2005-08-25
Madam Speaker Aagaard took the Chair at 10 am.
Madam SPEAKER: I remind honourable members that it is my intention to present the Address-In-Reply to His Honour the Administrator at Government House. The House will rise at 10.45 am, and I request all honourable members to assemble on the verandah of Government House by 11 am and accompany me to present the Address-in-Reply. A program has been distributed to all honourable members outlining the order of proceedings.
Mr KNIGHT (Daly): Madam Speaker, I am proud to present my first petition to the House. I present a petition from 512 petitioners praying for the reinstatement of the pedestrian crossing across the Adelaide to Darwin Railway at the Adelaide River Railway Heritage Precinct. The petition bears the Clerk’s certificate that it conforms with the requirements of standing orders. Madam Speaker, I move that the petition be read.
Motion agreed to; petition read:
Mr HENDERSON (Business and Economic Development): Madam Speaker, this morning I inform the House about a new government initiative from the Department of Business, Economic and Regional Development to support investment in the Northern Territory.
The Martin government is driving economic growth in the Northern Territory because it means jobs for Territorians, and we know that investor confidence is central to future economic growth for the Territory. The Martin government understands our role in driving investor confidence in the Northern Territory economy, and we are delivering on a number of fronts, including a record capital works budget, the lowest taxes for small business in the country - and that really is a great testament to the work of the government to have achieved that in our first term. I pay tribute this morning to our Treasurer; to have achieved in the first term the title of lowest taxing jurisdiction in Australia for small business really gives our businesses an advantage - and a reformed government procurement policy. I look forward to the election commitments that we made on procurement actually coming into this parliament in new policy.
Earlier this week, the Chief Minister outlined another of the government’s commitments to driving and supporting investment: our financial support for the magnificent Darwin waterfront and convention centre, a project that will generate 15 years of development for Darwin.
As the Territory economy matures and strengthens, we are witnessing a growing push from the private sector to put its stake in the huge opportunities available in the Territory.
The newly formed Department of Business, Economic and Regional Development pulls together this government’s commitment to driving growth in the Territory’s key industries and attracting new developments and investments to keep the Territory moving ahead.
As the government’s lead agency in attracting investment to the Northern Territory, DBERD has come up with a new tool highlighting the investment opportunities here in the Territory. I table a copy, and have provided the Table Office with copies for interested members.
The Northern Territory industry sector snapshots cover 14 key industries. These are: agriculture, forestry and fishing; the construction sector; communication services; government administration and defence; electricity, water and gas services; finance and insurance; health and education; manufacturing; mining; personal and other services; property and business services; wholesale and retail trade; the tourism industry; and transport and storage. These industry sector snapshots provide a factual overview of the industries, the outlook and future opportunities within the sector, the number of businesses and the jobs generated in the sector, and the sector’s economic value.
Using data from the ABS, the snapshots also offer the sector’s overall contribution to the Territory’s gross state product and the contribution of the varying sub-sectors to employment. The snapshots are posted on-line at the government’s web site, are available in hard copy, and will be updated yearly in line with the ABS release of gross state product figures.
There has been a huge amount of work done in the department on this. As members would be aware, trying to get an accurate picture across the Northern Territory of how various industry sectors are faring is a huge job.
The ABS does a fabulous job in publishing statistics, but those statistics, in the series that are presented, really vary in the times that they are presented and the number of years that they focus on. Pulling all of these figures together - all the various statistics not only from the ABS; there is government data in there - and focusing them on the various sectors of the economy has taken people in the department a couple of years. Now they have it together, we will be able to publish this on an annual basis. The reason that I, as minister, have been driving this is, in talking to the business community, people who are looking to invest want to know in detail – particularly new investors who probably have not been to the Territory before - the profile of the Northern Territory’s economy. To be able to present this, have it at our fingertips and on the web site is going to be a huge boost to the business community and people who are seriously looking at investing in our economy.
These are snapshots for the Northern Territory. The next challenge that I have set my department now I have Regional Development is we are now going to try to break that down into the various regions. This is a great job of work by the public servants who have pulled that together. I pay tribute to them.
Madam Speaker, these industry sector snapshots are another way the government is providing practical support to grow investment in the Territory, and create jobs for Territorians. I am sure that they will prove a handy tool for investment decisions.
Mrs MILLER (Katherine): Madam Speaker, I welcome the minister’s report, and thank him for the industry sector snapshots.
Of course, industry and investment in the Northern Territory is extremely important. I hope the minister takes into account regional areas as well as Alice Springs and Darwin. Regional areas seem to miss out.
I cannot let this pass without mentioning the score card that the Country Liberal Party has had in the Northern Territory as far as infrastructure development in the industry sector goes. The Northern Territory has benefited tremendously from the foresight and initiatives of the Country Liberal Party and its partner, the federal Liberal government.
Minister, your endorsement would be very nice to say that the Country Liberal Party did address these issues in the past and we did get an A for infrastructure on the gas project and airports. Our railway - yes I will repeat it - our railway infrastructure got an A mark and so it should in your infrastructure report. The CLP was directly responsible for that.
I am very pleased that the infrastructure and development that has been put into the Northern Territory by the Country Liberal Party, we are very proud of it. I thank the minister for his report, and I look forward to reading his industry sector snapshots.
Mrs BRAHAM (Braitling): Madam Speaker, as usual, we do not have time to digest what has been put on our table. I am sure some of the information in it may be interesting.
However, I ask the minister to justify why he has put tourism, which is meant to be a separate body and has its own act, in the Department of Business, Economic and Regional Development. There is a lot of concern expressed in the industry that this particular move by the government to amalgamate tourism will, in fact, take away its autonomy and its ability to work separately as an industry.
It has become another one of these 14 sections under this mega-department. It is quite justified that people out there are saying: ‘Why this move again? You have centralised everything in Darwin. Again, you are taking away the decision-making and the autonomy of a department that has been doing a great job for the Territory’. Why have you made this move? In the perception of the industry, it is not a good move, cannot be justified and will, in fact, affect the Tourism Commission.
Mr HENDERSON (Business and Economic Development): Madam Speaker, starting with the member for Braitling, I answered a question in the House last week to that effect and I urge the member to go back to the Daily Hansard.
It is great to hear the member for Katherine talking about history, because we know where this comes from. It comes from the great Shane Stone report. I am sure everyone has read it. We have all read it, and had a great deal of fun with it. Of course, one of the things is: ‘To the four who are left, you have to keep talking about our history’. It is a good start by member for Katherine. Although she mentioned that, she did not mention other parts of the Stone review. I do not have a copy of it here but, certainly, the statements about the sitting MLAs, with comments that they were ‘bone idle, lazy, arrogant, they had lost touch’ - and those were some of the more complimentary things their own party said about members opposite. Come in here, and let us talk about the Stone review.
There was no gas project under the CLP government. If we are talking about airports in the Territory, I thought the airports were owned by the private sector. Those airports are owned by the private sector. The report card had nothing to do with the CLP; they had everything to do with Territory airports and private sector investment.
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, your time has expired.
Ms SCRYMGOUR (Arts and Museums): Madam Speaker, I report on the 22nd Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Award, or NATSIAA, which opened on Friday, 12 August 2005 in the grounds of the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory in Darwin.
Since its inception, NATSIAA has developed into the nation’s most undisputed prestigious indigenous art prize. The annual opening ceremony of the Telstra Art Award is a major Dry Season event and attracts visitors and artists from all over the country, as well as internationally. This year, over 1000 people attended the opening. Staged to coincide with the classic tropical sunset, the ceremony has become an exciting public event and includes the awards announcement and prize presentation, free entertainment from indigenous, traditional and contemporary artists, and entry to the Telstra art award exhibition.
This year, NATSIAA was officially opened by Hon Clare Martin MLA, Chief Minister, and featured guest speaker Mandawuy Yunupingu from the Yothu Yindi Foundation, who delivered a thought-provoking and inspiring address.
Prizes were announced by Mr Lawrie Mortimer, General Manager of the new Indigenous Directorate at Telstra Country Wide, which is based in Darwin. The Wandjuk Marika Three-Dimensional Memorial Award was announced for the first time by Mawalan Marika, a very special gesture that I hope continues into the future.
In addition, Mr Mortimer reaffirmed, very importantly, Telstra Country Wide’s continued commitment to NATSIAA for another five years, cementing the very important partnership that Telstra enjoys with the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory in promoting awareness and appreciation of indigenous artistic excellence across the nation.
Judges of the Telstra Art Award this year were Mr Doug Hall, Director of the Queensland Art Gallery and Ms Destiny Deacon, visual artist from Melbourne. The four category winners were: Evelyn Pultara from Utopia, for her work Yam Dreaming, who received the Telstra General Painting Award; the Telstra Bark Painting Award went to Bunduk Marika from Yirrkala, for her work Yalangbara; Gayle Maddigan from Mandurang, Victoria, for her work Remembered Ritual, who received the Telstra Works on Paper Award; and Naminapu Maymuru-White from Yirrkala, for her work Milngiyawuy, who received the Wandjuk Marika Three-Dimensional Award, sponsored by Telstra.
The coveted acquisitive Telstra First Prize of $40,000 was awarded to the Blackstone Tjanpi Weavers, a collective of 20 women artists from the Blackstone community in Western Australia, who spent three weeks creating their entry, Tjanpi Grass Toyota. The judges remarked that this entry:
I extend my congratulations to all the winners, the final entrants who numbered over 100, and the judges who had the unenviable task of selecting this year’s category and overall prize winner.
A sure index of success is the amount and variety of media tension an event attracts. This year’s judges’ decision certainly attracted a range of positive, critical and, at times, sizzling debate in the media. I welcome the attention that NATSIAA has commanded nationally, and encourage the critical debate and analysing to continue.
Three years ago, the Museum and Art Gallery positioned the Telstra Art Awards firmly in Darwin’s event calendar to be staged in the second week of August. At the time, MAGNT also forged a tripartite workshop with the Garma and Darwin Festivals, and ensured these three events were positioned side by side in the arts calendar, and could draw upon their respective strengths and share resources. The Telstra Art Award is also badged as a premier visual arts event in the Darwin Festival. This year, this partnership was realised through the sharing of key cultural performances that appeared at each event. The Gapapuyngu dancers from Elcho Island and the Takbing Siwaliya musicians and dancers from Makassar, South Sulawesi, workshopped a cultural performance at the Garma Festival that was then featured at the NATSIAA opening and the Darwin Festival program.
In addition, other Northern Territory government agencies such as the Northern Territory Tourist Commission worked with the partnerships to ensure these programs were promoted nationally. To join together these three iconic events - NATSIAA, Garma and the Darwin Festival - was visionary. I would like to pay my tribute to the previous minister for arts, Clare Martin, whose commitment and foresight is tangible in badging and presentation of these national and international events, and I look forward to the future.
Mr MILLS (Blain): Madam Speaker, the opposition also adds our support to this report, recognising the important contribution that Telstra makes to the raising of the profile of a very important aspect of indigenous culture, not only in the Territory, but nationally and internationally, by support of the arts awards.
We also recognise the fine collection that we have at the Museum and Art Gallery, and the people who are behind that gallery and the work that they do. So many of our visitors are genuinely impressed by what they see, and have an opportunity to go behind the story and learn a bit more about indigenous culture through the heart. We also recognise the fine work that is going on through many of our galleries. Members who have taken the opportunity to go behind the scenes of the galleries, will see the connection between the gallery and the local communities. There are some good stories and there are some not-so-good stories, but I prefer to encourage that which is good and to discourage, quietly, that which is not so good. However, those who are putting their emphasis in the right places and genuinely working to support local indigenous artists are prospering and succeeding in passing on those benefits, generally, to the communities concerned.
The opposition certainly does support this report, and acknowledges the great importance of both music and visual arts as a medium to strengthen hope, career paths and opportunity within our indigenous communities. We look forward to further reports in this area.
Ms LAWRIE (Sport and Recreation): Madam Speaker, I am pleased to be able to announce the recipients of the 2005-06 scholarships with the Northern Territory Institute of Sport. The chosen athletes have excelled at their sport and deserve our recognition and praise. They will join a respected group of athletes, many whom have become household names. Judith Green, Jane Swan, Nova Peris, Mark Hickman and Steven Holt are just some of the athletes who were NTIS scholarship holders in the past, Olympic gold medallists amongst them.
This year, a total of 34 athletes from 16 sports have been awarded an NTIS individual scholarship. The scholarships, in total, are worth $114 000, which covers travel and competition training expenses. This includes seven athletes who are joining the NTIS for the first time, which is very exciting for them. I was encouraged to learn that, for the first time, five athletes from the junior elite development level have moved up to the elite level in just one year. As a result, the number of elite development scholarship holders has more than doubled this year, up to 14 from six in 2003-04.
A scholarship with the NTIS is much sought after. It opens the door for athletes to first-class facilities such as the sport science lab, professional coaching, sports medicine and a fully equipped gym. With the trials for the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games just around the corner, now, more than ever, these athletes will reap the rewards of such fantastic facilities and support.
We recently saw three NTIS members form the backbone of the Australian Under 21 men’s hockey team, which won silver at the Junior World Cup. They came so close to gold, going down 2-1 to Argentina, which scored a goal after the siren. Desmond Abbott, Colin Hennessey and Joel Carroll showed themselves to be three of the best young hockey players in the world. Colin Hennessey scored the goal for Australia in the final, to take him to 15 goals for the tournament, which won him the top goal scorer award.
Congratulations to all our scholarship holders. Here is hoping the rest of Australia hears of them all very soon.
I would now like to quickly run through the successful scholarship holders. Six athletes received elite scholarships: Dave Byars, blind lawn bowls; Kelly Fong, judo; Melanie Hall, wheelchair basketball; Michelle Halprin, tenpin bowling; Andrew McArthur, tenpin bowling; and Ronald Voukolos, tenpin bowling.
There are 14 athletes who received Elite Development scholarships: Desmond Abbott, Symone Bell, Joel Carroll, Travis Carroll, Colin Hennessey and David Hennessey, all hockey; Crystal Attenborough, athletics; Karyn Bailey, netball; Christopher Johns, BMX; Daniel Johnston, mountain biking; Sophie Joynes, triathlon; Maria Tsoukalis, weightlifting; Julie Woerner, cricket; and Dennis Wormald, blind lawn bows.
Fourteen athletes received Junior Elite Development scholarships and these are: Jack Benson, yachting; Nicholas Blackwell, judo; Rebecca Brooke, weightlifting; Ashlee Brown, tennis; Joseph Egan, Rugby Union, Robert Kennedy, tenpin bowling; Heather Langham, hockey; Adrian Lockley, hockey; Hayley McKinnon, swimming; Emily Peris, hockey; Jonathon Peris, hockey; Troy Taylor, swimming; Kia King, swimming; and Rachel McLean, swimming.
I am sure the House will join me in congratulating these fine Territory athletes. We wish them all the very best for their future sporting careers.
Members: Hear, hear!
Mr MILLS (Blain): Madam Speaker, this side of the House also wishes them all the best for their future sporting careers.
An interesting aspect of this report, however, is the reference to ‘household names’. As someone who has raised children here and worked with young people, a lot of those names that were referred as now ‘known’ had their beginnings at grassroots sports organisations where their names were not known. Now they are known.
Today, there are young people out there whose names we do not know. We want to make sure that those whose names we do not know have the right support through grassroots organisations, down to the grassroots level, and are able to go up to become household names. In five years time, kids’ names that we do not currently know, we will be able to speak of.
That is why, when we are talking about the amount of funding that is going to ‘top of town’ events like major sporting fixtures - and I asked the minister the other day: ‘Has $1m been spent to bring the Western Bulldogs to town?’. She said: ‘No, $1m has not been spent’. Well, I will have to get smarter here; I think it is about $900 000. If that amount of money was to be invested differently, perhaps by supporting grassroots sporting organisations with those good volunteer coaches, it would be able to bring some of those names that we currently do not know and bring them to prominence. Invest in a different way; that was the purpose of the question. It is a question that I asked the minister; to consider carefully in structuring the way that money is divided up, either to appeal to the masses or is it going to be invested to assist junior coaches and bring those names that we currently do not know to prominence? Do not miss one out. Do not miss one kid who has got potential. If you invest the money sensibly, we can bring them up.
Ms LAWRIE (Sport and Recreation): Madam Speaker, I thank the shadow spokesperson for his response because I know he is genuine in his desire to see improvement at grassroots level in sport throughout the Territory. However, what I have to say to you is that the Martin Labor government has increased funding to the grassroots level grants program. The grants program is about to go back out …
Mr Mills: You need to get out there more; they ain’t saying that!
Ms LAWRIE: You asked the question; give me the courtesy of allowing me to respond. We are about to go back out publicly to open up that grants program again ...
Mr Mills: Well, an appropriate statement will have no response – that is an inappropriate statement.
Ms LAWRIE: You are sitting over there mumbling and not listening. That is possibly part of the problem for the CLP.
The bulk of the dollars spent in sport and recreation in the Territory are at grassroots level. We fund the peak bodies, which support and provide for sporting organisations. We also separately open up a grants program each year. That grants program is about to open up.
However, NTIS has its place. We have to support the ones who go through the grassroots level and reach a level where they are aspiring to national and international competition. We have to cover from the base level to the very top. NTIS is just one part of what we are doing at Sport and Recreation, but it is an important part because kids in the Territory love to see local role models.
There is no coincidence in the fact that two of the young ones on this list are Peris kids because they saw within their own family that a kid in the Territory can reach the very top of their sport in the world. That is a credit to the work that Nova has done.
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, your time has expired.
Reports noted pursuant to Sessional Order.
Bill presented and read a first time.
Dr TOYNE (Justice and Attorney-General): Madam Speaker, I move that the bill be now read a second time.
The purpose of this bill is to amend the Domestic Violence Act to provide for authorised police officers to issue urgent restraining orders in certain circumstances, and to repeal the Domestic Violence Amendment Act 2001. The objectives of the amendments contained in the bill are to give police greater flexibility in their immediate response to incidents of domestic violence, and to decrease the amount of out-of-hours work for magistrates.
Section 6 of the act currently provides for a police officer to make an application outside of normal court hours by telephone to a duty magistrate for a restraining order. This process provides access to the protection of a restraining order overnight and on weekends and public holidays, when it is not possible to file an application for a restraining order at a court registry.
The number of urgent out-of-hours applications being made under section 6 of the Domestic Violence Act has increased significantly. Applications increased from 39 in 1999 to 724 in 2004. In 2005, to the end of March, 199 applications had been made by police under section 6 of the act. This reflects both an increased awareness about legal remedies available for domestic violence, and some recent operational changes made by police with respect to domestic violence.
Northern Territory police introduced a Violence Reduction Strategy in late 2004 that required police to take formal action with respect to incidents of domestic violence. This may involve investigation and charging for criminal offences, or making an application for a restraining order, depending on the circumstances of each case.
Police currently have a broad range of powers in order to intervene in domestic violence incidents to provide protection for victims, and to hold offenders accountable for their behaviour. These include:
powers of entry where a person is at risk of physical injury or where a contravention of a domestic
violence restraining order has occurred or may occur;
for an urgent restraining order;
and to grant or refuse bail to a person charged with a criminal offence; and
behalf of the person in need of protection.
This bill will provide police with an additional power that will complement these existing powers. A number of other Australian jurisdictions have introduced laws that permit police, as well as courts, to issue restraining orders in certain circumstances.
The bill repeals the existing section 6 of the act and replaces it with new provisions for urgent, out-of-hours orders to be made by either a magistrate or authorised police officers. The bill permits a police officer of or above the rank of senior sergeant, or an officer in charge for the time being of a police station, to issue a restraining order if it is necessary to ensure the immediate safety of a person for whose protection the order is being made.
The bill also provides the option for police to make an application to a magistrate by telephone, facsimile or other electronic means for an urgent order where it is not practicable for an application to be made at the court.
In order to provide immediate protection for people at risk of harm from domestic violence, police will be able to either make an application to a magistrate, or have an authorised police officer issue an order.
It is envisaged that, while police will now be able to deal with many incidents of domestic violence that occur outside the normal court hours or in remote areas on an urgent basis without having to make an application to a magistrate, it is still necessary to preserve the option for police to make an application for an urgent order to a magistrate in particularly complex or sensitive matters. However, it is understood that these matters will be in a minor proportion.
If police or a magistrate make an urgent order, it will then be adjourned to a later date for a magistrate to confirm the order. The defendant is summoned to appear at the confirmation hearing when they receive a copy of the urgent order. An urgent order is not binding on a defendant until it has been served on them.
The confirmation hearing before a magistrate gives the parties an opportunity to consider their position, and to advise the court whether any alteration needs to be made to the scope and nature of a restraining order. It is also a mechanism for providing procedural fairness for a defendant, as urgent orders may be made without notice and in the absence of the defendant.
In centres such as Darwin, Katherine and Alice Springs, it is anticipated that urgent orders made by either police or a magistrate will be confirmed by the court within two to five working days. In other remote locations, the return date may be up to four weeks of an urgent order being made. Given that some urgent interim orders issued by police in remote areas will not be listed for confirmation for some weeks, it is necessary to provide a review process for people affected by these types of orders who do not have access to a court other than a circuit court.
When police make an urgent order, they will be obliged to inform the defendant of their right under the act to seek a review of that order from a magistrate. Where a defendant requests a review of a police order, police must facilitate an application by the defendant to a magistrate for a variation or revocation of the order. Such an application may be made by telephone or other form of electronic communication to a magistrate. This process is analogous to the review that is available in the Bail Act, where police have refused to grant bail to a person. Under section 20AB of the Domestic Violence Act, the Chief Magistrate may issue rules or practice directions for the purposes of the act. It is anticipated that the Chief Magistrate may make rules or practice directions relating to the time and manner for making such applications.
It is not intended that an application for a review be immediately available to a defendant, particularly when police issue an order outside of normal court hours, and that a review within one to three working days of the order being made would meet the needs of a defendant in this regard.
The provisions of section 10 of the Domestic Violence Act with respect to a mandatory minimum sentence for a second or subsequent breach of a restraining order will not apply to orders made by police until they are confirmed by a magistrate. It is not appropriate for a mandatory minimum sentence to apply to an order that is administrative rather than judicial in character.
Finally, the bill repeals the Domestic Violence Amendment Act 2001, which provided for police interim restraining orders. That act was never commenced, in part due to concerns about how the provisions in relation to police interim restraining orders would operate in practice.
While the government has introduced this bill to meet the objective of giving police greater flexibility in their response to domestic violence, and alleviating the pressure of out of hours work on magistrates, other aspects of the Domestic Violence Act are being addressed through a general review of the act that is being conducted by the Department of Justice. This review will also provide an opportunity for an assessment of the operation of the provisions introduced by this bill. Madam Speaker I commend the bill to honourable members.
Debate adjourned.
Madam SPEAKER: I remind honourable members that it is my intention to present the Address-in-Reply to His Honour the Administrator at Government House. I request all honourable members to assemble on the verandah of Government House by 11 am and accompany me to present the address. A program has been distributed to all honourable members outlining the order of proceedings. Honourable members are also reminded that, following the presentation, a group photograph of all members will be taken for the historical record.
Madam SPEAKER: I advise honourable members of the presence in the gallery of the committee of the Darwin Legacy Widows Club, the NT Carers Association, senior citizens from Drysdale electorate and interstate visitors. On behalf of honourable members, I extend a very warm welcome to our visitors.
Members: Hear, hear!
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I advise that, accompanied by honourable members, I attended upon His Honour the Administrator this day and there and then presented to him the Address-in-Reply to the speech His Honour delivered on the occasion of the opening of the Tenth Assembly, and that His Honour was pleased to make the following reply:
Dr TOYNE (Health): Madam Speaker, today I provide a statement to the Assembly on this government’s commitment to better health for mothers and children. Building Healthier Communities is the Martin government’s vision for better health and wellbeing for Territorians, and giving kids a good start in life is one of the key priorities identified in Building Healthier Communities.
We know that the scientific evidence is increasingly clear: what happens to babies before they are born and during their first years can shape the rest of their lives. We know that quality care during and after pregnancy, combined with comprehensive child health services, provide a high return for health investment. Quality antenatal care promotes a healthy pregnancy by treating medical problems as they arise, addressing social risk factors such as smoking, and linking the mother and family with support services. This means fewer complications for mothers and more babies born on time, healthy and of good birth weight. Postnatal and child health services include child health checks, the early identification and treatment of health problems, vaccinations, advice on breastfeeding and nutrition, help with nurturing and parenting, and making links to other support and social services.
They aim to keep children on track so they grow and develop, and are healthy, ready to learn, and prepared for school. The provision of such services is strongly backed by the research evidence, which shows that the brain growth is greatest during the early years of life. This is when the potential for development and learning is greatest. Improving care for kids in their early years pays off in their future educational attainment and employment opportunities, and in avoiding antisocial behaviour and crime. It is also an investment in their future adult health.
There is compelling evidence that links low birth weight and poor infant growth to the development of chronic disease later in life. This is important for all Territorians, but particularly for Aboriginal people who have very high rates of chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and kidney disease. In the Northern Territory, we are making significant improvements in the area of preventable chronic diseases, with better early detection of disease through screening, and the development of best practice treatment guidelines and care plans. We have also greatly extended renal services, bringing dialysis to small regional centres and remote communities. This will improve the quality of life for many.
However, we must get to the root cause of chronic disease and, to do that, we must effectively address maternal and child health needs. Accordingly, we made the health of children and mothers a key area for action in our first term, and we shall continue this focus during this term of government.
We have established a number of priority areas for action in maternal and child health:
1. effective antenatal and postnatal care that targets reductions in smoking and alcohol consumption
during and after pregnancy;
communities; and
and improving the timeliness of interventions.
To provide holistic child health services, we must also link our health services to social support services that assist families to care for their children. We must work with other services beyond the health sector, such as education, housing, and sport and recreation, to improve the environments in which children and families live.
These priorities are supported by the national and international evidence. For example, earlier this year, the Australian Medical Association released its report card on Aboriginal health, in which it identified low birth weight as a major preventable health issue. The report card advocated better antenatal care and interventions to address nutrition, smoking, alcohol and teenage pregnancy as key strategies reducing the health gap between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians.
The Northern Territory is also involved in a number of national initiatives, such as the National Agenda for Early Childhood, the National Public Health Strategic Framework and the national standardising of maternity services. Indeed, we are taking a lead role in the National Child Health and Wellbeing Reform project, under the Australian Health ministers and Community and Disability Services ministerial councils. This project aims to improve child health and wellbeing through four specific outcomes:
1. national evidence-based guidelines for antenatal care;
in the antenatal period and early years;
Ministers annually; and
Through this process, key issues for the Territory are being adopted as issues of national concern, with a resulting national commitment of resolve and resources to improve child health and wellbeing. These practical actions have the potential to not only improve child health and wellbeing now, but also to influence the long-term health and wellbeing of the Australian population. This national reform process provides an opportunity to showcase the Territory’s skills and expertise in child health. We will continue to lead this work by chairing the cross-sectoral, cross-jurisdictional steering committee, and providing content expertise to the specific projects.
I also am pleased to report that the inter-governmental work on the new National Chronic Disease Strategy has drawn heavily on the experience of the NT Preventable Chronic Disease Strategy, the first in Australia to include birth outcomes and infant nutrition as a preventative component of adult chronic disease strategy.
I will now outline what we have done in giving kids a good start in life in the Territory during our first term of office, and how we plan to build on this in the future. Early in the first term of our government, we committed $2.2m per year to the Child Health Initiative to employ 25 additional child health personnel for remote communities. This represents the biggest single boost ever to child health services in remote Territory communities. The Child Health Initiative addresses the health needs of Aboriginal children and meets the challenge of access to services in geographically isolated and dispersed populations.
We have delivered on this commitment and formed a new NT-wide maternal child and youth health team with child health nurses, Aboriginal health workers, nutritionists, Aboriginal health promotional officers, Strong Women coordinators, and community child health workers. Town-based staff are located in Darwin, Nhulunbuy, Tennant Creek and Alice Springs, and there are a number of community-based child health workers. The team provides program support, training and practical assistance to remote area health centres and communities, and is working collaboratively with non-government Aboriginal medical services. Coordinators in Central Australia and the Top End are providing leadership and guidance to staff to ensure a consistent and evidence-based approach to improving child health outcomes, under the guidance of the department’s Program Director for Maternal, Child and Youth Health.
Our initial priority has been ensuring universal child health monitoring through both the Gross Assessment and Action (GAA) program, and the role out of the Healthy School-Age Kids program in collaboration with the Department of Employment, Education and Training. GAA has an emphasis on action for those children who are not thriving, and is currently running in 78 communities. Although under-nutrition and malnutrition remain significant problems, we are seeing some reductions in underweight and anaemic children. The Healthy School-Age Kids program is running in the majority of Top End communities and is now being rolled out in Central Australia. Work has started to further develop under fives, or ‘early years’ programs.
Community-based child health workers are an essential part of the program providing support to the core child health programs, and increase the capacity to respond to local needs; for example, by incorporating child health and education activities in play groups and crches and running ear health programs.
The importance of breastfeeding and good childhood nutrition cannot be underestimated. The new infant feeding guidelines are being developed based on a recent National Health and Medical Research recommendations for exclusive breastfeeding until around six months of age. The education resources for remote communities and urban centres are being developed. Four of our NT hospitals - Katherine, Gove, Tennant Creek and Alice Springs - have received baby-friendly hospital accreditation for their support for breastfeeding. I congratulate staff on achieving this important accreditation.
Good nutrition not only improves health but can improve educational outcomes with improved attendance at school, and increasing students’ capacity to learn through increased concentration and participation in learning activities. Accordingly, we have established the School Breakfast program to provide nutritious meals for school children. This is now running in seven communities and provides meals for over 500 students.
The foundations for good health are laid down before birth, and this government has been active in improving maternal health and birthing services for all Territory women. In November last year, I announced a significant maternity services package which includes: funding to move the Community Midwifery program in Darwin to a community location; employing a project officer to implement home birth services in Darwin and Alice Springs; employing two outreach midwives to provide support and maternity care to women from Top End and Central Australian remote communities; and funding for doctors and midwives to undergo emergency obstetric training.
The funding for the Community Midwifery program will allow this important program to move from Royal Darwin Hospital to a community location in Casuarina. It is important that a community program has a community base, and rooms at Casuarina are being renovated with a move in place later this year. The Community Midwifery program provides a midwife-led model of care for women with low-risk pregnancies. They receive antenatal and postnatal care in the community and birth in the hospital. This model is best practice by providing a known midwife and a small team who work closely with each woman to achieve a positive pregnancy and birth experience. This program is supported by obstetricians who can focus more on providing care to women with high-risk obstetric needs. Since September 2004, 128 women have used the Community Midwifery program, resulting in 77 births at the end of July 2005. Up to a quarter of the places on the Community Midwifery program are for women with high social risk factors such as pregnant teenagers, refugee women, and victims of sexual abuse and/or domestic violence.
Community groups, such as Anglicare for teenagers and Melaleuca for refugee support, have written to express their praise for the program in its support for women whose life experiences can adversely affect their birth outcomes. In recognition of the positive outcomes for women and their babies and the increasing demand for options in maternity care, an additional two midwife positions have been advertised for the Community Midwifery program.
Home birth is also one of the birthing options for women that this government supports. Until recently, the insurance crisis resulted in midwives being unable to purchase indemnity and therefore not able to provide home birth services. However, we now offer casual contracts to eligible midwives which provides them with departmental indemnification. A project officer has been developing a home birth service for Darwin and Alice Springs, and the service has been operating in Alice Springs since December 2004, with nine women registering with the service to date. In Darwin, three midwives have been employed by the department and the necessary procedures are being finalised. I look forward to hearing of the first home birth in Darwin under this new service.
The maternity package also included funding for two outreach midwives to provide a visiting service to remote communities that have limited access to resident midwives and medical practitioners.
In order to improve and maintain a skilled work force, we are also providing $30 000 per year to bring the expert team that provides the Advanced Life Support in Obstetrics course to the Territory. This funding has so far enabled 40 maternity clinicians such as hospital doctors, remote practitioners, general practitioners and midwives to undergo this highly regarded training. The next course is planned for April 2006 in Darwin.
Plans for a birthing centre located on the ground floor of the Royal Darwin Hospital are also progressing well. The birthing centre will have two low-tech birth rooms and will provide midwifery-led care for those women not requiring medical intervention during childbirth. There will also be deep water immersion baths for pain control. The site will include an outside courtyard garden accessed from the birthing rooms. This will be landscaped and contain a private area for women in labour and their family.
The building of the birth centre is planned around other redevelopments in that area, and the work will commence around November 2005, aiming for completion towards the end of 2006. The birth centre will provide women in labour with a safe environment where birth can be refocused as a natural and normal event.
Better maternal and child health for Aboriginal Territorians is particularly important. On 27 April this year, minister Scrymgour, the then Minister for Family …
Dr LIM: A point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker, I do not wish to sound picky, but Standing Order 65 does say that we should all be referring to other members by electorate. The habit of using personal names in this Chamber when referring to members continues to creep in. I have given leeway to all new members, but I believe we should really adhere to Standing Order 65.
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: The member for Greatorex does have a point of order. Standing Order 65 says that we will refer to members by their electorate. Please continue, minister.
Dr TOYNE: On 27 April this year, the Minister for Family and Community Services and I released Aboriginal Health and Families: A Five Year Framework for Action. This framework is a comprehensive document committing the department to a wide range of reforms, demonstrating this government’s commitment to getting serious about Aboriginal health.
The focus of action is on delivering a set of core services targeting important periods of transition, including before birth and the early years through to school age and adolescence, with particular emphasis on gender and cultural security. Maternal and child health-related targets include earlier attendances for antenatal care, improved birth weight and readiness for school.
Remote area nurses and Aboriginal health workers provide much of the healthcare in remote health centres. With additional funding, we have reduced the number of single nurse posts and have committed to phasing them out by 2008.
Through our Remote Orientation program, we are also ensuring that our new staff are able to deliver core child health programs, provide advice, pick up problems early, and provide treatment following standard treatment protocols. The Practical Paediatrics training module is currently being standardised and will be available throughout the NT to give remote practitioners confidence and skills in child health.
We are also in the midst of an extensive ear and hearing health training program for remote primary health care teams and child health staff, with funding assistance from the Australian government. The training, backed up by Department of Health and Community Services audiologist support, enables remote health staff to treat ear problems following the national best practice guidelines, as well as working on community-based preventative programs.
I have already spoken about the Child Health Initiative and how it is boosting access to services for Aboriginal children in remote communities. However, the health needs of children living in our urban centres is also extremely important. To this end, the department has established a new Child Youth and Family Health Service stream within urban community health, and a manager has been appointed. We will modernise our service and make best use of resources so we can better respond to local health needs. A project officer has been appointed to develop an integrated maternal and child health model for service delivery across the continuum of care from birthing, postnatal, through to school entering.
Working collaboratively both within and across government departments, as well as with non-government service providers, Aboriginal Medical Services and community groups, is the best way of delivering improvements in health. Within the Department of Health and Community Services, mothers and children’s health is seen as everyone’s business, with collaborative effort by primary health care and hospital staff, the Office of Children and Families, the Office of Aboriginal Health, Family and Social Policy, and many other program areas. Health and Community Services staff have particularly strong links with the educational sector colleagues in a number of areas.
Through the Department of Education’s Early Years Team, we are working on the joint Early Years Framework, the School Breakfast program, Hearing Services, and the Health Promoting Schools NT for Healthy School-Age Kids program. Healthy School-Age Kids is a joint Health and Education program that involves health promotion in the school and community setting, child health checks, and integration with other programs and services for children. It aims to improve health and learning outcomes of schoolkids in remote communities through collaboration with families, community, health and school staff. The program manual and guidelines are currently being updated.
I would also like to take this opportunity to acknowledge that, while a great deal of effort and initiative is taking place within the Department of Health and Community Services, the non-government sector is also going through a similarly active, innovative period in the maternal and child health area. I am aware, for example, of some excellent evidence-driven and effective programs being implemented by the Central Australian Aboriginal Congress in Alice Springs and by Katherine West and Sunrise Health Boards. The use of best practice treatment guidelines has been shown to improve patient care, and we are working with the Aboriginal health sector on these.
The department has endorsed the CARPA (Central Australian Rural Practitioners Association) standard treatment manual for child and adult health, and the Women’s Business Manual for use in all remote health centres. Our health staff are currently working with Congress, Alukura, Nganampa Health and the Centre for Remote Health to update the Women’s Business Manual, which provides guidance on antenatal and postnatal care, obstetric emergencies and women’s health screening.
The Northern Territory government is also working with the Australian government to implement the Primary Health Care Access program, which provides vital additional resources and encourages local community participation in primary health care at the local level. All of the local zones so far funded under this program have prioritised maternal and child health, and have recruited local and visiting maternal child and women’s health staff.
These are some of the key areas in which we have already made progress in providing better health services for Northern Territory mothers and children. During our second term of government, we will build on the initiatives I have just described. During the recent election campaign, I was pleased to announce a further package of measures to make sure that we give kids the best start in life. Specifically, we will: expand the successful Child Health Initiative to include services to women and children in remote and rural areas; provide midwifery training to Northern Territory nurses to support local nurses and reduce the need for interstate recruitment; provide hearing tests for every newborn Northern Territory baby; establish the Community Midwifery program in Alice Springs to provide care in the community before and after birth; and support early discharge from hospital. The Child Health Initiative will be further expanded with more community-based child health workers and additional outreach midwifery support.
From this financial year onwards, we will be providing an extra $100 000 to expand the Child Health Initiative with more community-based child health worker positions. These will enable more remote communities to begin low-tech population-based child health promotion, including the integration of ear health programs into community based services, such as crches, child care, preschool and schools. By the end of this term of government, we will expand the Child Health Initiative further with an additional $500 000 to enable employment of more child health workers across the Territory.
As part of our Child Health Initiative, we are also immediately increasing the outreach midwifery work force from two to four. The four midwifes have already been recruited, two based in Darwin and two based in Alice Springs, and they are currently undergoing induction and additional training. The outreach midwives will work collaborately with a range of health care providers and community members to provide quality midwifery care and education to women living in remote and rural communities. Their role includes support and training for remote area nurses, midwives and Aboriginal health workers, and development and implementation of best practice guidelines and systems.
We have also committed an additional $200 000 per year to subsidise the training cost for NT nurses to study locally as midwives. Growing our own midwives makes good sense; it ensures that they have good understanding of the issues which impact on the health and wellbeing of Territory mothers and babies.
In the meantime, recurrent funding has been allocated for two audiologists or speech pathologists to assist children with hearing, speech and language problems in remote areas. From next year, we will be implementing universal neonatal hearing screening. This will ensure that every new baby in the Northern Territory has a hearing test shortly after birth to improve early identification of deafness. Normal language development depends on early detection of hearing loss and appropriate intervention. Universal neonatal hearing screening is best practice. The cost of detecting a child with profound deafness in the neonatal period is significantly lower than the cost of managing a child diagnosed later who has special educational and other needs.
Lastly, by the end of this term of government, we will also establish a Community Midwifery program in Alice Springs to provide care in the community before and after birth, and support early discharge from hospitals. This follows the successful Darwin Community Midwifery program about which I spoke earlier.
This government is giving kids a good start in life. We are building on our antenatal services to improve birth options and outcomes, and we are developing a seamless service with continuity of care from birth through infancy, childhood and beyond. We will continue to develop our early years services through core health services to all children and families, and more targeted services for those with greater need. We will continue to work with the community and non-government providers on improving children’s health, learning and readiness for school. We will continue to provide leadership in the national maternal and child health reform arena to better support the service needs of Territory families and children and contribute our expertise for the betterment of all Australian children.
Mr Deputy Speaker, I move that the Assembly take note of this statement.
Dr LIM (Greatorex): Mr Deputy Speaker, in contributing to this debate, I welcome the minister’s statement in regard to maternal and child health. In my professional life as a medical practitioner, I would have delivered in excess of 500 babies in the time I was in obstetrics practice. Therefore, I am fully aware of the significance of good maternal care, both antenatal and postnatal and, obviously, the continuing care of the baby from the time it is conceived right through to adult life.
While listening carefully to the minister’s statement, I applaud his intentions, which are good. He is prepared to provide significant resources into this maternal and child health program to ensure that, in particular, indigenous children will have the best start they can possibly get. I always maintain that every mother - maybe not every father, but every mother - would aspire to have the best outcomes for their children. Every mother would want their child to grow up in a healthy environment, with good nutrition, good health, good education, with the intention that, in adult life, they have a better life than the mothers themselves had during their time.
For that reason, maternal health and care becomes very important because you have a willing group of people who want to improve their lives, to then provide better lives for their children. Without a doubt, in any third world country you go to - having grown up in one country such as this - every small community you went to, there was a maternal and child welfare clinic which provided care for women and their babies.
The minister spoke about the services that the Health Department has already provided across the Territory, and the rationale that, because things have already been covered, now is the time to concentrate on maternal and child health. Maternal and child health has to be one of those things that you have to have right in front of everything. If you have people with renal diseases that you have to look after through dialysis units that, to me, is subsequent to the first priority which is maternal and child health.
While I am on renal health, I was at a briefing from the Health Department just recently, where they told me there is not a single renal dialysis unit not being used in the Territory. I am sad to inform the department, through the minister - as an aside to this debate – that, in fact, there is one. I discovered that through a letter that I received. I just wanted to read a paragraph from it.
I now come back to the statement that the minister made. Obviously, antenatal care is very important. It is sad to also knowledge and draw notice to the fact that not every woman who has delivered their babies in the Northern Territory - especially amongst our indigenous population - received antenatal care. I know for a fact that there are many women who present to hospital without any antenatal care whatsoever, and come into the obstetrics unit just about ready to have a delivery. Obviously, the more we can influence people to seek antenatal care right throughout the whole of their pregnancy the better outcomes you are going to get. That can influence their life style, their social drug-taking habits, including nicotine and alcohol.
When I was working obstetrics, I can remember when patients came to see me on a regular basis. Usually at the start of the pregnancy, on a monthly basis, you are able to discuss the health and lifestyle issues with them, and to use the opportunity to educate the pregnant women about the impact of their lifestyle habits. Many a time, you can actually convince the pregnant woman to give away the drugs or social habits that may cause detriment to the pregnancy. Obviously, nutrition is very important. Trying to convince the women that, while in every pregnancy there is weight gain, you try not to allow too much of a weight gain and not to be too free with their food cravings.
Standardising maternal or antenatal care is well and good but, unless you are prepared to follow through on a fairly strict regime, it is difficult to implement. You have to structure your antenatal visits according to your patient population. If you have obstetric nurses out in the bush, obviously those services are going to be better delivered.
It is unfortunate for us in the Northern Territory that not every bush clinic has a midwife or an obstetrics trained nurse available, so more often than not you will depend on a registered nurse with minimal obstetrics exposure to look after antenatal cases. That is not good. Therefore, I support any program that will increase the skills of registered nurses in obstetrics, and the number of midwives available in the NT. I am aware that the midwifery program in Darwin has been quite successful. The former member for Drysdale’s spouse went through it and is now working successfully as a midwife at Royal Darwin Hospital. There are several nurses in Alice Springs who have done refresher courses in midwifery and are now working in the obstetrics unit at the hospital.
One of the concerns I have about bush clinics is the shortage of registered nurses. I am told that in remote health, we are down by some 22 nurses this month. I drew the attention of the Chief Executive of the Health Department to the matter. He promised me he would look into it. I have not heard from him since then. At the time of the briefing when I told him about it, he was not aware that there was a shortage of nurses in bush clinics. If my information is wrong, I would like to have formal advice to that effect. If I am right, obviously there is a significant problem.
In terms of newborns, they are one of the loveliest things you can ever aspire to nurse, hold and see. Ask my colleague, the former member for Macdonnell. He is just about glued to his newborn baby. I wonder how he has coped being away from the baby in the last two weeks. There is beauty about having a brand new baby that you treasure and care for so much.
Breastfeeding has always been a strong way for mothers to bond with their babies, and I strongly encourage good education programs through the antenatal process, but also for nurses to encourage women to breastfeed. Obviously, breast milk is nature’s way of providing the best nutrition possible for a baby. However there is a downside to overzealous nurses who push breastfeeding to such an extent that it makes a woman who is unsuccessful at breastfeeding feel guilty. That is a pity. Yes, breastfeeding is very useful and important, but it is not the be-all and end-all. Women are physically unable to breastfeed for all sorts of reasons - from infections, pain, a baby not accepting the breast properly. If that is the case, it should be taken in stride and not pushed to such a degree that the poor woman feels guilty that she has to bottle-feed the baby.
As the child grows, I am glad to see that the government is taking an active role in the School Breakfast program. However, I am disappointed that is only running in a few communities - too few - and provides meals for only 500 students. That is not enough. This is something that the government should take on holus-bolus and introduce a school nutrition program. It is something that impacts not only on indigenous children. Of every child who goes to school today, I would hazard a guess that the majority of them would have less than I do for breakfast before arriving at school. Today, with the double income families, many parents are in a rush to get out the house before 8 am so they can get to work on time, and many children are left to fend for themselves prior to going to school. What sort of breakfast do they get before they get to school? Well, only God knows. If we can introduce an across-the-board school nutrition program, then we can all be assured that the children will all be given a good breakfast at the start of each day prior to school.
I spoke about our clinics not having adequate nurses and adequately trained midwifery nurses. The home birth issue is even more fraught with difficulties at the moment. As we all know, over the last few months - especially those months leading up to the last general election - there was a lot of heavy lobbying by private midwives to be able to continue their profession of home births. As a medical practitioner who has done a significant amount of obstetrics - and, in fact, was roped into one instance of home birth, much to my despair - there are issues with home birth that need to be clearly worked through. While many private midwives will say: ‘Yes, we will screen the patients carefully and do our upmost to provide the safest possible environment for home birth’, things do go wrong. That is when either the hospital obstetrics service or a private practitioner obstetrician gets pulled in - whether they like it or not.
In the instance which happened to me, unfortunately or fortunately, my patient chose to literally import from interstate a private midwife to look after them for a home birth. I witnessed a home delivery; that is not particularly appropriate in this instance. Anyway, with the antenatal course which I provided, the home birth, to all intents and purposes, went normally, until right at the third stage where the placenta was stuck inside the uterus. Then there was a real issue. The patient refused to go to hospital. I was called, and you are betwixt and between. If you do not go, you are not supporting a patient who has an emergency life-threatening situation. If you go, you are putting your neck on the line, because you are where the buck stops. It is a great concern. Anyway, I will not go into the details of it. We all had a happy outcome and it was fine. It was still outside the hospital system, but it was a satisfactory outcome. The thing is, as a practicing obstetrician, if you do a home delivery, you are called in as a back-up to support a case that has - I would not say gone wrong - not gone normally. Your neck is definitely on the line; you are the last stop.
Fortunately for us now, over recent years, the private nurse practitioners have their own insurance, and that provides some degree of legal liability. However, irrespective of whether the legal liability is with the nurse, the doctor who provides the back-up is also liable if something goes wrong - and the doctor has had very little to do with the delivery until he or she was called to bail out the problems. That is an issue that needs to be talked through closely. I believe there is a place for private midwives to do their own cases but, somehow, we need to ensure that all parties are protected.
I will not go into the whole range of good antenatal care means babies with good birth weights which means that they get a good start in life - and so on. This has all been said many times, and there is no need to go any further on that.
In regards to the birthing unit at the Royal Darwin Hospital, it has been a long time coming, and it is a real pity that the government has been so slow with it. I look forward to the day when the whole place is completed, and then we can get on with doing the right thing for our pregnant mums, especially here in the Top End. The birthing suite at the Alice Springs Hospital is quite reasonable. Most of the women who go there have very little to complain about. Let us hope that the one in Darwin will be also satisfactory to the Top End ladies.
The minister spoke about children having early childhood hearing tests, using audiologist support. This is part of a routine that you actually do in examining a newborn baby: its hearing ability. Clinically, the testing is fairly crude. Using audiology testing obviously is going to be a much more effective way of detecting if a child is not hearing properly. While hearing is, obviously, very important, in school is when things can go very wrong if the child has lost hearing capacity.
I am not sure whether you are aware, Mr Deputy Speaker, that about three or four years ago, I sponsored a TV ad made by an occupational therapist in Alice Springs. She was going around town looking for government support during the last term of our government, and was unable to get any support from anywhere. Anyway, I sponsored her fully and she made a video which is now being televised on odd occasions by Imparja. Imparja TV broadcast this advert for free, as a community service. The occupational therapist’s name was Yvonne Healy, and she wrote, coordinated, produced, directed and got a whole bunch of kids to help her produce this ad called Nose Blowing Song. I would like to read to you the lyrics …
Ms Lawrie: Sing it.
Dr LIM: No, no! I am not going to sing it.
Ms Carney: Good song.
Dr LIM: It is a good song. I ask the Health Minister, if he or his colleagues have not seen it before, to get the copy of the video, which is sponsored by me. It is a bunch of kids and Yvonne. The children yell out very loud: ‘What’s up?’, and Yvonne says: ‘Can’t hear you’. The children say: ‘What’s up? Can’t hear you. What’s up? Can’t hear you, I need to blow my nose’. Then, next para: ‘What’s up? Can’t hear you. What’s up? Can’t hear you. What’s up? Can’t hear you, I need to blow my nose’. Then Yvonne says: ‘Get a tissue, cover your nose, take a deep breath and close your mouth and blow, blow, blow through your nose - blow, blow, blow.’ Then the children: ‘What’s up? I hear you. What’s up? I’m great, thanks. What’s up? Let’s go and play the day away’. They all then have a loud hooray and go and play.
That is only a 15 second video, but it is actually quite effective. I am proud to say that I took the plunge and gave her the full amount of money to do this and it has been very effective. It is my little contribution, if nothing else, to better health outcomes for our kids.
In the entire statement, I cannot fault the government for its aspirations. It is good that we have a government which aspires to do the right thing by our pregnant ladies, to make sure their children are born in the best of conditions. Again, in the words I used yesterday with the minister for Education, you have talked the talk, now make sure you walk the walk. Make sure that you produce the practical applications of your aspirations. Until you do that, all you hear is a lot of good rhetoric which is not followed up with much success out there. Get your clinics staffed and staffed adequately, making sure that you get the nurses out there. Make sure that, at least if the nurses are only RNs, they have some level of obstetrics awareness.
Get as many midwives trained as you possibly can and allow job sharing so that midwives who have families can still work part-time in the hospital. You would have more midwives than you have currently. At the moment, there are many midwives who cannot work, or refuse to work because they have family commitments. However, if you allow them to job share you would be surprised how many would work. I know my wife gets called in by the hospital quite regularly on a Saturday or a Sunday to cover a couple of shifts because there are not enough midwives in the system. It is not because they are not there; they are in the community. They are not in the health system because they have other commitments. The hospital management must recognise that people have commitments now. As much as they want to help out the system, their families are, obviously, a lot more important to them than the hospital. The hospital needs them more than they need the hospital, so the hospital should make allowances for women who are prepared to work part-time, or job share with another colleague so that two or three of them can share one job. That is all they want; time to look after their families as well as keep up their skills, which is also very important, and provide a service to their own community. That is what we can do to ensure that we have the best utilisation of the skills we have in the community.
The tragedy is that, especially in Alice Springs, part-time workers or job sharing nurses are not appreciated or encouraged. If you do not encourage them, then you are going to continue to struggle with your staff shortages.
Madam Speaker, I applaud the government for providing us with a statement that has good aspirations. I hope that the government will be able to fulfil these aspirations. Sometimes, motherhood statements, when you get up and speak about them, make you all feel warm and fuzzy but, after six months, 12 months, four years, it is nothing. That is when you feel cheated and jaded. I look forward to this government producing what it says it will do. We will see how they go over the next few years while we continue to monitor the progress of the department.
Ms LAWRIE (Family and Community Services): Madam Speaker, I support the statement on maternal and child health.
Often, when we think about maternal and child health, our focus is drawn to the physical health of mothers and children. It is increasingly recognised, however, that the emotional and psychological aspects of health are equally important in ensuring the best possible outcomes for Territory mothers, and for giving our kids the best possible start in life.
Among the Territory’s children and families are some who experience high rates of illness and social disruption. We know that our indigenous Territorians constitute almost one-third of the Territory’s total population and suffer these harms in disproportionate numbers, with poorer average child health and development and levels of sickness and disadvantage throughout life.
We all know of the range of issues affecting Aboriginal Territorians, and I will not dwell on them here. However, I will say that, despite significant efforts to improve Aboriginal people’s lives, the effects of past dispossession and the removal of children, remote living conditions, poverty and social exclusion, continue to lead to poor health and wellbeing outcomes.
As the Minister for Health has already indicated, our government’s commitment to improving Aboriginal health and wellbeing is evident through the Building Healthier Communities framework, and the release earlier this year of Aboriginal Health and Families: A Five Year Framework for Action. At this point, I would like to acknowledge the hard work of both the Minister for Health and the previous Minister for Family and Community Services, the member for Arafura, and their commitment to Aboriginal health and wellbeing, which is so evident in these frameworks and in the significant reforms instituted in their portfolio areas.
I would also like to acknowledge departmental staff. I have been travelling through the Territory since I became minister, with more trips planned, and meeting people at every opportunity I get. I am impressed by their obvious dedication and enthusiasm.
The importance of good physical health for mothers and their children is acknowledged, but we also know that parents and family play a critical role in children’s psychological and social development. Children’s brain development in the early years of life is dependent, in part, on the quality of the immediate family environment. We know that children’s wellbeing is best assured by confident, competent parents or other carers connected to a supportive network of extended family and friends, and professional assistance and advice at times of vulnerability or during periods of change or crisis.
Conversely, we know that child abuse and other family violence, unstable housing, parental mental ill-health and serious alcohol or drug abuse seriously hinder the effective care of children. If such issues are not addressed, children’s immediate outcomes and longer-term prospects may be greatly affected.
I would like to outline some of the work being done in my Family and Community Services portfolio to enhance the health and wellbeing of mothers and children in order to give our kids the very best possible start in life.
Many of the current health policy and programs are designed to be available to all Territorians, and some family and community services, such as parenting information, are universally available. However, Family and Community Services generally has a greater focus on servicing those who are vulnerable or at risk in our community. They target children, families and communities who are disadvantaged, and where social and wellbeing issues are already identified. They work to reduce the impact of these concerns, and prevent any recurrence.
The Territory is not alone in this approach. It is in wide use in all Australian and many overseas jurisdictions. A lot of the work of my portfolio is taken up with the development of targeted child and family support work and crisis intervention. A cornerstone of the government’s work has been the Caring for our Children child protection reform process. My predecessor, minister Scrymgour, discussed the key elements of the reform process, and I will not repeat the information contained in her ministerial statement on child protection presented to the House in August last year. I will, however, note some of the progress that has been made in this important area.
The reform is comprised of two main components: the review of the Community Welfare Act 1983; and the reform of child protection policies and programs. After a significant community consultation process last year, I am pleased to report that the reform process is drawing to a close. I anticipate that new child protection legislation to replace the Community Welfare Act will be ready to be introduced into parliament later this year. It has been a lengthy process, longer than was originally envisaged.
Community interest in the issue has been high. The rapid rate of policy change and reform, both federally and in other states and territories, has been outstanding. I recently chaired the Community and Disability Services Ministerial Council and participated in some excellent discussions with my colleagues on the programs, innovations and child protection policy reform in their respective jurisdictions.
While I was in Alice Springs, I also had the great pleasure of opening the National Foster Carers Conference, and hearing from this wonderful group of people how significantly such legislation can affect their lives and the lives of the kids they are caring for.
The Community Welfare Act has not been significantly overhauled in 20 years. I do not want the bill I introduce into the House to languish for such a long period. However, I am also aware that, for any number of years, our new legislation will be the tool by which this government and this community gives effect to our number one priority: the protection of our children. As minister, I am committed to ensuring we have the best legislative foundation for the provision of child protection and family support services in the Territory.
With regard to policy and service development, I am pleased to report that the Family and Children’s Services Branch has finalised the development of a number of key documents: A Community Services Framework document; an Out of Home Care Strategic Plan; and a Family Support Services Framework. These documents will ensure service development proceeds in a strategic and considered manner. The tender for one of the first new family support services under Caring for our Children, the Home Strength Intensive Family Preservation Service, has been awarded to Centacare and began operating on 1 June 2005. Servicing clients in the Darwin urban region, the service is designed to provide intensive support to families at risk of having a child placed in care. It represents a significant effort to preserve families and, where possible, to avoid a child’s placement.
In addition, a range of new child and family support initiatives have been funded, with $910 000 provided in June 2004 to eight locations across the Northern Territory. The initiatives broadly aim to: deliver an integrated response to children, their families and communities; strengthen cohesion among those working with children and families; and provide a physical and program profile in the community for child and family support services. They include: the development of a child and family services precinct in Katherine; the development of a family service base and programs in Maningrida Community Education Centre, Karama School and Wadeye; strengthening an early childhood program for Alice Springs town camp residents; and providing assistance for the Little Kids program, Rela Kuka Mapa run by the Western Arrernte Relekha Aboriginal Corporation at Ntaria in Alice Springs – and I am sure I have some of that pronunciation incorrect.
We have also worked with the Australian government to jointly fund a new Aboriginal Family Support Service in Alice Springs, and have recently finalised a service model for an Aboriginal Family Support Service in Darwin.
The initiatives I have described highlight the preventative and crisis intervention services, now a feature of Family and Community Services in the Northern Territory. An Office of Children and Families was formed specifically to develop new preventative programs and services, with a particular focus on improving parenting support and services for children.
I would like to draw your attention to a number of key maternal and child health-related activities that have been undertaken by the office, including planning the development of integrated models of child health and wellbeing service delivery, in collaboration with Maternal, Child and Youth Health program, the Department of Employment, Education and Training and a range of other key partners; and providing parenting skills training and initiative training is part of the family partnership model.
The office has run versions of the Positive Parenting program - better known as the Triple P program - this year. Training has been provided to 40 professionals from both the government and non-government sector from a range of locations across the Northern Territory, including the Central Australian, Katherine, Darwin and Darwin rural communities. In September, a further 20 professionals will be trained in Triple P on the Tiwi Islands. Many community members have already participated in the program.
Importantly, a number of maternal and child nurses have also undergone this training. This means that these nurses are now better equipped to assist parents and other carers during home visits or at clinics, and can be more confident in providing families with the best advice on how to care for their children.
The office has also worked to:
expand access to early childhood services, including playgroups and toy libraries;
Parentline offers a counselling service for all parents, with a capacity to refer parents in need of particular
assistance, or where there are concerns about children’s safety;
using the MARVIN technology;
will be extended for use as a community planning resource;
develop three editions of Kids Tracks, the Aboriginal child and family wellbeing newsletter, which showcases
innovative Aboriginal child and family support work across the Territory. I recommend it to members as a very
good read; and
providers - important guidance and a process for recruiting staff who will work with children to ensure agencies
have proper policies and practices to reduce the risk of harm or abuse to a child while in the agencies care.
As a demonstration of the government’s commitment to child-care access to parents in remote communities, the office is taking the lead in additional child-care service development in Titjakala, Laramba and Kintore, and the provision of occasional child-care places in Nhulunbuy.
The trend toward integrated service provision is worthy of comment. In recent years, there has been greater recognition that to work effectively with families and communities requires the coordinated response of a range of professionals or agencies. While the linkages between Health and Family and Community services and other government and non-government agencies are strong, we are looking to improve them.
Children with disabilities are particularly vulnerable to child abuse, and they need special attention and protection. My department has now implemented a series of measures to support families who care for children with disabilities, and to ensure that these children are protected. Child protection and disability services staff are working together under a joint protocol aimed at providing integrated services when children with disabilities are harmed or cannot live at home. The joint protocol encourages early detection of family stress, and the alleviation of those stresses so that families can cope.
Work is also being done to better integrate health and community services. The role of maternal and child health nurses is changing, both locally and nationally, to better address postnatal depression, family breakdown and focus on not just physical health but emotional and psychological wellbeing. The department is looking at how nurses can better identify, assess and refer families who appear to be struggling or at risk of developing problems like substance abuse or child maltreatment.
The Office of Children and Families and the Community Health area will work closely in the development of a new urban maternal and child health model. This will ensure that families in need are better linked in not only to available health services, but also to community service and support programs. This early intervention approach will enable services to begin working with families before they are in crisis, and before there is a need for the involvement of the statutory child protection service. I am pleased to report that this work fits very well with the current national agendas around maternal and child health. I have already noted that vulnerable families often require the assistance of both the health and community services sectors. My colleague, the Minister for Health, has already described the four child health and wellbeing initiatives that were proposed by the Northern Territory and endorsed as joint projects for the Australian Health Ministers’ and Community and Disability Services Ministers’ Conferences.
Of particular interest to Family and Community Services is the project for the development of a consistent and cross-sectional national approach for identifying and supporting vulnerable children and families. This project aims to develop a model for using the various interactions between families with young children and the health system, both antenatally and in the early years of life, as a platform for targeted interventions for vulnerable families. It is proposed that teenage parents and families affected by substance abuse will be the focus of this work. The project also has valuable implications for reform across the traditionally separate sectors of community-based health and welfare services.
There are two other issues I believe are important to raise today: readiness for school and the role of fathers. Because of the importance of the early years as a crucial stage of development, maternal and child health is often thought of as only the period from pregnancy to the first three years of a child’s life. However, to be more effective in supporting families and children, early childhood should be seen as extending from pregnancy to the first years of schooling to the age of eight years. While we have made a significant investment in the early years, we are also looking at the next stage of a child’s life: from infancy to the start of school. We know that if we improve children’s early years, then there are benefits for educational achievement and later employment. I want to ensure we extend our policy and programs for the early years to later childhood, and continue the work of giving children the best possible start in life. For children to be ready for school, families need to be ready and able to support them; schools need to be ready to educate them; and communities must be ready to support families, schools and other services for children.
It takes a comprehensive approach to make sure all of these elements are in place. To that end, the Department of Health and Community Services, through the Office of Aboriginal Health, Family, Social Policy, and the Community Services Policy Branch, have formed a partnership with the Aboriginal Medical Services Alliances Northern Territory to develop an Aboriginal ‘head start’ school readiness program. The program will enhance Aboriginal children’s transition to the school system in three sites across the Northern Territory. Working in collaboration with the Departments of Employment, Education and Training and Business, Economic and Regional Development, the project will address children’s social and educational development, along with continuing the good work done in addressing children’s health and wellbeing in infancy.
The department will provide in-kind and financial support for the project and was instrumental in AMSANT obtaining a $360 000 grant under the National Community Partnerships Scheme of the Commonwealth National Crime Prevention program. It is anticipated that the project will provide service models that can be implemented on a wider basis. This initiative demonstrates, yet again, that we are not standing still but forging ahead to ensure we provide the best support we can for our children. I look forward to receiving the results of this project.
The second issue concerns the role of fathers. Maternal and child health is a vital area of the government’s commitment to families, but I wish to acknowledge the important role of fathers in ensuring their children grow up healthy and happy. Whilst women are still the primary caregivers in many families, the important role of fathers can not be over estimated. While maternal and child health is and will remain a priority area, I will ensure that efforts continue to be directed to including fathers in creating a positive home environment. This need is, perhaps, the most obvious in the Territory’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander’s families. It is clear that many Aboriginal men want to take a stronger, more active part in raising healthy and happy children. In part, this is, and will be, achieved by funding services to provide family-based support and by ensuring these programs improve the accessibility of services for fathers. I welcome this development and look forward to my department creating effective ways of working with fathers without losing sight of the maternal and child health agenda.
Our investment in maternal and child health is an investment in the Territory’s future. This government is committed to improving both the health and the wellbeing of the Territory’s mothers and their children. The investment in maternal and child health has been a vehicle for enhanced collaboration between the acute, health and community services division of the Department of Health and Community Services, and it represents a truly holistic approach to addressing maternal and child needs and strengthening families and communities.
My colleague, the Minister for Health, and I will continue to build on the government’s achievements and ensure the investment in maternal and child health is an effective one. I look forward to updating the House on further achievements made in the Family and Community Services portfolio to improve maternal, child health and wellbeing.
In conclusion, as the member for Karama, may I congratulate the work being done at the Karama infant health clinic by the wonderful maternal and child health nurses there. I know they are making a dramatic difference to the health and wellbeing of mothers and babies in my community. It is a fantastic service very well supported by the local parents. It is certainly something that makes health and wellbeing very accessible. I know that mothers and fathers in our community are also relying more and more on the HealthDirect call service that the government has established. That is a very useful way of taking the immediate worry and concern from a parent when they are unsure about their child’s health. I know of many parents who are taking the advice from that HealthDirect call and attending the infant health clinic in Karama. It is good to see both policies and programs built and implemented at the local level.
Madam Speaker, I also congratulate the Minister for Health for his statement, and say to him I am very keen and aware and acknowledge the great support he has given to community midwifery. I was one of the first to go through the Community Midwifery program provided out of Royal Darwin Hospital. It is a fantastic program. I have met more and more mothers who are going through the community midwifery service. This is a fantastic service and I thank the Minister for Health for the commitment he has shown in expanding community midwifery throughout the Territory.
Ms CARNEY (Opposition Leader): Madam Speaker, I also thank the Minister for Health for his statement, which for the most part is pretty good - so, my compliments to you.
I refer to something that the Minister for Family and Community Services said in relation to the Community Welfare Act. I am not sure whether I am on the record in this parliament, but I look forward to receiving the revised Community Welfare Act, a passion I have had for close to 15 years, I suspect. I really do look forward to it. I am delighted that you are taking your time with it because it is important that we get it right.
The minister would be aware, as I am, that there are always a range of views on everything, of course - but the draft that went out not so long ago was not beyond criticism. I looked at it and started to question a few things, so I am hopeful that perhaps even that draft would have been revisited because there are very few things more important. It is important that we get the Community Welfare Act right. I see the minister nodding, and I believe that she is genuinely committed to this area as well, for which I thank her.
Back to the Minister for Health. I will be relatively brief and, perhaps, in your reply you could respond to some of the matters I raise. I will go through on a page-by-page basis.
On page 2, you have said that:
I note that you did not provide any details of the advances that you say you are making. I would appreciate, and, with respect, would have thought that in a statement like this you might have given us some details. Again, with respect, we really only have your word that significant improvements are being made. In the context of a statement like this, because it is important, some details should be provided.
Secondly, at page 3, you have said and I quote:
You go on to say that you have established a number of priority areas for action in maternal and child health. I would like to know, please, what the outcomes are. I would like some more details. You have said that it is a key area of action. How? What is envisaged? How is it going to be implemented? When is it going to be implemented? I am not inviting you to inundate me with information, but a little more than was provided in the statement would be of some assistance to anyone listening to this broadcast or, indeed, reading the Parliamentary Record.
Similarly, I ask that you provide further details in relation to your statement, again on page 3, and I quote:
1. effective antenatal and postnatal care that targets reductions in smoking and alcohol consumption
during and after pregnancy;
Would you be able to provide us, please, with some details - perhaps some figures in relation to those matters? They are expressed in a sentence but, again, I would like some details and I am sure most people would.
I note your generous references to some national initiatives. I am sure my federal colleagues, Messrs Tollner and Scullion, will be similarly pleased that you referred to these national initiatives. It is good to see the Commonwealth and the Territory working well together. Like any right-thinking person, I applaud those initiatives.
On page 5, towards the bottom, you say:
I would like some more information on that, please. The obvious question is: how does the Child Health Initiative address the health needs of Aboriginal children? I may have missed something, but that was not clear from your statement.
Also, minister, on to page 7, you have referred to:
What are those educational resources? It could mean all sorts of things. I would be grateful to receive some elaboration on that point from you.
On the bottom of page 7 and top of page 8, you have referred to the School Breakfast program. I am like many people for whom it provides some level of conflict. On the one hand, yes, of course, particularly Aboriginal kids should be provided with breakfast. In many respects it does not matter who provides them with breakfast, but someone should; it is a fairly fundamental proposition. On the other hand, this does get back to personal responsibility, and I would like to hear from you. I am hopeful that you will provide details in relation to questions I have asked thus far, but I would like to know your views, if you could put them on record, as to what is being done with the Aboriginal parents, in particular, in some of our remote and, indeed, urban communities in terms of them addressing their responsibilities to feed their kids before they get to school. I know this is a carrot and stick approach and I am very sympathetic to it but, on behalf of some of my constituents, I feel it is appropriate to ask: do you have anything in place that actually gets to a cause of this problem; that is, giving the parents the onus and responsibility to step in and make sure these kids are fed?
I am not sure whether you saw the Sunday program on Channel 9 on Sunday morning. I was very interested in not only the story, which was about petrol sniffing but, in particular, in the comments made by Noel Pearson, who I believe most of us in this place would regard highly. I thought he put it succinctly when he was referring to the issue of sniffing: that we are letting parents get away with it. We are standing by and we are letting parents get away with it.
In terms of the breakfast program and feeding their kids so that they can get through every day, I would ask the minister to share with us his views on Noel Pearson’s comments. If he is not prepared to share his personal views then, perhaps, what he could do is tell us what the government is doing in order to ensure that parents meet their obligations to their children, because that really was not addressed in the statement.
You then go on to page 10 to talk about midwives. I was made aware when I was shadow Health minister that, particularly in Alice Springs, it was a fairly regular occurrence that the number of midwives was reduced at the Alice Springs Hospital. Perhaps you could let us know whether you are satisfied with the number of midwives. It may have rectified itself since I was last involved more fully, but if you would be good enough to comment on that I would be grateful.
I really do commend you and your government for outlining, and for doing, some of the things you have. I know that you are not alone. I know that organisations and people in the department, as well as people outside the department, have a great commitment to the area of health. It has a number of different pockets in the overall area of health, and my experience is that people who work in those individual pockets are very committed to ensuring that the people of the Northern Territory get good outcomes.
Yes, of course, minister, I am pretty happy with the statement. I could disagree with one or two things, but that would be ungracious and unnecessary at this point. However, I would be grateful if you would provide the answers to the questions I have asked. With those remarks, Madam Speaker, I conclude.
Ms ANDERSON (Macdonnell): Madam Speaker, I speak in support of the statement on maternal and child health presented to this House by the Minister for Health. The initiatives laid out by the Minister for Health are major steps to improve the health crisis in our indigenous communities.
As the minister said, most health problems begin before birth or during infancy, forming a pattern that affects our health. In Aboriginal communities, our babies are twice as likely to be of low birth weight or die, or fail to thrive. This is a result of poor diets and poor environmental conditions which retard our children’s growth and lower their immunity to infectious conditions and kidney disease. As a result, we die 15 to 20 years younger than the Australian population, with 23 times the average death rate from infections of the kidney; 12 to 17 times the average for diabetes, one of the highest rates in the world; and three to five times the death rate from chronic respiratory disease.
Within my electorate, the number of people with end-stage renal disease is huge, and it seems to be doubling every year. The roll-out of dialysis to communities undertaken by this government can barely keep pace with the numbers. It is very sad to see them move into Alice Springs, as they not only face loneliness and isolation from their community, but it is extremely difficult for them to access accommodation. Too many of them are living rough in the Todd River or around the town camps. Such living conditions shorten their lifespan drastically.
Addressing the actual causes of this disease through child health is the reason I am supporting the minister’s statement; prevention is better and less costly than treatment. Turning the situation around is vital, and I welcome this government’s investment in quality antenatal care and postnatal child health services. In the past, these services have been non-existent for many remote communities and, by investing in the health work force, the government is expanding the access of Aboriginal women to these services.
Quality postnatal and childhood services provide child health checks, the early identification and treatment of problems, vaccinations, advice on nutrition, as well as making links with other support and social services. It is very important for our kids to access these services, because too many of them miss out on vaccinations, leaving them prey to diseases that have been eradicated in other parts of the world.
The Remote Orientation program is ensuring that staff can deliver core child health programs, provide advice, pick up problems early, and provide treatment following standard treatment protocols. The standard treatment protocols and the development of the practical paediatrics training modules are of particular importance, as they give remote staff confidence in dealing with child health issues.
The phasing out of single nurse posts is also very important. Having talked to many remote nursing staff, I understand the stress that these nurses go through when they are isolated from any support. It is damaging to their health and, ultimately, detrimental to the health of the community.
I also welcome the fact that the Growth Assessment and Action program initiated by the government last term is beginning to see a small drop in the numbers of undernourished and malnourished children. Unfortunately, malnutrition is still a significant problem. The causes for this are a combination of the failure of the welfare safety net, the higher cost of living in remote communities, the lack of knowledge of the nutritional values of western food, and alcohol and drug dependence.
The economic framework study recently published by the Centre for Remote Health estimates that up to 30% of Aboriginal families in Central Australia receive no income in any given fortnight. The reason for this is that many Aboriginal people are not able to access welfare payments because of remoteness and their inability to understand the complex forms required by Centrelink. As a result of the failure of the welfare safety net to catch Aboriginal language speakers, extended families share their scarce resources. This often leads to conflict, and it is a little known fact that a large number of fights actually start over food.
Further aggravating the situation is the issue of alcohol and drug misuse. Not only are they destructive to health; but as the AMA says and I will quote:
The nomadic lifestyle and eating our natural foods was much better for our health. I wish I had my mother, Emma, in this parliament. She did not move into a community until 1991. For most of her life, she lived between Papunya and Yuendumu with her husband. She has watched all the roads between these communities emerge; living a traditional life she is far healthier than people who have lived at Yuendumu or Papunya. She is now 82 years old and still looks like a woman of 62 years because she has just gone around and eaten the food of the country. She has seen the graders go through and build a road through to Nyirripi, as the Minister for Health would know, and roamed as a nomad through the back of Mt Denison, Yuendumu and Papunya. Unfortunately, the western food that people in communities are able to afford, the food that gives the people the feeling of fullness, is bad for people’s health. We desperately need the nutrition program to create awareness that a lot of the western food we eat is killing us.
This government is also to be commended for the introduction of the hearing test for every newborn Territory baby. In the case of profoundly deaf babies, it is absolutely vital that this is picked up as early as possible. From my close links with the South Australian deaf community, I understand that if profoundly deaf babies are exposed to sign language at a very young age, the transition to learning another language - in this case written English - is made much easier. The longer profoundly deaf babies are delayed in their language acquisition, the harder it is to make up ground in the later years. Early identification and intervention will reduce the burden on individuals, their families and, ultimately, government.
For Aboriginal kids and adults, the major ear health problem is otitis media, a chronic infection of the middle ear. Approximately half of our children and a quarter of adults have significant hearing loss which affects their education and general mental health. This disease is the result of interaction of inadequate accommodation, overcrowding and limited access to clean water - environmental conditions which fall far short of the national standards. The extra funding that will enable more remote communities to begin population-based health promotion, including the interaction of ear health programs into community-based services, will help alleviate the impact of this disease. Although its eradication still requires a big investment in housing and essential infrastructure, this government’s priority is to give kids a good start in life.
This is being made possible through the building of antenatal services to improve birth options and outcomes, and through developing a seamless service with continuity of care through infancy and beyond. These services are integral to improvements of health of all children in the Territory. Minister, I commend them to this House.
Mr WARREN (Goyder): Madam Speaker, I speak in support of this important statement by minister Toyne on maternal and child health. It is a key priority identified as part of the Martin Labor government’s Building Healthier Communities.
As stressed in minister Toyne’s opening statement, the overall health of all Territorians in adult life is governed by what happens to them before they are born and during the first few years of their life. Antenatal and postnatal care and early child health services are important for all Territorians but, particularly, for our indigenous population.
I am, therefore, sure that my Belyuen constituents will be very pleased to hear that this government is strengthening its efforts to ensure that remote communities benefit even more from increased maternal and child health care services as outlined in this important ministerial statement.
As minister Toyne pointed out, this government committed $2.2m per year in our first term to the Child Health Initiative to employ 25 extra child health personnel for remote communities. The Child Health Initiative funding has allowed DHCS to recruit a multidisciplinary team to focus on building the capacity of remote health services to improve the health and wellbeing of children and their families. This team consists of child health nurses, Aboriginal health workers and a nutritionist, all of whom are available to service communities like Belyuen.
In addition, Belyuen will benefit from the program development and support provided by the CHI team in improved training and protocols for the Growth Assessment and Action program. The community and its health centre also received new resources as part of the re-launch of the Healthy School-Age Kids program following review of the resource manual and procedures. This year, Belyuen has received several visits to support the Growth Assessment and Action program, a plan for the Healthy School-Age Kids activities, and also attend to school screening. Additionally, a child health nurse has recently started regular visits to support the child health activities at Belyuen. As stated, Belyuen participates regularly in the GAA program. As at April 2005 data collection, 26 out of 30 resident children under five years of age were measured: 15% of these were below their weight for age; 15% were below their weight for height; 19% were below height for age; and 45% per cent were anaemic.
As a result of the GAA program at Belyuen, a visiting nutrition health worker has been visiting once every four to six weeks, implementing nutrition promotion activities at the Belyuen store, such as promoting the cooking of healthy food. The nutrition team has planned a specific nutrition program, targeting infants and young children, to coincide with the opening of the new family and child-care centre later this month.
The minister discussed the Community Midwifery program. While no Belyuen women have enrolled in the CMP to date, the Belyuen antenatal mothers are eligible if they meet all the program safety criteria for low-risk birth, and are prepared to make the trip to Darwin for antenatal visits. However, while this is available, most Belyuen women would prefer local Belyuen-based care provided by nursing staff and a visiting female doctor.
It is worth noting that Belyuen will certainly benefit from the expertise of the outreach midwives. They now number four, and the two Top End midwives who commenced in June 2005 have already visited Belyuen during their induction. They canvassed the perspectives of Belyuen health centre staff on maternity services.
In April this year, the then Minister for Family and Community Services, minister Scrymgour, and Health Minister Toyne, released Aboriginal Health and Families: A Five-Year Framework for Action. This framework provides direction and focus to the efforts of the DHCS in Aboriginal communities such as Belyuen. It prioritises maternal and child health programs, including all the programs that appear in this ministerial statement. The framework takes a very strong best practice evidence-based approach to health care to ensure that Aboriginal services are maximised, despite the geographic isolation of many communities.
The standard of care and consistency of programs to be provided at Belyuen for mothers and children will be subject to quality improvements associated with this increased focus. The framework also ensures all service delivery adopts culturally safe practices, ensuring that Belyuen clients and other communities find their services accessible and effective. For example, at the coalface, this means that young pregnant girls will be able to access antenatal care during their pregnancies. There is clear evidence that such services lead to improved birth weights, fewer premature babies and fewer birthing complications.
As mentioned in the statement, the government is keen to see communities get involved in extensive ear and hearing health training program, with funding assistance from the Australian government. The Darwin region Top End ear and hearing health management training is scheduled for 21 to 23 November, and Belyuen staff are invited – and I encourage them – to participate.
Furthermore, Belyuen receives at least annual visits from DHCS audiologists, and the most recent visit took place just last month. At Belyuen, all newborn children will receive hearing tests as part of the universal neonatal hearing screening program announced by the minister in this important statement.
While it is unfortunate, the Department of Employment, Education and Training Early Years Team had planned to visit Belyuen for two days, just yesterday they had to cancel their visit due to unforseen circumstances. Fortunately, though, the two-day visit has been rescheduled as soon as possible. The Early Years Team plans to work with the Belyuen School on various initiatives associated with quality indigenous education. Unfortunately, Belyuen is not funded by DHCS for its breakfast program. Maybe this can be redressed in the future.
Minister Toyne announced in his statement that the government has also committed to $200 000 per year to subsidise the training costs for Northern Territory nurses to study locally as midwives. The nurses accessing the midwifery training funding will come from various health centres and hospitals. At some stage, it is likely that a Belyuen-based nurse will take advantage of this scheme which supports nurses to train as midwives.
In the statement, it was announced that, from this financial year onwards, $100 000 will be provided to expand the Child Health Initiative. Communities will receive additional community child health worker positions, dependent on the level of need of the community and there being a suitable and interested local person to apply for the position. The new funding will result in up to six additional part-time community-based positions across the Northern Territory. Discussions are currently under way to identify the next communities to benefit.
All of these initiatives are great news for my constituents in Belyuen. I commend minister Toyne for such a visionary statement. I endorse it wholeheartedly.
Before I conclude my supporting statement, I also wish to make note of another great health initiative for my constituents at Belyuen. As part of the $400 000 allocated to renal services for capital works across the Northern Territory for the 2005-06 financial year, community consultation took place with patients from the Belyuen community who attend the Nightcliff Renal Unit and also Belyuen community representatives.
In late 2004, early 2005, it was recognised that Belyuen required community dialysis. In the 2005-06 financial year, it is planned that development will commence at Belyuen for a one-station relocatable facility which will accommodate up to four patients. It is likely that this development will roll over to the 2006-07 financial year. Patients attending the Nightcliff Renal Unit from Belyuen are currently on the waiting list for training in self-care dialysis in preparation for return to their community. This will certainly make a significant improvement to the lifestyle of people like Eddy and Josephine, who rely on dialysis treatment, and currently have to travel each week to Darwin by ambulance, ferry and then minibus to the Nightcliff Renal Unit, spend hours hooked up to a dialysis machine, and then do the return trip back to Belyuen.
The renal dialysis services I have just described is what this government is putting into place for those people who need dialysis treatment now. However, evidence is beginning to show that kidney failure later in life is often related to poor nutrition and ill health in those first years. Belyuen provides a good example of how this government is committed to tackling chronic disease, starting before birth and continuing throughout a person’s life. This government is providing the services that people need now, where they need them and, just as importantly, by setting up and extending child and maternal health services to reduce the incidence of chronic disease in future generations.
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I draw your attention to Standing Order 65, particularly for the new members of parliament, which indicates that no member may refer to any other member by name, but only by the name of the electoral division he or she represents, or by the title of the portfolio. A number of new members, in particular, have been referring to ministers and, instead of saying Minister for Health, they have referred to the minister and his surname. I remind you that this is unparliamentary and, although I have not pulled you up, I have now advised that you must refer to the member by their electorate, or by their proper title, otherwise I will be asking you to withdraw.
Ms McCARTHY (Arnhem): Madam Speaker, I speak in support of the Health Minister’s statement on maternal and child health. Access to adequate health care is a right for all Australians, and the women and children of the Northern Territory are no different. Better health service delivery, access to medical practitioners, and greater emphasis on primary health care is an absolute must for all people in the Northern Territory. This government is acutely aware of the population growth in our remote regions of the Territory, and that it is a growth strongly attributed to Aboriginal communities.
In the Territory, there are 25 births per 1000 population, compared to 16 births per 1000 for non-Aboriginal women. In the Arnhem region in 2002, 88 non-indigenous babies were born compared to 242 Aboriginal babies - nearly three times the amount. However, 16% of the total of the babies born had a low birth weight. I commend the Health Minister for his determination to make the health of children and mothers a key area for action. The focus on quality care during and after pregnancy is an area that does need greater support, for the statistics of infant mortality rates, particularly in indigenous communities, is high - too high.
For the past five years, I have been involved with SIDS and Kids Northern Territory. The rate of sudden infant death syndrome nationally is on the decrease but, in the Northern Territory, it is the reverse. There are more babies dying in the Northern Territory and they are indigenous babies. It is the communities where the resources of the SIDS and Kids Northern Territory are so very keen to focus on because of these statistics. In recent years, Nungalingya College worked on a strong babies video to show women in communities how to care for their children, especially during pregnancy.
I share here the grief felt by a 19-year-old mother who lost her baby girl in May this year. The mother is an Aboriginal woman and had two babies under the age of two. One night, she went to sleep with the eldest child in her bed and her baby girl in a cot. During the night, her baby daughter died. The family has tried to understand why, but there are no answers - yet there are so many questions. I share this not because the government can find answers, but because the government can educate our young women across the Northern Territory of the facts: that smoking and drinking while pregnant is harmful to mother and baby; that continued smoking and drinking after pregnancy is just as harmful; that young women, many of whom are teenage mothers, should be informed, even at school, of their future responsibilities in motherhood should they choose to go that way. Even if they do not choose, and become mums before they are ready, they still need to be informed in an environment where they feel comfortable and accepted - not ashamed because they are pregnant at 17 or 16 while their friends are still at school.
It is here that I would encourage the Health and Education ministers to include this area of concern in their whole-of-government approach to improving the health and education wellbeing of Aboriginal people in our communities. This government has prioritised an effective ante and postnatal care that targets reductions in smoking and alcohol consumption during and after pregnancy.
The Australian Medical Association’s report card on Aboriginal health identified low birth weight as a major preventable health issue. The AMA advocates better antenatal care and interventions to address nutrition, smoking, alcohol, and teenage pregnancy as key strategies for reducing the health gap between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians.
It is encouraging to see that this government has already committed $2.2m per year to the Child Health Initiative, a first action being to employ 25 additional child health personnel for remote communities. It is a strong example of the direction the Martin government is going in working with communities to improve the standard of living for Aboriginal people in the Northern Territory.
Although under-nutrition and malnutrition remain significant problems in our communities, there is some reduction in the number of underweight and anaemic children. Part of this is attributed to nutrition programs such as the School Breakfast program. The government’s initiative of nutrition in schools through education is working effectively in my community of Arnhem. The Ngukurr breakfast program, which started at the beginning of last year, has an average number of attendees of around 174 students, while in Ramingining the breakfast program has around 110 students.
Nutrition requires support from local businesses in our regions, which must also be encouraged in providing nutritious foods at a cost acceptable to the consumer. We all know the prices in remote areas are incredibly high simply because of the location, and also the transport difficulties in getting those food supplies there. This compounds the difficulties that Aboriginal people and, indeed any person, living in remote areas feels when they go to the local store to buy fruit and vegetables, or the basic things that we take for granted in the cities and towns when we can access Coles or Woolworths so easily.
Health and education for children and youth go hand-in-hand, and there must be and is a whole-of-government approach. The Martin government is committed to improving the standard of health, education and living of Aboriginal people in the Northern Territory. As the member for Macdonnell has stated, it is a well known fact that Aboriginal people die 15 to 20 years earlier than their non-Aboriginal counterparts. We also know, only too well, the cost of chronic diseases that are largely a cause of early death.
Many of our older Aboriginal men and women live out their lives on the renal dialysis machines in our major centres. It is not a normal way of life for any person, yet it has become an accepted way of life for Aboriginal people. I know of so many renal patients in my electorate of Arnhem, and right across the Northern Territory, who have chosen to leave the dialysis machines in the cities and the towns behind them to go home, back to country in the remote regions of the Territory, and in their words ‘wait to die’. There is a fear widely felt amongst those who are forced to go on dialysis machines simply to survive. My own family was no different, until it was explained that there are other options, that it does not have to be forever, that their health system offers other opportunities. That always comes back to education. It comes back to providing information that is not always easily accessible to those in the bush.
Starting at childbirth is a critical place to start. Better maternal and child health for Aboriginal women and children in the Territory is of particular importance to this government, with the release in April this year of Aboriginal Health and Families: A Five-Year Framework for Action. The focus of action is in delivering a set of core services targeting important periods of transition including before birth and the early years through to school age and adolescence.
Madam Speaker, I commend the Health minister on placing the health of women and children in the Northern Territory high on the health agenda of the Martin government.
Dr TOYNE (Health): Madam Speaker, I thank all members for their contribution. It would be very easy to be trite in responding to what is literally a motherhood statement. This is a statement about mothers and children and how we support them in our community. What I saw from all members who contributed to this debate was thoughtfulness, an attention to facts and to the insights that need to go into this very important area of health delivery. I would also welcome the opposition’s participation in a debate about an area of health delivery other than hospitals. I have been saying for some time that we need to debate the entire scope of the health system; talk about all the issues that are embodied in health delivery, and the interests of Territorians as regards health. It is great to see two contributions from the opposition today in this area of remote community-based health delivery, and in areas or primary and preventative health rather than the acute care that we so often hear about in the public debate.
I would like to deal with some of the issues raised by members. The member for Greatorex wanted to know how we support remote clinics where there are no midwives or obstetrics-trained nurses. At any given time, it would be something in the order of six to eight of our 68 clinics - or a number of that order – that may not have a midwife or obstetric-trained nurse attached to the clinic. That is about 10%.
How do we support them? We support them with the outreach midwives - two in Darwin and two in Alice Springs, visiting medical officers, visiting O&G specialists, clear evidence-based guidelines provided for antenatal care, and clear referral points for where to get more expert opinion into the care arrangements. Of course, pregnant women can go to town at 38 weeks to be checked out prior to birth. There is also an annual workshop of women’s health. They are the various ways in which we support clinics that may not have a midwife or obstetrics-trained nurse.
The member for Greatorex was asserting that we are 22 nurses down in the remote area clinics. My advice, as of 22 August 2005, is that vacancies in nursing positions in remote area health clinics were four in Central Australia and three in the Top End - a total of seven. The member for Greatorex might need to wind back his assertion a bit. Obviously, we will make every attempt top recruit nurses into any vacant position as quickly as possible. The money is there, the position is there, and we have to make sure that recruitment provides nurses to as many of those positions as possible.
We are not using this as an excuse, but it is the reality that there is a worldwide shortage of nurses and there are challenges in recruiting. I was able to announce this week the latest efforts to recruit nurses overseas. We are sending departmental staff to London, Birmingham, Dublin and Manchester on a recruitment drive aimed at getting UK nurses to join our system. We are looking for 100, and we will check them out to see whether we can convert their cricket loyalty from England to the Aussies once they arrive.
The member for Greatorex asked how we ensure safety for mother and child in a home birth situation. That was well and truly discussed when we announced the program. It is a program for low-risk women, so if there is any adverse factors identified earlier in the pregnancy, advice would be given not to take part in that program. It is currently only available in Alice Springs, but soon will be available in Darwin. In both places, there is easy access to the hospital. What has been established in both cases are very clear protocols that will trigger the transfer of the mother and child into hospital or a higher level of care, rather than the more natural process of a home birth. That is working quite well for the people who have gone through the program in Alice Springs. My understanding is that one mother had to be transferred into a higher level of intervention and care. Others successfully completed their birthing without that need arising.
For the home birth program to be successful in the future, it has to have very strong support from both obstetricians and midwives. We have established that in Alice Springs, and we are finalising the arrangements with those two professional groups in Darwin. We certainly will not want to press ahead with any of these programs if there are remaining concerns from either of the professional groups.
Going now to the member for Araluen, I would like to make an offer in response to a number of issues you …
Ms Carney: Get a briefing? Is it a proper offer?
Dr TOYNE: No, wait there is more. Certainly, in the area of the outcomes in our preventible chronic disease and the various aspects of the child health programs that you raised as you went through the statement - I would really urge a general attendance at a briefing by the opposition, at your leisure and at your convenience. I am not trying to be smart here, I am just saying that I really am very keen to promote a strong, informed debate in this area of health delivery. It is one of our crucial priorities in government. Just so you do not give me any more disgusted looks over there, we will provide some written information on it as well, for your convenience. However, nothing can beat a good briefing, I always say. That is on offer for the opposition members and Independent members, at a time to be shared between my agency people and yourselves.
You asked for more detail of the educational resources. I have been given a summary note about it. The information I have here is that it would be posters, take home leaflets, and videos which are being prepared. We will make sure you get copies of those when they are finalised, and you can have a look for yourselves what they are all about.
Regarding the School Breakfast program, as it happened I was attending a meeting of my Health Advisory Council just a few days ago and they were being briefed on the School Breakfast program by the coordinators. I can reassure members that the question of parental and community responsibility is very much on the agenda of these programs. We do not believe it is solely the business of government to fund and support these programs in the absence of community buy-in on the need for these and the importance of them, so they will be looking at shared support for the programs into the future.
That will, increasingly, become a precondition of having a government facilitated breakfast program in the community; that the community enter into some arrangement for partially, or largely, supporting that program. There are many sources of funding that could be called into play with that, whether it be some proportion of royalty funding. I know many of the communities have allocated the community-based royalty payments to specific purposes within a community. I am sure it would be possible to put that proposal to parents in one of those communities. Some call on family and personal payments is fair game, so we will have a look at various models on how the community can support these programs along with the government or, perhaps instead of the government, if they have the resources to do it and the will to do it.
The midwife positions were raised: are we fully staffed in this area? I can report that, as of 25 August 2005, there were 26 midwives working and two vacancies in our hospital-based midwives. In the special care nurseries, they have 11 nurses working and one vacancy. All of the vacancies are currently being recruited. We are doing pretty well in their area of attracting midwives into our system. I would be happy if we could get that level of recruitment into some of the areas where we are having ongoing challenges such as critical care nurses, which I was talking about the other day regarding Alice Springs.
How is the Child Health Initiative doing its work was a question from the member for Araluen. The GAA program, which I mentioned in the statement, is one of the key ways of identifying and responding to any shortfall in the development or the health of the child. That is going out very widely around the communities and is a key element of our attempts to establish monitoring and response to the age group. Healthy School-Age Kids, which again was mentioned in the statement, is a whole range of things; it is about nutrition, the nose blowing to remove or reduce the symptoms of otitis media, and other conditions that a child might come to school with which are causing congestion in their head. That is clearly going to affect their ability to hear and function successfully in a classroom situation. There are a number of very practical school-level things that are done with that.
The health education for the mums and carers is carried out in community groups such as crches and playgroups - checking on little children while they go about their play, and teaching carers and mums how to check and clean ears are just some examples, along with encouraging community discussion, how the community takes care of its children, generally improving community understanding of what makes kids sick and well, and how to prevent illness. There are many fantastic nurses out in our clinics who have seen this as part of their professional work for many years. However, the advent of having the child health workers going out, specifically concentrating on these areas, is going to significantly improve the coverage of these types of areas. I can give members just a very quick snapshot of some of the places where these child health workers are based: Borroloola, Maningrida, Numbulwar, Milingimbi, Oenpelli, Port Keats, Ali Curung, Yuelamu, Six-Mile Ti Tree, Malinja, Hermannsburg, Ntaria, the Anmatjere zone Engawala, Anmatjere zone Willowra. These are just some of the places that child health workers are based. Of course, we have the town-based positions as well as those in the federally-funded health zones, which are additional to the Territory ones.
There was a query from the member for Araluen on what progress has been made with chronic disease. We have the ABCD program (Audit of Best Practice in Chronic Disease), which is a collaborative project between our department and Menzies. NT Remote Health Services provide better level of services to those with chronic disease than general practice counterparts in the southern cities. We have actually achieved a much higher level of parent support than you would see in some of the major cities interstate. We can be extremely proud of that. Quite rightly, we are seen as national leaders in this area of health care and treatment.
The control of blood pressure, improved detection and treatment with the ACE inhibitor drugs has halted the acceleration of end-stage renal failure; that is, there is approximately the same number of people on dialysis over the past six years. However, we know that there is a huge amount of work to be done yet in this area because the numbers are very high. Having visited all the urban renal dialysis centres and quite a number of out-posted ones - Tennant Creek, the ones at Nightcliff and the ones in Alice Springs and at Kintore - the numbers are very high. They are still much higher than any system would want to tolerate as an acceptable level into the future. We have to get those numbers down.
However, the whole point of this child maternal health statement is generational change. That is what we are aiming at. That is what this is all attempting to achieve in the health profile and health trends within the Northern Territory. We know we are going to have to deal with a very high level of ill health into the immediate future, particularly in our indigenous population. We also know that, with all the work we are doing, there is going to be this demand that will go on for the next 10, maybe 15 years. What is so important about child and maternal health - these initiatives that we have talked about today - is that it gives hope to our communities and to our health professionals that this will come through and it will start to impact on the health profiles and the demand that our health system is attempting to respond to.
If we do not have generational change, we do not have hope. We will simply go on band-aiding and responding to higher and higher levels of ill health in the Territory. This is absolutely the leading edge of what our health system has to achieve in the next 10 to15 years - that is how long it is going to take. It will be another Health minister, probably, who will, hopefully, be able to say: ‘Looking back over a decade or 15 years of effort, we can now see those trend lines of ill health starting to turn downwards in the Territory’, and maybe they have come down significantly.
I believe we have a huge amount of sustained commitment and work ahead of us. We are taking on nothing less than generational change in the health of Territorians. I want to take this opportunity to pay tribute to the people in my agency for their enormous support and commitment in drawing these initiatives together to the degree that they have so far, and the enormous commitment I know they have to further extending the work. That is the commitment, Madam Speaker, to the people of the Northern Territory. There can be no greater commitment than that.
Motion agreed to; statement noted.
Mr McADAM (Housing): Madam Speaker, the core element of the task that faced the Martin Labor government back in 2001 was not just to restore an economy that was on its knees but, just as importantly, our task was to extend and expand opportunity across the whole of the Territory for all Territorians, not just for some of us. In tackling this task, we have achieved a lot but there is much more to do.
One of the great initiatives of the first Martin Labor government was a revamping of the HomeNorth Scheme. From a home ownership scheme that was in decline due to its inflexibility and lack of capacity to meet changing needs and circumstances, HomeNorth has been revitalised as the most successful home ownership scheme in the nation.
Home ownership is critical to the future of the Northern Territory. We have the lowest rate of home ownership in the nation at around about 42% according to the 2001 Census, compared to around about 65% nationally. There are various historical reasons for this, not least of which is the Northern Territory’s relative under-development compared to some of the other states.
The importance of home ownership to the Territory is threefold. First, there is a substantial body of evidence now available that demonstrates home ownership makes a major contribution to our social and individual wellbeing. The social stability encouraged by home ownership is reflected in the fact that individuals in home ownership are more likely to be in employment, and they are more likely to have better physical and mental health outcomes. To put it simply, home ownership must be an important objective of social policy if we are to have better lives in the Northern Territory.
Second - and this is of critical importance to the Northern Territory - home ownership contributes to population sustainability and growth. Put simply again, a commitment to home ownership is not just a financial commitment; it is also a commitment to the local neighbourhood and community. Owning your own patch of the Territory is also a commitment to staying here and being part of the Territory’s future.
I remind members of the Assembly that population volatility has long been evident here in the Territory. Since June 1985, the Northern Territory has lost population due to interstate migration in 61 out of 78 quarters for which we have data. In large part, this can be attributed to younger Territorians leaving home and not returning. Although we have a young population with the highest birth rate in Australia, we have, historically, had a population that drains back south rather than one that sustains itself. It is this demographic circumstance we must change, and the expansion of home ownership is the key tool in achieving this change.
Third, home ownership contributes to sustained economical growth. Buying your own home is an investment in the Northern Territory, in the industries that plan, design, provide infrastructure and build our homes, and the industries that supply us whitegoods and home improvements and renovations.
It is for these reasons that the first Martin Labor government made such a strong and passionate commitment to home ownership in the Northern Territory, and why do we continue to do so. Beginning in July 2004, our government made the following changes to the outdated HomeNorth scheme:
we reduced deposit requirements from 5% to 2% of the purchase price;
$240 000, up 33%;
$800 to $1100 per week, up 37.5%;
property, but who no longer own a dwelling in Australia;
The proof in the pudding has been the way that, in the first 12 months of the revamped HomeNorth, Territorians have voted with their feet to take up home ownership in record numbers. From 1 July 2004 to 30 June 2005, 614 Territory households made the move into home ownership, with over 82% buying a home for the first time. This involved funding and commitments to loans by HomeNorth of over $107m. This compares with our original estimates of around 250 loans at around about $36m to $40m. It is, indeed, an extraordinary result, one which demonstrates how much desire and need there is in the community to make a commitment to home ownership, and to people having their own patch of the Territory.
This investment extends beyond mere home ownership. Over $3m worth of new construction has flowed from HomeNorth loans, and a further $540 000 has gone to suppliers of whitegoods through our interest-free Fee Assistance Loans. Further, about 6% of the new HomeNorth loans in the last year have been through people moving from public to private housing by purchasing their Territory Housing properties. It is really summed up by an example in my home town of Tennant Creek in an article that appeared in the local Tennant Creek & District Times, and I quote:
I share her passion immensely:
Mr Henderson: Good on them!
Mr McADAM: Stories such as this have been happening all over the Northern Territory. We have examples of single parents, men and women, who have been able to escape the rental trap and bring up their children in a place they can call their home. We have young Aboriginal borrowers who, for the first time in their whole extended family, have been able to enter private ownership. We have people who have experienced marital break-ups who have been able to re-enter home ownership after enormous personal difficulties. They are all fellow Territorians who have been given a helping hand – not a hand out – through HomeNorth.
Most significantly, we have changed the way in which HomeNorth is run to make it more flexible and responsive to changing circumstances. Previous schemes, which relied on regulation, were too inflexible, too impersonal, to timely changes in loan characteristics. The CEO of Territory Housing, following endorsement by Cabinet, is now able to set policy via business rules rather than cumbersome legislative changes through regulation. Not only will this allow us to respond in a timely way to market movements, but we also have HomeNorth as a tool for government to intervene to iron out roughs in the housing market and, thus, introduce greater stability and predictability for the industry. This is the kind of thing which the industry demands, especially in the Northern Territory economy. Adjusting, for example, income thresholds can expand the marketplace for both new and existing homes. This government has already demonstrated the effectiveness of this new approach, and to protect the values of the scheme to new home buyers.
As promised during the election, and less than two weeks after the election result, we moved quickly to further enhance the government home ownership scheme, which we have now badged HomeNorth Extra. From 1 July 2005, HomeNorth Extra made changes that increased the household income limits to $1160 per week, up 6%, which kept in line with income growth over the proceeding year; and increased the threshold on dwelling purchases by 8.3% from $240 000 to $260 000. The increase in the threshold responded, in part, to the strong growth in house prices in the Northern Territory without contributing to house price inflation.
Further to that, we have also introduced a scheme which will allow new and existing HomeNorth Extra borrowers in Shared Equity Loans to buy our Territory Housing shares in 5% tranches instead of 10% tranches as previous. This will also allow borrowers to buy a greater share of one of their most important assets at a faster rate than before.
There are three further points I would like to make about HomeNorth Extra. First is the initiative to increase resources under Regional HomeNorth Extra to towns up and down the track to make people aware of HomeNorth and, importantly, to advise them as to how they can access this great scheme. For all the reasons I have outlined, the importance of increasing home ownership is critical to the future of our regional towns in population stability and economic activity. Many of these towns have a marginal private property market, and Regional HomeNorth Extra will assist in expanding local economies. In this context, I point out, again, in my home town of Tennant Creek recently there have been nine new HomeNorth loans in the first 13 months of the revamped scheme. This compares to a mere two loans in the previous three years, or one loan every 18 months, as opposed to a HomeNorth loan now every eight weeks. It means there are now nine households in Tennant Creek making a commitment to the future of this great regional town; living, working, playing and supporting local businesses. Regional HomeNorth was designed to expand this process beyond Tennant Creek to our other regional centres.
Secondly, the profile of HomeNorth Extra borrowers appears radically different to interstate experience. Of the borrowers since 1 July 2004, income ranges for loans funded and loans awaiting settlement are: between $300 and $599 – 9.45%; between $600 and $899 - 68.5%; and greater than and equal to $900 - 22.1%. Age profiles of loans funded and loans awaiting settlement are: 18 to 24 years - 21%; 25 to 34 years - 40%; 35 to 44 years - 21%; 45 to 54 years - 13%; 55 years and over - 5%. The gender of borrowers funded and loans awaiting settlement are: single males - 31%; single females - 45%; joint loans - 24%. In both the age and income profiles, we are clearly hitting the mark of our government’s commitments to assist lower and middle income earners, but the high proportion of single people - 76% of the borrowers - would seem unusual. This is even more say when you consider 45% of HomeNorth extra borrowers are single women.
The previous minister dubbed this latter phenomenon as the ‘new glory box approach’ to economic independence by Territory women. Recently, on ABC radio, the Real Estate Institute’s Sue Shearer called it ‘chicks with bricks’. I am not sure which description is the most accurate, but it surely backs trends elsewhere in Australia, where young single people have the most difficulty of all in increasing private home ownership. In any case, my office has asked Territory Housing to carry out research into this and other aspects of HomeNorth Extra to ensure it remains and expands a scheme that remains flexible and responsive for the needs of Territory home buyers.
Third is the issue of defaulting loans or loans in arrears under Northern Territory government home ownership schemes. As of the 31 July 2005, 1.49% of the number of loans was in arrears for more than 30 days, and the value of the loans in arrears was 1.77% of the total portfolio value. This is below the Australian average for government-assisted loans, last reported at 2%. Of these loans, three were taken up since 1 July 2004 under the new scheme, two of which are now making regular payments. No clients have taken the option of Territory Housing purchasing an additional share to assist them through hard times. There is only one new loan which is of concern, and financial advice will be provided to this buyer under our Arrears Management Plan. This demonstrates that the HomeNorth Extra Loans portfolio is being managed well.
I would like to sincerely thank the hardworking staff of both Territory Housing and TIO, which manages the scheme on our behalf, for their diligence and hard work.
Mr Deputy Speaker, I move that the Assembly take note of the statement.
Dr LIM (Greatorex): Mr Deputy Speaker, I would have liked to get up tonight to congratulate the minister on his first statement on housing. I really genuinely would like to do that because I know what it is like; you are the minister and you want to establish your mark on the department, and your aspirations for the direction that the department would take. However, then I looked it over for the last four years. There has been a bill on housing and nine ministerial statements or reports in these last four years - including today’s, that is 10 reports - and nine questions on housing. Each one has been, essentially, very much repeating what has been said previously.
Today’s statement about HomeNorth Extra, as the minister defines it, is nothing more than re-badging a bit of a new financial plan to improve the HomeNorth availability for young Territorians. Well and good, well and good. HomeNorth has been going for - a few days ago, I said HomeNorth has been going for about six or seven years. I was wrong. Home North has been going for since at least the last three terms of the CLP government and this last four years under the Martin Labor government. It has been going for quite a long time. With each iteration or version of it, Home North has been improved making it more accessible to people through greater subsidy or funding from government allowing for smaller and smaller up-front deposit from buyers. That is all very good.
That is a good direction to go to encourage young people in the Territory - and the not so young people - who want to buy their homes in the Territory, and give them a way to start. I can remember the days when government funding was not readily available to try to buy your first home, and having to find or put together at least the first 5% of the total cost of the home made it well nigh impossible for many young people to achieve. Therefore, this is good.
However, I would have thought this is the sort of things that a ministerial report would have been more than enough, rather than a ministerial statement. To have 10 ministerial statements or reports in four years and nine questions on the subject is a little excessive.
When the minister said that, for various reasons, the Territory’s home ownership rate is not as good as the rest of the country, there are many reasons. One of the biggest reasons is the cost to buy land and to build. Building expenses are high but the scarcity of land and, hence the price of land, is just so exorbitant or so prohibitive that many people - young and old - cannot afford to buy. If you buy a block of land for $200 000 to $250 000, and you have to find a similar amount to pay for the building of the new home - $0.5m is not within the reach of most people. Somehow, this government has to look seriously at land release and get that out as soon as they can at a price that most people can afford. Then you will see housing go up more readily. It is also the reason why I believe that the number of units that are going up is so high, because that is still at least within reach of most people, but not new housing.
However, once a family, a young couple or young person purchase the house - albeit cheaper than the normal houses that are being built at the moment - there is the responsibility of government, of Territory Housing, to ensure that it does not happen that, within a few weeks or a few months of the house being purchased - lo and behold! - next door is a neighbour from hell. This is a frequent complain to me. People buy a home in the suburbs at great expense to them, even with HomeNorth, and within months, they have the neighbour from hell move in next door or within a couple of doors from them. What they say is: ‘My property has just been devalued by an act of government. The government helps me on one hand, and then the second agency of the government brings in a neighbour from hell and makes my life miserable and makes my property devalued’. It is no wonder local members on both sides of the House get so many complains from people about neighbours from hell.
Territory Housing needs to deal with that as quickly as they can. Whenever they get a complaint, do not force the complainants to go into a series of letter writing because the first thing to happen is that it targets them and it makes it hard. You then have neighbourhood brawls because the neighbour from hell hears or finds out who the complainant is. I encourage my constituents from Greatorex that, if they have a neighbour from hell, they tell me and I can provide the report to Territory Housing and buffer the complainant; the complaint came from me and not from the complainant. That way, at least the complainant is not a target.
Mr McADAM: A point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker! I am finding it very difficult to hear the member for Greatorex, so perhaps he speak up.
Dr LIM: You cannot hear me? Okay. I will talk a bit louder.
Mr McADAM: Thank you.
Dr LIM: I decided not to yell at you today.
Anyway, talking about HomeNorth, the increase in funding that you are providing for young Territorians is, obviously, useful.
In the latter stage of your statement, minister, you spoke about income ranges for loans funded, and loans waiting for settlement, and quoted figures of $300 to $599, $600 to $899 and greater than $900. I assume you mean per week, because nowhere in your statement do you spell it out. I am sure that is what you mean: that the income range is per week income. Otherwise, I would suggest to you that people on those income ranges, if it is not per week, would face great difficulty repaying their mortgages. The demand on housing will continue to be highish, and with the funding assistance you are providing, it makes it a bit easier for them.
However, there is another group of people who cannot afford to purchase a house, and they are the people who depend on government for public housing. I said a few days ago that waiting time for housing has increased significantly. I received a briefing recently where I found out that, for instance, a single non-pensioner has to wait for 42 months for Territory Housing facilities in Alice Springs, and there are some180 clients waiting. In Darwin, it is only 14 months with 266 clients waiting. There is a huge anomaly there. For people in Alice Springs it is 42 months, almost four years, and just a little more than one year in Darwin. A single pensioner in Alice Springs has to wait 29 months for accommodation, whereas in Darwin it is less than two years.
A two-bedroom home in Alice Springs carries a wait of 25 months; in Darwin, Casuarina, it is eight months - huge anomaly! The numbers of people waiting for that sort of residence in Alice Springs is 181 and in Darwin 174, so there is not much of a difference there. For a three-bedroom home, it is 37 months in Alice Springs; in Darwin or Casuarina, 21 months. So there is a huge anomaly between the two major regions in the Territory.
While it is good that you can increase HomeNorth funding to assist people to buy their homes, there is this huge group that needs housing desperately and are facing great difficulties. They are forced into private rental, and they keep paying huge amounts of money for property ...
Mrs Braham: Build some more in the electorate of Greatorex.
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Member for Braitling!
Dr LIM: It is important that government looks across the board. HomeNorth is well and good and I congratulate the government for continuing to improve on the model that was started in the last three terms of the CLP government. I am not quibbling that they have improved it to such a large extent that it makes it a lot easier for people to get their homes.
There is very little more that I want to add to this, Mr Deputy Speaker. We have spoken about HomeNorth ad nauseam and I will leave it at that.
Mr BURKE (Brennan): Mr Deputy Speaker, I support the minister’s statement regarding HomeNorth Extra.
The scheme is a resounding success story. Demand has exceeded the expectation of the government and the department. It is good news for builders, their employees who build the houses, and for related industries such as electricians and plumbers who all rely on a healthy building sector. It is good news for local government entities which charge rates on the land on which those houses are built. More people, more dwellings means more revenue.
Most importantly of all, it is good for those the scheme directly assists to make the dream of home ownership a reality. I encourage all members of this Assembly to come out to Palmerston to such suburbs as Bakewell and Farrar. It reminds me of Darwin in the years immediately post-Cyclone Tracy – houses are going up everywhere. When my family first moved to Darwin at the end of 1975, we moved into a house in Wulagi Crescent. We moved in whilst the house next to us was still being completed. In fact, the next few houses were all at various stages of construction. As a house was completed, a family moved in. As I said, Palmerston reminds me very much of this time. The HomeNorth and HomeNorth Extra schemes are at the heart of this development.
I understand, from figures provided to me, that Palmerston has the highest rate of unit and house construction through the HomeNorth Extra scheme - 9% of loans compared to 4% across the Territory. That is more than double the rest of the Territory. Nine percent of people building or buying a unit or house in Palmerston have accessed the HomeNorth Extra scheme, which is a phenomenal number. I do not think we can extrapolate that, without the scheme, 9% of new home owners would not have been able to yet break into the market; however, certainly the absence of the scheme would have had a considerable impact.
Using the figures to which the minister referred in his statement; 137 out of 175 new Palmerston clients of the scheme were first home buyers, 68.5% of which have a weekly gross income of between $600 and $899; and 9.4% have a gross weekly income between $300 and $599. More than 75% of borrowers are on low to middle incomes. Many of us here have probably lived off this sort of income, so we know how hard it is to save anything towards a deposit. I note the statistics about the age of those accessing the HomeNorth Extra scheme - 21% are between 18 and 24 years old. Honourable members are probably aware that the earlier we are able to build our assets, the greater the effect those assets have on our individual wealth.
Australians particularly have a love affair with bricks and mortar investment. This has a lot to do with our perception that houses are a safe investment - safe as houses, as the saying goes. The biggest advantage that a house has over shares and interest-bearing investments is, of course, that you can live in it. Repayments bring down the debt to asset ratio, and the house increases in value over time, further decreasing that ratio. As many financial commentators have noted, owning your own house is the first step to building wealth. The earlier a person can make this first step, the earlier they can have the loan repaid and use that equity to launch into purchasing other assets, if they so choose to do. Unfortunately, some financial institutions use sophisticated advertising to try and encourage the purchaser to buy items that lose value over time, using the home as security. I take my hat off to those who are not even out of their teens and have committed to the purchase of their first home.
There are also other stories behind these statistics. The break-up of a personal relationship can mean that the family home has to be sold. People find that the security that they have been building over many years is suddenly gone and they have to start over. This can happen at any stage of life. The older we are when this happens, the more frightening starting over is. People, through no fault of their own, can suddenly find they have gone from comfortable lifestyle to financial struggle. It is good to know that people are not disqualified from accessing HomeNorth Extra simply because they have previously owned property, often jointly. Just because a person has previously been on the Titles Register does not mean they should be excluded from assistance when having to start over.
As the minister said, more and more Territorians are accessing the scheme. We heard today in Question Time that the figure has reached 700, with 82% buying a home for the first time. In Palmerston, the figures are 137 first home buyers out of 175 approvals. This equates to about 78%, slightly lower but still a significant figure.
Six Territory Housing properties in Palmerston were purchased using the HomeNorth Extra scheme. I am sure every member here wants this figures to be as high as possible, not just in Palmerston but across the Territory. Transferring people from public housing into their own home is a success story each and every time it happens. It is gratifying to know that this is still possible, notwithstanding the rapid increase in house prices seen right across the country. Some may be tempted to argue that the scheme is inadvertently contributing to inflation in the housing sector. I am not one of those. The scheme is aimed at the lower end of the housing market. The people the scheme is targeting want a home to call their own. It may not be a mansion in size, with pool and landscaped gardens, but it will be mansion in the new owner’s heart.
However, having said that, I remind the House of the speed with which the Martin Labor government reacted. In July 2004, it decreased the deposit requirements from 5% to 2%. This, obviously, meant that the applicants to the scheme had less of a deposit - a bundle of money - to find. The government increased the value of the purchase price of the property from a $180 000 to $240 000, an increase of 33%. That is a massive increase. If that was not enough, from 1 July 2005, less than two weeks after the election, this Labor government again increased the threshold a further $20 000 to make it $260 000. In what is roughly a 12-month period, the Labor government increased the threshold of the value of the purchase price by a massive 44%. This is a commitment to families; to young people trying to get ahead; and to people trying to recover financial and emotional security. It is a commitment to the battlers, those who have ever been the foundation and support of the Australian Labor Party.
The scheme includes an interest-free facility providing up to $1500 for the purchase of whitegoods. It shows that Labor is not just assisting people to purchase a house or a unit, but assisting them in building a home.
I note that one of the changes the Martin government has made to the shared equity loans is to enable borrowers to buy out Territory Housing shares in 5% lots instead of 10% lots. Anything we can do to make it easier for people to own more of their home quicker should be done. It is very hard to keep saving towards a 10% figure. On a unit worth a modest $140 000, you are asking people to save up $14 000 in order to purchase that 10%. A target of $7000, or 5% on these figures, is much easier to meet. The temptation to eat into your savings and use them for another purpose is ever present. The smaller the lump of money you are trying to accumulate, the easier it is to avoid that temptation.
There is also the psychological effect of successfully buying a further portion of your home back from the Territory. It is a great, positive feeling generated by the success. The first sum is always the hardest; you are breaking new ground. The second time you are trying to get the money together, it is a bit easier because you know you have done it before. If you just stick to the rules you set the first time, you know you should get there again. Thereafter, it gets easier and easier, as you know you have done it a few times before. From a psychological perspective, it eventually becomes a doddle. Further, you build up self-confidence that, if something does go wrong, it is just the minor hiccup, not the ruination of your dreams. It is something that you can recover from.
Our population in the Territory is a young one in comparison to other parts of the country. I referred earlier to the statistics of young people using the HomeNorth Extra scheme to enter into the housing market. This is an important statistic. As the minister said, elsewhere it is this section of the community that finds it extremely difficult to break into the housing market. However, unlike elsewhere, this group represents a larger proportion of our population. It is vitally important for the Territory that we encourage these Territorians to stay and be part or our exciting future. These people will be the engine of economic growth in the territory for the years to come.
Mr Deputy Speaker, I understand that under the HomeNorth Scheme, including the changes brought out with HomeNorth Extra, a massive $34 309 363 has been committed and spent to date in Palmerston. Believe me, a drive around the suburbs of Bakewell, Farrar, Gunn and Rosebery, will leave honourable members in no doubt that this money is being invested in the Territory’s future.
Mrs BRAHAM (Braitling): Mr Deputy Speaker, I commend the minister on his statement. It is good to see government is encouraging home ownership. Yes, we are all keen to encourage people to purchase their home in the Territory and make the Territory their home for a long time. It is important that this happens, and all governments have used the HomeNorth Scheme to encourage Territorians to do that.
It is commendable that the government has reviewed this. As the member for Brennan pointed out though, there has been a 44% increase in the threshold on the price of the home just in 12 months. I just want to say, minister, that you must be aware that there are consequences when we keep raising the threshold, when wages certainly have not kept pace with that - the 44% has not incurred in income increases. We have to be careful we do not put people in a position where they cannot sustain the repayments. Although you have quoted some facts in your statement, it is a little early yet to see whether this huge increase in prices will have any effect on people who are trying to keep up with the repayments.
You quoted the story of the Tennant Creek home that was purchased. Perhaps, minister, you might tell us the price of the house in Tennant Creek. It is my understanding that house prices in Tennant Creek are quite low and, even though it is commendable that that person is staying in Tennant Creek now, it is probably a lot easier to purchase a home in Tennant Creek than it is in other parts of the Territory.
As you know, the prices of homes in Alice Springs are sky high. Unfortunately, a first home buyer would probably only be able to purchase a unit in Alice. I cannot find any homes within the price range we are talking about. We have to be careful that we do not let people bite off more than they can chew. We have to be careful that we do not inflate the market so that it becomes unsustainable. The Territory is such a vast place. What happens in the south is so very different from what happens in the north, and it is difficult for us to really keep a balance.
I would like to see this government put more emphasis on providing land at a reasonable cost for first home buyers. I mentioned earlier the subdivision for sale in Larapinta. It was passed in at auction. One of the reasons for that is because government has indicated they are going to buy 12 home blocks from the developer at $97 000. That is setting a standard. That is, basically, saying to developers you can charge $100 000 for a block of land at least. If a first home buyer has to pay $100 000 for a block of land, they are not going to have much left over for to build a home.
Why not take those 12 blocks of land and offer them to first home buyers for $45 000, which is a reasonable cost in East Hermannsburg, as we call it? We call it that because it is west of Alice Springs. We are we are going further and further out of town. It is not the golf course. It is a beautiful area, might I add. Why not think about bringing those land blocks down to a price that our first home buyers can afford? Perhaps then a developer might purchase that land and develop it. There are other areas of land coming on to the market so obviously, developers are wary, particularly when you have set a standard indicating that you will buy them back for $97 000. That is a lot of money, isn’t it? I ask you, minister, to review the way you are looking at land prices in that subdivision and the availability to first home buyers. I would like to see more encouragement for these first home buyers to purchase.
I want to raise the issue of the shared equity scheme. I wrote to the previous minister in 2004 about a problem we have in Alice Springs; what the person who wrote to me called the ‘hidden hazard’ in the HomeNorth shared equity scheme. He purchased a home through HomeNorth for $140 000. The government assisted him by purchasing 30% of that home, which was $42 000. The family decided, after a time, that they would like to pay off the part that the government still owned. They were getting ahead in their finances and they wanted to clear the debt but, when they went back to that 30% share, they found it was worth $63 000.
Instead, their share cost went from $21 000 to $44 000. They were still on a very modest single income with three kids, and their desire to settle the debt meant that now they were stuck. They did not realise that the part the government owned was based on market value. Therefore, instead of them owning 30% of the original price, they now owed 30% of the market price, a huge increase. That is a bit of a hidden hazard in this scheme. It has caught a few people unaware. Suddenly, their debt is far greater than they imagined.
Government should look at this. They could look at tying the loan to the original amount plus CPI or plus interest. By tying it to the market value, they are getting more than CPI and interest; they are getting a huge increase. Although you could argue that it is good because the other 70% proportion of that house that a person owns has also inflated with the market price, it does not mean that it is easier for those people to pay off that part of the loan. There is a hidden hazard in your shared equity loan. Perhaps you might do as I suggest and consider tying it to the interest and the CPI rather than the market value. That way, it would encourage people to think about paying off that share of the shared equity they have taken out. It is just one of those areas which caught us all a little by surprise as we did not expect that to happen.
I know it is important for us to encourage people to buy. I know we have a long waiting list for public housing in Alice Springs, as the member for Greatorex pointed out. However, we do not want to get into a situation again where we are forcing prices up and the home repayments become unsustainable for our families; whether they are first home buyers or not. We have to be careful that we have not done that in what we are planning. It is good that you have reduced the deposit and increased the market value of the home. It is sensible to also raise the gross household income. However, I believe we have to be careful about the consequences.
While I am on my feet, I raise the issue of seniors villages. Minister, you are going to be opening very shortly of a seniors village in Alice Springs. This is great. They have been a huge success. However, we seem to be catering for seniors and people in public housing, but we have forgotten about the self-funded retirees. I have mentioned this before. Suddenly, in Alice Springs, all the baby boomers are now in that age group, and every time one of them leaves town, they take about $1m with them, because we do not have a secure, safe environment for these people to purchase into. We have not even investigated looking at that subdivision which is up for sale in Larapinta, and whether the entire subdivision could become a retirement village for self-funded retirees. There are 45 blocks there and you could probably make a village with that complex. I do not know whether government has ever thought of going into some sort of joint partnership with a developer to develop such a complex. I know you are helping those on low incomes; however, there is no reason why we cannot also assist those people on high incomes. To be honest, they are often the ones we want to stay in our towns. It would be a great initiative if this government would suddenly say: ‘Yes, we will go into partnership’.
You could even have a public/private village for self-funded retirees. You could say: ‘We will purchase some of these units, or some of these homes in this village for our public housing tenants’. You could assist a private developer to do this. I believe Darwin has tried to do this. They have a village for self-funded retirees - people on higher incomes. That is my understanding. However, we certainly do not.
There is a trend across Australia, as everyone knows - let us face it, those baby boomers are getting to the retirement age, and they are the ones with the money, the ones who are looking for an environment where they can spend their last few years. They want the security, a good lifestyle, facilities and activities, and it is something that, at the moment, we are not offering this particular group of people. I would like government to think about how they can assist these people to stay. It always concerns me when I hear someone in Alice Springs say: ‘We are off south’, or they have bought into a complex in Queensland, because they do not have anything in Central Australia to go in to. We do not have that choice, that option. It is something we need to think about, because the Northern Territory is the same as every other state which also has its group of baby boomers who are retiring, who, in fact, we should be encouraging to stay, not move on.
Minister, perhaps you could advise whether you think that is something government could investigate and come up with an answer to, because you might be surprised with the number of self-funded retirees who would be interested in investing in that type of retirement village.
On the whole, minister, I appreciate what you are trying to do with your HomeNorth scheme. It has always been great that government has encouraged people to purchase their home. Knowing that we are still the lowest in Australia probably is a reflection of the fact that it took us a long time to get private housing. I always tell the story of when we first came to Alice Springs in 1962, and there was so little private accommodation available. We stayed in a place called May’s Guest House which was, I think, old Army huts. It was quite an experience, and it took us a long time before we got a Commonwealth public house which we purchased for 7000. It was just so difficult, at that stage, to find any private housing. The development of private subdivisions occurred much later, and I guess that is why Territorians are so far behind the rest of Australia in owning their own home. Therefore, it is important that we increase the trend and get people to stay.
Mr Deputy Speaker, I commend the minister for keeping us up to date with this. I would not mind knowing what the breakdown in the different regions of the Territory is of those people who have accessed this scheme and these loans. That would be valuable for us, as local members, to know what is going on in each of our electorates. If the minister could give us that information, that would be fine. I commend the minister, and I look forward to working with him in Alice Springs.
Ms LAWRIE (Family and Community Services): Mr Deputy Speaker, I congratulate the minister for Housing on his HomeNorth scheme statement. I speak as the member for Karama in this debate, because many of my constituents have really benefited hugely since the big changes were introduced to this scheme in July 2004.
I have had first-hand experience of working with families who were on the verge of having to depart Territory Housing because, through their hard efforts they had worked their way up the employment ladder, and it got to a point of their gross household income exceeding the limits public housing had. It was a really lovely opportunity for them to stream over into home ownership and, in fact, buy the home that, in many instances, they had been living in for upwards of 15 to 20 years. They never thought that they would ever be welcomed by a loan scheme. They never thought that they actually met the criteria for a loan scheme, until I was able to sit down and talk them through the HomeNorth scheme the previous minister had introduced. As soon as you said: ‘Oh, we have reduced the deposit price down from 5% to 2%’, you saw people’s faces light up with hope. It was news to them, because the battlers out there are doing it pretty tough on low to middle income wages. Quite frankly, they do not have a lot to savings tucked away in the bank. The money they earn is well spent, going towards to the kids’ education and taking care of their family. It just means, in this day and age with our cost of living, they did not have big stores of savings. Therefore, 2% all of sudden brought home ownership within their reach.
The other thing that was attractive in the change that came in 2004, obviously, was extending the market value for purchase up to $240 000 which then, in a realistic sense, presented for people living in Karama and Malak the opportunity of purchasing their public housing home. In those instances, they were being valued around the $240 000 market, averaging $200 000. If the scheme had stayed down at $180 000, it would not have been applicable to purchasing those homes. I congratulate this Minister for Housing, who has quickly introduced the election commitment of increasing the market value of purchase of property up to $260 000, because that opens up a far greater range of private purchases appearing into the market.
I am starting to say to people: ‘Okay, you might have been living in that home for 10 years, but have a look around at the private market and compare what you can get for your dollar against the public housing house you have been living in through these years’. It is great to see the empowerment that is happening in families; that they feel as though they might just have some choices in their life - they might be able to take control of how and where they are living, and the circumstances in which they live.
I have to say, the situations that I have witnessed first-hand have been quite remarkable in terms of social flow-on effects. I know of one family who came to me devastated because both of them had picked up extra shifts at work and become quite popular at their places of employment, and were doing well for the first time in many years together. They have three kids, and they had reached the point where they exceeded the Territory Housing gross household income limit. They had been given the news that they had exceeded the limit and would have to find another place to live. We sat down and looked at HomeNorth together, and they have purchased through shared equity because they did not quite have the capacity to do the full 100% purchase. They purchased in 2004 through the shared equity process with the scheme. They were cracking open the champagne again just a month ago; they have 100% equity in the place.
They had a target, and I told them not to let this slip: ‘You have the majority stake in your house. No one can kick you out now, you can decide what colour you want to paint it, and what you want to do with the carport and the garden. Do not let that target of 100% slip’. They did not. He gave up his social drinking, the beers, and cigarettes. They went through their household budget and cut out every single scrap of discretionary expenditure and put every cent into getting that 100%. They fully, and outright - obviously, there is the mortgage with TIO - own that home. It is a family rejuvenated. They are now talking about looking around and making ends meet to purchase a second property. These are people for whom, two years ago, I had to work for weeks to convince them they could be home owners, because they had only ever been public housing tenants through their entire married life of 20-odd years. They just did not think they could cut it. Yet they are cutting it; they are going great guns. It is really changing the shape and face of the electorate of Karama.
Families in Karama and Malak are buying their homes, and it is a real mark of fundamental pride in themselves. They say: ‘Hey, we are pretty good. We have done what we did not think that we could ever do; we own our house’. What they are saying is they are finding the mortgage repayments well within their scope; they are not struggling. If you look at the statistics that the minister very kindly has shown us today, that has borne out in the arrears. The arrears on this loan scheme are down as low as 1.4%. That is incredibly low arrears, and that is a real credit to the fact that there is an Arrears Management program. I congratulate the department for that. As we know, people hit hard times; someone is getting less shifts at work or someone has become sick and been laid off for a while. That happens in the nature of families. This Arrears Management program is a huge assistance in working people through those incredibly tough times. I congratulate the foresight of the department in putting in place an Arrears Management program, because the peaks and troughs of life are there, and are very real for the people living in the suburbs. This is working them through the mortgage payment management.
It is great that HomeNorth Extra, as of 1 July this year, increased the gross household ceiling for tenants up to $1166 at the upper limit. It is really good to see that the way the HomeNorth scheme is been reengineered and revitalised by the Martin Labor government, ensures things such as the value of the purchase property and the gross household ceiling can be adjusted through a very simple process, rather than having to bring it in through this Chamber. It can keep step with the changing values and prices and real growth in wages out there in the community. I congratulate the people who have put the hard work in, in revitalising and recreating the HomeNorth scheme to be a very practical scheme.
It is really wonderful to see the statistics borne out in the minister’s statement of, just in one year, some 614 Territory households taking up home ownership. It is a fantastic testimony to a really well thought out, well constructed and well implemented loan scheme. There is $107m out there pumping around the economy that would not have been there if were not for the revitalisation of HomeNorth. It is really good to see that flow-on effect of the boost to the construction sector. God knows, I have a lot of subbies living in my electorate and I tell you, they are all putting verandas on their homes at the moment. Times are good; they are flat out. They have a lot of money in their pockets and they are fixing up their own homes. It is lovely to see the flow-on effect. This flow-on effect is not going to ebb away because there will always be - as we are seeing in the statistics - people moving through, the young singles coming through, wanting to purchase their own home.
It is one of those fantastic schemes that will keep on with this momentum, rather than have an initial period of flurry and then slip away. This is borne out, if you look at the statistics in this statement, in the take-up rate from 1 July this year. It is not ebbing away. It is a fantastic effort by the administrators of the scheme.
At this stage, I really want to thank the people who I know put in the hard work: the public servants, people like Fiona Chamberlain and the staff in the department who work with her in the Business Division of Housing. They have knuckled down and come up with what is a very workable, pragmatic, fair and reasonable scheme. I know they have a close working relationship with TIO. TIO is doing a fantastic job administering the loans.
I pick up on the points that the member for Braitling made, quite appropriately: beware that we are not setting people up to fail in the sense of them managing the cost and the prices. What I have to say from my experience of dealing with TIO, it is very much a part of the scrutiny before they allow the loan to be approved. They have a very close look at the people’s capacity to maintain mortgage management, and they give them advice on the aspects of shared equity versus 100% ownership regarding the market value of the properties increasing. Appropriately, attention is being paid to the detail in giving good advice to people looking to take up this loan scheme.
I am really delighted to see that this $3m in one year has been a flow-on effect within the construction industry because, as I said, I see the real benefits of that flowing through people’s lives. The subcontractors in my electorate are certainly looking a hell of a lot happier than they have looked in years.
Another great flow-on effect is this $540 000 to the suppliers of whitegoods. These are retailers working in our local community selling their goods. Retail is the sector that has done it the toughest in previous years. They probably have not had the spike up in growth that we have seen in across other sectors such as mining, tourism and construction, as we have previously mentioned. Therefore, it is good to see this flow through to retail. There are a lot of people living in our community who work in the retail sector and are benefiting from this expenditure in retail.
On the family side of things, we all know the high expense of setting up your first home. It is incredibly crippling financially for any family trying to go into their first home ownership. I remember, years ago, I had to draw upon my own superannuation to set up a fridge and a washing machine for my kids when I had little babies and I was doing it tough. To think you can apply for an interest-free loan and get your fridge and washing machine is a fantastic scheme.
I have to say when I talk about the interest-free loan to constituents, they cannot believe it. They think it is the most practical, sensible, wonderful news and they feel as though it is Christmas. They know they have to pay it back, but the fact that they can pay it back over time without interest, they cannot believe their good fortune. I let them know, unashamedly, that it was not like that before. These opportunities were not here in the Territory for people before. It took the Martin Labor government to bring in these reforms to really address the needs of the battlers in our community.
The battlers the builders and the retailers are winning. It is really good to see suburbs and areas, as the member for Brennan said, flourish and come to life - whether it is through construction of new homes or whether, in a more established area like mine, it is through the rejuvenation of homes because home ownership means people take more pride in their place and they start to do the home renovation job that we all like to see so much on those fantastic TV programs.
I thank the minister for the effort that he has gone to in illustrating some of the profiling of the ages and wages of people participating in this scheme. I was surprised to see that the majority of people participating are what I would describe as middle income owners: 68.5% of some middle income owners, with loans going to people earning between $600 and $899 per week. These are people who should get a look in with the major banks but, unfortunately, have not been. We know how tough banks can be in assessing whether or not they will give you a mortgage.
I congratulate the minister for giving us these profiles. I am looking forward to seeing the results of research that the department will undertake to look further to understand the nature and the circumstances of the people accessing this loan scheme. I know the previous minister called it ‘chicks with bricks’ for the single female, some 45% of people taking up loans. However, part of me wonders whether that is single females without children, or single females with children because, to me, it is a very different demographic and reflection on the nature of the loans and the people it is helping. I feel it is just fantastic that single women are being empowered to purchase a home. They are only slightly ahead of the single men out there - 31%. Well, certainly makes a guy a far more attractive catch to those ‘chicks with bricks’ as well. Can you image the chick with the brick and the bloke with a brick getting together? Immediately, they would start a real estate empire - it is fantastic. I am sure there will be discussions at Shenannigans from time to time as to who has the best bricks.
It is one of those win/win schemes. It is rare to be able to construct a process where it is a win/win. It is fantastic that the Minister for Housing worked with vision and energy and created the HomeNorth scheme. It is great to see our Minister for Housing really bring it through to a new era, a new phase, and have the discussions with his department regarding the research required to really understand this scheme because, the more we understand it, the more we understand who is using it and how they are using it, the better we can, as a government, finetune it.
I do love the shared equity aspect of the loan. It is borne out in the figures - 56% Shared Equity Loans with $7.7m funded. It is incredibly difficult for the battler, in the proof they have to provide TIO, to go in and show that they can take on the entire mortgage, the entire value of the property. This gives them a leg in. Shared equity gives the important leg in to do it and, as I have seen first-hand, once they have that leg in, there is no looking back. They really drive forward with increasing their equity until they have 100% equity.
Again, I congratulate the minister for bringing this statement to the House. I know the member for Greatorex was somewhat churlish in saying: ‘Well, we have had nine mentions of HomeNorth over this period of time’. Well, good, because this is an update. We needed to hear how it was going. We needed to know what the impact of the HomeNorth Extra aspects are. If we can better understand it, as representatives of our community, then we can better explain it. When we explain it better, of course, more people have the opportunity to access it. Member for Greatorex, try to put your churlishness aside every now and again and see a win/win opportunity when it comes along. Let us all embrace it, because it can help the battlers in our community - whether it is the bloke with bricks, the chick with bricks, or the family who have been doing it tough and wanting to own a home but never thought they could - get into the market and get that real sense of anchor in their community, in their patch of paradise in the Northern Territory - to know that that is theirs and no one can kick them out. Their foolishness could, perhaps, make them lose it, but then, with these incentives, you would not be foolish because you have something to hang onto. Importantly, for many families, you have something to leave your kids.
The great Australian dream has been brought home to them in a very real sense through a very fair, visionary scheme - a scheme that was constructed in a way that it can move with the times. It has its flexibilities embedded within it. It can work, it can keep on getting better and it can keep on improving. I know the administrators of the scheme - both in the departmental sense as well as the TIO - know what they are doing. They are doing a great job with it and, with the drive and vision of the minister they have, I would be looking forward to further statements on HomeNorth.
Mr WOOD (Nelson): Mr Deputy Speaker, I am going to speak on behalf of the blokes with blocks, or the chicks with bricks.
Mr Henderson: Blokes with what?
Mr WOOD: Blokes with blocks. You build houses out of blocks; you do not see too many bricks.
While I remember, because I have not done it before, I would like to congratulate the member for Barkly on becoming the minister responsible for the Department of Community Development and other sections. I have not quite caught up with all the changes to departments. However, I congratulate the member for Barkly; it is a well-deserved promotion, not only because he is a good bloke, but because I reckon he can do the job. Now I have said those sweet things about him, I will get into the crux of what I want to say.
HomeNorth is a great scheme. I am not here to bag a scheme which I reckon has lots of attributes. It certainly does help people get into the home market. The member for Karama has spoken eloquently on the benefits of the scheme. It is a good scheme, especially with low deposits. You can get Fee Assistance Loans and Shared Equity Loans. I take the point the member for Braitling made that there are some concerns there. However, I do believe the government has to still complement the loan scheme with other schemes.
The cost of land and housing has been mentioned here today. I went through some of the real estate advertisements today looking for land and a house under $260 000. I looked in my own area, and I did find one five-acre block in Howard Springs, which is worth $179 000. However, the bus is a bit had-it and the tank stand does not look too bad; however, that is about it! That is about the cheapest block you would ever find in Howard Springs, and most people would regard that as the price of the land and not the price of the structures on it. In fact, one five-acre block near my land went for $180 000 and, on Hillier Road, land with just a shed on it sold for $209 000 last year - that is just the land, no house. If you look at the prices of land in Howard Springs, they are between $270 000 to $805 000 for five acres. In Girraween - which would include this block here, I would say, for $179 000 - they go up to $390 000. One hectare blocks in the last sale of land in that area sold for $135 000, and 15 blocks went before the doors opened. There is a big demand for land. However, the problem is that, as long as the price keeps going up, it is going to be much harder for first home buyers to afford it.
If you have to pay $100 000 or more for land, how much are you going to spend on your house? Not a lot. If you are looking at the economy, land is not the thing which drives the economy; it is what you put on that land. When you build a house, you spend your money on all the bits to build the house - the floor, roof and all the things that go in it – and that is what drives the economy. Therefore, the cheaper the land, obviously, people are going to be able to spend more on their house, and that is what helps the economy.
I had a look at Darwin prices, looking through the NT News for last Saturday. In Jingili, a ‘charming ground level home, tiled throughout’ is $323 000, well above the $260 000. In Wagaman, an area in which, years ago, you could buy a house fairly easily, it is $335 000, still well above the $260 000. In Woodroffe in Palmerston, it is $245 000. Of course, if you go to Bayview, they are $780 000 which is out of the reach of most people trying to get a loan. I had a look at Alice Springs, and practically all houses on this page, bar one, are over the $260 000 mark. That would make it very hard for a first home owner to get enough money to buy a house under this scheme. Again, I say it is not about knocking the scheme; the scheme is great. However, I try to bring it back to reality. If people have to buy a reasonable house – here are more from Alice Springs: $320 000, $278 000, $268 000, and $300 000. Most of the houses I see are well above the price you can get for a first home loan.
You can buy units, and they might be nice. You certainly still can get some packages in Palmerston, and I am not knocking Palmerston. However, what tends to happen, of course, is that, to get a cheaper block you get a smaller block. For families, I do not think that tiny blocks are what we should be providing people. We should be giving people space.
I know the member for Barkly mentioned in this statement about how some people in Tennant Creek had bought houses. I must admit, I would buy a house. There are four houses here; there are three with the price. ‘Urgent sale, three-bedroom brick home in good location, fully fenced, was $85 000, now reduced to $75 000’. ‘House for sale, 9 Whipper Street, $75 000’. ‘House for sale, three bedrooms, airconditioned, separate airconditioner in lounge room, house in reasonable condition, yard needs work, $64 000 negotiable’. I would not mind having the opportunity to buy a house a bit closer to Darwin than Tennant Creek but, obviously, it is easier for someone in Tennant Creek to buy a house using the HomeNorth scheme than it is somewhat in my area. In fact, it is impossible for people in the rural area to be able to purchase five acres - young people making their way - without having some rich relations.
I have said this before the election, and I still think that the government should look at it: the government does own its own land. One of the big changes in real estate is that, several years ago, it went from the government developing Crown land, to then selling to a developer who had to make enough money to cover the purchasing of the land, and then make a profit. That is the reason the land is dearer. The market, of course, is increasing; that is natural and one reason that the land is dearer. The other reason is that you see developers squeeze as many blocks as possible out of a piece of land. They say that if they can as many blocks as possible, they will make more profit. Fair enough. However, I do not believe housing is something that is just left to the marketplace. Housing is a basic human right that governments also should be involved in. The market is not there just to run its own course. People are entitled to be able to purchase a house at a reasonable price.
House prices have gone up extremely quickly. I have the NT News from the 17 August 1996. I mentioned previously about prices in, say, Jingili. Admittedly, they are average prices. I am not sure that I can compare apples with apples here. However, the average price in Jingili in 1995-96 was $169 272. Here is a house now in Jingili for $323 000 - nearly double in 10 years. Another house in Wagaman, where the average price was $156 000; is now $335 000 - not quite double, but certainly gone up quite substantially. You would have to ask: ‘Have our wages gone up that much?’ I do not think so. Certainly, the prices of houses have gone up. It means that sort of increase makes it a lot harder for young people to buy a house; they will buy a unit. I do not reckon that we should be putting young families into units. We should have enough room for kids to kick the footy and play a bit of cricket, and not do it on the road, as some people see. If you have a look at some of the backyards in Parap Grove; there are very small backyards. The back of the house is so close to the back fence that there is probably enough room for a clothes line and that is about it. They are about 1.5 m apart in the roofs, and I do not think that that is the way it should be. The developers will tell you that is what people buy. Well, sometimes that is all they can afford to buy, and that is all that is available.
What I am saying, minister, is that the government should be looking at opening up more land, under a cheaper scheme, for first home owners. When the next subdivision in Palmerston is developed - and I presume the Larrakia Nation will be included in the development of that because I believe they are doing a good job in the Darla subdivision - there needs to be an agreement that some of that land is set aside - like the CLP used to do years ago in the first development of Palmerston and some of the northern suburbs - specifically for first home owners, and the price of land is kept low. Even if that land was below the cost of the development of that section of land, I am sure if you spread that little loss over all those other blocks of land, it would hardly be noticeable. That means you would encourage people to be able to purchase a house without having to reach the top limit of your loans. $260 000 is a lot of money for a single person or someone at home with one income and a couple of children. $260 000 is not chicken feed. It might be if you are in Sydney, but how many people can own their home in Sydney and Melbourne any more?
We do not need to go down that path. We have a lot of land in the Northern Territory. It would be terrible that, with all this land, we cannot find enough lands for people to own their own house because the price of land will force them out of it. This scheme is great. All I am saying is that the scheme limits, simply because the house prices are getting so far away that people cannot afford them.
I would be interested, minister, to know what the average time for paying off a loan is. As I have said here before, it is all very well getting a loan, but are we driving people into paying loans off for the rest of their lives? I have two years left on my home loan, and I have been paying that off for an awful long time. I hope we do not put people into a situation where we give them all this money, but they will be paying that until they are 75. It would be nice if we could make it a reasonable loan that people can pay off and still enjoy some of their later life without having to live under the mortgage.
I would like to see whether the government is doing any study on options for housing. One of the problems with housing is not only is land expensive, but the materials, and the regulations, especially in a cyclone area, contribute to a very high cost of housing. There have been lots of studies of housing. We had the architectural display out here recently. We tend to build houses that I do not think are green-friendly. What I mean is they are high energy use houses. You require airconditioning to cool them because, when you open the window, you can hear everyone five streets away. Is the government is looking whether we can develop cheaper housing?
I know that Parks and Wildlife, many years ago, had a book on log housing. You could not build the entire house out of logs, but the basic structure was out of logs. It was cyclone proof. It was something that people could put together themselves. Is anyone looking a different options of materials?
To build a small house today - just to pour the floor - it cannot be the sand that is expensive because they get from that for practically nothing out in the rural area. Something else has lifted the priced of cement where it has gone through the roof. Steel has gone up over a 100% in two years. Are our regulations changing all the time? We always hear about the Australian Standard. This year, it was changed from the Australian Standard of last year. Last year, you had to have a 100 x 100 mm posts on all your verandahs and this year, it is 120 x 120. The concrete has gone from 1 m3 to 1.5 m3. Do we have too many regulations? I know we need safe houses, but have we extended the regulations so far that we have increased the cost of housing?
It would be worth the government looking at housing costs. We look at grocery and petrol costs, but the thing that really affects us all, the biggest spend we have in our life, is our house. Are there options for reducing the cost of housing? This would not only be in the urban areas, it would have spin-offs for Aboriginal areas because the price of housing, as someone said earlier, is astronomical. The more it costs, the fewer people are going to get a house, especially in Aboriginal communities. It is a matter that has been discussed here before
I would be interested to know whether the HomeNorth scheme has been taken up by any Aboriginal people on Aboriginal communities. There is the issue of whether Aboriginal people can have private land or leased land, and I am not giving an opinion on that at the moment. It is a good debate to have, but what I am trying to say is: do we have a system whereby Aboriginal people can use this scheme to buy a house on a community? There needs to be more effort in that area because, if Aboriginal people have to wait for any government - Commonwealth or the Northern Territory - to supply enough money for all the houses they need, we will all be in the grave. There needs to be some other way we can boost the number of houses. I went to Port Keats to see how many houses they were short of. They have a little factory that makes houses; they pour the walls and they set them up. However, they do not have enough money to make all the houses that are needed.
Can we find ways where you can use HomeNorth? HomeNorth is a low deposit scheme; it is meant for people with low incomes. They can produce a cheap house. Instead of renting a house, if they can put their money into a HomeNorth scheme and purchase a house, then we are helping people get houses. I believe we need to really sit down with land councils, the Commonwealth - all the people who have to be involved in this - and see whether there are ways we can do it. It might be something we have never even thought of. We need to look at the opportunities of allowing more Aboriginal people to access schemes like the HomeNorth scheme, so that they can own a house.
One of the major problems we talked about was education. If there are 20 people overcrowding a house, it certainly is never going to help people who have to sit at home to try to study. It certainly will not contribute to that. Whilst we talk about HomeNorth, it is part of the big housing picture that we need to look at.
On a similar issue to the one mentioned by the member for Braitling when she talked about self-funded retirees, I certainly hope the government would at least look at, in the rural area for instance, some retirement villages. There is land that the government owns in the rural area. The member for Braitling made a good point, and it has been made before in my area. I have seen a lot of people I have known who have lived in the rural area go south to the Gold Coast. They have sold their house and taken their money south. Their superannuation has gone south. The reason is they cannot look after a five-acre block any more, which is a bit too much, or the family has gone done south - they have a little block and that will satisfy them.
There is room for the government to try to promote a retirement village area in the rural area, I am talking Howard Springs and Humpty Doo. I do not know how you would do it. If you put the land up for sale or up for auction, then you increase the price of the buildings that you want to sell to the self-funded retirees, or retirees in general. It may be a public/private partnership where the government puts in the land, the private person builds the residences, and there is some way the government gets a reward for that. It is similar perhaps to what is happening on the waterfront. Government owns the land, private people are building buildings on that land, and the government is getting a return. Maybe that is an option that the government should look at.
In this whole debate, we are talking about first homeowners. We should not be forgetting the people at the other end of the spectrum who are, basically, looking for a smaller house, and would like to live in the area where they are used to. We could have the advantage of keeping their money in the Territory. I have seen a lot of people leave the rural area.
I wholeheartedly support the HomeNorth scheme. However, let us not look at it in isolation, but in reality. It would be good to give some figures on what the average length of time a person is going to have to pay their loan off compared with what they are earning. For people on $1000 a week, on average, they will take 25 years to pay off the loan. I would be interested to know that, so we can get an idea on what it is costing people.
The other thing is, I really believe that most houses, especially in the rural area, in Darwin itself, in Alice Springs - not necessarily in Katherine so much; the figures I have show that Katherine prices are going up - and Tennant Creek’s are fairly low. If we want to encourage people to own their own house then the government has a role to play in the marketplace; that is, by providing cheaper land so people can build a reasonable house - not a two-bedroom shed, but a reasonable house. I encourage the government to look at the rural area, not to small blocks but five acre blocks, where people can enjoy bringing up their kids with a chook, a dog and a horse, or a bit of bush. In the end, that is a far better lifestyle than living on a 330 m2 block you might find at The Chase. I ask the government to at least consider that.
Mrs MILLER (Katherine): Mr Deputy Speaker, I congratulate the Minister for Housing on delivering his first statement today on HomeNorth Extra. It is a statement with lots of good news for first home owners in it, and I am sure that he is very pleased with the results, as well he should be. To be involved in a scheme that helps people realise their dream of owning their own home would be very gratifying.
There is no doubt that the Country Liberal Party has to have some credit in establishing and implementing the HomeNorth scheme in the early 1990s. That was three terms of government ago, and it has been reviewed each term. Like all programs and schemes, naturally they have to be reviewed and changes made accordingly, in keeping with the demands of the present and moving into the future. That is no different with any piece of legislation. The changes that government introduced in July 2004 to the HomeNorth scheme were timely and welcomed by all members of this parliament, and the record shows that.
Owning your own bit of dirt has always been the great Australian dream. Unfortunately for some people, the continuing high cost of housing has made it increasingly difficult to realise that dream. In the last few years, the cost of purchasing a house in the Northern Territory has risen considerably - in Darwin and Alice Springs especially - making home ownership out of reach for lower income people. It is unfortunate that I cannot say the same thing about Katherine house prices; and the same probably applies to Tennant Creek. Having listened to the member for Nelson speak, I must be correct. In Katherine, there has been no increase in property values since the Katherine floods in 1998; therefore, affordability for first home owners in Katherine is definitely encouraging. The downside of that is that the low residential sale prices are not good for the seller. I am in a position to know this.
A scheme such as HomeNorth is very important in enabling people who would not otherwise have the opportunity to purchase their own home to do so. Once they have made that commitment, there is a strong chance they will be in that community for a long time to come. The economic benefits of that are compounded in the community and cannot be underestimated.
My husband, Mike, has his own finance broker business which he operates in Katherine. Before he and I bought Red Gum Tourist Park in 1994, Mike had been a very successful ANZ bank manager; with the bank for 37 years. After we sold the caravan park earlier this year, he returned to a job that he always did so very well: helping people to purchase their own home. Whilst he has access to over 20 different financial institutions, I know that he has been able to assist several of his clients to purchase their first home utilising the HomeNorth scheme. Those people have now made commitments to the Katherine community, which is fabulous. As the minister said in his statement, home ownership is critical to the future of our regional towns, and I could not agree more in the case of Katherine.
It was interesting to note that the minister, in his statement, spoke of the loss of population from the Northern Territory due to interstate migration in 61 out of 78 quarters that were recorded. We on this side of the House have been saying that over and over again in the last two years that I have been here. Every time, government tried to talk us down and tell us we were being negative. All we hear is that there is real growth, the highest population numbers on record, etcetera. The minister is the first government minister to speak the truth when it comes to talking about the make-up of the population, and I quote from his statement:
Minister, I congratulate you on your first statement and for being honest and open regarding a population issue which we have raised many times.
Back to the HomeNorth statement. One of the encouragements and enticements to keeping younger Territorians in the Territory is being able to afford their own home and, naturally, that is tied with employment. In addition to purchasing a house, the flow-on to local businesses is through purchasing furnishings, whitegoods, gardening equipment, and all the associated extras which people enjoy investing in to their own home.
Finally, I would like to reiterate the remarks which the member for Nelson made in relation to the cost of housing, especially in Darwin and Alice Springs. I know how extremely high it is and extremely difficult it is for first time owners. I still say that there are plenty of opportunities for the first home owners in regional Northern Territory, and I encourage them to move to Katherine if they would like to buy homes within their range. Once again, I congratulate the minister on delivering his first statement. I know that I speak for all of my colleagues when I say we wholeheartedly support the statement and the HomeNorth scheme.
Ms SACILOTTO (Port Darwin): Mr Deputy Speaker, the member for Katherine has missed her calling - perhaps a career in real estate, Fay.
Tonight I commend the HomeNorth scheme. Coming from a property background, I have seen countless times people trapped in the rental mill, paying too much in rent to save the all important deposit, or on a low income where mainstream banks would not consider their loan applications. Although not every Territorian aspires to become a home owner, a great many do and, until the Martin Labor government revamped the sad and sorry HomeNorth scheme, a legacy of the CLP government, that just was not working. These people had very little options other than to rent privately or burden the public housing system. I know this first-hand because, during the mid-1990s, I was working for the Department of Housing and Local Government.
As the Minister for Housing has already stated, we have the lowest rate of home ownership in the nation. Housing has enormous economic, social and symbolic significance both for individuals and for governments. It plays a significant role in the Territory economy. Housing also plays a significant role in the wellbeing of Australians. Research by social justice agencies such as the Australian Council of Social Services has found that home ownership purchase can provide considerable benefits for individuals and families, including social benefits such as a sense of security and community belonging; economic benefits derived from long-term tax-free capital gains, and the capacity to generate wealth from equity in the family home; and a sense of security as retirement beckons, as most governments’ objectives of self-funded retirement implicitly assumes home ownership for retirees.
I am very pleased to advise that I interpret the statistics in a slightly different light. I noted that 61% of people taking up the scheme are aged between 18 and 34. These are young people and, many of them - 45% - are single females, young single women with real estate or, as has been mentioned already today, ‘chicks with bricks’, as quoted from an interview on ABC radio with REINT CEO, Sue Shearer.
The Shared Equity Loans made available to HomeNorth Extra borrowers allow many people to escape the rental trap who otherwise would not be able to. What this means is that Territory Housing shares the burden by taking up anything up to 30% of the dwelling. At sale, of course, Territory Housing also shares in any capital gains that might be realised. However, at any time HomeNorth Extra borrowers can buy out Territory Housing equity in their home, thus increasing their share of capital gains.
It is interesting to note that, as reported in last Monday’s Australian Financial Review, the Macquarie Bank will, in 2006, be launching a similar scheme in the commercial market. It is not clear whether it will be available in the Northern Territory but, clearly, our model of shared equity is something that the private market is also keen to develop. We must remember that this scheme is designed to be an entry level to the property market; it is not designed to buy your dream home with a pool and a room for a pony. It puts a roof over the head at a not dissimilar price to renting. It is starting to build equity and, in time, that person, if they wish, can continue to save and upgrade as family and economic circumstances change. It also caters to those who may have lost their home - the roof over their and their children’s heads - often due to a marital break-up. This is their chance to start rebuilding their financial lives.
Let us not forget that many middle-aged women have less super than their male counterparts, due mainly to the years spent in the most important job that does not have a superannuation guarantee - child raising. Home ownership can help ends meet when retirement beckons for these people. I support the minister’s statement and commend the government’s commitment to this financially life-starting scheme.
Mr HENDERSON (Business and Economic Development): Mr Deputy Speaker, I am very pleased to speak in support of my colleague, the Minister for Housing’s first ministerial statement to this parliament. What a success HomeNorth has been.
First though, I would pay tribute to the previous Minister for Housing, Mr Jack Ah Kit, who is not with us in this parliament, but was the minister for this portfolio in the previous parliament. I remember the day that Jack came into Cabinet with this proposal as a Cabinet submission. I can say all of us looked around the table and said: ’You beauty! This is really going to hit the spot’. It was probably the defining submission that Jack ever presented. The 709 people who now own their own piece of the Territory is really a tribute to the previous minister and his passion for getting this scheme up and running.
I will be brief tonight. Going to the comments from the members Greatorex and Nelson, it would be good if the member for Greatorex could come in here with some effusive praise on government policy because this is a success. It would be great to hear him say: ‘This is working really well’, and hear any constructive suggestions that he might have for making HomeNorth even better. However, he is churlish and he cannot talk about HomeNorth and the capacity for people in Alice Springs - in Greatorex in his electorate - to own their piece of Greatorex; he has to go back to the negative and start talking about neighbours from hell. That had nothing to do with this statement. Member for Greatorex, if it is going well, please say so.
I understand what the member for Nelson is trying to say in terms of first home buyers, but the proof is in the pudding. This HomeNorth scheme is all about getting first home buyers into the marketplace. That is what it is all about; it is not about first home buyers being able to have the capacity to buy five acres of real estate in the rural area. I do not think anyone would accept that the taxpayer should be subsidising someone purchasing five acres as their first home and property. That is a fairly ludicrous suggestion. It is all about getting people into the market, and there is no doubt that this has been a great success: 709 people are now in the marketplace.
We are talking a total value of property sold since the scheme started at $124m. As the member for Port Darwin quite rightly said, 61% of those people are under 34 years of age. This is a very targeted policy about getting first home buyers into the market. I am pretty confident, without seeing the details that, of that 64%, most of those young people - the chicks with bricks or the blokes with bricks - would have bought a unit. That is what this is all about: getting people into the market, then giving them the opportunity, once they are in the market, to realise some capital gain so that they can get upgrade their dwelling as the move through life.
It obviously is working because we are seeing the Real Estate Institute’s June 2005 quarter Real Estate Local Market Analysis newsletter entitled Oh! What a Year, which says we are seeing significant price increases across the Territory. I just picked up Tuesday’s Centralian Advocate. The front page carries the headline Real Estate Keeps on Booming. It says:
That is well within the HomeNorth scheme. It says that the rise was worth more than $10 000 to unit owners compared to last year. Therefore, if you got into the marketplace with the HomeNorth scheme and bought a unit in Alice Springs 12 months ago for $163 000, you have paid off a little of the mortgage, and you are already $10 000 ahead. That is what the market is all about. Even though I am a dyed in the wool Labor man, I certainly believe in the free market, which is all about giving people and those with families, the opportunity to acquire an asset and wealth for the future. I say to the member for Nelson that, having a more interventionist policy where government should intervene to drive down the cost of people getting into the marketplace, I do not know what could be more interventionist than this HomeNorth policy, which we will continue to be flexible with as the value of property goes up, then the market value of the purchase property increases will also move up along with it. It is getting people into the marketplace so that they can acquire assets for the rest of their life as they move through it.
Also, the scheme is working, because we still have the most affordable housing in Australia. There are always going to be people who will not be able to get into the private market, but we are seeing wages and salaries increase in the Northern Territory as the economy is going well. The vacancy rate in the property market is around 1% in Darwin; it is the lowest that it has ever been. We have seen units and houses going up everywhere.
It is a very buoyant market out there; everybody is doing well out of it. The construction industry is doing well. The people who work in the construction industry are earning good wages and seeing their wages increase. People who are in the market are seeing a capital gain which is giving them confidence to further invest in their properties to upgrade them. People seeing this confidence in the market are flocking, through HomeNorth, to grab their share of the action. I believe it is a very successful scheme. As I have said, it is all about getting people into the marketplace.
The main reason that the government looked to HomeNorth policy was that, two or three years ago, we recognised that we had a fundamental problem structurally, and it has been there since about 1985, I believe, where we have had a problem with population growth in the Northern Territory. It has been cyclical, and if it had not been for the relocation of the 1st Brigade, with the Army Presence in the North program around 15 years ago, we would have had even more problems. Regarding population policy, one of the key levers the government could pull was to revamp the HomeNorth scheme to give more people access to it so they can own their own piece of the Northern Territory and make an emotional and financial commitment to living here in the Northern Territory.
I loved the minister’s little example of his constituents in Tennant Creek, Gary Rossie and Leonie Davis, who now own their piece of the Territory in Tennant Creek. It is a great story. I have my own story. I do not have the names of the people, but these people came into my electorate office just after the election, wanting the HomeNorth brochures. They had just decided that they were going to get married, and they were off to the TIO to find out how much they could borrow, and were looking for real estate. That is exactly what HomeNorth is all about.
The member for Nelson is pretty keen, but really, it is about getting first home buyers into the market, not getting people five acres down the track. That is not really a job for the taxpayer. He was also talking about whether the government was looking at cheaper building products. Again, I would hasten to ask: is that really government’s role? Surely the market will determine that. Any builder worth their salt has to compete in the marketplace with other building companies and, if they can find building products in the market that they can construct a house cheaper with than their competitor then, of course, they will take that jump, market that product, and gain a share of the market. Is it government’s or the department’s role to look at whether we build houses out of logs, mud bricks, steel, compressed fibres, or whatever? That really is the role of the marketplace, and the marketplace will sort that out.
Regarding the issue of whether we should be re-looking at building codes and what have you, a little knowledge is dangerous. However, I am pretty sure that we, as a government, are signed up to the Building Code of Australia. These are Australian reforms and we do need confidence in the market that, when people buy a house they have confidence that it is built to code, it is not going to fall down, and there are not going to be massive requirements for maintenance as a result of shoddy workmanship and materials not being to standard. That is why we have these building codes. Whether they are over-prescriptive or under-prescriptive – again, there is a whole body of work around Australia that looks at those things. However, it is always going to be more expensive to build in the Northern Territory because we have to import virtually all of those building products to the Territory; we do not have a manufacturing industry here that makes them. What can government do it that role? I would suggest very little.
However, it is an exciting time out there at the moment and, as the member for Karama said, the builders and the subbies are going gang-busters; they are making good money. People who have their piece of the Territory are seeing a capital gain, and everybody is pretty happy. Trying to find a house to buy or rent, particularly in Darwin at the moment, is pretty tough. What that is going to mean is that more people are going to invest and we are going to see more buildings go up.
I congratulate the minister on his statement. I, like the member for Karama and everybody else, would like to see an update every six months or so in this parliament, because it is a good news story. There are lots of things that are important in government policy, but population policy is right up there with them. If we can get people owning their own little piece of the Territory, an emotional and financial commitment, that is good for all Territorians. Congratulations to the minister.
Mr McADAM (Housing): Madam Speaker, first of all, allow me to thank all the members of the Assembly who spoke in respect to this statement tonight. It is much appreciated. I appreciate the thought that you put into it. Obviously, working over a period of time, the accumulation of all the ideas and thoughts that have been put forward, augurs pretty well in regard to the Northern Territory, particularly in relation to the issue of housing affordability.
I would also like to take this opportunity, if I may, to also thank the previous Minister for Housing, Jack Ah Kit. Jack played a very important role, as you heard from the member for Wanguri, in actually revitalising this scheme, by being creative, innovative, by working with Territory Housing and other industry groups. I acknowledge the role that Jack played. I know that Jack is out there enjoying himself, and so he should, because …
Mr Henderson: Getting a few of those geese that the Opposition Leader was talking about today.
Mr McADAM: Absolutely. I think the geese have all taken flight and …
Mr Henderson: They have more to fear from Jack than the bird flu.
Mr McADAM: They certainly have.
Anyway, as I say, Jack certainly did a great job and I pay tribute to him on behalf of everyone here in this House, for his outstanding contribution in regard to the HomeNorth Scheme.
I do not intend to address every point that has been raised tonight but, clearly, there are some that I would like to. I commence with the opposition spokesperson on housing, the member for Greatorex. I am sure the member is a very sincere person who does look after the interests of people in his electorate. However, one becomes a little tired of the ongoing whingeing, carping, and negative responses in a lot of cases to what, essentially, are some really good initiatives. I do pay tribute to the CLP in regard to the HomeNorth scheme. However, things move forward and the important point to understand is that governments build on the initiatives of other governments; it is not a case of ‘We can do better than you’ or ‘I can do better that you’. It is not a competition, in effect; it is building on ideas and on things that are going to help the Territory grow. That is exactly what we have done. I do pay credit to the opposition, but I get a little tired of his ongoing negative comments on a whole range of matters.
During the previous sittings, the opposition only mentioned HomeNorth twice and that is indicative of what their commitments are to housing and, perhaps even more so, to the people of the Northern Territory. He went on to criticise the fact that there have been so many reports, statements and questions on HomeNorth. It is important for the member for Greatorex to understand that that is our duty: to come in to this House and report on matters, including HomeNorth. I say to the member of Greatorex, that is our job and I would urge you to join in, in the future.
The other issue the member of Greatorex talked about was the issue of land. I said it is important to understand that, prior to 2001, there were absolutely no land releases in Alice Springs. That inhibited the capacity of not only his government, but our government too in the first few years, to revitalise the HomeNorth scheme so we could provide affordable housing. Member for Greatorex, you have to take some responsibility for that.
To further clarify for the member for Greatorex, he referred to whether it was weekly household incomes - of course they are, and you know that as well as I do. As well as the fact that no loans are given out where the repayments are greater than 30% of that weekly household income. He also referred to public housing vacancies in Alice Springs. It is fair to say that there is an acknowledgement out there that what occurred was that successive CLP governments flogged off a lot of housing stock, which put a lot of pressure on the ability of people on lower incomes to be able to get affordable housing. In fact, something like 760 rooms were wiped out through the inactions of the previous CLP - or should I say in regard to their policies - and nothing was built.
The other issue I want to raise in regard to the member for Greatorex is, for your information since the HomeNorth scheme, there have been 126 houses in Alice Springs sold, to the value of $24m. That is quite a significant contribution to the local economy. Of course, many of the people are moving out of the rent trap and are buying their own houses as well, which augurs well for the people and community of Alice Springs.
The member for Brennan, during the course of his presentation, demonstrated how valuable the HomeNorth Extra scheme was to the growth and consolidation of Palmerston, with the high levels of construction. The bottom line is that there is immense regional economic development which has occurred in Palmerston as a result of the construction industry and the HomeNorth Extra scheme. It provides extra jobs, and provides to local retailers in regard to whitegoods. It all augurs well, and I thank the member for Brennan for his contribution.
The member for Brailing, as always, made a very good contribution. I know that she is very passionate about Alice Springs. She raised the issue regarding self-funded retirees. Whilst I appreciate and sympathise with her concerns, the bottom line is that the HomeNorth Extra scheme is designed to provide housing for those people on lesser incomes. Nonetheless, if the private sector wanted to have discussions with government in regards to some sort of private partnership arrangement for the development of units for that category of people, we could have a look at it.
The member for Katherine talked about the CLP. I acknowledged that it was a good scheme that we have built on. She went on to talk about housing prices in Katherine. It is important to also know that, in something like 13 months, 28 residents in Katherine now have their own homes under the HomeNorth scheme. The value is around about $4.2m, and the median price is about a $152 000 ...
Mrs Miller: Great news for Katherine.
Mr McADAM: That is good news for Katherine. It adds to the local economy and community. Of those 28, 24 of those people bought their house for the first time.
The member for Katherine also made comment regarding the population drain out of the Northern Territory. She might have been trying to play a few games, trying to attribute the fact that we are totally responsible for this population drain over the last four years. However, the figures that I quoted go back to 1985; in other words, three-quarters of the period was under CLP rule. As opposed to the previous government, we are working to try to get people and our young people back into the Territory through schemes such as HomeNorth Extra.
I thank the member for Karama for her contribution. As always, the member for Karama looked at the human side of the matter. She was very eloquent regarding how this scheme has been able to provide support for people from a human perspective. Thank you to the member for Karama.
I would briefly like to comment in regard to the member for Nelson. The member for Wanguri has already raised this: HomeNorth was never designed for a person to go out and buy their dream home with a swimming pool and what have you. It was designed to try to get people into their first home so that they are able to upgrade at some time in the future. The fact that 709 people have done that this year, I believe speaks volumes for the HomeNorth scheme.
The other issue the member for Nelson raised is something that I am prepared to have a look at, to work in with industry; that is, the issue of indigenous housing not only on some of these smaller communities up and down the track, but on indigenous communities. We know that there is almost a $1bn shortfall in indigenous housing, and I know that it is going to be a very difficult ask to try to secure those dollars from the Commonwealth government. Nonetheless, we will continue to try.
In the context of the member for Nelson’s challenge regarding indigenous housing, I seriously intend to take that up, but in a different way. We have to think outside the square. We have to have a look all sorts of options, because we know that it is a pressing need something that we have to address.
Also for member for Nelson, I have some figures here of the number of people who purchased houses in the Darwin rural area. I am advised that 21 new clients have bought land in the Darwin rural area, and 13 of them were new home buyers. So, it is possible to achieve those outcomes in the rural area. I know prices are high and there are different configurations; nonetheless, it is possible. I say to the member for Nelson, as to all members in this House that, as a government, we will work very hard to try to give different options of getting people into home ownership. There is no one fixed solution; HomeNorth is one. However, there are a host of other opportunities out there which we can develop with the communities and the private sector. I look forward to undertaking that challenge.
I thank the member for Port Darwin for her contribution, because I know she had a long period in the housing industry through the real estate industry for eight or nine years. Obviously, her experience will be something which I and, indeed, members of government on our side, will call upon. We will call upon her expertise, and I look forward to working very closely with her, because she has had the experience in the industry. I know she has much to offer, so I thank her for her contribution.
I also thank the member for Wanguri, who always talks sense. He is always very supportive of initiatives such as HomeNorth.
In conclusion, I thank all members for their contribution tonight. It is a very important debate to have. We will continue to have these debates in the House. We will continue to keep the House informed of the HomeNorth scheme and any other initiatives that come up. Of course, as I mentioned previously, there is much to learn in this portfolio. It is something I look forward to over the next three to four years. There are many challenges, and I look forward to working on those.
Madam Speaker, I thank the people from Territory Housing, TIO and other industry groups with which we have had discussions in regard to some of these changes over time. I thank them for their contribution and advice. I look forward to working very closely with my department and members of this House, and the private sector. I hope that we are able to continue the focus of HomeNorth and, not only that, but be able to extend it out to alleviate some of the housing problems that we have in a very affordable and fair way.
Motion agreed to; statement noted.
Mr HENDERSON (Leader of Government Business): Madam Speaker, I move that the Assembly at its rising adjourn until Tuesday, 11 October 2005 at 10 am or such other time and/or date as may be set by Madam Speaker pursuant to sessional order. I indicate the government’s intention to nominate Wednesday 30 November 2005 as the next date on which precedence will be given to general business, pursuant to Standing Order 92.
Motion agreed to.
Mr HENDERSON (Leader of Government Business): Madam Speaker, I move that the Assembly do now adjourn.
Tonight, on behalf of not only the government, but I know all 25 members of this parliament, I wish to acknowledge a member of the parliamentary staff who is celebrating a significant anniversary. Serjeant-at-Arms Helen Allmich has been in her job for 20 years on 23 September 2005. That is an enormous amount of time. Helen has certainly seen many people come and go from this parliament and many debates over those 20 years. For Helen and Gaddy, and everybody who works in this parliament serving not only the people who are elected to it, but the people of the Northern Territory, it reminds me and, I am sure, the members of the Assembly staff, of Yes Minister and Sir Humphrey Appleby. Members may come and go, but the real rulers of this place are the people who operate it on a day-to-day basis. For Helen to have served 20 years on the 23 September, it is a great effort.
Helen was the first woman in Australia to be permanently appointed to the position of Serjeant-at-Arms, and her first session of parliament was in October 1985. Part of Helen’s role is to remove, by force if need be, any person who has been ordered removed from the House by the Speaker. Madam Speaker, if you have to order somebody to be removed from the galleries, then that role, by convention, would fall to Helen Allmich.
I am not sure if Helen has had to physically manhandle anybody out of the parliament yet - I have not had a chance to talk to her about it – although, even in my time in this House - and I have only been here, as has the member for Blain, for coming up to six years - there have been a couple of fiery demonstrations in the parliament. One very memorable experience was where the ratbags from the pro-drug group invaded the parliament. I am trying to recall now whether Helen was in there trying to defend the virtues of the House and the respectability of the Chamber. Certainly, she would have seen many instances over the years, and demonstrations in the Chamber.
However, Helen’s role today has evolved to include Editor of Hansard, and I am sure that all members would agree that we get fantastic service from the Hansard people. All the parliamentarians who have had the honour and the privilege of sitting in this House over the last 20 years would say: ‘Thank you, Helen, for your dedication to this parliament over 20 years’. You probably have at least another 20 to go, I would have to say. Well done, Helen.
Members: Hear, hear!
Mr HENDERSON: I am also pleased to speak today of the retirement of a long-serving member of the Northern Territory Public Service, Mr Jerry Hemphill. Jerry first arrived in the Territory on Australia Day weekend 1967, where he was employed at Rum Jungle as a metallurgist, both production and research. He worked with Territory Enterprises Pty Ltd, which was set up to run the Rum Jungle uranium mine for the Commonwealth government. TEP was owned by CRA, now Rio Tinto. Jerry recalls that, in his first Wet Season during the last two weeks of February, there was 48 inches of rain, and they measured a piece of spear grass at 13 foot long.
Rum Jungle carried out leading edge research and was a world leader on heat leeching, the precipitation of copper and uranium from solution; invented the pulse column; and participated in the developments of Rio Tinto’s high smelt process that is currently being commercialised in Guiana.
He stayed with TEP for about 18 months before being transferred by CRA to Newcastle, where he was the shift boss for CRA’s fertiliser company. When all this was sold to ICI in the middle of 1969, he left and joined Electrolytic Zinc in Hobart for about six months. I worked for them in Rosebery in Tasmania. However, the lure of the Territory drew him back.
At the end of 1969, he joined United Uranium at Moline east of Pine Creek as a metallurgist mill superintendent and mine manager. He was at Moline for three years before leaving on a short sabbatical, where he worked in Queensland for 12 months.
He returned to the Territory at the end of 1973, when he joined the Department of NT Mines Branch to establish a mineral processing laboratory and supervise the Mt Wells and Tennant Creek batteries. During his stay at the Mines Branch, his main task involved working with Gove, Groote Eylandt and McArthur River projects, where he helped manage the development agreements covering the Gove, Groote Eylandt and McArthur River mines. These agreements played an important role in seeing the mines developed as we see them today. Jerry recalls having to send telexes to Canberra seeking approval for each ship loaded with bauxite and alumina, to depart the ports. However, he could never get a simple ‘Yes’; it was always ‘We have no objection’.
Jerry was a compulsory transferee to the NT Department of Mines and Energy in 1978. He initially worked as part of a team which spent in excess of $3m in research to ensure Mt Isa Mines continued to find solutions to the metallurgical problems that delayed the development of the McArthur River deposit - work that ensured that the mine commenced commercial production. This job often bought Jerry into direct conflict with MIM management regarding the future development of the deposit.
During 1979, he was on loan to the Darwin Community College to determine how the college could work with the mining industry. This project included talking with the Commonwealth and the management of Ranger, Jabiluka and Koongara about Aboriginal employment and involvement in the mines.
In 1982, he went to Macquarie University in Sydney on a year’s leave without pay to complete a Masters in Mineral Economics.
On return to the department at the end of that year, he joined the Resource Economics Branch where he reviewed royalty options and developed the Mineral Royalty Act, and then provided advice to the federal government about royalty payments under the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act. He was a keen member of the Territory’s team, providing input to the infamous David Hill Alice Springs to Darwin inquiry.
Jerry transferred to the Energy Division in 1985 where he began his long involvement in developing Darwin’s supply and service capability to the petroleum industry. During his time with the Energy Division, Jerry was involved in negotiations leading to natural gas reticulation in Alice Springs, and LPG in Darwin; the development of the Mereenie oilfield; and in local, national and international fuel emergency planning. The latter role introduced him to Barry Jones, who recently resigned as head of the Australian Petroleum Production Exploration Association.
Jerry recalls the hosting of the National Oil Supply Advisory Council meetings alternated between the private and public sector. Private sector hosting was preferred, as each host company always tried to outdo the previous one’s lunch; the highlight being one provided in Shell’s Melbourne boardroom, where the platters piled high with prawns, bugs and oysters could have fed an army. Canberra, with its inevitable sandwiches, was the least preferred site.
In about 1988, under Barry Coulter as minister, the department started looking at opportunities for investment in major oil and gas projects. Jerry managed a pre-feasibility study by Bechtel on behalf of eight international oil companies into the establishment of a large modern refinery in Darwin. As part of this process, the government set up a company, Darwin Oil Refinery, as an investment vehicle for this project to take advantage of Paul Keating’s One Nation tax breaks. Whilst the study indicated a positive result, there was no project champion to follow through, so the refinery did not proceed.
An important part of this role was to travel internationally and get the Territory recognised on the business map as a place that had something to offer global oil and gas players. Jerry travelled to exotic places such as Abu Dhabi, Kuwait, Scotland, Malaysia, Japan, the United States, and became known in Singapore as Mr Darwin. Of course, there are many funny memories, but I only mention three incidents to protect Jerry and the reputations of other people concerned.
One Sunday morning in Scotland, Jerry and other witnesses observed an NT minister leaving his hotel room with his suitcase via the window rather than the front door. I am told that the minister, now retired, paid his bill beforehand and used the window to save carrying his bags the 50 m or so back to the lobby. On another occasion, a UK travel agent used Jerry’s credit card number, provided to merely confirm a booking, to pay four nights’ accommodation for a 10-person business delegation.
Ten boxes of hand outs dispatched to Aberdeen did not arrive until the morning Jerry was departing. In Aberdeen on the Friday morning, on a business mission that was due to return to Australia, one of the delegates found his passport had been stolen from his hotel room. Why did it take a Scottish bus driver with 23 Australians on board, 10 hours instead of four to travel from Aberdeen to Newcastle? Because he went all the way across Scotland twice and then had to have a one-hour meal break. Jerry said that it was quite common for British bus drivers to become lost.
Jerry was an integral part of the Office of Resource Development which was formed in 1999 within the Department of Mines and Energy. The ORD focused its attention on both major project facilitation, and supply and service opportunities.
Jerry formally retires on 9 September. In his retirement, Jerry is going to concentrate on working with his wife, Heather, to run their bed and breakfast, Eden at Fogg Dam, and their organic fruit orchard.
People like Jerry make a great contribution to the Territory through their work in the public sector. I have had the pleasure of working with Jerry for the last four years as minister for this department. Jerry, I wish you well in your retirement. You have earned it, and it is great to seeing you retiring here in the Northern Territory.
On Thursday, 23 June, I had the pleasure of officially welcoming our newest tenants to the Wanguri electorate, as the Leukaemia Foundation office opened its door at Casi House in Wanguri. His Honour the Administrator, Ted Egan, officially opened the office to the community, as well as providing some entertainment as Ted always does. The Leukaemia Foundation does a wonderful job, and moving next to the Cancer Council office will see the good work continue in battling the fight against these conditions, and providing great support to families affected. I would also like to encourage colleagues to participate in the foundation’s next fundraiser, the World’s Biggest Lunch, which will be held from 10 to 18 September. That is going to be a great occasion.
I previously mentioned in the House the progress of the shade cloth structure at Leanyer Primary School. I visited the school last week to look at it. It is not a piece of shade cloth; it is a fully covered shade area over the basketball court. There has been a huge amount of work done over many years and I congratulate the school council, staff and students. The shade cloth is the brainchild of a former student called Lisa Brett. She started the fundraising many years ago when she won a coin designing competition and donated her winnings back to kick-start the fund. I am looking forward to the official opening ceremony of the new shaded basketball court next month with a rock and roll night at the school.
Tonight is a great opportunity to congratulate Year 12 student, Lisebeth Hanssens from my electorate who was invited to attend the World Youth Day held last week in Cologne, Germany. I met with Lisebeth and her mother Leonore prior to her departure. It was great to sit down with a great person who has ambitions and goals set for the future. As members may be aware, this year, the World Youth Day was attended by the new Pope Benedict when he announced that the next World Youth Day is to be held in Sydney. This is a great opportunity for out young Territorians to attend in the future, and I am looking forward to catching up with Lisebeth when she returns.
Over the past few months, it has been great to attend primary school sports days; the kids and teachers have all had a great day there, and cheering the colours of the house made it an exciting day in the Wanguri electorate. I had the pleasure of presenting the trophy to the winning school of the Northern Suburbs Clusters Championship at Marrara, which went to Leanyer Primary School after a very tight race between the best from each school in the cluster. Congratulations to Holy Spirit Primary School who convened the clusters this year, and I look forward to the competition next year.
Tracy Village is a great club in the northern suburbs. If you have not driven past it recently, you will see a lot of changes around the grounds - the development of the new cricket mats, storage shed, and a great new baseball field - when you do. This area is only set to improve, with the government’s commitment to fund lights for the baseball and softball field in 2007-08, improving the quality of the games at night. It is sure to encourage more spectators. To Gary Ross and all the committee at Tracy Village, you do a fabulous job. I held a function at the club last week to thank all the people who helped me on my election campaign. We had about 50 people there, which was fabulous; it was great to catch up with everyone. Tracy Village is a great club in the northern suburbs. They keep investing in the facilities, providing great sporting and social facilities to people in the northern suburbs. I am going to be very pleased to work with Gary Ross and the committee for the next four years.
Dr LIM (Greatorex): Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, tonight I speak about the St John Ambulance situation in the Territory. In today’s editorial in the NT News, the opening line is the key to it all:
Let us look dispassionately at the situation which has arisen. As the member for Nelson said in Question Time yesterday, it is all about ambulance officers working 14-hour shifts, that ambulances have to carry multiple patients and, in some instances where there are emergency situations, St John Ambulance has not been able to respond and Fire and Emergency Services had to respond as they were the closest to that area. There have been reports and reviews done on St John Ambulance service and, as far as we are concerned, we are no closer to the resolution. All I hear is that the minister says: ‘Yes, negotiations are well in hand and we are getting there’. However, it is not there.
Over the last few days, we have seen a large sign saying, ‘Need an ambulance? Good luck! 3 only …’. That is a concern for many people; when you need an ambulance, you always need it in a hurry. If there are only three, and the three are all out working already, then what are you going to do? The greater Darwin area, according to St John Ambulance service, requires four full-time, 24-hour a day ambulance vehicles and staffing to maintain an adequate cover for the whole area.
I am also advised by St John Ambulance personnel that services have gone up by some 30% over the last 12 months in the Darwin area and some 20% in Alice Springs. When you then add to those calls the calls you get from, say, the aero-med service, nursing homes, doctors’ surgeries, the routine type transfer of patients then, obviously, the numbers have increased significantly over the last 12 months. Darwin, as I said, has only three ambulances on 24-hour service. Alice Springs has only one, or one-and-a-half, whereas it needs two. Katherine does not have a 24-hour ambulance service.
When you then add to the difficulties of not having enough vehicles, staff salaries for full-time ambulance employees are something between 20% to 30% below what is paid interstate. We have to also understand that, interstate, most of the ambulance services are state government-owned. In the Northern Territory, St John Ambulance is run by a charitable organisation. St John Ambulance is a charity that provides an ambulance service. It has the capacity, obviously, to fundraise itself. It is a very worthy charity that many Territorians willingly support, and that is how they raise funds. With the funds that they raise through donations and other efforts, they subsidise the whole of St John Ambulance service in the Northern Territory.
It has other income streams. Obviously, if you have a membership subscription, that is one income stream that St John builds on. The other is by billing of non-subscriber passengers. For instance, I am not a subscriber. If I were to need an ambulance in a hurry, and somebody calls it and I get transported from here to wherever, I get billed by St John Ambulance. If I am medically insured, my medical insurance would pay, to some degree, the charge and I may have to top up with my own money. However, if you are unable to pay, St John Ambulance would have to make one of two decisions: do they pursue me because I did not pay my bill, or do they assess that I am unable to pay anyway, irrespective of what they do, or whether they take you to court? Then they would probably not send another bill and try to recover it, because all they are doing is spending good money chasing bad. That is a section of the community that does not pay.
A further income stream is what the government provides to St John to cover the costs of what they really expend to provide an ambulance service in the Northern Territory. This is the issue at hand. As more and more patients are transported by St John Ambulance, and where they are unable to recover the cost of transferring these patients, someone would have to take the responsibility to cover that cost. It is the government’s responsibility to cover that cost. It is not up to charitable donations to St John to cover that. When you pool all the expenses of St John together, apart from the transport and maintenance vehicles and all that, they obviously have to pay their staff. As the minister said, it is an EBA between St John and its staff. Yes, it is true and that is technically correct. However, government cannot remove itself from that issue. It cannot just say: ‘St John is not a government owned organisation, so the EBA is not government’s problem’. Well, it is a government’s problem because, if the government does not provide St John with adequate financial resources, it is unable to pay its staff at the appropriate level. If they cannot pay its staff at the appropriate level and be competitive to the interstate services then, obviously, they are not going to get the personnel that they need to provide an adequate service.
At the end of the day, the Northern Territory government is responsible for an adequate St John Ambulance service to look after all Territorians. If the government does not do that, then Territorians will suffer. I find it ironic that the government would spend all those millions upon millions of dollars maintaining an acute system at our public hospitals, but then forget that, for those patients to get to the Emergency Department, they need a good ambulance service. It is no good getting a vehicle that cannot look after a patient, pick up a patient from wherever and, by the time they get to the hospital, they are either moribund or - God forbid! - dead. What is the point in that? The idea is to get the patient from a scene of an accident, or from any location, to the hospital in a safe and timely manner, supported by all the facilities that St John Ambulance and the paramedics can provide. Then you have a patient who is in a reasonably good state of health - or being unwell - into the Emergency Department, and then the doctors there can take over the management of the patient.
There has to be some urgent resolution for this problem. St John Ambulance has been working under this load for way too long. The last contract ran out on 30 June, and this government has not been able - or been unwilling, I am not sure what - to get the new contract organised for the start of July. It is a bit of a pity. They knew that the contract was running out by 30 June. You would expect that negotiations would have occurred at least six months out from there so that a new contract was there in a timely fashion. Unfortunately, not. While the government has already provided something in the order of $3m as a catch-up, it obviously still puts the ambulance service under a financial strain.
As work increases and the percentage of people who do not pay for those services increase, the government has to provide a commensurate increase in the funding for St John to ensure that they can provide the good service to those people who do not pay. If the St John Ambulance service has been working under a deficit because they are carrying so many people who do not pay, then this government has to come to the party. The government really has to come to the party; it has been going on too long.
To see that St John Ambulance service would go to this extent, you have to ask yourself whether something is radically wrong. Health professionals are the key here. Whether they are the lowest of the low working the system - nurses, doctors, or St John Ambulance paramedics - health professionals work in their profession because they are caring people. They are, generally, caring people, and that is the first criteria: to care for people. They will do all they can to do the right thing by their patients. Because of that, they will work very hard for the smallest of returns personally. When they start to complain in the fashion they have complained this week, it means they are at the very end of their tether and patience and, therefore, the minister, the government, must listen.
The ambulance service is now so stretched that, unless they are adequately resourced, they will not be able to perform their function safely. That is what it is about: safety for Territorians and for themselves. If they are working 14 hours non-stop and, as the member for Nelson said earlier today, 14-hour shifts without a moment to even recover from jobs, that is not good.
There was a letter in the newspaper recently where one of the patients who was picked up by St John Ambulance had to share the ambulance with another person. This letter was printed on Tuesday, 23 August. I quote:
The patient had to put up with this sort of thing in an ambulance where, obviously, he must have suffered from some calamity that required him to be conducted by ambulance to hospital, but was then put into a vehicle that had another person in it. It does not help your health for you to deal with the stress that you are already under when you have somebody who is intoxicated and abusive just barely inches from you on the other side of the vehicle, yelling and carrying on at you.
Minister, I ask you to deal with this issue fairly urgently. You cannot keep pushing St John Ambulance like this because, sooner or later, something is going to give. It will be on your head if a patient dies as a result of an inadequate ambulance service. Nobody else is to be blamed but this government. Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, I seek leave to table this.
Leave granted.
Mr WOOD (Nelson): Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, I would like to talk about a constituent of mine who lives in the Humpty Doo area whose name is Ted Chellingworth. I wish to pay tribute to Mr Ted Chellingworth or ‘Two Bob’ as he is fondly known. Mr Chellingworth is a true pioneer of the Territory’s charter fishing industry. He finally hung up his seafaring shoes after dedicating 27 years of boat chartering in Top End waters.
In 1977, Ted went to Perth and paid $47 000 for an 18-month-old, 38’ fibreglass cabin cruiser. He had it transferred to Darwin and changed its name to Born Free. A Master Class 5 licence and the Born Free, combined with an in-depth knowledge and love of the Top End waters, was the beginning of this man’s dream. Ted initially started chartering his boat for two-day weekend fishing trips around the Peron Islands. His boat would accommodate six to eight comfortably and he would supply the fishing tackle, bait, food and water and, most importantly, his knowledge of some of the best fishing locations in the Top End.
As time passed, word of mouth became Ted’s advertising mode. The charter days would be extended to taking groups out two or three times in one week, or for a week at a time, and spread over Territory waters from the Perons to the Vernon, Bathurst and Melville Islands, including Point Fourcroy. Species of fish such as red emporers, golden snappers, coral trout and jewfish were around in abundance and, I am sure, were the focus of many a tall tale or photo for a long time after the trip.
Ted operated as a one-man show. He was the Born Free skipper, cook, and the deckhand who cleaned, gutted and filleted the fish. Anyone who has been on a charter with Ted on the Born Free will remember that he has a routine at meal times which, I believe, he has carried all those 27 years: a table cloth was spread out over the huge ice box and used as a table; a hearty breakfast of freshly caught fish, eggs and toast; lunch was bread rolls with cold meat and salad; and dinner was freshly cooked corned beef, white sauce and vegies. I believe dinner was a bit of an issue on some of the charters; that is, after a long day of fishing, hot sun, fresh air and drinking - water, of course - and basic socialising, many of the charter clientele could not remember on arising the next day, usually with a sore head, whether they had eaten anything, or what was served up, or whether anything had been served up - or maybe even what ocean they were fishing! Just a bit of trivia.
Many locals and their tourist visitors have been on the Born Free or seen it moored, originally at Frances Bay then, in more recent times at the Fannie Bay Trailer Boat Club. Continually rising fuel costs, ongoing boat maintenance and repairs and, finally, reaching the young age of 77, were the major facts in Ted’s decision to sell the Born Free and retire from the industry.
He intends to keep himself busy by spending time with his family: son Raymond, daughters Vicki and Dianne, twins Noelene and Stacey, grandchildren and, of course, fit in some leisure crabbing and fishing.
Finally, as Seniors Week comes to an end, I find it an appropriate time to make this tribute. Ted’s story was about a vision, a dream which he made in to a reality and shared it for 27 years with anyone who was willing to come on board. There is a sense of pride which slowly ebbs out of Ted when he states that, over his 27 years in Territory waters, he has covered over 100 000 nautical miles and, most importantly, has returned everyone home safely. He provided a service to Territorians and their southern visitors to do what Territorians like doing the most: fishing and socialising.
There is a touch of sadness when a longstanding partnership ends between a man doing what he loves the most, in a place that he loves the best on a boat which has passed the test. Thanks, Ted Chellingworth and good luck in retirement.
Members: Hear, hear!
Mr WOOD: I also want to thank Lida Tatarko who, as many of you might know, was the secretary for the member for Goyder, Terry McCarthy, for many years and also my secretary for a while, for providing the information about Ted.
Mr WARREN (Goyder): Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, last week the member for Nelson and I took special leave from parliamentary sittings to attend the funeral of an exceptional Territorian, Mr Graeme Gow. It was a very moving service, and I take this opportunity to record in the Parliamentary Record the eulogy delivered by Graeme’s very close mate, Paul Gibbs. I quote:
A footnote that Paul Gibbs also wanted known is that, whilst Graham did not always agree with everyone, he loved the Territory and Humpty Doo.
I was recently advised that Mrs Michelle Nuske, the chairperson of the Berry Springs School Council, has had to resign from this role because personal work commitments made it difficult for her to continue on as a chairperson. Michelle has been the council chairperson for almost six years. I am reliably informed that her drive and energy is almost legendary. She was certainly committed to supporting Berry Springs School and getting the best she could for her school community. Her school community recently thanked Michelle for her contribution to the school through their newsletter. The good news is that Michelle will be staying on as a member of the school council. It is people like Michelle and her school council colleagues who are often the unsung heroes of our school communities. Another well-known local identity and strong supporter of local communities, Robbo Robinson will act as interim school council chairman until a replacement for Michelle is elected. I am sure all members of the House will agree with me that dedicated people like Michelle are a credit to our school communities and, on behalf of members of the House and the Berry Springs community, I thank her.
I noted in a recent Berry Springs School newsletter that several Berry Springs schoolchildren had done very well at the recent PARCS athletics carnival. Of note were Chantelle Braam and Ben Bickers, who were selected in the PARCS team to compete at the Territory titles. The school community is very proud of their selection. I am sure these two talented students will represent the PARCS team and the school with distinction.
Furthermore, the school has some budding cricketers in Mitchell Mullen, Chris Hardy, Peter Booth, Aaron Wedding, Scott Clark, Scott Mullen and Taylor Mullen, who have all been selected in the Manton Team, and Travis Smith who has been selected in the Wetlands Team. The whole Berry Springs School community is wishing these students well as they compete against the rest of the Territory, as I wish them well.
As many Territorians know, the 2005 World Solar Challenge takes place this coming September. This is a truly international high status event, enticing entrants from corporations and universities around the world. It has now grown to be a major Territory iconic event, and rightly so. It is noteworthy that, again, Kormilda College is taking part. Of course, many of us remember how well Kormilda did in the 2003 World Solar Challenge. In fact, they not only won the Schools Division, but they also took out the Open Stock Class and finished high up overall at 13th place - a great effort. This year’s team members include Jaxon Finestone, Michael Copley, Daniella Kitchen, Ben Saunders, Michael Molina, Rowina Molina, Owen Henry, Austin Wonaemirri, Sally-Anne Orchard, Francis Allan, Arlo Meehan-Tile, Norman Eagle, Glen Summers, Chris Taylor, Alex Willoughby and Danielle Humphris, who lives in my electorate of Goyder, another rural student, Kerri Hauser, who lives in the Nelson electorate.
I remember clearly the 2003 World Solar Challenge. I was working as a senior engineer on the Alice Springs to Darwin railway and my wife, a proud teacher at Kormilda, asked me to keep an eye out for the Kormilda Team while I was down the track. Sure enough, I was at Barrow Creek when the teams, including Kormilda, passed through. Knowing that Kormilda was the only NT representative made me feel quite proud of them and what they were achieving. I feel the same today of the young men and women from Kormilda College who are about to embark on this epic race, and I know they will again make us all feel very proud of them. I am sure all members in the House will join with me wishing Kormilda College all the best in the 2004 Solar Challenge as they again represent the Northern Territory against the rest of the world.
It is great when our school kids do well at sport and go on to represent the Territory. It is especially great news for me when some of our rural kids do well. I have recently heard some Litchfield Soccer Club players - namely Rebecca Jennings, Kendall Nuske, Brogden Kelly, Amber Harrington and Jesse Stevens - were selected in the NT Schools Sports team, and will be travelling to Canberra later in the season. I also note that Alanah Kelly has just returned from Sydney where she competed by invitation in the national championships. I am sure all members in the House will join with me in congratulating these great young sporting achievers. They are certainly great ambassadors for the Northern Territory Soccer fraternity.
Mrs BRAHAM (Braitling): Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, tonight I commend the member for Araluen for her remarks last night in adjournment regarding customary law as it is applied in court. I acknowledge her legal knowledge and respect her for it, and I am quite sure whatever she is trying to do I will be more than happy to support her. I presented amendment to the parliament in the previous Assembly, and I quote from the Parliamentary Record:
There was a lot of negotiation with the Attorney-General’s office and, after months of talking with them, I eventually withdrew my amendment as I had been convinced that the government’s amendment would address my concerns. I quote what the Attorney-General said at the time:
This is the Attorney-General:
The Attorney-General continued:
The Attorney-General:
I thought that was a fairly clear statement on the part of government at the time. In light of what the member for Araluen has said, I trust the Attorney-General will now go back and review to the act to see whether it has flaws or defects.
I have, over the last two weeks, received much support from community people for my stand. People of many of these communities elected indigenous members of this parliament to represent them. We have five indigenous members in this parliament, three of whom are women. Therefore, it is particularly disappointing to me and other people in the community that they had said nothing on this matter. Much has been made of the fact that we thought the indigenous members of this House would be there to speak up for their people or, as I have heard them say many times in debate, ‘my people, our people’. However, they have been silent on this matter. In fact, some indigenous people have contacted me, and have asked where their voices are. I quote a little from one who wrote to me:
They go on to make the comment on the silence of the indigenous women in this House. I know many of them are new. I do not see that it would be greatly against government policy for them to say something on the matter. It is disappointing that they have not commented publicly on this particular issue so indigenous members of the community know where they stand.
However, in saying that, Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, I am pleased that the member for Araluen has joined in the debate. I look forward to what she has to offer in sorting out the legal side of this matter for future reference. I want to assure her that I will certainly join with her in whatever she is supporting, and I trust the Attorney-General will also, once again, as he seemed to indicate in his speech to me, continue to work with us also.
Mr NATT (Drysdale): Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, I was lucky enough to represent the Minister for Defence Support at the launching ceremony of Exercise Kakadu on aboard HMAS Kanimbla on 26 July, so I would like this evening to say a few words about the recent military exercise undertaken in and around our northern waters.
Exercise Kakadu VII is the most important regional maritime exercise undertaken by the Royal Australian Navy and the Australian Defence Force. It is undertaken biannually and, this year, as the number suggests, was the seventh operation embarked upon using Darwin Harbour as their base. The continuation of the exercise shows the measure of success that the Defence Forces place upon the operation for the programming and training of its major service activities.
An impressive array of Australian ships; namely HMAS Kanimbla, Ballarat, Adelaide, Westralia and Warrnambool and a Fremantle class patrol boat HMAS Geraldton, supported the exercise, as did Collins class submarine HMAS Farncomb. A collection of various RAAF aircraft also added air support; namely helicopters from 816 Squadron, F111 maritime strike aircraft from 1 Squadron, F/A18 fighter jets from 75 Squadron, Hawk 127 jets from 79 Squadron, AP3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft from Adelaide, while several civilian Lear jets from New South Wales were employed to tail aerial targets.
Several neighbouring countries were invited to participate in the operation so, adding to the impressive array of Australian Defence Force hardware, were ships from Singapore, New Guinea, Indonesia and Malaysia, while aircraft from New Zealand and Singapore supported our RAAF aircraft in the air. Personnel from the Navies of India, France, the Republic of Korea and Thailand were also here to observe the exercise.
In total, Kakadu had 12 ships, one submarine, five helicopters and over 20 fixed wing aircraft involved in the exercise; a most impressive collection of items from the five countries involved in the exercise.
Of course, this impressive operation would not have been the successful exercise it was if it did not have capable men and women to control the equipment. Fifteen hundred sailors, airmen and women were deployed to Darwin for the three-week exercise. As a consequence, Darwin and the people of the Northern Territory would have welcomed these visitors, ensuring strong bonds will continue to be built with our Defence Forces.
For Darwin residents, it was an impressive sight to see so many military vessels on the harbour, and military aircraft in the skies, with some people even making it an afternoon pastime to watch the planes land at Darwin Airport.
Kakadu VII also provided a boost to the Territory economy. In addition to the service and supply needs attached to the exercise, Territory businesses also benefited as the personnel involved made the most of our great lifestyle for their R&R. Hotels, tourism operators, retailers, restaurants, cafs, and taxi companies are some of the businesses that benefited from this exercise.
The Kakadu exercises serve as a long-running, wider, regional confidence building program with our coalition partners and is aimed to improve the operational effectiveness with Australia’s regional Defence Forces in a concentrated maritime training environment; continue to develop inter-operability and mutual understanding in multilateral operations within a regional maritime environmental context; and of course, forge and maintain friendships between participating units and observers.
In order for the aims I have outlined to be achieved, Kakadu VII had a couple of major objectives; those being to improve the inter-operability via a series of graduated training activities, practice weapons firing, and a structural, tactical free-play phase; as well as further developing combined proficiency, operational standards and safety in the application of mariner and maritime warfare skills.
Of course, these types of operations take a great deal of planning, with safety the most important aspect ensuring operational risks are kept to an absolute minimum. I understand Captain McDowell, and Group Captain Ludwig, together with their team of officers, were the brains trust behind this side of the exercise. I am pleased to say that the entire 17 days went off without a hitch. Well done to those two gentlemen and their support staff.
Commander Mark Hill, Commanding Officer of HMAS Coonawarra, and his staff, together with the personnel from Patrick Defence Logistics, managed the logistic support for the visiting warships and our operational patrol boats. Their efforts before and during the exercise were widely noted by all involved, and attributed to the success of the operation.
I understand that the exercise involved two teams, the Mauve Force and the Green Force, which opposed each other over 17 days, testing each other’s skills against air, surface and submarine threats to improve skills in maritime operations. The mock battle and manoeuvres were vital in gaining efficient and effective training experience whilst preparing each participant for future contingencies, and contributes to strengthening their collaborative relationships. While the forces were on their missions in the northern waters, several able-bodied individuals were based back on land ensuring operations ran smoothly for the exercise. The men and women at RAAF Base Darwin, Northern Command, Defence Maritime Services, and the Darwin Port Corporation were also instrumental in the success of the project and should be congratulated for the part they played.
A particular acknowledgement should be paid to the people of the Darwin community, and the essential relationship Defence has with the Darwin Port Corporation. Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation, Mr Barry Bewick, and Harbourmaster, Captain Bruce Wilson, maintained their commitment and special relationship with the ADF throughout the exercise, and were more than cooperative to accommodate the demands of the exercise. I extend a special thank you to those two gentlemen and their staff.
It is interesting to note that years ago, manoeuvres such as Exercise Kakadu VII would have been very hush-hush and presented as very low key to the public. However, this year’s operations were in full and open view for all to see via a web site set up especially for the exercise. Family and friends of the participants were able to log into the Defence Internet site to view photographs taken throughout the exercise, in the hope of catching a glimpse of their loved one or friend in their role during the exercise. It was a great public relations exercise for the ADF and, again, gave people an insight to another aspect of the Territory.
I must admit I was fascinated on the morning of the launch to fully understand the amount of time and effort that had gone into this exercise. That fact that several of our neighbouring allies were invited to participate and observe was especially comforting, and I am sure they have gleaned an enormous amount of information from our highly-skilled Defence Force personnel to take back to their respective countries to on-skill their forces. I would particularly like to thank Rear Admiral David Thomas for his hospitality that morning, and include in that vote of thanks Commander George McGuire and his staff on HMAS Kanimbla for conducting and hosting the opening ceremony on board the ship.
Exercise Kakadu provides valuable training for the Australian Defence Force as we continue to further goodwill and mutual understanding with our neighbouring regional Defence Forces. This government knows the valuable role Defence plays in the Northern Territory community, both socially and economically, and we look forward to the continued operation of such exercises in the northern waters of Australia.
Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, Kakadu VII was an outstanding success and, I understand, enjoyed by all. I look forward with interest to 2007 when Exercise Kakadu VIII begins.
Mr MILLS (Blain): Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, I want to use this opportunity to, once again, put on the record the story of people who make a difference to our community: good, quiet people who make that difference and may not even know that they do.
Roderick – now he will not be very happy that we all now know that he is Roderick – James William Joyce - Rod Joyce, as everyone knows him - was born in Sydney on 23 September 1943. Rod was born to parents, John and Betty, and is the eldest of three children. He grew up both in the New South Wales outback and in Sydney’s northern beaches. Pallamallawa and Moree were two places that offered a carefree environment after the end of World War II. Rod loved the country life, with his uncle’s bakery, his grandfather’s barber shop and his grandmother playing the piano at the local Saturday night get togethers.
While living in Sydney, there was lots to do, with plenty of relations to socialise with, school to attend and lend a helping hand on a construction site. At the completion of his schooling, Rod took up an apprenticeship as a cabinetmaker - not surprising, as Rod spent a lot of time working with timber, helping his Dad who was a builder. At the age of 21, Rod embarked on two new careers. Firstly, he met Judy, who was 15 at the time, but Rod decided she was the girl he was going to marry.
Three months after they were engaged, Rod joined the Army. He had previously spent three years in the CMF. At the completion of basic training at Kapooka, and core training at Ingleburn, Rod and Judy married. A month after they married, Rod left for Vietnam with 12 of his mates as reinforcements for the infantry battalion serving there. On arrival, he found out that one of his mates he went to school with in Moree had just been killed.
Rod is still in touch with some of the men he served with during that 1966-67 tour of duty with the 6RAR. During that tour, Rod’s first son, Allan, was born in May 1967. Back at home after a short leave, Rod was off to Canungra, Queensland, where their company was to train the next lot off to Vietnam. Not a recognised posting, the Army ignored the families, so Judy packed up Allan and took off for Queensland. Seven months later, the posting for Townsville came through and, in September 1968, Norman was born. The next two years was constant training and bush work, every Monday to Friday, clean gear on Saturday and sleep on Sunday. Somehow or other, in September 1969, Rod’s daughter, Virginia, or Ginny, was born. August 1970 saw the family moving to Inverbrackie in the Adelaide Hills. The posting was to 3RAR, and embarkation to Vietnam took place in February 1971.
Once more, whilst crawling through the mud, Rod got news of a son born. Glen arrived in June 1971. With the troops withdrawn from Vietnam from December 1971, things were not quite so hectic, and Rod stayed in South Australia until August 1977. The next move was back to Sydney, where the family stayed, even though Rod had postings elsewhere for short periods of time.
In 1986, Rod and Judy bought a hobby farm outside of Mudgee, New South Wales, to live a civilian life. After a couple of months, Rod missed the Army life so much he headed off to Ingleburn’s Bardia Barracks where he spent over a third of each year for the next four years.
In 1990, whilst visiting Virginia, who was on an Army posting to Larrakeyah Barracks Darwin, Rod caught up with some mates, the result being the farm was sold and Judy, Rod, cats, and dogs headed for Darwin, where Rod was back to full-time service for the next four years.
During this time, Rod and Judy built a house at Palmerston where they currently live. When the uniform was finally off this time, Rod took up security work, where he moved around the Territory on different jobs. Whether it was Port Keats, Groote Eylandt or the Katherine floods in 1998, Rod was always ready to go. Rod finished off his security days as a permanent at Parliament House until Veteran Affairs placed him on a TPI pension in 2003.
Many people would not know Rod’s story, but we know of him in Palmerston as a volunteer working very quietly behind the scenes, helping many groups and putting in endless hours for many years. Even though he has done his bit to serve his country, he is still serving the community he calls home. Rod and Judy - Judy is more well known, but I have taken this time to do this adjournment debate on Rod and Judy will follow - will be celebrating their 39th wedding anniversary this year, plus the birth of another grandchild. The count so far is eight grandchildren.
Some of the community groups that Rod is involved in are the Palmerston Lions Club, where he served as a ‘Lion Tamer’; the Alexandra Day Club – hands-on work for 12 years; the Palmerston Seniors Songsters - the equipment handler; Palmerston Australia Day Committee - committee member and gofer, and he certainly does that without a fuss; if anything is needed Rod will l do it; Camp Quality fundraiser and cruise driver; volunteer driver for the seniors citizens – he is a driver; Vietnam Veterans Association - a member; the TPI Association - a member; Palmerston and Rural U3A - committee member; and Bakewell Primary School - lollipop person. Rod helps out wherever he can, whenever he is needed, and has even been seen dressed in that red suit at Christmas time.
Rod, many people in Palmerston and beyond have seen your work and admire you immensely. We congratulate you and salute you as a servant of our community who has made a difference.
Mrs MILLER (Katherine): Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, I have the greatest pleasure tonight to place on record the Katherine School of the Air trip to Darwin and, especially, their trip to Parliament House. This trip was very special for the students of Katherine School of the Air, because it brought together students who do not have the opportunity to attend school in an urban or regional area with other students and, therefore, they do not get very much opportunity to interact with each other.
These children are spread over a wide area, with vast distances separating them during school hours. They receive their schooling from the School of the Air base in Katherine, with their teachers talking to them via radio link. It is an entirely different situation than sitting in a classroom with other students with the teacher standing out the front.
The opportunities for these students to get together is always welcomed, and the trip to Darwin this week is one of those special occasions. The students and their teachers visited Parliament House on the 23 August, and watched parliament in session from the visitor’s gallery. I hope that the members in the Assembly were well behaved while they were here. Even though this is a House of serious and very important debate, we do not send a good message to students when there is unruly behaviour in the Assembly. I hope the experience was an uplifting one for these students.
They were accompanied on this trip by their teachers, Jodi Hart, Patrick Curtain, Jenna Towers and Rachel Olsson. I would like to read into Hansard the names of the students who enjoyed their trip to Parliament House so much. They were: Ashley Watts, Mary River Station; Mikayla Bouma, Kalkarindji; Kayla Struber, Rosewood Station; Amy Harding, Gorrie Station; Samantha Roth, Larrimah; Louise Rush, Anthony Lagoon Station; Dannielle Darcy, Mullapunyah Station; Jacob Dunn, Legune Station; Dean Holzwart, Avago Station; Hayden Riggs, Lakefield Station; Freddy Martin, Kununurra; PJ Ellis, Kununurra; Jaimie Lindsay, Numbulwar; Bianca Groves, Marrakai Station; Emma Sharp, Kiana Station; and Skye MacFarlane, Stylo Station.
I also mention that Skye did a magnificent job at the Katherine Show this year. She led the champion Brahman and she did just the most wonderful job - a small, slight girl managing this wonderful, magnificent animal was a sight to behold. She absolutely loves her Brahmans and did a wonderful job. A big thank you and a big congratulation to Skye. She has a great future in the rural area.
Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, this adjournment speech may only be very sort tonight, but I just wanted to make sure these students and their teachers were recognised. They are separated by many kilometres each day. When other kids are in school, these kids are kilometres apart. I know that they will have happy memories of their time together in Darwin and their visit to Parliament House.
Motion agreed to; the Assembly adjourned.
STATEMENT BY SPEAKER
Presentation of Address-In Reply to His Honour the Administrator
Presentation of Address-In Reply to His Honour the Administrator
Madam SPEAKER: I remind honourable members that it is my intention to present the Address-In-Reply to His Honour the Administrator at Government House. The House will rise at 10.45 am, and I request all honourable members to assemble on the verandah of Government House by 11 am and accompany me to present the Address-in-Reply. A program has been distributed to all honourable members outlining the order of proceedings.
PETITION
Reinstatement of Pedestrian Crossing at Adelaide River Railway Heritage Precinct
Reinstatement of Pedestrian Crossing at Adelaide River Railway Heritage Precinct
Mr KNIGHT (Daly): Madam Speaker, I am proud to present my first petition to the House. I present a petition from 512 petitioners praying for the reinstatement of the pedestrian crossing across the Adelaide to Darwin Railway at the Adelaide River Railway Heritage Precinct. The petition bears the Clerk’s certificate that it conforms with the requirements of standing orders. Madam Speaker, I move that the petition be read.
Motion agreed to; petition read:
- To the honourable Speaker and members of the Legislative Assembly of the Northern Territory, we the undersigned
respectfully showeth that in relation to the Adelaide River Railway Heritage Precinct, Lot 194A Town of Adelaide River
in the Northern Territory of Australia, a situation exists which is harmful to the aspirations and attractions of the Adelaide
River community, as a tourism visitation venue and to the ongoing development and preservation of the Railway
Station Museum Heritage site as an integral part of the tourism and heritage attractions of that community.
We sadly note the installation of an impenetrable fence line at the museum and regret the ongoing refusal of the
Northern Territory government to reinstate and provide the pedestrian crossing across the North Australian Railway
track and Alice Springs to Darwin Railway, an asset and benefit which has existed for over 100 years, thus denying direct
access from the Stuart Highway Visitor Information and Heritage site car park to the Adelaide River Railway Station Heritage
site. This situation both denies pedestrian access and further deters visitations to an important local Heritage and Tourism
and Railway History venue.
Your petitioners therefore humbly pray that the Northern Territory government both endorse the need for and facilitate the
installation and reinstatement of the pedestrian crossing across the Adelaide to Darwin Railway at the Adelaide River
Railway Museum and permit a gateway to be provided in the fence line currently installed between the museum and track
way to permit pedestrian access, and your petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray.
MINISTERIAL REPORTS
Investment Support
Investment Support
Mr HENDERSON (Business and Economic Development): Madam Speaker, this morning I inform the House about a new government initiative from the Department of Business, Economic and Regional Development to support investment in the Northern Territory.
The Martin government is driving economic growth in the Northern Territory because it means jobs for Territorians, and we know that investor confidence is central to future economic growth for the Territory. The Martin government understands our role in driving investor confidence in the Northern Territory economy, and we are delivering on a number of fronts, including a record capital works budget, the lowest taxes for small business in the country - and that really is a great testament to the work of the government to have achieved that in our first term. I pay tribute this morning to our Treasurer; to have achieved in the first term the title of lowest taxing jurisdiction in Australia for small business really gives our businesses an advantage - and a reformed government procurement policy. I look forward to the election commitments that we made on procurement actually coming into this parliament in new policy.
Earlier this week, the Chief Minister outlined another of the government’s commitments to driving and supporting investment: our financial support for the magnificent Darwin waterfront and convention centre, a project that will generate 15 years of development for Darwin.
As the Territory economy matures and strengthens, we are witnessing a growing push from the private sector to put its stake in the huge opportunities available in the Territory.
The newly formed Department of Business, Economic and Regional Development pulls together this government’s commitment to driving growth in the Territory’s key industries and attracting new developments and investments to keep the Territory moving ahead.
As the government’s lead agency in attracting investment to the Northern Territory, DBERD has come up with a new tool highlighting the investment opportunities here in the Territory. I table a copy, and have provided the Table Office with copies for interested members.
The Northern Territory industry sector snapshots cover 14 key industries. These are: agriculture, forestry and fishing; the construction sector; communication services; government administration and defence; electricity, water and gas services; finance and insurance; health and education; manufacturing; mining; personal and other services; property and business services; wholesale and retail trade; the tourism industry; and transport and storage. These industry sector snapshots provide a factual overview of the industries, the outlook and future opportunities within the sector, the number of businesses and the jobs generated in the sector, and the sector’s economic value.
Using data from the ABS, the snapshots also offer the sector’s overall contribution to the Territory’s gross state product and the contribution of the varying sub-sectors to employment. The snapshots are posted on-line at the government’s web site, are available in hard copy, and will be updated yearly in line with the ABS release of gross state product figures.
There has been a huge amount of work done in the department on this. As members would be aware, trying to get an accurate picture across the Northern Territory of how various industry sectors are faring is a huge job.
The ABS does a fabulous job in publishing statistics, but those statistics, in the series that are presented, really vary in the times that they are presented and the number of years that they focus on. Pulling all of these figures together - all the various statistics not only from the ABS; there is government data in there - and focusing them on the various sectors of the economy has taken people in the department a couple of years. Now they have it together, we will be able to publish this on an annual basis. The reason that I, as minister, have been driving this is, in talking to the business community, people who are looking to invest want to know in detail – particularly new investors who probably have not been to the Territory before - the profile of the Northern Territory’s economy. To be able to present this, have it at our fingertips and on the web site is going to be a huge boost to the business community and people who are seriously looking at investing in our economy.
These are snapshots for the Northern Territory. The next challenge that I have set my department now I have Regional Development is we are now going to try to break that down into the various regions. This is a great job of work by the public servants who have pulled that together. I pay tribute to them.
Madam Speaker, these industry sector snapshots are another way the government is providing practical support to grow investment in the Territory, and create jobs for Territorians. I am sure that they will prove a handy tool for investment decisions.
Mrs MILLER (Katherine): Madam Speaker, I welcome the minister’s report, and thank him for the industry sector snapshots.
Of course, industry and investment in the Northern Territory is extremely important. I hope the minister takes into account regional areas as well as Alice Springs and Darwin. Regional areas seem to miss out.
I cannot let this pass without mentioning the score card that the Country Liberal Party has had in the Northern Territory as far as infrastructure development in the industry sector goes. The Northern Territory has benefited tremendously from the foresight and initiatives of the Country Liberal Party and its partner, the federal Liberal government.
Minister, your endorsement would be very nice to say that the Country Liberal Party did address these issues in the past and we did get an A for infrastructure on the gas project and airports. Our railway - yes I will repeat it - our railway infrastructure got an A mark and so it should in your infrastructure report. The CLP was directly responsible for that.
I am very pleased that the infrastructure and development that has been put into the Northern Territory by the Country Liberal Party, we are very proud of it. I thank the minister for his report, and I look forward to reading his industry sector snapshots.
Mrs BRAHAM (Braitling): Madam Speaker, as usual, we do not have time to digest what has been put on our table. I am sure some of the information in it may be interesting.
However, I ask the minister to justify why he has put tourism, which is meant to be a separate body and has its own act, in the Department of Business, Economic and Regional Development. There is a lot of concern expressed in the industry that this particular move by the government to amalgamate tourism will, in fact, take away its autonomy and its ability to work separately as an industry.
It has become another one of these 14 sections under this mega-department. It is quite justified that people out there are saying: ‘Why this move again? You have centralised everything in Darwin. Again, you are taking away the decision-making and the autonomy of a department that has been doing a great job for the Territory’. Why have you made this move? In the perception of the industry, it is not a good move, cannot be justified and will, in fact, affect the Tourism Commission.
Mr HENDERSON (Business and Economic Development): Madam Speaker, starting with the member for Braitling, I answered a question in the House last week to that effect and I urge the member to go back to the Daily Hansard.
It is great to hear the member for Katherine talking about history, because we know where this comes from. It comes from the great Shane Stone report. I am sure everyone has read it. We have all read it, and had a great deal of fun with it. Of course, one of the things is: ‘To the four who are left, you have to keep talking about our history’. It is a good start by member for Katherine. Although she mentioned that, she did not mention other parts of the Stone review. I do not have a copy of it here but, certainly, the statements about the sitting MLAs, with comments that they were ‘bone idle, lazy, arrogant, they had lost touch’ - and those were some of the more complimentary things their own party said about members opposite. Come in here, and let us talk about the Stone review.
There was no gas project under the CLP government. If we are talking about airports in the Territory, I thought the airports were owned by the private sector. Those airports are owned by the private sector. The report card had nothing to do with the CLP; they had everything to do with Territory airports and private sector investment.
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, your time has expired.
Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards
Ms SCRYMGOUR (Arts and Museums): Madam Speaker, I report on the 22nd Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Award, or NATSIAA, which opened on Friday, 12 August 2005 in the grounds of the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory in Darwin.
Since its inception, NATSIAA has developed into the nation’s most undisputed prestigious indigenous art prize. The annual opening ceremony of the Telstra Art Award is a major Dry Season event and attracts visitors and artists from all over the country, as well as internationally. This year, over 1000 people attended the opening. Staged to coincide with the classic tropical sunset, the ceremony has become an exciting public event and includes the awards announcement and prize presentation, free entertainment from indigenous, traditional and contemporary artists, and entry to the Telstra art award exhibition.
This year, NATSIAA was officially opened by Hon Clare Martin MLA, Chief Minister, and featured guest speaker Mandawuy Yunupingu from the Yothu Yindi Foundation, who delivered a thought-provoking and inspiring address.
Prizes were announced by Mr Lawrie Mortimer, General Manager of the new Indigenous Directorate at Telstra Country Wide, which is based in Darwin. The Wandjuk Marika Three-Dimensional Memorial Award was announced for the first time by Mawalan Marika, a very special gesture that I hope continues into the future.
In addition, Mr Mortimer reaffirmed, very importantly, Telstra Country Wide’s continued commitment to NATSIAA for another five years, cementing the very important partnership that Telstra enjoys with the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory in promoting awareness and appreciation of indigenous artistic excellence across the nation.
Judges of the Telstra Art Award this year were Mr Doug Hall, Director of the Queensland Art Gallery and Ms Destiny Deacon, visual artist from Melbourne. The four category winners were: Evelyn Pultara from Utopia, for her work Yam Dreaming, who received the Telstra General Painting Award; the Telstra Bark Painting Award went to Bunduk Marika from Yirrkala, for her work Yalangbara; Gayle Maddigan from Mandurang, Victoria, for her work Remembered Ritual, who received the Telstra Works on Paper Award; and Naminapu Maymuru-White from Yirrkala, for her work Milngiyawuy, who received the Wandjuk Marika Three-Dimensional Award, sponsored by Telstra.
The coveted acquisitive Telstra First Prize of $40,000 was awarded to the Blackstone Tjanpi Weavers, a collective of 20 women artists from the Blackstone community in Western Australia, who spent three weeks creating their entry, Tjanpi Grass Toyota. The judges remarked that this entry:
- … is a wonderfully witty, well-crafted and relevant work. In one sense it takes us to the heart of community life and its tradition
of weaving from grass that belongs to the women’s country. On the other hand this work not only recognises but also
celebrates the four-wheel drive as central to desert living for Aboriginal people.
I extend my congratulations to all the winners, the final entrants who numbered over 100, and the judges who had the unenviable task of selecting this year’s category and overall prize winner.
A sure index of success is the amount and variety of media tension an event attracts. This year’s judges’ decision certainly attracted a range of positive, critical and, at times, sizzling debate in the media. I welcome the attention that NATSIAA has commanded nationally, and encourage the critical debate and analysing to continue.
Three years ago, the Museum and Art Gallery positioned the Telstra Art Awards firmly in Darwin’s event calendar to be staged in the second week of August. At the time, MAGNT also forged a tripartite workshop with the Garma and Darwin Festivals, and ensured these three events were positioned side by side in the arts calendar, and could draw upon their respective strengths and share resources. The Telstra Art Award is also badged as a premier visual arts event in the Darwin Festival. This year, this partnership was realised through the sharing of key cultural performances that appeared at each event. The Gapapuyngu dancers from Elcho Island and the Takbing Siwaliya musicians and dancers from Makassar, South Sulawesi, workshopped a cultural performance at the Garma Festival that was then featured at the NATSIAA opening and the Darwin Festival program.
In addition, other Northern Territory government agencies such as the Northern Territory Tourist Commission worked with the partnerships to ensure these programs were promoted nationally. To join together these three iconic events - NATSIAA, Garma and the Darwin Festival - was visionary. I would like to pay my tribute to the previous minister for arts, Clare Martin, whose commitment and foresight is tangible in badging and presentation of these national and international events, and I look forward to the future.
Mr MILLS (Blain): Madam Speaker, the opposition also adds our support to this report, recognising the important contribution that Telstra makes to the raising of the profile of a very important aspect of indigenous culture, not only in the Territory, but nationally and internationally, by support of the arts awards.
We also recognise the fine collection that we have at the Museum and Art Gallery, and the people who are behind that gallery and the work that they do. So many of our visitors are genuinely impressed by what they see, and have an opportunity to go behind the story and learn a bit more about indigenous culture through the heart. We also recognise the fine work that is going on through many of our galleries. Members who have taken the opportunity to go behind the scenes of the galleries, will see the connection between the gallery and the local communities. There are some good stories and there are some not-so-good stories, but I prefer to encourage that which is good and to discourage, quietly, that which is not so good. However, those who are putting their emphasis in the right places and genuinely working to support local indigenous artists are prospering and succeeding in passing on those benefits, generally, to the communities concerned.
The opposition certainly does support this report, and acknowledges the great importance of both music and visual arts as a medium to strengthen hope, career paths and opportunity within our indigenous communities. We look forward to further reports in this area.
Northern Territory Institute of Sport Scholarship Recipients
Ms LAWRIE (Sport and Recreation): Madam Speaker, I am pleased to be able to announce the recipients of the 2005-06 scholarships with the Northern Territory Institute of Sport. The chosen athletes have excelled at their sport and deserve our recognition and praise. They will join a respected group of athletes, many whom have become household names. Judith Green, Jane Swan, Nova Peris, Mark Hickman and Steven Holt are just some of the athletes who were NTIS scholarship holders in the past, Olympic gold medallists amongst them.
This year, a total of 34 athletes from 16 sports have been awarded an NTIS individual scholarship. The scholarships, in total, are worth $114 000, which covers travel and competition training expenses. This includes seven athletes who are joining the NTIS for the first time, which is very exciting for them. I was encouraged to learn that, for the first time, five athletes from the junior elite development level have moved up to the elite level in just one year. As a result, the number of elite development scholarship holders has more than doubled this year, up to 14 from six in 2003-04.
A scholarship with the NTIS is much sought after. It opens the door for athletes to first-class facilities such as the sport science lab, professional coaching, sports medicine and a fully equipped gym. With the trials for the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games just around the corner, now, more than ever, these athletes will reap the rewards of such fantastic facilities and support.
We recently saw three NTIS members form the backbone of the Australian Under 21 men’s hockey team, which won silver at the Junior World Cup. They came so close to gold, going down 2-1 to Argentina, which scored a goal after the siren. Desmond Abbott, Colin Hennessey and Joel Carroll showed themselves to be three of the best young hockey players in the world. Colin Hennessey scored the goal for Australia in the final, to take him to 15 goals for the tournament, which won him the top goal scorer award.
Congratulations to all our scholarship holders. Here is hoping the rest of Australia hears of them all very soon.
I would now like to quickly run through the successful scholarship holders. Six athletes received elite scholarships: Dave Byars, blind lawn bowls; Kelly Fong, judo; Melanie Hall, wheelchair basketball; Michelle Halprin, tenpin bowling; Andrew McArthur, tenpin bowling; and Ronald Voukolos, tenpin bowling.
There are 14 athletes who received Elite Development scholarships: Desmond Abbott, Symone Bell, Joel Carroll, Travis Carroll, Colin Hennessey and David Hennessey, all hockey; Crystal Attenborough, athletics; Karyn Bailey, netball; Christopher Johns, BMX; Daniel Johnston, mountain biking; Sophie Joynes, triathlon; Maria Tsoukalis, weightlifting; Julie Woerner, cricket; and Dennis Wormald, blind lawn bows.
Fourteen athletes received Junior Elite Development scholarships and these are: Jack Benson, yachting; Nicholas Blackwell, judo; Rebecca Brooke, weightlifting; Ashlee Brown, tennis; Joseph Egan, Rugby Union, Robert Kennedy, tenpin bowling; Heather Langham, hockey; Adrian Lockley, hockey; Hayley McKinnon, swimming; Emily Peris, hockey; Jonathon Peris, hockey; Troy Taylor, swimming; Kia King, swimming; and Rachel McLean, swimming.
I am sure the House will join me in congratulating these fine Territory athletes. We wish them all the very best for their future sporting careers.
Members: Hear, hear!
Mr MILLS (Blain): Madam Speaker, this side of the House also wishes them all the best for their future sporting careers.
An interesting aspect of this report, however, is the reference to ‘household names’. As someone who has raised children here and worked with young people, a lot of those names that were referred as now ‘known’ had their beginnings at grassroots sports organisations where their names were not known. Now they are known.
Today, there are young people out there whose names we do not know. We want to make sure that those whose names we do not know have the right support through grassroots organisations, down to the grassroots level, and are able to go up to become household names. In five years time, kids’ names that we do not currently know, we will be able to speak of.
That is why, when we are talking about the amount of funding that is going to ‘top of town’ events like major sporting fixtures - and I asked the minister the other day: ‘Has $1m been spent to bring the Western Bulldogs to town?’. She said: ‘No, $1m has not been spent’. Well, I will have to get smarter here; I think it is about $900 000. If that amount of money was to be invested differently, perhaps by supporting grassroots sporting organisations with those good volunteer coaches, it would be able to bring some of those names that we currently do not know and bring them to prominence. Invest in a different way; that was the purpose of the question. It is a question that I asked the minister; to consider carefully in structuring the way that money is divided up, either to appeal to the masses or is it going to be invested to assist junior coaches and bring those names that we currently do not know to prominence? Do not miss one out. Do not miss one kid who has got potential. If you invest the money sensibly, we can bring them up.
Ms LAWRIE (Sport and Recreation): Madam Speaker, I thank the shadow spokesperson for his response because I know he is genuine in his desire to see improvement at grassroots level in sport throughout the Territory. However, what I have to say to you is that the Martin Labor government has increased funding to the grassroots level grants program. The grants program is about to go back out …
Mr Mills: You need to get out there more; they ain’t saying that!
Ms LAWRIE: You asked the question; give me the courtesy of allowing me to respond. We are about to go back out publicly to open up that grants program again ...
Mr Mills: Well, an appropriate statement will have no response – that is an inappropriate statement.
Ms LAWRIE: You are sitting over there mumbling and not listening. That is possibly part of the problem for the CLP.
The bulk of the dollars spent in sport and recreation in the Territory are at grassroots level. We fund the peak bodies, which support and provide for sporting organisations. We also separately open up a grants program each year. That grants program is about to open up.
However, NTIS has its place. We have to support the ones who go through the grassroots level and reach a level where they are aspiring to national and international competition. We have to cover from the base level to the very top. NTIS is just one part of what we are doing at Sport and Recreation, but it is an important part because kids in the Territory love to see local role models.
There is no coincidence in the fact that two of the young ones on this list are Peris kids because they saw within their own family that a kid in the Territory can reach the very top of their sport in the world. That is a credit to the work that Nova has done.
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, your time has expired.
Reports noted pursuant to Sessional Order.
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AMENDMENT (POLICE ORDERS) BILL
(Serial 17)
(Serial 17)
Bill presented and read a first time.
Dr TOYNE (Justice and Attorney-General): Madam Speaker, I move that the bill be now read a second time.
The purpose of this bill is to amend the Domestic Violence Act to provide for authorised police officers to issue urgent restraining orders in certain circumstances, and to repeal the Domestic Violence Amendment Act 2001. The objectives of the amendments contained in the bill are to give police greater flexibility in their immediate response to incidents of domestic violence, and to decrease the amount of out-of-hours work for magistrates.
Section 6 of the act currently provides for a police officer to make an application outside of normal court hours by telephone to a duty magistrate for a restraining order. This process provides access to the protection of a restraining order overnight and on weekends and public holidays, when it is not possible to file an application for a restraining order at a court registry.
The number of urgent out-of-hours applications being made under section 6 of the Domestic Violence Act has increased significantly. Applications increased from 39 in 1999 to 724 in 2004. In 2005, to the end of March, 199 applications had been made by police under section 6 of the act. This reflects both an increased awareness about legal remedies available for domestic violence, and some recent operational changes made by police with respect to domestic violence.
Northern Territory police introduced a Violence Reduction Strategy in late 2004 that required police to take formal action with respect to incidents of domestic violence. This may involve investigation and charging for criminal offences, or making an application for a restraining order, depending on the circumstances of each case.
Police currently have a broad range of powers in order to intervene in domestic violence incidents to provide protection for victims, and to hold offenders accountable for their behaviour. These include:
powers of entry where a person is at risk of physical injury or where a contravention of a domestic
violence restraining order has occurred or may occur;
for an urgent restraining order;
and to grant or refuse bail to a person charged with a criminal offence; and
behalf of the person in need of protection.
This bill will provide police with an additional power that will complement these existing powers. A number of other Australian jurisdictions have introduced laws that permit police, as well as courts, to issue restraining orders in certain circumstances.
The bill repeals the existing section 6 of the act and replaces it with new provisions for urgent, out-of-hours orders to be made by either a magistrate or authorised police officers. The bill permits a police officer of or above the rank of senior sergeant, or an officer in charge for the time being of a police station, to issue a restraining order if it is necessary to ensure the immediate safety of a person for whose protection the order is being made.
The bill also provides the option for police to make an application to a magistrate by telephone, facsimile or other electronic means for an urgent order where it is not practicable for an application to be made at the court.
In order to provide immediate protection for people at risk of harm from domestic violence, police will be able to either make an application to a magistrate, or have an authorised police officer issue an order.
It is envisaged that, while police will now be able to deal with many incidents of domestic violence that occur outside the normal court hours or in remote areas on an urgent basis without having to make an application to a magistrate, it is still necessary to preserve the option for police to make an application for an urgent order to a magistrate in particularly complex or sensitive matters. However, it is understood that these matters will be in a minor proportion.
If police or a magistrate make an urgent order, it will then be adjourned to a later date for a magistrate to confirm the order. The defendant is summoned to appear at the confirmation hearing when they receive a copy of the urgent order. An urgent order is not binding on a defendant until it has been served on them.
The confirmation hearing before a magistrate gives the parties an opportunity to consider their position, and to advise the court whether any alteration needs to be made to the scope and nature of a restraining order. It is also a mechanism for providing procedural fairness for a defendant, as urgent orders may be made without notice and in the absence of the defendant.
In centres such as Darwin, Katherine and Alice Springs, it is anticipated that urgent orders made by either police or a magistrate will be confirmed by the court within two to five working days. In other remote locations, the return date may be up to four weeks of an urgent order being made. Given that some urgent interim orders issued by police in remote areas will not be listed for confirmation for some weeks, it is necessary to provide a review process for people affected by these types of orders who do not have access to a court other than a circuit court.
When police make an urgent order, they will be obliged to inform the defendant of their right under the act to seek a review of that order from a magistrate. Where a defendant requests a review of a police order, police must facilitate an application by the defendant to a magistrate for a variation or revocation of the order. Such an application may be made by telephone or other form of electronic communication to a magistrate. This process is analogous to the review that is available in the Bail Act, where police have refused to grant bail to a person. Under section 20AB of the Domestic Violence Act, the Chief Magistrate may issue rules or practice directions for the purposes of the act. It is anticipated that the Chief Magistrate may make rules or practice directions relating to the time and manner for making such applications.
It is not intended that an application for a review be immediately available to a defendant, particularly when police issue an order outside of normal court hours, and that a review within one to three working days of the order being made would meet the needs of a defendant in this regard.
The provisions of section 10 of the Domestic Violence Act with respect to a mandatory minimum sentence for a second or subsequent breach of a restraining order will not apply to orders made by police until they are confirmed by a magistrate. It is not appropriate for a mandatory minimum sentence to apply to an order that is administrative rather than judicial in character.
Finally, the bill repeals the Domestic Violence Amendment Act 2001, which provided for police interim restraining orders. That act was never commenced, in part due to concerns about how the provisions in relation to police interim restraining orders would operate in practice.
While the government has introduced this bill to meet the objective of giving police greater flexibility in their response to domestic violence, and alleviating the pressure of out of hours work on magistrates, other aspects of the Domestic Violence Act are being addressed through a general review of the act that is being conducted by the Department of Justice. This review will also provide an opportunity for an assessment of the operation of the provisions introduced by this bill. Madam Speaker I commend the bill to honourable members.
Debate adjourned.
STATEMENT BY SPEAKER
Presentation of Address-In-Reply to His Honour the Administrator
Presentation of Address-In-Reply to His Honour the Administrator
Madam SPEAKER: I remind honourable members that it is my intention to present the Address-in-Reply to His Honour the Administrator at Government House. I request all honourable members to assemble on the verandah of Government House by 11 am and accompany me to present the address. A program has been distributed to all honourable members outlining the order of proceedings. Honourable members are also reminded that, following the presentation, a group photograph of all members will be taken for the historical record.
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Sittings suspended.
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Sittings suspended.
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VISITORS
Madam SPEAKER: I advise honourable members of the presence in the gallery of the committee of the Darwin Legacy Widows Club, the NT Carers Association, senior citizens from Drysdale electorate and interstate visitors. On behalf of honourable members, I extend a very warm welcome to our visitors.
Members: Hear, hear!
STATEMENT BY SPEAKER
Presentation of Address-in-Reply to His Honour the Administrator
Presentation of Address-in-Reply to His Honour the Administrator
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I advise that, accompanied by honourable members, I attended upon His Honour the Administrator this day and there and then presented to him the Address-in-Reply to the speech His Honour delivered on the occasion of the opening of the Tenth Assembly, and that His Honour was pleased to make the following reply:
- Madam Speaker, thank you for your Address-in-Reply which you have presented to me. It will afford me great pleasure
to convey to Her Most Gracious Majesty the Queen, through the Governor-General, the message of loyalty of the
Legislative Assembly of the Northern Territory of Australia to which the address gives expression.
MINISTERIAL STATEMENT
Better Health for Mothers and Children
Better Health for Mothers and Children
Dr TOYNE (Health): Madam Speaker, today I provide a statement to the Assembly on this government’s commitment to better health for mothers and children. Building Healthier Communities is the Martin government’s vision for better health and wellbeing for Territorians, and giving kids a good start in life is one of the key priorities identified in Building Healthier Communities.
We know that the scientific evidence is increasingly clear: what happens to babies before they are born and during their first years can shape the rest of their lives. We know that quality care during and after pregnancy, combined with comprehensive child health services, provide a high return for health investment. Quality antenatal care promotes a healthy pregnancy by treating medical problems as they arise, addressing social risk factors such as smoking, and linking the mother and family with support services. This means fewer complications for mothers and more babies born on time, healthy and of good birth weight. Postnatal and child health services include child health checks, the early identification and treatment of health problems, vaccinations, advice on breastfeeding and nutrition, help with nurturing and parenting, and making links to other support and social services.
They aim to keep children on track so they grow and develop, and are healthy, ready to learn, and prepared for school. The provision of such services is strongly backed by the research evidence, which shows that the brain growth is greatest during the early years of life. This is when the potential for development and learning is greatest. Improving care for kids in their early years pays off in their future educational attainment and employment opportunities, and in avoiding antisocial behaviour and crime. It is also an investment in their future adult health.
There is compelling evidence that links low birth weight and poor infant growth to the development of chronic disease later in life. This is important for all Territorians, but particularly for Aboriginal people who have very high rates of chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and kidney disease. In the Northern Territory, we are making significant improvements in the area of preventable chronic diseases, with better early detection of disease through screening, and the development of best practice treatment guidelines and care plans. We have also greatly extended renal services, bringing dialysis to small regional centres and remote communities. This will improve the quality of life for many.
However, we must get to the root cause of chronic disease and, to do that, we must effectively address maternal and child health needs. Accordingly, we made the health of children and mothers a key area for action in our first term, and we shall continue this focus during this term of government.
We have established a number of priority areas for action in maternal and child health:
1. effective antenatal and postnatal care that targets reductions in smoking and alcohol consumption
during and after pregnancy;
communities; and
and improving the timeliness of interventions.
To provide holistic child health services, we must also link our health services to social support services that assist families to care for their children. We must work with other services beyond the health sector, such as education, housing, and sport and recreation, to improve the environments in which children and families live.
These priorities are supported by the national and international evidence. For example, earlier this year, the Australian Medical Association released its report card on Aboriginal health, in which it identified low birth weight as a major preventable health issue. The report card advocated better antenatal care and interventions to address nutrition, smoking, alcohol and teenage pregnancy as key strategies reducing the health gap between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians.
The Northern Territory is also involved in a number of national initiatives, such as the National Agenda for Early Childhood, the National Public Health Strategic Framework and the national standardising of maternity services. Indeed, we are taking a lead role in the National Child Health and Wellbeing Reform project, under the Australian Health ministers and Community and Disability Services ministerial councils. This project aims to improve child health and wellbeing through four specific outcomes:
1. national evidence-based guidelines for antenatal care;
in the antenatal period and early years;
Ministers annually; and
Through this process, key issues for the Territory are being adopted as issues of national concern, with a resulting national commitment of resolve and resources to improve child health and wellbeing. These practical actions have the potential to not only improve child health and wellbeing now, but also to influence the long-term health and wellbeing of the Australian population. This national reform process provides an opportunity to showcase the Territory’s skills and expertise in child health. We will continue to lead this work by chairing the cross-sectoral, cross-jurisdictional steering committee, and providing content expertise to the specific projects.
I also am pleased to report that the inter-governmental work on the new National Chronic Disease Strategy has drawn heavily on the experience of the NT Preventable Chronic Disease Strategy, the first in Australia to include birth outcomes and infant nutrition as a preventative component of adult chronic disease strategy.
I will now outline what we have done in giving kids a good start in life in the Territory during our first term of office, and how we plan to build on this in the future. Early in the first term of our government, we committed $2.2m per year to the Child Health Initiative to employ 25 additional child health personnel for remote communities. This represents the biggest single boost ever to child health services in remote Territory communities. The Child Health Initiative addresses the health needs of Aboriginal children and meets the challenge of access to services in geographically isolated and dispersed populations.
We have delivered on this commitment and formed a new NT-wide maternal child and youth health team with child health nurses, Aboriginal health workers, nutritionists, Aboriginal health promotional officers, Strong Women coordinators, and community child health workers. Town-based staff are located in Darwin, Nhulunbuy, Tennant Creek and Alice Springs, and there are a number of community-based child health workers. The team provides program support, training and practical assistance to remote area health centres and communities, and is working collaboratively with non-government Aboriginal medical services. Coordinators in Central Australia and the Top End are providing leadership and guidance to staff to ensure a consistent and evidence-based approach to improving child health outcomes, under the guidance of the department’s Program Director for Maternal, Child and Youth Health.
Our initial priority has been ensuring universal child health monitoring through both the Gross Assessment and Action (GAA) program, and the role out of the Healthy School-Age Kids program in collaboration with the Department of Employment, Education and Training. GAA has an emphasis on action for those children who are not thriving, and is currently running in 78 communities. Although under-nutrition and malnutrition remain significant problems, we are seeing some reductions in underweight and anaemic children. The Healthy School-Age Kids program is running in the majority of Top End communities and is now being rolled out in Central Australia. Work has started to further develop under fives, or ‘early years’ programs.
Community-based child health workers are an essential part of the program providing support to the core child health programs, and increase the capacity to respond to local needs; for example, by incorporating child health and education activities in play groups and crches and running ear health programs.
The importance of breastfeeding and good childhood nutrition cannot be underestimated. The new infant feeding guidelines are being developed based on a recent National Health and Medical Research recommendations for exclusive breastfeeding until around six months of age. The education resources for remote communities and urban centres are being developed. Four of our NT hospitals - Katherine, Gove, Tennant Creek and Alice Springs - have received baby-friendly hospital accreditation for their support for breastfeeding. I congratulate staff on achieving this important accreditation.
Good nutrition not only improves health but can improve educational outcomes with improved attendance at school, and increasing students’ capacity to learn through increased concentration and participation in learning activities. Accordingly, we have established the School Breakfast program to provide nutritious meals for school children. This is now running in seven communities and provides meals for over 500 students.
The foundations for good health are laid down before birth, and this government has been active in improving maternal health and birthing services for all Territory women. In November last year, I announced a significant maternity services package which includes: funding to move the Community Midwifery program in Darwin to a community location; employing a project officer to implement home birth services in Darwin and Alice Springs; employing two outreach midwives to provide support and maternity care to women from Top End and Central Australian remote communities; and funding for doctors and midwives to undergo emergency obstetric training.
The funding for the Community Midwifery program will allow this important program to move from Royal Darwin Hospital to a community location in Casuarina. It is important that a community program has a community base, and rooms at Casuarina are being renovated with a move in place later this year. The Community Midwifery program provides a midwife-led model of care for women with low-risk pregnancies. They receive antenatal and postnatal care in the community and birth in the hospital. This model is best practice by providing a known midwife and a small team who work closely with each woman to achieve a positive pregnancy and birth experience. This program is supported by obstetricians who can focus more on providing care to women with high-risk obstetric needs. Since September 2004, 128 women have used the Community Midwifery program, resulting in 77 births at the end of July 2005. Up to a quarter of the places on the Community Midwifery program are for women with high social risk factors such as pregnant teenagers, refugee women, and victims of sexual abuse and/or domestic violence.
Community groups, such as Anglicare for teenagers and Melaleuca for refugee support, have written to express their praise for the program in its support for women whose life experiences can adversely affect their birth outcomes. In recognition of the positive outcomes for women and their babies and the increasing demand for options in maternity care, an additional two midwife positions have been advertised for the Community Midwifery program.
Home birth is also one of the birthing options for women that this government supports. Until recently, the insurance crisis resulted in midwives being unable to purchase indemnity and therefore not able to provide home birth services. However, we now offer casual contracts to eligible midwives which provides them with departmental indemnification. A project officer has been developing a home birth service for Darwin and Alice Springs, and the service has been operating in Alice Springs since December 2004, with nine women registering with the service to date. In Darwin, three midwives have been employed by the department and the necessary procedures are being finalised. I look forward to hearing of the first home birth in Darwin under this new service.
The maternity package also included funding for two outreach midwives to provide a visiting service to remote communities that have limited access to resident midwives and medical practitioners.
In order to improve and maintain a skilled work force, we are also providing $30 000 per year to bring the expert team that provides the Advanced Life Support in Obstetrics course to the Territory. This funding has so far enabled 40 maternity clinicians such as hospital doctors, remote practitioners, general practitioners and midwives to undergo this highly regarded training. The next course is planned for April 2006 in Darwin.
Plans for a birthing centre located on the ground floor of the Royal Darwin Hospital are also progressing well. The birthing centre will have two low-tech birth rooms and will provide midwifery-led care for those women not requiring medical intervention during childbirth. There will also be deep water immersion baths for pain control. The site will include an outside courtyard garden accessed from the birthing rooms. This will be landscaped and contain a private area for women in labour and their family.
The building of the birth centre is planned around other redevelopments in that area, and the work will commence around November 2005, aiming for completion towards the end of 2006. The birth centre will provide women in labour with a safe environment where birth can be refocused as a natural and normal event.
Better maternal and child health for Aboriginal Territorians is particularly important. On 27 April this year, minister Scrymgour, the then Minister for Family …
Dr LIM: A point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker, I do not wish to sound picky, but Standing Order 65 does say that we should all be referring to other members by electorate. The habit of using personal names in this Chamber when referring to members continues to creep in. I have given leeway to all new members, but I believe we should really adhere to Standing Order 65.
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: The member for Greatorex does have a point of order. Standing Order 65 says that we will refer to members by their electorate. Please continue, minister.
Dr TOYNE: On 27 April this year, the Minister for Family and Community Services and I released Aboriginal Health and Families: A Five Year Framework for Action. This framework is a comprehensive document committing the department to a wide range of reforms, demonstrating this government’s commitment to getting serious about Aboriginal health.
The focus of action is on delivering a set of core services targeting important periods of transition, including before birth and the early years through to school age and adolescence, with particular emphasis on gender and cultural security. Maternal and child health-related targets include earlier attendances for antenatal care, improved birth weight and readiness for school.
Remote area nurses and Aboriginal health workers provide much of the healthcare in remote health centres. With additional funding, we have reduced the number of single nurse posts and have committed to phasing them out by 2008.
Through our Remote Orientation program, we are also ensuring that our new staff are able to deliver core child health programs, provide advice, pick up problems early, and provide treatment following standard treatment protocols. The Practical Paediatrics training module is currently being standardised and will be available throughout the NT to give remote practitioners confidence and skills in child health.
We are also in the midst of an extensive ear and hearing health training program for remote primary health care teams and child health staff, with funding assistance from the Australian government. The training, backed up by Department of Health and Community Services audiologist support, enables remote health staff to treat ear problems following the national best practice guidelines, as well as working on community-based preventative programs.
I have already spoken about the Child Health Initiative and how it is boosting access to services for Aboriginal children in remote communities. However, the health needs of children living in our urban centres is also extremely important. To this end, the department has established a new Child Youth and Family Health Service stream within urban community health, and a manager has been appointed. We will modernise our service and make best use of resources so we can better respond to local health needs. A project officer has been appointed to develop an integrated maternal and child health model for service delivery across the continuum of care from birthing, postnatal, through to school entering.
Working collaboratively both within and across government departments, as well as with non-government service providers, Aboriginal Medical Services and community groups, is the best way of delivering improvements in health. Within the Department of Health and Community Services, mothers and children’s health is seen as everyone’s business, with collaborative effort by primary health care and hospital staff, the Office of Children and Families, the Office of Aboriginal Health, Family and Social Policy, and many other program areas. Health and Community Services staff have particularly strong links with the educational sector colleagues in a number of areas.
Through the Department of Education’s Early Years Team, we are working on the joint Early Years Framework, the School Breakfast program, Hearing Services, and the Health Promoting Schools NT for Healthy School-Age Kids program. Healthy School-Age Kids is a joint Health and Education program that involves health promotion in the school and community setting, child health checks, and integration with other programs and services for children. It aims to improve health and learning outcomes of schoolkids in remote communities through collaboration with families, community, health and school staff. The program manual and guidelines are currently being updated.
I would also like to take this opportunity to acknowledge that, while a great deal of effort and initiative is taking place within the Department of Health and Community Services, the non-government sector is also going through a similarly active, innovative period in the maternal and child health area. I am aware, for example, of some excellent evidence-driven and effective programs being implemented by the Central Australian Aboriginal Congress in Alice Springs and by Katherine West and Sunrise Health Boards. The use of best practice treatment guidelines has been shown to improve patient care, and we are working with the Aboriginal health sector on these.
The department has endorsed the CARPA (Central Australian Rural Practitioners Association) standard treatment manual for child and adult health, and the Women’s Business Manual for use in all remote health centres. Our health staff are currently working with Congress, Alukura, Nganampa Health and the Centre for Remote Health to update the Women’s Business Manual, which provides guidance on antenatal and postnatal care, obstetric emergencies and women’s health screening.
The Northern Territory government is also working with the Australian government to implement the Primary Health Care Access program, which provides vital additional resources and encourages local community participation in primary health care at the local level. All of the local zones so far funded under this program have prioritised maternal and child health, and have recruited local and visiting maternal child and women’s health staff.
These are some of the key areas in which we have already made progress in providing better health services for Northern Territory mothers and children. During our second term of government, we will build on the initiatives I have just described. During the recent election campaign, I was pleased to announce a further package of measures to make sure that we give kids the best start in life. Specifically, we will: expand the successful Child Health Initiative to include services to women and children in remote and rural areas; provide midwifery training to Northern Territory nurses to support local nurses and reduce the need for interstate recruitment; provide hearing tests for every newborn Northern Territory baby; establish the Community Midwifery program in Alice Springs to provide care in the community before and after birth; and support early discharge from hospital. The Child Health Initiative will be further expanded with more community-based child health workers and additional outreach midwifery support.
From this financial year onwards, we will be providing an extra $100 000 to expand the Child Health Initiative with more community-based child health worker positions. These will enable more remote communities to begin low-tech population-based child health promotion, including the integration of ear health programs into community based services, such as crches, child care, preschool and schools. By the end of this term of government, we will expand the Child Health Initiative further with an additional $500 000 to enable employment of more child health workers across the Territory.
As part of our Child Health Initiative, we are also immediately increasing the outreach midwifery work force from two to four. The four midwifes have already been recruited, two based in Darwin and two based in Alice Springs, and they are currently undergoing induction and additional training. The outreach midwives will work collaborately with a range of health care providers and community members to provide quality midwifery care and education to women living in remote and rural communities. Their role includes support and training for remote area nurses, midwives and Aboriginal health workers, and development and implementation of best practice guidelines and systems.
We have also committed an additional $200 000 per year to subsidise the training cost for NT nurses to study locally as midwives. Growing our own midwives makes good sense; it ensures that they have good understanding of the issues which impact on the health and wellbeing of Territory mothers and babies.
In the meantime, recurrent funding has been allocated for two audiologists or speech pathologists to assist children with hearing, speech and language problems in remote areas. From next year, we will be implementing universal neonatal hearing screening. This will ensure that every new baby in the Northern Territory has a hearing test shortly after birth to improve early identification of deafness. Normal language development depends on early detection of hearing loss and appropriate intervention. Universal neonatal hearing screening is best practice. The cost of detecting a child with profound deafness in the neonatal period is significantly lower than the cost of managing a child diagnosed later who has special educational and other needs.
Lastly, by the end of this term of government, we will also establish a Community Midwifery program in Alice Springs to provide care in the community before and after birth, and support early discharge from hospitals. This follows the successful Darwin Community Midwifery program about which I spoke earlier.
This government is giving kids a good start in life. We are building on our antenatal services to improve birth options and outcomes, and we are developing a seamless service with continuity of care from birth through infancy, childhood and beyond. We will continue to develop our early years services through core health services to all children and families, and more targeted services for those with greater need. We will continue to work with the community and non-government providers on improving children’s health, learning and readiness for school. We will continue to provide leadership in the national maternal and child health reform arena to better support the service needs of Territory families and children and contribute our expertise for the betterment of all Australian children.
Mr Deputy Speaker, I move that the Assembly take note of this statement.
Dr LIM (Greatorex): Mr Deputy Speaker, in contributing to this debate, I welcome the minister’s statement in regard to maternal and child health. In my professional life as a medical practitioner, I would have delivered in excess of 500 babies in the time I was in obstetrics practice. Therefore, I am fully aware of the significance of good maternal care, both antenatal and postnatal and, obviously, the continuing care of the baby from the time it is conceived right through to adult life.
While listening carefully to the minister’s statement, I applaud his intentions, which are good. He is prepared to provide significant resources into this maternal and child health program to ensure that, in particular, indigenous children will have the best start they can possibly get. I always maintain that every mother - maybe not every father, but every mother - would aspire to have the best outcomes for their children. Every mother would want their child to grow up in a healthy environment, with good nutrition, good health, good education, with the intention that, in adult life, they have a better life than the mothers themselves had during their time.
For that reason, maternal health and care becomes very important because you have a willing group of people who want to improve their lives, to then provide better lives for their children. Without a doubt, in any third world country you go to - having grown up in one country such as this - every small community you went to, there was a maternal and child welfare clinic which provided care for women and their babies.
The minister spoke about the services that the Health Department has already provided across the Territory, and the rationale that, because things have already been covered, now is the time to concentrate on maternal and child health. Maternal and child health has to be one of those things that you have to have right in front of everything. If you have people with renal diseases that you have to look after through dialysis units that, to me, is subsequent to the first priority which is maternal and child health.
While I am on renal health, I was at a briefing from the Health Department just recently, where they told me there is not a single renal dialysis unit not being used in the Territory. I am sad to inform the department, through the minister - as an aside to this debate – that, in fact, there is one. I discovered that through a letter that I received. I just wanted to read a paragraph from it.
- We continue to get frustrated that a dialysis machine in our aged care facility is not being used. There are a big mob of people
who would come home and have their dialysis done in their own community. Training of the buddy system, family members
needs to be revisited and done in community itself in Darwin. You wonder how, when there is so much need and so many
dollars involved, that this can be allowed to continue over many, many months.
I now come back to the statement that the minister made. Obviously, antenatal care is very important. It is sad to also knowledge and draw notice to the fact that not every woman who has delivered their babies in the Northern Territory - especially amongst our indigenous population - received antenatal care. I know for a fact that there are many women who present to hospital without any antenatal care whatsoever, and come into the obstetrics unit just about ready to have a delivery. Obviously, the more we can influence people to seek antenatal care right throughout the whole of their pregnancy the better outcomes you are going to get. That can influence their life style, their social drug-taking habits, including nicotine and alcohol.
When I was working obstetrics, I can remember when patients came to see me on a regular basis. Usually at the start of the pregnancy, on a monthly basis, you are able to discuss the health and lifestyle issues with them, and to use the opportunity to educate the pregnant women about the impact of their lifestyle habits. Many a time, you can actually convince the pregnant woman to give away the drugs or social habits that may cause detriment to the pregnancy. Obviously, nutrition is very important. Trying to convince the women that, while in every pregnancy there is weight gain, you try not to allow too much of a weight gain and not to be too free with their food cravings.
Standardising maternal or antenatal care is well and good but, unless you are prepared to follow through on a fairly strict regime, it is difficult to implement. You have to structure your antenatal visits according to your patient population. If you have obstetric nurses out in the bush, obviously those services are going to be better delivered.
It is unfortunate for us in the Northern Territory that not every bush clinic has a midwife or an obstetrics trained nurse available, so more often than not you will depend on a registered nurse with minimal obstetrics exposure to look after antenatal cases. That is not good. Therefore, I support any program that will increase the skills of registered nurses in obstetrics, and the number of midwives available in the NT. I am aware that the midwifery program in Darwin has been quite successful. The former member for Drysdale’s spouse went through it and is now working successfully as a midwife at Royal Darwin Hospital. There are several nurses in Alice Springs who have done refresher courses in midwifery and are now working in the obstetrics unit at the hospital.
One of the concerns I have about bush clinics is the shortage of registered nurses. I am told that in remote health, we are down by some 22 nurses this month. I drew the attention of the Chief Executive of the Health Department to the matter. He promised me he would look into it. I have not heard from him since then. At the time of the briefing when I told him about it, he was not aware that there was a shortage of nurses in bush clinics. If my information is wrong, I would like to have formal advice to that effect. If I am right, obviously there is a significant problem.
In terms of newborns, they are one of the loveliest things you can ever aspire to nurse, hold and see. Ask my colleague, the former member for Macdonnell. He is just about glued to his newborn baby. I wonder how he has coped being away from the baby in the last two weeks. There is beauty about having a brand new baby that you treasure and care for so much.
Breastfeeding has always been a strong way for mothers to bond with their babies, and I strongly encourage good education programs through the antenatal process, but also for nurses to encourage women to breastfeed. Obviously, breast milk is nature’s way of providing the best nutrition possible for a baby. However there is a downside to overzealous nurses who push breastfeeding to such an extent that it makes a woman who is unsuccessful at breastfeeding feel guilty. That is a pity. Yes, breastfeeding is very useful and important, but it is not the be-all and end-all. Women are physically unable to breastfeed for all sorts of reasons - from infections, pain, a baby not accepting the breast properly. If that is the case, it should be taken in stride and not pushed to such a degree that the poor woman feels guilty that she has to bottle-feed the baby.
As the child grows, I am glad to see that the government is taking an active role in the School Breakfast program. However, I am disappointed that is only running in a few communities - too few - and provides meals for only 500 students. That is not enough. This is something that the government should take on holus-bolus and introduce a school nutrition program. It is something that impacts not only on indigenous children. Of every child who goes to school today, I would hazard a guess that the majority of them would have less than I do for breakfast before arriving at school. Today, with the double income families, many parents are in a rush to get out the house before 8 am so they can get to work on time, and many children are left to fend for themselves prior to going to school. What sort of breakfast do they get before they get to school? Well, only God knows. If we can introduce an across-the-board school nutrition program, then we can all be assured that the children will all be given a good breakfast at the start of each day prior to school.
I spoke about our clinics not having adequate nurses and adequately trained midwifery nurses. The home birth issue is even more fraught with difficulties at the moment. As we all know, over the last few months - especially those months leading up to the last general election - there was a lot of heavy lobbying by private midwives to be able to continue their profession of home births. As a medical practitioner who has done a significant amount of obstetrics - and, in fact, was roped into one instance of home birth, much to my despair - there are issues with home birth that need to be clearly worked through. While many private midwives will say: ‘Yes, we will screen the patients carefully and do our upmost to provide the safest possible environment for home birth’, things do go wrong. That is when either the hospital obstetrics service or a private practitioner obstetrician gets pulled in - whether they like it or not.
In the instance which happened to me, unfortunately or fortunately, my patient chose to literally import from interstate a private midwife to look after them for a home birth. I witnessed a home delivery; that is not particularly appropriate in this instance. Anyway, with the antenatal course which I provided, the home birth, to all intents and purposes, went normally, until right at the third stage where the placenta was stuck inside the uterus. Then there was a real issue. The patient refused to go to hospital. I was called, and you are betwixt and between. If you do not go, you are not supporting a patient who has an emergency life-threatening situation. If you go, you are putting your neck on the line, because you are where the buck stops. It is a great concern. Anyway, I will not go into the details of it. We all had a happy outcome and it was fine. It was still outside the hospital system, but it was a satisfactory outcome. The thing is, as a practicing obstetrician, if you do a home delivery, you are called in as a back-up to support a case that has - I would not say gone wrong - not gone normally. Your neck is definitely on the line; you are the last stop.
Fortunately for us now, over recent years, the private nurse practitioners have their own insurance, and that provides some degree of legal liability. However, irrespective of whether the legal liability is with the nurse, the doctor who provides the back-up is also liable if something goes wrong - and the doctor has had very little to do with the delivery until he or she was called to bail out the problems. That is an issue that needs to be talked through closely. I believe there is a place for private midwives to do their own cases but, somehow, we need to ensure that all parties are protected.
I will not go into the whole range of good antenatal care means babies with good birth weights which means that they get a good start in life - and so on. This has all been said many times, and there is no need to go any further on that.
In regards to the birthing unit at the Royal Darwin Hospital, it has been a long time coming, and it is a real pity that the government has been so slow with it. I look forward to the day when the whole place is completed, and then we can get on with doing the right thing for our pregnant mums, especially here in the Top End. The birthing suite at the Alice Springs Hospital is quite reasonable. Most of the women who go there have very little to complain about. Let us hope that the one in Darwin will be also satisfactory to the Top End ladies.
The minister spoke about children having early childhood hearing tests, using audiologist support. This is part of a routine that you actually do in examining a newborn baby: its hearing ability. Clinically, the testing is fairly crude. Using audiology testing obviously is going to be a much more effective way of detecting if a child is not hearing properly. While hearing is, obviously, very important, in school is when things can go very wrong if the child has lost hearing capacity.
I am not sure whether you are aware, Mr Deputy Speaker, that about three or four years ago, I sponsored a TV ad made by an occupational therapist in Alice Springs. She was going around town looking for government support during the last term of our government, and was unable to get any support from anywhere. Anyway, I sponsored her fully and she made a video which is now being televised on odd occasions by Imparja. Imparja TV broadcast this advert for free, as a community service. The occupational therapist’s name was Yvonne Healy, and she wrote, coordinated, produced, directed and got a whole bunch of kids to help her produce this ad called Nose Blowing Song. I would like to read to you the lyrics …
Ms Lawrie: Sing it.
Dr LIM: No, no! I am not going to sing it.
Ms Carney: Good song.
Dr LIM: It is a good song. I ask the Health Minister, if he or his colleagues have not seen it before, to get the copy of the video, which is sponsored by me. It is a bunch of kids and Yvonne. The children yell out very loud: ‘What’s up?’, and Yvonne says: ‘Can’t hear you’. The children say: ‘What’s up? Can’t hear you. What’s up? Can’t hear you, I need to blow my nose’. Then, next para: ‘What’s up? Can’t hear you. What’s up? Can’t hear you. What’s up? Can’t hear you, I need to blow my nose’. Then Yvonne says: ‘Get a tissue, cover your nose, take a deep breath and close your mouth and blow, blow, blow through your nose - blow, blow, blow.’ Then the children: ‘What’s up? I hear you. What’s up? I’m great, thanks. What’s up? Let’s go and play the day away’. They all then have a loud hooray and go and play.
That is only a 15 second video, but it is actually quite effective. I am proud to say that I took the plunge and gave her the full amount of money to do this and it has been very effective. It is my little contribution, if nothing else, to better health outcomes for our kids.
In the entire statement, I cannot fault the government for its aspirations. It is good that we have a government which aspires to do the right thing by our pregnant ladies, to make sure their children are born in the best of conditions. Again, in the words I used yesterday with the minister for Education, you have talked the talk, now make sure you walk the walk. Make sure that you produce the practical applications of your aspirations. Until you do that, all you hear is a lot of good rhetoric which is not followed up with much success out there. Get your clinics staffed and staffed adequately, making sure that you get the nurses out there. Make sure that, at least if the nurses are only RNs, they have some level of obstetrics awareness.
Get as many midwives trained as you possibly can and allow job sharing so that midwives who have families can still work part-time in the hospital. You would have more midwives than you have currently. At the moment, there are many midwives who cannot work, or refuse to work because they have family commitments. However, if you allow them to job share you would be surprised how many would work. I know my wife gets called in by the hospital quite regularly on a Saturday or a Sunday to cover a couple of shifts because there are not enough midwives in the system. It is not because they are not there; they are in the community. They are not in the health system because they have other commitments. The hospital management must recognise that people have commitments now. As much as they want to help out the system, their families are, obviously, a lot more important to them than the hospital. The hospital needs them more than they need the hospital, so the hospital should make allowances for women who are prepared to work part-time, or job share with another colleague so that two or three of them can share one job. That is all they want; time to look after their families as well as keep up their skills, which is also very important, and provide a service to their own community. That is what we can do to ensure that we have the best utilisation of the skills we have in the community.
The tragedy is that, especially in Alice Springs, part-time workers or job sharing nurses are not appreciated or encouraged. If you do not encourage them, then you are going to continue to struggle with your staff shortages.
Madam Speaker, I applaud the government for providing us with a statement that has good aspirations. I hope that the government will be able to fulfil these aspirations. Sometimes, motherhood statements, when you get up and speak about them, make you all feel warm and fuzzy but, after six months, 12 months, four years, it is nothing. That is when you feel cheated and jaded. I look forward to this government producing what it says it will do. We will see how they go over the next few years while we continue to monitor the progress of the department.
Ms LAWRIE (Family and Community Services): Madam Speaker, I support the statement on maternal and child health.
Often, when we think about maternal and child health, our focus is drawn to the physical health of mothers and children. It is increasingly recognised, however, that the emotional and psychological aspects of health are equally important in ensuring the best possible outcomes for Territory mothers, and for giving our kids the best possible start in life.
Among the Territory’s children and families are some who experience high rates of illness and social disruption. We know that our indigenous Territorians constitute almost one-third of the Territory’s total population and suffer these harms in disproportionate numbers, with poorer average child health and development and levels of sickness and disadvantage throughout life.
We all know of the range of issues affecting Aboriginal Territorians, and I will not dwell on them here. However, I will say that, despite significant efforts to improve Aboriginal people’s lives, the effects of past dispossession and the removal of children, remote living conditions, poverty and social exclusion, continue to lead to poor health and wellbeing outcomes.
As the Minister for Health has already indicated, our government’s commitment to improving Aboriginal health and wellbeing is evident through the Building Healthier Communities framework, and the release earlier this year of Aboriginal Health and Families: A Five Year Framework for Action. At this point, I would like to acknowledge the hard work of both the Minister for Health and the previous Minister for Family and Community Services, the member for Arafura, and their commitment to Aboriginal health and wellbeing, which is so evident in these frameworks and in the significant reforms instituted in their portfolio areas.
I would also like to acknowledge departmental staff. I have been travelling through the Territory since I became minister, with more trips planned, and meeting people at every opportunity I get. I am impressed by their obvious dedication and enthusiasm.
The importance of good physical health for mothers and their children is acknowledged, but we also know that parents and family play a critical role in children’s psychological and social development. Children’s brain development in the early years of life is dependent, in part, on the quality of the immediate family environment. We know that children’s wellbeing is best assured by confident, competent parents or other carers connected to a supportive network of extended family and friends, and professional assistance and advice at times of vulnerability or during periods of change or crisis.
Conversely, we know that child abuse and other family violence, unstable housing, parental mental ill-health and serious alcohol or drug abuse seriously hinder the effective care of children. If such issues are not addressed, children’s immediate outcomes and longer-term prospects may be greatly affected.
I would like to outline some of the work being done in my Family and Community Services portfolio to enhance the health and wellbeing of mothers and children in order to give our kids the very best possible start in life.
Many of the current health policy and programs are designed to be available to all Territorians, and some family and community services, such as parenting information, are universally available. However, Family and Community Services generally has a greater focus on servicing those who are vulnerable or at risk in our community. They target children, families and communities who are disadvantaged, and where social and wellbeing issues are already identified. They work to reduce the impact of these concerns, and prevent any recurrence.
The Territory is not alone in this approach. It is in wide use in all Australian and many overseas jurisdictions. A lot of the work of my portfolio is taken up with the development of targeted child and family support work and crisis intervention. A cornerstone of the government’s work has been the Caring for our Children child protection reform process. My predecessor, minister Scrymgour, discussed the key elements of the reform process, and I will not repeat the information contained in her ministerial statement on child protection presented to the House in August last year. I will, however, note some of the progress that has been made in this important area.
The reform is comprised of two main components: the review of the Community Welfare Act 1983; and the reform of child protection policies and programs. After a significant community consultation process last year, I am pleased to report that the reform process is drawing to a close. I anticipate that new child protection legislation to replace the Community Welfare Act will be ready to be introduced into parliament later this year. It has been a lengthy process, longer than was originally envisaged.
Community interest in the issue has been high. The rapid rate of policy change and reform, both federally and in other states and territories, has been outstanding. I recently chaired the Community and Disability Services Ministerial Council and participated in some excellent discussions with my colleagues on the programs, innovations and child protection policy reform in their respective jurisdictions.
While I was in Alice Springs, I also had the great pleasure of opening the National Foster Carers Conference, and hearing from this wonderful group of people how significantly such legislation can affect their lives and the lives of the kids they are caring for.
The Community Welfare Act has not been significantly overhauled in 20 years. I do not want the bill I introduce into the House to languish for such a long period. However, I am also aware that, for any number of years, our new legislation will be the tool by which this government and this community gives effect to our number one priority: the protection of our children. As minister, I am committed to ensuring we have the best legislative foundation for the provision of child protection and family support services in the Territory.
With regard to policy and service development, I am pleased to report that the Family and Children’s Services Branch has finalised the development of a number of key documents: A Community Services Framework document; an Out of Home Care Strategic Plan; and a Family Support Services Framework. These documents will ensure service development proceeds in a strategic and considered manner. The tender for one of the first new family support services under Caring for our Children, the Home Strength Intensive Family Preservation Service, has been awarded to Centacare and began operating on 1 June 2005. Servicing clients in the Darwin urban region, the service is designed to provide intensive support to families at risk of having a child placed in care. It represents a significant effort to preserve families and, where possible, to avoid a child’s placement.
In addition, a range of new child and family support initiatives have been funded, with $910 000 provided in June 2004 to eight locations across the Northern Territory. The initiatives broadly aim to: deliver an integrated response to children, their families and communities; strengthen cohesion among those working with children and families; and provide a physical and program profile in the community for child and family support services. They include: the development of a child and family services precinct in Katherine; the development of a family service base and programs in Maningrida Community Education Centre, Karama School and Wadeye; strengthening an early childhood program for Alice Springs town camp residents; and providing assistance for the Little Kids program, Rela Kuka Mapa run by the Western Arrernte Relekha Aboriginal Corporation at Ntaria in Alice Springs – and I am sure I have some of that pronunciation incorrect.
We have also worked with the Australian government to jointly fund a new Aboriginal Family Support Service in Alice Springs, and have recently finalised a service model for an Aboriginal Family Support Service in Darwin.
The initiatives I have described highlight the preventative and crisis intervention services, now a feature of Family and Community Services in the Northern Territory. An Office of Children and Families was formed specifically to develop new preventative programs and services, with a particular focus on improving parenting support and services for children.
I would like to draw your attention to a number of key maternal and child health-related activities that have been undertaken by the office, including planning the development of integrated models of child health and wellbeing service delivery, in collaboration with Maternal, Child and Youth Health program, the Department of Employment, Education and Training and a range of other key partners; and providing parenting skills training and initiative training is part of the family partnership model.
The office has run versions of the Positive Parenting program - better known as the Triple P program - this year. Training has been provided to 40 professionals from both the government and non-government sector from a range of locations across the Northern Territory, including the Central Australian, Katherine, Darwin and Darwin rural communities. In September, a further 20 professionals will be trained in Triple P on the Tiwi Islands. Many community members have already participated in the program.
Importantly, a number of maternal and child nurses have also undergone this training. This means that these nurses are now better equipped to assist parents and other carers during home visits or at clinics, and can be more confident in providing families with the best advice on how to care for their children.
The office has also worked to:
expand access to early childhood services, including playgroups and toy libraries;
Parentline offers a counselling service for all parents, with a capacity to refer parents in need of particular
assistance, or where there are concerns about children’s safety;
using the MARVIN technology;
will be extended for use as a community planning resource;
develop three editions of Kids Tracks, the Aboriginal child and family wellbeing newsletter, which showcases
innovative Aboriginal child and family support work across the Territory. I recommend it to members as a very
good read; and
providers - important guidance and a process for recruiting staff who will work with children to ensure agencies
have proper policies and practices to reduce the risk of harm or abuse to a child while in the agencies care.
As a demonstration of the government’s commitment to child-care access to parents in remote communities, the office is taking the lead in additional child-care service development in Titjakala, Laramba and Kintore, and the provision of occasional child-care places in Nhulunbuy.
The trend toward integrated service provision is worthy of comment. In recent years, there has been greater recognition that to work effectively with families and communities requires the coordinated response of a range of professionals or agencies. While the linkages between Health and Family and Community services and other government and non-government agencies are strong, we are looking to improve them.
Children with disabilities are particularly vulnerable to child abuse, and they need special attention and protection. My department has now implemented a series of measures to support families who care for children with disabilities, and to ensure that these children are protected. Child protection and disability services staff are working together under a joint protocol aimed at providing integrated services when children with disabilities are harmed or cannot live at home. The joint protocol encourages early detection of family stress, and the alleviation of those stresses so that families can cope.
Work is also being done to better integrate health and community services. The role of maternal and child health nurses is changing, both locally and nationally, to better address postnatal depression, family breakdown and focus on not just physical health but emotional and psychological wellbeing. The department is looking at how nurses can better identify, assess and refer families who appear to be struggling or at risk of developing problems like substance abuse or child maltreatment.
The Office of Children and Families and the Community Health area will work closely in the development of a new urban maternal and child health model. This will ensure that families in need are better linked in not only to available health services, but also to community service and support programs. This early intervention approach will enable services to begin working with families before they are in crisis, and before there is a need for the involvement of the statutory child protection service. I am pleased to report that this work fits very well with the current national agendas around maternal and child health. I have already noted that vulnerable families often require the assistance of both the health and community services sectors. My colleague, the Minister for Health, has already described the four child health and wellbeing initiatives that were proposed by the Northern Territory and endorsed as joint projects for the Australian Health Ministers’ and Community and Disability Services Ministers’ Conferences.
Of particular interest to Family and Community Services is the project for the development of a consistent and cross-sectional national approach for identifying and supporting vulnerable children and families. This project aims to develop a model for using the various interactions between families with young children and the health system, both antenatally and in the early years of life, as a platform for targeted interventions for vulnerable families. It is proposed that teenage parents and families affected by substance abuse will be the focus of this work. The project also has valuable implications for reform across the traditionally separate sectors of community-based health and welfare services.
There are two other issues I believe are important to raise today: readiness for school and the role of fathers. Because of the importance of the early years as a crucial stage of development, maternal and child health is often thought of as only the period from pregnancy to the first three years of a child’s life. However, to be more effective in supporting families and children, early childhood should be seen as extending from pregnancy to the first years of schooling to the age of eight years. While we have made a significant investment in the early years, we are also looking at the next stage of a child’s life: from infancy to the start of school. We know that if we improve children’s early years, then there are benefits for educational achievement and later employment. I want to ensure we extend our policy and programs for the early years to later childhood, and continue the work of giving children the best possible start in life. For children to be ready for school, families need to be ready and able to support them; schools need to be ready to educate them; and communities must be ready to support families, schools and other services for children.
It takes a comprehensive approach to make sure all of these elements are in place. To that end, the Department of Health and Community Services, through the Office of Aboriginal Health, Family, Social Policy, and the Community Services Policy Branch, have formed a partnership with the Aboriginal Medical Services Alliances Northern Territory to develop an Aboriginal ‘head start’ school readiness program. The program will enhance Aboriginal children’s transition to the school system in three sites across the Northern Territory. Working in collaboration with the Departments of Employment, Education and Training and Business, Economic and Regional Development, the project will address children’s social and educational development, along with continuing the good work done in addressing children’s health and wellbeing in infancy.
The department will provide in-kind and financial support for the project and was instrumental in AMSANT obtaining a $360 000 grant under the National Community Partnerships Scheme of the Commonwealth National Crime Prevention program. It is anticipated that the project will provide service models that can be implemented on a wider basis. This initiative demonstrates, yet again, that we are not standing still but forging ahead to ensure we provide the best support we can for our children. I look forward to receiving the results of this project.
The second issue concerns the role of fathers. Maternal and child health is a vital area of the government’s commitment to families, but I wish to acknowledge the important role of fathers in ensuring their children grow up healthy and happy. Whilst women are still the primary caregivers in many families, the important role of fathers can not be over estimated. While maternal and child health is and will remain a priority area, I will ensure that efforts continue to be directed to including fathers in creating a positive home environment. This need is, perhaps, the most obvious in the Territory’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander’s families. It is clear that many Aboriginal men want to take a stronger, more active part in raising healthy and happy children. In part, this is, and will be, achieved by funding services to provide family-based support and by ensuring these programs improve the accessibility of services for fathers. I welcome this development and look forward to my department creating effective ways of working with fathers without losing sight of the maternal and child health agenda.
Our investment in maternal and child health is an investment in the Territory’s future. This government is committed to improving both the health and the wellbeing of the Territory’s mothers and their children. The investment in maternal and child health has been a vehicle for enhanced collaboration between the acute, health and community services division of the Department of Health and Community Services, and it represents a truly holistic approach to addressing maternal and child needs and strengthening families and communities.
My colleague, the Minister for Health, and I will continue to build on the government’s achievements and ensure the investment in maternal and child health is an effective one. I look forward to updating the House on further achievements made in the Family and Community Services portfolio to improve maternal, child health and wellbeing.
In conclusion, as the member for Karama, may I congratulate the work being done at the Karama infant health clinic by the wonderful maternal and child health nurses there. I know they are making a dramatic difference to the health and wellbeing of mothers and babies in my community. It is a fantastic service very well supported by the local parents. It is certainly something that makes health and wellbeing very accessible. I know that mothers and fathers in our community are also relying more and more on the HealthDirect call service that the government has established. That is a very useful way of taking the immediate worry and concern from a parent when they are unsure about their child’s health. I know of many parents who are taking the advice from that HealthDirect call and attending the infant health clinic in Karama. It is good to see both policies and programs built and implemented at the local level.
Madam Speaker, I also congratulate the Minister for Health for his statement, and say to him I am very keen and aware and acknowledge the great support he has given to community midwifery. I was one of the first to go through the Community Midwifery program provided out of Royal Darwin Hospital. It is a fantastic program. I have met more and more mothers who are going through the community midwifery service. This is a fantastic service and I thank the Minister for Health for the commitment he has shown in expanding community midwifery throughout the Territory.
Ms CARNEY (Opposition Leader): Madam Speaker, I also thank the Minister for Health for his statement, which for the most part is pretty good - so, my compliments to you.
I refer to something that the Minister for Family and Community Services said in relation to the Community Welfare Act. I am not sure whether I am on the record in this parliament, but I look forward to receiving the revised Community Welfare Act, a passion I have had for close to 15 years, I suspect. I really do look forward to it. I am delighted that you are taking your time with it because it is important that we get it right.
The minister would be aware, as I am, that there are always a range of views on everything, of course - but the draft that went out not so long ago was not beyond criticism. I looked at it and started to question a few things, so I am hopeful that perhaps even that draft would have been revisited because there are very few things more important. It is important that we get the Community Welfare Act right. I see the minister nodding, and I believe that she is genuinely committed to this area as well, for which I thank her.
Back to the Minister for Health. I will be relatively brief and, perhaps, in your reply you could respond to some of the matters I raise. I will go through on a page-by-page basis.
On page 2, you have said that:
- … we are making significant improvements in the area of preventable chronic diseases, with better early detection of
disease through screening, and the development of best practice treatment guidelines and care plans.
I note that you did not provide any details of the advances that you say you are making. I would appreciate, and, with respect, would have thought that in a statement like this you might have given us some details. Again, with respect, we really only have your word that significant improvements are being made. In the context of a statement like this, because it is important, some details should be provided.
Secondly, at page 3, you have said and I quote:
- Accordingly, we made the health of children and mothers a key area for action in our first term, and we shall continue this
focus during this term of government.
You go on to say that you have established a number of priority areas for action in maternal and child health. I would like to know, please, what the outcomes are. I would like some more details. You have said that it is a key area of action. How? What is envisaged? How is it going to be implemented? When is it going to be implemented? I am not inviting you to inundate me with information, but a little more than was provided in the statement would be of some assistance to anyone listening to this broadcast or, indeed, reading the Parliamentary Record.
Similarly, I ask that you provide further details in relation to your statement, again on page 3, and I quote:
1. effective antenatal and postnatal care that targets reductions in smoking and alcohol consumption
during and after pregnancy;
Would you be able to provide us, please, with some details - perhaps some figures in relation to those matters? They are expressed in a sentence but, again, I would like some details and I am sure most people would.
I note your generous references to some national initiatives. I am sure my federal colleagues, Messrs Tollner and Scullion, will be similarly pleased that you referred to these national initiatives. It is good to see the Commonwealth and the Territory working well together. Like any right-thinking person, I applaud those initiatives.
On page 5, towards the bottom, you say:
- The Child Health Initiative addresses the health needs of Aboriginal children and meets the challenge of access to
services in geographically isolated and dispersed populations.
I would like some more information on that, please. The obvious question is: how does the Child Health Initiative address the health needs of Aboriginal children? I may have missed something, but that was not clear from your statement.
Also, minister, on to page 7, you have referred to:
- Educational resources for remote communities and urban centres are being developed.
What are those educational resources? It could mean all sorts of things. I would be grateful to receive some elaboration on that point from you.
On the bottom of page 7 and top of page 8, you have referred to the School Breakfast program. I am like many people for whom it provides some level of conflict. On the one hand, yes, of course, particularly Aboriginal kids should be provided with breakfast. In many respects it does not matter who provides them with breakfast, but someone should; it is a fairly fundamental proposition. On the other hand, this does get back to personal responsibility, and I would like to hear from you. I am hopeful that you will provide details in relation to questions I have asked thus far, but I would like to know your views, if you could put them on record, as to what is being done with the Aboriginal parents, in particular, in some of our remote and, indeed, urban communities in terms of them addressing their responsibilities to feed their kids before they get to school. I know this is a carrot and stick approach and I am very sympathetic to it but, on behalf of some of my constituents, I feel it is appropriate to ask: do you have anything in place that actually gets to a cause of this problem; that is, giving the parents the onus and responsibility to step in and make sure these kids are fed?
I am not sure whether you saw the Sunday program on Channel 9 on Sunday morning. I was very interested in not only the story, which was about petrol sniffing but, in particular, in the comments made by Noel Pearson, who I believe most of us in this place would regard highly. I thought he put it succinctly when he was referring to the issue of sniffing: that we are letting parents get away with it. We are standing by and we are letting parents get away with it.
In terms of the breakfast program and feeding their kids so that they can get through every day, I would ask the minister to share with us his views on Noel Pearson’s comments. If he is not prepared to share his personal views then, perhaps, what he could do is tell us what the government is doing in order to ensure that parents meet their obligations to their children, because that really was not addressed in the statement.
You then go on to page 10 to talk about midwives. I was made aware when I was shadow Health minister that, particularly in Alice Springs, it was a fairly regular occurrence that the number of midwives was reduced at the Alice Springs Hospital. Perhaps you could let us know whether you are satisfied with the number of midwives. It may have rectified itself since I was last involved more fully, but if you would be good enough to comment on that I would be grateful.
I really do commend you and your government for outlining, and for doing, some of the things you have. I know that you are not alone. I know that organisations and people in the department, as well as people outside the department, have a great commitment to the area of health. It has a number of different pockets in the overall area of health, and my experience is that people who work in those individual pockets are very committed to ensuring that the people of the Northern Territory get good outcomes.
Yes, of course, minister, I am pretty happy with the statement. I could disagree with one or two things, but that would be ungracious and unnecessary at this point. However, I would be grateful if you would provide the answers to the questions I have asked. With those remarks, Madam Speaker, I conclude.
Ms ANDERSON (Macdonnell): Madam Speaker, I speak in support of the statement on maternal and child health presented to this House by the Minister for Health. The initiatives laid out by the Minister for Health are major steps to improve the health crisis in our indigenous communities.
As the minister said, most health problems begin before birth or during infancy, forming a pattern that affects our health. In Aboriginal communities, our babies are twice as likely to be of low birth weight or die, or fail to thrive. This is a result of poor diets and poor environmental conditions which retard our children’s growth and lower their immunity to infectious conditions and kidney disease. As a result, we die 15 to 20 years younger than the Australian population, with 23 times the average death rate from infections of the kidney; 12 to 17 times the average for diabetes, one of the highest rates in the world; and three to five times the death rate from chronic respiratory disease.
Within my electorate, the number of people with end-stage renal disease is huge, and it seems to be doubling every year. The roll-out of dialysis to communities undertaken by this government can barely keep pace with the numbers. It is very sad to see them move into Alice Springs, as they not only face loneliness and isolation from their community, but it is extremely difficult for them to access accommodation. Too many of them are living rough in the Todd River or around the town camps. Such living conditions shorten their lifespan drastically.
Addressing the actual causes of this disease through child health is the reason I am supporting the minister’s statement; prevention is better and less costly than treatment. Turning the situation around is vital, and I welcome this government’s investment in quality antenatal care and postnatal child health services. In the past, these services have been non-existent for many remote communities and, by investing in the health work force, the government is expanding the access of Aboriginal women to these services.
Quality postnatal and childhood services provide child health checks, the early identification and treatment of problems, vaccinations, advice on nutrition, as well as making links with other support and social services. It is very important for our kids to access these services, because too many of them miss out on vaccinations, leaving them prey to diseases that have been eradicated in other parts of the world.
The Remote Orientation program is ensuring that staff can deliver core child health programs, provide advice, pick up problems early, and provide treatment following standard treatment protocols. The standard treatment protocols and the development of the practical paediatrics training modules are of particular importance, as they give remote staff confidence in dealing with child health issues.
The phasing out of single nurse posts is also very important. Having talked to many remote nursing staff, I understand the stress that these nurses go through when they are isolated from any support. It is damaging to their health and, ultimately, detrimental to the health of the community.
I also welcome the fact that the Growth Assessment and Action program initiated by the government last term is beginning to see a small drop in the numbers of undernourished and malnourished children. Unfortunately, malnutrition is still a significant problem. The causes for this are a combination of the failure of the welfare safety net, the higher cost of living in remote communities, the lack of knowledge of the nutritional values of western food, and alcohol and drug dependence.
The economic framework study recently published by the Centre for Remote Health estimates that up to 30% of Aboriginal families in Central Australia receive no income in any given fortnight. The reason for this is that many Aboriginal people are not able to access welfare payments because of remoteness and their inability to understand the complex forms required by Centrelink. As a result of the failure of the welfare safety net to catch Aboriginal language speakers, extended families share their scarce resources. This often leads to conflict, and it is a little known fact that a large number of fights actually start over food.
Further aggravating the situation is the issue of alcohol and drug misuse. Not only are they destructive to health; but as the AMA says and I will quote:
- Alcohol, drug and tobacco misuse are also closely related to social and economic disadvantage. Economic and social
disadvantages cause increase in dependence on alcohol, drugs and tobacco, which worsens the factors that lead to their
initial misuse. Poor housing, low income, single parenthood, unemployment and homelessness are all associated with
high rates of smoking, a major cause of ill health.
The nomadic lifestyle and eating our natural foods was much better for our health. I wish I had my mother, Emma, in this parliament. She did not move into a community until 1991. For most of her life, she lived between Papunya and Yuendumu with her husband. She has watched all the roads between these communities emerge; living a traditional life she is far healthier than people who have lived at Yuendumu or Papunya. She is now 82 years old and still looks like a woman of 62 years because she has just gone around and eaten the food of the country. She has seen the graders go through and build a road through to Nyirripi, as the Minister for Health would know, and roamed as a nomad through the back of Mt Denison, Yuendumu and Papunya. Unfortunately, the western food that people in communities are able to afford, the food that gives the people the feeling of fullness, is bad for people’s health. We desperately need the nutrition program to create awareness that a lot of the western food we eat is killing us.
This government is also to be commended for the introduction of the hearing test for every newborn Territory baby. In the case of profoundly deaf babies, it is absolutely vital that this is picked up as early as possible. From my close links with the South Australian deaf community, I understand that if profoundly deaf babies are exposed to sign language at a very young age, the transition to learning another language - in this case written English - is made much easier. The longer profoundly deaf babies are delayed in their language acquisition, the harder it is to make up ground in the later years. Early identification and intervention will reduce the burden on individuals, their families and, ultimately, government.
For Aboriginal kids and adults, the major ear health problem is otitis media, a chronic infection of the middle ear. Approximately half of our children and a quarter of adults have significant hearing loss which affects their education and general mental health. This disease is the result of interaction of inadequate accommodation, overcrowding and limited access to clean water - environmental conditions which fall far short of the national standards. The extra funding that will enable more remote communities to begin population-based health promotion, including the interaction of ear health programs into community-based services, will help alleviate the impact of this disease. Although its eradication still requires a big investment in housing and essential infrastructure, this government’s priority is to give kids a good start in life.
This is being made possible through the building of antenatal services to improve birth options and outcomes, and through developing a seamless service with continuity of care through infancy and beyond. These services are integral to improvements of health of all children in the Territory. Minister, I commend them to this House.
Mr WARREN (Goyder): Madam Speaker, I speak in support of this important statement by minister Toyne on maternal and child health. It is a key priority identified as part of the Martin Labor government’s Building Healthier Communities.
As stressed in minister Toyne’s opening statement, the overall health of all Territorians in adult life is governed by what happens to them before they are born and during the first few years of their life. Antenatal and postnatal care and early child health services are important for all Territorians but, particularly, for our indigenous population.
I am, therefore, sure that my Belyuen constituents will be very pleased to hear that this government is strengthening its efforts to ensure that remote communities benefit even more from increased maternal and child health care services as outlined in this important ministerial statement.
As minister Toyne pointed out, this government committed $2.2m per year in our first term to the Child Health Initiative to employ 25 extra child health personnel for remote communities. The Child Health Initiative funding has allowed DHCS to recruit a multidisciplinary team to focus on building the capacity of remote health services to improve the health and wellbeing of children and their families. This team consists of child health nurses, Aboriginal health workers and a nutritionist, all of whom are available to service communities like Belyuen.
In addition, Belyuen will benefit from the program development and support provided by the CHI team in improved training and protocols for the Growth Assessment and Action program. The community and its health centre also received new resources as part of the re-launch of the Healthy School-Age Kids program following review of the resource manual and procedures. This year, Belyuen has received several visits to support the Growth Assessment and Action program, a plan for the Healthy School-Age Kids activities, and also attend to school screening. Additionally, a child health nurse has recently started regular visits to support the child health activities at Belyuen. As stated, Belyuen participates regularly in the GAA program. As at April 2005 data collection, 26 out of 30 resident children under five years of age were measured: 15% of these were below their weight for age; 15% were below their weight for height; 19% were below height for age; and 45% per cent were anaemic.
As a result of the GAA program at Belyuen, a visiting nutrition health worker has been visiting once every four to six weeks, implementing nutrition promotion activities at the Belyuen store, such as promoting the cooking of healthy food. The nutrition team has planned a specific nutrition program, targeting infants and young children, to coincide with the opening of the new family and child-care centre later this month.
The minister discussed the Community Midwifery program. While no Belyuen women have enrolled in the CMP to date, the Belyuen antenatal mothers are eligible if they meet all the program safety criteria for low-risk birth, and are prepared to make the trip to Darwin for antenatal visits. However, while this is available, most Belyuen women would prefer local Belyuen-based care provided by nursing staff and a visiting female doctor.
It is worth noting that Belyuen will certainly benefit from the expertise of the outreach midwives. They now number four, and the two Top End midwives who commenced in June 2005 have already visited Belyuen during their induction. They canvassed the perspectives of Belyuen health centre staff on maternity services.
In April this year, the then Minister for Family and Community Services, minister Scrymgour, and Health Minister Toyne, released Aboriginal Health and Families: A Five-Year Framework for Action. This framework provides direction and focus to the efforts of the DHCS in Aboriginal communities such as Belyuen. It prioritises maternal and child health programs, including all the programs that appear in this ministerial statement. The framework takes a very strong best practice evidence-based approach to health care to ensure that Aboriginal services are maximised, despite the geographic isolation of many communities.
The standard of care and consistency of programs to be provided at Belyuen for mothers and children will be subject to quality improvements associated with this increased focus. The framework also ensures all service delivery adopts culturally safe practices, ensuring that Belyuen clients and other communities find their services accessible and effective. For example, at the coalface, this means that young pregnant girls will be able to access antenatal care during their pregnancies. There is clear evidence that such services lead to improved birth weights, fewer premature babies and fewer birthing complications.
As mentioned in the statement, the government is keen to see communities get involved in extensive ear and hearing health training program, with funding assistance from the Australian government. The Darwin region Top End ear and hearing health management training is scheduled for 21 to 23 November, and Belyuen staff are invited – and I encourage them – to participate.
Furthermore, Belyuen receives at least annual visits from DHCS audiologists, and the most recent visit took place just last month. At Belyuen, all newborn children will receive hearing tests as part of the universal neonatal hearing screening program announced by the minister in this important statement.
While it is unfortunate, the Department of Employment, Education and Training Early Years Team had planned to visit Belyuen for two days, just yesterday they had to cancel their visit due to unforseen circumstances. Fortunately, though, the two-day visit has been rescheduled as soon as possible. The Early Years Team plans to work with the Belyuen School on various initiatives associated with quality indigenous education. Unfortunately, Belyuen is not funded by DHCS for its breakfast program. Maybe this can be redressed in the future.
Minister Toyne announced in his statement that the government has also committed to $200 000 per year to subsidise the training costs for Northern Territory nurses to study locally as midwives. The nurses accessing the midwifery training funding will come from various health centres and hospitals. At some stage, it is likely that a Belyuen-based nurse will take advantage of this scheme which supports nurses to train as midwives.
In the statement, it was announced that, from this financial year onwards, $100 000 will be provided to expand the Child Health Initiative. Communities will receive additional community child health worker positions, dependent on the level of need of the community and there being a suitable and interested local person to apply for the position. The new funding will result in up to six additional part-time community-based positions across the Northern Territory. Discussions are currently under way to identify the next communities to benefit.
All of these initiatives are great news for my constituents in Belyuen. I commend minister Toyne for such a visionary statement. I endorse it wholeheartedly.
Before I conclude my supporting statement, I also wish to make note of another great health initiative for my constituents at Belyuen. As part of the $400 000 allocated to renal services for capital works across the Northern Territory for the 2005-06 financial year, community consultation took place with patients from the Belyuen community who attend the Nightcliff Renal Unit and also Belyuen community representatives.
In late 2004, early 2005, it was recognised that Belyuen required community dialysis. In the 2005-06 financial year, it is planned that development will commence at Belyuen for a one-station relocatable facility which will accommodate up to four patients. It is likely that this development will roll over to the 2006-07 financial year. Patients attending the Nightcliff Renal Unit from Belyuen are currently on the waiting list for training in self-care dialysis in preparation for return to their community. This will certainly make a significant improvement to the lifestyle of people like Eddy and Josephine, who rely on dialysis treatment, and currently have to travel each week to Darwin by ambulance, ferry and then minibus to the Nightcliff Renal Unit, spend hours hooked up to a dialysis machine, and then do the return trip back to Belyuen.
The renal dialysis services I have just described is what this government is putting into place for those people who need dialysis treatment now. However, evidence is beginning to show that kidney failure later in life is often related to poor nutrition and ill health in those first years. Belyuen provides a good example of how this government is committed to tackling chronic disease, starting before birth and continuing throughout a person’s life. This government is providing the services that people need now, where they need them and, just as importantly, by setting up and extending child and maternal health services to reduce the incidence of chronic disease in future generations.
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I draw your attention to Standing Order 65, particularly for the new members of parliament, which indicates that no member may refer to any other member by name, but only by the name of the electoral division he or she represents, or by the title of the portfolio. A number of new members, in particular, have been referring to ministers and, instead of saying Minister for Health, they have referred to the minister and his surname. I remind you that this is unparliamentary and, although I have not pulled you up, I have now advised that you must refer to the member by their electorate, or by their proper title, otherwise I will be asking you to withdraw.
Ms McCARTHY (Arnhem): Madam Speaker, I speak in support of the Health Minister’s statement on maternal and child health. Access to adequate health care is a right for all Australians, and the women and children of the Northern Territory are no different. Better health service delivery, access to medical practitioners, and greater emphasis on primary health care is an absolute must for all people in the Northern Territory. This government is acutely aware of the population growth in our remote regions of the Territory, and that it is a growth strongly attributed to Aboriginal communities.
In the Territory, there are 25 births per 1000 population, compared to 16 births per 1000 for non-Aboriginal women. In the Arnhem region in 2002, 88 non-indigenous babies were born compared to 242 Aboriginal babies - nearly three times the amount. However, 16% of the total of the babies born had a low birth weight. I commend the Health Minister for his determination to make the health of children and mothers a key area for action. The focus on quality care during and after pregnancy is an area that does need greater support, for the statistics of infant mortality rates, particularly in indigenous communities, is high - too high.
For the past five years, I have been involved with SIDS and Kids Northern Territory. The rate of sudden infant death syndrome nationally is on the decrease but, in the Northern Territory, it is the reverse. There are more babies dying in the Northern Territory and they are indigenous babies. It is the communities where the resources of the SIDS and Kids Northern Territory are so very keen to focus on because of these statistics. In recent years, Nungalingya College worked on a strong babies video to show women in communities how to care for their children, especially during pregnancy.
I share here the grief felt by a 19-year-old mother who lost her baby girl in May this year. The mother is an Aboriginal woman and had two babies under the age of two. One night, she went to sleep with the eldest child in her bed and her baby girl in a cot. During the night, her baby daughter died. The family has tried to understand why, but there are no answers - yet there are so many questions. I share this not because the government can find answers, but because the government can educate our young women across the Northern Territory of the facts: that smoking and drinking while pregnant is harmful to mother and baby; that continued smoking and drinking after pregnancy is just as harmful; that young women, many of whom are teenage mothers, should be informed, even at school, of their future responsibilities in motherhood should they choose to go that way. Even if they do not choose, and become mums before they are ready, they still need to be informed in an environment where they feel comfortable and accepted - not ashamed because they are pregnant at 17 or 16 while their friends are still at school.
It is here that I would encourage the Health and Education ministers to include this area of concern in their whole-of-government approach to improving the health and education wellbeing of Aboriginal people in our communities. This government has prioritised an effective ante and postnatal care that targets reductions in smoking and alcohol consumption during and after pregnancy.
The Australian Medical Association’s report card on Aboriginal health identified low birth weight as a major preventable health issue. The AMA advocates better antenatal care and interventions to address nutrition, smoking, alcohol, and teenage pregnancy as key strategies for reducing the health gap between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians.
It is encouraging to see that this government has already committed $2.2m per year to the Child Health Initiative, a first action being to employ 25 additional child health personnel for remote communities. It is a strong example of the direction the Martin government is going in working with communities to improve the standard of living for Aboriginal people in the Northern Territory.
Although under-nutrition and malnutrition remain significant problems in our communities, there is some reduction in the number of underweight and anaemic children. Part of this is attributed to nutrition programs such as the School Breakfast program. The government’s initiative of nutrition in schools through education is working effectively in my community of Arnhem. The Ngukurr breakfast program, which started at the beginning of last year, has an average number of attendees of around 174 students, while in Ramingining the breakfast program has around 110 students.
Nutrition requires support from local businesses in our regions, which must also be encouraged in providing nutritious foods at a cost acceptable to the consumer. We all know the prices in remote areas are incredibly high simply because of the location, and also the transport difficulties in getting those food supplies there. This compounds the difficulties that Aboriginal people and, indeed any person, living in remote areas feels when they go to the local store to buy fruit and vegetables, or the basic things that we take for granted in the cities and towns when we can access Coles or Woolworths so easily.
Health and education for children and youth go hand-in-hand, and there must be and is a whole-of-government approach. The Martin government is committed to improving the standard of health, education and living of Aboriginal people in the Northern Territory. As the member for Macdonnell has stated, it is a well known fact that Aboriginal people die 15 to 20 years earlier than their non-Aboriginal counterparts. We also know, only too well, the cost of chronic diseases that are largely a cause of early death.
Many of our older Aboriginal men and women live out their lives on the renal dialysis machines in our major centres. It is not a normal way of life for any person, yet it has become an accepted way of life for Aboriginal people. I know of so many renal patients in my electorate of Arnhem, and right across the Northern Territory, who have chosen to leave the dialysis machines in the cities and the towns behind them to go home, back to country in the remote regions of the Territory, and in their words ‘wait to die’. There is a fear widely felt amongst those who are forced to go on dialysis machines simply to survive. My own family was no different, until it was explained that there are other options, that it does not have to be forever, that their health system offers other opportunities. That always comes back to education. It comes back to providing information that is not always easily accessible to those in the bush.
Starting at childbirth is a critical place to start. Better maternal and child health for Aboriginal women and children in the Territory is of particular importance to this government, with the release in April this year of Aboriginal Health and Families: A Five-Year Framework for Action. The focus of action is in delivering a set of core services targeting important periods of transition including before birth and the early years through to school age and adolescence.
Madam Speaker, I commend the Health minister on placing the health of women and children in the Northern Territory high on the health agenda of the Martin government.
Dr TOYNE (Health): Madam Speaker, I thank all members for their contribution. It would be very easy to be trite in responding to what is literally a motherhood statement. This is a statement about mothers and children and how we support them in our community. What I saw from all members who contributed to this debate was thoughtfulness, an attention to facts and to the insights that need to go into this very important area of health delivery. I would also welcome the opposition’s participation in a debate about an area of health delivery other than hospitals. I have been saying for some time that we need to debate the entire scope of the health system; talk about all the issues that are embodied in health delivery, and the interests of Territorians as regards health. It is great to see two contributions from the opposition today in this area of remote community-based health delivery, and in areas or primary and preventative health rather than the acute care that we so often hear about in the public debate.
I would like to deal with some of the issues raised by members. The member for Greatorex wanted to know how we support remote clinics where there are no midwives or obstetrics-trained nurses. At any given time, it would be something in the order of six to eight of our 68 clinics - or a number of that order – that may not have a midwife or obstetric-trained nurse attached to the clinic. That is about 10%.
How do we support them? We support them with the outreach midwives - two in Darwin and two in Alice Springs, visiting medical officers, visiting O&G specialists, clear evidence-based guidelines provided for antenatal care, and clear referral points for where to get more expert opinion into the care arrangements. Of course, pregnant women can go to town at 38 weeks to be checked out prior to birth. There is also an annual workshop of women’s health. They are the various ways in which we support clinics that may not have a midwife or obstetrics-trained nurse.
The member for Greatorex was asserting that we are 22 nurses down in the remote area clinics. My advice, as of 22 August 2005, is that vacancies in nursing positions in remote area health clinics were four in Central Australia and three in the Top End - a total of seven. The member for Greatorex might need to wind back his assertion a bit. Obviously, we will make every attempt top recruit nurses into any vacant position as quickly as possible. The money is there, the position is there, and we have to make sure that recruitment provides nurses to as many of those positions as possible.
We are not using this as an excuse, but it is the reality that there is a worldwide shortage of nurses and there are challenges in recruiting. I was able to announce this week the latest efforts to recruit nurses overseas. We are sending departmental staff to London, Birmingham, Dublin and Manchester on a recruitment drive aimed at getting UK nurses to join our system. We are looking for 100, and we will check them out to see whether we can convert their cricket loyalty from England to the Aussies once they arrive.
The member for Greatorex asked how we ensure safety for mother and child in a home birth situation. That was well and truly discussed when we announced the program. It is a program for low-risk women, so if there is any adverse factors identified earlier in the pregnancy, advice would be given not to take part in that program. It is currently only available in Alice Springs, but soon will be available in Darwin. In both places, there is easy access to the hospital. What has been established in both cases are very clear protocols that will trigger the transfer of the mother and child into hospital or a higher level of care, rather than the more natural process of a home birth. That is working quite well for the people who have gone through the program in Alice Springs. My understanding is that one mother had to be transferred into a higher level of intervention and care. Others successfully completed their birthing without that need arising.
For the home birth program to be successful in the future, it has to have very strong support from both obstetricians and midwives. We have established that in Alice Springs, and we are finalising the arrangements with those two professional groups in Darwin. We certainly will not want to press ahead with any of these programs if there are remaining concerns from either of the professional groups.
Going now to the member for Araluen, I would like to make an offer in response to a number of issues you …
Ms Carney: Get a briefing? Is it a proper offer?
Dr TOYNE: No, wait there is more. Certainly, in the area of the outcomes in our preventible chronic disease and the various aspects of the child health programs that you raised as you went through the statement - I would really urge a general attendance at a briefing by the opposition, at your leisure and at your convenience. I am not trying to be smart here, I am just saying that I really am very keen to promote a strong, informed debate in this area of health delivery. It is one of our crucial priorities in government. Just so you do not give me any more disgusted looks over there, we will provide some written information on it as well, for your convenience. However, nothing can beat a good briefing, I always say. That is on offer for the opposition members and Independent members, at a time to be shared between my agency people and yourselves.
You asked for more detail of the educational resources. I have been given a summary note about it. The information I have here is that it would be posters, take home leaflets, and videos which are being prepared. We will make sure you get copies of those when they are finalised, and you can have a look for yourselves what they are all about.
Regarding the School Breakfast program, as it happened I was attending a meeting of my Health Advisory Council just a few days ago and they were being briefed on the School Breakfast program by the coordinators. I can reassure members that the question of parental and community responsibility is very much on the agenda of these programs. We do not believe it is solely the business of government to fund and support these programs in the absence of community buy-in on the need for these and the importance of them, so they will be looking at shared support for the programs into the future.
That will, increasingly, become a precondition of having a government facilitated breakfast program in the community; that the community enter into some arrangement for partially, or largely, supporting that program. There are many sources of funding that could be called into play with that, whether it be some proportion of royalty funding. I know many of the communities have allocated the community-based royalty payments to specific purposes within a community. I am sure it would be possible to put that proposal to parents in one of those communities. Some call on family and personal payments is fair game, so we will have a look at various models on how the community can support these programs along with the government or, perhaps instead of the government, if they have the resources to do it and the will to do it.
The midwife positions were raised: are we fully staffed in this area? I can report that, as of 25 August 2005, there were 26 midwives working and two vacancies in our hospital-based midwives. In the special care nurseries, they have 11 nurses working and one vacancy. All of the vacancies are currently being recruited. We are doing pretty well in their area of attracting midwives into our system. I would be happy if we could get that level of recruitment into some of the areas where we are having ongoing challenges such as critical care nurses, which I was talking about the other day regarding Alice Springs.
How is the Child Health Initiative doing its work was a question from the member for Araluen. The GAA program, which I mentioned in the statement, is one of the key ways of identifying and responding to any shortfall in the development or the health of the child. That is going out very widely around the communities and is a key element of our attempts to establish monitoring and response to the age group. Healthy School-Age Kids, which again was mentioned in the statement, is a whole range of things; it is about nutrition, the nose blowing to remove or reduce the symptoms of otitis media, and other conditions that a child might come to school with which are causing congestion in their head. That is clearly going to affect their ability to hear and function successfully in a classroom situation. There are a number of very practical school-level things that are done with that.
The health education for the mums and carers is carried out in community groups such as crches and playgroups - checking on little children while they go about their play, and teaching carers and mums how to check and clean ears are just some examples, along with encouraging community discussion, how the community takes care of its children, generally improving community understanding of what makes kids sick and well, and how to prevent illness. There are many fantastic nurses out in our clinics who have seen this as part of their professional work for many years. However, the advent of having the child health workers going out, specifically concentrating on these areas, is going to significantly improve the coverage of these types of areas. I can give members just a very quick snapshot of some of the places where these child health workers are based: Borroloola, Maningrida, Numbulwar, Milingimbi, Oenpelli, Port Keats, Ali Curung, Yuelamu, Six-Mile Ti Tree, Malinja, Hermannsburg, Ntaria, the Anmatjere zone Engawala, Anmatjere zone Willowra. These are just some of the places that child health workers are based. Of course, we have the town-based positions as well as those in the federally-funded health zones, which are additional to the Territory ones.
There was a query from the member for Araluen on what progress has been made with chronic disease. We have the ABCD program (Audit of Best Practice in Chronic Disease), which is a collaborative project between our department and Menzies. NT Remote Health Services provide better level of services to those with chronic disease than general practice counterparts in the southern cities. We have actually achieved a much higher level of parent support than you would see in some of the major cities interstate. We can be extremely proud of that. Quite rightly, we are seen as national leaders in this area of health care and treatment.
The control of blood pressure, improved detection and treatment with the ACE inhibitor drugs has halted the acceleration of end-stage renal failure; that is, there is approximately the same number of people on dialysis over the past six years. However, we know that there is a huge amount of work to be done yet in this area because the numbers are very high. Having visited all the urban renal dialysis centres and quite a number of out-posted ones - Tennant Creek, the ones at Nightcliff and the ones in Alice Springs and at Kintore - the numbers are very high. They are still much higher than any system would want to tolerate as an acceptable level into the future. We have to get those numbers down.
However, the whole point of this child maternal health statement is generational change. That is what we are aiming at. That is what this is all attempting to achieve in the health profile and health trends within the Northern Territory. We know we are going to have to deal with a very high level of ill health into the immediate future, particularly in our indigenous population. We also know that, with all the work we are doing, there is going to be this demand that will go on for the next 10, maybe 15 years. What is so important about child and maternal health - these initiatives that we have talked about today - is that it gives hope to our communities and to our health professionals that this will come through and it will start to impact on the health profiles and the demand that our health system is attempting to respond to.
If we do not have generational change, we do not have hope. We will simply go on band-aiding and responding to higher and higher levels of ill health in the Territory. This is absolutely the leading edge of what our health system has to achieve in the next 10 to15 years - that is how long it is going to take. It will be another Health minister, probably, who will, hopefully, be able to say: ‘Looking back over a decade or 15 years of effort, we can now see those trend lines of ill health starting to turn downwards in the Territory’, and maybe they have come down significantly.
I believe we have a huge amount of sustained commitment and work ahead of us. We are taking on nothing less than generational change in the health of Territorians. I want to take this opportunity to pay tribute to the people in my agency for their enormous support and commitment in drawing these initiatives together to the degree that they have so far, and the enormous commitment I know they have to further extending the work. That is the commitment, Madam Speaker, to the people of the Northern Territory. There can be no greater commitment than that.
Motion agreed to; statement noted.
MINISTERIAL STATEMENT
HomeNorth Extra
HomeNorth Extra
Mr McADAM (Housing): Madam Speaker, the core element of the task that faced the Martin Labor government back in 2001 was not just to restore an economy that was on its knees but, just as importantly, our task was to extend and expand opportunity across the whole of the Territory for all Territorians, not just for some of us. In tackling this task, we have achieved a lot but there is much more to do.
One of the great initiatives of the first Martin Labor government was a revamping of the HomeNorth Scheme. From a home ownership scheme that was in decline due to its inflexibility and lack of capacity to meet changing needs and circumstances, HomeNorth has been revitalised as the most successful home ownership scheme in the nation.
Home ownership is critical to the future of the Northern Territory. We have the lowest rate of home ownership in the nation at around about 42% according to the 2001 Census, compared to around about 65% nationally. There are various historical reasons for this, not least of which is the Northern Territory’s relative under-development compared to some of the other states.
The importance of home ownership to the Territory is threefold. First, there is a substantial body of evidence now available that demonstrates home ownership makes a major contribution to our social and individual wellbeing. The social stability encouraged by home ownership is reflected in the fact that individuals in home ownership are more likely to be in employment, and they are more likely to have better physical and mental health outcomes. To put it simply, home ownership must be an important objective of social policy if we are to have better lives in the Northern Territory.
Second - and this is of critical importance to the Northern Territory - home ownership contributes to population sustainability and growth. Put simply again, a commitment to home ownership is not just a financial commitment; it is also a commitment to the local neighbourhood and community. Owning your own patch of the Territory is also a commitment to staying here and being part of the Territory’s future.
I remind members of the Assembly that population volatility has long been evident here in the Territory. Since June 1985, the Northern Territory has lost population due to interstate migration in 61 out of 78 quarters for which we have data. In large part, this can be attributed to younger Territorians leaving home and not returning. Although we have a young population with the highest birth rate in Australia, we have, historically, had a population that drains back south rather than one that sustains itself. It is this demographic circumstance we must change, and the expansion of home ownership is the key tool in achieving this change.
Third, home ownership contributes to sustained economical growth. Buying your own home is an investment in the Northern Territory, in the industries that plan, design, provide infrastructure and build our homes, and the industries that supply us whitegoods and home improvements and renovations.
It is for these reasons that the first Martin Labor government made such a strong and passionate commitment to home ownership in the Northern Territory, and why do we continue to do so. Beginning in July 2004, our government made the following changes to the outdated HomeNorth scheme:
we reduced deposit requirements from 5% to 2% of the purchase price;
$240 000, up 33%;
$800 to $1100 per week, up 37.5%;
property, but who no longer own a dwelling in Australia;
The proof in the pudding has been the way that, in the first 12 months of the revamped HomeNorth, Territorians have voted with their feet to take up home ownership in record numbers. From 1 July 2004 to 30 June 2005, 614 Territory households made the move into home ownership, with over 82% buying a home for the first time. This involved funding and commitments to loans by HomeNorth of over $107m. This compares with our original estimates of around 250 loans at around about $36m to $40m. It is, indeed, an extraordinary result, one which demonstrates how much desire and need there is in the community to make a commitment to home ownership, and to people having their own patch of the Territory.
This investment extends beyond mere home ownership. Over $3m worth of new construction has flowed from HomeNorth loans, and a further $540 000 has gone to suppliers of whitegoods through our interest-free Fee Assistance Loans. Further, about 6% of the new HomeNorth loans in the last year have been through people moving from public to private housing by purchasing their Territory Housing properties. It is really summed up by an example in my home town of Tennant Creek in an article that appeared in the local Tennant Creek & District Times, and I quote:
- Thanks to the HomeNorth, we could finally do it.
It has been a long term dream of Gary Rossie and Leonie Davis to own their own patch of the Northern Territory. For years
they have trying to get a bank loan but, due to their circumstances, had countless knock-backs, which left them feeling
disheartened by the whole idea of ever being able to own their own home.
‘We came to believe that we would rent for the rest of our lives,’ said Leone. ‘But a trip to Tennant Creek Show changed our
lives forever. It was here that we discovered a fantastic home loan scheme called HomeNorth’, said Leonie.
Gary and Leonie approached a TIO representative to find out more about HomeNorth and they discovered it was a
Northern Territory government home loan scheme designed for people who earn $1100 gross or less a week, and the
scheme is open to the public who have previously owned properties, but do not currently own a property. Being in this exact
situation, at this point they realised they could have their dream.
‘I feel euphoric about HomeNorth, and I have been telling everyone about it’, said Leonie. ‘We submitted our application and it
was only a matter of weeks until TIO contacted me with the great news that our application had been approved. I felt on top of
the world. The worst part of it all was that I wanted to yell out in excitement and share the news with Gary, but he was out of town.
That was the hardest bit’, said Leonie.
‘We are so happy we moved to Tennant Creek in 1999. We fell in love with the small community’.
I share her passion immensely:
- ‘We wanted to settle here and, thanks to HomeNorth, our dream is now a reality. We purchased a small hobby farm and could
not be happier’.
Mr Henderson: Good on them!
Mr McADAM: Stories such as this have been happening all over the Northern Territory. We have examples of single parents, men and women, who have been able to escape the rental trap and bring up their children in a place they can call their home. We have young Aboriginal borrowers who, for the first time in their whole extended family, have been able to enter private ownership. We have people who have experienced marital break-ups who have been able to re-enter home ownership after enormous personal difficulties. They are all fellow Territorians who have been given a helping hand – not a hand out – through HomeNorth.
Most significantly, we have changed the way in which HomeNorth is run to make it more flexible and responsive to changing circumstances. Previous schemes, which relied on regulation, were too inflexible, too impersonal, to timely changes in loan characteristics. The CEO of Territory Housing, following endorsement by Cabinet, is now able to set policy via business rules rather than cumbersome legislative changes through regulation. Not only will this allow us to respond in a timely way to market movements, but we also have HomeNorth as a tool for government to intervene to iron out roughs in the housing market and, thus, introduce greater stability and predictability for the industry. This is the kind of thing which the industry demands, especially in the Northern Territory economy. Adjusting, for example, income thresholds can expand the marketplace for both new and existing homes. This government has already demonstrated the effectiveness of this new approach, and to protect the values of the scheme to new home buyers.
As promised during the election, and less than two weeks after the election result, we moved quickly to further enhance the government home ownership scheme, which we have now badged HomeNorth Extra. From 1 July 2005, HomeNorth Extra made changes that increased the household income limits to $1160 per week, up 6%, which kept in line with income growth over the proceeding year; and increased the threshold on dwelling purchases by 8.3% from $240 000 to $260 000. The increase in the threshold responded, in part, to the strong growth in house prices in the Northern Territory without contributing to house price inflation.
Further to that, we have also introduced a scheme which will allow new and existing HomeNorth Extra borrowers in Shared Equity Loans to buy our Territory Housing shares in 5% tranches instead of 10% tranches as previous. This will also allow borrowers to buy a greater share of one of their most important assets at a faster rate than before.
There are three further points I would like to make about HomeNorth Extra. First is the initiative to increase resources under Regional HomeNorth Extra to towns up and down the track to make people aware of HomeNorth and, importantly, to advise them as to how they can access this great scheme. For all the reasons I have outlined, the importance of increasing home ownership is critical to the future of our regional towns in population stability and economic activity. Many of these towns have a marginal private property market, and Regional HomeNorth Extra will assist in expanding local economies. In this context, I point out, again, in my home town of Tennant Creek recently there have been nine new HomeNorth loans in the first 13 months of the revamped scheme. This compares to a mere two loans in the previous three years, or one loan every 18 months, as opposed to a HomeNorth loan now every eight weeks. It means there are now nine households in Tennant Creek making a commitment to the future of this great regional town; living, working, playing and supporting local businesses. Regional HomeNorth was designed to expand this process beyond Tennant Creek to our other regional centres.
Secondly, the profile of HomeNorth Extra borrowers appears radically different to interstate experience. Of the borrowers since 1 July 2004, income ranges for loans funded and loans awaiting settlement are: between $300 and $599 – 9.45%; between $600 and $899 - 68.5%; and greater than and equal to $900 - 22.1%. Age profiles of loans funded and loans awaiting settlement are: 18 to 24 years - 21%; 25 to 34 years - 40%; 35 to 44 years - 21%; 45 to 54 years - 13%; 55 years and over - 5%. The gender of borrowers funded and loans awaiting settlement are: single males - 31%; single females - 45%; joint loans - 24%. In both the age and income profiles, we are clearly hitting the mark of our government’s commitments to assist lower and middle income earners, but the high proportion of single people - 76% of the borrowers - would seem unusual. This is even more say when you consider 45% of HomeNorth extra borrowers are single women.
The previous minister dubbed this latter phenomenon as the ‘new glory box approach’ to economic independence by Territory women. Recently, on ABC radio, the Real Estate Institute’s Sue Shearer called it ‘chicks with bricks’. I am not sure which description is the most accurate, but it surely backs trends elsewhere in Australia, where young single people have the most difficulty of all in increasing private home ownership. In any case, my office has asked Territory Housing to carry out research into this and other aspects of HomeNorth Extra to ensure it remains and expands a scheme that remains flexible and responsive for the needs of Territory home buyers.
Third is the issue of defaulting loans or loans in arrears under Northern Territory government home ownership schemes. As of the 31 July 2005, 1.49% of the number of loans was in arrears for more than 30 days, and the value of the loans in arrears was 1.77% of the total portfolio value. This is below the Australian average for government-assisted loans, last reported at 2%. Of these loans, three were taken up since 1 July 2004 under the new scheme, two of which are now making regular payments. No clients have taken the option of Territory Housing purchasing an additional share to assist them through hard times. There is only one new loan which is of concern, and financial advice will be provided to this buyer under our Arrears Management Plan. This demonstrates that the HomeNorth Extra Loans portfolio is being managed well.
I would like to sincerely thank the hardworking staff of both Territory Housing and TIO, which manages the scheme on our behalf, for their diligence and hard work.
Mr Deputy Speaker, I move that the Assembly take note of the statement.
Dr LIM (Greatorex): Mr Deputy Speaker, I would have liked to get up tonight to congratulate the minister on his first statement on housing. I really genuinely would like to do that because I know what it is like; you are the minister and you want to establish your mark on the department, and your aspirations for the direction that the department would take. However, then I looked it over for the last four years. There has been a bill on housing and nine ministerial statements or reports in these last four years - including today’s, that is 10 reports - and nine questions on housing. Each one has been, essentially, very much repeating what has been said previously.
Today’s statement about HomeNorth Extra, as the minister defines it, is nothing more than re-badging a bit of a new financial plan to improve the HomeNorth availability for young Territorians. Well and good, well and good. HomeNorth has been going for - a few days ago, I said HomeNorth has been going for about six or seven years. I was wrong. Home North has been going for since at least the last three terms of the CLP government and this last four years under the Martin Labor government. It has been going for quite a long time. With each iteration or version of it, Home North has been improved making it more accessible to people through greater subsidy or funding from government allowing for smaller and smaller up-front deposit from buyers. That is all very good.
That is a good direction to go to encourage young people in the Territory - and the not so young people - who want to buy their homes in the Territory, and give them a way to start. I can remember the days when government funding was not readily available to try to buy your first home, and having to find or put together at least the first 5% of the total cost of the home made it well nigh impossible for many young people to achieve. Therefore, this is good.
However, I would have thought this is the sort of things that a ministerial report would have been more than enough, rather than a ministerial statement. To have 10 ministerial statements or reports in four years and nine questions on the subject is a little excessive.
When the minister said that, for various reasons, the Territory’s home ownership rate is not as good as the rest of the country, there are many reasons. One of the biggest reasons is the cost to buy land and to build. Building expenses are high but the scarcity of land and, hence the price of land, is just so exorbitant or so prohibitive that many people - young and old - cannot afford to buy. If you buy a block of land for $200 000 to $250 000, and you have to find a similar amount to pay for the building of the new home - $0.5m is not within the reach of most people. Somehow, this government has to look seriously at land release and get that out as soon as they can at a price that most people can afford. Then you will see housing go up more readily. It is also the reason why I believe that the number of units that are going up is so high, because that is still at least within reach of most people, but not new housing.
However, once a family, a young couple or young person purchase the house - albeit cheaper than the normal houses that are being built at the moment - there is the responsibility of government, of Territory Housing, to ensure that it does not happen that, within a few weeks or a few months of the house being purchased - lo and behold! - next door is a neighbour from hell. This is a frequent complain to me. People buy a home in the suburbs at great expense to them, even with HomeNorth, and within months, they have the neighbour from hell move in next door or within a couple of doors from them. What they say is: ‘My property has just been devalued by an act of government. The government helps me on one hand, and then the second agency of the government brings in a neighbour from hell and makes my life miserable and makes my property devalued’. It is no wonder local members on both sides of the House get so many complains from people about neighbours from hell.
Territory Housing needs to deal with that as quickly as they can. Whenever they get a complaint, do not force the complainants to go into a series of letter writing because the first thing to happen is that it targets them and it makes it hard. You then have neighbourhood brawls because the neighbour from hell hears or finds out who the complainant is. I encourage my constituents from Greatorex that, if they have a neighbour from hell, they tell me and I can provide the report to Territory Housing and buffer the complainant; the complaint came from me and not from the complainant. That way, at least the complainant is not a target.
Mr McADAM: A point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker! I am finding it very difficult to hear the member for Greatorex, so perhaps he speak up.
Dr LIM: You cannot hear me? Okay. I will talk a bit louder.
Mr McADAM: Thank you.
Dr LIM: I decided not to yell at you today.
Anyway, talking about HomeNorth, the increase in funding that you are providing for young Territorians is, obviously, useful.
In the latter stage of your statement, minister, you spoke about income ranges for loans funded, and loans waiting for settlement, and quoted figures of $300 to $599, $600 to $899 and greater than $900. I assume you mean per week, because nowhere in your statement do you spell it out. I am sure that is what you mean: that the income range is per week income. Otherwise, I would suggest to you that people on those income ranges, if it is not per week, would face great difficulty repaying their mortgages. The demand on housing will continue to be highish, and with the funding assistance you are providing, it makes it a bit easier for them.
However, there is another group of people who cannot afford to purchase a house, and they are the people who depend on government for public housing. I said a few days ago that waiting time for housing has increased significantly. I received a briefing recently where I found out that, for instance, a single non-pensioner has to wait for 42 months for Territory Housing facilities in Alice Springs, and there are some180 clients waiting. In Darwin, it is only 14 months with 266 clients waiting. There is a huge anomaly there. For people in Alice Springs it is 42 months, almost four years, and just a little more than one year in Darwin. A single pensioner in Alice Springs has to wait 29 months for accommodation, whereas in Darwin it is less than two years.
A two-bedroom home in Alice Springs carries a wait of 25 months; in Darwin, Casuarina, it is eight months - huge anomaly! The numbers of people waiting for that sort of residence in Alice Springs is 181 and in Darwin 174, so there is not much of a difference there. For a three-bedroom home, it is 37 months in Alice Springs; in Darwin or Casuarina, 21 months. So there is a huge anomaly between the two major regions in the Territory.
While it is good that you can increase HomeNorth funding to assist people to buy their homes, there is this huge group that needs housing desperately and are facing great difficulties. They are forced into private rental, and they keep paying huge amounts of money for property ...
Mrs Braham: Build some more in the electorate of Greatorex.
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Member for Braitling!
Dr LIM: It is important that government looks across the board. HomeNorth is well and good and I congratulate the government for continuing to improve on the model that was started in the last three terms of the CLP government. I am not quibbling that they have improved it to such a large extent that it makes it a lot easier for people to get their homes.
There is very little more that I want to add to this, Mr Deputy Speaker. We have spoken about HomeNorth ad nauseam and I will leave it at that.
Mr BURKE (Brennan): Mr Deputy Speaker, I support the minister’s statement regarding HomeNorth Extra.
The scheme is a resounding success story. Demand has exceeded the expectation of the government and the department. It is good news for builders, their employees who build the houses, and for related industries such as electricians and plumbers who all rely on a healthy building sector. It is good news for local government entities which charge rates on the land on which those houses are built. More people, more dwellings means more revenue.
Most importantly of all, it is good for those the scheme directly assists to make the dream of home ownership a reality. I encourage all members of this Assembly to come out to Palmerston to such suburbs as Bakewell and Farrar. It reminds me of Darwin in the years immediately post-Cyclone Tracy – houses are going up everywhere. When my family first moved to Darwin at the end of 1975, we moved into a house in Wulagi Crescent. We moved in whilst the house next to us was still being completed. In fact, the next few houses were all at various stages of construction. As a house was completed, a family moved in. As I said, Palmerston reminds me very much of this time. The HomeNorth and HomeNorth Extra schemes are at the heart of this development.
I understand, from figures provided to me, that Palmerston has the highest rate of unit and house construction through the HomeNorth Extra scheme - 9% of loans compared to 4% across the Territory. That is more than double the rest of the Territory. Nine percent of people building or buying a unit or house in Palmerston have accessed the HomeNorth Extra scheme, which is a phenomenal number. I do not think we can extrapolate that, without the scheme, 9% of new home owners would not have been able to yet break into the market; however, certainly the absence of the scheme would have had a considerable impact.
Using the figures to which the minister referred in his statement; 137 out of 175 new Palmerston clients of the scheme were first home buyers, 68.5% of which have a weekly gross income of between $600 and $899; and 9.4% have a gross weekly income between $300 and $599. More than 75% of borrowers are on low to middle incomes. Many of us here have probably lived off this sort of income, so we know how hard it is to save anything towards a deposit. I note the statistics about the age of those accessing the HomeNorth Extra scheme - 21% are between 18 and 24 years old. Honourable members are probably aware that the earlier we are able to build our assets, the greater the effect those assets have on our individual wealth.
Australians particularly have a love affair with bricks and mortar investment. This has a lot to do with our perception that houses are a safe investment - safe as houses, as the saying goes. The biggest advantage that a house has over shares and interest-bearing investments is, of course, that you can live in it. Repayments bring down the debt to asset ratio, and the house increases in value over time, further decreasing that ratio. As many financial commentators have noted, owning your own house is the first step to building wealth. The earlier a person can make this first step, the earlier they can have the loan repaid and use that equity to launch into purchasing other assets, if they so choose to do. Unfortunately, some financial institutions use sophisticated advertising to try and encourage the purchaser to buy items that lose value over time, using the home as security. I take my hat off to those who are not even out of their teens and have committed to the purchase of their first home.
There are also other stories behind these statistics. The break-up of a personal relationship can mean that the family home has to be sold. People find that the security that they have been building over many years is suddenly gone and they have to start over. This can happen at any stage of life. The older we are when this happens, the more frightening starting over is. People, through no fault of their own, can suddenly find they have gone from comfortable lifestyle to financial struggle. It is good to know that people are not disqualified from accessing HomeNorth Extra simply because they have previously owned property, often jointly. Just because a person has previously been on the Titles Register does not mean they should be excluded from assistance when having to start over.
As the minister said, more and more Territorians are accessing the scheme. We heard today in Question Time that the figure has reached 700, with 82% buying a home for the first time. In Palmerston, the figures are 137 first home buyers out of 175 approvals. This equates to about 78%, slightly lower but still a significant figure.
Six Territory Housing properties in Palmerston were purchased using the HomeNorth Extra scheme. I am sure every member here wants this figures to be as high as possible, not just in Palmerston but across the Territory. Transferring people from public housing into their own home is a success story each and every time it happens. It is gratifying to know that this is still possible, notwithstanding the rapid increase in house prices seen right across the country. Some may be tempted to argue that the scheme is inadvertently contributing to inflation in the housing sector. I am not one of those. The scheme is aimed at the lower end of the housing market. The people the scheme is targeting want a home to call their own. It may not be a mansion in size, with pool and landscaped gardens, but it will be mansion in the new owner’s heart.
However, having said that, I remind the House of the speed with which the Martin Labor government reacted. In July 2004, it decreased the deposit requirements from 5% to 2%. This, obviously, meant that the applicants to the scheme had less of a deposit - a bundle of money - to find. The government increased the value of the purchase price of the property from a $180 000 to $240 000, an increase of 33%. That is a massive increase. If that was not enough, from 1 July 2005, less than two weeks after the election, this Labor government again increased the threshold a further $20 000 to make it $260 000. In what is roughly a 12-month period, the Labor government increased the threshold of the value of the purchase price by a massive 44%. This is a commitment to families; to young people trying to get ahead; and to people trying to recover financial and emotional security. It is a commitment to the battlers, those who have ever been the foundation and support of the Australian Labor Party.
The scheme includes an interest-free facility providing up to $1500 for the purchase of whitegoods. It shows that Labor is not just assisting people to purchase a house or a unit, but assisting them in building a home.
I note that one of the changes the Martin government has made to the shared equity loans is to enable borrowers to buy out Territory Housing shares in 5% lots instead of 10% lots. Anything we can do to make it easier for people to own more of their home quicker should be done. It is very hard to keep saving towards a 10% figure. On a unit worth a modest $140 000, you are asking people to save up $14 000 in order to purchase that 10%. A target of $7000, or 5% on these figures, is much easier to meet. The temptation to eat into your savings and use them for another purpose is ever present. The smaller the lump of money you are trying to accumulate, the easier it is to avoid that temptation.
There is also the psychological effect of successfully buying a further portion of your home back from the Territory. It is a great, positive feeling generated by the success. The first sum is always the hardest; you are breaking new ground. The second time you are trying to get the money together, it is a bit easier because you know you have done it before. If you just stick to the rules you set the first time, you know you should get there again. Thereafter, it gets easier and easier, as you know you have done it a few times before. From a psychological perspective, it eventually becomes a doddle. Further, you build up self-confidence that, if something does go wrong, it is just the minor hiccup, not the ruination of your dreams. It is something that you can recover from.
Our population in the Territory is a young one in comparison to other parts of the country. I referred earlier to the statistics of young people using the HomeNorth Extra scheme to enter into the housing market. This is an important statistic. As the minister said, elsewhere it is this section of the community that finds it extremely difficult to break into the housing market. However, unlike elsewhere, this group represents a larger proportion of our population. It is vitally important for the Territory that we encourage these Territorians to stay and be part or our exciting future. These people will be the engine of economic growth in the territory for the years to come.
Mr Deputy Speaker, I understand that under the HomeNorth Scheme, including the changes brought out with HomeNorth Extra, a massive $34 309 363 has been committed and spent to date in Palmerston. Believe me, a drive around the suburbs of Bakewell, Farrar, Gunn and Rosebery, will leave honourable members in no doubt that this money is being invested in the Territory’s future.
Mrs BRAHAM (Braitling): Mr Deputy Speaker, I commend the minister on his statement. It is good to see government is encouraging home ownership. Yes, we are all keen to encourage people to purchase their home in the Territory and make the Territory their home for a long time. It is important that this happens, and all governments have used the HomeNorth Scheme to encourage Territorians to do that.
It is commendable that the government has reviewed this. As the member for Brennan pointed out though, there has been a 44% increase in the threshold on the price of the home just in 12 months. I just want to say, minister, that you must be aware that there are consequences when we keep raising the threshold, when wages certainly have not kept pace with that - the 44% has not incurred in income increases. We have to be careful we do not put people in a position where they cannot sustain the repayments. Although you have quoted some facts in your statement, it is a little early yet to see whether this huge increase in prices will have any effect on people who are trying to keep up with the repayments.
You quoted the story of the Tennant Creek home that was purchased. Perhaps, minister, you might tell us the price of the house in Tennant Creek. It is my understanding that house prices in Tennant Creek are quite low and, even though it is commendable that that person is staying in Tennant Creek now, it is probably a lot easier to purchase a home in Tennant Creek than it is in other parts of the Territory.
As you know, the prices of homes in Alice Springs are sky high. Unfortunately, a first home buyer would probably only be able to purchase a unit in Alice. I cannot find any homes within the price range we are talking about. We have to be careful that we do not let people bite off more than they can chew. We have to be careful that we do not inflate the market so that it becomes unsustainable. The Territory is such a vast place. What happens in the south is so very different from what happens in the north, and it is difficult for us to really keep a balance.
I would like to see this government put more emphasis on providing land at a reasonable cost for first home buyers. I mentioned earlier the subdivision for sale in Larapinta. It was passed in at auction. One of the reasons for that is because government has indicated they are going to buy 12 home blocks from the developer at $97 000. That is setting a standard. That is, basically, saying to developers you can charge $100 000 for a block of land at least. If a first home buyer has to pay $100 000 for a block of land, they are not going to have much left over for to build a home.
Why not take those 12 blocks of land and offer them to first home buyers for $45 000, which is a reasonable cost in East Hermannsburg, as we call it? We call it that because it is west of Alice Springs. We are we are going further and further out of town. It is not the golf course. It is a beautiful area, might I add. Why not think about bringing those land blocks down to a price that our first home buyers can afford? Perhaps then a developer might purchase that land and develop it. There are other areas of land coming on to the market so obviously, developers are wary, particularly when you have set a standard indicating that you will buy them back for $97 000. That is a lot of money, isn’t it? I ask you, minister, to review the way you are looking at land prices in that subdivision and the availability to first home buyers. I would like to see more encouragement for these first home buyers to purchase.
I want to raise the issue of the shared equity scheme. I wrote to the previous minister in 2004 about a problem we have in Alice Springs; what the person who wrote to me called the ‘hidden hazard’ in the HomeNorth shared equity scheme. He purchased a home through HomeNorth for $140 000. The government assisted him by purchasing 30% of that home, which was $42 000. The family decided, after a time, that they would like to pay off the part that the government still owned. They were getting ahead in their finances and they wanted to clear the debt but, when they went back to that 30% share, they found it was worth $63 000.
Instead, their share cost went from $21 000 to $44 000. They were still on a very modest single income with three kids, and their desire to settle the debt meant that now they were stuck. They did not realise that the part the government owned was based on market value. Therefore, instead of them owning 30% of the original price, they now owed 30% of the market price, a huge increase. That is a bit of a hidden hazard in this scheme. It has caught a few people unaware. Suddenly, their debt is far greater than they imagined.
Government should look at this. They could look at tying the loan to the original amount plus CPI or plus interest. By tying it to the market value, they are getting more than CPI and interest; they are getting a huge increase. Although you could argue that it is good because the other 70% proportion of that house that a person owns has also inflated with the market price, it does not mean that it is easier for those people to pay off that part of the loan. There is a hidden hazard in your shared equity loan. Perhaps you might do as I suggest and consider tying it to the interest and the CPI rather than the market value. That way, it would encourage people to think about paying off that share of the shared equity they have taken out. It is just one of those areas which caught us all a little by surprise as we did not expect that to happen.
I know it is important for us to encourage people to buy. I know we have a long waiting list for public housing in Alice Springs, as the member for Greatorex pointed out. However, we do not want to get into a situation again where we are forcing prices up and the home repayments become unsustainable for our families; whether they are first home buyers or not. We have to be careful that we have not done that in what we are planning. It is good that you have reduced the deposit and increased the market value of the home. It is sensible to also raise the gross household income. However, I believe we have to be careful about the consequences.
While I am on my feet, I raise the issue of seniors villages. Minister, you are going to be opening very shortly of a seniors village in Alice Springs. This is great. They have been a huge success. However, we seem to be catering for seniors and people in public housing, but we have forgotten about the self-funded retirees. I have mentioned this before. Suddenly, in Alice Springs, all the baby boomers are now in that age group, and every time one of them leaves town, they take about $1m with them, because we do not have a secure, safe environment for these people to purchase into. We have not even investigated looking at that subdivision which is up for sale in Larapinta, and whether the entire subdivision could become a retirement village for self-funded retirees. There are 45 blocks there and you could probably make a village with that complex. I do not know whether government has ever thought of going into some sort of joint partnership with a developer to develop such a complex. I know you are helping those on low incomes; however, there is no reason why we cannot also assist those people on high incomes. To be honest, they are often the ones we want to stay in our towns. It would be a great initiative if this government would suddenly say: ‘Yes, we will go into partnership’.
You could even have a public/private village for self-funded retirees. You could say: ‘We will purchase some of these units, or some of these homes in this village for our public housing tenants’. You could assist a private developer to do this. I believe Darwin has tried to do this. They have a village for self-funded retirees - people on higher incomes. That is my understanding. However, we certainly do not.
There is a trend across Australia, as everyone knows - let us face it, those baby boomers are getting to the retirement age, and they are the ones with the money, the ones who are looking for an environment where they can spend their last few years. They want the security, a good lifestyle, facilities and activities, and it is something that, at the moment, we are not offering this particular group of people. I would like government to think about how they can assist these people to stay. It always concerns me when I hear someone in Alice Springs say: ‘We are off south’, or they have bought into a complex in Queensland, because they do not have anything in Central Australia to go in to. We do not have that choice, that option. It is something we need to think about, because the Northern Territory is the same as every other state which also has its group of baby boomers who are retiring, who, in fact, we should be encouraging to stay, not move on.
Minister, perhaps you could advise whether you think that is something government could investigate and come up with an answer to, because you might be surprised with the number of self-funded retirees who would be interested in investing in that type of retirement village.
On the whole, minister, I appreciate what you are trying to do with your HomeNorth scheme. It has always been great that government has encouraged people to purchase their home. Knowing that we are still the lowest in Australia probably is a reflection of the fact that it took us a long time to get private housing. I always tell the story of when we first came to Alice Springs in 1962, and there was so little private accommodation available. We stayed in a place called May’s Guest House which was, I think, old Army huts. It was quite an experience, and it took us a long time before we got a Commonwealth public house which we purchased for 7000. It was just so difficult, at that stage, to find any private housing. The development of private subdivisions occurred much later, and I guess that is why Territorians are so far behind the rest of Australia in owning their own home. Therefore, it is important that we increase the trend and get people to stay.
Mr Deputy Speaker, I commend the minister for keeping us up to date with this. I would not mind knowing what the breakdown in the different regions of the Territory is of those people who have accessed this scheme and these loans. That would be valuable for us, as local members, to know what is going on in each of our electorates. If the minister could give us that information, that would be fine. I commend the minister, and I look forward to working with him in Alice Springs.
Ms LAWRIE (Family and Community Services): Mr Deputy Speaker, I congratulate the minister for Housing on his HomeNorth scheme statement. I speak as the member for Karama in this debate, because many of my constituents have really benefited hugely since the big changes were introduced to this scheme in July 2004.
I have had first-hand experience of working with families who were on the verge of having to depart Territory Housing because, through their hard efforts they had worked their way up the employment ladder, and it got to a point of their gross household income exceeding the limits public housing had. It was a really lovely opportunity for them to stream over into home ownership and, in fact, buy the home that, in many instances, they had been living in for upwards of 15 to 20 years. They never thought that they would ever be welcomed by a loan scheme. They never thought that they actually met the criteria for a loan scheme, until I was able to sit down and talk them through the HomeNorth scheme the previous minister had introduced. As soon as you said: ‘Oh, we have reduced the deposit price down from 5% to 2%’, you saw people’s faces light up with hope. It was news to them, because the battlers out there are doing it pretty tough on low to middle income wages. Quite frankly, they do not have a lot to savings tucked away in the bank. The money they earn is well spent, going towards to the kids’ education and taking care of their family. It just means, in this day and age with our cost of living, they did not have big stores of savings. Therefore, 2% all of sudden brought home ownership within their reach.
The other thing that was attractive in the change that came in 2004, obviously, was extending the market value for purchase up to $240 000 which then, in a realistic sense, presented for people living in Karama and Malak the opportunity of purchasing their public housing home. In those instances, they were being valued around the $240 000 market, averaging $200 000. If the scheme had stayed down at $180 000, it would not have been applicable to purchasing those homes. I congratulate this Minister for Housing, who has quickly introduced the election commitment of increasing the market value of purchase of property up to $260 000, because that opens up a far greater range of private purchases appearing into the market.
I am starting to say to people: ‘Okay, you might have been living in that home for 10 years, but have a look around at the private market and compare what you can get for your dollar against the public housing house you have been living in through these years’. It is great to see the empowerment that is happening in families; that they feel as though they might just have some choices in their life - they might be able to take control of how and where they are living, and the circumstances in which they live.
I have to say, the situations that I have witnessed first-hand have been quite remarkable in terms of social flow-on effects. I know of one family who came to me devastated because both of them had picked up extra shifts at work and become quite popular at their places of employment, and were doing well for the first time in many years together. They have three kids, and they had reached the point where they exceeded the Territory Housing gross household income limit. They had been given the news that they had exceeded the limit and would have to find another place to live. We sat down and looked at HomeNorth together, and they have purchased through shared equity because they did not quite have the capacity to do the full 100% purchase. They purchased in 2004 through the shared equity process with the scheme. They were cracking open the champagne again just a month ago; they have 100% equity in the place.
They had a target, and I told them not to let this slip: ‘You have the majority stake in your house. No one can kick you out now, you can decide what colour you want to paint it, and what you want to do with the carport and the garden. Do not let that target of 100% slip’. They did not. He gave up his social drinking, the beers, and cigarettes. They went through their household budget and cut out every single scrap of discretionary expenditure and put every cent into getting that 100%. They fully, and outright - obviously, there is the mortgage with TIO - own that home. It is a family rejuvenated. They are now talking about looking around and making ends meet to purchase a second property. These are people for whom, two years ago, I had to work for weeks to convince them they could be home owners, because they had only ever been public housing tenants through their entire married life of 20-odd years. They just did not think they could cut it. Yet they are cutting it; they are going great guns. It is really changing the shape and face of the electorate of Karama.
Families in Karama and Malak are buying their homes, and it is a real mark of fundamental pride in themselves. They say: ‘Hey, we are pretty good. We have done what we did not think that we could ever do; we own our house’. What they are saying is they are finding the mortgage repayments well within their scope; they are not struggling. If you look at the statistics that the minister very kindly has shown us today, that has borne out in the arrears. The arrears on this loan scheme are down as low as 1.4%. That is incredibly low arrears, and that is a real credit to the fact that there is an Arrears Management program. I congratulate the department for that. As we know, people hit hard times; someone is getting less shifts at work or someone has become sick and been laid off for a while. That happens in the nature of families. This Arrears Management program is a huge assistance in working people through those incredibly tough times. I congratulate the foresight of the department in putting in place an Arrears Management program, because the peaks and troughs of life are there, and are very real for the people living in the suburbs. This is working them through the mortgage payment management.
It is great that HomeNorth Extra, as of 1 July this year, increased the gross household ceiling for tenants up to $1166 at the upper limit. It is really good to see that the way the HomeNorth scheme is been reengineered and revitalised by the Martin Labor government, ensures things such as the value of the purchase property and the gross household ceiling can be adjusted through a very simple process, rather than having to bring it in through this Chamber. It can keep step with the changing values and prices and real growth in wages out there in the community. I congratulate the people who have put the hard work in, in revitalising and recreating the HomeNorth scheme to be a very practical scheme.
It is really wonderful to see the statistics borne out in the minister’s statement of, just in one year, some 614 Territory households taking up home ownership. It is a fantastic testimony to a really well thought out, well constructed and well implemented loan scheme. There is $107m out there pumping around the economy that would not have been there if were not for the revitalisation of HomeNorth. It is really good to see that flow-on effect of the boost to the construction sector. God knows, I have a lot of subbies living in my electorate and I tell you, they are all putting verandas on their homes at the moment. Times are good; they are flat out. They have a lot of money in their pockets and they are fixing up their own homes. It is lovely to see the flow-on effect. This flow-on effect is not going to ebb away because there will always be - as we are seeing in the statistics - people moving through, the young singles coming through, wanting to purchase their own home.
It is one of those fantastic schemes that will keep on with this momentum, rather than have an initial period of flurry and then slip away. This is borne out, if you look at the statistics in this statement, in the take-up rate from 1 July this year. It is not ebbing away. It is a fantastic effort by the administrators of the scheme.
At this stage, I really want to thank the people who I know put in the hard work: the public servants, people like Fiona Chamberlain and the staff in the department who work with her in the Business Division of Housing. They have knuckled down and come up with what is a very workable, pragmatic, fair and reasonable scheme. I know they have a close working relationship with TIO. TIO is doing a fantastic job administering the loans.
I pick up on the points that the member for Braitling made, quite appropriately: beware that we are not setting people up to fail in the sense of them managing the cost and the prices. What I have to say from my experience of dealing with TIO, it is very much a part of the scrutiny before they allow the loan to be approved. They have a very close look at the people’s capacity to maintain mortgage management, and they give them advice on the aspects of shared equity versus 100% ownership regarding the market value of the properties increasing. Appropriately, attention is being paid to the detail in giving good advice to people looking to take up this loan scheme.
I am really delighted to see that this $3m in one year has been a flow-on effect within the construction industry because, as I said, I see the real benefits of that flowing through people’s lives. The subcontractors in my electorate are certainly looking a hell of a lot happier than they have looked in years.
Another great flow-on effect is this $540 000 to the suppliers of whitegoods. These are retailers working in our local community selling their goods. Retail is the sector that has done it the toughest in previous years. They probably have not had the spike up in growth that we have seen in across other sectors such as mining, tourism and construction, as we have previously mentioned. Therefore, it is good to see this flow through to retail. There are a lot of people living in our community who work in the retail sector and are benefiting from this expenditure in retail.
On the family side of things, we all know the high expense of setting up your first home. It is incredibly crippling financially for any family trying to go into their first home ownership. I remember, years ago, I had to draw upon my own superannuation to set up a fridge and a washing machine for my kids when I had little babies and I was doing it tough. To think you can apply for an interest-free loan and get your fridge and washing machine is a fantastic scheme.
I have to say when I talk about the interest-free loan to constituents, they cannot believe it. They think it is the most practical, sensible, wonderful news and they feel as though it is Christmas. They know they have to pay it back, but the fact that they can pay it back over time without interest, they cannot believe their good fortune. I let them know, unashamedly, that it was not like that before. These opportunities were not here in the Territory for people before. It took the Martin Labor government to bring in these reforms to really address the needs of the battlers in our community.
The battlers the builders and the retailers are winning. It is really good to see suburbs and areas, as the member for Brennan said, flourish and come to life - whether it is through construction of new homes or whether, in a more established area like mine, it is through the rejuvenation of homes because home ownership means people take more pride in their place and they start to do the home renovation job that we all like to see so much on those fantastic TV programs.
I thank the minister for the effort that he has gone to in illustrating some of the profiling of the ages and wages of people participating in this scheme. I was surprised to see that the majority of people participating are what I would describe as middle income owners: 68.5% of some middle income owners, with loans going to people earning between $600 and $899 per week. These are people who should get a look in with the major banks but, unfortunately, have not been. We know how tough banks can be in assessing whether or not they will give you a mortgage.
I congratulate the minister for giving us these profiles. I am looking forward to seeing the results of research that the department will undertake to look further to understand the nature and the circumstances of the people accessing this loan scheme. I know the previous minister called it ‘chicks with bricks’ for the single female, some 45% of people taking up loans. However, part of me wonders whether that is single females without children, or single females with children because, to me, it is a very different demographic and reflection on the nature of the loans and the people it is helping. I feel it is just fantastic that single women are being empowered to purchase a home. They are only slightly ahead of the single men out there - 31%. Well, certainly makes a guy a far more attractive catch to those ‘chicks with bricks’ as well. Can you image the chick with the brick and the bloke with a brick getting together? Immediately, they would start a real estate empire - it is fantastic. I am sure there will be discussions at Shenannigans from time to time as to who has the best bricks.
It is one of those win/win schemes. It is rare to be able to construct a process where it is a win/win. It is fantastic that the Minister for Housing worked with vision and energy and created the HomeNorth scheme. It is great to see our Minister for Housing really bring it through to a new era, a new phase, and have the discussions with his department regarding the research required to really understand this scheme because, the more we understand it, the more we understand who is using it and how they are using it, the better we can, as a government, finetune it.
I do love the shared equity aspect of the loan. It is borne out in the figures - 56% Shared Equity Loans with $7.7m funded. It is incredibly difficult for the battler, in the proof they have to provide TIO, to go in and show that they can take on the entire mortgage, the entire value of the property. This gives them a leg in. Shared equity gives the important leg in to do it and, as I have seen first-hand, once they have that leg in, there is no looking back. They really drive forward with increasing their equity until they have 100% equity.
Again, I congratulate the minister for bringing this statement to the House. I know the member for Greatorex was somewhat churlish in saying: ‘Well, we have had nine mentions of HomeNorth over this period of time’. Well, good, because this is an update. We needed to hear how it was going. We needed to know what the impact of the HomeNorth Extra aspects are. If we can better understand it, as representatives of our community, then we can better explain it. When we explain it better, of course, more people have the opportunity to access it. Member for Greatorex, try to put your churlishness aside every now and again and see a win/win opportunity when it comes along. Let us all embrace it, because it can help the battlers in our community - whether it is the bloke with bricks, the chick with bricks, or the family who have been doing it tough and wanting to own a home but never thought they could - get into the market and get that real sense of anchor in their community, in their patch of paradise in the Northern Territory - to know that that is theirs and no one can kick them out. Their foolishness could, perhaps, make them lose it, but then, with these incentives, you would not be foolish because you have something to hang onto. Importantly, for many families, you have something to leave your kids.
The great Australian dream has been brought home to them in a very real sense through a very fair, visionary scheme - a scheme that was constructed in a way that it can move with the times. It has its flexibilities embedded within it. It can work, it can keep on getting better and it can keep on improving. I know the administrators of the scheme - both in the departmental sense as well as the TIO - know what they are doing. They are doing a great job with it and, with the drive and vision of the minister they have, I would be looking forward to further statements on HomeNorth.
Mr WOOD (Nelson): Mr Deputy Speaker, I am going to speak on behalf of the blokes with blocks, or the chicks with bricks.
Mr Henderson: Blokes with what?
Mr WOOD: Blokes with blocks. You build houses out of blocks; you do not see too many bricks.
While I remember, because I have not done it before, I would like to congratulate the member for Barkly on becoming the minister responsible for the Department of Community Development and other sections. I have not quite caught up with all the changes to departments. However, I congratulate the member for Barkly; it is a well-deserved promotion, not only because he is a good bloke, but because I reckon he can do the job. Now I have said those sweet things about him, I will get into the crux of what I want to say.
HomeNorth is a great scheme. I am not here to bag a scheme which I reckon has lots of attributes. It certainly does help people get into the home market. The member for Karama has spoken eloquently on the benefits of the scheme. It is a good scheme, especially with low deposits. You can get Fee Assistance Loans and Shared Equity Loans. I take the point the member for Braitling made that there are some concerns there. However, I do believe the government has to still complement the loan scheme with other schemes.
The cost of land and housing has been mentioned here today. I went through some of the real estate advertisements today looking for land and a house under $260 000. I looked in my own area, and I did find one five-acre block in Howard Springs, which is worth $179 000. However, the bus is a bit had-it and the tank stand does not look too bad; however, that is about it! That is about the cheapest block you would ever find in Howard Springs, and most people would regard that as the price of the land and not the price of the structures on it. In fact, one five-acre block near my land went for $180 000 and, on Hillier Road, land with just a shed on it sold for $209 000 last year - that is just the land, no house. If you look at the prices of land in Howard Springs, they are between $270 000 to $805 000 for five acres. In Girraween - which would include this block here, I would say, for $179 000 - they go up to $390 000. One hectare blocks in the last sale of land in that area sold for $135 000, and 15 blocks went before the doors opened. There is a big demand for land. However, the problem is that, as long as the price keeps going up, it is going to be much harder for first home buyers to afford it.
If you have to pay $100 000 or more for land, how much are you going to spend on your house? Not a lot. If you are looking at the economy, land is not the thing which drives the economy; it is what you put on that land. When you build a house, you spend your money on all the bits to build the house - the floor, roof and all the things that go in it – and that is what drives the economy. Therefore, the cheaper the land, obviously, people are going to be able to spend more on their house, and that is what helps the economy.
I had a look at Darwin prices, looking through the NT News for last Saturday. In Jingili, a ‘charming ground level home, tiled throughout’ is $323 000, well above the $260 000. In Wagaman, an area in which, years ago, you could buy a house fairly easily, it is $335 000, still well above the $260 000. In Woodroffe in Palmerston, it is $245 000. Of course, if you go to Bayview, they are $780 000 which is out of the reach of most people trying to get a loan. I had a look at Alice Springs, and practically all houses on this page, bar one, are over the $260 000 mark. That would make it very hard for a first home owner to get enough money to buy a house under this scheme. Again, I say it is not about knocking the scheme; the scheme is great. However, I try to bring it back to reality. If people have to buy a reasonable house – here are more from Alice Springs: $320 000, $278 000, $268 000, and $300 000. Most of the houses I see are well above the price you can get for a first home loan.
You can buy units, and they might be nice. You certainly still can get some packages in Palmerston, and I am not knocking Palmerston. However, what tends to happen, of course, is that, to get a cheaper block you get a smaller block. For families, I do not think that tiny blocks are what we should be providing people. We should be giving people space.
I know the member for Barkly mentioned in this statement about how some people in Tennant Creek had bought houses. I must admit, I would buy a house. There are four houses here; there are three with the price. ‘Urgent sale, three-bedroom brick home in good location, fully fenced, was $85 000, now reduced to $75 000’. ‘House for sale, 9 Whipper Street, $75 000’. ‘House for sale, three bedrooms, airconditioned, separate airconditioner in lounge room, house in reasonable condition, yard needs work, $64 000 negotiable’. I would not mind having the opportunity to buy a house a bit closer to Darwin than Tennant Creek but, obviously, it is easier for someone in Tennant Creek to buy a house using the HomeNorth scheme than it is somewhat in my area. In fact, it is impossible for people in the rural area to be able to purchase five acres - young people making their way - without having some rich relations.
I have said this before the election, and I still think that the government should look at it: the government does own its own land. One of the big changes in real estate is that, several years ago, it went from the government developing Crown land, to then selling to a developer who had to make enough money to cover the purchasing of the land, and then make a profit. That is the reason the land is dearer. The market, of course, is increasing; that is natural and one reason that the land is dearer. The other reason is that you see developers squeeze as many blocks as possible out of a piece of land. They say that if they can as many blocks as possible, they will make more profit. Fair enough. However, I do not believe housing is something that is just left to the marketplace. Housing is a basic human right that governments also should be involved in. The market is not there just to run its own course. People are entitled to be able to purchase a house at a reasonable price.
House prices have gone up extremely quickly. I have the NT News from the 17 August 1996. I mentioned previously about prices in, say, Jingili. Admittedly, they are average prices. I am not sure that I can compare apples with apples here. However, the average price in Jingili in 1995-96 was $169 272. Here is a house now in Jingili for $323 000 - nearly double in 10 years. Another house in Wagaman, where the average price was $156 000; is now $335 000 - not quite double, but certainly gone up quite substantially. You would have to ask: ‘Have our wages gone up that much?’ I do not think so. Certainly, the prices of houses have gone up. It means that sort of increase makes it a lot harder for young people to buy a house; they will buy a unit. I do not reckon that we should be putting young families into units. We should have enough room for kids to kick the footy and play a bit of cricket, and not do it on the road, as some people see. If you have a look at some of the backyards in Parap Grove; there are very small backyards. The back of the house is so close to the back fence that there is probably enough room for a clothes line and that is about it. They are about 1.5 m apart in the roofs, and I do not think that that is the way it should be. The developers will tell you that is what people buy. Well, sometimes that is all they can afford to buy, and that is all that is available.
What I am saying, minister, is that the government should be looking at opening up more land, under a cheaper scheme, for first home owners. When the next subdivision in Palmerston is developed - and I presume the Larrakia Nation will be included in the development of that because I believe they are doing a good job in the Darla subdivision - there needs to be an agreement that some of that land is set aside - like the CLP used to do years ago in the first development of Palmerston and some of the northern suburbs - specifically for first home owners, and the price of land is kept low. Even if that land was below the cost of the development of that section of land, I am sure if you spread that little loss over all those other blocks of land, it would hardly be noticeable. That means you would encourage people to be able to purchase a house without having to reach the top limit of your loans. $260 000 is a lot of money for a single person or someone at home with one income and a couple of children. $260 000 is not chicken feed. It might be if you are in Sydney, but how many people can own their home in Sydney and Melbourne any more?
We do not need to go down that path. We have a lot of land in the Northern Territory. It would be terrible that, with all this land, we cannot find enough lands for people to own their own house because the price of land will force them out of it. This scheme is great. All I am saying is that the scheme limits, simply because the house prices are getting so far away that people cannot afford them.
I would be interested, minister, to know what the average time for paying off a loan is. As I have said here before, it is all very well getting a loan, but are we driving people into paying loans off for the rest of their lives? I have two years left on my home loan, and I have been paying that off for an awful long time. I hope we do not put people into a situation where we give them all this money, but they will be paying that until they are 75. It would be nice if we could make it a reasonable loan that people can pay off and still enjoy some of their later life without having to live under the mortgage.
I would like to see whether the government is doing any study on options for housing. One of the problems with housing is not only is land expensive, but the materials, and the regulations, especially in a cyclone area, contribute to a very high cost of housing. There have been lots of studies of housing. We had the architectural display out here recently. We tend to build houses that I do not think are green-friendly. What I mean is they are high energy use houses. You require airconditioning to cool them because, when you open the window, you can hear everyone five streets away. Is the government is looking whether we can develop cheaper housing?
I know that Parks and Wildlife, many years ago, had a book on log housing. You could not build the entire house out of logs, but the basic structure was out of logs. It was cyclone proof. It was something that people could put together themselves. Is anyone looking a different options of materials?
To build a small house today - just to pour the floor - it cannot be the sand that is expensive because they get from that for practically nothing out in the rural area. Something else has lifted the priced of cement where it has gone through the roof. Steel has gone up over a 100% in two years. Are our regulations changing all the time? We always hear about the Australian Standard. This year, it was changed from the Australian Standard of last year. Last year, you had to have a 100 x 100 mm posts on all your verandahs and this year, it is 120 x 120. The concrete has gone from 1 m3 to 1.5 m3. Do we have too many regulations? I know we need safe houses, but have we extended the regulations so far that we have increased the cost of housing?
It would be worth the government looking at housing costs. We look at grocery and petrol costs, but the thing that really affects us all, the biggest spend we have in our life, is our house. Are there options for reducing the cost of housing? This would not only be in the urban areas, it would have spin-offs for Aboriginal areas because the price of housing, as someone said earlier, is astronomical. The more it costs, the fewer people are going to get a house, especially in Aboriginal communities. It is a matter that has been discussed here before
I would be interested to know whether the HomeNorth scheme has been taken up by any Aboriginal people on Aboriginal communities. There is the issue of whether Aboriginal people can have private land or leased land, and I am not giving an opinion on that at the moment. It is a good debate to have, but what I am trying to say is: do we have a system whereby Aboriginal people can use this scheme to buy a house on a community? There needs to be more effort in that area because, if Aboriginal people have to wait for any government - Commonwealth or the Northern Territory - to supply enough money for all the houses they need, we will all be in the grave. There needs to be some other way we can boost the number of houses. I went to Port Keats to see how many houses they were short of. They have a little factory that makes houses; they pour the walls and they set them up. However, they do not have enough money to make all the houses that are needed.
Can we find ways where you can use HomeNorth? HomeNorth is a low deposit scheme; it is meant for people with low incomes. They can produce a cheap house. Instead of renting a house, if they can put their money into a HomeNorth scheme and purchase a house, then we are helping people get houses. I believe we need to really sit down with land councils, the Commonwealth - all the people who have to be involved in this - and see whether there are ways we can do it. It might be something we have never even thought of. We need to look at the opportunities of allowing more Aboriginal people to access schemes like the HomeNorth scheme, so that they can own a house.
One of the major problems we talked about was education. If there are 20 people overcrowding a house, it certainly is never going to help people who have to sit at home to try to study. It certainly will not contribute to that. Whilst we talk about HomeNorth, it is part of the big housing picture that we need to look at.
On a similar issue to the one mentioned by the member for Braitling when she talked about self-funded retirees, I certainly hope the government would at least look at, in the rural area for instance, some retirement villages. There is land that the government owns in the rural area. The member for Braitling made a good point, and it has been made before in my area. I have seen a lot of people I have known who have lived in the rural area go south to the Gold Coast. They have sold their house and taken their money south. Their superannuation has gone south. The reason is they cannot look after a five-acre block any more, which is a bit too much, or the family has gone done south - they have a little block and that will satisfy them.
There is room for the government to try to promote a retirement village area in the rural area, I am talking Howard Springs and Humpty Doo. I do not know how you would do it. If you put the land up for sale or up for auction, then you increase the price of the buildings that you want to sell to the self-funded retirees, or retirees in general. It may be a public/private partnership where the government puts in the land, the private person builds the residences, and there is some way the government gets a reward for that. It is similar perhaps to what is happening on the waterfront. Government owns the land, private people are building buildings on that land, and the government is getting a return. Maybe that is an option that the government should look at.
In this whole debate, we are talking about first homeowners. We should not be forgetting the people at the other end of the spectrum who are, basically, looking for a smaller house, and would like to live in the area where they are used to. We could have the advantage of keeping their money in the Territory. I have seen a lot of people leave the rural area.
I wholeheartedly support the HomeNorth scheme. However, let us not look at it in isolation, but in reality. It would be good to give some figures on what the average length of time a person is going to have to pay their loan off compared with what they are earning. For people on $1000 a week, on average, they will take 25 years to pay off the loan. I would be interested to know that, so we can get an idea on what it is costing people.
The other thing is, I really believe that most houses, especially in the rural area, in Darwin itself, in Alice Springs - not necessarily in Katherine so much; the figures I have show that Katherine prices are going up - and Tennant Creek’s are fairly low. If we want to encourage people to own their own house then the government has a role to play in the marketplace; that is, by providing cheaper land so people can build a reasonable house - not a two-bedroom shed, but a reasonable house. I encourage the government to look at the rural area, not to small blocks but five acre blocks, where people can enjoy bringing up their kids with a chook, a dog and a horse, or a bit of bush. In the end, that is a far better lifestyle than living on a 330 m2 block you might find at The Chase. I ask the government to at least consider that.
Mrs MILLER (Katherine): Mr Deputy Speaker, I congratulate the Minister for Housing on delivering his first statement today on HomeNorth Extra. It is a statement with lots of good news for first home owners in it, and I am sure that he is very pleased with the results, as well he should be. To be involved in a scheme that helps people realise their dream of owning their own home would be very gratifying.
There is no doubt that the Country Liberal Party has to have some credit in establishing and implementing the HomeNorth scheme in the early 1990s. That was three terms of government ago, and it has been reviewed each term. Like all programs and schemes, naturally they have to be reviewed and changes made accordingly, in keeping with the demands of the present and moving into the future. That is no different with any piece of legislation. The changes that government introduced in July 2004 to the HomeNorth scheme were timely and welcomed by all members of this parliament, and the record shows that.
Owning your own bit of dirt has always been the great Australian dream. Unfortunately for some people, the continuing high cost of housing has made it increasingly difficult to realise that dream. In the last few years, the cost of purchasing a house in the Northern Territory has risen considerably - in Darwin and Alice Springs especially - making home ownership out of reach for lower income people. It is unfortunate that I cannot say the same thing about Katherine house prices; and the same probably applies to Tennant Creek. Having listened to the member for Nelson speak, I must be correct. In Katherine, there has been no increase in property values since the Katherine floods in 1998; therefore, affordability for first home owners in Katherine is definitely encouraging. The downside of that is that the low residential sale prices are not good for the seller. I am in a position to know this.
A scheme such as HomeNorth is very important in enabling people who would not otherwise have the opportunity to purchase their own home to do so. Once they have made that commitment, there is a strong chance they will be in that community for a long time to come. The economic benefits of that are compounded in the community and cannot be underestimated.
My husband, Mike, has his own finance broker business which he operates in Katherine. Before he and I bought Red Gum Tourist Park in 1994, Mike had been a very successful ANZ bank manager; with the bank for 37 years. After we sold the caravan park earlier this year, he returned to a job that he always did so very well: helping people to purchase their own home. Whilst he has access to over 20 different financial institutions, I know that he has been able to assist several of his clients to purchase their first home utilising the HomeNorth scheme. Those people have now made commitments to the Katherine community, which is fabulous. As the minister said in his statement, home ownership is critical to the future of our regional towns, and I could not agree more in the case of Katherine.
It was interesting to note that the minister, in his statement, spoke of the loss of population from the Northern Territory due to interstate migration in 61 out of 78 quarters that were recorded. We on this side of the House have been saying that over and over again in the last two years that I have been here. Every time, government tried to talk us down and tell us we were being negative. All we hear is that there is real growth, the highest population numbers on record, etcetera. The minister is the first government minister to speak the truth when it comes to talking about the make-up of the population, and I quote from his statement:
In large part, this can be attributed to younger Territorians leaving home and not returning. Although we have a young population
with the highest birth rate in Australia, we have, historically, had a population that drains back south rather than one that sustains
itself.
Minister, I congratulate you on your first statement and for being honest and open regarding a population issue which we have raised many times.
Back to the HomeNorth statement. One of the encouragements and enticements to keeping younger Territorians in the Territory is being able to afford their own home and, naturally, that is tied with employment. In addition to purchasing a house, the flow-on to local businesses is through purchasing furnishings, whitegoods, gardening equipment, and all the associated extras which people enjoy investing in to their own home.
Finally, I would like to reiterate the remarks which the member for Nelson made in relation to the cost of housing, especially in Darwin and Alice Springs. I know how extremely high it is and extremely difficult it is for first time owners. I still say that there are plenty of opportunities for the first home owners in regional Northern Territory, and I encourage them to move to Katherine if they would like to buy homes within their range. Once again, I congratulate the minister on delivering his first statement. I know that I speak for all of my colleagues when I say we wholeheartedly support the statement and the HomeNorth scheme.
Ms SACILOTTO (Port Darwin): Mr Deputy Speaker, the member for Katherine has missed her calling - perhaps a career in real estate, Fay.
Tonight I commend the HomeNorth scheme. Coming from a property background, I have seen countless times people trapped in the rental mill, paying too much in rent to save the all important deposit, or on a low income where mainstream banks would not consider their loan applications. Although not every Territorian aspires to become a home owner, a great many do and, until the Martin Labor government revamped the sad and sorry HomeNorth scheme, a legacy of the CLP government, that just was not working. These people had very little options other than to rent privately or burden the public housing system. I know this first-hand because, during the mid-1990s, I was working for the Department of Housing and Local Government.
As the Minister for Housing has already stated, we have the lowest rate of home ownership in the nation. Housing has enormous economic, social and symbolic significance both for individuals and for governments. It plays a significant role in the Territory economy. Housing also plays a significant role in the wellbeing of Australians. Research by social justice agencies such as the Australian Council of Social Services has found that home ownership purchase can provide considerable benefits for individuals and families, including social benefits such as a sense of security and community belonging; economic benefits derived from long-term tax-free capital gains, and the capacity to generate wealth from equity in the family home; and a sense of security as retirement beckons, as most governments’ objectives of self-funded retirement implicitly assumes home ownership for retirees.
I am very pleased to advise that I interpret the statistics in a slightly different light. I noted that 61% of people taking up the scheme are aged between 18 and 34. These are young people and, many of them - 45% - are single females, young single women with real estate or, as has been mentioned already today, ‘chicks with bricks’, as quoted from an interview on ABC radio with REINT CEO, Sue Shearer.
The Shared Equity Loans made available to HomeNorth Extra borrowers allow many people to escape the rental trap who otherwise would not be able to. What this means is that Territory Housing shares the burden by taking up anything up to 30% of the dwelling. At sale, of course, Territory Housing also shares in any capital gains that might be realised. However, at any time HomeNorth Extra borrowers can buy out Territory Housing equity in their home, thus increasing their share of capital gains.
It is interesting to note that, as reported in last Monday’s Australian Financial Review, the Macquarie Bank will, in 2006, be launching a similar scheme in the commercial market. It is not clear whether it will be available in the Northern Territory but, clearly, our model of shared equity is something that the private market is also keen to develop. We must remember that this scheme is designed to be an entry level to the property market; it is not designed to buy your dream home with a pool and a room for a pony. It puts a roof over the head at a not dissimilar price to renting. It is starting to build equity and, in time, that person, if they wish, can continue to save and upgrade as family and economic circumstances change. It also caters to those who may have lost their home - the roof over their and their children’s heads - often due to a marital break-up. This is their chance to start rebuilding their financial lives.
Let us not forget that many middle-aged women have less super than their male counterparts, due mainly to the years spent in the most important job that does not have a superannuation guarantee - child raising. Home ownership can help ends meet when retirement beckons for these people. I support the minister’s statement and commend the government’s commitment to this financially life-starting scheme.
Mr HENDERSON (Business and Economic Development): Mr Deputy Speaker, I am very pleased to speak in support of my colleague, the Minister for Housing’s first ministerial statement to this parliament. What a success HomeNorth has been.
First though, I would pay tribute to the previous Minister for Housing, Mr Jack Ah Kit, who is not with us in this parliament, but was the minister for this portfolio in the previous parliament. I remember the day that Jack came into Cabinet with this proposal as a Cabinet submission. I can say all of us looked around the table and said: ’You beauty! This is really going to hit the spot’. It was probably the defining submission that Jack ever presented. The 709 people who now own their own piece of the Territory is really a tribute to the previous minister and his passion for getting this scheme up and running.
I will be brief tonight. Going to the comments from the members Greatorex and Nelson, it would be good if the member for Greatorex could come in here with some effusive praise on government policy because this is a success. It would be great to hear him say: ‘This is working really well’, and hear any constructive suggestions that he might have for making HomeNorth even better. However, he is churlish and he cannot talk about HomeNorth and the capacity for people in Alice Springs - in Greatorex in his electorate - to own their piece of Greatorex; he has to go back to the negative and start talking about neighbours from hell. That had nothing to do with this statement. Member for Greatorex, if it is going well, please say so.
I understand what the member for Nelson is trying to say in terms of first home buyers, but the proof is in the pudding. This HomeNorth scheme is all about getting first home buyers into the marketplace. That is what it is all about; it is not about first home buyers being able to have the capacity to buy five acres of real estate in the rural area. I do not think anyone would accept that the taxpayer should be subsidising someone purchasing five acres as their first home and property. That is a fairly ludicrous suggestion. It is all about getting people into the market, and there is no doubt that this has been a great success: 709 people are now in the marketplace.
We are talking a total value of property sold since the scheme started at $124m. As the member for Port Darwin quite rightly said, 61% of those people are under 34 years of age. This is a very targeted policy about getting first home buyers into the market. I am pretty confident, without seeing the details that, of that 64%, most of those young people - the chicks with bricks or the blokes with bricks - would have bought a unit. That is what this is all about: getting people into the market, then giving them the opportunity, once they are in the market, to realise some capital gain so that they can get upgrade their dwelling as the move through life.
It obviously is working because we are seeing the Real Estate Institute’s June 2005 quarter Real Estate Local Market Analysis newsletter entitled Oh! What a Year, which says we are seeing significant price increases across the Territory. I just picked up Tuesday’s Centralian Advocate. The front page carries the headline Real Estate Keeps on Booming. It says:
- Unit prices in Alice Springs sky-rocketed by 19.3% in the past year to a median of $173 000 …
That is well within the HomeNorth scheme. It says that the rise was worth more than $10 000 to unit owners compared to last year. Therefore, if you got into the marketplace with the HomeNorth scheme and bought a unit in Alice Springs 12 months ago for $163 000, you have paid off a little of the mortgage, and you are already $10 000 ahead. That is what the market is all about. Even though I am a dyed in the wool Labor man, I certainly believe in the free market, which is all about giving people and those with families, the opportunity to acquire an asset and wealth for the future. I say to the member for Nelson that, having a more interventionist policy where government should intervene to drive down the cost of people getting into the marketplace, I do not know what could be more interventionist than this HomeNorth policy, which we will continue to be flexible with as the value of property goes up, then the market value of the purchase property increases will also move up along with it. It is getting people into the marketplace so that they can acquire assets for the rest of their life as they move through it.
Also, the scheme is working, because we still have the most affordable housing in Australia. There are always going to be people who will not be able to get into the private market, but we are seeing wages and salaries increase in the Northern Territory as the economy is going well. The vacancy rate in the property market is around 1% in Darwin; it is the lowest that it has ever been. We have seen units and houses going up everywhere.
It is a very buoyant market out there; everybody is doing well out of it. The construction industry is doing well. The people who work in the construction industry are earning good wages and seeing their wages increase. People who are in the market are seeing a capital gain which is giving them confidence to further invest in their properties to upgrade them. People seeing this confidence in the market are flocking, through HomeNorth, to grab their share of the action. I believe it is a very successful scheme. As I have said, it is all about getting people into the marketplace.
The main reason that the government looked to HomeNorth policy was that, two or three years ago, we recognised that we had a fundamental problem structurally, and it has been there since about 1985, I believe, where we have had a problem with population growth in the Northern Territory. It has been cyclical, and if it had not been for the relocation of the 1st Brigade, with the Army Presence in the North program around 15 years ago, we would have had even more problems. Regarding population policy, one of the key levers the government could pull was to revamp the HomeNorth scheme to give more people access to it so they can own their own piece of the Northern Territory and make an emotional and financial commitment to living here in the Northern Territory.
I loved the minister’s little example of his constituents in Tennant Creek, Gary Rossie and Leonie Davis, who now own their piece of the Territory in Tennant Creek. It is a great story. I have my own story. I do not have the names of the people, but these people came into my electorate office just after the election, wanting the HomeNorth brochures. They had just decided that they were going to get married, and they were off to the TIO to find out how much they could borrow, and were looking for real estate. That is exactly what HomeNorth is all about.
The member for Nelson is pretty keen, but really, it is about getting first home buyers into the market, not getting people five acres down the track. That is not really a job for the taxpayer. He was also talking about whether the government was looking at cheaper building products. Again, I would hasten to ask: is that really government’s role? Surely the market will determine that. Any builder worth their salt has to compete in the marketplace with other building companies and, if they can find building products in the market that they can construct a house cheaper with than their competitor then, of course, they will take that jump, market that product, and gain a share of the market. Is it government’s or the department’s role to look at whether we build houses out of logs, mud bricks, steel, compressed fibres, or whatever? That really is the role of the marketplace, and the marketplace will sort that out.
Regarding the issue of whether we should be re-looking at building codes and what have you, a little knowledge is dangerous. However, I am pretty sure that we, as a government, are signed up to the Building Code of Australia. These are Australian reforms and we do need confidence in the market that, when people buy a house they have confidence that it is built to code, it is not going to fall down, and there are not going to be massive requirements for maintenance as a result of shoddy workmanship and materials not being to standard. That is why we have these building codes. Whether they are over-prescriptive or under-prescriptive – again, there is a whole body of work around Australia that looks at those things. However, it is always going to be more expensive to build in the Northern Territory because we have to import virtually all of those building products to the Territory; we do not have a manufacturing industry here that makes them. What can government do it that role? I would suggest very little.
However, it is an exciting time out there at the moment and, as the member for Karama said, the builders and the subbies are going gang-busters; they are making good money. People who have their piece of the Territory are seeing a capital gain, and everybody is pretty happy. Trying to find a house to buy or rent, particularly in Darwin at the moment, is pretty tough. What that is going to mean is that more people are going to invest and we are going to see more buildings go up.
I congratulate the minister on his statement. I, like the member for Karama and everybody else, would like to see an update every six months or so in this parliament, because it is a good news story. There are lots of things that are important in government policy, but population policy is right up there with them. If we can get people owning their own little piece of the Territory, an emotional and financial commitment, that is good for all Territorians. Congratulations to the minister.
Mr McADAM (Housing): Madam Speaker, first of all, allow me to thank all the members of the Assembly who spoke in respect to this statement tonight. It is much appreciated. I appreciate the thought that you put into it. Obviously, working over a period of time, the accumulation of all the ideas and thoughts that have been put forward, augurs pretty well in regard to the Northern Territory, particularly in relation to the issue of housing affordability.
I would also like to take this opportunity, if I may, to also thank the previous Minister for Housing, Jack Ah Kit. Jack played a very important role, as you heard from the member for Wanguri, in actually revitalising this scheme, by being creative, innovative, by working with Territory Housing and other industry groups. I acknowledge the role that Jack played. I know that Jack is out there enjoying himself, and so he should, because …
Mr Henderson: Getting a few of those geese that the Opposition Leader was talking about today.
Mr McADAM: Absolutely. I think the geese have all taken flight and …
Mr Henderson: They have more to fear from Jack than the bird flu.
Mr McADAM: They certainly have.
Anyway, as I say, Jack certainly did a great job and I pay tribute to him on behalf of everyone here in this House, for his outstanding contribution in regard to the HomeNorth Scheme.
I do not intend to address every point that has been raised tonight but, clearly, there are some that I would like to. I commence with the opposition spokesperson on housing, the member for Greatorex. I am sure the member is a very sincere person who does look after the interests of people in his electorate. However, one becomes a little tired of the ongoing whingeing, carping, and negative responses in a lot of cases to what, essentially, are some really good initiatives. I do pay tribute to the CLP in regard to the HomeNorth scheme. However, things move forward and the important point to understand is that governments build on the initiatives of other governments; it is not a case of ‘We can do better than you’ or ‘I can do better that you’. It is not a competition, in effect; it is building on ideas and on things that are going to help the Territory grow. That is exactly what we have done. I do pay credit to the opposition, but I get a little tired of his ongoing negative comments on a whole range of matters.
During the previous sittings, the opposition only mentioned HomeNorth twice and that is indicative of what their commitments are to housing and, perhaps even more so, to the people of the Northern Territory. He went on to criticise the fact that there have been so many reports, statements and questions on HomeNorth. It is important for the member for Greatorex to understand that that is our duty: to come in to this House and report on matters, including HomeNorth. I say to the member of Greatorex, that is our job and I would urge you to join in, in the future.
The other issue the member of Greatorex talked about was the issue of land. I said it is important to understand that, prior to 2001, there were absolutely no land releases in Alice Springs. That inhibited the capacity of not only his government, but our government too in the first few years, to revitalise the HomeNorth scheme so we could provide affordable housing. Member for Greatorex, you have to take some responsibility for that.
To further clarify for the member for Greatorex, he referred to whether it was weekly household incomes - of course they are, and you know that as well as I do. As well as the fact that no loans are given out where the repayments are greater than 30% of that weekly household income. He also referred to public housing vacancies in Alice Springs. It is fair to say that there is an acknowledgement out there that what occurred was that successive CLP governments flogged off a lot of housing stock, which put a lot of pressure on the ability of people on lower incomes to be able to get affordable housing. In fact, something like 760 rooms were wiped out through the inactions of the previous CLP - or should I say in regard to their policies - and nothing was built.
The other issue I want to raise in regard to the member for Greatorex is, for your information since the HomeNorth scheme, there have been 126 houses in Alice Springs sold, to the value of $24m. That is quite a significant contribution to the local economy. Of course, many of the people are moving out of the rent trap and are buying their own houses as well, which augurs well for the people and community of Alice Springs.
The member for Brennan, during the course of his presentation, demonstrated how valuable the HomeNorth Extra scheme was to the growth and consolidation of Palmerston, with the high levels of construction. The bottom line is that there is immense regional economic development which has occurred in Palmerston as a result of the construction industry and the HomeNorth Extra scheme. It provides extra jobs, and provides to local retailers in regard to whitegoods. It all augurs well, and I thank the member for Brennan for his contribution.
The member for Brailing, as always, made a very good contribution. I know that she is very passionate about Alice Springs. She raised the issue regarding self-funded retirees. Whilst I appreciate and sympathise with her concerns, the bottom line is that the HomeNorth Extra scheme is designed to provide housing for those people on lesser incomes. Nonetheless, if the private sector wanted to have discussions with government in regards to some sort of private partnership arrangement for the development of units for that category of people, we could have a look at it.
The member for Katherine talked about the CLP. I acknowledged that it was a good scheme that we have built on. She went on to talk about housing prices in Katherine. It is important to also know that, in something like 13 months, 28 residents in Katherine now have their own homes under the HomeNorth scheme. The value is around about $4.2m, and the median price is about a $152 000 ...
Mrs Miller: Great news for Katherine.
Mr McADAM: That is good news for Katherine. It adds to the local economy and community. Of those 28, 24 of those people bought their house for the first time.
The member for Katherine also made comment regarding the population drain out of the Northern Territory. She might have been trying to play a few games, trying to attribute the fact that we are totally responsible for this population drain over the last four years. However, the figures that I quoted go back to 1985; in other words, three-quarters of the period was under CLP rule. As opposed to the previous government, we are working to try to get people and our young people back into the Territory through schemes such as HomeNorth Extra.
I thank the member for Karama for her contribution. As always, the member for Karama looked at the human side of the matter. She was very eloquent regarding how this scheme has been able to provide support for people from a human perspective. Thank you to the member for Karama.
I would briefly like to comment in regard to the member for Nelson. The member for Wanguri has already raised this: HomeNorth was never designed for a person to go out and buy their dream home with a swimming pool and what have you. It was designed to try to get people into their first home so that they are able to upgrade at some time in the future. The fact that 709 people have done that this year, I believe speaks volumes for the HomeNorth scheme.
The other issue the member for Nelson raised is something that I am prepared to have a look at, to work in with industry; that is, the issue of indigenous housing not only on some of these smaller communities up and down the track, but on indigenous communities. We know that there is almost a $1bn shortfall in indigenous housing, and I know that it is going to be a very difficult ask to try to secure those dollars from the Commonwealth government. Nonetheless, we will continue to try.
In the context of the member for Nelson’s challenge regarding indigenous housing, I seriously intend to take that up, but in a different way. We have to think outside the square. We have to have a look all sorts of options, because we know that it is a pressing need something that we have to address.
Also for member for Nelson, I have some figures here of the number of people who purchased houses in the Darwin rural area. I am advised that 21 new clients have bought land in the Darwin rural area, and 13 of them were new home buyers. So, it is possible to achieve those outcomes in the rural area. I know prices are high and there are different configurations; nonetheless, it is possible. I say to the member for Nelson, as to all members in this House that, as a government, we will work very hard to try to give different options of getting people into home ownership. There is no one fixed solution; HomeNorth is one. However, there are a host of other opportunities out there which we can develop with the communities and the private sector. I look forward to undertaking that challenge.
I thank the member for Port Darwin for her contribution, because I know she had a long period in the housing industry through the real estate industry for eight or nine years. Obviously, her experience will be something which I and, indeed, members of government on our side, will call upon. We will call upon her expertise, and I look forward to working very closely with her, because she has had the experience in the industry. I know she has much to offer, so I thank her for her contribution.
I also thank the member for Wanguri, who always talks sense. He is always very supportive of initiatives such as HomeNorth.
In conclusion, I thank all members for their contribution tonight. It is a very important debate to have. We will continue to have these debates in the House. We will continue to keep the House informed of the HomeNorth scheme and any other initiatives that come up. Of course, as I mentioned previously, there is much to learn in this portfolio. It is something I look forward to over the next three to four years. There are many challenges, and I look forward to working on those.
Madam Speaker, I thank the people from Territory Housing, TIO and other industry groups with which we have had discussions in regard to some of these changes over time. I thank them for their contribution and advice. I look forward to working very closely with my department and members of this House, and the private sector. I hope that we are able to continue the focus of HomeNorth and, not only that, but be able to extend it out to alleviate some of the housing problems that we have in a very affordable and fair way.
Motion agreed to; statement noted.
SPECIAL ADJOURNMENT
Mr HENDERSON (Leader of Government Business): Madam Speaker, I move that the Assembly at its rising adjourn until Tuesday, 11 October 2005 at 10 am or such other time and/or date as may be set by Madam Speaker pursuant to sessional order. I indicate the government’s intention to nominate Wednesday 30 November 2005 as the next date on which precedence will be given to general business, pursuant to Standing Order 92.
Motion agreed to.
ADJOURNMENT
Mr HENDERSON (Leader of Government Business): Madam Speaker, I move that the Assembly do now adjourn.
Tonight, on behalf of not only the government, but I know all 25 members of this parliament, I wish to acknowledge a member of the parliamentary staff who is celebrating a significant anniversary. Serjeant-at-Arms Helen Allmich has been in her job for 20 years on 23 September 2005. That is an enormous amount of time. Helen has certainly seen many people come and go from this parliament and many debates over those 20 years. For Helen and Gaddy, and everybody who works in this parliament serving not only the people who are elected to it, but the people of the Northern Territory, it reminds me and, I am sure, the members of the Assembly staff, of Yes Minister and Sir Humphrey Appleby. Members may come and go, but the real rulers of this place are the people who operate it on a day-to-day basis. For Helen to have served 20 years on the 23 September, it is a great effort.
Helen was the first woman in Australia to be permanently appointed to the position of Serjeant-at-Arms, and her first session of parliament was in October 1985. Part of Helen’s role is to remove, by force if need be, any person who has been ordered removed from the House by the Speaker. Madam Speaker, if you have to order somebody to be removed from the galleries, then that role, by convention, would fall to Helen Allmich.
I am not sure if Helen has had to physically manhandle anybody out of the parliament yet - I have not had a chance to talk to her about it – although, even in my time in this House - and I have only been here, as has the member for Blain, for coming up to six years - there have been a couple of fiery demonstrations in the parliament. One very memorable experience was where the ratbags from the pro-drug group invaded the parliament. I am trying to recall now whether Helen was in there trying to defend the virtues of the House and the respectability of the Chamber. Certainly, she would have seen many instances over the years, and demonstrations in the Chamber.
However, Helen’s role today has evolved to include Editor of Hansard, and I am sure that all members would agree that we get fantastic service from the Hansard people. All the parliamentarians who have had the honour and the privilege of sitting in this House over the last 20 years would say: ‘Thank you, Helen, for your dedication to this parliament over 20 years’. You probably have at least another 20 to go, I would have to say. Well done, Helen.
Members: Hear, hear!
Mr HENDERSON: I am also pleased to speak today of the retirement of a long-serving member of the Northern Territory Public Service, Mr Jerry Hemphill. Jerry first arrived in the Territory on Australia Day weekend 1967, where he was employed at Rum Jungle as a metallurgist, both production and research. He worked with Territory Enterprises Pty Ltd, which was set up to run the Rum Jungle uranium mine for the Commonwealth government. TEP was owned by CRA, now Rio Tinto. Jerry recalls that, in his first Wet Season during the last two weeks of February, there was 48 inches of rain, and they measured a piece of spear grass at 13 foot long.
Rum Jungle carried out leading edge research and was a world leader on heat leeching, the precipitation of copper and uranium from solution; invented the pulse column; and participated in the developments of Rio Tinto’s high smelt process that is currently being commercialised in Guiana.
He stayed with TEP for about 18 months before being transferred by CRA to Newcastle, where he was the shift boss for CRA’s fertiliser company. When all this was sold to ICI in the middle of 1969, he left and joined Electrolytic Zinc in Hobart for about six months. I worked for them in Rosebery in Tasmania. However, the lure of the Territory drew him back.
At the end of 1969, he joined United Uranium at Moline east of Pine Creek as a metallurgist mill superintendent and mine manager. He was at Moline for three years before leaving on a short sabbatical, where he worked in Queensland for 12 months.
He returned to the Territory at the end of 1973, when he joined the Department of NT Mines Branch to establish a mineral processing laboratory and supervise the Mt Wells and Tennant Creek batteries. During his stay at the Mines Branch, his main task involved working with Gove, Groote Eylandt and McArthur River projects, where he helped manage the development agreements covering the Gove, Groote Eylandt and McArthur River mines. These agreements played an important role in seeing the mines developed as we see them today. Jerry recalls having to send telexes to Canberra seeking approval for each ship loaded with bauxite and alumina, to depart the ports. However, he could never get a simple ‘Yes’; it was always ‘We have no objection’.
Jerry was a compulsory transferee to the NT Department of Mines and Energy in 1978. He initially worked as part of a team which spent in excess of $3m in research to ensure Mt Isa Mines continued to find solutions to the metallurgical problems that delayed the development of the McArthur River deposit - work that ensured that the mine commenced commercial production. This job often bought Jerry into direct conflict with MIM management regarding the future development of the deposit.
During 1979, he was on loan to the Darwin Community College to determine how the college could work with the mining industry. This project included talking with the Commonwealth and the management of Ranger, Jabiluka and Koongara about Aboriginal employment and involvement in the mines.
In 1982, he went to Macquarie University in Sydney on a year’s leave without pay to complete a Masters in Mineral Economics.
On return to the department at the end of that year, he joined the Resource Economics Branch where he reviewed royalty options and developed the Mineral Royalty Act, and then provided advice to the federal government about royalty payments under the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act. He was a keen member of the Territory’s team, providing input to the infamous David Hill Alice Springs to Darwin inquiry.
Jerry transferred to the Energy Division in 1985 where he began his long involvement in developing Darwin’s supply and service capability to the petroleum industry. During his time with the Energy Division, Jerry was involved in negotiations leading to natural gas reticulation in Alice Springs, and LPG in Darwin; the development of the Mereenie oilfield; and in local, national and international fuel emergency planning. The latter role introduced him to Barry Jones, who recently resigned as head of the Australian Petroleum Production Exploration Association.
Jerry recalls the hosting of the National Oil Supply Advisory Council meetings alternated between the private and public sector. Private sector hosting was preferred, as each host company always tried to outdo the previous one’s lunch; the highlight being one provided in Shell’s Melbourne boardroom, where the platters piled high with prawns, bugs and oysters could have fed an army. Canberra, with its inevitable sandwiches, was the least preferred site.
In about 1988, under Barry Coulter as minister, the department started looking at opportunities for investment in major oil and gas projects. Jerry managed a pre-feasibility study by Bechtel on behalf of eight international oil companies into the establishment of a large modern refinery in Darwin. As part of this process, the government set up a company, Darwin Oil Refinery, as an investment vehicle for this project to take advantage of Paul Keating’s One Nation tax breaks. Whilst the study indicated a positive result, there was no project champion to follow through, so the refinery did not proceed.
An important part of this role was to travel internationally and get the Territory recognised on the business map as a place that had something to offer global oil and gas players. Jerry travelled to exotic places such as Abu Dhabi, Kuwait, Scotland, Malaysia, Japan, the United States, and became known in Singapore as Mr Darwin. Of course, there are many funny memories, but I only mention three incidents to protect Jerry and the reputations of other people concerned.
One Sunday morning in Scotland, Jerry and other witnesses observed an NT minister leaving his hotel room with his suitcase via the window rather than the front door. I am told that the minister, now retired, paid his bill beforehand and used the window to save carrying his bags the 50 m or so back to the lobby. On another occasion, a UK travel agent used Jerry’s credit card number, provided to merely confirm a booking, to pay four nights’ accommodation for a 10-person business delegation.
Ten boxes of hand outs dispatched to Aberdeen did not arrive until the morning Jerry was departing. In Aberdeen on the Friday morning, on a business mission that was due to return to Australia, one of the delegates found his passport had been stolen from his hotel room. Why did it take a Scottish bus driver with 23 Australians on board, 10 hours instead of four to travel from Aberdeen to Newcastle? Because he went all the way across Scotland twice and then had to have a one-hour meal break. Jerry said that it was quite common for British bus drivers to become lost.
Jerry was an integral part of the Office of Resource Development which was formed in 1999 within the Department of Mines and Energy. The ORD focused its attention on both major project facilitation, and supply and service opportunities.
Jerry formally retires on 9 September. In his retirement, Jerry is going to concentrate on working with his wife, Heather, to run their bed and breakfast, Eden at Fogg Dam, and their organic fruit orchard.
People like Jerry make a great contribution to the Territory through their work in the public sector. I have had the pleasure of working with Jerry for the last four years as minister for this department. Jerry, I wish you well in your retirement. You have earned it, and it is great to seeing you retiring here in the Northern Territory.
On Thursday, 23 June, I had the pleasure of officially welcoming our newest tenants to the Wanguri electorate, as the Leukaemia Foundation office opened its door at Casi House in Wanguri. His Honour the Administrator, Ted Egan, officially opened the office to the community, as well as providing some entertainment as Ted always does. The Leukaemia Foundation does a wonderful job, and moving next to the Cancer Council office will see the good work continue in battling the fight against these conditions, and providing great support to families affected. I would also like to encourage colleagues to participate in the foundation’s next fundraiser, the World’s Biggest Lunch, which will be held from 10 to 18 September. That is going to be a great occasion.
I previously mentioned in the House the progress of the shade cloth structure at Leanyer Primary School. I visited the school last week to look at it. It is not a piece of shade cloth; it is a fully covered shade area over the basketball court. There has been a huge amount of work done over many years and I congratulate the school council, staff and students. The shade cloth is the brainchild of a former student called Lisa Brett. She started the fundraising many years ago when she won a coin designing competition and donated her winnings back to kick-start the fund. I am looking forward to the official opening ceremony of the new shaded basketball court next month with a rock and roll night at the school.
Tonight is a great opportunity to congratulate Year 12 student, Lisebeth Hanssens from my electorate who was invited to attend the World Youth Day held last week in Cologne, Germany. I met with Lisebeth and her mother Leonore prior to her departure. It was great to sit down with a great person who has ambitions and goals set for the future. As members may be aware, this year, the World Youth Day was attended by the new Pope Benedict when he announced that the next World Youth Day is to be held in Sydney. This is a great opportunity for out young Territorians to attend in the future, and I am looking forward to catching up with Lisebeth when she returns.
Over the past few months, it has been great to attend primary school sports days; the kids and teachers have all had a great day there, and cheering the colours of the house made it an exciting day in the Wanguri electorate. I had the pleasure of presenting the trophy to the winning school of the Northern Suburbs Clusters Championship at Marrara, which went to Leanyer Primary School after a very tight race between the best from each school in the cluster. Congratulations to Holy Spirit Primary School who convened the clusters this year, and I look forward to the competition next year.
Tracy Village is a great club in the northern suburbs. If you have not driven past it recently, you will see a lot of changes around the grounds - the development of the new cricket mats, storage shed, and a great new baseball field - when you do. This area is only set to improve, with the government’s commitment to fund lights for the baseball and softball field in 2007-08, improving the quality of the games at night. It is sure to encourage more spectators. To Gary Ross and all the committee at Tracy Village, you do a fabulous job. I held a function at the club last week to thank all the people who helped me on my election campaign. We had about 50 people there, which was fabulous; it was great to catch up with everyone. Tracy Village is a great club in the northern suburbs. They keep investing in the facilities, providing great sporting and social facilities to people in the northern suburbs. I am going to be very pleased to work with Gary Ross and the committee for the next four years.
Dr LIM (Greatorex): Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, tonight I speak about the St John Ambulance situation in the Territory. In today’s editorial in the NT News, the opening line is the key to it all:
- Is the St John Ambulance service in crisis or are unionists running a scare campaign?
Let us look dispassionately at the situation which has arisen. As the member for Nelson said in Question Time yesterday, it is all about ambulance officers working 14-hour shifts, that ambulances have to carry multiple patients and, in some instances where there are emergency situations, St John Ambulance has not been able to respond and Fire and Emergency Services had to respond as they were the closest to that area. There have been reports and reviews done on St John Ambulance service and, as far as we are concerned, we are no closer to the resolution. All I hear is that the minister says: ‘Yes, negotiations are well in hand and we are getting there’. However, it is not there.
Over the last few days, we have seen a large sign saying, ‘Need an ambulance? Good luck! 3 only …’. That is a concern for many people; when you need an ambulance, you always need it in a hurry. If there are only three, and the three are all out working already, then what are you going to do? The greater Darwin area, according to St John Ambulance service, requires four full-time, 24-hour a day ambulance vehicles and staffing to maintain an adequate cover for the whole area.
I am also advised by St John Ambulance personnel that services have gone up by some 30% over the last 12 months in the Darwin area and some 20% in Alice Springs. When you then add to those calls the calls you get from, say, the aero-med service, nursing homes, doctors’ surgeries, the routine type transfer of patients then, obviously, the numbers have increased significantly over the last 12 months. Darwin, as I said, has only three ambulances on 24-hour service. Alice Springs has only one, or one-and-a-half, whereas it needs two. Katherine does not have a 24-hour ambulance service.
When you then add to the difficulties of not having enough vehicles, staff salaries for full-time ambulance employees are something between 20% to 30% below what is paid interstate. We have to also understand that, interstate, most of the ambulance services are state government-owned. In the Northern Territory, St John Ambulance is run by a charitable organisation. St John Ambulance is a charity that provides an ambulance service. It has the capacity, obviously, to fundraise itself. It is a very worthy charity that many Territorians willingly support, and that is how they raise funds. With the funds that they raise through donations and other efforts, they subsidise the whole of St John Ambulance service in the Northern Territory.
It has other income streams. Obviously, if you have a membership subscription, that is one income stream that St John builds on. The other is by billing of non-subscriber passengers. For instance, I am not a subscriber. If I were to need an ambulance in a hurry, and somebody calls it and I get transported from here to wherever, I get billed by St John Ambulance. If I am medically insured, my medical insurance would pay, to some degree, the charge and I may have to top up with my own money. However, if you are unable to pay, St John Ambulance would have to make one of two decisions: do they pursue me because I did not pay my bill, or do they assess that I am unable to pay anyway, irrespective of what they do, or whether they take you to court? Then they would probably not send another bill and try to recover it, because all they are doing is spending good money chasing bad. That is a section of the community that does not pay.
A further income stream is what the government provides to St John to cover the costs of what they really expend to provide an ambulance service in the Northern Territory. This is the issue at hand. As more and more patients are transported by St John Ambulance, and where they are unable to recover the cost of transferring these patients, someone would have to take the responsibility to cover that cost. It is the government’s responsibility to cover that cost. It is not up to charitable donations to St John to cover that. When you pool all the expenses of St John together, apart from the transport and maintenance vehicles and all that, they obviously have to pay their staff. As the minister said, it is an EBA between St John and its staff. Yes, it is true and that is technically correct. However, government cannot remove itself from that issue. It cannot just say: ‘St John is not a government owned organisation, so the EBA is not government’s problem’. Well, it is a government’s problem because, if the government does not provide St John with adequate financial resources, it is unable to pay its staff at the appropriate level. If they cannot pay its staff at the appropriate level and be competitive to the interstate services then, obviously, they are not going to get the personnel that they need to provide an adequate service.
At the end of the day, the Northern Territory government is responsible for an adequate St John Ambulance service to look after all Territorians. If the government does not do that, then Territorians will suffer. I find it ironic that the government would spend all those millions upon millions of dollars maintaining an acute system at our public hospitals, but then forget that, for those patients to get to the Emergency Department, they need a good ambulance service. It is no good getting a vehicle that cannot look after a patient, pick up a patient from wherever and, by the time they get to the hospital, they are either moribund or - God forbid! - dead. What is the point in that? The idea is to get the patient from a scene of an accident, or from any location, to the hospital in a safe and timely manner, supported by all the facilities that St John Ambulance and the paramedics can provide. Then you have a patient who is in a reasonably good state of health - or being unwell - into the Emergency Department, and then the doctors there can take over the management of the patient.
There has to be some urgent resolution for this problem. St John Ambulance has been working under this load for way too long. The last contract ran out on 30 June, and this government has not been able - or been unwilling, I am not sure what - to get the new contract organised for the start of July. It is a bit of a pity. They knew that the contract was running out by 30 June. You would expect that negotiations would have occurred at least six months out from there so that a new contract was there in a timely fashion. Unfortunately, not. While the government has already provided something in the order of $3m as a catch-up, it obviously still puts the ambulance service under a financial strain.
As work increases and the percentage of people who do not pay for those services increase, the government has to provide a commensurate increase in the funding for St John to ensure that they can provide the good service to those people who do not pay. If the St John Ambulance service has been working under a deficit because they are carrying so many people who do not pay, then this government has to come to the party. The government really has to come to the party; it has been going on too long.
To see that St John Ambulance service would go to this extent, you have to ask yourself whether something is radically wrong. Health professionals are the key here. Whether they are the lowest of the low working the system - nurses, doctors, or St John Ambulance paramedics - health professionals work in their profession because they are caring people. They are, generally, caring people, and that is the first criteria: to care for people. They will do all they can to do the right thing by their patients. Because of that, they will work very hard for the smallest of returns personally. When they start to complain in the fashion they have complained this week, it means they are at the very end of their tether and patience and, therefore, the minister, the government, must listen.
The ambulance service is now so stretched that, unless they are adequately resourced, they will not be able to perform their function safely. That is what it is about: safety for Territorians and for themselves. If they are working 14 hours non-stop and, as the member for Nelson said earlier today, 14-hour shifts without a moment to even recover from jobs, that is not good.
There was a letter in the newspaper recently where one of the patients who was picked up by St John Ambulance had to share the ambulance with another person. This letter was printed on Tuesday, 23 August. I quote:
- … I had to share the vehicle with an intoxicated and abusive itinerant. It was explained that due to a lack of crews available,
sharing the vehicle is a common occurrence that doesn’t happen anywhere else in Australia ...
The patient had to put up with this sort of thing in an ambulance where, obviously, he must have suffered from some calamity that required him to be conducted by ambulance to hospital, but was then put into a vehicle that had another person in it. It does not help your health for you to deal with the stress that you are already under when you have somebody who is intoxicated and abusive just barely inches from you on the other side of the vehicle, yelling and carrying on at you.
Minister, I ask you to deal with this issue fairly urgently. You cannot keep pushing St John Ambulance like this because, sooner or later, something is going to give. It will be on your head if a patient dies as a result of an inadequate ambulance service. Nobody else is to be blamed but this government. Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, I seek leave to table this.
Leave granted.
Mr WOOD (Nelson): Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, I would like to talk about a constituent of mine who lives in the Humpty Doo area whose name is Ted Chellingworth. I wish to pay tribute to Mr Ted Chellingworth or ‘Two Bob’ as he is fondly known. Mr Chellingworth is a true pioneer of the Territory’s charter fishing industry. He finally hung up his seafaring shoes after dedicating 27 years of boat chartering in Top End waters.
In 1977, Ted went to Perth and paid $47 000 for an 18-month-old, 38’ fibreglass cabin cruiser. He had it transferred to Darwin and changed its name to Born Free. A Master Class 5 licence and the Born Free, combined with an in-depth knowledge and love of the Top End waters, was the beginning of this man’s dream. Ted initially started chartering his boat for two-day weekend fishing trips around the Peron Islands. His boat would accommodate six to eight comfortably and he would supply the fishing tackle, bait, food and water and, most importantly, his knowledge of some of the best fishing locations in the Top End.
As time passed, word of mouth became Ted’s advertising mode. The charter days would be extended to taking groups out two or three times in one week, or for a week at a time, and spread over Territory waters from the Perons to the Vernon, Bathurst and Melville Islands, including Point Fourcroy. Species of fish such as red emporers, golden snappers, coral trout and jewfish were around in abundance and, I am sure, were the focus of many a tall tale or photo for a long time after the trip.
Ted operated as a one-man show. He was the Born Free skipper, cook, and the deckhand who cleaned, gutted and filleted the fish. Anyone who has been on a charter with Ted on the Born Free will remember that he has a routine at meal times which, I believe, he has carried all those 27 years: a table cloth was spread out over the huge ice box and used as a table; a hearty breakfast of freshly caught fish, eggs and toast; lunch was bread rolls with cold meat and salad; and dinner was freshly cooked corned beef, white sauce and vegies. I believe dinner was a bit of an issue on some of the charters; that is, after a long day of fishing, hot sun, fresh air and drinking - water, of course - and basic socialising, many of the charter clientele could not remember on arising the next day, usually with a sore head, whether they had eaten anything, or what was served up, or whether anything had been served up - or maybe even what ocean they were fishing! Just a bit of trivia.
Many locals and their tourist visitors have been on the Born Free or seen it moored, originally at Frances Bay then, in more recent times at the Fannie Bay Trailer Boat Club. Continually rising fuel costs, ongoing boat maintenance and repairs and, finally, reaching the young age of 77, were the major facts in Ted’s decision to sell the Born Free and retire from the industry.
He intends to keep himself busy by spending time with his family: son Raymond, daughters Vicki and Dianne, twins Noelene and Stacey, grandchildren and, of course, fit in some leisure crabbing and fishing.
Finally, as Seniors Week comes to an end, I find it an appropriate time to make this tribute. Ted’s story was about a vision, a dream which he made in to a reality and shared it for 27 years with anyone who was willing to come on board. There is a sense of pride which slowly ebbs out of Ted when he states that, over his 27 years in Territory waters, he has covered over 100 000 nautical miles and, most importantly, has returned everyone home safely. He provided a service to Territorians and their southern visitors to do what Territorians like doing the most: fishing and socialising.
There is a touch of sadness when a longstanding partnership ends between a man doing what he loves the most, in a place that he loves the best on a boat which has passed the test. Thanks, Ted Chellingworth and good luck in retirement.
Members: Hear, hear!
Mr WOOD: I also want to thank Lida Tatarko who, as many of you might know, was the secretary for the member for Goyder, Terry McCarthy, for many years and also my secretary for a while, for providing the information about Ted.
Mr WARREN (Goyder): Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, last week the member for Nelson and I took special leave from parliamentary sittings to attend the funeral of an exceptional Territorian, Mr Graeme Gow. It was a very moving service, and I take this opportunity to record in the Parliamentary Record the eulogy delivered by Graeme’s very close mate, Paul Gibbs. I quote:
- Graeme Francis Gow was born in Sydney in 1940. Both his parents had passed away before he was four years old. He was
adopted by his grandparents, raised by them and his sister, Dorothy.
Newington Church of England College was the home of Graeme’s education where he achieved scholastic and sporting accolades,
such as Dux of his final year and a member of the 1st 15 rugby team, the rowing team, the school boxing champion and, in 1956,
held an Australasian Golden Gloves Title.
Catching and keeping funnel web spiders at age 10 probably started his illustrious career with creatures great and small. After
jobs in construction, fire protection, the wool industry and insurance, Graeme became Curator of Reptiles at Taronga Park Zoo
in 1965.
Graeme came to live in Darwin in 1973 and by 1974 was Curator of Reptiles and Amphibians for NT Museum, undertaking many
tasks such as preserving Sweetheart for the museum to display. After setting up the Crocodile Farm at Noonamah, he opened
Graeme Gow’s Reptile World at Humpty Doo in 1982.
He achieved many things in the world of herpetology and tourism. Graeme discovered and described species and he had
species named after him. He has written many books, posters and papers, and won the inaugural Northern Territory Brolga
Award for his contribution to tourism. His consulting to governments, universities, hospitals and education at every level gained
him worldwide recognition for his work and observations.
Rugby League was one of Graeme’s other loves where he had friends, and participated at every level of the game. He loved his
juniors and had great success coaching at club and representative level. Many blokes here today will testify to Graeme’s love
and guidance in their lives.
Graeme was a larger than life character who would help people from every walk of life, from doctors in England and America to
someone he met on the Birdsville Track. He loved to contribute. His ‘one liners’ will be famous forever. He loved his Northern
Territory and he loved his block at Humpty Doo.
In 2001 Graeme was diagnosed with cancer. He has fought it with everything he had ever since. He has been cared for by his
wife, Suzanne, at a level only love could give. Graeme is also survived by his children, Stephen, Joanne, Lisa, Jason, Samantha
and Michael.
Graeme Francis Gow has left his mark on all who knew him and he will be long remembered.
Farewell to a Northern Territory legend, Graeme Francis Gow.
A footnote that Paul Gibbs also wanted known is that, whilst Graham did not always agree with everyone, he loved the Territory and Humpty Doo.
I was recently advised that Mrs Michelle Nuske, the chairperson of the Berry Springs School Council, has had to resign from this role because personal work commitments made it difficult for her to continue on as a chairperson. Michelle has been the council chairperson for almost six years. I am reliably informed that her drive and energy is almost legendary. She was certainly committed to supporting Berry Springs School and getting the best she could for her school community. Her school community recently thanked Michelle for her contribution to the school through their newsletter. The good news is that Michelle will be staying on as a member of the school council. It is people like Michelle and her school council colleagues who are often the unsung heroes of our school communities. Another well-known local identity and strong supporter of local communities, Robbo Robinson will act as interim school council chairman until a replacement for Michelle is elected. I am sure all members of the House will agree with me that dedicated people like Michelle are a credit to our school communities and, on behalf of members of the House and the Berry Springs community, I thank her.
I noted in a recent Berry Springs School newsletter that several Berry Springs schoolchildren had done very well at the recent PARCS athletics carnival. Of note were Chantelle Braam and Ben Bickers, who were selected in the PARCS team to compete at the Territory titles. The school community is very proud of their selection. I am sure these two talented students will represent the PARCS team and the school with distinction.
Furthermore, the school has some budding cricketers in Mitchell Mullen, Chris Hardy, Peter Booth, Aaron Wedding, Scott Clark, Scott Mullen and Taylor Mullen, who have all been selected in the Manton Team, and Travis Smith who has been selected in the Wetlands Team. The whole Berry Springs School community is wishing these students well as they compete against the rest of the Territory, as I wish them well.
As many Territorians know, the 2005 World Solar Challenge takes place this coming September. This is a truly international high status event, enticing entrants from corporations and universities around the world. It has now grown to be a major Territory iconic event, and rightly so. It is noteworthy that, again, Kormilda College is taking part. Of course, many of us remember how well Kormilda did in the 2003 World Solar Challenge. In fact, they not only won the Schools Division, but they also took out the Open Stock Class and finished high up overall at 13th place - a great effort. This year’s team members include Jaxon Finestone, Michael Copley, Daniella Kitchen, Ben Saunders, Michael Molina, Rowina Molina, Owen Henry, Austin Wonaemirri, Sally-Anne Orchard, Francis Allan, Arlo Meehan-Tile, Norman Eagle, Glen Summers, Chris Taylor, Alex Willoughby and Danielle Humphris, who lives in my electorate of Goyder, another rural student, Kerri Hauser, who lives in the Nelson electorate.
I remember clearly the 2003 World Solar Challenge. I was working as a senior engineer on the Alice Springs to Darwin railway and my wife, a proud teacher at Kormilda, asked me to keep an eye out for the Kormilda Team while I was down the track. Sure enough, I was at Barrow Creek when the teams, including Kormilda, passed through. Knowing that Kormilda was the only NT representative made me feel quite proud of them and what they were achieving. I feel the same today of the young men and women from Kormilda College who are about to embark on this epic race, and I know they will again make us all feel very proud of them. I am sure all members in the House will join with me wishing Kormilda College all the best in the 2004 Solar Challenge as they again represent the Northern Territory against the rest of the world.
It is great when our school kids do well at sport and go on to represent the Territory. It is especially great news for me when some of our rural kids do well. I have recently heard some Litchfield Soccer Club players - namely Rebecca Jennings, Kendall Nuske, Brogden Kelly, Amber Harrington and Jesse Stevens - were selected in the NT Schools Sports team, and will be travelling to Canberra later in the season. I also note that Alanah Kelly has just returned from Sydney where she competed by invitation in the national championships. I am sure all members in the House will join with me in congratulating these great young sporting achievers. They are certainly great ambassadors for the Northern Territory Soccer fraternity.
Mrs BRAHAM (Braitling): Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, tonight I commend the member for Araluen for her remarks last night in adjournment regarding customary law as it is applied in court. I acknowledge her legal knowledge and respect her for it, and I am quite sure whatever she is trying to do I will be more than happy to support her. I presented amendment to the parliament in the previous Assembly, and I quote from the Parliamentary Record:
- I present the Sentencing Amendment Bill to the House. The proposed amendment will remove customary law as a relevant or
mitigating factor in sentencing … of sexual offences against minors. At the start I want to make some points very clear. I believe
that a girl’s right before the Northern Territory law and her human rights have the same weight in court as those of a man.
Therefore, matters of customary involving a man asserting his traditional rights on a young girl should not be relevant in sentencing
for a sexual offence.
My aim is to ensure that Aboriginal girls under the age of 16 have the same right and protection in law as other Australian girls.
I realise this amendment may be contentious, but I believe it is important. I am not proposing the abolition of promised or
traditional marriage, but I am proposing that a young girl be protected from carnal knowledge against her wishes.
There was a lot of negotiation with the Attorney-General’s office and, after months of talking with them, I eventually withdrew my amendment as I had been convinced that the government’s amendment would address my concerns. I quote what the Attorney-General said at the time:
- Like the member for Braitling, the government recognises that there are cases where claims of customary law in criminal
proceedings can disadvantage Aboriginal women and children who are too often the victims of violence and sexual offences.
This is the Attorney-General:
- This can occur where custom or tradition is distorted to suit the needs of the more powerful members of the community, or
may be involved in committing offences against weaker members of the community. We also recognise that Aboriginal
customary law does not always provide an adequate response to violence against women and children, and that customary
law has been used by people accused of violence to excuse or minimise their actions.
The Attorney-General continued:
- The views of the Aboriginal women and children on these issues are not always properly argued or put before the courts.
The government recognises that these are the issues driving the member for Braitling, and we agree these issues must be
resolved. We cannot agree to this bill in its current form, however. We will work with the member for Braitling and other opinion
offerers on researching and developing a legislative response to the issues including the application, quality and effectiveness of
evidence concerning customary law. We will particularly be looking at ways to ensure Aboriginal women have the opportunity to put
their views to the court. The overriding principle will be that Aboriginal women and children have a right to equal treatment by the law.
I know that is at the heart of the concern of the member for Braitling and I …
The Attorney-General:
- … certainly share the same concerns.
I thought that was a fairly clear statement on the part of government at the time. In light of what the member for Araluen has said, I trust the Attorney-General will now go back and review to the act to see whether it has flaws or defects.
I have, over the last two weeks, received much support from community people for my stand. People of many of these communities elected indigenous members of this parliament to represent them. We have five indigenous members in this parliament, three of whom are women. Therefore, it is particularly disappointing to me and other people in the community that they had said nothing on this matter. Much has been made of the fact that we thought the indigenous members of this House would be there to speak up for their people or, as I have heard them say many times in debate, ‘my people, our people’. However, they have been silent on this matter. In fact, some indigenous people have contacted me, and have asked where their voices are. I quote a little from one who wrote to me:
- Congratulations, Loraine ... good to see someone is trying to do something about it. Keep it up.
They go on to make the comment on the silence of the indigenous women in this House. I know many of them are new. I do not see that it would be greatly against government policy for them to say something on the matter. It is disappointing that they have not commented publicly on this particular issue so indigenous members of the community know where they stand.
However, in saying that, Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, I am pleased that the member for Araluen has joined in the debate. I look forward to what she has to offer in sorting out the legal side of this matter for future reference. I want to assure her that I will certainly join with her in whatever she is supporting, and I trust the Attorney-General will also, once again, as he seemed to indicate in his speech to me, continue to work with us also.
Mr NATT (Drysdale): Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, I was lucky enough to represent the Minister for Defence Support at the launching ceremony of Exercise Kakadu on aboard HMAS Kanimbla on 26 July, so I would like this evening to say a few words about the recent military exercise undertaken in and around our northern waters.
Exercise Kakadu VII is the most important regional maritime exercise undertaken by the Royal Australian Navy and the Australian Defence Force. It is undertaken biannually and, this year, as the number suggests, was the seventh operation embarked upon using Darwin Harbour as their base. The continuation of the exercise shows the measure of success that the Defence Forces place upon the operation for the programming and training of its major service activities.
An impressive array of Australian ships; namely HMAS Kanimbla, Ballarat, Adelaide, Westralia and Warrnambool and a Fremantle class patrol boat HMAS Geraldton, supported the exercise, as did Collins class submarine HMAS Farncomb. A collection of various RAAF aircraft also added air support; namely helicopters from 816 Squadron, F111 maritime strike aircraft from 1 Squadron, F/A18 fighter jets from 75 Squadron, Hawk 127 jets from 79 Squadron, AP3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft from Adelaide, while several civilian Lear jets from New South Wales were employed to tail aerial targets.
Several neighbouring countries were invited to participate in the operation so, adding to the impressive array of Australian Defence Force hardware, were ships from Singapore, New Guinea, Indonesia and Malaysia, while aircraft from New Zealand and Singapore supported our RAAF aircraft in the air. Personnel from the Navies of India, France, the Republic of Korea and Thailand were also here to observe the exercise.
In total, Kakadu had 12 ships, one submarine, five helicopters and over 20 fixed wing aircraft involved in the exercise; a most impressive collection of items from the five countries involved in the exercise.
Of course, this impressive operation would not have been the successful exercise it was if it did not have capable men and women to control the equipment. Fifteen hundred sailors, airmen and women were deployed to Darwin for the three-week exercise. As a consequence, Darwin and the people of the Northern Territory would have welcomed these visitors, ensuring strong bonds will continue to be built with our Defence Forces.
For Darwin residents, it was an impressive sight to see so many military vessels on the harbour, and military aircraft in the skies, with some people even making it an afternoon pastime to watch the planes land at Darwin Airport.
Kakadu VII also provided a boost to the Territory economy. In addition to the service and supply needs attached to the exercise, Territory businesses also benefited as the personnel involved made the most of our great lifestyle for their R&R. Hotels, tourism operators, retailers, restaurants, cafs, and taxi companies are some of the businesses that benefited from this exercise.
The Kakadu exercises serve as a long-running, wider, regional confidence building program with our coalition partners and is aimed to improve the operational effectiveness with Australia’s regional Defence Forces in a concentrated maritime training environment; continue to develop inter-operability and mutual understanding in multilateral operations within a regional maritime environmental context; and of course, forge and maintain friendships between participating units and observers.
In order for the aims I have outlined to be achieved, Kakadu VII had a couple of major objectives; those being to improve the inter-operability via a series of graduated training activities, practice weapons firing, and a structural, tactical free-play phase; as well as further developing combined proficiency, operational standards and safety in the application of mariner and maritime warfare skills.
Of course, these types of operations take a great deal of planning, with safety the most important aspect ensuring operational risks are kept to an absolute minimum. I understand Captain McDowell, and Group Captain Ludwig, together with their team of officers, were the brains trust behind this side of the exercise. I am pleased to say that the entire 17 days went off without a hitch. Well done to those two gentlemen and their support staff.
Commander Mark Hill, Commanding Officer of HMAS Coonawarra, and his staff, together with the personnel from Patrick Defence Logistics, managed the logistic support for the visiting warships and our operational patrol boats. Their efforts before and during the exercise were widely noted by all involved, and attributed to the success of the operation.
I understand that the exercise involved two teams, the Mauve Force and the Green Force, which opposed each other over 17 days, testing each other’s skills against air, surface and submarine threats to improve skills in maritime operations. The mock battle and manoeuvres were vital in gaining efficient and effective training experience whilst preparing each participant for future contingencies, and contributes to strengthening their collaborative relationships. While the forces were on their missions in the northern waters, several able-bodied individuals were based back on land ensuring operations ran smoothly for the exercise. The men and women at RAAF Base Darwin, Northern Command, Defence Maritime Services, and the Darwin Port Corporation were also instrumental in the success of the project and should be congratulated for the part they played.
A particular acknowledgement should be paid to the people of the Darwin community, and the essential relationship Defence has with the Darwin Port Corporation. Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation, Mr Barry Bewick, and Harbourmaster, Captain Bruce Wilson, maintained their commitment and special relationship with the ADF throughout the exercise, and were more than cooperative to accommodate the demands of the exercise. I extend a special thank you to those two gentlemen and their staff.
It is interesting to note that years ago, manoeuvres such as Exercise Kakadu VII would have been very hush-hush and presented as very low key to the public. However, this year’s operations were in full and open view for all to see via a web site set up especially for the exercise. Family and friends of the participants were able to log into the Defence Internet site to view photographs taken throughout the exercise, in the hope of catching a glimpse of their loved one or friend in their role during the exercise. It was a great public relations exercise for the ADF and, again, gave people an insight to another aspect of the Territory.
I must admit I was fascinated on the morning of the launch to fully understand the amount of time and effort that had gone into this exercise. That fact that several of our neighbouring allies were invited to participate and observe was especially comforting, and I am sure they have gleaned an enormous amount of information from our highly-skilled Defence Force personnel to take back to their respective countries to on-skill their forces. I would particularly like to thank Rear Admiral David Thomas for his hospitality that morning, and include in that vote of thanks Commander George McGuire and his staff on HMAS Kanimbla for conducting and hosting the opening ceremony on board the ship.
Exercise Kakadu provides valuable training for the Australian Defence Force as we continue to further goodwill and mutual understanding with our neighbouring regional Defence Forces. This government knows the valuable role Defence plays in the Northern Territory community, both socially and economically, and we look forward to the continued operation of such exercises in the northern waters of Australia.
Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, Kakadu VII was an outstanding success and, I understand, enjoyed by all. I look forward with interest to 2007 when Exercise Kakadu VIII begins.
Mr MILLS (Blain): Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, I want to use this opportunity to, once again, put on the record the story of people who make a difference to our community: good, quiet people who make that difference and may not even know that they do.
Roderick – now he will not be very happy that we all now know that he is Roderick – James William Joyce - Rod Joyce, as everyone knows him - was born in Sydney on 23 September 1943. Rod was born to parents, John and Betty, and is the eldest of three children. He grew up both in the New South Wales outback and in Sydney’s northern beaches. Pallamallawa and Moree were two places that offered a carefree environment after the end of World War II. Rod loved the country life, with his uncle’s bakery, his grandfather’s barber shop and his grandmother playing the piano at the local Saturday night get togethers.
While living in Sydney, there was lots to do, with plenty of relations to socialise with, school to attend and lend a helping hand on a construction site. At the completion of his schooling, Rod took up an apprenticeship as a cabinetmaker - not surprising, as Rod spent a lot of time working with timber, helping his Dad who was a builder. At the age of 21, Rod embarked on two new careers. Firstly, he met Judy, who was 15 at the time, but Rod decided she was the girl he was going to marry.
Three months after they were engaged, Rod joined the Army. He had previously spent three years in the CMF. At the completion of basic training at Kapooka, and core training at Ingleburn, Rod and Judy married. A month after they married, Rod left for Vietnam with 12 of his mates as reinforcements for the infantry battalion serving there. On arrival, he found out that one of his mates he went to school with in Moree had just been killed.
Rod is still in touch with some of the men he served with during that 1966-67 tour of duty with the 6RAR. During that tour, Rod’s first son, Allan, was born in May 1967. Back at home after a short leave, Rod was off to Canungra, Queensland, where their company was to train the next lot off to Vietnam. Not a recognised posting, the Army ignored the families, so Judy packed up Allan and took off for Queensland. Seven months later, the posting for Townsville came through and, in September 1968, Norman was born. The next two years was constant training and bush work, every Monday to Friday, clean gear on Saturday and sleep on Sunday. Somehow or other, in September 1969, Rod’s daughter, Virginia, or Ginny, was born. August 1970 saw the family moving to Inverbrackie in the Adelaide Hills. The posting was to 3RAR, and embarkation to Vietnam took place in February 1971.
Once more, whilst crawling through the mud, Rod got news of a son born. Glen arrived in June 1971. With the troops withdrawn from Vietnam from December 1971, things were not quite so hectic, and Rod stayed in South Australia until August 1977. The next move was back to Sydney, where the family stayed, even though Rod had postings elsewhere for short periods of time.
In 1986, Rod and Judy bought a hobby farm outside of Mudgee, New South Wales, to live a civilian life. After a couple of months, Rod missed the Army life so much he headed off to Ingleburn’s Bardia Barracks where he spent over a third of each year for the next four years.
In 1990, whilst visiting Virginia, who was on an Army posting to Larrakeyah Barracks Darwin, Rod caught up with some mates, the result being the farm was sold and Judy, Rod, cats, and dogs headed for Darwin, where Rod was back to full-time service for the next four years.
During this time, Rod and Judy built a house at Palmerston where they currently live. When the uniform was finally off this time, Rod took up security work, where he moved around the Territory on different jobs. Whether it was Port Keats, Groote Eylandt or the Katherine floods in 1998, Rod was always ready to go. Rod finished off his security days as a permanent at Parliament House until Veteran Affairs placed him on a TPI pension in 2003.
Many people would not know Rod’s story, but we know of him in Palmerston as a volunteer working very quietly behind the scenes, helping many groups and putting in endless hours for many years. Even though he has done his bit to serve his country, he is still serving the community he calls home. Rod and Judy - Judy is more well known, but I have taken this time to do this adjournment debate on Rod and Judy will follow - will be celebrating their 39th wedding anniversary this year, plus the birth of another grandchild. The count so far is eight grandchildren.
Some of the community groups that Rod is involved in are the Palmerston Lions Club, where he served as a ‘Lion Tamer’; the Alexandra Day Club – hands-on work for 12 years; the Palmerston Seniors Songsters - the equipment handler; Palmerston Australia Day Committee - committee member and gofer, and he certainly does that without a fuss; if anything is needed Rod will l do it; Camp Quality fundraiser and cruise driver; volunteer driver for the seniors citizens – he is a driver; Vietnam Veterans Association - a member; the TPI Association - a member; Palmerston and Rural U3A - committee member; and Bakewell Primary School - lollipop person. Rod helps out wherever he can, whenever he is needed, and has even been seen dressed in that red suit at Christmas time.
Rod, many people in Palmerston and beyond have seen your work and admire you immensely. We congratulate you and salute you as a servant of our community who has made a difference.
Mrs MILLER (Katherine): Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, I have the greatest pleasure tonight to place on record the Katherine School of the Air trip to Darwin and, especially, their trip to Parliament House. This trip was very special for the students of Katherine School of the Air, because it brought together students who do not have the opportunity to attend school in an urban or regional area with other students and, therefore, they do not get very much opportunity to interact with each other.
These children are spread over a wide area, with vast distances separating them during school hours. They receive their schooling from the School of the Air base in Katherine, with their teachers talking to them via radio link. It is an entirely different situation than sitting in a classroom with other students with the teacher standing out the front.
The opportunities for these students to get together is always welcomed, and the trip to Darwin this week is one of those special occasions. The students and their teachers visited Parliament House on the 23 August, and watched parliament in session from the visitor’s gallery. I hope that the members in the Assembly were well behaved while they were here. Even though this is a House of serious and very important debate, we do not send a good message to students when there is unruly behaviour in the Assembly. I hope the experience was an uplifting one for these students.
They were accompanied on this trip by their teachers, Jodi Hart, Patrick Curtain, Jenna Towers and Rachel Olsson. I would like to read into Hansard the names of the students who enjoyed their trip to Parliament House so much. They were: Ashley Watts, Mary River Station; Mikayla Bouma, Kalkarindji; Kayla Struber, Rosewood Station; Amy Harding, Gorrie Station; Samantha Roth, Larrimah; Louise Rush, Anthony Lagoon Station; Dannielle Darcy, Mullapunyah Station; Jacob Dunn, Legune Station; Dean Holzwart, Avago Station; Hayden Riggs, Lakefield Station; Freddy Martin, Kununurra; PJ Ellis, Kununurra; Jaimie Lindsay, Numbulwar; Bianca Groves, Marrakai Station; Emma Sharp, Kiana Station; and Skye MacFarlane, Stylo Station.
I also mention that Skye did a magnificent job at the Katherine Show this year. She led the champion Brahman and she did just the most wonderful job - a small, slight girl managing this wonderful, magnificent animal was a sight to behold. She absolutely loves her Brahmans and did a wonderful job. A big thank you and a big congratulation to Skye. She has a great future in the rural area.
Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, this adjournment speech may only be very sort tonight, but I just wanted to make sure these students and their teachers were recognised. They are separated by many kilometres each day. When other kids are in school, these kids are kilometres apart. I know that they will have happy memories of their time together in Darwin and their visit to Parliament House.
Motion agreed to; the Assembly adjourned.
Last updated: 04 Aug 2016