There is a revolving door, with many juveniles being let off on bail. Magistrates do not want to put them in remand if they have to come to Darwin away from home and family. The other important initiative we have announced is the detention centre in Alice Springs. I visited, with the Deputy Chief Minister and Correctional Services staff, the new 24-bed facility which has already been built. Further work will be done to separate it from the main correctional centre near the cottages by fencing facilities inside that building. It has been built and will soon be operational.
Also, new short-term safe houses to accommodate juveniles taken off the streets at night by police. The member for Macdonnell said there is no legislative power for people to do that. My understanding is there is under the Youth Justice Act, but they do not have anywhere safe and secure to take those kids.
That has been a problem; however, the new short-term safe houses will deal with that and allow youth workers and police, who already have the power, to take them to a safe and secure facility.
Expansion and relocation of the preventative Bush Mob alcohol and other drugs facility is a very important announcement and the next step in dealing with the issues we are discussing this evening. The current location of Bush Mob in Schwartz Crescent is unacceptable. This facility will go a long way in dealing with kids I have seen firsthand chroming or sniffing on the streets of Alice Springs, while also supporting Bush Mob.
The Return to Country Blitz, getting kids to school - a one-off free Return to Country Blitz helping families and youth return to their communities and back to school is a very important initiative.
That briefly describes the Youth Action Plan. There is no silver bullet, no magic wand to wave. This government’s commitment to Alice Springs is in this most comprehensive Youth Action Plan. It may not be perfect but it shows government has taken this seriously. I thank my colleagues on this side of the House for their support in getting these initiatives up and running.
Turning to the Alice Springs Transformation Plan, if you visit the town camps as much as I do you can see a real transformation, not only in new houses being built, but also those being rebuilt and refurbished.
Mr Giles: You have used that word often today. Hoppy’s Camp has a big pile of cans.
Mr HAMPTON: Talk to the families moving into these new homes and they will tell you how proud and grateful they are for their own home. It makes a big difference with overcrowding - something which has come from the Little Children are Sacred report and the Growing them strong, together report. Housing is a critical issue in addressing the intergenerational problem we have. There should be bipartisan support for the transformation plan, not the politics we hear from the member for Braitling. I have spoken to many families who have moved into those new homes and they are glad to have them. Kids have their own rooms and can, hopefully, have a good sleep and go to school.
I am committed to continue fighting for the Centre. There are no votes in it for me - it is not my electorate; however, I love Alice Springs. The transformation plan is not only about building new homes or refurbishing and rebuilding homes in the town camps, it is about dealing with the intergenerational issues the Chief Minister identified and helping families and kids get their lives on track and providing a good education.
Many non-government organisations have been in receipt of grants. Tangentyere Council, with their youth service centre in Brown Street, does a fantastic job. It has a really good youth service team who do a very good job in tough circumstances. The Congress Safe and Sober Program and the family violence program have people on the front line who do it tough day in, day out getting families lives back on track. I acknowledge Mayor Damien Ryan, who has shown real leadership and been a great supporter of the Alice Springs Youth Action Plan and the Alice Springs Transformation Plan. I thank the police who do a fantastic job on the streets under enormous pressure; I acknowledge their contributions.
Focusing on some of the positives, I spoke to Neil and Julie Ross from Ross Engineering last week about some new announcements to tackle antisocial behaviour and support for youth at risk. They own a local business which has had its fair share of break-ins; however, they remain positive. Ross Engineering has a very good Indigenous employment strategy and they want to see young Aboriginal people in Alice Springs get their lives on track, get a great job and build a great future in Alice Springs. Julie, I believe, is still the Chair of the Alice Springs Chamber of Commerce. Neil and Julie have a positive way of dealing with opportunities through Indigenous employment.
The member for Araluen talked about the CCTV cameras and the member for Greatorex mentioned monitoring being done in Darwin. The Chief Minister has extended an invitation to visit the Peter McAulay Centre to view the monitoring. I have not been yet. I will look at how it works and would love the member for Araluen to come with me. I am happy to organise that through the Chief Minister. I want to see the best system for Alice Springs. I do not care where it is being monitored as long as it is reliable and does the job. If it means we have more police on the beat in Alice Springs instead of sitting behind a monitor, that is even better.
Madam Speaker, I will close by saying that this can easily be dealt with as a political issue. Alice Springs’ parliament is coming up …
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, your time has expired.
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Statement by Speaker
Cyclone Warning for Darwin
Cyclone Warning for Darwin
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I have just been advised there is now a cyclone warning in place for Darwin.
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Mrs LAMBLEY (Araluen): Madam Speaker, this is clearly a very emotional topic, particularly for people who live in Alice Springs or who have a vested interest in Alice Springs. Yes, people and business owners feel very angry. The Minister for Central Australia alluded to receiving an angry reception from business owners he met with recently and, under the circumstances, that is quite reasonable. I did some doorknocking last week and the response I am receiving from constituents, particularly elderly people, is they are really scared. They do not feel safe and it is affecting the quality of their life.
We have to address this, and I am hearing from people on the opposite side of the room this is not a political issue - perhaps because what they have done has not worked. Sadly, it is a political issue. It is a hot issue in Alice Springs, which needs to become more of a focus for this government.
The Alice Springs community is pleading for this government to do something about the law and order problem. I will not talk about how it has affected Alice Springs - the member for Greatorex has done that. I would like to talk about the attempts this government has made to address law and order issues. Of course, the Minister for Central Australia has already talked about the Youth Action Plan, and there are some great aspects to it. Some services in Alice Springs do a fine job in helping support troubled kids or kids from difficult backgrounds. They are providing activities and possibly a future for these otherwise disillusioned youths. I will not denigrate any service contributing to helping children in Central Australia.
I have always had a problem with the Youth Action Plan and have made it clear to the Minister for Central Australia. It is souped up for the amount of substance in it - a Youth Action Plan which includes an old school building, an education facility - the Centralian Middle School - a physical location and some programs. I cannot get excited about it, and the average person in Alice Springs probably does not know what you are talking about when you mention it.
This government has lost so many opportunities to develop what could be an amazing array of youth services to address youth problems in Alice Springs. The member for Macdonnell mentioned the duplication of youth services and the lack of coordination. This has been a theme for years. I am a social worker by trade and have been for most of my life. I have lived almost half my life in Alice Springs and have a deep understanding of the provision of welfare and health services in the town. The duplication of youth services in Alice Springs is well identified by people in the sector. I spoke to someone recently who said there are no regular meetings of youth services providers. The lack of coordination has been present for a long time, I suspect throughout the duration of this government.
Another attempt made by the government to address law and order issues in Alice Springs is the plethora of alcohol restrictions imposed for the last six years which have systematically failed. We have been the social experiment of the Northern Territory; we have been used as guinea pigs to try every alcohol restriction the government could pluck up. People have had a gutful. You talk about aggression and anger; this is one of the main causes. These restrictions have demonstrated a generalised approach to addressing alcohol problems in Alice Springs does not work. The broad-brush approach this government is continuing to implement has never worked.
I recall the deputy leader, at the end of last year, said the government was targeting alcohol restrictions. I cannot see that. It is more of the same, and my analysis of why is that government has failed to identify who. Who is the problem? A light bulb moment in my four months as a member of parliament is when I heard the Chief Minister say this is an Aboriginal problem. Ninety percent of assaults in Alice Springs are between Aboriginal men and women. That is what he said. Did I hear right?
Mr Giles: Ninety nine percent.
Mrs LAMBLEY: Ninety nine percent. I heard 90% but I believe the member for Braitling when he corrects me. I have not previously heard this government define the problem as clearly as the Chief Minister did today. People in Alice Springs have been told for years they have an alcohol problem and need to restrict alcohol consumption because they cannot help themselves; we are all rolling drunks who cannot behave or manage the amount of alcohol we consume. This is wrong. This is a fundamental error in the complete alcohol restriction package this government has delivered over the last six or seven years in Alice Springs. The resources this government has wasted attempting to convince the Alice Springs community we all have an alcohol problem is an absolute disgrace, and a clear sign of the government’s lack of policy and direction in managing law and order in Alice Springs.
The member for Macdonnell delivered a great story to the Centralian Advocate last week exposing grog running as a major problem in Alice Springs. Grog running is a symptom of prohibition! It is a symptom of extreme alcohol restrictions. We saw the experience of America. We have seen other international jurisdictions try to impose extreme alcohol restrictions. You would not believe the problem we have with grog running in Alice Springs! People are telling us anecdotally it does not matter what they sell in the bottle shops because you can get it up the road, and the member for Macdonnell has given us more evidence to that effect.
We have had dry zones in Alice Springs for years - put another layer of restrictions on us! Let us have another geographical area imposed on the geographical area we have already designated for the dry zone and call it the designated area. It has had absolutely no effect!
Alcohol restrictions in Alice Springs have been a joke, have not worked, and have been the cornerstone of this government’s attempt to manage law and order problems. They fail to identify who, and we have a problem far worse than it was 10 years ago.
The Minister for Central Australia touched on my issue, and that of many members on this side of the House, about monitoring of CCTV cameras going to Darwin, not the police. I support police monitoring the CCTV cameras in Alice Springs; however, going to Alice Springs is a huge backward step. I spent a night with the people who monitored the Alice Springs CCTV cameras until about a week ago. They explained part of collecting evidence which can be used to convict criminals is to know where they go and follow them from camera to camera. It requires local knowledge and understanding. It requires knowing where the hiding spots are and where these people will go after they have committed an offence.
I have also spoken to people in the industry who say local knowledge is necessary when monitoring the cameras. You cannot expect someone sitting in a centre monitoring CCTV cameras in Darwin to know if you are running down Stott Terrace in Alice Springs because you have flogged someone’s handbag that you might run up to KFC or down the back of Bojangles and up the back of Reg Harris Lane. You will not know that is a possible route because you do not live there and would not understand the layout of the streets. This is why it should be in Alice Springs; it is a critical service which needs local input and local management - it is as clear as that.
Why has the Police Media Liaison Officer position been moved to Darwin? Why has such a critical position in information dissemination by the police been moved to Darwin? I would like the government to answer that. Is this in the best interests of Alice Springs? No, definitely not. We have not had the police communication system in Alice Springs for several years; however, constantly - and I say constantly without any exaggeration - I am told people are ringing through to the police and getting some obscure response, or no response at all. It is not a local service; it is based in Darwin and managed by people who do not have the best interests of Alice Springs at heart.
The government has failed with law and order and failed to provide proper child protection services in the Northern Territory. It is all inexplicably linked. You cannot talk about law and order issues without mentioning child protection services. The member for Nelson referred to this as being an essential ingredient in assisting and supporting children who are losing their way, committing crimes and making a nuisance of themselves on the streets. This is a big problem in Alice Springs. Children on the streets of Alice Springs are causing problems. Children - I am not talking about youth - I am talking about kids under the age of 15. There is a clearly identifiable group of people we are not assisting.
When I was an alderman on the Alice Springs Town Council, we presented a package to the deputy leader of government, who was, I believe, then Minister for Local Government, proposing the Northern Territory government implement a youth curfew. Part of that youth curfew - it really was not about youth - was about children, and perhaps we made an error calling it a youth curfew - it was a children’s curfew. Part of that curfew was to establish safe houses for children in Alice Springs. That was in 2007 or 2008 and now, four years later, the government is going to set up safe houses. That is fantastic. Why did it take three or four years for the government to listen? Listening is where this government has fallen down. The people of Alice Springs have been telling this government for many years of the problems, and potentially the solutions, and this government has not listened. It is a very political issue which cannot be made into a bipartisan problem because the government has had 10 years to act on it. We have been in opposition hammering away giving government solutions to no avail.
The other area where the government has contributed to law and order issues is by encouraging and facilitating Aboriginal people from communities to move into Alice Springs. This may be a contentious issue; however, it is quite correct and there is evidence to support this statement. The government, by setting up the transient accommodation facility in Percy Court, is assisting and facilitating people from the bush to move into town unnecessarily. We have to question the government on this. It is a kind and noble gesture to provide this amazing accommodation facility worth tens of thousands of dollars; however, it is allowing, assisting, facilitating and encouraging people who would normally stay in their communities to come into town. That is not in anyone’s favour, particularly when people do not have work and could be led astray by the constant attraction of drinking alcohol, which seems to be one of the main problems in town.
What would we do if we were to form government in 2012? We would trial a curfew for children in Alice Springs. This has been a request of Alice Springs for years - the Alice Springs community wanted to give it a go. As a community, we do not like to see children unsupervised on the streets of Alice Springs because it is dangerous and potentially a risk to the safety of the community.
We want to see police security dogs introduced into Alice Springs. This has been categorically rejected by the police commander on radio this morning, and also in the Centralian Advocate today. He said police security dogs would not be suitable for a range of reasons. Police security dogs are used extensively throughout Australia - in most other states and territories there are hundreds of police security dogs in use. They are effective and efficient in the long-term management of public drunkenness and antisocial behaviour. There is much evidence to support this, and I am shocked at the police commander’s response. He needs to do some research. I am surprised he does not have more knowledge of how successful and effective they can be.
We need more police. We see how effective regular targeted patrols in Alice Springs are, which demonstrates they need to be a permanent fixture, not something that happens now and then.
The alcohol restrictions need a targeted response. We need to be courageous to identify who has the problem, and thanks to the Chief Minister we can confirm the problem is Aboriginal people coming to Alice Springs drinking excessively and causing problems. We need to target those people. Yes, alcohol consumption has dropped significantly in Alice Springs over the last few years - down by about 18%, on average. However, who is drinking less? It is not the people we see on the street cavorting every night. The people drinking less are people like you and me, people in this room who function, who live fairly average lives, who work, who go about their business and do not cause disruption to other people. People with drinking problems in Alice Springs are the people queuing up at 2 pm every afternoon at the grog shops buying their liquor and proceeding to cause trouble through the night for their neighbours and the community. We all know who the people with the problem are. Let us not pretend it is everyone in the community - it is not. The Country Liberals have committed to a fairly comprehensive rehabilitation program for people with alcohol problems.
Why has this government been impotent in its ability to deal with law and order issues in Alice Springs? This government has shown a lack of courage in clearly identifying who has the problem and who is making trouble on our streets at night. In any problem solving process - you all know this, you are all good public servants and have been around the traps - you always identify the problem - who, what, where, when, how and why - this is where this government has failed.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Araluen your time has expired.
Mr GILES (Braitling): Madam Speaker, it would not be a proper censure motion on Alice Springs if I did not speak. I thank the member for Greatorex for bringing this censure motion on - it is very important. The situation in Alice Springs at the moment is of dire circumstances. The sombre tone the Chief Minister took in his response was appreciated. He sounded genuine, although I am unsure if he was. We will wait and see.
Politics has changed over the last few years in Australia and the Northern Territory. People are no longer content to listen to politicians talk in the media, respond to media releases, and make glib statements without doing anything. People want to see action on the streets and on issues which affect them.
It was interesting listening to the Chief Minister say he would like substantial ideas about how we might move forward in addressing some of the issues. Yes, some of them are generational and, yes, many have come about over the last 10 years of this government. It is not always good looking backward; sometimes we need to look forward.
I was talking to a friend in Alice Springs recently about two separate incidents of people being attacked with a machete in Todd St, Alice Springs in front of Bojangles on the council lawns. Nowhere should anyone be subjected to an attack by a machete; however, it has become the norm. The number of people leaving town because of crime and antisocial behaviour is devastating. To hear people have been attacked with machetes, the number of sexual assaults I am aware of, the home invasions and rapes is - zero crime is acceptable; however, the level of crime and the number of people affected is outrageous. I ask anyone in this parliament to find one person in Alice Springs who has not been the victim of crime, or does not know a victim of crime in the last 12 months.
Today I berated the member for Stuart, the Minister for Central Australia, the man who is too gutless to sit in the Chamber during debate and hear this ...
Ms Lawrie: Not true, not true.
Mr GILES: … because this is on his head.
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Any reference to a member’s presence in the parliament is contrary to standing orders.
Madam SPEAKER: Yes, that is correct.
Ms Lawrie: Read your standing orders.
Mr GILES: Speaking to the point of order, I did not make any reference to the person.
Members interjecting.
Ms SCRYMGOUR: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The member for Braitling said the minister is too gutless to listen to this debate.
Mr Giles: I did say that.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Arafura, resume your seat. Member for Braitling, can you withdraw the comment please.
Mr GILES: I withdraw.
Madam SPEAKER: Thank you.
Mr GILES: It is gutless of the member for Stuart, the Minister for Central Australia, not to listen to this debate. He is the person responsible ...
Ms LAWRIE: A point or order, Madam Speaker! There is clearly an inference to the member’s presence or otherwise in the Chamber. You have already asked him to withdraw it and he has repeated it.
Mr GILES: I did not repeat it. Speaking to the point of order, I said he is not listening. I did not say he was not here. If he is not in the Chamber I am not making a reference to it.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Braitling, you are on thin ice. Can you remember the standing orders? Do not refer to a member’s presence or absence and withdraw the comments, thank you.
Mr GILES: I withdraw, Madam Speaker.
Madam SPEAKER: Thank you.
Mr GILES: I was trying to be positive about this and add value. Let us talk about the absence of the Minister for Central Australia in this debate. Let us talk about how the member for Stuart has been absent for some time. We only have to cast our minds back to the Yuendumu debacle. We remember Politics 101 - when it becomes troubling what do you do? You get out of the fire. This is where we talk about the trouble of Yuendumu and how it impacted on Alice Springs and Adelaide. This is a map of Vanuatu, where the Minister for Central Australia, the member for Stuart, went during the time of crisis in his electorate. We know the Minister for Central Australia should have been in Central Australia during the times of crisis, when these issues are hot button issues, when crime, antisocial behaviour and law and order are out of control. This year it is much worse and where is he?
This is not a map of Alice Springs I am holding up; this is a map of Vietnam. This is where the member for Stuart, the man not listening, goes when there is trouble in town. Do you know what we should have done? We should have had football games on every day in Alice Springs because he would have been there for a photo. This is the member who is too gutless to talk to Aboriginal people - he cannot talk to his own people. He attends a function with his advisor, stands at the back and when it is time for photos stands in the middle, quickly gets the photo, leaves, and puts it in his newsletter. He is supposed to be a leader.
The Chief Minister wants to know how to solve the issues - I will tell him. Talk privately with me about doing this in a bipartisan way. One of the solutions will be removing the current Minister for Central Australia. The Minister for Central Australia does not lead; he is not a leader; he is not doing his job. This is a cry for help for the people of Alice Springs. This is a cry for help from the people who live on Jarvis Street who, two nights ago, had all the petrol taken from their cars. The security guard at the Northside shops was bashed by four people in front of shoppers on Friday night. These people want help: the lady who lives on Lyndavale Drive who was raped; the people who had their home invaded on East Side the other night. This is continuous. What is happening is vile!
The minister goes overseas - does not do his job. The Minister for Central Australia must be replaced. I call on the Chief Minister to rid us of Karl Hampton, the Minister for Central Australia. He is not doing his job; not standing up for Central Australians. The Chief Minister must find a new minister immediately so we have someone who leads Central Australia and can provide solutions. He says: ‘I am a born and bred Territorian; born and bred in Alice Springs’. He put a medal on his chest. That is not an award you want. The award is showing conviction, leadership and taking the community forward. He does not do that on an environmental, economic, cultural or social basis.
The town is burning; people are leaving. He should hang his head in shame. His family visited me to complain about him - requiring assistance. That is how bad it is! Culture, family and blood run deep - you support your own. However, I have people asking for assistance because you are not doing your job. If you are not up to it, walk out. People need help. You do not understand. Do you want to know why businesses are at your doorstep? Because you are not doing your job. Do you want to know why there are advertisements on television? Because you are not doing your job ...
Mr Hampton interjecting.
Mr GILES: You think it is funny. The Chief Minister laughs and says he expects a protest. This campaign will not be confined to Imparja or Southern Cross. This campaign will go Territory-wide, Australia-wide, and international because you are not doing your job. This is not politics. The Deputy Chief Minister and the Chief Minister know the politics - the numbers. They understand it. We all get it. But we want action. The Chief Minister must replace the Minister for Central Australia. I am happy to have the member for Arnhem become Minister for Central Australia. I will work with you, come up with ideas - guaranteed. Chief Minister, my arm is out, the extension is there, let us work together to find answers.
Let me tell you how gutless the member for Stuart, the Minister for Central Australia is. I do not discuss personal conversations. If I have a sly conversation with someone, it stays on the side. However, two years ago I was at the Alice Cup Ball at the Old Quarry in Alice Springs. The member for Stuart and I chatted. We had several beverages over dinner and were having a quiet chat. He said to me - this relates to what the Chief Minister mentioned earlier: ‘As part of the intervention I wish John Howard had taken over the town camps. We cannot do it; we are not able’. I thought: that is Labor versus CLP - that is how it works. Member for Stuart, I am sorry for repeating that conversation; however, it goes to the heart of what the Chief Minister said about wanting change and how you do not have the competence to do it.
Larapinta Valley Town Camp Housing Association members have come to me, en masse, asking for assistance to move into a residential subdivision development and become part of town. Minister for Indigenous Development, you would be interested in that - I am sure you are aware of it. It has gone to Jenny Macklin, the federal Indigenous Affairs minister. It has come to the Territory government. The Labor lefties want to stop it - it is all politics and votes. If the Chief Minister is serious, he will help. That will make a significant change to town. Take the politics out of it - it will make a massive change to town. You have 90 ha - up to 300 lots - help solve the housing issue and assist people with capital and it will make a big difference.
The member for Araluen spoke about the police media moving to Darwin - a significant change made by government. The reason was to control the media because government is not telling people what is really happening on the streets - not at all. I would like to see the Chief Minister talk about the murder rate in Alice Springs over the last six months. Aboriginal people are being killed in Central Australia as a result of alcohol and the numbers have increased.
Members interjecting.
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order!
Mr GILES: We have the John Boffas of the world saying the alcohol changes are very important; they are lowering the murder rate. We are seeing figures increasing.
Government wants to refer to Singapore, where I was working, because it has no answer - they are gutless. The Chief Minister was very humble, wanted to have some …
Members interjecting.
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order!
Mr GILES: … real dialogue about finding answers. I am talking about Larapinta Valley Town Camp and they want to berate me. That does not seem to work.
The member for Greatorex said people are berated because they are white - a real thing. It is important to step back to understand the issues. People have been racially vilified and slurred because they are white; they are being punched because they are white; they are being spat on because they are white; they are having their cars kicked because they are white - in the Coles shopping centre; in the Woolies shopping centre and parked on the side of the road. This is an all-day every-day occurrence. If this is not good, lead from the front and do something.
A member: You are inciting it.
Mr GILES: I am not inciting it. People should be able to walk to the shops and feel safe; they cannot do that now.
The Chief Minister spoke about tourism - already in significant trouble. Some tourist operators are doing well; however, the numbers are down. Crime has killed tourism. It is not when it happens; it has happened. We can thank Oprah all we want, it has happened and people know. The Chief Minister is correct; with the Internet and media this spreads like wildfire.
The Chief Minister wants to know how to fix things. Two things could make a massive difference immediately. He spoke about potential changes to bail. There needs to be an alcohol prison farm for chronic alcoholics to get off the street. They are endangering themselves, their family and people in the community. They have to be removed from the street. It has to be done in a bipartisan way with no politics. There are lefties all around Australia, whether Liberal lefties, Labor lefties or Greens, who will complain; however, these alcoholics have to be taken off the street, there is no other way.
The Chief Minister asked if police need to be on every corner. I do not advocate more police - that is not my position. There needs to be a security presence on every corner. Law has to be reinstated at the shops and in the community. If you cannot go to your local shopping centre without being attacked there is a problem. I am not calling for martial law. Wikipedia defines martial law as:
- … the imposition of military rule by military authorities over designated regions on an emergency basis - usually only temporary - when the civilian government or civilian authorities fail to function effectively (e.g., maintain order and security …)
That is what is happening in town. The government of the Northern Territory is failing to maintain law and order in Alice Springs. The police are doing their job; they cannot do any more.
Security guards, funded by the Alice Springs Town Council under the auspices of Mayor Damien Ryan, were put in the mall for a period of time. That made a difference. We have to secure the business district of town. People need to feel safe to walk from Toddy’s Backpackers or Annie’s Place to Bojangles or Town & Country Tavern in the mall. You have to feel safe going to Woolworths without fearing being attacked in the car park. Shops at Northside are closing hours earlier because they cannot provide a secure environment. Security needs to be in place. During the intervention NORFORCE was called in to provide a secure environment. Whether you use NORFORCE, tourist police as they do in some nations, security guards or engage Lhere Artepe on a temporary basis to resecure the streets, it has to happen.
The front page of the Centralian Advocate today shows the Northside shops closing at 7 pm because they cannot provide a safe environment for shoppers or employees, particularly the kids who work on the local IGA front counter owned by Lhere Artepe. It is unfortunate but security forces need to be in place on street corners around the Alice Springs CBD to maintain law and order so residents feel secure, and to encourage tourists back into the CBD. At the moment it is not safe.
I asked the Chief Minister earlier today to walk down the street with me at midnight or 2 am. It is not safe. The member for Macdonnell and I have done it many times before and I have done it myself recently. It is not safe. Having 200 men, women and children rioting through the streets at night is not safe, and it is not all domestic violence - not 99% drunken domestic violence. It is people living in a lawless society out of control.
The Feds Club was broken into again. The member for Araluen spoke about grog running, as did the member for Macdonnell. You can put in place all the restrictions you want; however, they are not working, and people are …
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I seek an extension for the member pursuant to Standing Order 77.
Madam SPEAKER: There are generally no extensions in censure motions.
Mr ELFERINK: I did one for the Chief Minister. I thought it would be kind to return the privilege.
Ms Scrymgour: The minister could not get an extension.
A member: He did not ask for one.
Mr GILES: Madam Speaker …
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Port Darwin, are you putting the motion?
Mr ELFERINK: I did, Madam Speaker, yes.
Motion agreed to.
Madam SPEAKER: I remind you there are usually no extensions and usually only two government, two opposition and Independents.
Mr GILES: I thank my colleagues and government for supporting an extension of time. It is good to see a bipartisan approach when trying to solve such issues.
While there is a campaign to embarrass the government into taking action by concerned business people in Alice Springs, there will be a public rally next Tuesday night at the Andy McNeill Room of the Alice Springs Town Council at 5.30 pm. I encourage anyone in Alice Springs who is interested in the welfare of the town to attend. You can register to attend or seek more information by e-mailing actionforalice@gmail.com so catering can be organised. Currently, 120 businesses in Alice Springs have registered to take part in this action and are donating to the campaign. The media campaign will go national shortly in an attempt to embarrass the Northern Territory government into action, particularly to have the Chief Minister pull his Minister for Central Australia into line or sack him.
People are going into debt for this because they are losing business. Many people say this is an isolated Alice Springs issue. It is not only an Alice Springs issue and it is not isolated. We understand the situation around Tennant Creek - although Tennant Creek has improved. It is enjoyable visiting Tennant Creek, member for Barkly. Katherine has significant trouble with similar issues. I am aware of concerns in Palmerston. My good colleagues, the members for Drysdale, Brennan and Blain, tell me their concerns. I know what is happening in the greater Darwin region. Urban drift, over-population and social issues are causing extreme problems. Rest assured: urban drift is not confined to Alice Springs - it is coming to you. These are circumstances we will all have to address across the Territory if the government does not act now. Yes, fundamental philosophical changes are required. That needs to happen - you are not making those changes.
You ask what the Country Liberals did when in government. You have been in government for 10 years. Kids committing these offences are under 10 years of age; they were born during your era and they are committing crimes during your era. You are responsible for these kids and have to be accountable. If you have six-year-old kids running on the street now you cannot say: ‘The CLP did it’. That is beyond reason.
I am keen to sit down with the Chief Minister one-on-one for a few hours and talk about solutions. I have passed on an idea to the Minister for Indigenous Development which she can share with the Chief Minister about Larapinta Valley Town Camp. I have spoken about the need to secure the CBD and business districts of Alice Springs. That has to be a fundamental priority - you have to provide security to those areas. If people cannot go shopping or use retail shopping outlets it is a significant concern. The drunks have to be taken off the street.
The Minister for Alcohol Policy has programs running out. I am not going to get political about the Alcohol Courts or the things I believe to be garbage. You have to get drunks off the street. You have my full support to get them off the street. I am happy to sit down with you and say this is what I think. I have seen many of these facilities interstate and worked with them. You have to get them off the street otherwise the problem will not be fixed. You are aware of that; I do not know if you are able to it. I am keen to help you, Deputy Chief Minister.
This is a cry for help. It was my recommendation to put this up today because I have such concern …
Ms Lawrie: Why did you not lead it? Why did they give it to Conlan and not you?
Mr GILES: I can close it, minister. I am concerned about leadership. People do not want media releases and grabs on the radio; they want you to do something. I deal with the minister for Housing behind the scenes – we do not go through the media. I do things quietly. People want responses.
Mr Tollner: And he responds well.
Mr GILES: He does respond well. Would you like to be the Minister for Central Australia?
We need leadership. Cabinet, I implore you; please reconsider your Minister for Central Australia. He is not serving you well, and for the remainder of this year I, and my colleagues, will berate him for being incompetent, useless and not serving the interests of Territorians. If you do not get it right in Alice Springs the issue will spread like a disease. It will be in Darwin and you will not have six seats in Parliament at the next election, you might only have two or three.
Mr Elferink: Hear, hear! Well said, Adam.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Darwin, I understood that that was the end of the censure motion. That is what I have been advised.
Mr ELFERINK (Port Darwin): Madam Speaker, I indicated to the Leader of Government Business that I was going to say a few words in the spirit …
Madam SPEAKER: Go ahead, member for Port Darwin.
Mr ELFERINK: … which the Chief Minister spoke, and I thank him for his contribution. He basically threw out a challenge. What I am about to say is not Country Liberal policy; it is not any policy. He threw out a challenge about some of things which should be done. Some is Country Liberal policy, some is not.
Here is one: a regular trip to Canberra to initiate Centrelink reform to put into remote Aboriginal communities a compulsory system of work for the dole. This means the federal government should introduce into the Northern Territory a demand that if you are not at school and are under the age of 55 years and on the dole you front up to work from 8 am until 4 pm. You have an hour off for lunch, and do that at least four days a week if you are living in a remote Aboriginal community. If you are living in a major centre - maybe Alice Springs - you work three days a week and the next two days is spent looking for work. There will be no excuse to skip work. That is dole reform.
I realise the government cannot do that; however, I would like to hear the government say this has to occur in the Northern Territory to save lives. Is it paternalistic? Yes. Is it necessary? Absolutely! There is one thought. What about land rights reform? I do not mean taking Aboriginal land rights away from people; I am talking about accepting the last offer from Philip Ruddock and, hopefully, available from the new Labor government of patriation of the Land Rights Act to the Northern Territory with a view to creating an environment in which Aboriginal lands become much more economically mainstream than they currently are.
In that process, you have people who have to work for the dole on a daily basis having to work in any instance. If new jobs are created in remote Aboriginal communities, they will pay more than the dole and, hopefully, these Aboriginal people - or non-Aboriginal people, as the case may be - will move away from the dole to the better paid private sector job as a result of commercialisation of traditional lands. When I say ‘commercialisation’ I am talking about the same type of commercial environments which currently exist on non-Aboriginal land. Security of tenure should remain with the Aboriginal people. You could reform land rights substantially without taking away the rights of traditional owners. I would argue increasing the rights of our traditional owners because they would have more say on a local level as to how their lands are used.
The other suggestion I make, which is within the control of the Northern Territory government - this is not CLP policy; this is something I have scratched on the back of a piece of paper in the spirit in which I was invited to do so. What about flying squads? Communities erupt from time to time. Willowra has problems; Yuendumu has problems; Papunya occasionally erupts. We then have a police response which is always somewhat emergency-orientated. It puts police officers into an aircraft or, conversely, into a couple of trucks, and they drive out to the community.
Why not have a Pantech ready to go with all the equipment in the back, or a series of police officers - the 20 or more you use in Alice Springs? All of a sudden a community erupts. Let us say Willowra has a crack at doing what it usually does. You all pile onto the back of a Pantech with a courtroom in the back. You then hold courts the way they were conducted a few hundred years ago in rural places where, once police have restored order after moving into the area, they find the ringleaders and the court deals with them on the spot. Within a few hours of the Pantech arriving police have made arrests; collected evidence; the magistrate flies in, sets up the court in the back of the Pantech and deals with the troublemakers and ringleaders. They can find their way back to Alice Springs. The flying squad moves to the next community which requires it, or stays there long enough to restore order. The fact that this could operate and be mobilised within 24 hours would help people gain some trust in this government. That, by the way, is just a thought.
We have the Country Liberals’ habitual drunks policy, which has a fundamental difference to the government’s policy in one crucial area: once you go through the government’s policy with the banning orders and the so-called compulsory treatment there is no consequence - there is no actual institution ...
Ms Lawrie: Not true.
Mr ELFERINK: It is true.
Ms Lawrie: No, you are wrong. You are completely wrong. You do not understand it.
Mr ELFERINK: I am right, I am completely right. There is no ultimate consequence for breaching a banning order other than an extension of a banning order …
Ms Lawrie: You are stupid; you are incredibly stupid.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr ELFERINK: There is no consequence of the breaching of a banning order other than an extension of the banning order. There is no consequence - that is the problem.
Ms Lawrie: You are ignoring the tribunal. You are ignoring the …
Mr ELFERINK: Yes, you are talking about the drug unit. You have no compulsion, which is the problem. I was making these comments in the spirit the Chief Minister suggested. I suggest you live up to that spirit.
Ms Lawrie: No, not when you are talking rubbish.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Port Darwin, do you mind directing your comments through the Chair please? Thank you.
Mr ELFERINK: Yes, Madam Speaker. No real consequence flows from the government’s policy, which is sad.
Also, I would like to see that police are not afraid to do their job. Currently, the processes of accountability are nothing shy of astonishing. When I was recently the subject of an assault on a street corner in Darwin, police were called. Whilst I made no complaint about the police officers who attended the scene, the poor fellow trying to do his job and follow-up on the arrest he had made received numbers of calls interrupting him doing his job from up the line concerned about the potential political nature of the victim. That is very disappointing. I feel for the guys - they are always under the pump. Let them do their job. Let them lock people up if that is what is needed.
Here is a suggestion: change the liability applied under tort law for a police officer doing his job and say he cannot be prosecuted unless he acts in a bona fide manner. Perhaps that would make police more comfortable; however, you would have to look at the policy in more detail. Perhaps we could change the structure of government. Why do we have a Justice minister and a Police minister?
Ms Lawrie: And fundamental separation for a shadow.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr ELFERINK: Sometimes it is very hard listening to the Attorney-General who clearly demonstrates she does not have the vaguest idea what it is about. Once again, she trots out the line without any understanding of how it works. What about restructuring to something like a department of domestic security, where the same minister has carriage of both the Justice department and the Police department, both of which are part of the executive - no separation of powers.
Ms Lawrie interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr ELFERINK: Forget it, Madam Speaker - I will not waste my breath.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Order!
Mr ELFERINK: I was responding to the Chief Minister’s request …
Madam SPEAKER: Order! The question is the censure motion as moved by the member for Greatorex be agreed to.
Members interjecting.
Mr Elferink: For God’s sake, you are a dumb woman, you really are.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Port Darwin, I would ask you to withdraw that comment, thank you.
Mr ELFERINK: I withdraw, Madam Speaker.
Madam SPEAKER: Thank you.
The Assembly divided:
Ayes 10 Noes 11
- Mr Bohlin Mrs Aagaard
Mr Chandler Dr Burns
Mr Conlan Mr Gunner
Mr Giles Mr Hampton
Mrs Lambley Mr Knight
Mr Mills Ms Lawrie
Ms Purick Mr McCarthy
Mr Styles Ms McCarthy
Mr Tollner Ms Scrymgour
Mr Westra van Holthe Mr Vatskalis
Ms Walker
Motion negatived.
TABLED PAPERS
Remuneration Tribunal Determination – Interstate Travel Reports – Member for Nelson and Member for Fannie Bay
Remuneration Tribunal Determination – Interstate Travel Reports – Member for Nelson and Member for Fannie Bay
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I table interstate study travel reports, pursuant to paragraph 3.15 of Remuneration Tribunal Determination No 1 of 2010, for the member for Nelson and the member for Fannie Bay.
MOTION
Note Statement – A Working Future for Indigenous Families in Remote Areas
Continued from 2 December 2010.
Ms WALKER (Nhulunbuy): Madam Speaker, I support the statement delivered by the Minister for Indigenous Development and acknowledge and thank the minister for her unwavering commitment and strong leadership to ensure Territorians living in remote areas, especially Indigenous Territorians, are valued and recognised for the important role they play in making the Territory the wonderful place it is.
The A Working Future policy is at the heart of Indigenous policy. It is a living document adopting a whole-of-government approach to looking after our remote areas and the people who live, work and raise families there. It is a subject close to my heart, being an elected member of a bush electorate. Each of us is proud to represent our constituents and boast that our electorate is the best, the most beautiful, the most vibrant. I am truly honoured to represent the people within my electorate of Nhulunbuy in northeast Arnhem Land.
Whilst I have lived there for more than 21 years, my role as local member for the last two-and-a-half years has taken me to the far corners of this special part of the Territory. I have had the privilege of seeing country and saltwater country which average Australians do not get to see, and also met with Yolngu people from many clans who are strong in their language, culture and law, proud of their ancestors and heritage, and fierce in protecting and speaking up for their country, their culture, their children and their future.
What has struck me from day one is the respect my Yolngu constituents show towards me as their elected member. That does not mean they shy away from giving me a piece of their mind on various government policies and decisions - they certainly do. However, I am humbled by the respect they show and always do my best to reciprocate that respect twofold. I recognise the enormous generosity of spirit my Yolngu constituents have, especially at a time where we have seen waves of government policy at both the federal and Territory levels: the intervention driven by Mal Brough and then Prime Minister John Howard; local government reforms and the subsequent roll-out of shires; two federal elections; a Territory general election; and local government elections for the first time for shire council members.
One of my earliest challenges as a new member was to attend community meetings at Yirrkala, and Galiwinku on Elcho Island, to talk with people about the homelands policy. That would have been in December 2008. The message was resoundingly clear and powerful in case I did not know: homelands are an integral part of Yolngu lives. ‘We do not own the land; the land owns us’, they told me on a number of occasions. This story is shared across the Territory by all Indigenous people. At the meeting at Galiwinku the sense of being overwhelmed by the changes in government policy was summed up for me by one man who asked: ‘How is it that Balanda laws are always changing? It is very hard for us to understand when our laws, the laws of our ancestors, never change’. It was not an easy question to answer and I empathised. However, what was also highlighted for me, which I continue to hear and is best summed up by paraphrasing the chairman of Laynhapuy Homelands - who I am delighted has been re-elected for another term as chair, Mr Barayuwa Mununggurr - who says: ‘We want to walk together with you side by side, not behind you, not in front of you, but walking together side by side and learning together’.
I know our Minister for Indigenous Development hears these words not only from Barayuwa, but also from other Indigenous Territorians. Walking together is her mantra also. Therefore, it comes as no surprise to hear the minister talk about the need to recalibrate the relationship between government and Indigenous people in the bush. Her statement mentions this in relation to the local implementation plans, or LIPs, which have been developed for each growth town and the communities and homelands they serve. This recalibration is critical because development of the local implementation plans has been by a process which is a clear break with the intervention, where policies and processes were imposed rather than agreed. When we look at the launch of the intervention, with no consultation, barely more than an announcement, it is no wonder Indigenous Territorians in the bush feel overwhelmed and disempowered.
I hope these newly developed LIPs - several of which had been signed with more to go before the end of June - are taking a completely different approach to development of policy and future plans in those communities. I was proud to represent the Northern Territory government at the signing of the local implementation plan for Yirrkala on 8 December. It was a fairly sombre occasion but also a very proud occasion. David Chalmers represented the Australian government, I represented the Northern Territory government, and other signatories were Banambi Wunungmurraas President of the East Arnhem Shire, and Barayuwa Mununggurr, Chair of Laynhapuy Homelands. LIPs are developed from the grassroots level through extensive consultation, building upon the seven building blocks for communities and mapping out a future with the plans and infrastructure communities want to include in the LIPs. I look forward to heading back to Galiwinku for the signing of the local implementation plan.
The A Working Future policy provides a map which recognises strategic policy must be developed, implemented, and delivered in close consultation with those who live in our remote areas. It is about delivering services, creating employment, generating economic opportunities, planning for now and 20 years time so people can lead strong and healthy lives in tune with strong cultural values. It recognises the population in our remote areas continues to grow and we need to plan, prepare, and deliver for that growth in the same way other similar sized towns in Australia work and grow, and that this takes a whole-of-government approach ...
_____________________
Statement by Speaker
Severe Weather Warning
Severe Weather Warning
Madam SPEAKER: Excuse me, member for Nhulunbuy, I have a further update relating to the cyclone.
I have been advised all schools will be closed tomorrow and all non-essential public servants are not required at work tomorrow. I am waiting for further advice from the Chief Minister; however, I imagine that means our parliament will not be sitting either.
Thank you, member for Nhulunbuy.
_____________________
Ms WALKER: Thank you, Madam Speaker. I was talking about how we need to deliver for growth in the same way other similar sized towns in Australia work and grow, and that it takes a whole-of-government approach.
This is not something this government is going to do - we are doing it. Something which was listed in the LIP I was a co-signatory to at Yirrkala was a regional transport service, which was launched in September. I was proud to be part of that launch representing our Transport minister. Gove has a regional bus service between Yirrkala, Nhulunbuy and Gunyangara - Ski Beach - providing affordable and regular transport for people to get to work, training, shopping or attend sporting activities which, as a pilot, is fantastic. No doubt, we will see that rolling out into other remote areas around our growth towns.
Contrary to what members opposite might have us believe, good things are happening in the bush; it is not all doom and gloom. Talking about this government’s vision, I cannot let pass that during the August federal election campaign mobile polling was all but over by the time the opposition shadow for Indigenous Affairs, Senator Scullion, released a policy vision for Indigenous affairs. What a cynical exercise that was: to release the document after they had been mobile polling through the remote parts of the Territory.
This government knows the enormous amount of work needed to see the vision of A Working Future delivered; however, it is not all doom and gloom. Many goods things are happening which will see improvements in our remote areas and step by step improvement in people’s lives.
I would like to speak about things happening in my electorate, and will start with SIHIP. I acknowledge up-front this program has not been without its problems. However, SIHIP is delivering new and refurbished houses to address overcrowded and poor living conditions. It is the biggest housing program ever seen in the history of this country. I have visited Galiwinku many times since the commencement of SIHIP and have sought briefings and tours of works each time. The Minister for Public and Affordable Housing and I visited in early November 2010 to inspect the progress of works and meet with members of the Housing Reference Group. Given that day they were in the midst of a funeral ceremony for a young one who had passed away it was very gracious of them. Without a doubt, the program at Galiwinku is achieving great results. Of the 90 new houses to be built more than a dozen have been handed over, and a new subdivision is well under way with Indigenous people on the job. In addition to the 90 new homes, there are to be 53 refurbishments and 22 rebuilds.
On my first visit to Maningrida towards the end of last year, with the members for Nelson and Arafura as colleagues on the Council of Territory Cooperation, we saw the first of 110 new houses being built, most in a massive subdivision, and again, a number of Indigenous people on the job. We dined in the workers camp mess and spoke to a number of men who were keen to be working there, because it is not just about building and fixing houses, it is about delivering jobs and training to Indigenous people. This is important within the A Working Future policy.
If the opposition had not walked away from the Council of Territory Cooperation it would have the opportunity to visit parts of the Territory to see what is happening, ask questions of senior public servants and those who are associated with the alliances. It has chosen to stick its head in the sand and not be part of CTC, therefore surrendering very valuable opportunities for information.
This government delivered 150 new houses by the end of 2010, and 1000 refurbished and rebuilt homes. Because we hear from the opposition nothing is happening and SIHIP is not delivering houses, I have brought some photographic evidence. This is a completed house at Galiwinku with a family living in it. This is another house under construction at Galiwinku. This is a duplex under construction and now occupied by two families. That has a beautiful view over the ocean. This is a photograph of the subdivision within Elcho taken in November. I have since flown over that and there would be 12 or 15 homes under construction in this subdivision near the airport. Clearing has been done carefully - they have not cleared the entire acreage, only blocks for houses leaving greenery in between.
This photograph is of two of my constituents on the job at Elcho Island. I wish I had one of the Indigenous Painting Team and their boss, Gary Baker. Gary is a non-Indigenous man who is passionate about employing and training young men. He has a fantastic workforce in IPT who happily take on work at Elcho Island, or wherever else. I seek leave to table those photographs.
Leave granted.
Ms WALKER: Thank you. Infrastructure is a big part of the A Working Future policy; however, it is not only about developing infrastructure. It is also about developing economic opportunities. Transport, roads and access are a critical part of that infrastructure supporting economic development knowing we face real challenges in geographical terrain and weather conditions which sees many Top End communities isolated during the Wet Season, as well as a number of communities on the islands. The member for Arafura knows all about that.
We welcomed, during the 2010 budget, those announcements around infrastructure in the bush and, for my electorate, funding to upgrade barge landings and, critically, the $17m or $18m to upgrade the Central Arnhem Road. That will see four crossings upgraded making passage safer and keeping the road open significantly longer. I am told once completed, closure following an average Wet Season would be for around six weeks a year as opposed to the current six months. There are a number of growth towns dependent on access to the Central Arnhem Road. As local member, one of the issues high on my list of priorities is providing affordable freight services and an alternative to sea freight. There is nothing like some healthy competition and, with upgrades to barge landings and the Central Arnhem Road, we will see this competition.
Whilst on the subject of transport and transport infrastructure, it is in my electorate this government, the first government in the Territory, has delivered the pilot regional bus service mentioned earlier. The investment from this government has been around $180 000. The Australian government and Rio Tinto Alcan have made financial contributions, and it is supported by the Indigenous owned company, YBE, and the East Arnhem Shire. We have an affordable bus service operating Monday to Friday between those three communities. For Indigenous people, where vehicle ownership is low and the cost of taxis high, this is a very important pilot service. Tickets are $5. I also acknowledge local supermarket, IGA. There is an IGA supermarket in Nhulunbuy and Yirrkala, and they also run the butcher shop in Nhulunbuy. Tim Broadbent from IGA uses his business to sell tickets to people. You can buy a prepaid card, like a credit card, where you purchase so many trips then swipe it when you get on the bus and it calculates the number of trips. Thanks to IGA - they do not expect any commission in return.
On the subject of school infrastructure, we know education is not only about schools - it is about providing quality education and pathways linking school through to a job. We will work hard at getting kids to school every day, and the minister for Education has spoken about the Every Child, Every Day strategy, an important tool in providing a framework to work with communities, schools and children to ensure they get to school. At the end of the day, we need to encourage parents to accept responsibility for their role in that process. If we do not get kids to school every day and successfully complete secondary school to be literate and numerate in English, those kids will always be challenged to access meaningful work, economic independence and a future. As the new parliamentary secretary assisting the Minister for Education and Training, my focus is on developing pathways for kids where, once we get them into school, we offer what puts them on a pathway to a job, not welfare dependence. It is about offering people choice - that is what education does.
Many schools around the Territory are doing wonderful and innovative things. I want to single out Shepherdson College on Elcho Island. It is the government school in my electorate, and is one where they think outside the square and work collaboratively with families. The member for Nelson recently visited Shepherdson College, where he was greatly impressed with what he saw and the strong leadership provided by the principal, Bryan Hughes.
We need to change our mindset and not talk about enrolling students but enrolling families so they and, in turn, communities recognise and value schools as places where Indigenous and non-Indigenous knowledge is valued. We need families to see schools as places of opportunity, to recognise education is a foundation stone in building young lives and futures, and that a school completion certificate is a passport to a job and a future. The CLP groan every time this is mentioned. It did not support or deliver secondary education in the bush under its reign. If we have challenges as a government to help turn people’s lives around, it is in part because we inherited a shameful legacy from the CLP which, for the 27 years they were in power, did not see secondary education for Indigenous kids as important.
Ms SCRYMGOUR: Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, I seek an extension of time for my colleague pursuant to Standing Order 77.
Motion agreed to.
Ms WALKER: I attended the two conferences of Northern Territory government school principals called by the Minister for Education and Training late last year - one for Top End principals, and one for Central Australian principals. Professor Geoff Masters, who is currently working with the Department of Education and Training, spoke about the need for quality education, quality teachers and high expectations. If our attitude is it is all too hard and we have low expectations of learners, we are bound to fail.
Returning to Shepherdson College - where there is strong leadership and high expectation - it is trialling the nine-to-three program, which sees schools offering additional classes at the end of the normal school day. Where we have the infrastructure, or where we continue building in the communities, we need to maximise beyond the normal school day to use those resources. It is exciting for schools such as Shepherdson College to offer programs in the afternoon to attract students who cannot attend during the school day - perhaps they have been disengaged and are looking to return to school; perhaps young women have had a baby and are ready to continue their learning.
School terms will also be extended in some remote schools. This is supported by teachers and the Australian Education Union, and will extend from 40 to 50 weeks per year. In the Top End during the Dry Season roads are open and there is greater mobility to visit family, festivals and ceremonies. During the Wet Season mobility declines markedly, yet it is where our system of four school terms sits. Where we have people in communities during the Wet Season we need to extend the school year. Six weeks is too long for some communities, so to offer an extended school term will see positive outcomes, I am sure.
The massive spend in the bush is in the vicinity of $980m out of the total $5bn budget for this government. For the first time, a Territory government has been able to spell out what dollars are being invested in the bush. This brings with it a new level of transparency where the spend is, as the Minister for Indigenous Development said, tangible and real.
In recognising the importance of communicating with our growth towns, the Treasurer endeavoured to visit as many as possible to speak firsthand with residents about how and why money was being spent, and answer questions. I travelled with the Treasurer in May last year to Yirrkala and Galiwinku, and it did not escape people who attended those meetings that they had the Treasurer and Deputy Chief Minister on country talking about the money story and how the A Working Future policy would be delivered and funded through government. Though not part of my electorate, I also visited Gapuwiyak with the Treasurer, where she was warmly welcomed. Senior traditional owner from Gapuwiyak, Bobby Wunungmurra, offered thanks to the Treasurer, as Attorney-General, in recognition of her positive response to the request some months earlier for a community court in Gapuwiyak - to have a magistrate travel rather than residents having to travel to Nhulunbuy. This is the sort of thing growth towns and the A Working Future policy are all about: providing municipal and government services which you might reasonably expect to find in a similar sized community anywhere in Australia.
Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, this is the most progressive government reform since self-government. We are under no illusion this journey will not always be an easy one, recognising we need to be part of the healing in some of our remote communities. We will continue to work with people to build strong communities where people are strong, culture is strong, and the future promising. I thank the minister for her statement and commend it to the House.
Ms SCRYMGOUR (Arafura): Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, I support the Minister for Indigenous Development’s statement on A Working Future, a very important strategy for our remote Aboriginal communities. When the minister delivered that statement in November 2010, she asked:
- How will the residents of our large remote towns be living in 20 years time if our shared vision with local people is put into place?
My colleague, the member for Nhulunbuy, touched on the record of the CLP – sometimes it does not listen or take note of history. Unfortunately, that history is something we cannot change and Aboriginal people see that history. Look at the neglect in health and education for so many years - two critical areas. We need healthy, happy, safe children.
There has been criticism and bad publicity around SIHIP. Yes, there have been problems; however, communities in my electorate such as Maningrida will see 100 new houses built, with several hundred refurbishments and rebuilds. These houses did not exist prior to SIHIP. Yes, it has had problems but we are seeing results. We have to work with the alliances and the community to encourage employment and engagement of local Aboriginal people so, when this program moves from the community, we have trained a local workforce to maintain those houses.
The CLP has to acknowledge its track record. When we look at education - the minister for Education well knows this - the CLP, under duress, conducted the Learning lessons review. The decline in attendance and the poor literacy and numeracy outcomes commenced during this time. When it comes to education, health, or rebuilding communities to achieve a better outcome so the Northern Territory as a whole benefits, it should be bipartisan, and the CLP, rather than nitpicking, should join with us to turn these communities around. It is a huge challenge.
We had a motion this afternoon censuring the government on antisocial behaviour and law and order issues in Alice Springs. We have to stop using the influx of people into Alice Springs, which is no different to Darwin, Katherine, Tennant Creek or Nhulunbuy, as a political tool and recognise it for what it is. Many commentators have said the intervention brought these problems into major towns. We have to stop blaming the intervention and start looking at getting people to return to country and stay in their communities.
I listened to the member for Braitling say members of the left wing, whether at Territory or federal level, would be against intervening in an individual’s life, particularly if it came to alcohol issues. This government has been brave enough to take that next step, not only to legislate, but to back it up with funding and resources to break the cycle of dependency and get those people into rehabilitation to receive the assistance they need.
There was recently a signing off of the local implementation plan for Gunbalanya. Contained within that plan is a number of targets the community, with the government, wants to achieve. It puts the community in the driver’s seat regarding employment and other areas it wants to grow and develop. What is really important in the minister’s speech is she sees the plan as a means of making government accountable to work with and grow the community to achieve better outcomes.
My bush colleagues and I do not want to see the results we see today in 15 or 20 years time. We want to see change and, whilst some people want to paint doom and gloom in communities, some fantastic things are happening with some good people. We have a responsibility, as elected members and as individuals working with those communities, rather than being negative and pointing out the problems, to work with the communities to achieve the outcomes they are looking for. Sometimes, when surrounded by negativity, it is easy to say is all too hard and not look at longer term solutions which may come through working in a positive way with communities. Local implementation plans are a good way to work with communities to build that foundation. A Working Future provides a way forward to work with our communities to build strong foundations for stronger, healthier, safer communities. No member on our side of government has ever said otherwise. That is the goal: to build stronger, safer, healthier communities which are an important part of our regions, our homelands and our outstations. Strong communities will provide that service to the homelands and we will see a greater increase in school attendance. The minister for Education and his parliamentary secretary have been proactive in ensuring every child, every day will attend school.
I visited Gunbalanya last week with the Chief Minister and the infrastructure put into the school over the last nine or 10 years by this government makes it as good as you see in our urban schools. More work needs to be carried out; however, it has certainly been improved. Maningrida is the same. The minister noted in her statement that an additional $5m was put into Maningrida. The minister for Education has a long history with families at Maningrida. When you see the infrastructure which has gone into the school – the BER funding has been fantastic and I thank the federal government for that. Significant Northern Territory government funding has gone into these communities as well. When visiting communities and talking to principals and teachers they advise better classrooms and greater teacher resources has seen an increase in students attending school. If we build the infrastructure and put greater resources on the ground we will see a turnaround in attendance.
I congratulated the principal and teachers at Gunbalanya for getting so many kids to school in the first week. I mentioned we have to sustain those numbers, support families and have honest discussions within the community about how critical it is to ensure kids go to school every day. We have to build a strong education foundation for our kids because if we do not A Working Future will not be achieved. Education is fundamental. Our government has always been strong about secondary education facilities being built where kids do not have to leave their home community. We have resourced secondary teachers into those communities, and it is important to ensure we keep that resource in the community.
Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, I support the minister’s statement. It provides a blueprint and shows this government is supportive and working with the communities to create an economy. I checked Hansard on the number of speeches on Indigenous policy for the 10 years prior to 2001, and from 2001 to now. CLP members roll their eyes and say: ‘Here we go again, they are going to tell us’. For members new to this parliament and the landscape of the Northern Territory, read that history because you will see the journey we have taken. It is very important and I applaud the government, I applaud the minister, and I look forward, as parliamentary secretary working with the Chief Minister on Territory 2030 to it, and that the building blocks we need for our A Working Future are achieved.
Ms McCARTHY (Indigenous Development): Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, I thank all speakers for their feedback and comment on my ministerial statement. I was pleased to hear the broad support evident from both sides of this House to A Working Future.
We are beginning to make a transformation in the Northern Territory. We are on a journey which will be led, driven and determined by people living in our growth towns, supported by the Territory government, local government, the Commonwealth government and with the active participation of the land councils. I was pleased the Chief Minister described A Working Future as the most progressive, important and substantial policy reform seen in the Northern Territory since self-government. I am enthused by the Chief Minister’s strong support and leadership of a government committed to A Working Future, as I am with the support of the Treasurer evidenced by nearly $1bn-worth of investment this year, and all ministers responsible for the different elements of A Working Future. This is the way it should be: a government working together, combining resources, working in partnerships and focusing on creating new opportunities for Territorians living in the bush to prosper and enjoy the benefits of the growing Territory economy.
Times are changing. This is not about government knows best. This is about working in partnership and understanding government cannot create the change it wants on its own. It is also about establishing strong accountability, what is possible, what is realistic, and working with our regions, the Australian government, shires, and the land councils to put these plans into action.
I turn to some of the specific comments made in the debate about A Working Future. A big part of A Working Future is ensuring safe and secure communities and feelings of community wellbeing which will flow from people having confidence about community safety issues. Local implementation plans are a mechanism for community engagement and focusing on local priorities, and ensuring frontline investments align with local priorities. This is as much about changing the culture within government, and I endorse the Chief Minister’s comments in relation to this. I also commend the huge efforts being made by our public service to support A Working Future.
Over the coming weeks we will see the signing of LIPs in our towns. A number have already been signed - Gunbalanya being the first, Yirrkala, and Yuendumu recently. I am continually heartened by the level of support, and the work people are putting in to identify local priorities and local building blocks to transform their towns. The member for Braitling expressed concern that the statement was light on detail. I can assure the member for Braitling that a huge amount of work has gone on, and continues, into baseline data collection, job profiling, and town planning. As the member for Braitling knows full well, the challenge for government is to move beyond analysis of data and to ensure the plans adapt and reflect local priorities and needs.
The member for Braitling also criticised the rationale for the selection of the growth towns. I can assure the member the selection of growth towns was based on regional service factors, population, history, and the populations around the centre of town which would benefit from the services being delivered to the town. Delivery of services in the Northern Territory has always been a problem given our geography and dispersal of population. I, and everyone working in this industry, am focused on ensuring our growth towns do not leave people feeling they are not benefiting from this important work. That is why our local shires, local implementation teams, the land councils, and my own Indigenous Affairs Advisory Council, have an important role in staying connected to the implementation of A Working Future and helping to identify gaps and areas of work we need to focus on.
The member for Braitling has also recommended economic literacy programs to enable local people to access the broader economy we all live and work in. I was pleased to hear both the Chief Minister and the Minister for Business and Employment focus on these areas. The Minister for Business and Employment outlined the work in identifying the job and business opportunities his agency can deliver. An important vehicle for this work is our future forums mentioned in my statement. We are also working with the land councils to facilitate land leasing and investments by local Indigenous people and development opportunities.
I note the member for Braitling’s comments about the underlying health issues as critical to a better future for Indigenous Territorians, particularly the heavy impact of smoking and substance abuse. The member for Braitling is correct: we need to focus on these areas to achieve improved individual and family wellbeing. This government has moved in leaps and bounds to address the issue of health and smoking. We have taken the leadership role, the courageous decision to take those steps on behalf of all people of the Northern Territory. My call to the member for Braitling is to join us in that work and support measures beyond earlier opening hours for alcohol outlets in Alice Springs and employing dogs for community safety patrols.
A number of speakers, in particular the members for Daly, Wanguri and Johnston, spoke passionately about the role of education and vocational training, and the pathways for people to travel. While all in this House have accepted the notion of education as a pathway to wellbeing, we have to acknowledge there is more work to do on school attendance and helping Indigenous Territorians make that connection between education and future economic wellbeing. I put that challenge to people wherever I visit. There are many strong families and strong leaders showing the way.
I was pleased the member for Johnston highlighted the Growing our Own program to help Indigenous Territorians obtain qualifications to work as educators within their own community. The member for Johnston also mentioned the importance of engaging with parents and families to support school attendance and engagement. The member for Johnston said government schools cannot resolve these issues alone. We need parents and families to take responsibility, and the support of communities. He highlighted the important investment in early education, and preparing children and families for school with the Families as First Teachers program being rolled out in our growth towns.
The member for Port Darwin said we must be acutely aware of the sentiment of ‘we have heard it all before. What is different this time?’. What is different this time, member for Port Darwin, is the focus on local implementation plans, that we have a strong system of local government in the mix, and strong levels of investment from the Australian government which we have to build and maintain. Most importantly, the prospect of failure this time around cannot be contemplated. We are talking about the prosperity and future of a substantial proportion of our population.
The member for Port Darwin said he saw the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act making investment difficult because there is resistance to investment, resistance to change. I believe the member for Port Darwin is buried in the shadows of the past. Recently, a combined meeting of the Indigenous Affairs Advisory Council and the Indigenous Economic Development Taskforce was held at Parliament House. We heard how the land councils are embracing change to facilitate business investment. They recognise economic development and job creation is one of our key priorities. It is still the beginning - we have an enormous amount of work ahead.
The Chief Minister said we are starting on a journey where people are not going to give up their rights to land, or walk away from the whole concept of land rights and inalienable freehold title. People are saying: ‘We have land. How can we work and be our own property developers; work with people who want to invest alongside us to develop viable businesses?’. As the Chief Minister said, we are on a great journey.
I note the important contribution of the member for Macdonnell in articulating the vision for A Working Future and her observations about policy settings and directions. The member for Macdonnell constantly challenges the process and ensures resources are targeted where they should be for the services of people on the ground. The member for Macdonnell talked about pathways and her own experience of Indigenous Territorians acquiring knowledge and experience and contributing to their communities. An important objective of A Working Future is that we are assisting people in the bush visualise the opportunities within their own areas and beyond.
The member for Macdonnell said she hoped in 10 years time we could feel good about the changes we helped create. I hope to share that feeling with the member for Macdonnell in 10 years time. She also mentioned school attendance - we can all learn from the good work being done at Ntaria with school engagement and attendance.
I acknowledge the contribution of the member for Casuarina, who mentioned the important work his agency is doing supporting safe houses in our growth towns, responding to Growing them strong, together, and helping support happy, healthy, safe and resilient family environments for children to grow up in. He also spoke about the importance of the resources sector in remote areas of the Territory. I am working closely with the minister for Business to promote opportunities in the resources sector as part of A Working Future.
The member for Stuart reflected on how A Working Future is effecting change in his large, sprawling electorate where there are many challenges. Importantly, he spoke about cohesion in our government and how this presents the opportunity for ministers to work cooperatively on these important initiatives. He spoke about travelling around his community and engaging with people at the local level, and providing feedback on the challenges of delivering A Working Future.
We have spoken before in this House about the importance of information technology, including the National Broadband Network, in promoting engagement and access to the broader economy we all live and work in.
Some wonderful work has been done by the member for Barkly’s agency in creating the most comprehensive and up-to-date assessment of our infrastructure priorities with roads and other essential services infrastructure like power and water. We cannot fund these investments on our own. We need significant support from the Commonwealth government, but we cannot go cap in hand. We need to demonstrate to the Commonwealth government that we know what we need and argue our case as professionally as possible with a vision we can all work towards. This is particularly the case as the Commonwealth has been confronted with requests in recent weeks to assist in rebuilding areas affected by devastating floods, cyclones and fires. I was in Canberra recently working with my ministerial colleagues in the Commonwealth government, advising them of the issues we are facing here, seeking their support on A Working Future, and asking them to understand the importance of this work, and to see the clear evidence we have developed to underpin a joint government investment strategy. Infrastructure is a basic foundation if you want growth towns to be growth towns.
The member for Nelson raised the issue of government for smaller outlying places. This is an area I am acutely aware of and am looking to local members, land councils and the IAAC to work with me to ensure services to outlying areas will improve and all Territorians will see nett improvement in their services and no one misses out on A Working Future. I note the member for Nelson’s comments in relation to land leasing and assure him the government well understands the importance of tenure for business - we cannot attract the private sector into our growth towns without giving them the confidence that they can invest in these towns.
The member for Nelson has also touched on the future of CDEP. This is a challenge. On one hand we have the Commonwealth government determined to reform the current CDEP programs. On the other hand we have to demonstrate transitional programs are still required in our bush communities to support jobs and employment opportunities, particularly in local government. We have around 2500 people employed in the local government sector across our shires - over 70% are Aboriginal. Think about that. We do not want to lose that. We want to increase the number and capacity across our regions.
The member for Nhulunbuy spoke passionately about in Yirrkala, and the surrounding communities, families see schools as places of opportunity. The member for Nhulunbuy highlighted there has been greater transparency for spending in the bush as part of A Working Future; I am pleased to hear that; however, we always have to maintain our vigilance. It is not about doing it once - it is about doing it every single day.
The member for Nhulunbuy also spoke about the need to recognise that we must be part of the healing in some of these communities. It was good to hear the importance placed on the signing of the local implementation plan at Yirrkala. This is about a continual relationship between all levels of government and the local community so it can and will be the one to determine the future, knowing it has two levels of government for the first time in the history of the Northern Territory committed to working together with it.
Gunbalanya, in the member for Arafura’s electorate, had the first local implementation plan signed. The signing took place between me and the federal minister for Indigenous Affairs, Jenny Macklin. It was an important day with all kinds of things happening, none of which are without challenges reflective of the cultural situation, the geography of the place, and the fact you are trying to bring together very diverse groups to reach a common goal. Any attempt to bring together diverse groups always has its challenges. We saw that with the signing of the LIP at Gunbalanya. We see that with the 15 places with LIPs which need to be signed, and the further five or six LIPs to be signed thereafter.
This is part of a greater plan with the Commonwealth government, knowing, of their 29 sites across Australia, 15 remote service delivery sites are in the Northern Territory. The people of the Northern Territory can feel they have the support of the Commonwealth to achieve this; however, we also have, which is vital, the inclusion of our local government shires in these processes.
Madam Speaker, I thank all members of the House for their contribution. A Working Future is a high priority for me and our government generally. I urge all members of this House to work on our number one objective: to support people to follow pathways of education, training and employment for the benefit of their own personal and family wellbeing. This will have to include support for job creation schemes and business development schemes in the bush. We cannot sit by and watch another generation of young Territorians lost while we ponder and reflect on the best way to create jobs. A Working Future is a future for all of us.
Motion agreed to; statement noted.
STATEMENT BY SPEAKER
Cyclone Warning
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, before moving to adjourn the House, the Chief Minister has advised me he believes the House should sit tomorrow at 10 am. He is attending a Counter Disaster meeting at 9 am, and I have given him my leave that at 10 am he can give us an update on what is happening.
The latest advice is that it is more likely to be rain and squally conditions and, as I understand it, public servants will be required to go to work.
I have heard some of the roads leading out of Darwin are cut off so you might want to be careful how you get home, if you can get home. If you are having difficulty coming in tomorrow could you ring my office so we can give you leave. If you have children you may wish to approach me about taking leave because they will not be going to school. All schools are closed tomorrow.
ADJOURNMENT
Dr BURNS (Leader of Government Business): Madam Speaker, I move that the Assembly do now adjourn.
Ms PURICK (Goyder): Madam Speaker, I rise tonight to complement the censure motion and give an example of the problems we currently face regarding law and order - or perhaps the breakdown of law and order - in our community. My neighbour, Peta, and her husband live on Wallaby Holtze Road with their two young boys under the age of about 10. One Tuesday several weeks before Christmas, their house was broken into while they were at work. They came home and the criminals had broken through the back boundary fence and into the house. They stole cash, which included the children’s piggy banks, from the house. They also stole laptops and other electrical equipment. The house was locked; they have a dog, albeit an old one. They came home to find their world had been violated and were very distressed. After dealing with the police they decided not to stay in the house and they stayed at a hotel.
On Thursday of the same week, these two criminals - a man and a woman whose names I do not have unfortunately, because I would name them – returned and broke through the fence, which had been fixed, into the house, which had been repaired. This time they stole more than $40 000 worth of goods. This house has good security - perhaps not good enough. The culprits were caught.
He is 26 years old, has 250 charges against his name and is known to police. Now, 250 charges over 26 years equals 9.6 criminal charges per year. After the age of 10 he became known to police, so from 10 to 26 is 16 years. That is 15.6 charges of criminal activity per year. This fellow who distressed the family and traumatised the children received two months gaol. He has been committing crimes from about the age of 10 and he received two months gaol.
Another person around that time was caught with a small amount of marijuana in their car – a traffickable offence. Perhaps he was going to sell it. He received four years gaol, whereas this fellow had been breaking the law all his life and received two months gaol and will soon be out. The police advised they will let the family know but are not confident - not because the police would not do a good job – they have so many other things to do they might overlook it.
It is one thing to suffer the loss of property and have your home violated; it is another thing when children are left traumatised. The two children play junior soccer and now hide their soccer trophies and special personal possessions because they feel they will be stolen. Peta discovered this when she could not find the trophies. The boys hide things when they know they will be away from the house for an afternoon or whilst at school. That is really sad. It is an indictment on the system and our community that families have no confidence in law and order.
Peta’s family, and two neighbours who have also been broken into, have undertaken to erect a six foot fence across the back of their properties where the criminals came in - no small cost as you would be aware, Madam Speaker. It is a cyclone mesh security fence. Her husband has spent $10 000 Crimsafe-ing his house because of the trauma suffered by his family, particularly the children, who do not understand why this happened.
We have several itinerant camps around Wallaby Holtze Road, which is of concern and a separate issue. Peta’s husband drove around the area and found his empty wallet and other items; sadly, he did not find any of the bigger items which had been stolen.
It is beholden upon this government to explain to this family, particularly the young boys, why these criminals - there is no other word - can have a history of breaking into people’s properties? This same person is also responsible for breaking into Tom Finlay’s property down the road last year. He is known to police but keeps getting a rap on the knuckles for traumatising people, stealing property, breaking and entering, and damaging property. It is not good enough.
I urge the government to look at the suffering the breakdown in law and order is creating for Territory families and, in particular, families who go about their business, go to work, come home to discover their house has been broken into, damaged, trashed, and goods stolen. There is no real comfort that these boys will recover in the near future. When they are adults they may reflect on it and move on. The fact they are hiding their soccer trophies is an indictment on the system and on a government which has failed when it comes to law and order in our community.
Motion agreed to; the Assembly adjourned.
Last updated: 04 Aug 2016