2008-04-29
Madam Speaker Aagaard took the Chair at 10 am.
MESSAGE FROM ADMINISTRATOR
Message No 26
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I have received from His Honour the Administrator, Message No 26 notifying assent to bills passed in the February sittings of the Assembly.
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I have also received the Commonwealth Day Message 2008 from Her Majesty The Queen, dated 10 March 2008. With the concurrence of honourable members, I will have the Commonwealth Day Message incorporated in the Parliamentary Record.
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, pursuant to the provisions of Standing Order 12, I hereby revoke all previous warrants nominating members to act as Deputy Chairman of Committees and nominate the following members to act as Deputy Chairman of Committees: Ms Alison Anderson, Mr James Burke, Mr Karl Hampton, Ms Malarndirri McCarthy, Mr Syd Stirling, Mr Ted Warren and Mr Gerry Wood when requested so to do by the Speaker.
Given under my hand this 29th day of April 2008.
Ms CARNEY (Araluen): Madam Speaker, I present a petition from 64 petitioners praying that the 130 km/h speed limit on Territory roads be repealed. The petition bears the Clerk’s certificate that it conforms with the requirements of standing orders. Madam Speaker, I move the petition be read.
Motion agreed to; petition read.
Mr CONLAN (Greatorex)(by leave): Madam Speaker, I present a petition from 400 petitioners relating to the Patient Assisted Travel Scheme or PATS. I move that the petition be read.
Motion agreed to; petition read.
The CLERK: Madam Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 100A, I inform honourable members the response to petition No 70 has been received and circulated to honourable members. The text of the response will be placed on the Legislative Assembly website. The copy of the response will be provided to the member who tabled the petition for distribution to the petitioners.
Ms SCRYMGOUR (Arts and Museums): Madam Speaker, I recently announced the development of a 10 year plan for our museum sector. Our two major collections were both established over 20 to 25 years ago with Museum and Art Galleries of the Northern Territory, MAGNT, at Bullocky Point and Araluen Art Centre in Alice Springs. The Maritime Museum at MAGNT has been the only major addition to our flagship museums in that period. In recent years, we have seen the construction of Nyingkka Nyunyu in Tennant Creek, and the planning work on the Katherine Cultural Centre. There are also a number of other specialist and regional museums that have received government support.
Over that time, the population of the Territory has more than doubled, and tourist visitation has trebled. Visitation to MAGNT in Araluen is over 300 000 annually. Research suggests that MAGNT supplies $30m of value to Darwin and Top End tourism.
It is now time to assess the future of the sector. Of concern are real issues of storage for our collections, as well as other publicly-owned collections within the Northern Territory Library, the Northern Territory Archives and the Northern Territory Herbarium. A lack of storage means many of our more important holdings never see the light of day, or are seen only partially or sporadically. The Papunya Tula Art Collection is one of these.
The lack of off-site storage for Territory collections restricts the optimum use of our existing institutions for additional gallery space, which restricts travelling exhibitions. Of critical concern is housing our holdings of skeletal remains and secret-sacred objects. While there is an ongoing program of returning cultural objects, this may not always be possible. Over the next decade, the Territory may face the return of a further 6000 items of such materials from interstate and overseas.
The 10-year plan, Building Our Museum Sector, envisages a thorough approach to consolidation of our existing museum assets and the potential creation of a new asset. We will be looking at contemporary approaches to museum practices, technologies and business planning. The plan will look at our how the philanthropic and private sectors can support our museum sector. Everything is on the table for discussion. A significant amount of work has already been done by our institutions, but needs public discussions and costings, as well as planning for a program that would extend over a decade. It will involve a vision that goes far beyond the present.
Although the Territory, as a self-governing institution, is barely 30 years old, the repository will have to serve the Territory for the next century. As well as our collections of art and natural history material, it will include Northern Territory Library, Archives and Herbarium holdings, as well as community-owned collections of high artistic, historical and heritage value. There have been proposals over two decades of the establishment of a dedicated gallery of Aboriginal art. At present, we have only small dedicated spaces for permanent displays. Given the national and international interest in the Territory’s rich Aboriginal cultural heritage, we should look at this closely.
The MAGNT is one of the nation’s best holdings of South-East Asian art, with a strong collection of textiles, but these are rarely displayed. The Natural History collection at MAGNT is a permanent favourite, but only represents a small part of the enormous research effort and knowledge that lies behind it. There is virtually no capacity to display the prehistoric collections that have been built over many years. With the exception of the Cyclone Tracy exhibit and the occasional displays, such as Sweet and Sour, the Territory has had a poor record in exhibiting Territory social history. This includes seminal events in our history, such as World War II.
I should point out that we have been listening to the community views over the siting of the World War II museum facility, and are actively considering all options. It is not proposed that we enter into a complex series of expert consultancies. Quite a bit of the work has already been done. We will be listening to the public and getting their ideas, as well as contributions from the Board of MAGNT and Araluen.
Mrs MILLER (Katherine): Madam Speaker, I thank the minister for her report this morning. I am glad you are listening to the public on the siting of that World War II museum. That location is going to make a significant difference to Darwin.
There is no doubt that visitors come to the Northern Territory to view mainly indigenous art. That is a very big attraction for the Northern Territory. Going through the museum in the last couple of weeks, I had to remind myself just how little we have on display. Unfortunately, it takes more space to store those things than it takes to display. There definitely has to be a lot of work and money put into more display areas for indigenous art within the Northern Territory. A complaint of visitors for some time is that they cannot see enough of what they come to the Northern Territory to see.
I thank the minister for her report. It is very important for regional areas to have that development of art as well. I genuinely want to see the reality of the Katherine cultural precinct. It is very much needed and has been repeatedly asked for especially by Ghan passengers who come to Katherine and wish to view indigenous art in one location, and Territory art broadly. I thank the minister for her report.
Mr WOOD (Nelson): Madam Speaker, I thank the minister for her report. Recently, one of the federal ministers was discussing tourism in Papua New Guinea and mentioned that military tourism could be exploited in PNG. He was referring to people visiting places like the Solomon Islands, the Kokoda Trail, Rabaul – all those places involved in World War II. Talking about museums, especially a World War II museum, I do hope it goes somewhere else besides the lawn next door to Parliament House - East Point preferably. We cannot have that as a separate museum for World War II heritage. It must be linked, for instance, with the Aviation Museum and all the sites in the Northern Territory. We cannot bring an airstrip and put it in a museum, the airstrip is there. I recognise the government has increased the number of World War II heritage sites and I am very pleased to see the government declare the Strauss Cricket Ground a heritage site recently. I thank them very much for that.
We have an opportunity that is unique in Australia, similar to what the federal government is talking about in New Guinea. That is, we can develop a unique tourism industry based on World War II heritage. We should place more emphasis on protecting some of these sites such as the Fenton Airstrip near Hayes Creek. I believe it needs much more protection. People can drive in and out and do what they like to that place, yet it is a very important part of our World War II heritage. There are many other places in the Territory that have been run down; the signs are worn out and there is no form of protection. Perhaps we have opportunities for Aboriginal people in remote areas to be rangers. We do not have just wildlife rangers. We have rangers who look after the heritage sites in those areas - their own heritage, but also the opportunity to look after those sites. I welcome the minister’s statement, but when we are talking museums, especially those linked to World War II, we need to have a bigger approach to the whole thing.
Ms SCRYMGOUR (Arts and Museums): Madam Speaker, I thank both members for their contribution. Member for Katherine, we all want to see the Katherine cultural precinct built. That is why it is important to look into the future. That is becoming more and more a reality in our regional centres, to look at the resourcing financially, but also the curatorial support and all the other resourcing that needs to go towards making cultural precincts a reality. We all want to see Katherine up and, hopefully, not too far into the distant future.
Member for Nelson, the Heritage minister could provide you with a fantastic book about all the World War II sites. It is fabulous, the content is there. If you look at the visitation numbers of all the World War II sites around Darwin, and right down the track as far as Alice Springs, it is clear that people do want to look at those sites. We should exploit them. We are doing that with those sites most visited, particularly the tunnels and other areas around Darwin. That book is a good resource to give to people, to buy as a gift to send to your relatives so when people visit they can see these sites.
I thank you both for your contribution. Hopefully, we can move forward with building a fantastic museum sector for the Territory.
Mr VATSKALIS (Tourism): Madam Speaker, today I inform the House of my recent visit to China in my capacity as Minister for Tourism and Minister for Business and Economic Development. My visit focused on four key events: the announcement of the Northern Territory’s ‘Official Friend of Tourism’ in Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Shanghai and Beijing; the launch of Heaven on Earth: the Northern Territory photography exhibition in Guangzhou; the meeting with the China Photographers Association; and the meeting with the China Police Sportsman’s Association.
Over 200 travel wholesalers, travel agents, airlines and media partners witnessed the appointment of Ms Liang Zi as the Northern Territory’s Friend of Tourism at industry functions in Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Shanghai. Ms Li will act as a travel ambassador for the Northern Territory tourism industry for the next 12 months, promoting the Territory’s iconic travel experiences to the Chinese market. We are very privileged to welcome Ms Liang Zi to our tourism team within China. Her credibility with China ensures that her endorsement of the Northern Territory as a destination will resonate strongly within the Chinese travel, trade and consumer markets.
Ms Liang Zi is one of the most highly recognised female reporters in China, having served as a People’s Liberation Army war journalist as the only female on the battlefield of the long Chinese/Vietnam border war. She has also travelled and reported in Afghanistan, Sierra Leone, Angola, Iraq and Pakistan. In addition, Ms Liang Zi is a renowned travel reporter who produces and presents China’s travel television program, Global Trekker, has authored five travel books, and produced several travel documentaries.
Ms Liang Zi travelled to the Northern Territory in July last year as part of the team of Chinese journalists reporting on the making of the Chinese Centre Television Network documentary, Discovery of the Mystery Land: the Northern Territory. As the official Friend of Tourism for the Northern Territory, Ms Liang Zi will promote the Northern Territory as a destination at trade functions within China and through the media. She will also develop positive media stories about the Northern Territory for China’s magazines and newspapers as well as complimentary blog articles for her own website and on China’s leading news website, Sina.com.
The announcement of Ms Liang Zi as travel ambassador has brought a strong response from the media. I was interviewed by media across China, including a Guangzhou newspaper with a circulation of 1.8 million and a television station with millions of viewers. I also met Mr Zhan, Senior Editor and Deputy Director for TAKUNG PAO, the oldest newspaper in China, with a circulation of 500 000 people. At the Shanghai event I met with the Chief Editor of Soho.com, Mr Fred Yao. Soho is the second largest online portal in China.
It was a privilege to also officially open the photographic submission titled Heaven on Earth: the Northern Territory in Guangzhou during one of the largest world trade shows held in two parts over two weeks. On display were a selection of photographs taken by four renowned Chinese photographers all with a strong passion for the Territory, namely Mr Boa Kun, Mr Wang Zheng, Mr Ma Xiaolin and Ms Liang Zi.
The exhibition ran from 19 to 24 April 2008 and had the potential to attract some of 2.8 million consumers from the Guangdong Trade Fair, as well as the many overseas buyers of the show. Further exhibitions throughout China are planned in this coming year with another exhibition to take place in Beijing at the Panasonic China Consumer Store in the Shin Hong Centre.
In Beijing I also met with Madame Gu, the Vice Secretary of the China Photographers Association who expressed her appreciation for the support they have been given during their trip. They are very keen to send more photographic groups here. I spoke to Mr Bao Kun, one of the members who came to the Northern Territory last year, about working with the China Photographers Association to develop a range of specialist itineraries for their members so they could witness the unique nature and culture of our Territory.
Finally, I met with Mr Wang the head of the China Police Sportsman’s Association to discuss cultural exchanges and events their members could experience in the Northern Territory. The association focuses on training and four-wheel drive treks and is keen to pursue a long-term relationship. Mr Wang is also a senior detective and, as such, responsible for the security of the Olympic Torch while travelling in China.
I took the opportunity to raise, on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Sport and Recreation, the opportunity for them to bring a team to the Arafura Games in May 2009, as well as its members being part of the Finke Desert Race in 2009. China already has a relationship with the Finke Race, as the Shanghai Automotive uses the track for low speed, high heat trials for their car products.
Tourism NT will be working on a range of exciting and innovative corporate campaigns with a range of partners over the coming months. China has been identified as an important emerging market for the Territory tourism industry and our development of innovative marketing activities, such as I have mentioned, is expected to bring significant benefits to our economy and our tourism industry.
Mr MILLS (Opposition Leader): Madam Speaker, this report is welcomed. I still believe the opportunity we have, our strategic advantage in the region, is to build relations which will ultimately lead to trade. The report you have provided indicates a number of opportunities to establish good relations and, through those good relations, to establish understanding and then the capacity to trade and to interact with the Northern Territory. It is obviously a crowded marketplace, and the world seems to be there trying to forge connections, so I commend the minister and this government for those efforts.
I request a report at some stage on the maintenance of these connections. It is good to have these opportunities to meet people but also at some stage have a report on how the connections are being maintained, developed and extended, leading to a clear strategy. A strategic outcome is an important part of this.
I am also very interested to hear what effect the Rudd government’s intervention in foreign investment will have on the engagement that the Territory has with some Chinese interests. It appears to me at the federal level that there has been a message sent regarding foreign investment which will affect the Northern Territory. Some of the reports that we have had tabled here in regard to China expressing an interest in the Northern Territory, appear to be adversely affected by the recent moves of the Rudd Labor government. I need a report on how that will play out in the Northern Territory.
Finally, minister, I did not quite get the report, but did you visit Changi on the way back? I commend you for that. That was an excellent bit of radio. To build those sorts of connections and that initiative, I commend you for it. It was a fantastic story. I am very pleased to hear that kind of opportunity being taken and passing that benefit on to young Territorians.
Mr VATSKALIS (Asian Relations): Madam Speaker, I thank the member for his comments. In response, we have already started seeing dividends from China. We have tour groups coming in May and June, and we are working closely with travel agents in China and airlines to bring more people to the Territory. We have seen some fantastic outcomes. I will be very pleased to report in the future to this House about the outcomes.
Yes, if I did not stay in Singapore I would have arrived in Darwin at 5 am which would have made it impossible to attend the Anzac Day service. I decided to stay in Singapore and attend the Anzac Dawn Service at Kranji War Cemetery and then visit the Changi Memorial with Joshua Bowling whose great-grandfather was a prisoner in Changi. It was a very moving experience for me and for Joshua and for many Australians.
I also had the opportunity to meet a group of soldiers from Robertson Barracks who were training in Butterworth and they came to Singapore. It was a fantastic experience and a good opportunity for us to wave the Territory flag in Singapore.
Mr KIELY (Natural Resources, Environment and Heritage): Madam Speaker, I report to the House on important and exciting new research being conducted in the Northern Territory by the Parks and Wildlife Biodiversity Conservation Division. This research focuses on two dolphin species: the Australian Snub-Fin and the Indo-Pacific Humpback. The Australian Snub-Fin is Australia’s only endemic dolphin, and was recognised as a distinct species for the first time in 2005. These two species are amongst the world’s most uncommon and poorly known dolphins.
Like many Territorians, this government places great value in the natural value of Darwin Harbour and our surrounding coastal systems, and we have done much to protect it. It is this government that recognised the importance of mangroves to the biodiversity of the harbour, ensuring that 97% of mangroves in the harbour are protected under conservation zoning.
Worldwide, many coastal dolphins are in decline as their habitats coincide with the increased pressure on coastal systems. This is the type of situation we must avoid in the Territory. We have the chance to get it right, but it will not happen by accident. To avoid such degradation and loss of biodiversity, we must understand these natural systems and recognise their natural values. To this end, these two dolphin species provide important indicators of the health of our marine areas. The current research project has shown that both the Indo-Pacific Humpback and the Australian Snub-Fin are usually found in shallow waters, close to land or river mouths, and this makes them particularly vulnerable to human activities. The relatively pristine and untouched Northern Territory coastline could possibly hold the most secure populations of the Australian Snub-Fin and the Indo-Pacific Humpback dolphins in the world.
How we manage to protect these populations could be crucial to the long-term conservation of both species. We are fortunate that they live with us in Darwin Harbour and around our coastline. We want such species to prosper. We want future generations of Territorians to have the joy of seeing such magnificent creatures around our cities and coasts. We will have failed our children if we do not endow them with land and marine environments that are as healthy and as biologically diverse as we enjoy today. We cannot take such values for granted. We need information, we need research, and we need to make decisions based on the right information.
This is why this research project is so important. The dolphin project is an innovative joint partnership between the Northern Territory government, ING Direct and the Australian Office of the Worldwide Fund for Nature. I congratulate and thank them for their support of this important research.
Scientists from Parks and Wildlife are working collaboratively with Kakadu National Park, Charles Darwin University, and a broad range of the Darwin Harbour stakeholders to chart a course for the dolphins’ long-term conservation management. The research will allow them to identify key habitat areas and give an understanding of the size of the populations. It will also identify current and potential threats. Such knowledge will allow us to make important decisions about managing our coast in a balanced and sustainable manner.
This new project, being undertaken in a collaborative manner, is very important and exciting research which will benefit future generations of Territorians and Australians in general.
Mrs MILLER (Katherine): Madam Speaker, I thank the minister for his report. We are all for research, minister. It is very important to research accurately to ensure the biodiversity of the harbour is ongoing.
So, why are you going to put industry in the middle of the harbour? What is that going to do to the mangroves, and how important are the mangroves to the Darwin Harbour? They are extremely important and the very thing you are trying to do is destroy them - absolutely destroy the mangroves around this harbour. On one hand you are saying you need research. Sure, you need research, but do you not think you are playing with fire when you are putting industry within this harbour and trying to protect this species that you are talking about?
I thank you very much for your report. It is going to be interesting to see how you are going to counteract that with all this development removing the mangroves.
Mr WOOD (Nelson): Madam Speaker, I thank the minister for his report. It is an important statement, but it cannot be looked at in isolation from other species that use Darwin Harbour. When the program was put forward to dam the Elizabeth River and was stopped, a group of us looked at the number of species that use Darwin Harbour, especially fish, birds or other animals that rely on either the mangroves or the land close by. Darwin Harbour is not just about dolphins; it is about an enormous amount of diversity. It is not just about protecting the mangroves; it is about protecting the land behind the mangroves as well. The two do not work in isolation from one another, just as the sea does not work in isolation from the mangroves.
The issue that I have with Darwin Harbour being developed as an industrial base is that we lose the opportunity to do something special with our harbour. We do not turn it into an aesthetically poor harbour that will be industrial. I know that you probably can develop LNG plants that will not pollute the harbour. Wickham Point went through very intense environmental impact statements to show that. However, that is not the issue I am concerned about. I am concerned that we will lose something that is very special, not only for non-indigenous people, but the indigenous people of Darwin who have used that area for hunting for many years.
I do not think we have given enough consideration to the long-term vision of what our harbour will look like. Yes, minister, it is important we look after these two species of dolphins, but it is important we look after the bigger biodiversity. We could have kept the harbour, and I believe we still have an opportunity to keep the harbour special as a place that we can all enjoy and that is not full of industry. Let us look at another place to put that industry.
Mr KIELY (Natural Resources, Environment and Heritage): Madam Speaker, I thank the members for their contributions. In relation to the concerns raised by the member for Nelson, this government has, for the first time, created a Marine Branch, which is driven out of NRETA, to specifically look at those biodiversity issues that the member for Nelson has mentioned. This is a very competent, well-run branch. It has been brought about by our concern and a community concern for managing the biodiversity within the harbour, as well as understanding the entire coastline aspects and interactions. We are sincerely looking at sustainability in that aspect.
The member for Katherine wanted to know why industry, and why should we develop the NT economy. I thought that was a stand-alone question. We need to grow our economy in order to sustain the lifestyle we enjoy. That is what it is all about, member for Katherine - it is all about sustainability. This government …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr KIELY: This government brought in protection for 97% of the mangroves, something that never happened under the previous government in all the time that they had to do it ...
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Minister, your time has expired. Resume your seat. Order!
Mr Mills: Yeah, sit down, sit down, quick, quick.
Mr Warren: You rude little man.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Goyder, cease interjecting.
Reports noted pursuant to standing orders.
Continued from 21 February 2008.
Ms CARNEY (Araluen): Madam Speaker, is this the Criminal Code Amendment Bill (Serial 138)?
Madam SPEAKER: The food and drink spiking bill.
Ms CARNEY: Thank you, Madam Speaker. The opposition supports this bill, minister. It was a straightforward second reading speech, evidenced by one page. I make no criticism of that; it just illustrates that it is relatively straightforward. At the same time it is a little surprising, given that there already exists a number of offences that capture drink spiking. I refer, obviously, to section 188 of the Criminal Code, Aggravated assault, section 176 of the Criminal Code, and there are others.
Those other provisions, I might say, carry minimum penalties, from memory, of five years’ imprisonment, yet, by way of contrast, the specific penalties under this legislation provide a period of imprisonment for two years. We wonder why it is that the government, on one hand, has already in place offences and penalties which are five years, yet introduces legislation that has as a minimum two years’ imprisonment.
Having said that, I note that this bill is, in essence, a product of the Model Criminal Law Officers Committee report. I appreciate, therefore, why it is that the bill has been introduced. I also appreciate how politically attractive it is to introduce legislation of this nature. I also appreciate what a problem drink spiking is around this country. I am not sure of the extent of the problem in the Territory; I know that there have been some instances of it. I am not sure that we specifically needed legislation over and above the reason outlined by the minister, namely, that it flowed from the Model Criminal Law Officers Committee. Nevertheless, we support the bill because it provides a specific offence and there is no specific offence for drink or food spiking in the Northern Territory.
I ask that the minister, in reply, advise whether the government would consider, after a review say in 12 months, whether it might be appropriate to amend the legislation to make the maximum penalty five years’ imprisonment and, upon summary conviction, two years. That would then, I believe, bring it more in line with other offences in the Criminal Code. However, we are not really pursuing that issue at the present time. We raise it as a possibility.
In any event, the bill is supported. No doubt, the government will issue a bevy of media releases saying that they intend to save young women, in particular, in the Northern Territory from drink spiking. It would be helpful if the minister, in reply, would advise as to the extent of the problem. Having said that, we support the legislation.
Mr WOOD (Nelson): Madam Speaker, I support the amendment to the Criminal Code. I should also note that we had a briefing yesterday with the department, and I thank the department for giving us that briefing.
One issued raised was whether we should have a definition of the word ‘spiking’. It is a colloquial word that has been used to describe the act of putting a substance in another person’s drink or food which can affect that person, leading to harm or them doing things which could cause them embarrassment or humiliation, or impair the victim’s mental ability
Spiking, as I said, is a colloquial term. It may go out of fashion as a word. It may not be interpreted or understood by people from other jurisdictions, or even overseas, as to its exact meaning. I am not sure if that word should be defined or explained in the Criminal Code. I know when you read it, it is fairly clear as to what spiking is, but I believe it would be beneficial to feature a definition as part of the act.
The other issue I raised during the briefing was if you administer a drug with an intent to commit a crime, such as sexual assault, assault, robbery, stealing or fraud, you are liable to receive a penalty, a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. I am not sure whether administering a drug itself is an offence or whether life imprisonment is the result of, for instance, committing sexual assault, assault, robbery, stealing or fraud because you administered a drug. If administering a drug has the maximum sentence of life imprisonment and can result in any of those crimes I just cited - sexual assault, assault, robbery, stealing or fraud – then, it seems to me, the maximum penalty of two years for applying an intoxicating substance seems disproportionate to what would happen if you administered an illegal drug.
My understanding is that this is the penalty for spiking. Then there follows the penalty for the sexual offence, robbery, or whatever. In the second reading speech, minister, you said:
That could be exactly the same crimes that might come from spiking, but you say:
It seems to be that you do not get penalised as much for spiking a drink as you would by causing the same things as if you had administered an illegal drug. I am interested to hear the minister respond so I could see what the logic is there. I believe the intent of the bill is to say, in general, spiking is not going to cause the same kind of serious problems as those compared to problems caused by someone administering an illegal drug. If it does, though, then it does not send out the message that this is a very serious offence. No matter if it is legal or illegal, the end result is the same.
I support what is put before us. I wondered whether this could have been an amendment to the existing parts of the Criminal Code but the government believes that it should be a separate section. I am interested in hearing the minister’s response as to why one form of spiking, if you want to call it that, has a lesser penalty than another form, which is the use of illegal drugs.
Mr WARREN (Goyder): Madam Speaker, I support the bill. I am sure there is not a person in this House who does not understand the problem that is facing our community. It is a modern day phenomenon, although it may well have taken more well known forms in years gone by with alcohol consumption or forced consumption, but in this day and age where we have so many chemicals and cocktails of drugs, I guess it was just a sign of the times that this kind of thing is something that criminals – and I call these people criminals – would take advantage of.
I am sure there is not a person in this House who does not feel disgust at this kind of activity, particularly parents throughout the Territory. We all understand how those people feel in regard to this insidious crime; how they feel about their children going out because most of these crimes actually occur in clubs and pubs.
The member for Araluen pointed out there was not sufficient figures in the NT. That is quite right, although there are plenty of figures throughout Australia. I am going to refer to some of those figures. I am going to refer to the Australian Institute of Criminology’s National Project on Drink Spiking which was reported in 2004. It is not a recent thing that the figures have been collected on. One of the salient points out of that, unexpectedly, is how drink spikings have been increasing in recent times. I believe this is going to continue unless we bring in laws like this to try to curb this. The figures are there for all to see. They may be affected by a high level of underreporting - and I will get to that in a minute - that is certainly a very important consideration. It does not mean to say that we throw the baby out with the bath water and not try to use the figures we have. We have good statistical information. Statistically, we can expand on that data and get very reliable actual figures.
I quote from a report conducted across Australia and released by the Australian Institute of Criminology:
I am going to refer specifically to drink spiking because that is the main area. That is too high a figure; that is incredible. With our population that is pretty disgusting.
approximately one third of these incidents involved sexual assault;
That means that this was premeditated in many cases, it was thought out. These are not just people taking spontaneous action. To go through the process of getting the drugs, preparing them and going through this whole process requires planning. There is no spontaneity involved in this.
between 60% and 70% of these incidents involved no additional victimisation;
That is prank spiking - and that is what the bill’s intent is since we have some very strong laws in regard to the more serious aspects. By bringing in this law and covering those minor aspects, we also highlight the dangers of drink spiking.
between 15 and 19 suspected drink spiking incidents occur per 100 000 persons in Australia …
These figures are far too high.
four out of five victims are female;
about half of drink spiking victims are aged under 24, while one third are aged between 25 and 34;
These are young people. These are our daughters and sometimes our sons. These are young people in our society who are not safe out there. There are predators out there.
the majority of reported drink spiking incidents have no associated criminal victimisation …
That is including the prank spiking which is a common motivation for drink spiking. That is what this law today is about, to bring that in line.
about 5% of incidents involved robbery;
Okay, but that does not make it any less insidious.
two-thirds of suspected drink-spiking incidents occur in licensed premises (although for sexual assault victims the location is equally likely to be at the victim or offender’s home or another location);
many of the victims do not know who the offender was;
Incidents involving sexual assault are more likely to occur with a known offender. That is pretty common with rape also. That again is planned. These are people who know these people - getting out and planning it. As a father, I really have difficulty understanding the psyche of these kinds of people.
many victims experience memory loss after drink spiking;
This is why it is used by cold-hearted, calculated perpetrators - because they know that there is less chance of them getting caught, because they have actually disengaged the thought processes of the victims, and the victims may not even remember. This is very common as they may have had too much to drink. They think: ‘Okay, I have had too much to drink. I am not sure whether my drink has been spiked’. There is uncertainty about it. That is why we need to raise public awareness, which I am sure we are doing, but it is also ensuring that we penalise all levels of drink spiking and associated activities.
There can be an adverse reaction to the cocktail of drugs and this can lead to serious poisoning and even death. That is something that people do not acknowledge. That is what this particular element of the bill is about. It is not a prank; it has very serious consequences at any level of intent.
the vast majority of incidents of drink spiking are not reported to police.
I guess that is the crux of this issue. That is why we need to make people aware that, by having these laws and by having across-the-board laws, we are tackling this issue.
This is another reference from the Australian Institute of Criminology, Crime Facts Info No 86 Drink spiking under-reported:
These figures are too low. Why are people doing that? Maybe it is because they are intoxicated. It is my opinion they do not believe the laws are there to protect them. That is why we are bringing in these laws.
The reason they did this is because they required treatment. So, 87% of those of who did come in are the victims of violent crimes. We have to get the message out there that these are insidious people. These are violent crimes. They are not less violent because of the use of the drugs.
I come back to my main point at the start; that we are bringing this in as a good government because it is important to do this for all Territorians. It is important that we do it for all Australians. We need to lead the way. We have led the way, in many respects, to the violent aspects - the high-level instances of drink spiking and food spiking - but we have to keep abreast and do as much as we can. I am proud to be part of a government which takes this very seriously. Madam Speaker, I wholeheartedly commend the bill to the House.
Ms SACILOTTO (Port Darwin): Madam Speaker, I support the Criminal Code Amendment (Drink or Food Spiking) Bill 2008. Drink and food spiking is of particular concern to me as the member for Port Darwin, and also the member who represents Mitchell Street, the major Darwin entertainment strip. Drink spiking is most likely to occur around licensed premises. This is very dangerous on many levels. Victims can become heavily intoxicated in a very short time, and to a much greater degree than the known alcohol content should render them. Drink spiking can happen to anyone, which is why it is so important to look after your group of friends when out on the town.
I know of a situation of suspected drink spiking. The person had only had three drinks and, all of a sudden, felt very sick and became very incoherent. Fortunately, friends in the group took charge and took the person home in a taxi. The next day, the person was feeling terrible, had a huge headache and remembered nothing of the night. The case is a perfect example of an issue that can affect anyone. The victim was a 38-year-old male, 6’ 4” tall and weighed around 100 kg. Imagine the effect of that drug on a young woman with a petite figure - a genuine recipe for disaster.
I am very pleased that this bill has been amended to address the seriousness of this crime. It goes a long way to ensuring all members of the public are protected from food and drink spiking in all situations. We must all be vigilant and observant, and look after our friends. Of Substance, the national magazine on alcohol, tobacco and other drugs, offers prevention strategies such as: noting suspicious behaviour and reporting this to police or bar staff; keeping an eye on your drink at all times and not leaving it unattended; not accepting drinks from strangers or people you do not trust; monitoring how much alcohol you are drinking; and leave parties and licenced venues with friends and never alone.
The extent of the problem is a curious one. According to the national magazine on alcohol, tobacco and other drugs, Of Substance, drink spiking is heavily underreported to police and other authorities. This means that the majority of suspected incidents remain unknown to authorities so it is difficult to get the correct statistics on how many times this is happening to people. Many victims experience memory loss after drink spiking, so often victims may be unaware of what has happened to them. Levels of reporting to police fluctuate with awareness campaigns, so it is not clear whether increases in reporting reflect an increase in incidences, or an increase in willingness to report incidences. It is very difficult to verify whether someone’s drink was actually spiked, as drugs and alcohol can leave the body quickly.
Another point in the case that I was talking about relates to a level of shame that you could actually fall victim to a crime like this. You feel quite safe, you can take care of yourself, you are out and about on the town, and all of a sudden things do not go quite right and you get yourself in a very serious situation very quickly. Madam Speaker, I commend the bill to the House.
Dr BURNS (Justice and Attorney General): Madam Speaker, I thank all members for their contribution. I thank the opposition for their support, the member for Nelson, and members on this side for their contribution.
There have been a number of questions raised by members in their contributions. I will endeavour to try to address the issues that have been raised. Both the member for Nelson and the member for Araluen raised the issue that, basically, there are already elements within our Criminal Code relating to what we are talking about here. They also acknowledge that what we are discussing here is at the lower end of offending: let us say this is someone doing a prank or a joke to spike someone’s drink; the person might order a rum and coke and they get a triple instead of a standard drink, or some element like that. Nonetheless, as I said in my second reading speech, it is no less dangerous. There is much risk of the person having an accident or being the victim of foul play or, as the members for Port Darwin and Goyder said, that it can have toxic effects on victims.
The reason why we put these two elements in separate parts of the Criminal Code - my advice is that with the higher end of the offending, that is administration of a drug for the purposes of stupefaction and committing a crime, it is a serious crime that carries, at its maximum, a life penalty. It was important that we spelt this out legislatively and through the judicial process to keep them separate. At one end, you have very serious offences and, at the other end, you have something that someone might construe as being a prank but is still serious and can have serious impacts on the person.
I will go through the notes that I have been supplied with in relation to the more serious elements of what we are talking about. Section 174C of the Criminal Code: recklessly endangering human life - maximum penalty 10 to 14 years imprisonment; section 174D of the Criminal Code: recklessly endangering serious harm, maximum penalty seven to 10 years imprisonment; section 174E of the Criminal Code: negligently causing serious harm - maximum penalty 10 years imprisonment; and specifically, section 176 of the Criminal Code: stupefying in order to commit crime - maximum penalty life imprisonment. Then, section 177 of the Criminal Code, Acts intended to cause serious harm or prevent apprehension - maximum penalty is life imprisonment.
At one end you have this gradation of offences starting from seven to 10 years and working up to life. At the other end of the spectrum, there is drink spiking, which could be a joke, it could be someone trying to do it as a prank but there could still be a serious element to it. That is why a maximum penalty of two years has been applied. In answer to the members for Araluen and Nelson, my advice is what has been presented today. The member for Araluen has asked if we will review this legislation in 12 months. I can say that the government is continually revising the Criminal Code and this element you have suggested will be part of any review of this code in the future.
The member for Araluen asked about the extent of the problem. I thought the members for Goyder and Port Darwin covered that quite well in their research. I believe the member for Port Darwin said that there is a lot of under-reporting of this particular offence. There are probably a number of reasons for that. It is certainly under-reported. Sometimes it is a hard offence to prove. I was interested in the comments made by the member for Port Darwin when she said it can happen to anyone. She gave the example of a strapping male who fell victim to drink spiking, who became quite unwell and was supported by his friends. This raises a very important issue: if that drink had been consumed by a female, an individual with a lower body weight – it is generally agreed alcohol has a greater effect on females - then the effects would have been even more devastating. She also said there is an element of shame and embarrassment that goes along with these offences. That is another reason why people do not report them.
The member for Nelson talked about the definition of spiking and how a colloquialism has been used. We have called it ‘drink spiking’. It is a word that may go out of favour or fashion in a few years. I can remember when I was younger they used to talk about a mickey finn, which was really the same as drink spiking. If you asked young people these days what a mickey finn is they would probably say: ‘I don’t know’. We can leave that up to our collective imaginations about what it might mean, but, basically, I think the word drink spiking has a connotation of its own. I believe even though terminology might move on, the words used to define drink spiking actually get the idea across. I was reminded of a quote by George Eliot who said:
Sometimes in legislation we come up with long definitions and titles to legislation but, in this case, member for Nelson, drink spiking is the thing that people call it by at present, and even in the future those words will have a connotation that people will understand. I have tried to address the issues you referred to about why they are separate.
I will turn to the comments of the member for Goyder. I know as a father he is concerned, particularly about young women and the effects of drink spiking. He raised the issue of how the Australian Institute of Criminology had reported that in Australia, per annum, 4000 people probably fall victim to drink spiking. That is a significant statistic given that it is probably under-reported. He also raised the very important issue of raising awareness. We can legislate in here and apply penalties associated with drink spiking, but it is really important to have prevention in here as well. That was the very issue that you raised, member for Goyder.
The member for Port Darwin said that her electorate takes in Mitchell Street. We hear in the media people saying: ‘I went to a nightclub in Mitchell Street and I had my drink spiked.’ The member for Port Darwin is very aware of the issue. I particularly appreciated what she had to say about the steps that people can take to minimise the chance of their drink being spiked – to report suspicious behaviour; to keep an eye on your drinks, not only your drinks but also your friends’ drinks; do not accept a drink from a stranger - that is something people should remember; and always leave licensed premises with a friend or a group of friends. That is very sensible advice for people to avoid drink spiking. I know there are products on the market now that enable people to almost seal their drinks in one way or another. It is very important that we keep in mind the preventative aspects.
Madam Speaker, I thank members for their contribution today. It has been very constructive. I commend the bill to the House.
Motion agreed to; bill read a second time.
Dr BURNS (Justice and Attorney-General) (by leave): Madam Speaker, I move that the bill be now read a third time.
Motion agreed to; bill read a third time.
Continued from 19 February 2008.
Mr MILLS (Opposition Leader): Madam Speaker, this bill presents the opposition with a concern. I do not think there is anyone in this Chamber, as we have checked words that we have spoken in recognition of a very serious problem across the Northern Territory, that we are united in that recognition of a very serious problem.
The concern is the multitude of measures that attempt to deal with that problem. The core of this is the need for effective measures to address the problem. It is at that point the opposition has grave reservations about this specific measure. This specific measure is just one of many measures, and I draw my position from a recent visit to Alice Springs. I had heard much in this Chamber of new measures that would apply in Alice Springs – the dry town legislation. I knew there was some enthusiasm for these new measures. I knew there was some community support for the new measures in Alice Springs, but those new measures have been applied and, sadly, they have been largely ignored.
I am very wary of imposing or creating new measures thinking that if one does not work we will apply another one or two or three. If we want to effect social change we better be deadly serious about every measure before we think of applying another one. At the core of this is personal responsibility. If you cannot get an individual to take responsibility for their own actions you will have no end of laws and regulations that may make legislators and rule makers self-assured that they have done something but they have not effected social change.
That is what concerns the opposition. Here is yet another measure, added to a whole raft of measures. Each in their own way have been greeted, assessed and wheeled out to a community. We have seen things go from bad to worse. In Alice Springs not so long ago, I stood to give a radio interview in the middle of the street. Whilst I was waiting, I turned around and, in the middle of the street, in the middle of that town, were empty drink containers all around me. To say: ‘Well, let us just add another measure on top’ - I just cannot support another measure if we cannot get the first one right, or the one before that, or all the other measures. If you have a measure such as a 2 km law, if you are going to build your community and build the resilience and the capacity of your community to go from point A to B to C, you must ensure that they are with you together at point A. If it is the 2 km law, and you feel that you need to then further reinforce and strengthen the capacity of your community to resist, to grow and to strengthen, then you would have at least built the capacity to enforce the first law, rather than add another one, and then another one.
There will be no end of laws and rules and regulations, and you have not touched it at its core. You do not have an individual to take responsibility. You have said: ‘That does not work; let us try another one’. I have worked in communities and in community organisations. The beginning of social change lies with the individual.
This new legislation gives, as I said, some concern to the opposition. We cannot give it support. I say to you: government, you will be on your own on this one. I would like things to improve, but I do not have confidence that this measure will add to a solution. It will increase confusion and disrespect for measures already presented to our community that have not effected change. It is time to go back to basics and recognise that there is a core problem. You need to revisit the measures that you already have in place to drive home a message regarding that problem – a consequence such as rehabilitation, detox, 1, 2, 3 then we will deal with the problem. If you cannot get the basics, the foundations of this attempt in place, then layer upon layer of rule and regulation will build, in my view, a further disrespect and disillusionment with social measures and experiments.
I am one of the fortunate members in this Chamber to have spent time on the Substance Abuse committee. I, like those members of that committee, am deeply troubled by the problems that have been presented to our community. We had an opportunity to see it in a very special way, and the report indicates that.
Many of these measures take their origin from the exercise, experience and the journey that was travelled by the Groote Eylandt community. As I have said before, I urge those who are intent on crafting new measures that are similar to the lessons learnt and applied in Groote Eylandt, to watch Groote Eylandt carefully and get closer, because that is a complete community. The measures that were applied in Groote Eylandt applied to that entire community. That whole community went through the journey many times over and over again – agreement, disagreement, agreement, disagreement – until they finally came to the point of agreement. Then they moved on. They owned that decision completely; they were a part of it. Through that journey, they then owned the solution. It is a unique environment. There are many very important and powerful lessons to be learnt from that experience. I want to see change, but there are social implications in the measures we attempt to apply in other places. If you are nave enough to think that it appears to work there, and ignore the journey and the underlying story, and apply it in other places, what concerns me is that you are setting communities up to fail.
Now you can point to your little groups that have gotten together, but you cannot, in your heart of hearts, be assured that that community completely owns that solution.
From our experiences at Groote Eylandt, we were able to assess the voices of those who began in complete opposition to the proposed measures, and they came to that solution ultimately. It took them a long time. It troubles me that we are putting measures in place that will not achieve the objective we all desire. It is all so inconsistent. You cannot have inconsistency in your application of measures that impose an effect upon individuals, because people get confused.
You have had, as a government, a very clear position on the $100 limit. You railed against that. So concerned were you that you used public funds to push your message out. Now, your opposition to that measure then changed after an election, so you thought, oh hang on, they were not really genuine about that. There is a similar message being applied here, but it has only been applied to selected communities. It is a similar process. It is a register. It is a similar measure you are applying, one that you railed against at one time that suited a political purpose, and then you changed your position on that. Now you are applying something to certain communities.
There is an inconsistency in your position. Are you really serious about it? Because, if you are, you would have at least moved from point A to B, that being, the 2 km law. You would have been able to get on top of that before you opened the floodgates and said, right, now we will make the whole town, we could not achieve that, so let us open the whole town up and make that a complete dry zone. It does not work. It has not worked. You cannot back it up.
Why I cannot support this is that I sincerely believe you are setting these communities up for failure. The track record has demonstrated an enthusiasm for measures that create an impression but not a difference – we have seen the statistics of alcohol consumption in the Territory go from bad to worse. The quantity consumed by Territorians appears, by your own figures, to be increasing.
The core of what we want to address is why there is such a thirst for alcohol in our community, and will this measure decrease that thirst? Will it reduce the abuse of alcohol or not? Convince me that it will. One of the other measures you have attempted to put in place has not had any positive effect on the abuse question. The number of drunks taken into protective custody has increased. So what do we do? Add another measure. Where will we be in five years? We will be in a position, perhaps, if you follow this logic - I cannot imagine, because it seems to be layer upon layer of rule and regulation in the vain hope that social measures, experiments, will affect an individual. I suggest go back and check the measures that are already in place and answer the question as to why they are not succeeding - why is it that Alice Springs has empty drink containers all over the place? - before we take the next bold step to impose yet another measure. That is my concern. I fear that we are setting these communities up, these good people up, for failure. Go back and reassess the measures you already have in place. Let us make sure we are able to achieve what is intended by this bill.
I am not comfortable going to the next step until we have built some confidence in measures that appear to be an annoyance to the multitude and to have no effect on the individual who is causing us concern. That is what troubles us. Having said that, we just cannot take this next step. You can take this next step, but you will be taking it without our support.
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I draw your attention to the presence in the Speaker’s Gallery of the former member for Macdonnell, Mr Neil Bell, and his wife, Faye Bell. On behalf of all honourable members I extend to you a very warm welcome.
Mr STIRLING (Nhulunbuy): Madam Speaker, the former member, Neil Bell, sitting behind me, was a very strong player in this parliament on the old Alcohol Abuse committee. I hope he has some interest in this debate this morning. It is good to see him back in the Top End.
In stark contrast to the attitude and the comments from the Leader of the Opposition, I commend the Minister for Racing, Gaming and Licensing, my colleague, Dr Burns, and the department for bringing these measures forward. He is committed - as is this government - to reining in the excesses of alcohol abuse and the obvious results that we see in our communities from that abuse, and the number of assaults, the general law breaking that ensues, the social dysfunction, and the mayhem to the individuals and their families who are caught up in this grog strife.
It is interesting to compare and contrast what the Leader of the Opposition said this morning, ‘Get it right. What is this new measure?’ Compare that to the comment from the former Chief Minister, Marshall Perron, the only man in the CLP in all of the years of self-government in the Northern Territory who had a red hot crack at grog abuse through the Living with Alcohol campaign in the 1990s. He stood in this Chamber when he introduced Living with Alcohol and said: ‘Look, we do not know if this is going to work or not, but we are going to give it a go. If it does not work, we will be back here in six months and 12 months and we will rewrite it. We will review it, we will change it, we will amend it to fill the gaps and to make sure it works.’ That is in stark contrast to the Leader of the Opposition today. He wants to throw his hands in the air and say: ‘You cannot make the 2 km law work. What are you trying to do with this new legislation? Just give up. Just give up’.
The former Chief Minister, Marshall Perron, did not give up. In fact, in his time he stayed true to the course. It was only after he left as Chief Minister that the then CLP government and his successor took the emphasis off that very effective Living With Alcohol program. I have always commended Perron for at least having a red hot go. In fact, he did make a difference over a couple of years in this area of social policy.
Let us have a look at not only the contrast between the now Leader of the Opposition and the former CLP Chief Minister, but the difference between the Leader of the Opposition and his own deputy, the member for Katherine, Fay Miller. The latter has welcomed the introduction of the dry town restrictions in Katherine and is calling for additional police resources to help make them work. You had better get your story right here, guys. The Leader and the Deputy Leader on different sides of the fence on the one question.
The John Laws of Central Australia, the member for Greatorex, on 22 March 2006 on 8HA said: ‘The dry town idea is locking the door after the horse has bolted’. Pretty unequivocal. However, on 16 July, on ABC radio said: ‘Obviously, I think the dry town, now the CLP have been pushing for a dry town for quite a while now so the dry town, I think it is a positive step forward for Alice Springs’.
Members: Hear, hear!
Mrs Miller: … just enforce it.
Mr STIRLING: Well, the member for Katherine thinks it is fine. It took the member for Greatorex 18 months to get to it. He thought it was a crap idea first off but 18 months later he sees the light, he thinks it is terrific. Now, today, the Leader of the Opposition says: ‘No, it is not good’. Well, three out of the four. I am interested to know what the other member thinks, to see if we can get consistency because we know …
Members interjecting.
Mr STIRLING: ... we know where it sits, it is two all. Where is the member for Araluen on this question, Madam Speaker?
Stern measures are required; let us make no mistake about this. And, as I talked about earlier with Living with Alcohol there were stern measures. We were helped in that time because you could vary the price of alcohol which you subsequently could not do after the High Court decision of 1997. We know that. It was an effective program during the time it lasted. This is an issue; it is the largest social problem that we have in the Territory. We have had it for a long time, and I welcome these measures.
The ID system, outlined in this bill for Alice Springs, Katherine, Pine Creek, Mataranka and Victoria River will, despite what the Leader of the Opposition says, give these communities a measure of control over the sale and consumption of takeaway alcohol not possible before. And it is along similar lines, again, despite what the Leader of the Opposition was saying, to that introduced in Groote Eylandt and, more recently, in Nhulunbuy, although permits under this one, as such, are not issued as they are on Groote Eylandt and in Nhulunbuy. However, in Nhulunbuy, and I speak from personal experience, I have been back in Nhulunbuy since very early January this year and oversaw the introduction of the permit system. It has resulted in immediately visible improvements: no drunks laying on the footpaths or on the streets or on the roads, and no humbug outside Woolworths, the major takeaway establishment.
We have a cleaner town, a tidier town overall, and the surrounds, exemplified by the most recent Australian Rules football match played in town two weeks ago. I have umpired Aussie Rules in Gove going back as far as 1979, and for the first time we have held a match at the town oval where there were not small groups of drunks arguing, fighting, falling over each other and generally causing mayhem. The first time in - what am I talking about, 1979 to 2008 - a lot of years.
It is too early yet to have received the more rigid or more formal indicators over a couple of months of operation such as admissions to hospitals for alcohol-related injuries and trauma, admissions to the crisis accommodation centre resulting from domestic violence coming out of alcohol abuse, night patrol pickups, the numbers of admissions to the shelter and, of course, police arrests for alcohol-related behaviour, assaults, driving under the influence, break and enter, carrying alcohol into restricted areas, and so on.
Both the Harmony Committee and the community reference group - both of which I attend - which comprise all community organisations and government departments in town, are all reporting anecdotally on dramatic improvements and a high level of confidence that each of those more formal reporting indicators will show significant reductions when they become available.
I want to pay tribute to the Alcohol community committees of Nhulunbuy, Yirrkala and the Marngarr. Each of those committees have taken a highly professional and diligent approach to the task of whether to issue an individual liquor permits to purchase takeaway alcohol or not, and, if they do issue a permit, should it be restricted in some way, for example to light beer, mid-strength beer only, six cans a day or whatever, or no spirits. Those types of restrictions are commonplace. They have been diligent to the extent that where, in the very early days of the permit system coming into place a young woman with no history of alcohol consumption at all but with an open permit was recorded buying three cartons of beer. That community permit committee subsequently called her up, reviewed her permit and restricted her to six cans a day. She was not a known drinker at all so it was quite clear that the alcohol was not being consumed by her but was going to others perhaps without a permit at all. It is clear to me those committees are very serious about their role in protecting their own people and their communities from the ravages of alcohol abuse.
In the week following the introduction of the permit system, it was instructive sitting in the town centre for an early morning coffee, as we have had for a long time a group of individuals around town who come from a quite small community in the neighbouring electorate of Arnhem, in a place where they cannot access alcohol. Each of them was a very heavy drinker of takeaway alcohol prior to the introduction of the permit system but, on this particular morning, each of the group was stone-cold sober. It was the first time I had seen them stone-cold sober, and they appeared to me to be still emerging from that inevitable foggy haze of long-term excessive drinking.
They can, of course, drink within the licensed premises – no doubt they do - but there are two immediate advantages to themselves and the community. In the first place, their drinking will take place within a licensed establishment, a controlled environment under regulations, which ensures they cannot be served alcohol past the point if they do become intoxicated. In the second place, the purchase of alcohol across the bar or in the licensed premises is much more expensive than the purchase of takeaway. Consequently, in the end, less alcohol can be purchased and consumed against the money they have. In fact, there were early reports that police were being called to licensed premises more often than prior to the introduction of the permit system which indicates to me the system is working. However, we await the more formal reporting of these incidents to the Harmony Committee to see if these trends are holding up across the board.
Whilst our system is, in fact, a stronger system, given you have to apply for a permit in the first place compared to what is envisaged with the bill before us, it is important to put on the record those early indications of improvement. They are the same indicators that will show improvement in the communities listed in this bill.
I pay tribute to the Harmony Committee and each of the people who have worked on it in Nhulunbuy for their patience, perseverance, and commitment to the task. It has involved many years. Communities will be in a much stronger position to break the stranglehold that alcohol has over many individuals’ lives. We now have an effective tool to control the supply of alcohol, identify those with serious problems with it, and more readily get them access to treatment.
I thank Superintendent Tony Fuller, Northern Territory Police, who was Senior Sergeant, Officer-in-Charge of Nhulunbuy Police, who did so much on his own, based on his experience at Groote to get this system up; Banambi Wunungmurra from Yirrkala, who has given steadfast support as Chairman of the Harmony Group; Ms Jodi Mather, a Department of Justice employee, who did an enormous amount of groundwork in consultation with the communities. She is now on maternity leave and I thank her for her efforts and her temporary successor, Chris O’Brien. I also thank the minister and the Department of Justice for their strong resourcing during the introduction of the system, and the increase in monitoring of licensed establishments that has followed with that increased resourcing. I thank the licensees who, in the main, have been pretty generous, both in their attitudes and their time to ensure the smoothest introduction of the permit system possible.
I welcome this bill. I commend the minister and the department for their work on the amelioration of the symptoms of alcohol abuse. I wish these communities well in the pick-up of these measures.
I am interested in hearing from the other three members of the CLP as to what their views are now. We know they have changed over time. In the case of the member for Greatorex – what? - a little over a year. No, less than a year – 31 October 2006 and then again on 16 July 2007. The member for Katherine, as recent as 22 October 2007 - perhaps she can enlighten the House as to where she stands on the question today. The member for Araluen, I am sure, also has views on this. Could there be four possible policy positions? I am not sure, but we can test them and see which one has currency today.
Mrs MILLER (Katherine): Madam Speaker, I have to say it is delightful to have the member for Nhulunbuy’s very rigorous debate back here, listening to his views. He loves to try to bring a division between the members of the CLP. He just loves it. We relish it, welcome it. Thank you very much, member for Nhulunbuy.
There is no doubt that we can have very rigorous debate about anything to do with alcohol in the Northern Territory. It is obvious, most unfortunately, that we are going to be standing in this House for some time yet before we actually have some resolutions that will make a significant difference. I am certainly not going to try to take away any of the ideas of government to try to make a change. I believe every single person in here wants to see major changes. It is trying to find the key to that change that will make a significant difference.
Over the last two weeks I was going through some files in my office. I have some very musty ones in there, some that started about 1995-96 in Katherine, all to do with alcohol and the abuse of alcohol. It was very sad to think that, on both sides of this House, members have been trying to find resolutions for the abuse of alcohol within the Territory; trying to come up with an idea that will be all encompassing. In many cases, all I would have to do with the information in those musty folders is change the date. I feel really sad about that. We have a hard core group of drinkers throughout the Northern Territory, honest to goodness, we all know who they are, we could put names to them, and we are spending inordinate amounts of time implementing different programs to deal with this core group of people in the regional towns. It saddens me that we seem to be afraid to be politically incorrect instead of just dealing with it.
I am speaking from Katherine. The member for Nhulunbuy has just disappeared, but I want to reassure him, I am very, very …
Dr BURNS: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The member knows she cannot refer to the presence or absence in the House of any member.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mrs MILLER: I withdraw that, Madam Speaker. The member for Nhulunbuy referred to the fact that he wanted to understand exactly where I sit. I have always said, and I did say it last year, and I stand by it now, that I think dry towns are a good way to go, but they are only going to be successful if the laws are enforced. If the legislation is enforced, if there is policing - if all of those things are carried out, dry towns will work.
We have only had a dry town in Katherine since January. In that first week I was quite excited, expecting some pretty dramatic changes, that this was going to be the answer to everything. Unfortunately, we still have the same problems in Katherine that we have had before. I can see those problems from my office - front door and back. Exactly the same issues with the same problem drinkers. This says to me very clearly that we do not have enough enforcement for that law to work.
I can assure you that I believe dry towns are a great idea. The majority of people in Katherine think they are a great idea, but they were like me, expecting the panacea that this was going to be: you beauty, we will have a dry town and it will resolve the issues of Katherine, or a majority of them. But, no, it has not done that. It is very unfortunate that it has not.
To put the dry town legislation in place in Katherine you need to have those other support agencies working. Apart from the need for police enforcement, we also need to have somewhere for those habitual alcoholics to go. Sure, they go to the sobering-up shelters. You only have to listen to the ABC on Saturday morning to listen to the numbers that are still going to those places. That is a bit scary. Nothing much has changed there either. In addition to having sobering-up shelters, we need, and I refer to other regional areas, sobering-up, detox and rehabilitation. Without those things complementing the dry town law this approach will not work. That is something that we do not have in Katherine.
It is instructive to reflect how, two years ago, the Katherine AFL League decided they would no longer sell alcohol at their League games. They have been dry for two years. As a result, it has become a wonderful environment. It is a real family area now. The biggest problem now is the lack of money. They lack money because, unfortunately, the money was raised from having a bar at the football. They carried out that change to become a dry event under their own steam, without any pressure from any government agency or police. The League did that themselves and they need to be congratulated for that.
The town is trying to address issues. We are trying to look at things under our own steam but dry towns definitely need to have those supportive agencies working in conjunction with enforcement. We now have two - I think there are two - liquor inspectors. This is great, but we need to have the police on board. We need to have more police on the beat enforcing the dry town legislation – really supporting it. I can walk out my back door most times of the day and see a shelter designed for the Ghan travellers. It is where they can be off-loaded from their tourist busses, either sit there underneath that shelter or start to look around Katherine. That shelter is also a nice, convenient meeting place for containers of liquid that look the colour of cola. But cola is not inside them. It is definitely not cola that makes those containers good because I can assure you there would be more people drinking cola if that is what the outcome would be. Soft drink is not in those bottles, either. Unfortunately, that shelter is not checked often enough. I can see it just outside my backdoor. The dry town will not work until there is police enforcement.
I will give you an example of when I had a licenced general store. We were able to refuse alcohol to anyone we thought number one, was under the influence or, number two, was going to provide alcohol to people outside of that shop. We enforced the latter on many occasions because it was very easy to see when someone came in, in a drunken state, and you said: ‘No …’ - and I am quite good at saying ‘no’ - ‘… you will not be served alcohol’. These people would walk out of the shop and immediately humbug someone outside who was perfectly sober and give them the money – you would watch this activity through the window – to come in and buy the alcohol. We refused to sell it because we knew they were buying it to give to someone who was already drunk. That same scenario is still continuing in Katherine. It will continue in all of the regional towns because there is so much humbug by the people who desperately want that alcohol.
The swipe card – I am in favour of a card. I said I was in favour of cards last October. Some community members were in favour of the swipe card and, of course, licensees were not because it was very detrimental to their business. It adds another layer of bureaucracy to it. It has been interesting to observe the swipe card scenario. I have read your second reading speech, minister, where you said it was going to be a slight inconvenience to the new system. Unfortunately, it is not going to be a slight inconvenience at all; it is going to be a major inconvenience to those businesses.
The swipe card has its good points and bad. There have been some products offered from the east coast of Australia that have some very good points to them. How are you going to ensure that each of these liquor outlets is linked up to the same database? That includes Mataranka, Tennant Creek, Pine Creek, and Timber Creek. How are they all going to be linked up?
Katherine is in a prime location and can provide clear examples of what happens with laws such as these. Some recommendation or some law in Katherine is put in by us, taken up by the local community, but immediately those who desperately want to get hold of alcohol get in a cab and go to Timber Creek, Pine Creek or Mataranka to get alcohol. They will go to any lengths; they will pay any inordinate amount for a taxi to get the alcohol.
How is that going to be linked up, minister? That is my grave concern. That abuse will still go on. Those people will still visit those other communities unless that database meets the high tech demands to address those people who do have prohibition orders. How is that going to be addressed? I want to know what you are recommending here; how that is going to work.
The Gove experience: it has been an absolute privilege, but also a heartbreaking experience, to be on the Substance Abuse committee. It showed us so much hope in Gove. We saw a permit system there that works well. Even though Gove is isolated, surrounded by water …
A member: Groote Eylandt.
Mrs MILLER: Sorry, Groote Eylandt. Sorry, Madam Speaker, I need to correct that. I meant to say Groote.
There is only one way of accessing Groote Eylandt and that is by air - I suppose if you are really brave you could go by sea but most go by air. It is much easier to control Groote Eylandt. It is much easier to put in a permit system. Even though it took a long time for everyone to come to an agreement and arrange matters, I believe it works really well. It was very heartening for us as a Substance Abuse committee to see what was happening there, and to listen to the women, and to listen to the wonderful positive effects it was having.
Then we went to Nhulunbuy. They were still going through the process of implementing the permit system. It was more difficult in Nhulunbuy since it was easier to access from different communities. When we came to Katherine, we were at the cross-roads. Katherine is the cross-roads from the north, from Western Australia to Queensland, from South Australia through to the Top End. We are even more accessible which makes it that much more difficult to get something there that would be as effective as they have in Nhulunbuy or on Groote Eylandt. It is a different scenario altogether for Katherine.
Minister, I note you say here that this applies to all regional areas. I am very concerned that you are band-aiding again since, as far as the federal intervention goes, everything has happened in regional areas. All of the towns, the major towns also, and that is Darwin, Palmerston and those that are outside of the major towns, for instance Mt Isa, etcetera, all say that the intervention has had a big impact on them. People are moving to try to access facilities that they could not access where they lived. How is that going to be any different? If you implement the swipe system in Katherine, Mataranka, Tennant Creek, and Pine Creek etcetera, what happens if they come to Darwin? What would you do here? How would you deal with that problem here? I do not think that is going to be looked upon very favourably, quite frankly. It is just another level of bureaucracy dealing with a minority of people who have problems with the consumption of alcohol.
Another thing that has happened in Katherine since the dry towns has been implemented is, unfortunately, there have been more break-ins. I am referring specifically to the Works Social Club in Katherine which has had regular break-ins, with only alcohol taken. It has cost them a lot of money. The Katherine Golf Club has also had break-ins. It is only to take alcohol. Both intrusions have occurred since the dry town has been in place, which was the end of January.
We were trying to find something that would resolve an issue when we put in restricted hours about eight or nine years ago. Exactly the same thing happened. I understand what government is trying to do. We, in regional areas, want to see it happen as well. However, putting this other level now with this swipe card, without ensuring that the dry towns are working effectively by being police resourced so they can work effectively and show some real results, is actually just putting another level on without ensuring the first ones worked.
We have enough levels now. What we have now is restrictions about the quantity of alcohol that can be purchased, and restrictions about alcohol content which applies right across the Territory. I have to tell you, I am a little confused about what each one has. If I was doing a tour around the Territory, I would need a graph with what each town has because we are not the same. We are not the same right across the Territory, and that is where it becomes confusing.
As for the swipe card, I am very reluctant to support this legislation you have introduced here, minister, until you tidy up the dry towns. If you tidy up the dry towns and get them working effectively, which shows that you are deadly serious about dealing with the alcohol problems across the Northern Territory, once that is working, yes, then look at the next issue. Then look at the next thing that can complement it. However, right now, this needs to be tidied up first so that, especially in my electorate of Katherine, we can see that you are putting in these layers to address the abuse of alcohol in the Katherine and the regional areas.
If this one works, we will give our full support to whatever else you put in. However, until this is working properly, I do not think we should be going down another path.
Mr KNIGHT (Local Government): Madam Speaker, I support the Liquor Legislation Amendment Bill. As the Minister for Local Government and for Central Australia, and member for Daly, I travelled widely throughout the Northern Territory to communities over the last few months especially but, certainly, over the last 20 years in the Territory. I am acutely aware of the damage being done to individuals, families and communities by excessive alcohol consumption right throughout the Territory. The impact that this has on these communities is very profound. It strains police resources, the health system, and the justice system; it has a negative impact on commerce and the tourism industry; impacts on the capacity of small towns to recruit and retain staff; diverts attention of our community leaders; and impedes the development in other areas.
We see the result of excessive grog in poor school attendance, the number of young children roaming the streets unsupervised after dark, and the senseless property damage being done to businesses in Tennant Creek, Katherine and Alice Springs. In the smaller communities it impedes governance itself. Excessive alcohol consumption in the Territory impedes the capacity of law-abiding citizens to live their lives in a peaceful and enjoyable manner. The safety and security of our community is paramount. Excessive grog consumption is an underlying cause for crime and antisocial behaviour in our community. This is more evident than anywhere else in Alice Springs, Tennant Creek and Katherine.
This government has recognised the need to deal with this problem head on. It is trying to arrest the grog consumption, arrest the crime, the lawlessness, the childhood neglect and the family dysfunction.
Over 12 months ago, in Alice Springs, we established the Alcohol Task Force chaired by the then Chief Minister. Since then, we have introduced the Alcohol Management Plan, focusing on both supply and demand reduction strategies. It is pleasing to see that it is making a difference. Alcohol restrictions have resulted in a massive reduction in consumption of more harmful high volume, high alcohol, low cost products like cask and fortified wine. This has had a flow-on effect in the reduction in demand for alcohol-related services in Alice Springs Hospital, and a significant reduction in the number of admissions for serious assault.
In 2005, there was a widely distributed report about the number of stabbings treated at the Alice Springs Hospital between 1998 and 2005. A few weeks ago, I was fortunate enough to personally meet Dr Jacobs, the head of surgery at the Alice Springs Hospital and one of the co-authors of the report. It was pleasing to hear that, from an average high of approximately 180 stabbings per year over the research period, they have seen a dramatic reduction this financial year to less than 30. Dr Jacobs not only told me that he puts this directly down to the introduction of alcohol restrictions, but he said that the restrictions had also been responsible for the marked reduction in the overall severity of injuries presenting at the hospital. Most people will, thankfully, never have to personally appreciate these results. Those who are unfortunate enough to be the victims of serious assault and those who have to deal with the results of those assaults – the police, the ambulance officers, and the hospital staff – have a great appreciation for the difference that restrictions are making.
The dry areas legislation was introduced by this government in response to strong representations by various councils throughout the Territory, led in particular by the Alice Springs Town Council, providing the means for the Alice Springs Town Council to move quickly to have the public areas in the town declared dry. The Katherine Town Council recently followed suit, successfully gaining the dry areas declaration for the town. I visited the town shortly after the introduction of that and spoke to some of my old friends from out bush. They said they were changing the way they were drinking, that the horse patrols there were having a great impact. I suspect people were both intimidated but pleasantly enjoyed their presence as well, so I commend the police there.
Mrs Miller: We want them back.
Mr KNIGHT: I commend the police down there, even though the member for Katherine does not think they are doing their job …
Mrs Miller: No, I said I want them back.
Mr KNIGHT: She says they are not enforcing the law. I commend the police for all the hard work they are doing there, and certainly the mounted police.
Recently, the Tennant Creek Town Council also moved to have the town declared dry. That will be in August.
Dry areas is not a panacea, member for Katherine. While it has its advantages, it does have the effect of dispersing public drinking into private areas. It has become an unintended consequence. The declaration of town camps in Alice Springs and the capacity of individuals to have their own properties declared dry provides a framework for people living in those areas to lead a peaceful existence free from alcohol-fuelled antisocial behaviour. This government has moved to strengthen the tools available to police and the courts to deal with drinking in declared areas. Police have a much higher profile in town camp areas. This is good news for the law-abiding residents of those areas.
We will continue to look at improving ways of assisting people to get the treatment and rehabilitation they need, and to improve the safety and security of all those people living in the Territory.
I am delighted to hear the Chief Minister’s announcement of extra police to deal specifically with alcohol-related violence and antisocial behaviour. We have done a great deal to curb excessive grog consumption, and we have done a great deal to tackle the consequence of excessive grog consumption, but there is more to do.
There are many people in our urban communities presenting themselves at hospitals with alcohol-related injuries, getting patched up, leaving A&E only to return a short time later - the victims of more grog-related crime. There are too many individuals being taken into protective custody time and time again by the police. There are too many people unwilling and unable to seek the therapeutic treatment they need to overcome their alcohol addiction. While the police, the hospital staff, drug treatment and rehabilitation staff and the courts do a wonderful job in limiting the impact of grog on our community, it is incumbent on the government to provide the tools they need to really make a substantial difference.
As you know, courts already have the capacity to issue prohibition and intervention orders, however, to date the strength of those orders has only been commensurate with the capacity of retailers to physically recognise those individuals who have been to court and had those court orders issued. The introduction of the ID system will take that capacity to a whole new level. I know within my own electorate, publicans have found the ID system easy to use. It has also been reported to me that where there have been technical glitches, support has been provided very readily. This means, on a practical level, retailers are easily able to ensure they assist the courts in the enforcement of those orders.
The courts will now be able to issue orders fully confident that offenders will be prevented from purchasing takeaway alcohol. In addition, shopping around to avoid purchasing limits on cask and fortified wine will become a thing of the past. The electronic system will provide the capacity to target those people in our community who are recidivous offenders, those people who are highly visible in our streets, but who represent a very small minority in our community. The introduction of the system provides a secure system for retailers which prevent the chances of inevitable inadvertent breaches of intervention and prohibition orders. It also provides a critical component in the fight to reduce the harmful effects of excessive grog consumption, a tool that provides police and the courts with a competence that their actions will have a marked impact on peoples’ lives and for the safety of the community in general.
I commend this legislation. It is strengthening our fight on reducing grog. As the member for Katherine will be aware, on the Groote Eylandt trip she and I agreed to work on it in Katherine to try to get it introduced there. It met resistance. I am very happy it is being introduced in Katherine and surrounding communities. I hope it rolls out even further. Calls from the Daly River community through to Port Keats have been that they want the system down there, because it does have flow-on effects. I commend the bill to the House and I thank the minister.
Debate suspended.
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I draw your attention to the presence in the Speaker’s Gallery of the Hon Eric Poole, a former minister in the Northern Territory government and former member for Araluen. On behalf of honourable members I extend to you a very warm welcome.
Members: Hear, hear!
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I also draw your attention the presence in the public gallery of the Maningrida Women’s Night Patrol and Child Safety Officers with supervisor, Laurie Magaldagi. On behalf of honourable members I extend to you a very warm welcome.
Members: Hear, hear!
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, we also have members of the Northern Territory community as part of the National Seniors Group. On behalf of honourable members, I extend to you a very warm welcome.
Members: Hear, hear!
Continued from earlier this day.
Mrs BRAHAM (Braitling): Madam Speaker, the aim of this bill, according to the minister, is to enable licensees to quickly and easily determine when someone is buying alcohol whether that person is subject to prohibition or restricted alcohol conditions imposed by a court system.
I have concerns about this bill. On investigation you will find that there are not many people at the moment placed on prohibition orders. In fact, one of our small takeaways in Alice Springs has three people identified as being on prohibition orders. Perhaps the minister can give us some indication of the number of people throughout the Territory who are actually on prohibition orders, and the number of people who have conditions imposed upon their bail or by a court. My understanding is there is only about 10 people all up in the Territory on prohibition orders, about 20 people who have orders on alcohol intervention orders, and I am not sure how many may have that as a condition of bail.
My query is why on earth are we introducing legislation of this magnitude to address 10 people on prohibition orders? It seems to be a like a sledgehammer to address a small problem. Minister, I would like you to provide the numbers to justify why this legislation is going through.
In his second reading speech, the minister says the Territory government is committed to reducing the liquor-related harm in the Territory by culling the supply of liquor. ‘Culling’. The minister could explain exactly what is meant by that, because to me the word ‘culling’ means putting something to death, killing it. I do not think the introduction of the ID system is going to kill the use of alcohol. Could you explain to me the meaning of ‘culling the supply of liquor’? Does that mean he is going to do away with the supply of liquor completely? It is a strange choice of words.
He also went on to say in his second reading speech: ‘the slight inconvenience of the new system’. The slight inconvenience of the new system: what an incredible comment to make. He obviously has no idea of the ‘slightness’ he is talking about. When you look at the act it lists the ‘ID’. I note, minister, also that the act does not say at any time it should be photo ID; just ‘approved identification, the individual’s passport, the driver’s licence or any other identification approved by the director’. At no stage in the legislation do you talk about photo ID. Photo ID, when you look at this particular Australian ID guide, lists just that: passport, driver’s licence or evidence of age.
The minister has obviously forgotten there is this section of the community which does not have a passport, a driver’s licence, and who are certainly over the age of 18. They would not have photo ID. I am aware the Tangentyere Council has introduced a system whereby people can get it. I am also aware that you can go to the Motor Vehicle Registry and pay to get it. However, there are many people in the community who do not want to have photo ID, who will now have to rely upon their friends or their neighbours to purchase their alcohol for them. It seems to me that you are, in fact, discriminating against people who are not breaking the law. You are discriminating against people who are not abusing alcohol. You are discriminating against people who are good citizens of the town. This is the problem with this legislation; that, in fact, you are not doing what this fact sheet says:
I would rather you spend all this money you are putting into setting up this system on increased rehabilitation services and, certainly, the Return to Country Program. In the last sittings, we discussed the funding for the Return to Country Program. I am aware, for instance, that the police, at 5 am, let people out of protective custody in Alice Springs who then just go out on the street and back to the river to enter the whole cycle again. I would much prefer to see some of that money we are talking about go to transporting those people back to country, back to their communities. You are hoping this initiative will stop excessive heavy drinking, but I would much prefer to see this money you are putting into this program channelled to other services.
I would like you to tell us, minister, how much this is this costing. It says the government is going to pay for the implementation, the supply, the maintenance, and the training of this system. Give us some figures on how much this system is costing the taxpayers in your reply. I feel that this money could be better used; that you are only going to be targeting a few people who are meant to be caught within this loop. If it is only for 30 or even 100 people - and I do not think that is how many it is - then I consider it to be an extravagant action on the part of government to implement this system to catch a small number of people, if that is what the intent is - to catch them.
You also state in your bill that this applies to Alice Springs, Katherine, I think Darwin, but it does not apply to Tennant Creek. I do not understand why it does not apply to Tennant Creek as well, if we all have to be subject to this. I would have thought Tennant Creek, with their Thirsty Thursday and now their dry town legislation - why you are excluding Tennant Creek from this? Does this mean that you are going to have to make an amendment to your act to include Tennant Creek, or will you unilaterally just include Tennant Creek? What is the procedure now to implement it in Tennant Creek as well as all those other towns we have been talking about?
You also mention clubs are excluded from the system because they already have strict conditions imposed upon their licences to only sell to club members, and they can lose their licences if they sell outside of these conditions. How are you going to monitor clubs selling only to club members? You are not implementing this system into clubs at all. We have some rather large clubs like the Casuarina All Sports Club, members only, that has a drive through. Are they going to have this ID system? How are you going to ensure that it is not going to be abused in those particular cases? What I am getting at is that I believe this is a system that is being implemented to deal with a small number of people, that is hugely costly, and that it could be misused.
You can purchase alcohol for someone on a prohibition order and no one will ever know whether you gave that alcohol to them or not. There is no way in the world you will know. When they wander down the Todd River, who is drinking alcohol that is purchased by someone else? You say that it is an offence to give it to someone who has a prohibition order; the way you are going to police that is impossible in my opinion.
At the moment, there have been very few people who have been referred to the alcohol court. The member for Araluen has raised this numerous times. I believe the police in Alice Springs have recently referred some people to the alcohol courts but we do not seem to be getting any results from that. I cannot understand why you are bringing this legislation in when we have so many other restrictions, and it is quite obvious to everyone they are not working. Dry town is not working in Alice Springs; it has made problems possibly worse. It has made it worse because of the number of people who are now going into public housing to drink, and disturbing the tenants in those areas, who are now finding drains, all sorts of unhygienic places, to sit and drink, who are disturbing town camps, even though the town camps are dry.
You have not really addressed the cause of all the problems, which is not to introduce more restrictions, but to address the reason why people are drinking, why they are coming into town and destroying their lifestyle, causing health problems for themselves, family breakdowns, domestic violence, you name it. We need not go on and on about this.
All this government seems to be able to do to address the alcohol problem is to come up with more and more restrictions. I say to you, minister, that this particular restriction seems to be an overkill, it is a knee-jerk reaction. I do not think you are going to accomplish very much by it. I strongly believe the majority of people who purchase alcohol are not the ones that you are actually targeting.
Minister, what happened to the 2004 Alcohol Framework report? There were 62 recommendations in that. That was compiled by a group of experts, and it was welcomed by your government. What is the current status of that particular report? What is the intent of government to further implement some of their recommendations? I know you have already done some, but I am interested to know where you are going with that alcohol report. I do not see how you could possibly implement it all. You seem to have a scattergun approach. There does not seem to be a plan to me. It is all about restrictions and nothing about what is happening at the grassroots, about how we can make things better on the ground so that people do not have to resort to alcohol to get away from the problems they have.
I do not have a lot more to say about this, before my voice runs out, but I hope the minister will give me some answers to those questions, because they are important. He needs to explain: does he intend to kill off the supply of liquor, as he used the word ‘culling’; does he really believe ‘a slight inconvenience’ is necessary; who are the people it is going to be affecting; and lastly, are they the people he is targeting? Why did he not include Tennant Creek? How will he make sure that clubs will not abuse the system? How much is all this going to cost in total and why not use the money in other ways?
Ms CARNEY (Araluen): Madam Speaker, let me concisely state why the opposition does not support this bill. I should say at the outset, as the minister well knows, I have been a strong supporter of the dry town in Alice Springs. I am on the record in this place and outside it. At the same time there can be no doubt that the dry town in Alice Springs is failing. I am not yet of the view that it can be described as a failure. I say, however, as pretty much everyone else does, it is failing. Urgent and immediate action is required in order to avert what could be the failure of a dry town.
The dry town is important in the context of this legislation because it is one of a series of measures that this government has implemented in its attempts - just like every other government before it - to combat a high level of alcohol abuse that we have in the Northern Territory.
I note with interest that the minister has said that there is going to be a review of the dry town legislation. Our view is: is it not absurd to keep patching on a whole lot of policy bits and pieces when the review has not begun let alone been completed? We ask: is it not best to undertake that review, make an informed and intelligent assessment of the dry town before you put on extra layers of administration and bureaucracy and restrictions? I will talk about other restrictions shortly.
In relation to the dry town, have they not learned the lesson of ignoring the people of Alice Springs and, indeed, their local representatives when they arrived in Alice Springs in April 2007? When the member for Fannie Bay was Chief Minister, they were booed - and rightly so. Why? Because a whole lot of people were jumping up and down saying you are not paying attention, you are not listening. The ministers rode into town and said: ‘There, there, boys and girls. We know what is good for you.’ No wonder they were booed. They deserved - as did the former Chief Minister - every single minute of it.
The Minister for Alcohol Policy, who despite our frequent differences, I believe is genuinely motivated to tackle this issue. I remember the debate we had in November last year, one of the best debates I have heard in this place, about substance abuse and alcohol policy. I saw the minister listening to me then, as I am grateful that he is listening to me now.
The minister will remember I said to him in that debate, like all governments, you need to take the community with you. I said at the time that there was an element of good will from Alice Springs residents in relation to the dry town. That it was incumbent on government to keep the community with them. The way to lose the community is to say, against all of the evidence: ‘No, the dry town is really good. Our policies are working for you.’ That is the height of arrogance and it is political stupidity.
I note that the minister wrote to me a couple of days ago and said that the dry town has brought a number of significant benefits to Alice Springs. He listed three things. I am not sure I have the letter – the main one he listed was a 10% reduction in pure alcohol consumption. I invite the minister in his reply to let us know, place it on the record, how is that measured, who measures it and how is the pure alcohol determined? Or to put it another way – is it beer that is going on? Is it wine? Is it spirits? How do you get to that 10% figure? Because many people I have spoken to who should know, do not know. I invite the minister to come back on that one.
The minister said in the letter that there was a reduction in admissions to hospitals. I hope the minister is not going down the John Boffa path, and with the greatest of respect to him, the nonsense peddled last week about there being fewer murders in Alice Springs and, therefore, somehow miraculously, that this is an indicator that the dry town is doing well. I would hate to think that the minister buys an argument like that because that is not an indicator of the success or otherwise of the dry town.
The minister, ought not in the normal course of events, be persuaded by headlines in newspapers. However, I would urge him in any event to not completely ignore the expressions by two of the newspapers and, of course, there are only two in Alice Springs – Alice Springs News and I think we tabled this in parliament last sittings: ‘Dry Town a Farce’ that was in February. The minister, I hope, would be aware of the editorial in the Centralian Advocate, 28 March, in which the editor says after the lightening carnival:
It went on to say a few other things but for the purposes of this argument does the minister say the two main papers in Alice Springs are wrong? If he says that, then he should articulate his view very clearly.
We say that the indicators as put to us by our constituents, by police, that there is a widespread acknowledgement that there are more people in town, yes, there has been a spike since the intervention, but certainly there has been urban drift for some years. The police accept that a dry town is not the silver bullet. Your own member for Stuart said in the course of that debate in November last year that the police – I am not sure that I have the – yes, I do have the exact quote. The member for Stuart said on 27 November last year:
In the minister’s letter, which I have now found, the minister says: ‘I am confident the police are giving enforcement of legislation sufficient priority.’ He also says: ‘I consider the legislation is being effectively policed.’ Well, he might like to talk to his colleague, the member for Stuart.
All in all, the dry town is failing. Pretty much everyone thinks so, with the exception of some government ministers. Is it not more sensible, as I said at the outset, instead of putting on more layers of restrictions, to undertake an assessment and go the extra yard and see how it can be improved because he might be able to save it? There might be some things you can do.
I note that the minister is not adverse to this sort of argument because I saw his letter this morning - I respectfully do not call it a submission - to the Senate committee regarding the Families, Housing and Community Services and Indigenous Affairs and Other Legislation Amendment that was sent off just the other day. In relation to the intervention, the minister said: ‘The Northern Territory government fully supports the intervention, but believes some elements could be improved at both operational and legislative levels.’ If you say that, minister, in relation to the intervention and its associated legislation, might you not be compelled to use the same argument or, at least, accept it from others in relation to the dry town? In essence, that is the summary that we put in relation to the dry town.
The second major point is this legislation should not be debated without looking at what the current restrictions are in Alice Springs. The current restrictions that I am aware of are a requirement to provide ID and advise as to where the alcohol is going to be consumed for purchases over $100 - that is a federal one and I will come back to that if I have time; certain types of takeaway alcohol available only after 2 pm - that is beer, spirits and wine; and others being only available from 6 pm - fortified wine etcetera; the dry town - that is, no alcohol is to be consumed in the town of Alice Springs except private dwellings, licensed premises and the Telegraph Station; prohibition of alcohol in town camps - that was a federal government one but I remember the minister came out in support of that; prohibitions on alcohol being purchased for people who use the store cards under the income management scheme; and alcohol courts to deal with people who are affected by alcohol. They are just some of the restrictions.
You would have to ask yourself: are any of these working? If so, which ones and how well or how badly? Minister, we invite you to accept that, out of all of those restrictions, few of them are working well; few are working as any of us intended. If you look at the last crime figures in particular - I think it was the December quarter or the ones released in March - increases in violent assaults in Alice Springs up 16% in the same quarter based on the same quarter of the previous year. Traditionally, that has been the indicator, and both sides of politics latch on to the crime statistics to prove their case. We say we prove it much more convincingly than you do every time, given the rising crime figures.
In any event, the crime figures are another indicator of how badly things are going in Alice Springs under all of these restrictions. Some of them have emerged since the intervention; some of them were planned well beforehand. Some of them were by a Labor government in the Northern Territory; some were by the conservative government in Canberra. The federal ones are retained by the federal Labor government which you have said you support in their endeavours. There are a number of restrictions. Would it not be best to review all of them in a comprehensive manner and see which ones are working before you add another layer of bureaucracy onto them?
The member for Nhulunbuy let us all know that he was at work today when he did his little explosion in his contribution. On the basis that he still represents the government of the Northern Territory, I suggest to him through you, that the government cannot have it both ways. The government cannot, on the one hand, say of the $100 takeaway limit - which personally I think is ridiculous and thought it at the time. It was very interesting - no one asked me. No one asked me. I could not believe it. I believe that was a bad idea. However, the member for Nhulunbuy was wholesome and fulsome in his praise of former Chief Minister, Marshall Perron, when he said: ‘Marshall Perron used to try everything’. I am paraphrasing him now but, in essence, the member for Nhulunbuy said no idea is a bad idea.
Let us say, for the sake of the argument, that the feds were having a bit of a go and, under Marshall Perron, pin-up boy for the member for Nhulunbuy, government said that this is worthy of support, worthy of a bit of a go. You cannot reconcile that with having your own ID system for buying a takeaway can of beer for $2.50 that requires ID just like the federal government one. Similarly, you cannot, with respect, attack another government for having a go and then not accept criticism of your proposals for, I suppose put another way, having a go. Criticism, we believe, is warranted for some of the reasons I have outlined.
In your second reading speech, you referred to ‘cutting the supply of liquor as an essential part of this government’s strategy to combat alcohol abuse and the serious social health problems …’ etcetera. You go on to say, ‘the slight inconvenience of this new system will be more than compensated by the reduction in crime and antisocial behaviour caused by people who should not have access to alcohol’.
There is a sameness of language, with respect, when the Alcohol Court Bill and Antisocial Behaviour (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill came before the parliament in December 2005, which we debated in February of the following year. Then Attorney-General, Peter Toyne, said:
He went on to say:
Then he goes on, at length, to talk about all of the wonderful aims of the alcohol courts. This is just one example. If I were to do things with computers that I probably cannot do, and try to match up sentence for sentence over a raft of legislation, I think I might be able to find pretty much the same sentences, the same language used by government over the years.
The government is wanting some people in the Northern Territory, although not everyone, and that is another argument in itself, to accept the imposition of providing their ID when its existing restrictions, in many respects, though not all, are failing, when government uses the same old line, ‘well, we will give this a go because this is our attempt to tackle alcohol abuse and antisocial behaviour’. You would think, would you not, that the government might learn that it needs to do a bit more than just parroting the same old lines, and that it is bad public policy to just attach bits and pieces and then call it a framework.
Interestingly, when Peter Toyne talked about the Alcohol Courts Bill, no mention was made of an ID system. No, someone came up with that idea much later on. That is clearly an example of it being just chucked into the pot. This is not good policy. This is not the basis upon which any government should make policy. It is just dumb.
In relation to the alcohol courts, and I commend anyone who reads this Hansard - no doubt hundreds of thousands of people will - but all those who read the Hansard, I invite them to read what Peter Toyne said on 1 December 2005, of all the lofty aims for the alcohol courts, and then what the opposition said. We said they would not work, that what you dished up were not the right tools. They were not the right tools and time probably prevents me from going into all of the arguments. But we told you. I recall that that was a pretty earnest debate as well. It is an arrogant government that just does not listen to anyone. However, you would think that, over time, it if they cannot admit that others can be right on occasions, that they might at least admit it to themselves.
Let us have a look at the alcohol courts. After writing to the Attorney-General, and not getting a response for some time, and then pushing him on it, I received the following information, and I am glad I did. This was current in February. In the 18 months since the alcohol courts have been operating, 99 people across the Territory have been referred to them. Of the 99, just 27 have successfully completed a court ordered treatment program. In the same period, that 18 months’ period, I believe based on figures contained in the Police annual report, about 40 000 people were taken into protective custody for being drunk. The figures are worthy of reading out further. In the 18 months that figures were provided for, 42 people have appeared before the court in Alice Springs, 57 in Darwin; one prohibition order has been made in Alice Springs, two in Darwin; 28 people have been ordered to attend a treatment program in Alice, 43 in Darwin. Of the 28 people ordered to undertake a treatment program in Alice Springs, only eight completed the program and 14 failed. Of the 43 in Darwin, only 19 offenders successfully completed programs and nine failed.’ I am reading from a media release I issued on 26 February this year.
The point is that you went to the 2005 election and you said: ‘We are going to romp and stomp, we are going to do all sorts of things’. Peter Toyne even admitted that the Alcohol Bill and Antisocial Behaviour Bill were the government’s response to its election promise to deal with antisocial behaviour and alcohol. You guys backed yourself on this package. Down the track, 18 months of data, clearly the alcohol courts have failed ...
Dr Burns: Not so.
Ms CARNEY: Well, minister, you say ‘Not so’. You are the same bloke I think who is likely to stand up in reply and say: ‘No, no, no, Jodes, the dry town is not failing, either.’ If that is the line you will pursue, minister, do it at your peril. Do it at your peril. When you go to bed tonight, you think about how you and your colleagues felt when you were all booed. Clare got a hiding, but you all deserved it, and you all got it. When you were all booed by the hundreds of Alice Springs residents who looked you in the eye and said: ‘Sorry, guys, you have to listen to us.’ If you are going to stand up and say: ‘No, no, no, you are wrong,’ do it at your peril.
I do not have a copy with me of the big glossy that was sent around Alice Springs several weeks ago. It talked about alcohol and how the government’s strategy was working. If that is what you seriously think, then you are just on another planet in terms of measuring the pulse of the people of Alice Springs. You are on another planet when it comes to ignoring all other information. I know you are going to talk about the 10% and, by jingoes, do we want details of that. If you are going to talk about increases or decreases in hospital admissions, I invite you to table the figures. Unlike some people on your side and in the Northern Territory, I do not accept just because you say something it is therefore true. I say that in relation to all of your colleagues, minister, including you.
All of us want this problem fixed. I note the irony that Neil Bell was here today, and Eric Poole was here today. They probably argued and debated alcohol policy as much as we have. The minister and I were both elected in the 2001 election. So, for as long as we have both been here, I have been thinking that we are going to continue to talk about alcohol. Those blokes talked about it in the last generation. No one has the silver bullet. I do not think there is a silver bullet. But no government should be blinded by its own arrogance and believe its own spin about how well things are working, when clearly they are not.
The case as put by government is not compelling. I wrestled with my position on this legislation, as I think all good legislators should. It is not just a matter of ticking the box. You should get your head thoroughly around it, search your conscious, match it up with your constituents and make a decision accordingly.
I cannot tell you the number of approaches I have had from constituents about the effects of the dry town. Most of my time in this parliament will be spent answering e-mails from people. Some of them make me weep, as I did in front of yet another constituent who came in a week or so ago. People are not coping. I have never known of an issue that is at risk of swamping two of the local members. Not like this.
I have 70-year-old ladies coming into my office, crying, and young families talking about the effects of crime in the town on them. This is real human stuff. It would be a fool who would not be moved by it. We should be moved by this stuff, and we would not be really human if we were not.
All of us want solutions as our predecessors in politics did but, minister, this is not the answer. We oppose it. We think it is bad policy. We think it is tacked on, and we think the evidence for that is pretty obvious. We do not believe that good public policy is just a stacking on of layers of other people’s ideas. We think, at the very least, before the review of the dry town starts, let alone finishes, that a review should be undertaken before you look at other bits and pieces. We urge you to speed up that review, by the way, because it simply must be done and done quickly.
I predict that you will talk about the pure alcohol stuff, the hospital admissions. Please table relevant information. If you are brave enough to say that the people of Alice Springs do not know what they are talking about, then, as I said, be that at your peril.
As an alternative, and in a sort of spirit of, perhaps cooperation is not quite the right word, but as lawyers say in court: ‘If you are against me on everything, Your Honour, can you make a submission in respect of something else as an alternative?’ As an alternative, minister, might you not be persuaded to hold off this legislation and bring it back on six months down the track? Because, by then, presumably, your review of the dry town legislation will have been completed; presumably aspects of the intervention would be resolved. I note from your letter/submission to the Senate committee that your desire is improving some of the operational aspects of the intervention, as am I.
Over and above all the policy stuff and the idea itself, we think the timing is just not right and, finally, our constituents, who guide us in so many things, tell us that they do not want it. There are various descriptions of how many problem drinkers there are in Alice Springs. Reviewing the material over lunchtime, the former Chief Minister said that the problem drinkers were about 150 to 200. I gathered she was talking about across the Territory. I think figures of 300 have been mentioned. I gather from people around the place that that figure is increasing. In any event, if you have, say, 300 to 500 problem drinkers, why do you not enforce properly what you have? Yes, it requires resources; police is but one example. However, why do you not enforce what you have already? Enforce it in a fair dinkum way, then assess it and then see whether additional policy ideas such as an ID system will fit and work.
However, and it is not surprising, given that they see people drinking every day, as do I when I am in my home town of Alice Springs, that the same people say: ‘Well, there are only a few hundred drinkers, why should the rest of the population, black and white, be penalised?’ That is an argument that all of us, as politicians, will grapple with, but it is a reasonable argument that deserves a response, particularly in light of all of the restrictions that exist in a place like Alice Springs which I have listed.
People on the eastern seaboard would be staggered by the number of restrictions we have and, going to Alice Springs and seeing the line up at every alcohol outlet at 2 pm, and then seeing the effects of it for the next 24 hours. What you are doing is not working. We say you should enforce it, and review it - not in a ‘let us spin it and tell everyone it is working, when it is clearly not’ way, but a proper way. Might the timing for this be further down the track? Minister, in relation to the figures that you are going to rely on I suspect, can I remind you to table or provide evidence of the figures that you rely on.
That concludes our position, Madam Speaker, and I look forward to the comments from the member for Greatorex.
Mr WOOD (Nelson): Madam Speaker, I thank the minister for the briefing that his department gave me yesterday. I have listened to the debate and thought long and hard about this. My comments rely on my background in relation to alcohol abuse, especially in indigenous communities, and the many attempts by many good citizens who have tried to do something to change the way alcohol is dealt with in the Northern Territory. Unfortunately, I would be the first to say that I do not think alcohol or the problems associated with alcohol have improved one iota since I came to the Territory in 1970. In fact, they have got worse.
I decided not to support this, not because I am here to just be a knocker. I believe we have to try things, but I will highlight why it is impractical legislation. I would support it, perhaps, if it could be trialled. I know the member for Nhulunbuy said we have ID in Gove and Groote. That is a different system. That is a system where, if I want to drink, I have to have a card. The ones who do not have a card are the ones who cannot drink. If I am a person who is causing trouble in town, and not on a prohibition order or on any of the orders that you mention in your second reading, but the locals may reckon I am a nuisance, I have been sleeping on the footpath at night, well, that bloke is not going to be able to have a drink for the next four weeks. Or if a person caused some problems at the football, he is not going to have access.
That is not quite the system we are talking about here. We are talking about a system that is going to pull out the people who have official orders against them. We are going to apply it to a series of towns in the Northern Territory. In light of what you say here, minister:
If you had added to that Mitchell Street, Darwin, I might have thought we were realistic about what we are trying to do. For too long, we have put this issue out of Darwin. I was in Darwin on Friday night, fairly late. Mitchell Street is about drinking alcohol - that is what it is. If you want to deny it, you are in the wrong place. We have a society in which, I still believe, drunkenness is okay. I have said before, we have to change the attitudes of people. The Prime Minister, Mr Rudd, is so concerned about binge drinking he is willing to add an amount of tax on to these mixed drinks. I know there are arguments about whether that is going to work, but Mr Rudd is saying these are the issues that are hitting our society that we are not looking at. I have spoken here many times about advertising of alcohol, especially in relation to sport. We are not doing anything. Are we really getting to the hard issues that we have to, or are we tinkering? This, to me, is tinkering.
I have said many times we know there are people in our society who have gone through that revolving door of alcoholism time and time again. I do not know whether you should go to CAAPS and ask them how many people have been through that door time and time again. I believe there is a need for compulsory rehabilitation of people, not because I want to pick on people, but because, out of the kindness of what we are trying to do, we must help these people who cannot help themselves. I argue that we should have had low-security prisons in Katherine and Tennant Creek, which could have been developed around a prison farm with, possibly, some annexes which might be able to be used for helping some of these people who have a continual alcohol problem and do not have the ability to help themselves. We have to look at that. Some of these problems we have today have to come back to us, as individual people. No matter how much we might try to put all these great ideas into place, if a person does not want to get off the grog, they are not going to get off the grog.
The idea in theory might be good. I would like a trial, because you now have dry areas. You have now brought in certain hours where alcohol cannot be sold, or certain types of alcohol cannot be sold. I do not know what the assessment of the effect of that is. I would like to see whether that has had any effect. Before we add another layer, it would be good to see whether those two programs that you have put in place are working, and if they have had a real effect.
The problem I have with the ID system is that, by picking specific towns, for instance, Mataranka, everyone heads down to the two pubs at Larrimah, and there will be nothing to stop them, and vice versa. People in Katherine will all head to Darwin or Pine Creek, or Adelaide River. So, you have a system which is based on the notion that I cannot move from my area. But I can just get in my car and go elsewhere where I do not have to use a card. It has limitations within itself simply because people are mobile.
The other issue, and this is what I had from the briefing, there are about 10 people who have prohibition orders, and there were about 20 people who had the other type of order which was an alcohol intervention order. I did not get the numbers for bail conditions or court ordered domestic violence orders both of which restricts alcohol use. If I just took the first two figures, there are 10 people who have prohibition orders and 20 people who have alcohol intervention orders. Where are they in the Territory? Not only do we have a small number, we might have no one in Tennant Creek, or we might have one person in Tennant Creek, who has a prohibition order. We might have three people in Katherine and the rest of the prohibition orders might be in Darwin. Those people would not be affected in the first place. So the people this is aimed at, we are not even sure where they are. Are we going to, by this very means of having a card, actually get to the people we are trying to stop drinking?
The other part, and this is why I said at the beginning I count on some of my knowledge of working in indigenous communities over many years, and alcohol at that time in Daly River was a big problem, no doubt about it. People were bashed up in those days, and people died and people were killed, but people will find a way of getting around the system. To me, you base the system on something that has been thought of in an office somewhere. The reality is that down here on the ground people will find ways of getting around it - for example, I will get my mates to buy my grog. Now, in a little community, you might be able to say: ‘We know you are taking that grog to such and such’, but in a community like Katherine with 10 000 people and quite a number of outlets, my mate might travel around the takeaway outlets on a regular basis and just buy three cartons instead of his normal two, and he gives me the one.
I know, again, from the briefing that the government might consider bringing in legislation that says that is a crime. Well, it has not got it now, so it is not a crime for him to hand his grog over to a bloke with a prohibition order. To me, that is why it will not work. People are not silly. When it comes to people who really want to drink, they will find many ways of getting around the law. This is one of the problems that we have here. It is not practical, it has not been thought through. I am not knocking the government for trying, I just think this legislation is not the right way to go.
I understand where we are heading. As I said, a trial might have been better, it might have picked up some of the issues I have. We can say, all right, we have done a trial. I do not know how you would do a trial if you picked a place like Alice Springs. Everyone would go down the road to Kulgera and up the road to somewhere else to try to avoid it. A trial would have been better than trying to introduce a fairly expensive system – no doubt this will cost the government a fair bit of money in IT and making sure the identification cards actually work. I do have some concerns that it sounds nice but, in actual fact, I do not think it is going to work.
I take up what the member for Araluen said: ‘It is no good me getting up and saying: “You have a silly idea without looking at an alternative”’. I suppose my alternative is we should be putting more emphasis into education, trying to change the attitude to drunkenness, for example. To me drunkenness seems to be the norm today. Prime Minister Rudd has said: ‘I think binge drinking is a major problem for young people’. Some statistics came out the other day talking about a 1:4 ratio of young people who regularly binge drink about once a week. If those are the sorts of figures that are going around, then we are attacking only part of the problem, we are only looking at a certain aspect of it. We are not attacking the whole of it.
I have also spoken about advertising. I believe advertising is a very powerful tool. Governments seem to be very scared to go to the alcohol industry and say: ‘We think advertising for alcohol should be restricted’. There is also the way that alcohol is displayed. Why are many young people drinking vodka-type drinks today? Because they are coloured and they taste nice. I bet if they drank straight vodka they would not drink it the way they drink mixed drinks. The alcohol industry is not silly. It might pretend that it is concerned, but the facts are that it deliberately promotes its product in a way which will attract people to drink it. After all, it is in the business of making money. I believe we should be targeting some of those areas.
The other area is rehabilitation. We need to put more effort into rehabilitation. There is a definite need for governments - and I believe alcohol courts can do it - which will empower a magistrate to send a person to rehabilitation programs. If we are aiming at many indigenous people who have these problems, then it would be far better to have these programs out in their own country, or, at least away, from the city where they can try to get literacy and numeracy skills, get medical attention - because we know in many cases it is a medical problem - be able to work out in the garden, be visited by relations. I believe we have not done that, unfortunately.
We have Dilinya, 270 km from Katherine, run by Sheila Millar who struggles under her own steam, but runs an enterprise with six or seven houses, all beautifully kept. She runs a program that I believe she does not particularly want the government to know about, but the facts are that she seems to be successful. The problem she has is that as she gets successful outcomes, the numbers of people requiring her assistance mount up to the point where she cannot cope.
This is a big problem. I do not think the ID system is going to solve it. It may solve it, like the member for Nhulunbuy said, in specific communities where there is control, in this case controlled by an Aboriginal community over its own land and, therefore, it has that jurisdiction. But we are not talking about Aboriginal land here; we are talking about open towns. To use Nhulunbuy and Groote Eylandt as examples is not fair in terms of what has been put forward here today.
Minister, I do not get up here and criticise for the sake of criticising. I accept the government has a big problem with alcohol abuse in the Northern Territory. We know there is domestic violence and there are deaths and car accidents, but I feel that this is not the answer. I put forward positive proposals as something the government should look at. As it is, I think it will not work, and, to be honest with you, I think it will be a waste of money. It needs to be looked at again, to be thought out more carefully, perhaps even trialled to see if it does work.
I will give you another example. Basically, what you are saying with this system is that we will ban someone from drinking at a pub, or getting alcohol. I have been to Aboriginal communities, though, where you see a board on the wall, and Bill, Fred, Harry, have been banned for six weeks, three weeks, five weeks, seven weeks. They can ban them for a little while but, as soon as the ban is over, they are back and the whole problem returns. We have not gotten to the nub of why they are drinking so much.
We could go into all the social issues about employment, health, education, etcetera, but the thing is we still have these major problems that need a lot more work done on them. We need to provide much more assistance to people who have alcohol problems. I do not see that this ID system will fix what we are trying to change.
Mr CONLAN (Greatorex): Madam Speaker, I would just like to add that while the member for Nhulunbuy before was trying to highlight some discrepancy in some comment I made back in 19 whatever and compared it to something I said in 2000-whatever about the dry town, I can assure him and this House that my stance on the dry town issue has been consistent from day one. It is not the dry town legislation per se that I take issue with; it is the inability by this government to actually enforce the dry town legislation. That is where I take issue. I would have thought that the member for Nhulunbuy, after all the years in this House, might have been able to tell the difference.
However, I would like to say that I thank him for paying me such a huge compliment in calling me the John Laws of Alice Springs.
A member interjecting.
Mr CONLAN: Well, Lawsie, as we know is the greatest radio broadcaster that this country has ever seen - 54 years in Australian radio. I would like to say thank you very much to the member for Nhulunbuy for paying me such a huge compliment. A true legend, old Lawsie, in Australian radio. Thank you very much, member for Nhulunbuy.
I am going to be much more pointed in my response when it comes to this alcohol ID system. It is just another attempt by this government to address alcohol-related issues in the Territory. Another attempt, fair enough, but also an admission of failure that everything else they have done in the past has not worked. Over and above all the other measures that they have introduced, namely the dry town legislation which we have spoken about ad nauseam, restricted trading hours, restrictions on certain products, alcohol courts and prohibition orders just to name a few, and that coupled with the federal government’s $100 cap on alcohol products without providing identification have not worked – also something that this government was very vocal about during the coalition days last year when they introduced that, extremely vocal about it. They castigated the Howard government but all of a sudden they have gone very quiet on the $100 cap.
The raft of measures to curb alcoholism, and alcohol-related crime, introduced by this Northern Territory government has failed, dismally failed. As the member for Araluen, the member for Katherine, and even the member for Nelson pointed out, a simple stroll down the streets of Alice Springs, Tennant Creek, or Katherine will highlight that failure: inebriated bodies in the parks and streets of Tennant Creek, Katherine and Alice Springs surrounded by blankets of VB cans and bottles is a sign that the measures introduced thus far have not worked.
However, it is plainly evident that when you take a drive around the suburbs of my electorate and many other electorates in the Northern Territory, particularly electorates in Alice Springs, and witness the blatant flaunting of the law, in particular the ‘No Grog’ sign in public housing, which is something that the former Minister for Housing flatly denied was happening …
Mr McAdam: Absolute rubbish.
Mr CONLAN: … flatly denied that it was actually taking place …
Mr McAdam: We put them up.
Mr CONLAN: … despite the photographs and the e-mails I forwarded to the minister and his department in Alice Springs …
Mr McAdam: We put them up. It took you five days to respond, you idiot.
Mr CONLAN: … but it is happening. Whether this government chooses to believe it or not, there are many Territory Housing properties where drunks are going to drink to such an extent that they are compromising their own health, their own sanitary conditions, their neighbours and their children. This government’s battle against drunks is a losing battle. They are losing the battle and they have lost the war and the confidence of Northern Territorians.
All the measures that have been put into place to win this battle have failed. All you need to do is – and maybe the former Minister for Central Australia could have spent a bit more time in Alice Springs …
Mr McAdam: I live in Central Australia, you idiot.
Mr CONLAN: … just spent 10 minutes at the North Side Shops, just 10 minutes is all we ask at the North Side Shops in Alice Springs. That is all. Just 10 minutes. Just have a look any time after 2 pm. Mothers doing shopping after work - these are true stories. I am not making this up. These are stories that people have come into my office …
Mr Warren: Yes, you are, you make it all up.
Mr CONLAN: Perhaps the member for Goyder might take a little jaunt down to the North Side shops and see for himself: mothers doing their shopping who will not get out of the car with their children for fear of being abused, attacked, insulted, verballed or humbugged.
This is happening every single day in Alice Springs - every single day. Parents are refusing to allow their teenage children to work in some of these supermarkets for the same reasons - the hidden victims and the growing costs of the failure by this government to address alcohol-related crime. A small business opted to close early to avoid the daily fallout of public drunkenness, depriving the business of income, the staff of wages, teenagers of pocket money, and the community of a service. Other small business operators are losing confidence in the town because it is overrun by large, overwhelming displays of public drunkenness, criminal and lawless behaviour. Not to mention the effect this sort of thing is having on tourists, families and all the stakeholders, of Alice Springs, Central Australia and, indeed, the whole of the Northern Territory.
I draw your attention to a letter written by the Chief Minister sent out recently, I think in March:
Well, that is good to hear:
Not one for Central Australia - not one - however, this letter was sent to every household in Alice Springs:
That was sent to every household in Alice Springs - not one initiative for Alice Springs.
Here is a letter written to the Editor of the Centralian Advocate on 28 March this year. It was written by a couple from Woree in North Queensland:
Members interjecting.
Mr CONLAN: This is the letter. I am just highlighting this:
Mr BONSON: Madam Deputy Speaker, a point of order!
Mr CONLAN:
… away from the filth …
Ms SCRYMGOUR: A point of order!
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Member for Greatorex, cease!
Ms SCRYMGOUR: A point of order!
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Minister?
Mr Warren: You knew it was a point of order. Madam Deputy Speaker, that was offensive.
Mr BONSON: Madam Deputy Speaker, I reflect that the member for Greatorex is alluding that the Australian Labor Party is somehow supportive of the views that he is putting forward by, obviously, a CLP crony.
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: There is no point of order.
Mr CONLAN: I do not know who wrote that. Their names are on this and they are from Woree in North Queensland. I am sure you could contact them and find out what political allegiance they have, member for Millner. Nevertheless, I am reading this, and this is the best part. In fact, it is not the best part but it is certainly worth mentioning:
That is a letter to the editor. There is no doubt about it, it is a pretty heavy hitting letter and perhaps a bit over the top but, regardless, it is a snapshot of public opinion. It is the sort of stuff that we, in Central Australia, are dealing with on an hourly basis.
This alcohol ID system tacked on the back of every other measure to try to curb criminal and alcohol-related criminal lawlessness in Central Australia is doomed to fail. The people of Alice Springs know you have failed in addressing alcohol-related crime. They know you failed to win the war on drunks. In fact, the drunks are actually winning the war on all the prohibitive measures introduced by this soft-on-crime Northern Territory government.
Mr Knight: I am sure the Chamber will be very interested in your comments, member for Greatorex.
Mr CONLAN: There is no evidence, no evidence – perhaps the Minister for Central Australia can take a little sashay out to the North Side shops and speak to some of these business people himself.
Mr Knight: The Chamber will be very interested in your comments, member for Greatorex. Very interested. Go and talk to the Chamber of Commerce.
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Member for Daly, order!
Mr CONLAN: Maybe that is what you need to do, Minister for Central Australia, so you can go back to Cabinet and tell your Cabinet colleagues this is what is happening.
There is no evidence whatsoever to suggest that things in Central Australia will be any different under this ID system ...
Ms Scrymgour: Oh, you are not on radio anymore.
Mr CONLAN: The real problem – John Laws of Alice Springs, thanks very much.
Obviously, the real problem is not being addressed by the Northern Territory government. We need some tough love, we need to get tough on these drunks ...
Members interjecting.
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order!
Mr CONLAN: Madam Deputy Speaker, get tough on drunks and address the real problem. The real problem facing Territorians in Central Australia, instead of, every five minutes, tacking on another little …
Ms Carney: Someone’s apparently good idea.
Mr CONLAN: Someone’s idea, on the back of a whole raft of failed legislation already and address the real problem. Madam Deputy Speaker, I do not support the bill.
Dr BURNS (Justice and Attorney-General): Madam Deputy Speaker, I thank all members for their contribution. In some cases, it is hard to know where to start. The starting point in this is to say that government has never pretended that any of the alcohol measures we brought in are a silver bullet in themselves. We have never contended that. We have never said that. We have never promised that.
Nonetheless, in contradiction to what has been asserted by members on the other side, they are saying: ‘You are just tacking another bit on the end of the policies and strategies that you have already introduced with this ID system’. I would strongly assert this ID system is actually the machinery that will better support the measures that we have brought in already. The members of the opposition and Independents have catalogued those measures. If we are talking about dry towns, if we are talking about alcohol restrictions, that is, restricting the amount of product per person per day, you can have one cask of wine per day, that is your quota, by having a linked ID system that says, ‘Joe Blow, you have had your quota today, and if you go to the shop down the road because it is linked you will be refused service at that shop’.
Furthermore, I am not denying that other people buy grog for others. I am not denying that in the least. Of course, people are ingenious, they have an alcohol problem, they are alcoholics, they will try any way to get alcohol to drink. But what it will do, amongst their immediate cohort, who are also drinkers, once they have had their quota for that day, it is going to be very hard for them to get a second one.
What we are looking at here is an overall strategy to reduce harmful alcohol consumption. I believe that the measures thus far in Alice Springs, evidenced by a 10% per capita overall reduction in pure alcohol consumption, shows that these measures can work. What we are saying with this ID system is, it is actually the machinery to assist, to drive alcohol consumption down further.
The member for Nelson talked about a trial. He wanted a trial somewhere for alcohol restrictions and ID systems. All you have to do is look at Groote Eylandt, because if there ever was a trial that could show what the results can be when you reduce harmful alcohol consumption it is Groote Eylandt. The report on the management system at Groote Eylandt said 75% fewer cases of public drunkenness; protective custodies over a year declined from 90 to 11; 52% less property crime; 60% reduction in incidents of disturbance; 67% drop in the number of police call outs for aggravated assault; absenteeism for indigenous employers at the local mine dropped from 7.8% to 2.4%; and improved community function and wellbeing. We know that Groote Eylandt is unique. There is a mining company there, there are Aboriginal communities, and it is isolated. They have shown what can be achieved by reducing alcohol consumption.
It is very difficult to transplant what has happened at Groote Eylandt elsewhere in the Territory. However, we are looking at the strategies this government has brought forward, rolled out and implemented - far more than the previous government in terms of restricting supply - all of which constitutes a genuine attempt to reduce harmful alcohol consumption and the end result of that. Some people poo-poohed some of the statements John Boffa made. The statements concerned reduced violence in the town in terms of murders and other serious incidents. There was also the report that the member for Daly referred to, a report outlining a reduction in stabbing events in Alice Springs. That is giving some weight to what is going on.
These are serious attempts by this government to reduce harmful alcohol consumption. We have never said that any one of these measures will be a silver bullet. As the Leader of the Opposition pointed out, this is a very complex issue and a very complex problem. At the bottom of it, as the Leader of the Opposition pointed out, is personal choice. The member for Nelson also pointed that out: it is a personal choice, and, ultimately, a personal responsibility. I am on the public record as saying that is at the heart of it. That is at the heart of people making choices not to drink grog in an inappropriate or harmful way. That is what we have to aim for.
As we said earlier today, the Living with Alcohol program introduced by Marshall Perron was highly applauded and a very successful program for the time that it ran. I think that is where we have to go. I have stated it in this House before that, in terms of demand reduction in this population, this is a government that is serious about reducing demand. It is a complex issue because we are looking at social, demographic, economic and cultural factors, all of which are very complex and contributing to drive this situation.
Part of our response has been Closing the Gap: the initiatives that government has undertaken in terms of closing the gap in education, economic development, and jobs. This is a big undertaking. What we are saying regarding the alcohol restrictions, the dry towns and the ID system, etcetera, is that this is one element of an overall strategy. I repeat that: to say that the ID system is an add-on is quite erroneous. The ID system is all about giving these strategies the adequate machinery in terms of the identification of people, ensuring that the restrictions on product and certain people accessing alcohol are carried out with greater efficiency. That is what this is about. To say that it is an add-on is to completely miss the point.
Speaker after speaker talked about the multitude of measures implemented by this government, and we should be halting, evaluating and then maybe adding some more. We are in the process in Alice Springs. It has been very difficult - and I would have to say it continues to be difficult - to find an appropriate organisation to carry out an evaluation independent of government to let everyone know, the good citizens of Alice Springs, and the people of the Northern Territory generally, and the government, exactly how these measures have impacted on many of the outcomes that we are interested in. Police callouts, public drunkenness, assaults, admissions to hospital, there is a whole range of measures. I have been quite strong on the public record as saying that I want to see an evaluation, one outside of government, by someone who is absolutely independent and can hand down a report. As government we will look at that. We will be flexible and modify what approaches and strategies we are going to adopt on the basis of that report. And also input from communities.
The Leader of the Opposition talked about social change. We all want that, but this is the government through Closing the Gap, through the initiatives around indigenous education, indigenous economic development, indigenous health that is really trying to lead and support social change. As we said, with Closing the Gap it comes back to individuals showing leadership within the indigenous community and that is what we are trying to support also.
The Leader of the Opposition talked about bringing the community on a journey to come to a point where everyone would agree, as in Groote Eylandt, and then implement certain strategies and policies. I would contend that there has been a journey in these communities. There have been invitations from the Alice Springs Town Council and from the Katherine Town Council to bring in a dry town. There have also been very positive comments from those entities about ID systems. We have been engaging through alcohol reference groups both in Alice Springs and Katherine. As I have said before in this place, there is a whole range of people who are involved in those reference groups. Some of those groups do not agree; in fact, they are diametrically opposed in their views. However, there are people from the tourism industry, there are people from Aboriginal medical services, government employees, police, and these are very important forums to chew over these issues and to provide a way forward on a whole range of matters.
It is disappointing for me that the opposition has been inconsistent on this matter. Quite a number of them, as the member from Nhulunbuy pointed out, have at various times been very supportive of an ID system and dry towns. The member for Nhulunbuy read out a few but I have some here. The member for Greatorex said the results we are seeing thus far, in terms of a dry town, appear to be good. This was on Thursday, 18 October in this place:
…
Everyone has the right to change their mind. I suppose the member for Katherine …
Mrs Miller: We are asking you to look at it and evaluate it properly.
Dr BURNS: Yes, I know, member for Katherine, but you made statements: ‘I am a great fan of dry towns’. The member for Katherine said on 18 October:
Fair enough. It seems you had a position then but you have a different position now. I believe politics have entered into this and the Leader of the Opposition is not showing leadership at all. I believe you are genuine in your support now, but what is happening now has become clouded with politics. The Leader of the Opposition needs to have a good hard look at himself and where he is leading the CLP on this issue. He has been very inconsistent.
The only person who has been consistent has been the member for Araluen from what I can see on the public record, and also in terms of her calls for an evaluation, say, in 12 months time, to give all the strategies time to bed down. That is a reasonable argument. However, there is nothing to stop us from retrospectively evaluating what has occurred previously, and then to prospectively evaluate as we move along implementing these plans. We can walk and chew gum at the same time. I pointed out, and the statements themselves point out, the inconsistency of the CLP’s position on this particular issue.
The member for Nhulunbuy made a very constructive contribution. He talked about the mayhem of grog. He also paid tribute to Marshall Perron, as I have done, and the Living with Alcohol program. He talked about Groote Eylandt and Nhulunbuy and catalogued the positives in Nhulunbuy. He called them immediate and visible improvement in Nhulunbuy, and catalogued some of those changes. However, Nhulunbuy is a special example because it is an isolated community. It is probably not quite as isolated as Groote, but it does have the advantage of isolation. He has pointed out the advantages of having an ID system in Nhulunbuy, but he also pointed out this is early days. We need to look at the indicators in the longer term.
I agree with the member for Araluen. Government needs to be flexible. Government needs to acknowledge those things that are not working well and try to fix them where possible, and discard those that are not working at all. She said it is arrogant of government to do otherwise. I agree with her and give an undertaking to this House that we will be carefully looking at what is working and what is not. This is a government that is committed to trying. This is a government that is committed to reducing harmful alcohol consumption within the Northern Territory.
The member for Katherine talked about the need to ‘find a key for change’. Those were the words that the member for Katherine used. She also talked about the long-standing issues in Katherine regarding alcohol, and she has acknowledged those before in this place. From what I remember, she welcomed some of the initiatives that this government has embarked upon. She talked about the hard-core drinkers being a known group and a need to deal with them. I believe she also raised the issue of sobering-up shelters and rehabilitation.
This government has been able to secure from the Commonwealth $15.9m in additional funding in this particular area, and I commend the Minister for Family and Community Services. In that, there will be $1.3m for the Katherine sobering-up shelter. That is significant expenditure in Katherine. Also, in rehabilitation, there will be 11 additional beds within Katherine, as well. This is very positive news that I have been advised of by the member for Arafura in her ministerial capacity. There is an approach in sobering-up shelters and rehabilitation and that is very important for the Katherine area.
We talked about the issue of getting others to buy alcohol and I covered that to some degree. A number of members talked about the inconvenience of an ID card. I have seen the demonstrations of the ID system, member for Katherine, and the actual transaction just takes a matter of seconds. I cannot really see that it is a major inconvenience. One of the things that I have focused on, as minister, regarding business, is to minimise the time of the transaction, to make it as simple as possible, to modify the machinery so that it fits within a bottle shop or a cash register area in a shop and does not take up a lot of space as well as being functional. It is some inconvenience, but I do not believe it is a major inconvenience.
People asked: ‘What are you going to do about other areas like Timber Creek, Tennant Creek, etcetera’. My response to that is that, as government, there are facilities within the legislation for the minister to declare certain areas and certain licensed premises as requiring an ID system. I am quite prepared, in consultation with the member for Barkly and the community of Tennant Creek, to look at implementing an ID system in Tennant Creek. What I have tried to do, in Alice Springs and Katherine, is to roll this out to ensure that it is working properly in each location. It is a major job. There is fairly major technology involved. There is the training of staff. I have tried to minimise the impact on business, ensure that the local community is aware of what it is about, and that there is education of the local community. I am quite prepared, and government is quite prepared, to roll out this technology in other locations.
Many people have talked about the movement of indigenous people as a result of the Australian government’s intervention. I am squarely on the record in this place of warning the federal government. I tried to warn Mal Brough, I tried to warn Senator Johnston, who was the then Justice minister when he visited Darwin in the lead-up to the election, that the Australian government’s intervention would create a major drift of people into the large towns up and town the track in the Territory, and that that would be an undesirable effect of the intervention. They did not listen and that is what has happened.
I strongly contend that some of the numerical increases in assaults in places like Alice Springs is simply because there are more people in town and there are more people who are drinking in town. Why? Because of the Australian government’s intervention, but does that mean …
Mr Conlan: It is your responsibility to police those towns, and it always was.
Dr BURNS: Absolutely, and I take up the interjection by the member for Greatorex. This was something that was handed to us.
Mr Conlan: It was a result of your failure to address child sexual abuse.
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order!
Ms SCRYMGOUR: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The member for Greatorex should withdraw his …
Mr Conlan: What? Stating from the report Little Children Are Sacred? That is what stirred the intervention. Do not you remember?
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Honourable members, I will remind you of Standing Order 51, which I will find and read out to give you all a bit of time out:
Minister, I ask you to direct all of your comments through the Chair.
Dr BURNS: Madam Speaker, of course.
As government we will contend with the drift of people and the attendant effects as a result of the intervention. Everyone was talking about governments listening, but obviously the previous federal government did not listen at all and look where they are today. Look where Mal Brough is today, look where John Howard is today. They did not listen. We are the ones who live here, we tried to tell them, they did not listen, they did not care less about the Territory. We are just picking up the pieces of what they did.
The member for Daly talked about the effects of grog. He focused as the Local Government minister on governance issues, safety and security, and building of community. He talked about this government dealing head on with the problem. That is certainly what we are doing. He also pointed out that we have never contended that our dry areas or any of the measures that we brought in have been a silver bullet. I reiterate that.
The member for Braitling talked about prohibition orders. It is important for me to talk about this. There has been a lot of focus on prohibition orders, but that is one element of what we are talking about here. We are talking about prohibition orders and, yes, there have been a handful, seven or so across the Territory, but there are also alcohol intervention orders. That is a very important thing that the alcohol court can …
Mrs Braham: How many? About 20.
Dr BURNS: You asked a question, I am coming to it.
So, with an alcohol intervention order, a person who is guilty of an offence, or if they are alcohol dependent, and then they consent to participate in treatment. Here are some figures: to the end of March 2008, 144 clients have been referred to the alcohol court - 90 in Darwin, 49 in Alice Springs, two each in Katherine and Tennant Creek, and one in Nhulunbuy; 17 no purchase orders and three referrals to the alcohol court in Katherine, which has been running for about a month or so now. That is very positive. This is well above the originally anticipated figure of 200 over three years clearly signalled by the former Attorney-General, Peter Toyne, when he introduced this legislation.
I have a media release which I am more than happy to lay on the table here. This is what Peter Toyne said on 1 December 2005:
This means the original intention of the alcohol court is on target in terms of numbers. I do acknowledge - and my colleagues have also acknowledged - that there are a number of people interacting with the law, either getting put into protective custody quite a number of times, having a number of infringement notices associated with dry town legislation, who are slipping through the net, people who probably need to be brought before such an alcohol court. What we have said on the record is that we are examining that. We are prepared to make changes; the same commitment, in fact, that we have demonstrated in terms of alcohol issues all the way along the line.
We are prepared to take steps as a government. We are prepared to take on the criticism and the naysayers but we are taking steps. We know it is a complex issue but at least we are trying.
There were questions about costs from the member for Braitling. The cost in Alice Springs to implement the ID system is $245 000 and, in Katherine, $262 000. There are recurrent expenditures associated with that because it is government that is maintaining the database, putting the data in. I do not have that recurrent cost with me but government took all the responsibility of the costs, the installation, the upkeep, the maintenance, so it would not be a burden and a cost impost on business.
The member for Braitling asked, why not clubs? Clubs have a defined membership. We do not really see them as being part of the problem. The problem is mainly takeaway outlets associated with public hotels. That was our thinking. If things change, if things shift, of course, we will look at that.
You asked about the Alcohol Framework Report. I am answering all your questions, member for Braitling, I am trying to.
Mrs Braham: I am listening, I am listening.
Dr BURNS: As you said, we have implemented a number of those recommendations. The major parts of the recommendations, however, will come in with the Liquor Act. I know it has taken a long time and it has been delayed. It was delayed due to the intervention and a great deal of work had to be done around that. I am hoping that mid-year we will have the new Liquor Act going out for public consultation. Many of the recommendations within that framework will be contained within the Liquor Act. That was a very good question you asked, member for Braitling.
The member for Araluen is a strong supporter of the dry town. She produced headlines to demonstrate that she believes it is failing. I take on board what she says. I believe we need to monitor this situation, we need to make changes. If there are policing and enforcement issues, we need to look at those. If there are court issues to do with the court and the administration of justice we also need to look at that. We are prepared to be flexible, we are prepared to make changes and we are focused on what is happening.
The member for Araluen asked about how we measure alcohol consumption. The Liquor Commission has very detailed records of sales. From those records of sales of particular products, by knowing the percentage of pure alcohol in each product, they are able to calculate the amount of pure ethanol that is sold through the liquor outlets within the town. That is how they are able to calculate it. I can assure the member for Araluen it is a very accurate calculation of pure alcohol consumption.
I would say to the member for Araluen that there has been engagement with the Alcohol Reference Group in Alice Springs, quite a range of different groups involved with quite different views.
I have talked a number time about this ID system actually supporting the policies that we have implemented. It is the machinery that supports restrictions on product, prohibition orders and intervention orders. That is what I would say. It is not added on, it is bolstering. It is actually supporting what we have done previously.
The member for Nelson said he could see no improvement in indigenous alcohol issues over the past 30 or 40 years. He said he could not support it because he does not believe it is practical. I believe that the proof will be in the pudding. I say to the member for Nelson regarding dry towns and the electronic ID, we have been engaged with the communities and in some cases invited by the community government or municipal councils to implement these sorts of measures. The member for Nelson also talked about rehabilitation. I have covered that as well.
The member for Greatorex talked about this being another government attempt. Yes, it is another government attempt, but it is in the context of what I have said before. This is a government that is prepared to take steps, to implement policies, to try to reduce harmful alcohol consumption. He said we have been very quiet about the $100 cap brought in by the previous federal government. That is not saying, member for …
Mr Conlan: Since the change of government!
Dr BURNS: No, no! The letter that the member for Araluen was quoting from before outlines to the current federal government this government’s opposition to the $100 cap. I will reiterate it here but I need a little more time.
Mr HAMPTON: Madam Speaker, I move that the minister be granted an extension of time pursuant to Standing Order 77.
Motion agreed to.
Dr BURNS: Madam Speaker, I will reiterate this government’s position on the $100 cap on alcohol brought in by Mal Brough and John Howard. We opposed it. I put that view to the various ministers in the current federal government. I put it in writing to Jenny Macklin in the letter that the member for Araluen has. This is in stark contrast to the opposition. They were absolutely silent on the $100 cap issue. They did not want to go near it. They were challenged in this House to put their position on the $100 cap during or before the last federal election. They did not have guts to stand up and say anything about it.
However, now they are coming in here and accusing this government of cowardice and there is no basis for it. We have been consistent, unlike the opposition, in our opposition to this $100 cap. I am very confident and hopeful in the review of the intervention that is going to start in mid-year. We will be putting a very strong case to the Commonwealth that the $100 cap should be scrapped, amongst other changes as the member for Araluen pointed out with the intervention. We want it to work better but the $100 cap is completely pointless.
I am concerned how the member for Greatorex has come in and, to be honest, I believe he has talked Alice Springs down. No one is saying that Alice Springs does not have problems, that there has not been a further influx of people into town, that there have not been further social problems, antisocial behaviour and crime. However, I do not think it does anyone any good, member for Greatorex, to come in and talk Alice Springs down the way that you have today. You need to be constructive. It was very negative seeing that Alice Springs is a tourist town and we saw what happened the last time that this sort of behaviour went on. There was national television about Alice Springs; we had the tourism industry in Alice Springs complaining about the conduct of members of the opposition and what they did. You need to be very careful in what you say about Alice Springs, and be constructive.
I will read what David Koch said about Alice Springs. He said:
Mr Conlan: These are comments from residents of Alice Springs.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Dr BURNS: You are not on radio any more; you are in parliament. You are a representative here of the people of Alice Springs and all the interests of Alice Springs.
Mr Conlan: I have been representing their views to you today. Representing their views to you today.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, order! Member for Greatorex, cease interjecting. Minister, direct your comments through the Chair.
Dr BURNS: All right, Madam Speaker. What worked for you as the John Laws of Central Australia - and I truly believe you thought you were the John Laws of Central Australia. Basically, what worked for you on radio in the role that you had on 8HA - and you did it very well; I am not saying you did not - but you have a different role in here. I encourage you to become more of a statesman for Alice Springs and leave that other role behind; try to look for the positive, for constructive criticism, try to build Alice Springs up rather than pull it down.
Madam Speaker, it is disappointing that the opposition - and I am not sure of the member for Braitling’s position - and the member for Nelson could not support it. However, as government, we are supporting this. We believe it is a step forward. Having an ID system as part of the strategy, as I have said a number of times, actually gives our strategies the machinery, the basis, the wherewithal to do what we want it to do: reduce harmful alcohol consumption in those centres where it has been introduced.
Madam SPEAKER: The question is that the bill be now read a second time.
The Assembly divided:
Ayes 17 Noes 5
Mrs Aagaard Ms Carney
Ms Anderson Mr Conlan
Mr Bonson Mrs Miller
Mr Burke Mr Mills
Dr Burns Mr Wood
Mr Hampton
Mr Henderson
Mr Knight
Ms Lawrie
Ms Martin
Mr McAdam
Ms McCarthy
Mr Natt
Ms Sacilotto
Ms Scrymgour
Mr Vatskalis
Mr Warren
Motion agreed to; bill read a second time.
Dr BURNS (Justice and Attorney-General) (by leave): Madam Speaker, I move that the bill be now read a third time.
Motion agreed to; bill read a third time.
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I have given my leave to the member for Araluen to make a short personal explanation. I remind honourable members that we listen to personal explanations in silence and also that it is not a debate.
Ms CARNEY (Araluen)(by leave): Madam Speaker, today in Question Time, the Chief Minister said that the opposition opposed legislation regarding domestic violence and police powers. The bill to which he was referring was the Domestic Violence Amendment (Police Orders) Bill (Serial 17), which was debated on 18 October 2005. I believe the Chief Minister misrepresented my position as shadow minister with carriage of the bill and that of the opposition. I will quote parts of what I said when the bill was debated:
I went on to say:
Towards the end of the debate, I said:
Mr HENDERSON (Chief Minister): Madam Speaker, last week I had the pleasure and the honour of hosting thank you drinks for many of the workers who have been building the Darwin Convention Centre at the Darwin City Waterfront. It struck me that major projects such as the waterfront and convention centre are not just about this government delivering on its promises to grow our economy after the previous government’s zero growth policy. We have done that and we are continuing to move the Territory ahead. It was not just about this government doing its best to deliver on jobs and training for Territorians. We have done that. We have the fastest growing employment in the nation and the highest proportion of people in training in the country. It was not just about this government delivering better facilities and a better lifestyle. We are certainly doing that. It is about Territorians delivering for families.
This Thursday will mark the 50-day countdown to the opening of the Darwin Convention Centre, so I pause here to note the contribution by Territorians to this major project. Around 700 000 hours of labour went into the building of the Convention Centre; 700 000 hours of sweat and determination by Territory workers and Territory businesses to get the job done on time and on budget. It really has been about Territorians delivering the goods for Territorians because this major project has already given great impetus to the Territory’s economy and will continue to do so.
The construction process generated 180 new jobs with over 95% of contracts awarded to Territory businesses. The Darwin Convention Centre is set to inject further millions into the Northern Territory economy. It will create 160 tourism jobs within the first four years of operation. This figure is expected to rise to 200 within the first decade. The Darwin Convention Centre is also on course to increase tourism expenditure by more than $193m over the next 20 years. This is great for the tourism industry, a boon for local business, with the Darwin Convention Centre already confirming 28 events to date with over 8000 confirmed delegates and with another 40 events in negotiation. It has meant $800m in leverage in private sector investment into the Territory’s economy.
It is a huge credit to the team from the Sitzler-Laing-O’Rourke joint venture who have been working on-site since late 2005. It will be a major stimulus to the tourism industry, our second largest industry and largest private sector employer, and an asset to the hard-working entrepreneurs in the tourism industry who will benefit from the Convention Centre and new hotels on the waterfront.
All this has come from the 700 000 hours of sweat from Territory workers and businesses that have gone into building this great contribution to the broader Territory economy. They deserve our thanks and they enjoyed a cold drink the other night.
My government believes it is an exciting time for the Northern Territory. Under the CLP our economy was heading south. In fact, we had zero growth in 2000-01. We believe our time in the north has come. Our goal is to ensure that the Territory continues to be the best place to live, to work and raise our families. It is a time in which we have to be level-headed and fiscally responsible but one in which we must also act decisively and creatively. It is occurring during a period of international financial market volatility in Australia and internationally; volatility that is likely to play out for some time yet.
What would seem clear, however, is that there are two speed economies in world markets. We are witnessing continued strong growth in China and India - driven very much by internal demands and exports - which is predicted to be sustained into the foreseeable future. Between 1990 and 2030, China’s global economic ranking will move from 11th in the world to 2nd; from an economy worth $0.6 trillion to $13.8 trillion. India’s ranking will move from 16th to 4th; from $0.3 trillion per annum to $4.3 trillion. At the same time, the world’s largest economy, the USA, is likely in technical recession. Warren Buffett today said he believed the USA was certainly in recession and for some time to come, whilst the European Union is experiencing slowing growth. The consensus amongst experts is that we will not see a decoupling of the Chinese and the American economies but their disparity of performance is likely to persist for some time. There is another consensus. Economic power in the 21st century will inevitably focus on Asia.
Somewhere in the middle of this is Australia. We are experiencing a two speed economy with resource rich jurisdictions such as Queensland, the Territory and Western Australia responding to strong demand from China, Japan and India in particular with slower growth and mixed results compared to the rest of the nation. It is no accident that the Northern Territory is poised to take advantage of the unique circumstances that face us. This is our competitive advantage - our proximity to the economic powers to our north.
These unique circumstances are also underpinned by the strength in our own economy that we have built since 2001 and the future prospects for economic growth into the next five years. It demonstrates that the benefits of our strong economy are flowing through to Territory families and small businesses. The strong economy the Territory is now enjoying has not come about by accident. It simply has not fallen out of the sky. It has been through the deliberate actions of this government as prudent fiscal managers of the economy. It has come about through policies designed to build and consolidate and to instil the confidence to invest in the economy.
This has been the fundamental difference between this and the previous government. Territorians are now harvesting the fruit of our policies. This has only been possible through the fundamentally different approach we have brought to economic management in the Territory and our strategy of building business investment confidence. It has been achieved firstly by being sound fiscal managers faced with huge - and growing - budget deficits. We took the hard decisions necessary at the time to reverse the lack of confidence that was so widespread back then. An integral part of the process was to reduce taxes to business leading to the Territory being the lowest small business taxing jurisdiction in the country.
In addition, we have taken a strategic approach to infrastructure and capital investment by government. We have invested heavily into meeting the backlog of repair and maintenance of government assets from public housing to roads. We were prepared to take on big projects such as the waterfront through to new aerodromes, schools, clinics and housing. This hard infrastructure has been matched by social infrastructure such as more police, more nurses, more teachers and doctors serving our growing population. This is a process that we will see repeated at next week’s budget.
As you would have noted from last Monday’s analysis, the Northern Territory is forecast to have the highest economic and employment growth in Australia for the next five years. In 2008-09, the Northern Territory is predicted to have an economic growth of 7%, well above the other states average of 3.9%. Our population growth is 2.2% whilst the nation is growing at 1.5%. The report also outlines this year’s strong employment growth of 5.5%, that is more than 5000 extra jobs for Territorians in the coming year. Nationally we have the workforce highest participation rate at 72.7% compared with the national rate of 65.2%.
Access Economics also points out that our population growth, and I quote:
Retail growth is up 10.6% compared to the national figure of 7.6%. I can add to this the Territory has the second lowest inflation rate in the nation and is the second most affordable for housing. The Territory has the highest business confidence levels in the nation whilst we have the lowest taxing jurisdiction for small business in the country.
The Territory, leading up to statehood, is the logical focus for growth particularly in light of the tremendous opportunities that lie with the economic powerhouses on our doorstep. Darwin will be the capital of northern economic and social development and, as a focus for northern development, we will continue to punch above our weight in the national economy.
Let me briefly outline the strategic importance of the Territory in building our economic ties with Asia. I have just visited China, Japan and Hong Kong which are all keen to secure gas supplies for their energy requirements whilst cutting their greenhouse emissions through accessing LNG and uranium. We are increasingly regarded as a gateway to trade and a growing logistics and distribution hub through the deep water port of East Arm, excellent communication facilities, the AustralAsia Railway and links to the national highway network.
The LNG industry is now well and truly part of Territory life with Darwin being Australia’s second international gas hub. LNG tankers sailing in and out of our magnificent harbour are no longer an unusual sight. It was a pleasing sight to see one being loaded today and we will be happy to see more. This industry will be the Territory’s key opportunity for future growth as acknowledged by Access Economics. ConocoPhillips is already considering an expansion, boosting production up to 10 million tonnes per year. The $750m Blacktip gas project off the west coast of the Territory and its associated gas processing plant will feed the Territory’s power generation requirements and supply gas to industry for the next 25 years. Currently the NT government is doing its best to convince INPEX and Total that Darwin is the best suited place for the development of Ichthys LNG projects.
The AustralAsia trade route has proven to be a key incentive for much of this investment in the Territory. Government has worked hard to establish strategic infrastructure such as the transcontinental railway, the East Arm Wharf, Darwin Business Park and the Bulk Mineral Loading Facility based at East Arm as well as key shipping links to desirable markets within our region. Darwin is quickly establishing itself as the port of choice for bulk mineral exports, particularly from Central and South Australia. The ports of Sydney and Melbourne are effectively land locked, the potential for growth at the Port of Darwin has yet to be realised. For example, in May 2006 Bootu Creek shipped its first bulk manganese ore from Darwin to China. The mine is currently examining opportunities to increase production to 700 000 tonnes per annum in 2008, with all production to be exported through the Port of Darwin.
To this we can add Oxiana Limited’s 10-year contract for the transport of bulk mineral concentrates from the Prominent Hill Copper-Gold operation in South Australia for export; and Territory Resources’ milestone maiden shipment of 65 000 tonnes of high grade iron ore from the Port of Darwin destined for China. It expects to increase their production of iron ore to 2 million tonnes per annum fairly soon and 3 million tonnes per annum in 2009, with all production to be exported through the Port of Darwin.
The Territory is host to more than 10% of the Australian Defence Force personnel and their families. It provides a base for a raft of new Defence platforms including the Abrams tanks, Tiger helicopters, Armidale class patrol boats and FA-18 fighter aircraft. These new platforms have opened up lucrative investment and industry opportunities in the Territory, particularly through repairs and maintenance programs. Defence expenditure in 2005-06 represented 6% of the national outlays with $954m in the Territory.
We face challenges to the economy. The major one, of course, is the continuing issue of labour and skills shortages. That is why this government has put such a strong emphasis on training since were elected in 2001. Under Jobs Plan 3, we set a target of 10 000 VET students in four years. In the first three years, we have reached 7800 students in VET, the highest proportion of people training in the country. I think that figure was updated by our minister today in the House. I think it is well over 8000 now.
I ask the question, and it is not an idle question: where would our economy be if we just followed the abysmally low levels of training available prior to 2001? Notwithstanding our large effort in training, we still face critical labour shortages, especially in particular skills. That is why I called for more flexible migration policies to boost the number of skilled and unskilled migrants who settle in the Northern Territory. The Northern Territory receives less than 1% of Australia’s total migrants. We must see that grow with a strategic focus on boosting immigration to regional areas. We must establish regional targets for skills and labour through migration.
There are also technical problems of overcoming the many tyrannies of distance we face and the enormous infrastructure requirements we require in consolidating and diversifying our economic base. Added to this is the need for growth in our economy to benefit the regions. We need to invest the dividends of this growth wisely as social and economic infrastructure to benefit our towns and regional and remote communities. The former Minister for Housing said what we needed in the Northern Territory to address the remote housing shortfall was a Marshall Plan. We now have a Marshall Plan in the form of the Strategic Indigenous Housing Infrastructure Program. This program will deliver $647m of new and upgraded serviced land, and new and upgraded housing, in approximately 73 communities across the Territory over the next five years.
We will continue to foster economic developments in remote towns in the Territory. A pilot economic development project has been developed at Maningrida by Peter Anderson and Associates. The purpose of the study is to identify the ‘enterprise gap’ and establish why private enterprise cannot or will not fill this market sector. The pilot will also identify business opportunities for local people and the skills needed to undertake these businesses. Business is not for everyone, but small business is at the heart of our economic development and, more importantly, jobs. There is no one-size-fits-all strategy.
DBERD is working towards establishing an Ernesto Sirolli project in Katherine. Mr Sirolli is an internationally-recognised expert in the field of sustainability of communities and the formation of micro-enterprises. Already, a number of business and organisations in Katherine have met with Mr Sirolli and indicated their willingness in principle to sponsor the employment of a Sirolli-trained graduate to help Katherine initiate and generate its own solutions to its community capacity, self-reliance and future prosperity.
The Indigenous Business Development Program continues to grow. The program has grown from seed funding of $300 000 to $900 000 this year. As I speak, the department is examining new grants applications and, shortly, the minister for Business will be writing to successful applicants.
There are also stark economic and social issues facing indigenous Territorians. The central theme of Closing the Gap is to engage indigenous people in the economy. To give you an idea of the task in front of us, I will give some key data. The Aboriginal participation rate in the workforce is around 40% compared to a Territory-wide rate of 72.7%. The unemployment rate is around 13% compared to the Territory-wide rate of 4.7%. These figures are not sustainable and contribute to tremendous social disadvantage in the Territory. We are in the process of moving hundreds of indigenous Territorians to the Northern Territory public sector positions. The Commonwealth is now funding hundreds more positions as full-time work.
This is only a start. Closing the Gap is an inter-generational program far away from the usual pressures of the electoral cycle. We are also working towards increasing the proportion of indigenous employment in the Northern Territory Public Service with an emphasis on regional and remote employment; implementing indigenous economic development initiatives; making indigenous employment a focus of government procurement policies; and using the expansion in housing programs as an impetus to training and employment.
The Northern Territory has a key role in the development of Northern Australia and it is the strength of our economy that will make this possible. However, it has not happened by accident. It has come from strong financial management, with a strong commitment to invest in people and projects that will deliver long-term economic and social benefits. It has come from working to create an open economy in which business, both large and small, has confidence and certainty in investment. It has come from taking a long-term vision and not one beholden to an electoral cycle.
It is an exciting time, a time of opportunity; a time which rewards initiative, entrepreneurship and hard work. In terms of the future growth of the national economy, our time has well and truly come. We have the resources - the oil and gas off the north-west coast, the Timor Sea and the Bonaparte Gulf. We have uranium, which will provide global demand for base load power generation to combat global warming. We have the water resources when the driest continent on earth is getting drier. We have the vast landscapes of the tropical north and our fabulous Red Centre which will be continue to be amongst the nation’s greatest tourist destinations. Above all, we have Territorians delivering the goods to Territorians. We now have Territorians in increasing numbers who have the confidence to invest in this economy. The future is in the north and Territorians have the determination, skills and vision to ensure that our future will ensure that we live in the best place to live, work and raise a family in Australia.
Madam Deputy Speaker, I move that the Assembly take note of the statement.
Mr MILLS (Opposition Leader): Madam Deputy Speaker, sadly, the statement is predictable. It starts with an assertion which is shallow and hints at the attitude, the approach of this government, which seems to have such a disregard for matters of substance. This has a similar level of substance to the glossy brochures which seem to infiltrate our letterboxes and are, I am sure, being prepared in great quantity to fill our letterboxes, our radios, our television screens and newspapers.
This is a government that appears to believe that its marketing and the running of images and ideas are its prime objective. In that, the cleverly crafted words belie a lack of true belief in what is the right thing to do and say in this Chamber. A look back over your shoulder and to take a view of that which was before and to describe 27 years of a former government as its economic policy being a zero growth policy, that is how it starts, and I think sets a sad tone. Not that I want to spend my time in defence of what went before, but it is plain to any Territorian that it was no such thing as a zero growth policy. It may be a cleverly coined word from some collective of spin doctors but it is not true. It clearly indicates the shallow depths that are plumbed by a government completely preoccupied with spin and the generating of images with empty and shallow marketing rhetoric.
The truth is, whatever happens, whether you are in government or other administrations that have preceded you, some have done good, and some bad, some things can be praised, some things just sit there for their own sake, and others can be criticised. There is a mix of all. The truth is that the foundational infrastructure for economic development was laid before the Labor Party came to office. The infrastructure for tourism was established, the roads networks, the schools were in place, and the university was established. The port was put in place. The original and foundational negotiations for the gas development were already in place. These were finished under a different administration. That is the way things work, but the heavy lifting had already occurred, as the heavy lifting had already occurred with the railway.
To start your statement - which appears to me nothing more than elevating a glossy brochure to the form of a statement delivered in parliament - with a zero growth policy as your grand entry into this contribution in our parliament, gets us off to a very poor start. If this is the level of leadership that we expect to see offered at the next election, I am deeply concerned about the good people of the Northern Territory who are to be represented by this quality of leadership, this quality of statement.
There is good and there is bad. There is that which can be praised and there is that which can be criticised in the past, in the present, and into the future with the plans that are in place or not in place. Let’s get a little more sanity and reality to this, a bit more balance and we may have some real progress. This is not some kids club for budding politicians. This is the real deal. This is the Northern Territory parliament with a wonderful future. I would like to see a bit more balance in this rather than the deliberate misrepresentation for the purposes of crafting an image …
Members interjecting.
Mr MILLS: For the deliberate purpose of creating an image and feeding a marketing campaign. We need issues of substance.
It is a deliberate misrepresentation to refer to a former government doing its business in discharging its responsibilities in government and laying the foundations upon which this government has built. To call it a zero growth policy is a misrepresentation.
But today is a day for misrepresentation. During Question Time the Chief Minister said the CLP did not support the Domestic Violence Bill. That is incorrect. It did! In Question Time the Chief Minister did not understand that Domestic Violence Units started in 1994. They were not an invention of this government. The Chief Minister had no problem in misrepresenting the member for Nelson. The Chief Minister has form on this. If he does not agree, he misrepresents. He does not agree with the Country Liberal Party vision for a world-class industrial complex at Glyde Point and Gunn Point, so he misrepresents!
Again, he says that the Country Liberal Party does not want gas development - a misrepresentation. We want gas development. We disagree …
Members interjecting.
Mr MILLS: Were you at the meeting? Was this Chief Minister at the meeting? That is an open and blatant misrepresentation of what occurred in that meeting.
Members interjecting.
Mr MILLS: I was in the meeting. How dare you stand in here - you have no business! You were not in that meeting! That is a misrepresentation ...
Mr Kiely: Say that in the House on the record.
Madam DEPUTY CHAIR: Member for Sanderson, order!
Mr MILLS: I am doing it right now. Pipe down; I have had enough of this nonsense!
We want a gas development but we disagree with the government on the site and the approach to take. How can this Chief Minister be believed, trusted? How can anyone listen to this statement and believe any of the substance of it? The Chief Minister will not table information and, like the rest of his ministers, makes it up on the run. Yet, we want to listen to the Chief Minister reading a statement which is more like a glorified brochure on the government’s so-called achievements, most of which rest upon the foundations of a previous regime, the Country Liberal Party. But not able to draw yourself to look back and see that what has occurred in the past. No, nothing happened in the past! A whole new glorious era arrived to the Northern Territory when the Labor Party came to office. Before that it was scorched earth, there was nothing there.
This is not true! It is a misrepresentation. And the result of misrepresentation is that you lack credibility yet you are to stand before a community and seek to be re-elected. We cannot trust you because you misrepresent just to assert your position that you want to sustain for a marketing campaign. It requires leadership.
The Treasurer over there is happy to glare at me and make comments regarding substance. Well, check your own media release, Treasurer, which was issued today, that generates an idea that you have put a certain amount of money towards a certain road project when you have deliberately deceived and dishonestly presented to the Territory community …
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker!
Mr MILLS: Oh dear, this hurts does it?
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Resume your seat, member for Blain. Minister, what is your point of order?
Ms LAWRIE: The Leader of the Opposition cannot accuse me of deceiving the community. It is patently untrue. Everything in the media release in terms of the funding for Tiger Brennan was correct.
Mr Mills: I can accuse you of deceit. You tell me under what standing order?
Ms LAWRIE: You are absolutely wrong, you are absolutely wrong.
Mr Mills: Anyway, we will leave that for our adjudicator to decide on.
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! Treasurer, if you feel you have been misrepresented you can make a personal statement after.
Mr MILLS: If you read your press release again, you are happy to pump up information just for the sake of creating an impression but not interested in making any kind of difference to the good people we represent.
Today we have a glorified brochure on the government’s so-called achievements, most of which foundations lay upon that which occurred before. Maybe that flyer which went around a week or so ago, that green brochure, I think it was called the Recruiting Membership for the Paul Henderson fan club …
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Leader of the Opposition, I was listening to the debate and the words that you said could only be said by way of substantive motion. I ask you to withdraw the remarks that you made about deliberately deceiving?
Mr MILLS: Those particular words?
Madam SPEAKER: Those particular words. Leader of the Opposition, they can only be done by way of substantive motion.
Mr MILLS: All right, deliberately misrepresenting …
Madam SPEAKER: Leader of the Opposition, it is the same thing.
Mr MILLS: Madam Speaker, I withdraw. I mean, I …
Madam SPEAKER: Leader of the Opposition, just withdraw, thank you.
Mr MILLS: All right.
Madam SPEAKER: These are the rules, the standing orders which we all follow in this parliament, Leader of the Opposition.
Mr MILLS: In their place I would say that the truth was not evident, it was misrepresented. I would use those words but do I have to withdraw every use of the word misrepresented?
Madam SPEAKER: Leader of the Opposition, there are many ways of presenting things. However, one of them is not implying that there was some kind of deliberate deception or misrepresentation by the government, or any member in this Chamber. Therefore, I ask you to put things in a way which you believe that something could have been happening but it therefore is not definite.
Mr MILLS: I withdraw the word deceit.
Madam SPEAKER: Thank you, Leader of the Opposition.
Mr MILLS: I will move on.
We have a brochure flying around the place that is trying to recruit membership for the Paul Henderson fan club. Perhaps that does not work so we read a glossy brochure out in parliament today. However, if you cannot misrepresent then we still do not represent. The people of Alice Springs do not get any sense that there is a commitment for representation because we now have a Darwin-based Minister for Central Australia. There is no effective representation for the people of Alice Springs.
Mr Kiely: What about the members for …
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order!
Mrs Miller: Just listen.
Mr Kiely: Listen to what?
Mrs Miller: You are so rude and arrogant.
Mr Kiely: Fifteen minutes and he has not gone near the statement.
Mrs Miller: Just listen. You cannot stand it, can you?
Mr Kiely: I am listening and I am hearing nothing of substance.
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order!
Mr MILLS: Madam Deputy Speaker, there is good and there is bad. There is that which can be praised and that which can be criticised. If it hurts members opposite that we take a different approach in talking about things that are important to the Northern Territory, I make no apology. The issue here is, it is not about how good you appear in the media, the issue is representing proper leadership for issues that affect Territorians.
There are matters related to the economy, and I am pleased to hear that in all this puffery today regarding careful and deliberate managing of the economy - it does not happen by accident, you all know the lines - there has been no reference provided to the historical aspect to this. That under those terrible days before the golden dawn arrived when the Labor Party came to office it was just bleak and awful. Then it became real good and all this careful management occurred and then prosperity reigned in the Northern Territory. You cleverly overlook that there was a tax reform that did occur at that time. That spoils the fairytale a bit, doesn’t it? The GST flowed into the Northern Territory and it made a big difference because you had money to spend. ‘But let us not tell the kiddies that it is money that has come from another place, let us try to create the impression, boys and girls, that we created all this wealth and it came about because we are really clever and we are really good at managing money’.
The truth is that you are very good at spending money. If you listen to the whole story, even today, all that we hear from this Labor government is their delight at pointing out what they have spent! If there is a problem: ‘Rest assured, we have spent money and we have bought this and we have paid for that’. However, the issue is: in true leadership and proper management you talk about the result of the expenditure. You cannot run a business and say it is going really well because we have spent lots of money - half the story - spent lots of money on strategies that have produced a result. It is easy for you today to run the spending of the money story because there is money to spend. Heaven help us if we come to a time when the money slows down! What will you be left with to talk about then? You will be so far away from a previous regime that you cannot blame them and, my goodness, you might have to take responsibility for the way things are unfolding before your eyes. Who will you blame then?
The GST has flowed into the Territory in great measure. That has brought about the capacity for this government to do its core business which is delivering health, education, law and order. Those are the results that we need to see, whether they are demonstrating progress or not. Last estimates - and I am really looking forward to these coming estimates - I think the core message could be distilled into these statistics: population has increased. ‘Look at us, look at us, we have caused the population to grow’. Well, there are factors that done that. The population has increased since 2001 by 7%. That is great, I am glad to see the Territory growing. Since 2001, the increase in government own sourced revenue, which is taxes, fees and charges, is an increase, folks, of 67%. Your capacity to take money off citizens and into your own coffers to run programs has increased by 67%, and the GST revenue since 2001, since you came to office, has increased by 80%. Therein, in summary, is your core message.
If your business is then to deliver services - that is the business of state and territory governments, to deliver services - how have you, in fact, gone in the delivery of those services? Are we getting a better result with all this extra capacity in our health system? We heard a question today that there are Territorians - with all this extra capacity - being triaged in ambulances. We almost deliberately overlook the fact that - rest assured, everyone is going to be looked after - those ambulances, three times in the last three weeks, are held up. Is that a good service delivery? Is there a policy response to that? Citizens would like to hear about that.
Are we achieving outstanding results in education with all the increased capacity? Yes or no? I do not think so, because the MAP results show that we are slipping behind. We are coming from a long way behind. I am not going to say: ‘Oh, the Labor Party is at fault here; look at the results’. The capacity to address and strategically spend to produce a result is there, but the results are not there. It has slipped in many cases and, disturbingly so. Are the teachers happy? Are they strengthened? Are they great believers in the direction of the leadership of this government? No. I am amazed at how resolved the teachers are. We say that teaching is an ageing profession. Many of them are very conservative people, and for them to make the decision, in the best interests of trying to get a better deal for education in the Northern Territory, is an extraordinary event.
Then we go to law and order. Are we getting results? All that we hear from this government, from the Chief Minister today, is a description of all the money that has been spent on all the different programs and all the extra police. That is good. You can point to that, but are we getting a result? The statistics demonstrate that we are not getting the results. There are some serious, severe in some cases, social problems. Are we making progress? I do not believe so, and if you honestly and maturely look at the data and listen to people, ask people questions and listen to their answers, you will find that people are increasingly concerned about the decline in respect for law and the ensuing social disorder that is emerging all around us. I am not just creating this. I am talking to people. I am hearing what they have to say. I have not been in a situation where so many people I know have been broken into. I thought it would never happen to me. There are some serious social issues. You have the capacity to attend to them.
The Chief Minister says we live in a community, not in an economy. If that is the case, we need to see the outcomes in health, education, and law and order. You have the increased capacity. Are we getting the result? Capacity to spend, but we are not getting the result. That is where these statements should dwell, honestly dwell, with the point of the issue. Are we achieving results for Territorians? The issue is not how you appear in the media. It is not the creation of images. It is delivering results for Territorians.
A question was asked today of the Minister for Business and Economic Development. I heard then an echo to the same issue by the Minister for Primary Industry and Fisheries, and Mines and Energy, and it referred to China. The issue is the continuing of this story - I just need it to be tested. You are talking about going to China and, by the way, China has had a significant part to play in the benefits we are enjoying today. The Access Economics report, the one before last, said that all our eggs are in the China basket. That is not a negative, do not jump on that one, but we are enjoying, at this point, and have a responsibility to manage, the immense growth from China. It is a wave that we are surfing. How well we surf it and where it takes us is the issue.
I would like a response to this from government, rather than say that there have been 17 different visits from different Chinese companies, that is great, but there are reports coming out federally and back into China that the approach of the Rudd government in assessing these foreign investments is sending another message into China. The message coming from Australia into China is ‘they are not welcome’. So, of the 17 that have been referred to today, what effect …
Members interjecting.
Mr MILLS: What effect? The question is simple. The question is simple and it applies – before you get too chuffed there, it applies to anyone, but in this specific case, it has been referred to in the media. If you read the papers rather than glossy brochures, you will see this. And I am genuinely concerned. What is the answer to that? Is this message going back into China as it relates to the oft-quoted 17 or whatever expressions of interest from China? I would like to know. These things need to be tested. I am sorry to rain on the parade, but I am just recounting material that I am reading in the media. My job is to ask these questions, I am very sorry, Madam Treasurer.
Mr Kiely: On whose behalf?
Members interjecting.
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order!
Mr MILLS: On behalf of Territorians. Whose behalf do you operate on, the Labor Party?
Mr Kiely: Who paid for your trip to Taiwan?
Mr MILLS: What has that got to do with it?
Mr Kiely: I am just asking: on whose behalf?
Mr MILLS: The issue is there appears to be a change in national policy regarding foreign investment. I want to know what effect that has on those who express an interest in the Territory. Read the papers. The Sydney Morning Herald and the Financial Review talk about it. Read things other than glossy brochures. That is a question that needs to be followed up on. I am terribly sorry to raise this and cause such a ruckus, but I have a responsibility to ask these questions.
That leads us to another responsibility of government. When it comes to this strategic position, I guess it is positioning ready for the election and we will know whether there is an election or not through the budget. It is quite clear, just as we see swarms of dragonflies to tell us that the Dry Season is here, so we have a plethora of promises from you lot. You must have difficulty in managing who is going to make an announcement today with all these promises and announcements, all of which clearly indicates an upcoming election. We will see if I am wrong. Maybe it is a false start to the Dry Season and it is a false start to the election. I do not know.
The economic benefits of running a full term are quite significant. Not only does it bring stability to the public sector but it allows the public sector to focus on the delivery of programs as established without political interference.
I believe there is an economic argument to be put forward for the establishment of fixed parliamentary terms. That way, politicians would not muck around with the date for their own political benefit. That has an economic benefit. It would be an economic cost to run an early election. It will also be a cost to the quality of public policy and public program delivery. All at the expense of doing whatever you can to ensure you maximise your political benefit to run an early election in your own interests. It would not be for anyone else’s interest. You would not go to an early election in the interests of the Northern Territory, you might try to spin that but, in truth, you would only be going in your own interest.
Which comes down to the foundational issue which Territorians will be sitting and watching to see whether you believe in anything; whether you believe strongly enough that the Territory has a clear future so you will extend your vision and your planning beyond the next election; whether you put in and commit yourself to proper and sensible planning that you will stick to, explain to people and stand by; and provide clear, principled leadership on the planning regime across the Northern Territory.
Do you have a real plan for the Northern Territory or not? Are you in reactive mode and changing here, there and everywhere just to accommodate the short term? You will end up in serious trouble as we are already seeing. We have, perhaps, the privilege, the opportunity, sadly, of being able to see these things from another perspective. It appears that members opposite have difficulty seeing these things. It strikes me that we are not sure where we are going in the long term. The Chief Minister has come back from the 2020 summit with all these ideas that create a sense of purpose and direction for the Northern Territory. They were great in that environment and I was pleased to be a part of that. But we need a 2020-30 vision for our planning for the Northern Territory. The decisions that are being made, the accusations that have been leaked to try to cover up the fact that you have no plan, you have no direction. You will say the …
Mr Kiely: You cannot go forward looking in the rear view mirror, Terry. That is all you have done for this whole debate.
Mr MILLS: You will say anything it takes to create an immediate need. You have not been able to stand up and deliver a clear and understandable vision of where we are going. We have changes upon changes and others sitting outside can start to see chaos and disorder in the planning approach in this government. It is deeply troubling and you need to extend your vision out much further than your own parliamentary cycles and self interest. You need to get on with the job of laying some serious foundations, providing proper leadership for the development of the Northern Territory. Otherwise, we will live to regret the day when short-term decisions were made and no proper and authoritative leadership was provided for the development of the Northern Territory. That is your challenge and that is where you are deficient.
There has been a complete absence of strategic infrastructure development …
Ms Lawrie: Wrong.
Mr MILLS: … even to have recently – oh, right.
Ms Lawrie: You just missed the waterfront did you? You missed the convention centre.
Mr MILLS: Even recently you were able to put an ad in the paper and advertise for someone to help you with your infrastructure plan, clearly an indication you do not have an infrastructure plan. You put an ad in the paper to try to recruit someone to develop an infrastructure plan. Upon which basis is this infrastructure plan to rest? Is there a comprehensive vision? Where is Weddell? Where are the young people going to live? Where is the land release? Northern Territory, shortage of land, how are we going to solve that problem? Shortage of land, what principles does this infrastructure plan rest on? These issues still remain unaddressed.
The statement is merely a recount of an image, an idea, a brochure delivered in parliament to create an image about government but does not address the core issues, and does not provide the necessary leadership for the development of the Northern Territory.
Ms LAWRIE (Treasurer): Madam Deputy Speaker, I thank the Chief Minister for his economic statement today. It is extremely timely given that we are in the lead up to the 2008 budget process. I have worked very hard alongside my colleagues with the Treasury and across the agencies to ensure that the key elements of the budget are in place.
The Chief Minister has outlined the economic indicators that so clearly demonstrate the strength of our economy. I have to say, for the Leader of the Opposition and the shadow Treasurer to not even go to any of those economic indicators in his contribution really goes to show how shallow an approach the CLP is taking these days to the growth of the economy. To completely ignore where we are tracking in terms of economic growth, where our population growth is, what our predictors are meant to be, to completely ignore that we are bucking national trends and our growth is predicted to be the strongest in the nation through the next five years, in a contribution to a statement on the economy, really is quite surprising.
Some of the factors behind the strong economic indicators point to the fact that there has been very strong financial management under the Labor government. We are determined to ensure the budgets we bring down recognise not only the delivery of the need for today, but, as I have said since I have been Treasurer, recognise the need for five years’ time. We are planning through the next decade and beyond.
Whilst the Leader of the Opposition might want to refer to - and I have to say, it is extremely disrespectful to ACIL Tasman and Evans and Peck who, on their own, are both highly regarded nationally for their expertise they will deliver to this - for him to refer to a 10-year infrastructure plan that is being provided by them through a tender from the government, to refer to it as a glossy brochure is quite extraordinary. This demonstrates how the Leader of the Opposition does not understand the due and productive processes of good government.
Strong financial management that underpins the approach of the Labor government provides businesses, developers and investors with certainty. It is this attraction and certainty that leverages private investment into the Territory. You have seen, through successive years under the Labor government, useful leveraging of private investment. The waterfront project which the Leader of the Opposition so easily dismisses, is recognised by Access Economics as a major project, and shows how successful we can be in leveraging private investment off public expenditure. If the Leader of the Opposition, the economic vandal opposite, had had his way, the project would not have happened. Indeed, the taxpayer would have had to fully fund a strange version of the convention centre, a car park version.
Access Economics has forecasted 7% economic growth in the Territory next year. That is a very strong forecast given that, say for example, if you want to compare it to China, they have been forecasting a growth of 10%. Beyond next year, Access Economics is forecasting an economic growth of around 5% per annum and has indicated that the Territory’s economy will be the fastest-growing economy in our nation. That is a big call to make. Access Economics is independent and highly-regarded. For them to say that we will be the fastest-growing economy is significant because we are stacked against Western Australia and Queensland, which are also resource-rich states and are expanding their economies significantly. For a small jurisdiction to be given that accolade by Access Economics proves that we are absolutely punching above our weight. No jurisdiction punches above its weight – particularly in the context of a jurisdiction the size of ours - without the government underpinning where that growth is occurring through the budgetary decisions that government is making. That picture is the picture that the opposition want to totally ignore.
In growing the economy and the population, increasingly, you have to look at where your infrastructure spend is in terms of the government. That is why this year we are spending a record $645m on infrastructure. The decisions of government could have meant that that funding could have gone elsewhere. However, $645m on infrastructure shows our commitment to ensuring that right across the Territory we are spending on improving our roads, port infrastructure, schools, hospitals and, importantly, our energy and water infrastructure through Power and Water. Money is spent on supporting our lifestyle, the fishing, sporting and community infrastructures.
The Chief Minister talked in detail about the waterfront project. Everyone in this House will remember the Leader of the Opposition calling on the waterfront project to be scrapped - which he pretended he did not do in Question Time today until he was reminded of the NT News front page where it did point out that he had called for it to be scrapped. Economic vandalism - in great danger - this man has a very strange perspective on how to deliver the economic drivers of growth. We would not have the strong economic figures that we are seeing today if the wish of scrapping the waterfront had been delivered.
It would be economic absurdity to scrap the waterfront. We would have seen an $800m worth of investments, jobs and cash injected into our economy, just going to the scrap heap. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics Labour Force figures, we have more than 5000 people in jobs now compared to this time a year ago. That is 5000 people with a new source of income. That is being reflected in the way we have a nation’s strongest growth in retail spending; consumer confidence is extremely high.
The recycled Leader of the Opposition is back and he has not learned his lesson from the last time he was the leader when he was calling for the waterfront to be scrapped. Now, he is at it again. This time, he is trying to undermine the $12bn worth of potential investment from INPEX, which has clearly said in a briefing and on the public record that they are only interested in a site at Middle Arm where existing infrastructure is because there is a window of opportunity, our competitive advantage in when they need to get their products to market ...
Members interjecting.
Ms LAWRIE: The opposition and the member for Nelson glibly want to ignore the facts. They want to ignore the reality …
Mr Wood interjecting.
Ms LAWRIE: … that infrastructure exists at Middle Arm …
Mr Wood interjecting.
Ms LAWRIE: … that INPEX is only interested in the Middle Arm location ...
Mr Wood interjecting.
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! Member for Nelson!
Ms LAWRIE: They exist in a fantasy land, a fantasy of their own making. They completely ignore the reality. They are just not interested at all.
We are talking about Middle Arm which has been zoned for development since the 1980s. The member for Nelson rants at me about the Planning Scheme because he thinks he is the guru of planning. I have to say he chops and changes and is all over the place when it comes to planning and his views on planning and developments that come forward. If you relied on his perspective on planning you would be floating in the breeze on a whimsy of what he feels in his mind is a planning result.
In 2003, independent consultants, KBR, costed the infrastructure requirements at Glyde Point for such a plant to be between $320m and $430m. In today’s figures, we would be looking at round about a $500m infrastructure requirement. Where does the Leader of the Opposition and the member for Nelson think the $500m would come from? Are they going to cut into police? Are they going to cut into health services? Are they going to cut into education services?
You only have to look at the zero growth back in 2000-01 when the construction industry was on its knees. We are an economy that responds to construction dips. The government, very carefully, very judiciously, approached a need at a very difficult time when we inherited a budget in deficit to target spending into infrastructure and to increase the capital works program, delivering infrastructure into core service need areas and, importantly, putting cash against that - we inherited an infrastructure capital works program that was not cashed against - to rebuild the capacity in the construction industry and reignite the economy of the Territory at the time.
It is interesting just to get a snapshot of what we are delivering now, in 2007-08, with the $645m infrastructure program. So far, we have delivered $235m of the capital works program and the repairs and maintenance program. We will deliver around $325m by the end of the financial year, with other projects that straddle into the second half of the year. We have about $215m worth of major projects on the capital works program and $110m on the repairs and maintenance program that underpin the Territory government’s investment in infrastructure. Forty-four projects are already completed and 43 are on track for completion by the end of this financial year. The remainder, as I said, are major projects that straddle across financial years, because the nature of the construction sector in the Territory requires construction to be largely through the Dry Season.
Just have a look at some of those capital works projects that will be completed by the end of the financial year. We have our eight middle school projects; major investments in delivering middle school buildings in Palmerston, Darwin and our major towns in the Territory. We have the Rapid Admission and Planning Unit at Royal Darwin Hospital; a health centre for Kalkarindji; first and second crossovers at Nitmiluk National Park; headworks for Stage 1 at Mt John Valley land release; pavement strengthening and widening right across Territory roads; the second stage of the Red Centre Way, the Maryvale Road upgrade; numerous black spot projects; and significant Roads to Recovery projects.
Rolling programs that are also in the program include the Victoria Highway; the Closing the Gap projects; Desert Knowledge Precinct; Darwin City Waterfront works; Tiger Brennan Drive; aerodromes and roads; the Northern Territory Rural Clinical School research facility; renal relocatable self-care facilities; the Marrara outdoor netball court; home economics and science facility at Borroloola Community Education Centre; and an upgrade of the emergency department at Alice Springs Hospital.
The Department of Planning and Infrastructure has already delivered a majority of the 1300 projects on the repairs and maintenance program and are, I have been advised, on track to complete 100% of that program by the end of the financial year.
In addition to the general government capital works program and the repairs and maintenance program, DPI also delivers around $44m for Territory Housing by the end of the financial year to deliver real improvements in the bush. In addition, there is a range of projects that are part of a $1.1bn Stage 1 of Darwin City Waterfront redevelopment, and the project is progressing in line with the revised program. The convention and exhibition centre is receiving the finishing touches ahead of program and on budget. The seawall, boating lagoon and beach are complete. The cruise ship passenger terminal and multilevel car park are on track for completion in mid this year. The wave lagoon is on track for completion later this year. Landscaping of the public parklands will be completed to suit the timing of the hotels in late 2008, and Wharf One Residential in early 2009.
The government is delivering on its infrastructure commitments. It should not be understated that this government’s record infrastructure expenditure is being delivered in challenging locations right throughout the Territory and in a climate of very strong private sector activity. That is, we are out there competing for the skilled workforce. A recent Access Economics report forecasts the Territory will experience the highest economic growth in the country through the next five years. It is critically important that our government does whatever it can to focus this growth to the benefit of all Territorians.
The recently announced ACIL Tasman/Evans and Peck tender to develop a 10-year infrastructure plan for the Territory is critical. It will ensure we get the most out of every dollar in our future infrastructure budgets, importantly providing the private sector with the certainty to invest in our Territory. It will examine the changing needs of the Territory; it will harness economic opportunities such as increased export, trade and mining activity; and will ensure the government infrastructure spending is absolutely focused on priority areas. It will promote private sector investment by providing certainty as well as increase, hopefully, the private sector capacity to deliver these vital projects for the Territory.
The government also has very responsible land release strategies in place to cater for the increase in the Territory’s population. We are approving more units and subdivisions which play an important role in increasing house supply. We are also implementing affordable housing into the Territory government land releases. For the first time we have an affordable housing policy. The releases such as Bellamack - and I have written to the Commonwealth Defence Housing Authority and relevant Commonwealth ministers requesting that they adopt similar affordability provisions into the current Lyons development and the future Muirhead development.
Last year, there were more than 600 new blocks of land approved in the Darwin, Palmerston and rural area. If you listen to the opposition they would have you believe that there were none. Since January 2006, we have had more than 1100 new units approved in the Darwin CBD alone. In terms of Lyons and Muirhead, 700 new blocks will be developed in the suburb of Lyons. Once it is completed at the end of 2009, development will proceed on the suburb of Muirhead. The government is currently working with the Defence Housing Authority on the planning for the suburb of Muirhead which, we believe, will yield around 1000 lots.
In Palmerston, as of March this year, there were blocks available in Gunn at The Chase and in Rosebery Park. Bellamack will provide around 650 blocks with 15% reserved for first homebuyers and public housing. The first blocks are expected to be available in early 2009. We have already had out, in the planning process, the Palmerston eastern suburbs of Mitchell, Johnston and Zuccoli providing for a further 2500 to 3000 blocks. In addition to this, we have announced some 650-odd lots with a percentage of 15% reserved for first homebuyers and public housing in Berrimah Farm, which the government intends to proceed with on the back of Bellamack.
Importantly, in Alice Springs, the Larapinta Stage 2 blocks sold at auction; 39 blocks will be developed with six set aside for first homebuyers and one multiple dwelling block for seniors’ public housing. Mt John Valley negotiations are continuing well with the traditional owners, the Lhere Artepe. We are expecting to see a yield of around about 70 blocks in the first stage. Sitzlers is already on the headworks tender for Mt John Valley. In the rural area, work is under way on the Coolabah Tree Estate on Ragonese Road and Stage 1, I am advised, comprises of 62 lots. There is a further 94 lot rural subdivision approved on Stegar Road.
The government does have an eye on its land release policy and we, unlike the opposition, are not going to flood the market. We will have a carefully staged approach to land release so that we are providing for a land release market that has a range of options from affordable options through to prime land locations, as well as units through to house lots. What we will not do is flood the market because in a market as small as the Northern Territory’s property market you can send the value of existing properties crashing down. If you do that, especially in the context of a time where you have a credit squeeze occurring as a result of the sub prime mortgage problems in the United States - the last thing you would want to do right now is distort your property markets by a flood of land release. We have been out and clearly articulated where the residential land release will be, the stages of land release and what that will yield, and how that is keeping track with the property market requirements.
In the context of the property market, we saw a 20% growth in 2006 moderating down to 11% growth in 2007. We have strong property market growth. We are seeing a moderation of those home values - which we wanted to see. Twenty per cent, whilst it put money in the assets of a lot of Territorians and we have seen many Territory families benefit from that, we also wanted to make sure that became a moderate growth to allow people to enter to enter into the home market, which we have done through a complete overhaul of the HomeNorth Scheme in 2003, further adjustments to the HomeNorth Scheme in 2005, and a commitment to make quarterly adjustments to that scheme.
We are providing home ownership opportunities for our population growth which is part of providing for a greater skilled workforce which feeds into the broader economic growth picture. An example of that is the McArthur River Mine. There are a lot of workers - I know because there are quite a few of them who have bought houses in my electorate of Karama - who are flying from Darwin on Air North to the McArthur River Mine. They are able to use the high income they are getting in the mining sector with the boom that is occurring with mining resources here in the Territory to purchase properties and live the lifestyle that we all enjoy in the Territory - living and working and raising their families.
They are the benefits to Territory families of strong economic drivers, particularly in the mining sector boom off the back of the major oil and gas project that Wickham Point delivered us. That is one of the reasons why we were going hell for leather, as the underdogs, to try to secure the $12bn INPEX project which will be the next major project on our horizon. What a difference that will make to the families of the Territory if that arrives. For the economic vandal opposite, to do everything he can to scuttle the INPEX project, you really have to wonder just where their heads are at because, quite frankly, no one can work it out. The business industry cannot work it out. Even the non-government sector is shaking its head, not understanding where they are coming from.
It is interesting that they beat the drum about Glyde Point in terms of a locality for INPEX. I would just remind the opposition that there were extremely sound environmental reasons for not proceeding with Glyde Point. The environment lobby and AFANT came out very strongly in support of the government’s decision to take Glyde Point off the industrialisation agenda. I am happy to remind the opposition about that because we are a government that understands you can actually have both. You can have major projects and particularly LNG projects at Middle Arm, while you have sound, strong environmental processes that mean you do not have the pollutants. The LNG Wickham Point plant is a shining example of how you can do both. You can protect your environment and provide industrial development on land that has been zoned for industrial development since the 1980s.
In terms of an economic driver, as roads minister, I have been focused on the need to improve the Territory’s road network so that we can get product to market, so that residents of the Territory can move around their communities and enjoy the services provided for in our major regional centres and our capital city. Year on year we have been increasing the roads budget. Last year, the budget was around $180m, a combination of the AusLink funding and Territory government funding. In the budget next week, this will rise to $271m as I announced today. We only get about 2% of the AusLink funding while we have 15% of the network. So whilst a core and significant amount of our roads funding is Commonwealth, we are still being short changed. We were short changed under the Howard government to the tune of about $90m, though we are seeing how things can change and with the improved cooperation, federal relationships are strong.
We have already seen work start on the Tiger Brennan Drive extension which will be fantastic economic driver in itself. It is about being a freight road, it is an access road to the East Arm Port and it will be an important social benefit for the families who live in the Darwin rural and Palmerston areas as well. It will have a unique impact on the Top End, in the sense that it will change the dynamics. It will bring the cities of Darwin and Palmerston closer together. It will bring the communities of Darwin, rural, and Palmerston closer together. I believe we will have a whole lot of spin-off benefits of that particular road extension - the $110m project that we sought, we pursued, we chased, and we are now delivering.
Part of the current economic success is being driven by government through strategic investment in our port and the adjacent Darwin Business Park. We are continuing to build an extremely impressive port. It is positioned strategically in the region. The growth in associated road and rail infrastructure means real benefits for our exporters. We are integrating our road, rail and port facilities to provide inter-modal solutions to improve our export capabilities. The new bulk loading facility at East Arm, commissioned in 2007, has facilitated the trade of bulk materials through our port. A significant investment in infrastructure by the government, the bulk mineral loader was delivered at a cost of $24m. If we are to further develop the Darwin Port as a conduit between Australia and Asia, further investment and infrastructure will need to be provided.
A strategic land use study is also under way to ensure that the appropriate port facilities are available to meet the growing trade and shipping activity in our port. When you talk about punching above its weight, there is a shining example in the Port of Darwin. We are getting increasing numbers of overseas visitors who are extremely interested and impressed by our port and its facilities. We are seeing ships of increased size entering the harbour, and the Darwin Port Corporation is undertaking preliminary studies to view the accessibility to the port. The study will cover the existing berths and channels, and incorporate the future needs of our customers. Our port has a very bright future, indeed.
The government has shown its ability to have very careful, strong, financial management. We have gone from inheriting major deficits to very prudent restraint through our budget processes to turn that back around into surpluses. Regarding the Leader of the Opposition running the line that it is all just because we are awash with GST dollars, I will say this - I have said it before and I will say it again: the Territory is getting only what the Territory absolutely deserves. We are not going to apologise for going out and fighting in Canberra for the dollar that the Territory should be getting. The GST is carved up on a needs basis as well as a population basis.
If the Leader of the Opposition wants to argue the case for Western Australia for GST, he is in the wrong jurisdiction. We are here and we will argue the Territory’s case for an increase in the GST relativities because we have outstanding needs. I will stack up our infrastructure requirements, particularly for our roads, against any other jurisdiction. When they realise that we only have 23% of our road network sealed, they are amazed at the task ahead of us. When they know that in the bush we inherited an absolute lack of core and fundamental infrastructure such as schools, health clinics, and police stations. When you need to build from the bottom up, as we are having to do in the bush - and I take my hat off to the former Housing Minister and the work ahead of the current Housing Minister and my own Planning and Infrastructure agency and the housing program that will be delivered to dramatically change the way people live in the Territory. It is a significant investment and it will be one of the greatest results that we can deliver; that is, in being able to say what part of the Commonwealth dollar, what part of the nation’s taxes should be delivered into the Territory. I call it catch-up money. We have a very long way to go to catch-up.
There is confidence there. There is business confidence, consumer confidence, and an plan to create jobs growth underpinned by our training, our Jobs Plan, and our investment in education. There is a plan to provide the infrastructure and the right structures to support mining, oil and gas exploration and investment. All of these things brought together create the economic environment to invest in the Territory. That private sector investment is critical to the Territory’s growth, but private sector investment does not happen by chance. It does not happen in an unstable economic environment. It happens when the government understands its plans for spending government resources.
Madam Deputy Speaker, we have been very careful and very considered in our previous budgets in how we do that. I am looking forward to the budget next week. It is not going to be a spurious, flippant approach to where we are at in the electoral cycle that the Leader of the Opposition was trying to indicate. It is about a strong eye on the economic and social requirements of the Territory. I commend the Chief Minister’s statement.
Mr VATSKALIS (Business and Economic Development): Madam Deputy Speaker, I recall a former American President who said: ‘It is the economy, stupid’ – and it is about the economy. It is about the economy and this is important for our government.
I also found the Leader of the Opposition’s selective memory very curious. He spoke about the Chief Minister’s statement but did not go into the statement, or respond to the details of the statement. Instead, he took us on a long trip without substance. I say selective memory because I found it very curious that he had the audacity to stand up and argue about his INPEX statement, and challenge my colleague, the member for Sanderson, about his attendance at the meeting. Well, none of us were at the meeting. It was the INPEX representative. It was an INPEX representative who came out in the newspaper, and said clearly and stated publicly that he had briefed the Leader of the Opposition. He explained to him the implications. He explained to him that the only place INPEX would ever consider coming was the Darwin harbour area. However, the Leader of the Opposition soon after, despite the fact that at the meeting he supported the INPEX proposal, he said the best place to go is Glyde Point.
I was at the meeting, and other people had meetings with INPEX. This morning, Daryl Manzie spoke to Chris Young, the CEO of the Chamber of Commerce. Chris Young said:
They told Terry they want to come to Darwin. Terry agreed where was to go. INPEX met with the Chamber of Commerce and they told the Chamber of Commerce that they met with Terry about their proposal to come to Darwin and Terry agreed. So, somebody here is not telling us the truth, the full truth, and it is very surprising.
The other thing, of course, is the selective memory about China, and his complaints about China and how the Rudd government is somehow stopping companies from China investing in Australia – not true. The news was that the Rudd government asked 10 Chinese companies to resubmit their submissions to the Foreign Investment Assessment Board before they proceed to acquire interest in some companies that produce strategic minerals in the Pilbara.
What is also surprising is his selective memory about what was happening in 2001 when this government gained office and came to power. The Territory economy was on its knees. You could not sell a house. People were not buying houses because they were not confident about their future. Construction had ground to a halt. People were leaving the Territory. People were selling assets to survive. I know that very well because, in 2001, I and the member for Wanguri – we have a big Greek constituency - were doorknocking and talking to people, and the people were desperate. I remember the days when I would go to the Galleria for a coffee and the whole place would be full of Greek subbies who did not have work. They were complaining about the lack of work and they were telling me how they were packing up to go to Western Australia to survive. To make things worse the CLP left the Territory broke with $130m deficit and a debt level that was increasing over time. There was no capital works.
I remember when we came to power and I got the first budget. I had a look at the repairs and maintenance budget. It would only last until November despite the fact that it had only been a few months since the new government had come to power. The population was leaving at a fast rate and the nett immigration was about 3000 people. Skills were leaving the Territory. Economic growth was zero per cent. Families, working families suffered. But today, seven years later, there are more cranes in the sky than ever before. There are major projects under way or completed. Unemployment is less than 4%. Capital works is showing record level expenditure and the private sector investment levels remain at historical highs.
Seven years in power and we have already seen two skyscrapers in Darwin: Mantra Pandanus and Evolution. Three more are being built in Daly Street and there are proposals for more and more buildings and hotels built through private initiatives. No private investors will invest in a place, in a jurisdiction when the economy is strong, when the government is not supportive and where the government has no plans for the future. I remember in 2001 that there was only one crane in the sky, one building being constructed. That was Darwin Central. That was it. The only reason this place went up was because the parliament here decided to make an investment in this town. The then government saw it as a big opportunity. I remember the fanfare and all the publications about the activity in Darwin. One building in 2001; look around you today.
The waterfront - number one on the CLP hate list – is a $900m investment, and two hotels are currently under construction. This represents a project that could change the face of Darwin. Gas and oil are now a major focus. The Blacktip pipeline; Nexus is planning at $1bn gas project in the Timor Sea; the LNG project for Methanol Australia is $1.3bn. The economic growth is predicted to be over 7% by Access Economics. Our population is increasing by 2% every year. In some quarters we are in nett interstate migration gain, something that has been rare for the past 30 years in the Territory.
That is a stark contrast between the performance of the CLP and the Labor Party. How did we achieve this change to our economy? ‘It’s the GST,’ says the Leader of the Opposition. Of course, it was the GST. The money comes out of my pocket and your pocket, our pocket. Money comes from every Australian’s pocket. We all pay 10% GST and this money is distributed by the federal government, the previous federal government, this federal government and future federal governments. The difference is this money did not just disappear. It was invested wisely - in teachers, nurses, police officers, and infrastructure.
On coming to office we made a strategic decision to focus funding on capital works. Despite having little budget flexibility, we have invested more money into the economy and our first-ever full budget was labelled ‘Spend, spend, spend’ by the media. We focused our economic strategy around four key points: providing a high level of cash for capital works and infrastructure; focusing funds on economic drivers to produce future growth; making sensible and strategic reductions to taxation on business and the community; and maintaining strong fiscal discipline.
Each year since coming to office, we have put into place record infrastructure budgets. Today we have two $1bn infrastructure programs under way in housing and in essential services, as well as hundreds of millions of dollars of record spending on roads and capital works to provide services such as hospitals, health clinics and schools.
We have invested our economic growth wisely. Members would remember the slump that hit tourism when Ansett collapsed in the wake of 11 September. We saw the threat and we invested an additional $10m a year to attract tourists through tourism marketing. Today, our tourism levels are returning to sound, solid levels despite the enormous competition we have across the world for the tourism dollar. Access Economics, in their latest report, comments that even though tourism around Australia is levelling off, the Territory’s tourism market is moving upmarket - fewer backpackers and more big spenders.
We invested in the port with the bulk loader and other port equipment. We thought the bulk loader would last a few years. Now we have realised that we probably have to install another one very quickly due to the mineral boom. We already have to look probably for a second crane now that more containers are arriving in our harbour.
We are investing in a major overhaul of our essential services. Not content to continue with the patch-up regime of the CLP - ‘Let it break and when it breaks, we’ll fix it’ is what they were saying about the Power and Water Corporation equipment - we have put in place a five year plan that will see the long-term power and water needs of our community catered for well into the future. The same has been done for housing. We have chased aviation investments. I remember when Ansett collapsed and there were only Qantas flying to Darwin and we really suffered. Now we have Qantas, Jetstar, Virgin Blue and, of course, Tiger. Jetstar is proposing to establish a hub in Darwin. That does not happen by accident. That happens because people have confidence in the government of the Territory.
We have invested in beef roads to ensure we can move cattle throughout the Territory despite the attempt by the previous ministers of the Liberal federal government not to provide any funding to the Territory because we were not incorporated, because we did not get local government. Now that we want to establish local government, the CLP argue not to proceed with the local government reform. This is the party that forced the Tiwi Islands into local government against their will. This is the same party that forced other groups into local government situations against their own will.
That strategic investment, made in a way that allows further leveraging by the private sector, has been important in broadening our economic strength. We have provided the lowest taxing regime of any Territory government. Since coming to office we have reduced taxes by around $170m and this has been across a broad range of business taxes. Payroll tax has been reduced. A range of business stamp duties has been removed. For business with up to 100 staff, the Territory government is the lowest taxing jurisdiction in Australia. We have created a highly competitive environment for business despite the burden of distance and isolation.
In doing all of this, we have maintained strong fiscal discipline. We have delivered five budget surpluses and we have reduced debt. We are the first Territory government to set aside funds to pay superannuation liabilities. This is the level of discipline that has been shown.
As the minister for Business, Tourism, Housing, Defence Support, Regional Development, Essential Services and Asian Relations, I am well placed to see an overall picture of the Territory economy. I am part of the efforts being made across government to build a better Territory with a stronger, brighter future. We have acted to spend and invest across the Territory so that the regional centres also grow and develop. The construction and infrastructure dollar has been spread across the Territory to ensure growth, jobs and development of communities - and I recall the member for Katherine asking: ‘What about regional development?’
We are the first government in the Territory to release new land in Alice Springs. We are the first government in the Northern Territory to put another large power station in Weddell to supplement power. We are the first government of the Territory to establish a cultural centre in Katherine. We are the first government in the Territory to argue against removing Defence personnel from Katherine. We are the first Territory government to put in place all the means ....
Mrs Miller: We do not have the power to run it now.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr VATSKALIS: We have not closed a power station in a regional centre like Katherine. Instead, we actually have improved and increased the capacity and we bought new generators. We are the first Territory government to listen to people and move a multimillion dollar power station away from the people in order to reduce the impact on the people there and to increase the parcel of land in Alice Springs. We are the first Territory government to directly negotiate with a gas supplier to acquire gas from Blacktip for power generation.
In addition, we are the first Territory government to come through with a significant project in Alice Springs, namely the Desert Knowledge Centre. This centre will value add to the developing smart economy that is evident in Alice Springs. Innovation and creativity is the hallmark of Territory business. I have to say this is particularly evident in Alice Springs. The Desert People’s Centre and the Desert Knowledge Centre will build and develop those industries. In Tennant Creek and Katherine, as well as Alice Springs, we have been focused on attracting business through specific advertising of these places as tourist and business destination.
I have recently been in China promoting four-wheel drive travel as a popular sport. It has been strongly supported by the Police Association in China. This form of tourism has the potential to bring a large number of tourists from China through the Territory looking at our pristine and clean environment. I am informed that groups coming in, in the next few months, will have a four-wheel drive course from Kings Canyon to Alice Springs through the Mereenie Loop
To promote the development of business in smaller centres, the government has provided a program of grants to assist small business to establish in fledgling areas such as Maningrida and other remote communities. Despite all this activity, I know we cannot rest on our laurels. We must chase investment, chase business, and chase tourism. We must get out there, talk to people across the country and the world to bring the Northern Territory to their attention.
I know just how fragile the economy of a small community can be. That is why we go to these efforts. That is why when we identify a problem with the economy we take a strategic approach to it. Take the issue of skills and labour. When we came to office the training effort was pathetic despite the fact everyone could see that there was a shortage of skills building up. We introduced Jobs Plan 1, 2, and 3. We invested proportionally more than any other state in training. We focused on regional packages of training to get young Territorians across the Territory into the mainstream workforce. We invested heavily in better education in the bush.
All of these things are the actions taken by good, sensible governments responding to the long-term needs of the community.
All of this stands in stark contrast to the position taken by the Leader of the Opposition and the CLP in general. This would have to be one of the few political parties in the world where they ossified in government, and have got even crustier in opposition. Normally, opposition is the time for learning and repositioning, honing skills, and focusing on what your alternatives would be. What do we get from the Leader of the Opposition? Opposition to everything - opposition for the sake of opposition. He opposed the waterfront - $1bn in investment gone. His party opposed undergrounding power in Darwin. His party now oppose INPEX. His stance shows absolutely why no Territorians should ever trust the CLP with the levers of power.
Major projects are the lifeblood of the longer-term strength of our economy. That is why we have been aggressive in chasing and getting long-term major projects. The waterfront is such a project. Ten years of development and a major injection of new business through convention-based tourism makes this project a perfect example of effective economic management by the government. The G3 major project in Nhulunbuy and the development of the Desert Knowledge Precinct in Alice Springs were major projects to have strong flow-on effects through small businesses.
The INPEX project, if we get it, will be transformational. It will mean a quantum leap forward in the development of Darwin as both an important oil and gas industry hub but, also, as the major point for downstream processing of gas products. It will see the level of manufacturing able to be done here increase. It will lift population rates. It will begin the long-haul process of making Darwin an economy that has breadth and depth and can rely on a diverse range of industries and a bright future. It is a future in which we can provide for all Territorians, our children and their children.
However, the Leader of the Opposition wants to scuttle it. The CLP should look very closely at themselves. What is it you are doing in this community? Are you jumping on bandwagons just to get some air play, or are you putting together a serious, positive platform you can take to the people? To date, all we have seen is the opposition to, and destruction of, the Territory’s future - and all Territorians will condemn that.
Madam Speaker, I welcome the Chief Minister’s statement. I can assure him that all Territorians - and I - will work for the development and the growth of this community. One of the reasons I got into politics was because the Territory was my choice. I have nowhere else to go, and this is the place where I made my home. I came from Western Australia, and have no intention of going back to Western Australia. There is no way to re-migrate to my country of birth, Greece. This is the place where my kids were born, this is the place I want my kids to grow, and this is the place where I would like the kids to have opportunities for a job. This is why I put my hand up, at the time when not many people were brave enough to put their hands up, knowing what would happen to them if they did not get to government. Since we came to government, I have worked hard and I will continue to work hard for the betterment and development of the Territory.
Ms SCRYMGOUR (Employment, Education and Training): Madam Speaker, I support the statement by the Chief Minister on the Northern Territory economy. The announcement last week regarding the predicted 7% economic growth rate in the Territory is exciting news. It is a fantastic achievement from both government and the Territory community - the best in the country because, put simply, we are channelling our resources to ensure that we are catering to the demands in growth and planning for areas of future growth.
I am honoured to be, in this time of economic prosperity, the Minister for Employment, Education and Training, because with industry booming, this means more jobs for Territorians. Of course, job creation means that people with skills are required, and this government is all for growing our own across every area of employment, education and training. We have a strong emphasis on growing our own nurses and teachers. Across industry, we have a special emphasis on training in the skill shortage area.
My department recently published a reassessment of the skill shortage areas for the Territory. A skills shortage exists where employers are unable to fill, or have considerable difficulty, filling vacancies. We have quite a list of shortage areas including, but not limited to, electricians, plumbers, cooks, tilers, metal fitters, auto electricians, motor mechanics, welders, and metal fabricators. In the current climate, many of these are also included on the national shortage list.
There are many more areas of shortage on the list but, as you can see, there is a significant problem in some of our more traditional trades. This is an area that we are targeting - and we are targeting successfully. Under Jobs Plan 3, this government directs its focus to areas that encourage local business owners to take on more apprentices and trainees. In the last few years, we have significantly invested in the VET program, innovative skilling programs and employer/employee incentives to ensure our workforce is able to fill both the current and emerging skills shortage areas.
There are currently 22 000 students enrolled in VET studies across the Territory. The Territory has the highest VET participation rate in Australia for people aged 15 to 64 years. The Northern Territory also has the highest VET participation rate by indigenous status in Australia. In 2006, approximately 48% of VET students in the Northern Territory were indigenous.
Much has changed since I was at school. Just last week, I was at Casuarina Secondary College chatting to the staff about the VET programs they are running and seeing for myself the sort of activities that our VET students are engaging with in our schools. There are some amazing teachers and programs running to ensure our kids are ready to join the workforce when they complete their schooling. For example, at the college, Ms Gwenda Smallacombe has a class of students running a virtual insurance company. They do everything from producing insurance products to processing claims. The classroom has a businesslike feel to it, and I congratulate all those teachers and schools out there that are always looking at better ways to give our kids the best chance in life once they complete their secondary schooling.
The WorkReady Program targets kids at school with up-front training, such as OHS and Driver Training, so that they are ready to take up apprenticeships and traineeships when leaving school and entering the labour market. In the area of apprentices and trainees, since 2001 we have grown our numbers of annual commencements by more than 600. We currently have 3355 apprentices in training in the Territory, with 1759 of those in the traditional trade areas, everything from construction to hairdressing. Importantly, 23% of these apprentices and trainees are indigenous, and a whopping 31% are women.
As the Minister for Women’s Policy, I am particularly pleased to see women taking up new training and employment opportunities that were traditionally thought of as jobs for men. Whilst recently visiting the Evolution worksite, I came across several women who were involved in training to become tilers. They were embracing the opportunity with enormous enthusiasm. The barrier between specific jobs for men and women has truly been crossed and in a very positive way.
The other area of our focus is working with industry and business providing important incentives to maximise opportunities for Territorians who want to work or want to improve their skills base. This financial year, we have released approximately 340 Northern Territory Occupational Shortage Employer incentives, and approximately 100 Northern Territory Disadvantaged Group Employer incentives. This means that employers will access an incentive payment of $4000 towards taking on an apprentice in an occupational shortage area, with $2000 of this as an up-front payment, and an additional $2000 after two years of employment.
The Disadvantage incentives target those groups most at risk of unemployment: migrants, the homeless, disability groups and indigenous Territorians. It provides employers with a $2000 incentive payment after three months of employment.
The Workwear/Workgear Bonus program is a payment for apprentices and trainees in the skills shortage areas through the provision of work gear. I am advised that more than 1500 apprentices have accessed the $1000 bonus, and more than 2700 trainees have accessed the $300 bonus.
Just yesterday, I was at St Vincent de Paul announcing the successful recipients of the Australians Working Together grants program, or AWT. These grants are for specifically targeted pilot or short-term labour market programs for disadvantaged Territorians. Currently in its fifth year, the grants assist disadvantaged Territorians to access training and employment opportunities and build sustainable pathways to employment. The grants program is an initiative of my department using funds from the Australian government’s Australians Working Together program. In 2008, eight individual programs have been funded. The successful programs will assist approximately 116 disadvantaged Territorians to gain new skills and/or experience work opportunities. This is a fantastic outcome and money well spent.
The program is achieving positive outcomes. For example, a group of young men undertook training in rural operations and are now planning to establish their own gardening business. The St Vinnies project, Knockabout Chefs Dare to Dream is a collaborative effort between St Vinnies and Charles Darwin University. The program will assist 30 men and women who have experienced long-term unemployment and homelessness in achieving a Certificate 1 in Kitchen Operations. They will be trained by a qualified chef and will receive intensive support and mentoring from St Vinnies staff. Whilst training, the men and women will provide around 10 000 meals over the year to needy people in Darwin. Training will be accredited but flexible and tailored to meet the needs of these very vulnerable people. When trained, the participants will be assisted in their transition into employment with the support of CDU’s tourism and hospitality staff and their wider community networks in the hospitality sector.
Another worthwhile program is Build Skills. The Territory government provides $0.5m a year and works with employers directly to upskill or reskill existing workers so they can meet industry demands. We know employers today are looking for more skilled or highly skilled workers. This program, in partnership with industry, provides a scheme that can meet this need. To achieve success, targeted funding and training is needed. This is the approach this government has taken with much success. Our Prime Minister is singing the same tune with the planned release of 450 000 new training places across the country. We are ahead of his call and are certain that we are channelling our resources in human capital in the right direction to ensure that the Territory can continue to enjoy unprecedented economic growth.
Madam Speaker, I commend the Chief Minister’s statement to the House.
Debate adjourned.
ADJOURNMENT
Mr HENDERSON (Chief Minister): Madam Speaker, I move that the Assembly do now adjourn.
Madam Speaker, the recent local government election saw a changing of the guard in Alice Springs. After 14 years on council with eight of those as Mayor, Fran Kilgariff has hung up her robes. Unfortunately, I was unable to be there to farewell Fran personally but the Minister for Central Australia was there to convey my best wishes to Fran.
Fran has been a tireless advocate for Alice Springs on a diverse range of issues. We have not always seen eye to eye on all the issues but it has always been apparent that the best interests of Alice Springs were at the forefront of her mind. Over the course of Fran’s mayoralty much has been achieved in Alice Springs: the Alice Springs Convention Centre, the Traeger Park Grandstand, funding for the Aquatic Centre, CCTV in the Todd Mall and, of course, Alice Springs becoming a Solar City. This project alone will bring more than $40m into the Alice Springs economy. That is testament to Fran’s tenacity and vision.
We have enjoyed a strong and productive relationship with the Alice Springs Town Council with Fran at the helm, one which I hope will continue with the new Mayor Damien Ryan and the newly elected council. Congratulations to Fran on everything she has achieved in her time on the Alice Springs Town Council. I know with her dedication and energy she will continue to invest in her home town and make Alice Springs an even better place to live.
The Chamber of Commerce plays a pivotal role in representing business throughout the Territory. After 11 years of service to Alice Springs’ business, Beth Mildred has retired as manager of the Central Australian Chamber of Commerce. Over those 11 years Beth has showed an absolute commitment to representing the voices of business both big and small across Alice Springs on a wide range of issues. Beth has played a pivotal role in the highly successful Central Australian Expo held each February which show cases local business and products and attracts up to 8000 visitors. I have had the pleasure of attending a number of expos over the years and they are always a fantastic opportunity to see what Central Australian business has to offer.
Beth has been replaced in the manager’s chair by Diana McMullin, whom I look forward to meeting next time I am in Alice Springs. Diana has big shoes to fill but I am sure that she will be as passionate about advocating for business as Beth has been.
Congratulations to Beth on her many achievements over 11 years as head of the Chamber. I am sure my colleagues will join with me in wishing Beth a relaxing and employable retirement.
I would like to speak about our school leaders in my electorate of Wanguri. Around this time of the school year, the schools are electing their school leaders. Any student who puts up their hand for a position on the school leadership team is doing a great thing for their school and their community.
It is always fantastic to go out to electorate schools and to see the wonderful ways the school leaders contribute to making each school such a great place to be. I would like to make mention of all the future leaders in the Territory in the schools in my electorate. All of the leaders get a certificate, and a letter from me congratulating them, and I try to present those personally. It is wonderful to see these young people putting their hands up to be on the SRC, to be elected as school captains or sports captains. I am sure they are going to be leaders of the future.
Madam Speaker, I seek leave to have the names of school leaders at Leanyer Primary, Wanguri Primary, St Andrew Lutheran School and Holy Spirit Primary School incorporated into the Parliamentary Record.
Leave granted.
House Officials:
Mr HENDERSON: Thank you, Madam Speaker, thank you, parliamentary colleagues.
At Wanguri Primary School I was very pleased to be at the assembly the other day for a fantastic new initiative between Wanguri Primary School and the Kiwanis Club of Darwin. This year Wanguri Primary is running the Kiwanis Terrific Kids Club in place of the usual student representative council. The Kiwanis Terrific Kids Program originated in 1982 in the United States of America. The program is now endorsed by Kiwanis groups throughout the world and is operated in cooperation with approximately 800 local Kiwanis clubs through more than 2000 schools covering nearly one million children in 74 countries including Australia. In the Northern Territory, Wanguri Primary and Wagaman Primary are using the Terrific Kids Club through the Kiwanis Club.
The Terrific Kids Club encourages the kids at Wanguri to become leaders, not just in their schools but in the wider community. It is fantastic the Kiwanis are running this program through the NT. I was very proud to go to the school and present students with their certificates alongside Phil Hedger from the Kiwanis Club of Darwin. I congratulate Phil for bringing this initiative to Wanguri School. Phil is a local resident and it was great to see local residents through community groups supporting their local school.
Madam Speaker, I seek leave to have the names of those students incorporated into the Parliamentary Record..
Leave granted.
Mr HENDERSON: Madam Speaker, we have just had a round of school council AGMs throughout my electorate. It is fantastic to go to the AGMs. If I am not able to go there I go to as many school council meetings as I can. People are volunteering their time to get involved in the school, get involved in the running of the school, contributing to their children and their school’s education and running. It is a huge commitment and the people who do it are absolutely passionate about it. I thank our school councils and I will just go through some of the positions.
At Leanyer, Grant Hatcher was returned as Chair and Wayne van Sambeek, Vice Chair. This will be Grant’s second year as Chair. Thank you, Grant, for your continuing good work.
At Wanguri, Michael Duffy has been re-elected Chair with Samantha McNaughton as Vice Chair. I think Michael is in for his second year as Chair. Michael Duffy is a passionate person about public education; he is greatly involved with COGSO and is running an indigenous project for COGSO at the moment. To Michael and Samantha, thank you for putting your hands up and being re-elected.
At St Andrew Lutheran School, a small school in my electorate which does a great job, Treva Gerschwitz has been elected Chair and Meghan Thamm elected as Vice Chair of the school council. Thank you very much for your contribution to the school. The Parents and Friends Association at St Andrew’s has Kate Brown as Chair and Nicole Lamb as Secretary. Thank you for again your contribution to the school.
Holy Spirit Primary School is in my electorate. The fete is coming up 10 May. I put out a challenge. I believe it is the best school fete in the northern suburbs of Darwin every year, and I look forward to it. Paul Albion has been elected Chair of the board at Holy Spirit. Thank you, Paul, for the contribution you have made.
Madam Speaker, I seek leave to have the names of the members of the school councils incorporated into the Parliamentary Record.
Leave granted.
Mr HENDERSON: Thank you, Madam Speaker. To all of those people who contribute to what is probably the most important social infrastructure all of us have in our electorates; which are our schools, our education system is better thanks to the contribution that these people make locally and right across the Territory.
Mrs MILLER (Katherine): Madam Speaker, I thought there were a couple more people speaking to the statement.
I wish to put on the Parliamentary Record the disappointment that I and the Katherine community are feeling at the decision that this government has taken in deciding to locate the new prison in Darwin. From the time the minister announced that a new prison would be built somewhere in the Northern Territory, it was very obvious that the regional areas of Katherine and Tennant Creek were going to lobby hard for each of their areas and, in my case, of course, for Katherine.
This government constantly claims that they love the regional areas and they work for all Territorians. Well, in the consideration of a major infrastructure project so relevant to regional Northern Territory, one that could significantly develop a region and ensure the long-term support for ongoing development, this government has fallen by the wayside. The excuses that have been put forward about the prison being located in Darwin are nothing but short-sighted and confirm, once again, that you do not give a rat’s for any major development outside of Darwin.
Can you imagine how the residents of Katherine felt when the announcement was made that $1m was to be spent upgrading the Berrimah prison for the short term, and that it would then be pulled down once the new prison was established? What an absolute waste of taxpayer’s money! How can you justify putting $1m into such a short-term repair and maintenance project, to pull it down also in the short term? In addition, you can bet your sweet bippy that the estimated cost of $1m for repairs will blow out to considerably more than that, just as other projects that this government announces have done.
If government is prepared to spend that amount of money, instead of putting up a prison that will be ultimately destroyed, why doesn’t it go down the path of putting that money towards a facility in a regional area? Of course, I would like to see that happen in Katherine. A facility built in Katherine would not cost the amount of money that has been suggested, especially if it was to be constructed next to the research station which could be utilised as part of the rehabilitation program for the low- to medium-security prison clients.
Katherine is desperately looking for a commitment from this government of major infrastructure development. When the new prison for the Northern Territory was announced, there was some hope that, at long last, there could be something big happening in Katherine. The advantages this infrastructure development would bring to the Katherine region include: benefits through building and construction, training, employment and very practical use of the land at the Katherine Research Station. Katherine Town Council and the business community have also lobbied government in support of this development in Katherine.
This government also put in place Economic Development Committees throughout the Territory, whose role it is to determine economic priorities for each of their regions and to report and lobby government in support of those. The Katherine Economic Committee has discussed the proposal to build a prison and definitely support its location in a regional area, first preference being, of course, Katherine. The Katherine Economic Committee has written a letter to government which is very supportive of the development of a low- to medium-security prison in Katherine.
I have asked permission from the committee to read into the Parliamentary Record the letter from the Katherine Economic Committee to government. I will now read from a copy which states the case for Katherine very clearly:
I do not believe that regional development is taken seriously by this government. I listened to the Chief Minister’s statement today, which was all about how fantastic the economic growth is in the Territory, and all I could hear was everything wonderful happening in Darwin.
This government supports anything that can be seen up here but is not seriously concerned about ensuring that the regions are supported. The establishment of a prison in Katherine and/or Tennant Creek would have certainly changed my opinion about that. There have been the arguments that it is not viable, prison officers do not want to go there, it is too expensive to build there, etcetera, etcetera. I am so disappointed that these excuses have been used, and to me that is all they are: excuses, excuses.
Build the infrastructure and you can bet that people genuinely seeking employment will come if they are unable to source employment locally. One aspect that is possibly a big challenge to building such a valuable infrastructure in Katherine is, I believe, that Power and Water may have a challenge supplying enough power for this facility. Unless I am wrongly informed, Katherine is at its maximum supply now. If that is accurate, that major improvement of infrastructure for power supply to Katherine needs to be considered very soon otherwise there will be no major development within Katherine at all.
I sincerely hope that government will reconsider where they are going to locate this prison and start to look at the regional areas which have been very severely affected by the lack of development of infrastructure development, and especially where they could establish one in Katherine and another in Tennant Creek. That would suit those areas and be far more financially viable for government to operate.
Mr KIELY (Sanderson): Madam Acting Deputy Speaker, tonight I talk about a valuable event I was invited to emcee on Sunday, 27 April 2008. That was the launch of 2008 Darwin Rose Pageant. Every year since 1984, the Northern Territory Irish Association has given the opportunity for young Territory women to participate in the Darwin Rose pageant, offering participants the opportunity for personal development and fun. Participants learn the art of public speaking, personal grooming, fund raising skills, and the opportunity to embark on a journey to discover themselves and their heritage. The winner each year goes on to represent the Northern Territory at the Rose of Tralee International Festival in Ireland.
The Rose of Tralee Festival draws its inspiration from the story of an ill-fated love between a servant girl, a Catholic girl, and the son of wealthy merchant, who happened to be a Presbyterian, as told in the love song, The Rose of Tralee. It is a quite a moving story of star-crossed lovers. A 17-year-old servant girl, Mary O’Connor, worked in a wealthy household. The son of the household owner, William Pembroke Mulchinock, fell madly in love with her. William got himself in a bit of strife and had to flee to India. When he returned, some six years later, it was on the day that the cortege bearing Mary O’Connor passed by the window. It was from that time on that he used to visit her grave. He always loved her and, though he married again, he ended up returning to the place where she was buried and died a broken man.
The Irish have a history of turning bleak events into happy and wonderful occasions to be celebrated. It was the love that he had for this girl. There was a song written about the Rose of Tralee and I will read you the last few lines of it. This is very important to the spirit of what the Rose of Tralee pageant is about. The last lines of The Rose of Tralee are:
The Rose of Tralee is not a beauty pageant. To earn a place in the international final requires an entrant to be poised, mature, vivacious, intelligent, as well as having a flair for dress and good manners, not to mention that other intangible quality that is celebrated in the song, The Rose of Tralee.
I had the great fortune to be the Master of Ceremonies at the pageant launch. My role was to introduce the pageant candidates and assist them if they got stuck or nervous while they were up there. I felt a bit redundant because these young women were everything that is looked for in this pageant. They had poise, were mature and vivacious, and they most clearly were intelligent. The age span was noteworthy. There was one young woman who was celebrating her 18th birthday which is the minimum age for getting into the pageant. She was a little nervous when she got up there but when she starting speaking and describing her background, her Irish heritage and why she had entered into the pageant, it became very clear she was comfortable there as were the rest of the candidates.
The candidates for the 2008 pageant are Erin Holland, Amy Nicholls, Brigitte Ryan, Colleen Brannelly, Kate Hudspith and Siobhan Niland. Siobhan travelled all the way from Alice Springs for the pageant and went back the following afternoon. Siobhan’s father came from Ireland and she has been back many times to the old country to see her relatives. She was pretty happy about that.
These young women addressed an audience of people they did not know. Their poise was something to be seen to be believed. If there is one job I would not like to have it would be on the panel of judges. There are five judges this year. I will not go into their names because while they are out in the public arena and the candidates know who the judges are, I will not put them into the Hansard, I will leave them a bit of anonymity in the community. The judges really have their work cut out because all of these people are exceptional. The one who does become the Rose is in for a fantastic journey. I have seen some of the video of what happens in Ireland at Tralee. This festival is something to be seen. There is a week of festivities. The Irish certainly know how to host this pageant. It has people from America, South Africa, England and Ireland, and all across the globe. Anyone with Irish heritage can enter.
The candidates for the Rose of Tralee are going to be busy over a very short period. The official launch was Sunday, 27 April 2008. On 13 May 2008, we have a sponsors’ reception here at Parliament House which I will be attending. That will be fun. It is full cocktail wear so that is going to be pretty special. On 16 May 2008, there is the Lord Mayor’s reception hosted by the Darwin City Council and the new Lord Mayor, which is strictly invitation only. I do not know if I will be lucky enough to get an invitation to that. If I do, I will certainly attend. There is also the Administrator’s reception at Government House on 27 May, so you can see this is quite busy. The final cocktail party where the successful candidate will be announced is on 6 June 2008 at SKYCITY Casino.
I have been to quite a number of these over the years. They are simply fantastic. They are a wonderful thing to get to. The candidates are able to get out and talk to the audience. There is quite an air of excitement and anticipation, and when the successful candidate is announced, it is good to see everyone congratulating to her. Your heart goes out to the people who were not successful but it is not that sort of environment, everyone is happy for the winner.
In between all these functions there is also a great deal of fundraising that goes on. So, if any members of parliament are approached about getting along to a function to support any of these people in any of their fundraising endeavours, I urge you to get behind them and maybe even drag along a few friends.
Any monies from the events they host go to the NT Irish Association’s nominated charity. This year, it is the RSPCA. How wonderful is that? While talking about the RSPCA, they have the Million Paws march coming up soon. They are always in need of a few bob. They are a very worthy charity. All the money that the Rose of Tralee contenders raise goes to the RSPCA. That is a fabulous gesture by the NT Irish Association.
These pageants cannot happen without a very willing, dedicated and hard-working committee. I also put on record and acknowledge the hard work that the committee does. The committee’s president is the NT Irish Association’s president, Julia Baxter. The secretary is Kay Gargett, and Mary McAlpine is part of the committee. These people are tireless. I must admit that they are well supported by their husbands. They keep the home fires burning while the committee members are busy doing what they have to do to make the pageant a success.
As I said, get along to the cocktail party. Go to any functions that the Rose of Tralee candidates are having. I wish all candidates the best of luck, and to sincerely enjoy the moment. I am sure that they will learn and develop from it. Good luck to them all. I look forward to the passing on of the sash at the cocktail party. Hopefully, last year’s Darwin Rose, Kate O'Fathartaigh, will be able to hand it over. I heard that she is in Dubai, so I am not too sure whether she will be there. Once again, it speaks volumes of the calibre of the people who put their hands up to participate. Not only do you get to represent the Territory in Ireland, but it can lead to great international adventures. That is wonderful.
The NT Irish Association and Rose of Tralee are supporters of the Territory and showcase the Territory when they are away. As a community and a government, we should look at this group and see what they do. They are in Ireland where the Rose of Tralee is telecast to 6.5 million people I believe. The Northern Territory is getting all this exposure. Perhaps the Minister for Tourism might like to look at that and see whether he can help this struggling band of poor Irish immigrants from a long time ago – although some of them are pretty close – and give them a hand with the Rose of Tralee pageant in future.
Dr BURNS (Johnston): Madam Deputy Speaker, I had the pleasure of attending the ordination of Phil Zamagias, a constituent in my electorate, as a minister in the Anglican Church at the Christchurch Cathedral, Smith Street on Sunday, 24 February this year.
Reverend Phil Zamagias has been flying in the Top End since the late 1980s. He and his family moved to Arnhem Land to work as a charter pilot with Missionary Aviation Fellowship. Phil is of Greek extraction. His parents come from Kos and Rhodes, and his family was involved in hosting Greek families that were evacuated to Sydney after Cyclone Tracy. He trained as an engineer with Qantas before learning to fly and, hearing about the opportunity to work in the Territory came to visit in 1985. Phil and Leeanne trained at Sydney Missionary and Bible College and moved to Arnhem Land. Based at Oenpelli, Phil flew teachers, nurses, doctors and government officials to the most remote communities in a small, single-engine Cessna. On occasion, he would also transport mobile polling booths and politicians during election campaigns. He later moved to Gove where he flew commuter aircraft on scheduled services to Top End communities.
After a brief return to Sydney where his father was dying, Phil and his family accepted a position with the Bible Society to return as the ‘Flying Bible Man’, a role he was very familiar with. Phil’s role is to support community initiatives; to develop linguistic programs based on Bible translation; and the preservation of language and cultural identity. The Anglican, Uniting, Catholic, Lutheran and Baptist Churches each have such projects that are supported by the Bible Society. They have resulted in various publications including the very first full Bible in an indigenous language, the Kriol Baibul. Kriol is a language that developed to serve the needs of indigenous people interacting with pastoralists in the Roper River area early last century. It has spread westward and is now spoken by around 30 000 people as far west as the Kimberleys.
The Kriol Baibul was dedicated at the Katherine Christian Convention in May 2007 at a ceremony attended by church, community and political leaders from all over Australia. Phil was MC for the event and had been assisting the project over last years before publication. This year, Phil is pleased to be involved in the dedication of three more indigenous scripture publications, the Burarra New Testament at Maningrida on 18 April; the Ngaanyatjara Shorter Bible at Warburton on 11 May; and the Djambarrpuyngu New Testament at Elcho Island on 8 June. These are the result of decades of painstaking work by indigenous and non-indigenous translators and linguists.
The Djambarrpuyngu New Testament brings a new collaboration to the Northern Territory with the typesetting and printing being carried out by the Indonesian Bible Society. Phil travelled to Jakarta in 2006, where he was warmly welcomed. With a printing press that employs 200 people, he saw they were well suited to producing books for use in tropical climates. The Indonesian Bible Society is delighted to be part of a significant project for Australian Aboriginal people and hope to send a delegate to the dedication in June.
Phil has been involved in recording indigenous language translation of the bible on to digital audio. The Burarra language of Maningrida was his first project in the field, where he went and recorded St Mark’s Gospel for use by non-literate people in the church. The recordings on CD and the transcript have been distributed to church leaders and are used in fellowship meetings. It took a week of recording and three weeks of editing to produce a master copy. He arranged for the recording studio at Nungalinya College to be refurbished by the Bible Society to allow other language groups to come to Darwin and record their own languages.
Phil is also working on a children’s project to be launched in mid-2008. It will consist of a colouring book with favourite Bible stories, coloured pencils, a custom CD from Colin Buchanan and a wrist band. Fifteen thousand will be produced in English and in local languages for free distribution to children in remote communities that want them.
Phil flies the Bible Society’s Piper aircraft regularly to communities across the Top End, from Western Australia to Torres Strait, supporting all Christian denominations in bringing hope and meaning to people who are often living in difficult situations. Indigenous Christians are very active in their communities and are often significant leaders and role models. Phil’s work is to support their initiatives and to encourage them to persevere. He is welcomed everywhere he goes and is invited to speak at community events, schools and churches.
Phil’s work takes him to Robertson Barracks, where he supports the Military Chaplains with special Bibles made for Australia’s Defence Force personnel. These Bibles are very popular amongst soldiers deployed overseas and are in big demand. Phil is pleased to make grants of these Bibles to the commanding officers and their chaplains free of charge.
Like many Territorians, Phil wears a few different hats. Phil has been the Motor Racing Chaplain at Hidden Valley Raceway since 2003. He attends club events as well as the V8 Supercars. ‘I do the tune-ups on people’, he says. If people need someone to talk to, they know that he will listen. He has been asked to do funerals, memorials, weddings and baby-naming ceremonies for motor racing families and their friends.
Phil is also the State Coordinator of Sports Chaplaincy Australia, the peak accrediting body for Sports Chaplains across Australia. This group provides chaplaincy services to elite sports, including the Australian Olympic Team and sporting clubs at all levels throughout Australia.
Phil is also the Assistant Minister of St Luke’s Palmerston where, as well as Sunday services, he is leading a men’s group that tackles life’s big issues through the wisdom of the Bible. Special guests such as doctors, lawyers, military chaplains and politicians bring professional guidance to the group.
Phil is Chairman of the NT Branch of Australian Fellowship of Evangelical Students, which provides chaplains to universities across Australia. AFES now has a chaplain at Darwin’s CDU campus.
Phil has served on the board of Rhema-FM radio in Darwin, after previously being an announcer and board member at Gove-FM.
Phil’s family comprises his wife, Leeanne and two boys, Tim and Alex. Leanne runs the Bible Society’s Resource Centre at Casuarina and supports Phil’s remote area work from Darwin. She is actively involved in church and community events. Tim is a second year Engineering student at CDU and enjoys motor racing, photography and helping out with sound equipment at church. Alex is in Year 10 at Marrara Christian College. He enjoys singing and has performed in several Darwin stage productions.
Phil’s story is one of inspiration and I wish him all the best in his new role as Reverend Phil Zamagias. I am sure all members join me in those best wishes.
Ms CARNEY (Araluen): Madam Deputy Speaker, tonight I talk about a promise made by the Labor government in 2005 during the Territory election campaign - a promise that has not been kept. I raise it for a number of reasons but the main reason is that there are many people in Alice Springs who are not only on to this breach of promise but very concerned about the nature of it and its ramifications.
I refer, to a media release dated 23 March 2005 under the name of then Chief Minister, the member for Fannie Bay. In that media release the then Chief Minister announced $8.1m to the Alice Springs Town Council for an aquatic centre. The Chief Minister made this announcement in Alice Springs and lead all and sundry to believe that the government would deliver on its promise. The media release says, and I quote:
a stand alone 25 m heated swimming pool;
heated changing rooms;
a hydrotherapy pool;
an aqua play water park; and
an environmentally friendly facility with solar power and gas heating.
There were subsequent references to Alice Springs getting a hydrotherapy pool. There are many references but I will refer to just a couple made by the Labor candidate for Araluen, Mr John Gaynor. In one piece of election material circulated around the electorate, it is on A3 size paper and in colour, it says ‘New Aquatic Centre’ and then it says:
That was the promise not only made by the Chief Minister but the Labor candidate who stood for the seat of Araluen. This was not the only document, however. There was another issued under the name of Mr John Gaynor, Labor candidate for Araluen. This is an A4 sheet of paper, normal colour. Mr Gaynor says, and I quote:
Now that the election is over and a couple of years down the track, the hydrotherapy pool has vanished. I refer to a media release issued by the new Chief Minister, member for Wanguri, dated 10 March 2008. He talks as his predecessor did, in glowing terms about the $8.1m towards the construction of the Aquatic Centre. He said in his media release that:
an Outdoor Leisure Fun Pool; and
environmentally friendly facilities, including solar power measures.
Now, the hydrotherapy pool has disappeared, and this government seems to be of the view that the people of Alice Springs have not noticed. I can assure them that they have. I have had a number of representations, and it is fair to say that a number of people are very concerned, and others are very angry.
I refer to an article in the Centralian Advocate dated Friday 18 April of this year. On page 8, Heather Whittaker expresses her concerns about the new swimming centre. The article is headed ‘Hydrotherapy Pool wanted’. It then goes on to say:
The article goes on to quote Mr Greg Buxton, the Director of Technical Services at the Alice Springs Town Council, who said that a hydrotherapy pool would cost an extra $2.8m. The council has been placed in an impossible position. They, no doubt, are involved in the funding agreement from government, and the council will be administering, for the want of a better expression, the money advanced by the Northern Territory government.
However, the council knows that the people of Alice Springs wanted a hydrotherapy pool. The council knows that the people of Alice Springs were promised a hydrotherapy pool. Yet, the hydrotherapy pool is not within the budget. I believe it is well known that when the government under the former Chief Minister announced the $8.1m for the aquatic centre that it just was not enough to include all that was promised. That, however, is not the problem of the council; that is not the problem for the people of Alice Springs; that is a problem for government. It is typically the case across the Northern Territory that the government promises one thing and delivers another, but it is particularly the case with, it seems, most things related to Alice Springs.
The swimming pool is in the electorate of Araluen, and as the local member it is incumbent upon me to raise these concerns. The government will squib - the government usually squibs when they are caught out - but I would respectfully suggest that the government has absolutely nowhere to go. The hydrotherapy pool was promised. The hydrotherapy pool will not be delivered. The hydrotherapy pool has slipped off the radar of the Northern Territory government. They are so arrogant they believe that no one notices. Well, I can assure them that it has been well and truly noticed.
I will table this, if necessary - but it may not be necessary - I am showing members in the Chamber this evening the latest plan developed by the Alice Springs Town Council within the confines under which they now operate. There was a public meeting last week in Alice Springs of people interested or working in the field of disability. There were a number of concerns about disabled access at the new aquatic centre. One of the issues was the disappearance of the hydrotherapy pool. The chair of that group, Michelle Castagna, a well known and respected person in Alice Springs, and a disability advocate, very kindly afforded me the opportunity of addressing the meeting. I was given permission and, indeed, was encouraged to raise the disappearance of the hydrotherapy pool in the Northern Territory parliament during these sittings. Of course, I undertook to do so and am doing so now.
If one looks at this plan, it is blindingly obvious that the hydrotherapy pool does not exist. There were people at that group who felt very strongly that a hydrotherapy pool should be there. Government may well say: ‘We are giving you some other things that will suffice’. I believe there is an attempt at persuading the people of Alice Springs that something else would do. In the Chief Minister’s media release of 10 March 2008, he referred to ‘a program pool (to be used for physiotherapy programs)’. This is, in many respects, a specialist area. There is a difference between a hydrotherapy pool and other alternatives currently being worked on by the Alice Springs Town Council. A program pool, a wave ball, or the river which the Technical Services Manager described at the meeting, are not, do not, cannot, amount to a hydrotherapy pool, and people who work in the area know that to be the case.
To say that this is disappointing is an understatement. Unfortunately, it is typical of the way this government conducts itself. Nevertheless, I have been asked to pursue the matter. I have also been specifically asked to see if I can get access to the funding agreement documents between the Northern Territory government and the Alice Springs Town Council to see whether the provision of a hydrotherapy pool is a condition of that funding.
I now formally call on either the Minister for Central Australia, the Chief Minister or the Minister for Sport and Recreation to advise me either formally or informally during these sittings whether it is possible for me, on behalf of those I represent, to obtain a copy of that funding agreement. If it is possible – and subject to the details of the funding agreement - I am compelled to ask whether the Alice Springs Town Council is obliged to deliver what the Northern Territory government has, essentially, announced as its new package as opposed to what it promised in the election campaign of 2005.
There is a view that this places the council in an invidious position because the council well knows what the promise was in 2005. Presumably, the terms of the funding agreement do not include provision of a hydrotherapy pool. If that is the case, I would doubt that council can go beyond the terms of the funding agreement. In any event, I formally ask for a copy of that funding agreement or, at very least, to know the terms of it.
This is the case of the missing hydrotherapy pool. No government in modern politics or, indeed, any other politics over the years, can get away with promising something and not delivering it. We do not even need to wax lyrical about core promises and non-core promises. This was a rock solid, fair dinkum promise, made by the former Chief Minister, followed up by the candidate, Mr John Gaynor - who interestingly, works for the Chief Minister these days. As the former candidate, he would know that he promised, in accordance with his old boss, the former Chief Minister, that he and the former Chief Minister would deliver the hydrotherapy pool. He and many others know that the hydrotherapy pool has apparently fallen by the wayside.
I also take this opportunity of formally asking for an explanation as to why this has occurred. If there is a sensible explanation, then run it by me, as an elected member, run it by the people of Alice Springs, answer media inquiries, and explain why it is that the hydrotherapy pool has gone missing.
Madam Speaker, this evening, albeit briefly, I congratulate the student representatives of the SRC at Bradshaw Primary School to whom I presented badges last month. I congratulate in Year 2/3 Lee, Leah Braham and Skye Coleman; in Year 3/4 Prince, Jasmine Donahoo and Claire Spurling; Year 3/4 Hooton, Joe Worrall and Dimity Andresen; Year 4/5 Barney, George Worrall and Penny Reu; and Year 5/6 Unit, Alexis Coleman, Shona Willis and Stewey Thornton.
The president is George Worrall. The Vice President is Alexis Coleman. The Secretary is Penny Rue, and the Treasurer is Stewey Thornton.
These kids have already had class meetings and have some great ideas for fundraising and special events. The kids at Bradshaw are very special kids, and all of these students will, I am sure, do well. I am fortunate enough to know many of them, and it was an honour for me, as the member for Araluen, to present them with their badges. I know that the SRC at Bradshaw Primary School will do well. As local member, I am always happy to support them. The school is going forward in leaps and bounds. I am very proud of them. I am sure all members will join with me in congratulating this year’s SRC representatives at Bradshaw Primary School.
Motion agreed to; the Assembly adjourned.
MESSAGE FROM ADMINISTRATOR
Message No 26
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I have received from His Honour the Administrator, Message No 26 notifying assent to bills passed in the February sittings of the Assembly.
COMMONWEALTH DAY MESSAGE
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I have also received the Commonwealth Day Message 2008 from Her Majesty The Queen, dated 10 March 2008. With the concurrence of honourable members, I will have the Commonwealth Day Message incorporated in the Parliamentary Record.
- Last year, Commonwealth Heads of Government met in Uganda on the edge of Lake Victoria and agreed to an Action Plan for tackling climate change. It was an appropriate place to do so: from there, the waters of the River Nile begin a three-month journey to the Mediterranean. The Nile, throughout history has served humankind in many ways, but for all its impressive size and importance this river is a fragile eco-system and its vulnerability grows with the number of people dependant upon it so that a single incident of pollution upstream may affect the lives of countless numbers downstream.
The example of the Nile illustrates many of the challenges facing the global environment as a whole which, belatedly, we have come to understand cannot alone sustain our lives as once it did. The competition for fresh water by a growing population is itself becoming a source of potential conflict. Our own attitudes to the environment and the use we put it to may have consequences for people on every continent and for every ocean and sea. The impact of pollution falls unequally. It is often those who pollute the least – notably in the world’s least developed nations who are closest to the razor’s edge, most affected by the impact of climate change and least equipped to cope with it.
And it is important to remember that the environmental choices available in some countries may not be an option for others. In some parts of the world, for example, fossil fuels can be used more sparingly and buildings can be made of more efficient, sustainable materials but it is far harder to expect someone to adapt if he relies on the trees of a local forest for fuel, shelter and livelihood. If we recognise the interests and needs of the people who are most affected we can work with them to bring about lasting change. Happily this approach has always been a strength of the Commonwealth and awareness of environmental issues is now widespread with a determination that future generations should enjoy clean air, sufficient fresh water and energy without rising damage to the planet. Few are more aware or energetic in confronting climate change than young people, and we should support them.
In the Commonwealth governments, businesses, communities and individuals should each strive to match words and good intentions with deeds. Every contribution has its part to play. Whatever we do, wherever we live our actions in defence of the environment can have a real and positive effect upon the lives of others, today and into the future.
ELIZABETH R
10 March 2008
WARRANT
Deputy Chairman of Committees
Deputy Chairman of Committees
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, pursuant to the provisions of Standing Order 12, I hereby revoke all previous warrants nominating members to act as Deputy Chairman of Committees and nominate the following members to act as Deputy Chairman of Committees: Ms Alison Anderson, Mr James Burke, Mr Karl Hampton, Ms Malarndirri McCarthy, Mr Syd Stirling, Mr Ted Warren and Mr Gerry Wood when requested so to do by the Speaker.
Given under my hand this 29th day of April 2008.
PETITIONS
Territory Speed Limits
Territory Speed Limits
Ms CARNEY (Araluen): Madam Speaker, I present a petition from 64 petitioners praying that the 130 km/h speed limit on Territory roads be repealed. The petition bears the Clerk’s certificate that it conforms with the requirements of standing orders. Madam Speaker, I move the petition be read.
Motion agreed to; petition read.
- We, the undersigned, respectfully showeth our great concern about speed limits on our open roads. We, the undersigned, note that recommendation 6 in the Road Safety Taskforce Report is not based on any evidence other than making general assertions to the effect that high speeds increase the risk of accidents and quoting studies from other parts of Australia and the rest of the world. The report does not contain one single piece of evidence that travelling in excess of 130 km/h was the cause of any accidents on NT open roads.
- Instead the report admits that there is no such evidence available from the NT Police Crash Investigations. We, the undersigned, remind the Legislative Assembly we the citizens of the Northern Territory are intelligent and civic minded, but we are not prepared to have our rights removed by laws that have no evidentiary basis. We, the undersigned, call for the immediate removal of open road speed limits and being and do so duty bound and pray.
Patient Assisted Travel Scheme
Mr CONLAN (Greatorex)(by leave): Madam Speaker, I present a petition from 400 petitioners relating to the Patient Assisted Travel Scheme or PATS. 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 call upon the Territory government to continue the availability of Patient Assisted Travel Scheme to cancer sufferers to travel interstate in spite of the construction of the oncology unit in Darwin and, further, we call upon the Minister for Health to acknowledge that many Alice Springs residents that develop cancer need to be with family at such difficult times, whereas, often as not, those family members reside interstate, not just in Darwin and in making such an acknowledgement announce that PATS will continue to operate providing assistance for interstate transfers and, further, we call upon the NT government to increase and expand the rates of assistance to spouse and/or family members.
- Your petitioners request that the Legislative Assembly of the Northern Territory urgently take necessary steps to improve PATS for all Territorians.
RESPONSE TO PETITIONS
The CLERK: Madam Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 100A, I inform honourable members the response to petition No 70 has been received and circulated to honourable members. The text of the response will be placed on the Legislative Assembly website. The copy of the response will be provided to the member who tabled the petition for distribution to the petitioners.
- Petition No: 70
Regional Prison in Tennant Creek
Date Presented: 12 February 2008
Presented by: Mr McAdam
Referred To: Minister for Justice and Attorney-General
Date response due: 10 June 2008
Date response received: 25 March 2008
Response presented: 29 April 2008
- Response
I write in reference to a recent petition that you have signed expressing support for the construction of a regional prison in Tennant Creek and the Barkly Region.
The management of increasing prisoner numbers is a key issue for all Australian States and Territories. Combined with this is the responsibility of correctional jurisdictions to provide facilities that not only enforce the orders of the courts but offer a range of programs and activities that assist offenders to address the offending behaviour which places them under the supervision of corrective services.
To prepare for this upward trend in prisoner numbers in the Northern Territory, Northern Territory Correctional Services (NTCS) is currently finalising a capital works master plan to identify the capital infrastructure required to address the future needs of the Northern Territory.
The concept of a regional prison has certainly drawn favourable interest from regional areas. However the decision on any new prison facility needs to be made on the basis of how the facility will deliver the most effective outcomes taking into consideration the ability to deliver appropriate rehabilitation and reintegration programs to offenders in an orderly and cost efficient manner.
The NTGC capital works master plan has not yet been finalised and, therefore, has not been presented to government. Until this process is completed, no decision can be made in relation to any new infrastructure.
It is encouraging to see the local community show positive support for this important initiative. Thank you for your interest.
MINISTERIAL REPORTS
Museums – 10 Year Plan
Museums – 10 Year Plan
Ms SCRYMGOUR (Arts and Museums): Madam Speaker, I recently announced the development of a 10 year plan for our museum sector. Our two major collections were both established over 20 to 25 years ago with Museum and Art Galleries of the Northern Territory, MAGNT, at Bullocky Point and Araluen Art Centre in Alice Springs. The Maritime Museum at MAGNT has been the only major addition to our flagship museums in that period. In recent years, we have seen the construction of Nyingkka Nyunyu in Tennant Creek, and the planning work on the Katherine Cultural Centre. There are also a number of other specialist and regional museums that have received government support.
Over that time, the population of the Territory has more than doubled, and tourist visitation has trebled. Visitation to MAGNT in Araluen is over 300 000 annually. Research suggests that MAGNT supplies $30m of value to Darwin and Top End tourism.
It is now time to assess the future of the sector. Of concern are real issues of storage for our collections, as well as other publicly-owned collections within the Northern Territory Library, the Northern Territory Archives and the Northern Territory Herbarium. A lack of storage means many of our more important holdings never see the light of day, or are seen only partially or sporadically. The Papunya Tula Art Collection is one of these.
The lack of off-site storage for Territory collections restricts the optimum use of our existing institutions for additional gallery space, which restricts travelling exhibitions. Of critical concern is housing our holdings of skeletal remains and secret-sacred objects. While there is an ongoing program of returning cultural objects, this may not always be possible. Over the next decade, the Territory may face the return of a further 6000 items of such materials from interstate and overseas.
The 10-year plan, Building Our Museum Sector, envisages a thorough approach to consolidation of our existing museum assets and the potential creation of a new asset. We will be looking at contemporary approaches to museum practices, technologies and business planning. The plan will look at our how the philanthropic and private sectors can support our museum sector. Everything is on the table for discussion. A significant amount of work has already been done by our institutions, but needs public discussions and costings, as well as planning for a program that would extend over a decade. It will involve a vision that goes far beyond the present.
Although the Territory, as a self-governing institution, is barely 30 years old, the repository will have to serve the Territory for the next century. As well as our collections of art and natural history material, it will include Northern Territory Library, Archives and Herbarium holdings, as well as community-owned collections of high artistic, historical and heritage value. There have been proposals over two decades of the establishment of a dedicated gallery of Aboriginal art. At present, we have only small dedicated spaces for permanent displays. Given the national and international interest in the Territory’s rich Aboriginal cultural heritage, we should look at this closely.
The MAGNT is one of the nation’s best holdings of South-East Asian art, with a strong collection of textiles, but these are rarely displayed. The Natural History collection at MAGNT is a permanent favourite, but only represents a small part of the enormous research effort and knowledge that lies behind it. There is virtually no capacity to display the prehistoric collections that have been built over many years. With the exception of the Cyclone Tracy exhibit and the occasional displays, such as Sweet and Sour, the Territory has had a poor record in exhibiting Territory social history. This includes seminal events in our history, such as World War II.
I should point out that we have been listening to the community views over the siting of the World War II museum facility, and are actively considering all options. It is not proposed that we enter into a complex series of expert consultancies. Quite a bit of the work has already been done. We will be listening to the public and getting their ideas, as well as contributions from the Board of MAGNT and Araluen.
Mrs MILLER (Katherine): Madam Speaker, I thank the minister for her report this morning. I am glad you are listening to the public on the siting of that World War II museum. That location is going to make a significant difference to Darwin.
There is no doubt that visitors come to the Northern Territory to view mainly indigenous art. That is a very big attraction for the Northern Territory. Going through the museum in the last couple of weeks, I had to remind myself just how little we have on display. Unfortunately, it takes more space to store those things than it takes to display. There definitely has to be a lot of work and money put into more display areas for indigenous art within the Northern Territory. A complaint of visitors for some time is that they cannot see enough of what they come to the Northern Territory to see.
I thank the minister for her report. It is very important for regional areas to have that development of art as well. I genuinely want to see the reality of the Katherine cultural precinct. It is very much needed and has been repeatedly asked for especially by Ghan passengers who come to Katherine and wish to view indigenous art in one location, and Territory art broadly. I thank the minister for her report.
Mr WOOD (Nelson): Madam Speaker, I thank the minister for her report. Recently, one of the federal ministers was discussing tourism in Papua New Guinea and mentioned that military tourism could be exploited in PNG. He was referring to people visiting places like the Solomon Islands, the Kokoda Trail, Rabaul – all those places involved in World War II. Talking about museums, especially a World War II museum, I do hope it goes somewhere else besides the lawn next door to Parliament House - East Point preferably. We cannot have that as a separate museum for World War II heritage. It must be linked, for instance, with the Aviation Museum and all the sites in the Northern Territory. We cannot bring an airstrip and put it in a museum, the airstrip is there. I recognise the government has increased the number of World War II heritage sites and I am very pleased to see the government declare the Strauss Cricket Ground a heritage site recently. I thank them very much for that.
We have an opportunity that is unique in Australia, similar to what the federal government is talking about in New Guinea. That is, we can develop a unique tourism industry based on World War II heritage. We should place more emphasis on protecting some of these sites such as the Fenton Airstrip near Hayes Creek. I believe it needs much more protection. People can drive in and out and do what they like to that place, yet it is a very important part of our World War II heritage. There are many other places in the Territory that have been run down; the signs are worn out and there is no form of protection. Perhaps we have opportunities for Aboriginal people in remote areas to be rangers. We do not have just wildlife rangers. We have rangers who look after the heritage sites in those areas - their own heritage, but also the opportunity to look after those sites. I welcome the minister’s statement, but when we are talking museums, especially those linked to World War II, we need to have a bigger approach to the whole thing.
Ms SCRYMGOUR (Arts and Museums): Madam Speaker, I thank both members for their contribution. Member for Katherine, we all want to see the Katherine cultural precinct built. That is why it is important to look into the future. That is becoming more and more a reality in our regional centres, to look at the resourcing financially, but also the curatorial support and all the other resourcing that needs to go towards making cultural precincts a reality. We all want to see Katherine up and, hopefully, not too far into the distant future.
Member for Nelson, the Heritage minister could provide you with a fantastic book about all the World War II sites. It is fabulous, the content is there. If you look at the visitation numbers of all the World War II sites around Darwin, and right down the track as far as Alice Springs, it is clear that people do want to look at those sites. We should exploit them. We are doing that with those sites most visited, particularly the tunnels and other areas around Darwin. That book is a good resource to give to people, to buy as a gift to send to your relatives so when people visit they can see these sites.
I thank you both for your contribution. Hopefully, we can move forward with building a fantastic museum sector for the Territory.
Overseas Travel Report - China
Mr VATSKALIS (Tourism): Madam Speaker, today I inform the House of my recent visit to China in my capacity as Minister for Tourism and Minister for Business and Economic Development. My visit focused on four key events: the announcement of the Northern Territory’s ‘Official Friend of Tourism’ in Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Shanghai and Beijing; the launch of Heaven on Earth: the Northern Territory photography exhibition in Guangzhou; the meeting with the China Photographers Association; and the meeting with the China Police Sportsman’s Association.
Over 200 travel wholesalers, travel agents, airlines and media partners witnessed the appointment of Ms Liang Zi as the Northern Territory’s Friend of Tourism at industry functions in Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Shanghai. Ms Li will act as a travel ambassador for the Northern Territory tourism industry for the next 12 months, promoting the Territory’s iconic travel experiences to the Chinese market. We are very privileged to welcome Ms Liang Zi to our tourism team within China. Her credibility with China ensures that her endorsement of the Northern Territory as a destination will resonate strongly within the Chinese travel, trade and consumer markets.
Ms Liang Zi is one of the most highly recognised female reporters in China, having served as a People’s Liberation Army war journalist as the only female on the battlefield of the long Chinese/Vietnam border war. She has also travelled and reported in Afghanistan, Sierra Leone, Angola, Iraq and Pakistan. In addition, Ms Liang Zi is a renowned travel reporter who produces and presents China’s travel television program, Global Trekker, has authored five travel books, and produced several travel documentaries.
Ms Liang Zi travelled to the Northern Territory in July last year as part of the team of Chinese journalists reporting on the making of the Chinese Centre Television Network documentary, Discovery of the Mystery Land: the Northern Territory. As the official Friend of Tourism for the Northern Territory, Ms Liang Zi will promote the Northern Territory as a destination at trade functions within China and through the media. She will also develop positive media stories about the Northern Territory for China’s magazines and newspapers as well as complimentary blog articles for her own website and on China’s leading news website, Sina.com.
The announcement of Ms Liang Zi as travel ambassador has brought a strong response from the media. I was interviewed by media across China, including a Guangzhou newspaper with a circulation of 1.8 million and a television station with millions of viewers. I also met Mr Zhan, Senior Editor and Deputy Director for TAKUNG PAO, the oldest newspaper in China, with a circulation of 500 000 people. At the Shanghai event I met with the Chief Editor of Soho.com, Mr Fred Yao. Soho is the second largest online portal in China.
It was a privilege to also officially open the photographic submission titled Heaven on Earth: the Northern Territory in Guangzhou during one of the largest world trade shows held in two parts over two weeks. On display were a selection of photographs taken by four renowned Chinese photographers all with a strong passion for the Territory, namely Mr Boa Kun, Mr Wang Zheng, Mr Ma Xiaolin and Ms Liang Zi.
The exhibition ran from 19 to 24 April 2008 and had the potential to attract some of 2.8 million consumers from the Guangdong Trade Fair, as well as the many overseas buyers of the show. Further exhibitions throughout China are planned in this coming year with another exhibition to take place in Beijing at the Panasonic China Consumer Store in the Shin Hong Centre.
In Beijing I also met with Madame Gu, the Vice Secretary of the China Photographers Association who expressed her appreciation for the support they have been given during their trip. They are very keen to send more photographic groups here. I spoke to Mr Bao Kun, one of the members who came to the Northern Territory last year, about working with the China Photographers Association to develop a range of specialist itineraries for their members so they could witness the unique nature and culture of our Territory.
Finally, I met with Mr Wang the head of the China Police Sportsman’s Association to discuss cultural exchanges and events their members could experience in the Northern Territory. The association focuses on training and four-wheel drive treks and is keen to pursue a long-term relationship. Mr Wang is also a senior detective and, as such, responsible for the security of the Olympic Torch while travelling in China.
I took the opportunity to raise, on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Sport and Recreation, the opportunity for them to bring a team to the Arafura Games in May 2009, as well as its members being part of the Finke Desert Race in 2009. China already has a relationship with the Finke Race, as the Shanghai Automotive uses the track for low speed, high heat trials for their car products.
Tourism NT will be working on a range of exciting and innovative corporate campaigns with a range of partners over the coming months. China has been identified as an important emerging market for the Territory tourism industry and our development of innovative marketing activities, such as I have mentioned, is expected to bring significant benefits to our economy and our tourism industry.
Mr MILLS (Opposition Leader): Madam Speaker, this report is welcomed. I still believe the opportunity we have, our strategic advantage in the region, is to build relations which will ultimately lead to trade. The report you have provided indicates a number of opportunities to establish good relations and, through those good relations, to establish understanding and then the capacity to trade and to interact with the Northern Territory. It is obviously a crowded marketplace, and the world seems to be there trying to forge connections, so I commend the minister and this government for those efforts.
I request a report at some stage on the maintenance of these connections. It is good to have these opportunities to meet people but also at some stage have a report on how the connections are being maintained, developed and extended, leading to a clear strategy. A strategic outcome is an important part of this.
I am also very interested to hear what effect the Rudd government’s intervention in foreign investment will have on the engagement that the Territory has with some Chinese interests. It appears to me at the federal level that there has been a message sent regarding foreign investment which will affect the Northern Territory. Some of the reports that we have had tabled here in regard to China expressing an interest in the Northern Territory, appear to be adversely affected by the recent moves of the Rudd Labor government. I need a report on how that will play out in the Northern Territory.
Finally, minister, I did not quite get the report, but did you visit Changi on the way back? I commend you for that. That was an excellent bit of radio. To build those sorts of connections and that initiative, I commend you for it. It was a fantastic story. I am very pleased to hear that kind of opportunity being taken and passing that benefit on to young Territorians.
Mr VATSKALIS (Asian Relations): Madam Speaker, I thank the member for his comments. In response, we have already started seeing dividends from China. We have tour groups coming in May and June, and we are working closely with travel agents in China and airlines to bring more people to the Territory. We have seen some fantastic outcomes. I will be very pleased to report in the future to this House about the outcomes.
Yes, if I did not stay in Singapore I would have arrived in Darwin at 5 am which would have made it impossible to attend the Anzac Day service. I decided to stay in Singapore and attend the Anzac Dawn Service at Kranji War Cemetery and then visit the Changi Memorial with Joshua Bowling whose great-grandfather was a prisoner in Changi. It was a very moving experience for me and for Joshua and for many Australians.
I also had the opportunity to meet a group of soldiers from Robertson Barracks who were training in Butterworth and they came to Singapore. It was a fantastic experience and a good opportunity for us to wave the Territory flag in Singapore.
Research into the Australian Snub-Fin and Indo-Pacific Humpback Dolphins
Mr KIELY (Natural Resources, Environment and Heritage): Madam Speaker, I report to the House on important and exciting new research being conducted in the Northern Territory by the Parks and Wildlife Biodiversity Conservation Division. This research focuses on two dolphin species: the Australian Snub-Fin and the Indo-Pacific Humpback. The Australian Snub-Fin is Australia’s only endemic dolphin, and was recognised as a distinct species for the first time in 2005. These two species are amongst the world’s most uncommon and poorly known dolphins.
Like many Territorians, this government places great value in the natural value of Darwin Harbour and our surrounding coastal systems, and we have done much to protect it. It is this government that recognised the importance of mangroves to the biodiversity of the harbour, ensuring that 97% of mangroves in the harbour are protected under conservation zoning.
Worldwide, many coastal dolphins are in decline as their habitats coincide with the increased pressure on coastal systems. This is the type of situation we must avoid in the Territory. We have the chance to get it right, but it will not happen by accident. To avoid such degradation and loss of biodiversity, we must understand these natural systems and recognise their natural values. To this end, these two dolphin species provide important indicators of the health of our marine areas. The current research project has shown that both the Indo-Pacific Humpback and the Australian Snub-Fin are usually found in shallow waters, close to land or river mouths, and this makes them particularly vulnerable to human activities. The relatively pristine and untouched Northern Territory coastline could possibly hold the most secure populations of the Australian Snub-Fin and the Indo-Pacific Humpback dolphins in the world.
How we manage to protect these populations could be crucial to the long-term conservation of both species. We are fortunate that they live with us in Darwin Harbour and around our coastline. We want such species to prosper. We want future generations of Territorians to have the joy of seeing such magnificent creatures around our cities and coasts. We will have failed our children if we do not endow them with land and marine environments that are as healthy and as biologically diverse as we enjoy today. We cannot take such values for granted. We need information, we need research, and we need to make decisions based on the right information.
This is why this research project is so important. The dolphin project is an innovative joint partnership between the Northern Territory government, ING Direct and the Australian Office of the Worldwide Fund for Nature. I congratulate and thank them for their support of this important research.
Scientists from Parks and Wildlife are working collaboratively with Kakadu National Park, Charles Darwin University, and a broad range of the Darwin Harbour stakeholders to chart a course for the dolphins’ long-term conservation management. The research will allow them to identify key habitat areas and give an understanding of the size of the populations. It will also identify current and potential threats. Such knowledge will allow us to make important decisions about managing our coast in a balanced and sustainable manner.
This new project, being undertaken in a collaborative manner, is very important and exciting research which will benefit future generations of Territorians and Australians in general.
Mrs MILLER (Katherine): Madam Speaker, I thank the minister for his report. We are all for research, minister. It is very important to research accurately to ensure the biodiversity of the harbour is ongoing.
So, why are you going to put industry in the middle of the harbour? What is that going to do to the mangroves, and how important are the mangroves to the Darwin Harbour? They are extremely important and the very thing you are trying to do is destroy them - absolutely destroy the mangroves around this harbour. On one hand you are saying you need research. Sure, you need research, but do you not think you are playing with fire when you are putting industry within this harbour and trying to protect this species that you are talking about?
I thank you very much for your report. It is going to be interesting to see how you are going to counteract that with all this development removing the mangroves.
Mr WOOD (Nelson): Madam Speaker, I thank the minister for his report. It is an important statement, but it cannot be looked at in isolation from other species that use Darwin Harbour. When the program was put forward to dam the Elizabeth River and was stopped, a group of us looked at the number of species that use Darwin Harbour, especially fish, birds or other animals that rely on either the mangroves or the land close by. Darwin Harbour is not just about dolphins; it is about an enormous amount of diversity. It is not just about protecting the mangroves; it is about protecting the land behind the mangroves as well. The two do not work in isolation from one another, just as the sea does not work in isolation from the mangroves.
The issue that I have with Darwin Harbour being developed as an industrial base is that we lose the opportunity to do something special with our harbour. We do not turn it into an aesthetically poor harbour that will be industrial. I know that you probably can develop LNG plants that will not pollute the harbour. Wickham Point went through very intense environmental impact statements to show that. However, that is not the issue I am concerned about. I am concerned that we will lose something that is very special, not only for non-indigenous people, but the indigenous people of Darwin who have used that area for hunting for many years.
I do not think we have given enough consideration to the long-term vision of what our harbour will look like. Yes, minister, it is important we look after these two species of dolphins, but it is important we look after the bigger biodiversity. We could have kept the harbour, and I believe we still have an opportunity to keep the harbour special as a place that we can all enjoy and that is not full of industry. Let us look at another place to put that industry.
Mr KIELY (Natural Resources, Environment and Heritage): Madam Speaker, I thank the members for their contributions. In relation to the concerns raised by the member for Nelson, this government has, for the first time, created a Marine Branch, which is driven out of NRETA, to specifically look at those biodiversity issues that the member for Nelson has mentioned. This is a very competent, well-run branch. It has been brought about by our concern and a community concern for managing the biodiversity within the harbour, as well as understanding the entire coastline aspects and interactions. We are sincerely looking at sustainability in that aspect.
The member for Katherine wanted to know why industry, and why should we develop the NT economy. I thought that was a stand-alone question. We need to grow our economy in order to sustain the lifestyle we enjoy. That is what it is all about, member for Katherine - it is all about sustainability. This government …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr KIELY: This government brought in protection for 97% of the mangroves, something that never happened under the previous government in all the time that they had to do it ...
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Minister, your time has expired. Resume your seat. Order!
Mr Mills: Yeah, sit down, sit down, quick, quick.
Mr Warren: You rude little man.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Goyder, cease interjecting.
Reports noted pursuant to standing orders.
CRIMINAL CODE AMENDMENT BILL (DRINK OR FOOD SPIKING) BILL
(Serial 137)
(Serial 137)
Continued from 21 February 2008.
Ms CARNEY (Araluen): Madam Speaker, is this the Criminal Code Amendment Bill (Serial 138)?
Madam SPEAKER: The food and drink spiking bill.
Ms CARNEY: Thank you, Madam Speaker. The opposition supports this bill, minister. It was a straightforward second reading speech, evidenced by one page. I make no criticism of that; it just illustrates that it is relatively straightforward. At the same time it is a little surprising, given that there already exists a number of offences that capture drink spiking. I refer, obviously, to section 188 of the Criminal Code, Aggravated assault, section 176 of the Criminal Code, and there are others.
Those other provisions, I might say, carry minimum penalties, from memory, of five years’ imprisonment, yet, by way of contrast, the specific penalties under this legislation provide a period of imprisonment for two years. We wonder why it is that the government, on one hand, has already in place offences and penalties which are five years, yet introduces legislation that has as a minimum two years’ imprisonment.
Having said that, I note that this bill is, in essence, a product of the Model Criminal Law Officers Committee report. I appreciate, therefore, why it is that the bill has been introduced. I also appreciate how politically attractive it is to introduce legislation of this nature. I also appreciate what a problem drink spiking is around this country. I am not sure of the extent of the problem in the Territory; I know that there have been some instances of it. I am not sure that we specifically needed legislation over and above the reason outlined by the minister, namely, that it flowed from the Model Criminal Law Officers Committee. Nevertheless, we support the bill because it provides a specific offence and there is no specific offence for drink or food spiking in the Northern Territory.
I ask that the minister, in reply, advise whether the government would consider, after a review say in 12 months, whether it might be appropriate to amend the legislation to make the maximum penalty five years’ imprisonment and, upon summary conviction, two years. That would then, I believe, bring it more in line with other offences in the Criminal Code. However, we are not really pursuing that issue at the present time. We raise it as a possibility.
In any event, the bill is supported. No doubt, the government will issue a bevy of media releases saying that they intend to save young women, in particular, in the Northern Territory from drink spiking. It would be helpful if the minister, in reply, would advise as to the extent of the problem. Having said that, we support the legislation.
Mr WOOD (Nelson): Madam Speaker, I support the amendment to the Criminal Code. I should also note that we had a briefing yesterday with the department, and I thank the department for giving us that briefing.
One issued raised was whether we should have a definition of the word ‘spiking’. It is a colloquial word that has been used to describe the act of putting a substance in another person’s drink or food which can affect that person, leading to harm or them doing things which could cause them embarrassment or humiliation, or impair the victim’s mental ability
Spiking, as I said, is a colloquial term. It may go out of fashion as a word. It may not be interpreted or understood by people from other jurisdictions, or even overseas, as to its exact meaning. I am not sure if that word should be defined or explained in the Criminal Code. I know when you read it, it is fairly clear as to what spiking is, but I believe it would be beneficial to feature a definition as part of the act.
The other issue I raised during the briefing was if you administer a drug with an intent to commit a crime, such as sexual assault, assault, robbery, stealing or fraud, you are liable to receive a penalty, a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. I am not sure whether administering a drug itself is an offence or whether life imprisonment is the result of, for instance, committing sexual assault, assault, robbery, stealing or fraud because you administered a drug. If administering a drug has the maximum sentence of life imprisonment and can result in any of those crimes I just cited - sexual assault, assault, robbery, stealing or fraud – then, it seems to me, the maximum penalty of two years for applying an intoxicating substance seems disproportionate to what would happen if you administered an illegal drug.
My understanding is that this is the penalty for spiking. Then there follows the penalty for the sexual offence, robbery, or whatever. In the second reading speech, minister, you said:
- … we already have laws which make it an offence to administer a drug with the intent to commit a crime;
That could be exactly the same crimes that might come from spiking, but you say:
- It is also an offence to cause any substance to be taken with an intent to cause serious harm, disfigure or disable another person. Committing either of these offences attracts a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
It seems to be that you do not get penalised as much for spiking a drink as you would by causing the same things as if you had administered an illegal drug. I am interested to hear the minister respond so I could see what the logic is there. I believe the intent of the bill is to say, in general, spiking is not going to cause the same kind of serious problems as those compared to problems caused by someone administering an illegal drug. If it does, though, then it does not send out the message that this is a very serious offence. No matter if it is legal or illegal, the end result is the same.
I support what is put before us. I wondered whether this could have been an amendment to the existing parts of the Criminal Code but the government believes that it should be a separate section. I am interested in hearing the minister’s response as to why one form of spiking, if you want to call it that, has a lesser penalty than another form, which is the use of illegal drugs.
Mr WARREN (Goyder): Madam Speaker, I support the bill. I am sure there is not a person in this House who does not understand the problem that is facing our community. It is a modern day phenomenon, although it may well have taken more well known forms in years gone by with alcohol consumption or forced consumption, but in this day and age where we have so many chemicals and cocktails of drugs, I guess it was just a sign of the times that this kind of thing is something that criminals – and I call these people criminals – would take advantage of.
I am sure there is not a person in this House who does not feel disgust at this kind of activity, particularly parents throughout the Territory. We all understand how those people feel in regard to this insidious crime; how they feel about their children going out because most of these crimes actually occur in clubs and pubs.
The member for Araluen pointed out there was not sufficient figures in the NT. That is quite right, although there are plenty of figures throughout Australia. I am going to refer to some of those figures. I am going to refer to the Australian Institute of Criminology’s National Project on Drink Spiking which was reported in 2004. It is not a recent thing that the figures have been collected on. One of the salient points out of that, unexpectedly, is how drink spikings have been increasing in recent times. I believe this is going to continue unless we bring in laws like this to try to curb this. The figures are there for all to see. They may be affected by a high level of underreporting - and I will get to that in a minute - that is certainly a very important consideration. It does not mean to say that we throw the baby out with the bath water and not try to use the figures we have. We have good statistical information. Statistically, we can expand on that data and get very reliable actual figures.
I quote from a report conducted across Australia and released by the Australian Institute of Criminology:
- … it is … estimated that between 1 July 2002 and 30 June 2003 …
I am going to refer specifically to drink spiking because that is the main area. That is too high a figure; that is incredible. With our population that is pretty disgusting.
approximately one third of these incidents involved sexual assault;
That means that this was premeditated in many cases, it was thought out. These are not just people taking spontaneous action. To go through the process of getting the drugs, preparing them and going through this whole process requires planning. There is no spontaneity involved in this.
between 60% and 70% of these incidents involved no additional victimisation;
That is prank spiking - and that is what the bill’s intent is since we have some very strong laws in regard to the more serious aspects. By bringing in this law and covering those minor aspects, we also highlight the dangers of drink spiking.
between 15 and 19 suspected drink spiking incidents occur per 100 000 persons in Australia …
These figures are far too high.
four out of five victims are female;
about half of drink spiking victims are aged under 24, while one third are aged between 25 and 34;
These are young people. These are our daughters and sometimes our sons. These are young people in our society who are not safe out there. There are predators out there.
the majority of reported drink spiking incidents have no associated criminal victimisation …
That is including the prank spiking which is a common motivation for drink spiking. That is what this law today is about, to bring that in line.
about 5% of incidents involved robbery;
Okay, but that does not make it any less insidious.
two-thirds of suspected drink-spiking incidents occur in licensed premises (although for sexual assault victims the location is equally likely to be at the victim or offender’s home or another location);
many of the victims do not know who the offender was;
Incidents involving sexual assault are more likely to occur with a known offender. That is pretty common with rape also. That again is planned. These are people who know these people - getting out and planning it. As a father, I really have difficulty understanding the psyche of these kinds of people.
many victims experience memory loss after drink spiking;
This is why it is used by cold-hearted, calculated perpetrators - because they know that there is less chance of them getting caught, because they have actually disengaged the thought processes of the victims, and the victims may not even remember. This is very common as they may have had too much to drink. They think: ‘Okay, I have had too much to drink. I am not sure whether my drink has been spiked’. There is uncertainty about it. That is why we need to raise public awareness, which I am sure we are doing, but it is also ensuring that we penalise all levels of drink spiking and associated activities.
There can be an adverse reaction to the cocktail of drugs and this can lead to serious poisoning and even death. That is something that people do not acknowledge. That is what this particular element of the bill is about. It is not a prank; it has very serious consequences at any level of intent.
the vast majority of incidents of drink spiking are not reported to police.
I guess that is the crux of this issue. That is why we need to make people aware that, by having these laws and by having across-the-board laws, we are tackling this issue.
This is another reference from the Australian Institute of Criminology, Crime Facts Info No 86 Drink spiking under-reported:
- Overall, only one quarter of victims who rang into the hotline reported the incident to police. Just over 20% reported to a doctor while just under 20% reported to a hospital. About 13% reported the incident to bar staff.
These figures are too low. Why are people doing that? Maybe it is because they are intoxicated. It is my opinion they do not believe the laws are there to protect them. That is why we are bringing in these laws.
- A high proportion (87%) of victims who reported to a hospital did so within a day …
The reason they did this is because they required treatment. So, 87% of those of who did come in are the victims of violent crimes. We have to get the message out there that these are insidious people. These are violent crimes. They are not less violent because of the use of the drugs.
I come back to my main point at the start; that we are bringing this in as a good government because it is important to do this for all Territorians. It is important that we do it for all Australians. We need to lead the way. We have led the way, in many respects, to the violent aspects - the high-level instances of drink spiking and food spiking - but we have to keep abreast and do as much as we can. I am proud to be part of a government which takes this very seriously. Madam Speaker, I wholeheartedly commend the bill to the House.
Ms SACILOTTO (Port Darwin): Madam Speaker, I support the Criminal Code Amendment (Drink or Food Spiking) Bill 2008. Drink and food spiking is of particular concern to me as the member for Port Darwin, and also the member who represents Mitchell Street, the major Darwin entertainment strip. Drink spiking is most likely to occur around licensed premises. This is very dangerous on many levels. Victims can become heavily intoxicated in a very short time, and to a much greater degree than the known alcohol content should render them. Drink spiking can happen to anyone, which is why it is so important to look after your group of friends when out on the town.
I know of a situation of suspected drink spiking. The person had only had three drinks and, all of a sudden, felt very sick and became very incoherent. Fortunately, friends in the group took charge and took the person home in a taxi. The next day, the person was feeling terrible, had a huge headache and remembered nothing of the night. The case is a perfect example of an issue that can affect anyone. The victim was a 38-year-old male, 6’ 4” tall and weighed around 100 kg. Imagine the effect of that drug on a young woman with a petite figure - a genuine recipe for disaster.
I am very pleased that this bill has been amended to address the seriousness of this crime. It goes a long way to ensuring all members of the public are protected from food and drink spiking in all situations. We must all be vigilant and observant, and look after our friends. Of Substance, the national magazine on alcohol, tobacco and other drugs, offers prevention strategies such as: noting suspicious behaviour and reporting this to police or bar staff; keeping an eye on your drink at all times and not leaving it unattended; not accepting drinks from strangers or people you do not trust; monitoring how much alcohol you are drinking; and leave parties and licenced venues with friends and never alone.
The extent of the problem is a curious one. According to the national magazine on alcohol, tobacco and other drugs, Of Substance, drink spiking is heavily underreported to police and other authorities. This means that the majority of suspected incidents remain unknown to authorities so it is difficult to get the correct statistics on how many times this is happening to people. Many victims experience memory loss after drink spiking, so often victims may be unaware of what has happened to them. Levels of reporting to police fluctuate with awareness campaigns, so it is not clear whether increases in reporting reflect an increase in incidences, or an increase in willingness to report incidences. It is very difficult to verify whether someone’s drink was actually spiked, as drugs and alcohol can leave the body quickly.
Another point in the case that I was talking about relates to a level of shame that you could actually fall victim to a crime like this. You feel quite safe, you can take care of yourself, you are out and about on the town, and all of a sudden things do not go quite right and you get yourself in a very serious situation very quickly. Madam Speaker, I commend the bill to the House.
Dr BURNS (Justice and Attorney General): Madam Speaker, I thank all members for their contribution. I thank the opposition for their support, the member for Nelson, and members on this side for their contribution.
There have been a number of questions raised by members in their contributions. I will endeavour to try to address the issues that have been raised. Both the member for Nelson and the member for Araluen raised the issue that, basically, there are already elements within our Criminal Code relating to what we are talking about here. They also acknowledge that what we are discussing here is at the lower end of offending: let us say this is someone doing a prank or a joke to spike someone’s drink; the person might order a rum and coke and they get a triple instead of a standard drink, or some element like that. Nonetheless, as I said in my second reading speech, it is no less dangerous. There is much risk of the person having an accident or being the victim of foul play or, as the members for Port Darwin and Goyder said, that it can have toxic effects on victims.
The reason why we put these two elements in separate parts of the Criminal Code - my advice is that with the higher end of the offending, that is administration of a drug for the purposes of stupefaction and committing a crime, it is a serious crime that carries, at its maximum, a life penalty. It was important that we spelt this out legislatively and through the judicial process to keep them separate. At one end, you have very serious offences and, at the other end, you have something that someone might construe as being a prank but is still serious and can have serious impacts on the person.
I will go through the notes that I have been supplied with in relation to the more serious elements of what we are talking about. Section 174C of the Criminal Code: recklessly endangering human life - maximum penalty 10 to 14 years imprisonment; section 174D of the Criminal Code: recklessly endangering serious harm, maximum penalty seven to 10 years imprisonment; section 174E of the Criminal Code: negligently causing serious harm - maximum penalty 10 years imprisonment; and specifically, section 176 of the Criminal Code: stupefying in order to commit crime - maximum penalty life imprisonment. Then, section 177 of the Criminal Code, Acts intended to cause serious harm or prevent apprehension - maximum penalty is life imprisonment.
At one end you have this gradation of offences starting from seven to 10 years and working up to life. At the other end of the spectrum, there is drink spiking, which could be a joke, it could be someone trying to do it as a prank but there could still be a serious element to it. That is why a maximum penalty of two years has been applied. In answer to the members for Araluen and Nelson, my advice is what has been presented today. The member for Araluen has asked if we will review this legislation in 12 months. I can say that the government is continually revising the Criminal Code and this element you have suggested will be part of any review of this code in the future.
The member for Araluen asked about the extent of the problem. I thought the members for Goyder and Port Darwin covered that quite well in their research. I believe the member for Port Darwin said that there is a lot of under-reporting of this particular offence. There are probably a number of reasons for that. It is certainly under-reported. Sometimes it is a hard offence to prove. I was interested in the comments made by the member for Port Darwin when she said it can happen to anyone. She gave the example of a strapping male who fell victim to drink spiking, who became quite unwell and was supported by his friends. This raises a very important issue: if that drink had been consumed by a female, an individual with a lower body weight – it is generally agreed alcohol has a greater effect on females - then the effects would have been even more devastating. She also said there is an element of shame and embarrassment that goes along with these offences. That is another reason why people do not report them.
The member for Nelson talked about the definition of spiking and how a colloquialism has been used. We have called it ‘drink spiking’. It is a word that may go out of favour or fashion in a few years. I can remember when I was younger they used to talk about a mickey finn, which was really the same as drink spiking. If you asked young people these days what a mickey finn is they would probably say: ‘I don’t know’. We can leave that up to our collective imaginations about what it might mean, but, basically, I think the word drink spiking has a connotation of its own. I believe even though terminology might move on, the words used to define drink spiking actually get the idea across. I was reminded of a quote by George Eliot who said:
- We have got to exert ourselves a little to keep sane and call things by names other people call them by
Sometimes in legislation we come up with long definitions and titles to legislation but, in this case, member for Nelson, drink spiking is the thing that people call it by at present, and even in the future those words will have a connotation that people will understand. I have tried to address the issues you referred to about why they are separate.
I will turn to the comments of the member for Goyder. I know as a father he is concerned, particularly about young women and the effects of drink spiking. He raised the issue of how the Australian Institute of Criminology had reported that in Australia, per annum, 4000 people probably fall victim to drink spiking. That is a significant statistic given that it is probably under-reported. He also raised the very important issue of raising awareness. We can legislate in here and apply penalties associated with drink spiking, but it is really important to have prevention in here as well. That was the very issue that you raised, member for Goyder.
The member for Port Darwin said that her electorate takes in Mitchell Street. We hear in the media people saying: ‘I went to a nightclub in Mitchell Street and I had my drink spiked.’ The member for Port Darwin is very aware of the issue. I particularly appreciated what she had to say about the steps that people can take to minimise the chance of their drink being spiked – to report suspicious behaviour; to keep an eye on your drinks, not only your drinks but also your friends’ drinks; do not accept a drink from a stranger - that is something people should remember; and always leave licensed premises with a friend or a group of friends. That is very sensible advice for people to avoid drink spiking. I know there are products on the market now that enable people to almost seal their drinks in one way or another. It is very important that we keep in mind the preventative aspects.
Madam Speaker, I thank members for their contribution today. It has been very constructive. I commend the bill to the House.
Motion agreed to; bill read a second time.
Dr BURNS (Justice and Attorney-General) (by leave): Madam Speaker, I move that the bill be now read a third time.
Motion agreed to; bill read a third time.
LIQUOR LEGISLATION AMENDMENT BILL
(Serial 134)
(Serial 134)
Continued from 19 February 2008.
Mr MILLS (Opposition Leader): Madam Speaker, this bill presents the opposition with a concern. I do not think there is anyone in this Chamber, as we have checked words that we have spoken in recognition of a very serious problem across the Northern Territory, that we are united in that recognition of a very serious problem.
The concern is the multitude of measures that attempt to deal with that problem. The core of this is the need for effective measures to address the problem. It is at that point the opposition has grave reservations about this specific measure. This specific measure is just one of many measures, and I draw my position from a recent visit to Alice Springs. I had heard much in this Chamber of new measures that would apply in Alice Springs – the dry town legislation. I knew there was some enthusiasm for these new measures. I knew there was some community support for the new measures in Alice Springs, but those new measures have been applied and, sadly, they have been largely ignored.
I am very wary of imposing or creating new measures thinking that if one does not work we will apply another one or two or three. If we want to effect social change we better be deadly serious about every measure before we think of applying another one. At the core of this is personal responsibility. If you cannot get an individual to take responsibility for their own actions you will have no end of laws and regulations that may make legislators and rule makers self-assured that they have done something but they have not effected social change.
That is what concerns the opposition. Here is yet another measure, added to a whole raft of measures. Each in their own way have been greeted, assessed and wheeled out to a community. We have seen things go from bad to worse. In Alice Springs not so long ago, I stood to give a radio interview in the middle of the street. Whilst I was waiting, I turned around and, in the middle of the street, in the middle of that town, were empty drink containers all around me. To say: ‘Well, let us just add another measure on top’ - I just cannot support another measure if we cannot get the first one right, or the one before that, or all the other measures. If you have a measure such as a 2 km law, if you are going to build your community and build the resilience and the capacity of your community to go from point A to B to C, you must ensure that they are with you together at point A. If it is the 2 km law, and you feel that you need to then further reinforce and strengthen the capacity of your community to resist, to grow and to strengthen, then you would have at least built the capacity to enforce the first law, rather than add another one, and then another one.
There will be no end of laws and rules and regulations, and you have not touched it at its core. You do not have an individual to take responsibility. You have said: ‘That does not work; let us try another one’. I have worked in communities and in community organisations. The beginning of social change lies with the individual.
This new legislation gives, as I said, some concern to the opposition. We cannot give it support. I say to you: government, you will be on your own on this one. I would like things to improve, but I do not have confidence that this measure will add to a solution. It will increase confusion and disrespect for measures already presented to our community that have not effected change. It is time to go back to basics and recognise that there is a core problem. You need to revisit the measures that you already have in place to drive home a message regarding that problem – a consequence such as rehabilitation, detox, 1, 2, 3 then we will deal with the problem. If you cannot get the basics, the foundations of this attempt in place, then layer upon layer of rule and regulation will build, in my view, a further disrespect and disillusionment with social measures and experiments.
I am one of the fortunate members in this Chamber to have spent time on the Substance Abuse committee. I, like those members of that committee, am deeply troubled by the problems that have been presented to our community. We had an opportunity to see it in a very special way, and the report indicates that.
Many of these measures take their origin from the exercise, experience and the journey that was travelled by the Groote Eylandt community. As I have said before, I urge those who are intent on crafting new measures that are similar to the lessons learnt and applied in Groote Eylandt, to watch Groote Eylandt carefully and get closer, because that is a complete community. The measures that were applied in Groote Eylandt applied to that entire community. That whole community went through the journey many times over and over again – agreement, disagreement, agreement, disagreement – until they finally came to the point of agreement. Then they moved on. They owned that decision completely; they were a part of it. Through that journey, they then owned the solution. It is a unique environment. There are many very important and powerful lessons to be learnt from that experience. I want to see change, but there are social implications in the measures we attempt to apply in other places. If you are nave enough to think that it appears to work there, and ignore the journey and the underlying story, and apply it in other places, what concerns me is that you are setting communities up to fail.
Now you can point to your little groups that have gotten together, but you cannot, in your heart of hearts, be assured that that community completely owns that solution.
From our experiences at Groote Eylandt, we were able to assess the voices of those who began in complete opposition to the proposed measures, and they came to that solution ultimately. It took them a long time. It troubles me that we are putting measures in place that will not achieve the objective we all desire. It is all so inconsistent. You cannot have inconsistency in your application of measures that impose an effect upon individuals, because people get confused.
You have had, as a government, a very clear position on the $100 limit. You railed against that. So concerned were you that you used public funds to push your message out. Now, your opposition to that measure then changed after an election, so you thought, oh hang on, they were not really genuine about that. There is a similar message being applied here, but it has only been applied to selected communities. It is a similar process. It is a register. It is a similar measure you are applying, one that you railed against at one time that suited a political purpose, and then you changed your position on that. Now you are applying something to certain communities.
There is an inconsistency in your position. Are you really serious about it? Because, if you are, you would have at least moved from point A to B, that being, the 2 km law. You would have been able to get on top of that before you opened the floodgates and said, right, now we will make the whole town, we could not achieve that, so let us open the whole town up and make that a complete dry zone. It does not work. It has not worked. You cannot back it up.
Why I cannot support this is that I sincerely believe you are setting these communities up for failure. The track record has demonstrated an enthusiasm for measures that create an impression but not a difference – we have seen the statistics of alcohol consumption in the Territory go from bad to worse. The quantity consumed by Territorians appears, by your own figures, to be increasing.
The core of what we want to address is why there is such a thirst for alcohol in our community, and will this measure decrease that thirst? Will it reduce the abuse of alcohol or not? Convince me that it will. One of the other measures you have attempted to put in place has not had any positive effect on the abuse question. The number of drunks taken into protective custody has increased. So what do we do? Add another measure. Where will we be in five years? We will be in a position, perhaps, if you follow this logic - I cannot imagine, because it seems to be layer upon layer of rule and regulation in the vain hope that social measures, experiments, will affect an individual. I suggest go back and check the measures that are already in place and answer the question as to why they are not succeeding - why is it that Alice Springs has empty drink containers all over the place? - before we take the next bold step to impose yet another measure. That is my concern. I fear that we are setting these communities up, these good people up, for failure. Go back and reassess the measures you already have in place. Let us make sure we are able to achieve what is intended by this bill.
I am not comfortable going to the next step until we have built some confidence in measures that appear to be an annoyance to the multitude and to have no effect on the individual who is causing us concern. That is what troubles us. Having said that, we just cannot take this next step. You can take this next step, but you will be taking it without our support.
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Distinguished Visitors
Distinguished Visitors
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I draw your attention to the presence in the Speaker’s Gallery of the former member for Macdonnell, Mr Neil Bell, and his wife, Faye Bell. On behalf of all honourable members I extend to you a very warm welcome.
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Mr STIRLING (Nhulunbuy): Madam Speaker, the former member, Neil Bell, sitting behind me, was a very strong player in this parliament on the old Alcohol Abuse committee. I hope he has some interest in this debate this morning. It is good to see him back in the Top End.
In stark contrast to the attitude and the comments from the Leader of the Opposition, I commend the Minister for Racing, Gaming and Licensing, my colleague, Dr Burns, and the department for bringing these measures forward. He is committed - as is this government - to reining in the excesses of alcohol abuse and the obvious results that we see in our communities from that abuse, and the number of assaults, the general law breaking that ensues, the social dysfunction, and the mayhem to the individuals and their families who are caught up in this grog strife.
It is interesting to compare and contrast what the Leader of the Opposition said this morning, ‘Get it right. What is this new measure?’ Compare that to the comment from the former Chief Minister, Marshall Perron, the only man in the CLP in all of the years of self-government in the Northern Territory who had a red hot crack at grog abuse through the Living with Alcohol campaign in the 1990s. He stood in this Chamber when he introduced Living with Alcohol and said: ‘Look, we do not know if this is going to work or not, but we are going to give it a go. If it does not work, we will be back here in six months and 12 months and we will rewrite it. We will review it, we will change it, we will amend it to fill the gaps and to make sure it works.’ That is in stark contrast to the Leader of the Opposition today. He wants to throw his hands in the air and say: ‘You cannot make the 2 km law work. What are you trying to do with this new legislation? Just give up. Just give up’.
The former Chief Minister, Marshall Perron, did not give up. In fact, in his time he stayed true to the course. It was only after he left as Chief Minister that the then CLP government and his successor took the emphasis off that very effective Living With Alcohol program. I have always commended Perron for at least having a red hot go. In fact, he did make a difference over a couple of years in this area of social policy.
Let us have a look at not only the contrast between the now Leader of the Opposition and the former CLP Chief Minister, but the difference between the Leader of the Opposition and his own deputy, the member for Katherine, Fay Miller. The latter has welcomed the introduction of the dry town restrictions in Katherine and is calling for additional police resources to help make them work. You had better get your story right here, guys. The Leader and the Deputy Leader on different sides of the fence on the one question.
The John Laws of Central Australia, the member for Greatorex, on 22 March 2006 on 8HA said: ‘The dry town idea is locking the door after the horse has bolted’. Pretty unequivocal. However, on 16 July, on ABC radio said: ‘Obviously, I think the dry town, now the CLP have been pushing for a dry town for quite a while now so the dry town, I think it is a positive step forward for Alice Springs’.
Members: Hear, hear!
Mrs Miller: … just enforce it.
Mr STIRLING: Well, the member for Katherine thinks it is fine. It took the member for Greatorex 18 months to get to it. He thought it was a crap idea first off but 18 months later he sees the light, he thinks it is terrific. Now, today, the Leader of the Opposition says: ‘No, it is not good’. Well, three out of the four. I am interested to know what the other member thinks, to see if we can get consistency because we know …
Members interjecting.
Mr STIRLING: ... we know where it sits, it is two all. Where is the member for Araluen on this question, Madam Speaker?
Stern measures are required; let us make no mistake about this. And, as I talked about earlier with Living with Alcohol there were stern measures. We were helped in that time because you could vary the price of alcohol which you subsequently could not do after the High Court decision of 1997. We know that. It was an effective program during the time it lasted. This is an issue; it is the largest social problem that we have in the Territory. We have had it for a long time, and I welcome these measures.
The ID system, outlined in this bill for Alice Springs, Katherine, Pine Creek, Mataranka and Victoria River will, despite what the Leader of the Opposition says, give these communities a measure of control over the sale and consumption of takeaway alcohol not possible before. And it is along similar lines, again, despite what the Leader of the Opposition was saying, to that introduced in Groote Eylandt and, more recently, in Nhulunbuy, although permits under this one, as such, are not issued as they are on Groote Eylandt and in Nhulunbuy. However, in Nhulunbuy, and I speak from personal experience, I have been back in Nhulunbuy since very early January this year and oversaw the introduction of the permit system. It has resulted in immediately visible improvements: no drunks laying on the footpaths or on the streets or on the roads, and no humbug outside Woolworths, the major takeaway establishment.
We have a cleaner town, a tidier town overall, and the surrounds, exemplified by the most recent Australian Rules football match played in town two weeks ago. I have umpired Aussie Rules in Gove going back as far as 1979, and for the first time we have held a match at the town oval where there were not small groups of drunks arguing, fighting, falling over each other and generally causing mayhem. The first time in - what am I talking about, 1979 to 2008 - a lot of years.
It is too early yet to have received the more rigid or more formal indicators over a couple of months of operation such as admissions to hospitals for alcohol-related injuries and trauma, admissions to the crisis accommodation centre resulting from domestic violence coming out of alcohol abuse, night patrol pickups, the numbers of admissions to the shelter and, of course, police arrests for alcohol-related behaviour, assaults, driving under the influence, break and enter, carrying alcohol into restricted areas, and so on.
Both the Harmony Committee and the community reference group - both of which I attend - which comprise all community organisations and government departments in town, are all reporting anecdotally on dramatic improvements and a high level of confidence that each of those more formal reporting indicators will show significant reductions when they become available.
I want to pay tribute to the Alcohol community committees of Nhulunbuy, Yirrkala and the Marngarr. Each of those committees have taken a highly professional and diligent approach to the task of whether to issue an individual liquor permits to purchase takeaway alcohol or not, and, if they do issue a permit, should it be restricted in some way, for example to light beer, mid-strength beer only, six cans a day or whatever, or no spirits. Those types of restrictions are commonplace. They have been diligent to the extent that where, in the very early days of the permit system coming into place a young woman with no history of alcohol consumption at all but with an open permit was recorded buying three cartons of beer. That community permit committee subsequently called her up, reviewed her permit and restricted her to six cans a day. She was not a known drinker at all so it was quite clear that the alcohol was not being consumed by her but was going to others perhaps without a permit at all. It is clear to me those committees are very serious about their role in protecting their own people and their communities from the ravages of alcohol abuse.
In the week following the introduction of the permit system, it was instructive sitting in the town centre for an early morning coffee, as we have had for a long time a group of individuals around town who come from a quite small community in the neighbouring electorate of Arnhem, in a place where they cannot access alcohol. Each of them was a very heavy drinker of takeaway alcohol prior to the introduction of the permit system but, on this particular morning, each of the group was stone-cold sober. It was the first time I had seen them stone-cold sober, and they appeared to me to be still emerging from that inevitable foggy haze of long-term excessive drinking.
They can, of course, drink within the licensed premises – no doubt they do - but there are two immediate advantages to themselves and the community. In the first place, their drinking will take place within a licensed establishment, a controlled environment under regulations, which ensures they cannot be served alcohol past the point if they do become intoxicated. In the second place, the purchase of alcohol across the bar or in the licensed premises is much more expensive than the purchase of takeaway. Consequently, in the end, less alcohol can be purchased and consumed against the money they have. In fact, there were early reports that police were being called to licensed premises more often than prior to the introduction of the permit system which indicates to me the system is working. However, we await the more formal reporting of these incidents to the Harmony Committee to see if these trends are holding up across the board.
Whilst our system is, in fact, a stronger system, given you have to apply for a permit in the first place compared to what is envisaged with the bill before us, it is important to put on the record those early indications of improvement. They are the same indicators that will show improvement in the communities listed in this bill.
I pay tribute to the Harmony Committee and each of the people who have worked on it in Nhulunbuy for their patience, perseverance, and commitment to the task. It has involved many years. Communities will be in a much stronger position to break the stranglehold that alcohol has over many individuals’ lives. We now have an effective tool to control the supply of alcohol, identify those with serious problems with it, and more readily get them access to treatment.
I thank Superintendent Tony Fuller, Northern Territory Police, who was Senior Sergeant, Officer-in-Charge of Nhulunbuy Police, who did so much on his own, based on his experience at Groote to get this system up; Banambi Wunungmurra from Yirrkala, who has given steadfast support as Chairman of the Harmony Group; Ms Jodi Mather, a Department of Justice employee, who did an enormous amount of groundwork in consultation with the communities. She is now on maternity leave and I thank her for her efforts and her temporary successor, Chris O’Brien. I also thank the minister and the Department of Justice for their strong resourcing during the introduction of the system, and the increase in monitoring of licensed establishments that has followed with that increased resourcing. I thank the licensees who, in the main, have been pretty generous, both in their attitudes and their time to ensure the smoothest introduction of the permit system possible.
I welcome this bill. I commend the minister and the department for their work on the amelioration of the symptoms of alcohol abuse. I wish these communities well in the pick-up of these measures.
I am interested in hearing from the other three members of the CLP as to what their views are now. We know they have changed over time. In the case of the member for Greatorex – what? - a little over a year. No, less than a year – 31 October 2006 and then again on 16 July 2007. The member for Katherine, as recent as 22 October 2007 - perhaps she can enlighten the House as to where she stands on the question today. The member for Araluen, I am sure, also has views on this. Could there be four possible policy positions? I am not sure, but we can test them and see which one has currency today.
Mrs MILLER (Katherine): Madam Speaker, I have to say it is delightful to have the member for Nhulunbuy’s very rigorous debate back here, listening to his views. He loves to try to bring a division between the members of the CLP. He just loves it. We relish it, welcome it. Thank you very much, member for Nhulunbuy.
There is no doubt that we can have very rigorous debate about anything to do with alcohol in the Northern Territory. It is obvious, most unfortunately, that we are going to be standing in this House for some time yet before we actually have some resolutions that will make a significant difference. I am certainly not going to try to take away any of the ideas of government to try to make a change. I believe every single person in here wants to see major changes. It is trying to find the key to that change that will make a significant difference.
Over the last two weeks I was going through some files in my office. I have some very musty ones in there, some that started about 1995-96 in Katherine, all to do with alcohol and the abuse of alcohol. It was very sad to think that, on both sides of this House, members have been trying to find resolutions for the abuse of alcohol within the Territory; trying to come up with an idea that will be all encompassing. In many cases, all I would have to do with the information in those musty folders is change the date. I feel really sad about that. We have a hard core group of drinkers throughout the Northern Territory, honest to goodness, we all know who they are, we could put names to them, and we are spending inordinate amounts of time implementing different programs to deal with this core group of people in the regional towns. It saddens me that we seem to be afraid to be politically incorrect instead of just dealing with it.
I am speaking from Katherine. The member for Nhulunbuy has just disappeared, but I want to reassure him, I am very, very …
Dr BURNS: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The member knows she cannot refer to the presence or absence in the House of any member.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mrs MILLER: I withdraw that, Madam Speaker. The member for Nhulunbuy referred to the fact that he wanted to understand exactly where I sit. I have always said, and I did say it last year, and I stand by it now, that I think dry towns are a good way to go, but they are only going to be successful if the laws are enforced. If the legislation is enforced, if there is policing - if all of those things are carried out, dry towns will work.
We have only had a dry town in Katherine since January. In that first week I was quite excited, expecting some pretty dramatic changes, that this was going to be the answer to everything. Unfortunately, we still have the same problems in Katherine that we have had before. I can see those problems from my office - front door and back. Exactly the same issues with the same problem drinkers. This says to me very clearly that we do not have enough enforcement for that law to work.
I can assure you that I believe dry towns are a great idea. The majority of people in Katherine think they are a great idea, but they were like me, expecting the panacea that this was going to be: you beauty, we will have a dry town and it will resolve the issues of Katherine, or a majority of them. But, no, it has not done that. It is very unfortunate that it has not.
To put the dry town legislation in place in Katherine you need to have those other support agencies working. Apart from the need for police enforcement, we also need to have somewhere for those habitual alcoholics to go. Sure, they go to the sobering-up shelters. You only have to listen to the ABC on Saturday morning to listen to the numbers that are still going to those places. That is a bit scary. Nothing much has changed there either. In addition to having sobering-up shelters, we need, and I refer to other regional areas, sobering-up, detox and rehabilitation. Without those things complementing the dry town law this approach will not work. That is something that we do not have in Katherine.
It is instructive to reflect how, two years ago, the Katherine AFL League decided they would no longer sell alcohol at their League games. They have been dry for two years. As a result, it has become a wonderful environment. It is a real family area now. The biggest problem now is the lack of money. They lack money because, unfortunately, the money was raised from having a bar at the football. They carried out that change to become a dry event under their own steam, without any pressure from any government agency or police. The League did that themselves and they need to be congratulated for that.
The town is trying to address issues. We are trying to look at things under our own steam but dry towns definitely need to have those supportive agencies working in conjunction with enforcement. We now have two - I think there are two - liquor inspectors. This is great, but we need to have the police on board. We need to have more police on the beat enforcing the dry town legislation – really supporting it. I can walk out my back door most times of the day and see a shelter designed for the Ghan travellers. It is where they can be off-loaded from their tourist busses, either sit there underneath that shelter or start to look around Katherine. That shelter is also a nice, convenient meeting place for containers of liquid that look the colour of cola. But cola is not inside them. It is definitely not cola that makes those containers good because I can assure you there would be more people drinking cola if that is what the outcome would be. Soft drink is not in those bottles, either. Unfortunately, that shelter is not checked often enough. I can see it just outside my backdoor. The dry town will not work until there is police enforcement.
I will give you an example of when I had a licenced general store. We were able to refuse alcohol to anyone we thought number one, was under the influence or, number two, was going to provide alcohol to people outside of that shop. We enforced the latter on many occasions because it was very easy to see when someone came in, in a drunken state, and you said: ‘No …’ - and I am quite good at saying ‘no’ - ‘… you will not be served alcohol’. These people would walk out of the shop and immediately humbug someone outside who was perfectly sober and give them the money – you would watch this activity through the window – to come in and buy the alcohol. We refused to sell it because we knew they were buying it to give to someone who was already drunk. That same scenario is still continuing in Katherine. It will continue in all of the regional towns because there is so much humbug by the people who desperately want that alcohol.
The swipe card – I am in favour of a card. I said I was in favour of cards last October. Some community members were in favour of the swipe card and, of course, licensees were not because it was very detrimental to their business. It adds another layer of bureaucracy to it. It has been interesting to observe the swipe card scenario. I have read your second reading speech, minister, where you said it was going to be a slight inconvenience to the new system. Unfortunately, it is not going to be a slight inconvenience at all; it is going to be a major inconvenience to those businesses.
The swipe card has its good points and bad. There have been some products offered from the east coast of Australia that have some very good points to them. How are you going to ensure that each of these liquor outlets is linked up to the same database? That includes Mataranka, Tennant Creek, Pine Creek, and Timber Creek. How are they all going to be linked up?
Katherine is in a prime location and can provide clear examples of what happens with laws such as these. Some recommendation or some law in Katherine is put in by us, taken up by the local community, but immediately those who desperately want to get hold of alcohol get in a cab and go to Timber Creek, Pine Creek or Mataranka to get alcohol. They will go to any lengths; they will pay any inordinate amount for a taxi to get the alcohol.
How is that going to be linked up, minister? That is my grave concern. That abuse will still go on. Those people will still visit those other communities unless that database meets the high tech demands to address those people who do have prohibition orders. How is that going to be addressed? I want to know what you are recommending here; how that is going to work.
The Gove experience: it has been an absolute privilege, but also a heartbreaking experience, to be on the Substance Abuse committee. It showed us so much hope in Gove. We saw a permit system there that works well. Even though Gove is isolated, surrounded by water …
A member: Groote Eylandt.
Mrs MILLER: Sorry, Groote Eylandt. Sorry, Madam Speaker, I need to correct that. I meant to say Groote.
There is only one way of accessing Groote Eylandt and that is by air - I suppose if you are really brave you could go by sea but most go by air. It is much easier to control Groote Eylandt. It is much easier to put in a permit system. Even though it took a long time for everyone to come to an agreement and arrange matters, I believe it works really well. It was very heartening for us as a Substance Abuse committee to see what was happening there, and to listen to the women, and to listen to the wonderful positive effects it was having.
Then we went to Nhulunbuy. They were still going through the process of implementing the permit system. It was more difficult in Nhulunbuy since it was easier to access from different communities. When we came to Katherine, we were at the cross-roads. Katherine is the cross-roads from the north, from Western Australia to Queensland, from South Australia through to the Top End. We are even more accessible which makes it that much more difficult to get something there that would be as effective as they have in Nhulunbuy or on Groote Eylandt. It is a different scenario altogether for Katherine.
Minister, I note you say here that this applies to all regional areas. I am very concerned that you are band-aiding again since, as far as the federal intervention goes, everything has happened in regional areas. All of the towns, the major towns also, and that is Darwin, Palmerston and those that are outside of the major towns, for instance Mt Isa, etcetera, all say that the intervention has had a big impact on them. People are moving to try to access facilities that they could not access where they lived. How is that going to be any different? If you implement the swipe system in Katherine, Mataranka, Tennant Creek, and Pine Creek etcetera, what happens if they come to Darwin? What would you do here? How would you deal with that problem here? I do not think that is going to be looked upon very favourably, quite frankly. It is just another level of bureaucracy dealing with a minority of people who have problems with the consumption of alcohol.
Another thing that has happened in Katherine since the dry towns has been implemented is, unfortunately, there have been more break-ins. I am referring specifically to the Works Social Club in Katherine which has had regular break-ins, with only alcohol taken. It has cost them a lot of money. The Katherine Golf Club has also had break-ins. It is only to take alcohol. Both intrusions have occurred since the dry town has been in place, which was the end of January.
We were trying to find something that would resolve an issue when we put in restricted hours about eight or nine years ago. Exactly the same thing happened. I understand what government is trying to do. We, in regional areas, want to see it happen as well. However, putting this other level now with this swipe card, without ensuring that the dry towns are working effectively by being police resourced so they can work effectively and show some real results, is actually just putting another level on without ensuring the first ones worked.
We have enough levels now. What we have now is restrictions about the quantity of alcohol that can be purchased, and restrictions about alcohol content which applies right across the Territory. I have to tell you, I am a little confused about what each one has. If I was doing a tour around the Territory, I would need a graph with what each town has because we are not the same. We are not the same right across the Territory, and that is where it becomes confusing.
As for the swipe card, I am very reluctant to support this legislation you have introduced here, minister, until you tidy up the dry towns. If you tidy up the dry towns and get them working effectively, which shows that you are deadly serious about dealing with the alcohol problems across the Northern Territory, once that is working, yes, then look at the next issue. Then look at the next thing that can complement it. However, right now, this needs to be tidied up first so that, especially in my electorate of Katherine, we can see that you are putting in these layers to address the abuse of alcohol in the Katherine and the regional areas.
If this one works, we will give our full support to whatever else you put in. However, until this is working properly, I do not think we should be going down another path.
Mr KNIGHT (Local Government): Madam Speaker, I support the Liquor Legislation Amendment Bill. As the Minister for Local Government and for Central Australia, and member for Daly, I travelled widely throughout the Northern Territory to communities over the last few months especially but, certainly, over the last 20 years in the Territory. I am acutely aware of the damage being done to individuals, families and communities by excessive alcohol consumption right throughout the Territory. The impact that this has on these communities is very profound. It strains police resources, the health system, and the justice system; it has a negative impact on commerce and the tourism industry; impacts on the capacity of small towns to recruit and retain staff; diverts attention of our community leaders; and impedes the development in other areas.
We see the result of excessive grog in poor school attendance, the number of young children roaming the streets unsupervised after dark, and the senseless property damage being done to businesses in Tennant Creek, Katherine and Alice Springs. In the smaller communities it impedes governance itself. Excessive alcohol consumption in the Territory impedes the capacity of law-abiding citizens to live their lives in a peaceful and enjoyable manner. The safety and security of our community is paramount. Excessive grog consumption is an underlying cause for crime and antisocial behaviour in our community. This is more evident than anywhere else in Alice Springs, Tennant Creek and Katherine.
This government has recognised the need to deal with this problem head on. It is trying to arrest the grog consumption, arrest the crime, the lawlessness, the childhood neglect and the family dysfunction.
Over 12 months ago, in Alice Springs, we established the Alcohol Task Force chaired by the then Chief Minister. Since then, we have introduced the Alcohol Management Plan, focusing on both supply and demand reduction strategies. It is pleasing to see that it is making a difference. Alcohol restrictions have resulted in a massive reduction in consumption of more harmful high volume, high alcohol, low cost products like cask and fortified wine. This has had a flow-on effect in the reduction in demand for alcohol-related services in Alice Springs Hospital, and a significant reduction in the number of admissions for serious assault.
In 2005, there was a widely distributed report about the number of stabbings treated at the Alice Springs Hospital between 1998 and 2005. A few weeks ago, I was fortunate enough to personally meet Dr Jacobs, the head of surgery at the Alice Springs Hospital and one of the co-authors of the report. It was pleasing to hear that, from an average high of approximately 180 stabbings per year over the research period, they have seen a dramatic reduction this financial year to less than 30. Dr Jacobs not only told me that he puts this directly down to the introduction of alcohol restrictions, but he said that the restrictions had also been responsible for the marked reduction in the overall severity of injuries presenting at the hospital. Most people will, thankfully, never have to personally appreciate these results. Those who are unfortunate enough to be the victims of serious assault and those who have to deal with the results of those assaults – the police, the ambulance officers, and the hospital staff – have a great appreciation for the difference that restrictions are making.
The dry areas legislation was introduced by this government in response to strong representations by various councils throughout the Territory, led in particular by the Alice Springs Town Council, providing the means for the Alice Springs Town Council to move quickly to have the public areas in the town declared dry. The Katherine Town Council recently followed suit, successfully gaining the dry areas declaration for the town. I visited the town shortly after the introduction of that and spoke to some of my old friends from out bush. They said they were changing the way they were drinking, that the horse patrols there were having a great impact. I suspect people were both intimidated but pleasantly enjoyed their presence as well, so I commend the police there.
Mrs Miller: We want them back.
Mr KNIGHT: I commend the police down there, even though the member for Katherine does not think they are doing their job …
Mrs Miller: No, I said I want them back.
Mr KNIGHT: She says they are not enforcing the law. I commend the police for all the hard work they are doing there, and certainly the mounted police.
Recently, the Tennant Creek Town Council also moved to have the town declared dry. That will be in August.
Dry areas is not a panacea, member for Katherine. While it has its advantages, it does have the effect of dispersing public drinking into private areas. It has become an unintended consequence. The declaration of town camps in Alice Springs and the capacity of individuals to have their own properties declared dry provides a framework for people living in those areas to lead a peaceful existence free from alcohol-fuelled antisocial behaviour. This government has moved to strengthen the tools available to police and the courts to deal with drinking in declared areas. Police have a much higher profile in town camp areas. This is good news for the law-abiding residents of those areas.
We will continue to look at improving ways of assisting people to get the treatment and rehabilitation they need, and to improve the safety and security of all those people living in the Territory.
I am delighted to hear the Chief Minister’s announcement of extra police to deal specifically with alcohol-related violence and antisocial behaviour. We have done a great deal to curb excessive grog consumption, and we have done a great deal to tackle the consequence of excessive grog consumption, but there is more to do.
There are many people in our urban communities presenting themselves at hospitals with alcohol-related injuries, getting patched up, leaving A&E only to return a short time later - the victims of more grog-related crime. There are too many individuals being taken into protective custody time and time again by the police. There are too many people unwilling and unable to seek the therapeutic treatment they need to overcome their alcohol addiction. While the police, the hospital staff, drug treatment and rehabilitation staff and the courts do a wonderful job in limiting the impact of grog on our community, it is incumbent on the government to provide the tools they need to really make a substantial difference.
As you know, courts already have the capacity to issue prohibition and intervention orders, however, to date the strength of those orders has only been commensurate with the capacity of retailers to physically recognise those individuals who have been to court and had those court orders issued. The introduction of the ID system will take that capacity to a whole new level. I know within my own electorate, publicans have found the ID system easy to use. It has also been reported to me that where there have been technical glitches, support has been provided very readily. This means, on a practical level, retailers are easily able to ensure they assist the courts in the enforcement of those orders.
The courts will now be able to issue orders fully confident that offenders will be prevented from purchasing takeaway alcohol. In addition, shopping around to avoid purchasing limits on cask and fortified wine will become a thing of the past. The electronic system will provide the capacity to target those people in our community who are recidivous offenders, those people who are highly visible in our streets, but who represent a very small minority in our community. The introduction of the system provides a secure system for retailers which prevent the chances of inevitable inadvertent breaches of intervention and prohibition orders. It also provides a critical component in the fight to reduce the harmful effects of excessive grog consumption, a tool that provides police and the courts with a competence that their actions will have a marked impact on peoples’ lives and for the safety of the community in general.
I commend this legislation. It is strengthening our fight on reducing grog. As the member for Katherine will be aware, on the Groote Eylandt trip she and I agreed to work on it in Katherine to try to get it introduced there. It met resistance. I am very happy it is being introduced in Katherine and surrounding communities. I hope it rolls out even further. Calls from the Daly River community through to Port Keats have been that they want the system down there, because it does have flow-on effects. I commend the bill to the House and I thank the minister.
Debate suspended.
DISTINGUISHED VISITORS
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I draw your attention to the presence in the Speaker’s Gallery of the Hon Eric Poole, a former minister in the Northern Territory government and former member for Araluen. On behalf of honourable members I extend to you a very warm welcome.
Members: Hear, hear!
VISITORS
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I also draw your attention the presence in the public gallery of the Maningrida Women’s Night Patrol and Child Safety Officers with supervisor, Laurie Magaldagi. On behalf of honourable members I extend to you a very warm welcome.
Members: Hear, hear!
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, we also have members of the Northern Territory community as part of the National Seniors Group. On behalf of honourable members, I extend to you a very warm welcome.
Members: Hear, hear!
LIQUOR LEGISLATION AMENDMENT BILL
(Serial 134)
(Serial 134)
Continued from earlier this day.
Mrs BRAHAM (Braitling): Madam Speaker, the aim of this bill, according to the minister, is to enable licensees to quickly and easily determine when someone is buying alcohol whether that person is subject to prohibition or restricted alcohol conditions imposed by a court system.
I have concerns about this bill. On investigation you will find that there are not many people at the moment placed on prohibition orders. In fact, one of our small takeaways in Alice Springs has three people identified as being on prohibition orders. Perhaps the minister can give us some indication of the number of people throughout the Territory who are actually on prohibition orders, and the number of people who have conditions imposed upon their bail or by a court. My understanding is there is only about 10 people all up in the Territory on prohibition orders, about 20 people who have orders on alcohol intervention orders, and I am not sure how many may have that as a condition of bail.
My query is why on earth are we introducing legislation of this magnitude to address 10 people on prohibition orders? It seems to be a like a sledgehammer to address a small problem. Minister, I would like you to provide the numbers to justify why this legislation is going through.
In his second reading speech, the minister says the Territory government is committed to reducing the liquor-related harm in the Territory by culling the supply of liquor. ‘Culling’. The minister could explain exactly what is meant by that, because to me the word ‘culling’ means putting something to death, killing it. I do not think the introduction of the ID system is going to kill the use of alcohol. Could you explain to me the meaning of ‘culling the supply of liquor’? Does that mean he is going to do away with the supply of liquor completely? It is a strange choice of words.
He also went on to say in his second reading speech: ‘the slight inconvenience of the new system’. The slight inconvenience of the new system: what an incredible comment to make. He obviously has no idea of the ‘slightness’ he is talking about. When you look at the act it lists the ‘ID’. I note, minister, also that the act does not say at any time it should be photo ID; just ‘approved identification, the individual’s passport, the driver’s licence or any other identification approved by the director’. At no stage in the legislation do you talk about photo ID. Photo ID, when you look at this particular Australian ID guide, lists just that: passport, driver’s licence or evidence of age.
The minister has obviously forgotten there is this section of the community which does not have a passport, a driver’s licence, and who are certainly over the age of 18. They would not have photo ID. I am aware the Tangentyere Council has introduced a system whereby people can get it. I am also aware that you can go to the Motor Vehicle Registry and pay to get it. However, there are many people in the community who do not want to have photo ID, who will now have to rely upon their friends or their neighbours to purchase their alcohol for them. It seems to me that you are, in fact, discriminating against people who are not breaking the law. You are discriminating against people who are not abusing alcohol. You are discriminating against people who are good citizens of the town. This is the problem with this legislation; that, in fact, you are not doing what this fact sheet says:
- It is hoped that this initiative, along with a number of other measures such as the alcohol supply plan, increased rehabilitation services and Return to Country Program will assist in reducing antisocial behaviour caused through heavy drinking.
I would rather you spend all this money you are putting into setting up this system on increased rehabilitation services and, certainly, the Return to Country Program. In the last sittings, we discussed the funding for the Return to Country Program. I am aware, for instance, that the police, at 5 am, let people out of protective custody in Alice Springs who then just go out on the street and back to the river to enter the whole cycle again. I would much prefer to see some of that money we are talking about go to transporting those people back to country, back to their communities. You are hoping this initiative will stop excessive heavy drinking, but I would much prefer to see this money you are putting into this program channelled to other services.
I would like you to tell us, minister, how much this is this costing. It says the government is going to pay for the implementation, the supply, the maintenance, and the training of this system. Give us some figures on how much this system is costing the taxpayers in your reply. I feel that this money could be better used; that you are only going to be targeting a few people who are meant to be caught within this loop. If it is only for 30 or even 100 people - and I do not think that is how many it is - then I consider it to be an extravagant action on the part of government to implement this system to catch a small number of people, if that is what the intent is - to catch them.
You also state in your bill that this applies to Alice Springs, Katherine, I think Darwin, but it does not apply to Tennant Creek. I do not understand why it does not apply to Tennant Creek as well, if we all have to be subject to this. I would have thought Tennant Creek, with their Thirsty Thursday and now their dry town legislation - why you are excluding Tennant Creek from this? Does this mean that you are going to have to make an amendment to your act to include Tennant Creek, or will you unilaterally just include Tennant Creek? What is the procedure now to implement it in Tennant Creek as well as all those other towns we have been talking about?
You also mention clubs are excluded from the system because they already have strict conditions imposed upon their licences to only sell to club members, and they can lose their licences if they sell outside of these conditions. How are you going to monitor clubs selling only to club members? You are not implementing this system into clubs at all. We have some rather large clubs like the Casuarina All Sports Club, members only, that has a drive through. Are they going to have this ID system? How are you going to ensure that it is not going to be abused in those particular cases? What I am getting at is that I believe this is a system that is being implemented to deal with a small number of people, that is hugely costly, and that it could be misused.
You can purchase alcohol for someone on a prohibition order and no one will ever know whether you gave that alcohol to them or not. There is no way in the world you will know. When they wander down the Todd River, who is drinking alcohol that is purchased by someone else? You say that it is an offence to give it to someone who has a prohibition order; the way you are going to police that is impossible in my opinion.
At the moment, there have been very few people who have been referred to the alcohol court. The member for Araluen has raised this numerous times. I believe the police in Alice Springs have recently referred some people to the alcohol courts but we do not seem to be getting any results from that. I cannot understand why you are bringing this legislation in when we have so many other restrictions, and it is quite obvious to everyone they are not working. Dry town is not working in Alice Springs; it has made problems possibly worse. It has made it worse because of the number of people who are now going into public housing to drink, and disturbing the tenants in those areas, who are now finding drains, all sorts of unhygienic places, to sit and drink, who are disturbing town camps, even though the town camps are dry.
You have not really addressed the cause of all the problems, which is not to introduce more restrictions, but to address the reason why people are drinking, why they are coming into town and destroying their lifestyle, causing health problems for themselves, family breakdowns, domestic violence, you name it. We need not go on and on about this.
All this government seems to be able to do to address the alcohol problem is to come up with more and more restrictions. I say to you, minister, that this particular restriction seems to be an overkill, it is a knee-jerk reaction. I do not think you are going to accomplish very much by it. I strongly believe the majority of people who purchase alcohol are not the ones that you are actually targeting.
Minister, what happened to the 2004 Alcohol Framework report? There were 62 recommendations in that. That was compiled by a group of experts, and it was welcomed by your government. What is the current status of that particular report? What is the intent of government to further implement some of their recommendations? I know you have already done some, but I am interested to know where you are going with that alcohol report. I do not see how you could possibly implement it all. You seem to have a scattergun approach. There does not seem to be a plan to me. It is all about restrictions and nothing about what is happening at the grassroots, about how we can make things better on the ground so that people do not have to resort to alcohol to get away from the problems they have.
I do not have a lot more to say about this, before my voice runs out, but I hope the minister will give me some answers to those questions, because they are important. He needs to explain: does he intend to kill off the supply of liquor, as he used the word ‘culling’; does he really believe ‘a slight inconvenience’ is necessary; who are the people it is going to be affecting; and lastly, are they the people he is targeting? Why did he not include Tennant Creek? How will he make sure that clubs will not abuse the system? How much is all this going to cost in total and why not use the money in other ways?
Ms CARNEY (Araluen): Madam Speaker, let me concisely state why the opposition does not support this bill. I should say at the outset, as the minister well knows, I have been a strong supporter of the dry town in Alice Springs. I am on the record in this place and outside it. At the same time there can be no doubt that the dry town in Alice Springs is failing. I am not yet of the view that it can be described as a failure. I say, however, as pretty much everyone else does, it is failing. Urgent and immediate action is required in order to avert what could be the failure of a dry town.
The dry town is important in the context of this legislation because it is one of a series of measures that this government has implemented in its attempts - just like every other government before it - to combat a high level of alcohol abuse that we have in the Northern Territory.
I note with interest that the minister has said that there is going to be a review of the dry town legislation. Our view is: is it not absurd to keep patching on a whole lot of policy bits and pieces when the review has not begun let alone been completed? We ask: is it not best to undertake that review, make an informed and intelligent assessment of the dry town before you put on extra layers of administration and bureaucracy and restrictions? I will talk about other restrictions shortly.
In relation to the dry town, have they not learned the lesson of ignoring the people of Alice Springs and, indeed, their local representatives when they arrived in Alice Springs in April 2007? When the member for Fannie Bay was Chief Minister, they were booed - and rightly so. Why? Because a whole lot of people were jumping up and down saying you are not paying attention, you are not listening. The ministers rode into town and said: ‘There, there, boys and girls. We know what is good for you.’ No wonder they were booed. They deserved - as did the former Chief Minister - every single minute of it.
The Minister for Alcohol Policy, who despite our frequent differences, I believe is genuinely motivated to tackle this issue. I remember the debate we had in November last year, one of the best debates I have heard in this place, about substance abuse and alcohol policy. I saw the minister listening to me then, as I am grateful that he is listening to me now.
The minister will remember I said to him in that debate, like all governments, you need to take the community with you. I said at the time that there was an element of good will from Alice Springs residents in relation to the dry town. That it was incumbent on government to keep the community with them. The way to lose the community is to say, against all of the evidence: ‘No, the dry town is really good. Our policies are working for you.’ That is the height of arrogance and it is political stupidity.
I note that the minister wrote to me a couple of days ago and said that the dry town has brought a number of significant benefits to Alice Springs. He listed three things. I am not sure I have the letter – the main one he listed was a 10% reduction in pure alcohol consumption. I invite the minister in his reply to let us know, place it on the record, how is that measured, who measures it and how is the pure alcohol determined? Or to put it another way – is it beer that is going on? Is it wine? Is it spirits? How do you get to that 10% figure? Because many people I have spoken to who should know, do not know. I invite the minister to come back on that one.
The minister said in the letter that there was a reduction in admissions to hospitals. I hope the minister is not going down the John Boffa path, and with the greatest of respect to him, the nonsense peddled last week about there being fewer murders in Alice Springs and, therefore, somehow miraculously, that this is an indicator that the dry town is doing well. I would hate to think that the minister buys an argument like that because that is not an indicator of the success or otherwise of the dry town.
The minister, ought not in the normal course of events, be persuaded by headlines in newspapers. However, I would urge him in any event to not completely ignore the expressions by two of the newspapers and, of course, there are only two in Alice Springs – Alice Springs News and I think we tabled this in parliament last sittings: ‘Dry Town a Farce’ that was in February. The minister, I hope, would be aware of the editorial in the Centralian Advocate, 28 March, in which the editor says after the lightening carnival:
- The drinking took place regardless. In clear defiance of dry town laws people took to drinking on the streets, on the footpaths, around the edges of Traeger Park where drinking was banned and across the town. Clearly the dry laws are a sham.
It went on to say a few other things but for the purposes of this argument does the minister say the two main papers in Alice Springs are wrong? If he says that, then he should articulate his view very clearly.
We say that the indicators as put to us by our constituents, by police, that there is a widespread acknowledgement that there are more people in town, yes, there has been a spike since the intervention, but certainly there has been urban drift for some years. The police accept that a dry town is not the silver bullet. Your own member for Stuart said in the course of that debate in November last year that the police – I am not sure that I have the – yes, I do have the exact quote. The member for Stuart said on 27 November last year:
- We can have a dry town, but people will always find ways around it and that is what we are finding. We need to support the police. I have talked to quite a number of police officers. They are struggling with the dry town legislation. It has shifted the problem.
In the minister’s letter, which I have now found, the minister says: ‘I am confident the police are giving enforcement of legislation sufficient priority.’ He also says: ‘I consider the legislation is being effectively policed.’ Well, he might like to talk to his colleague, the member for Stuart.
All in all, the dry town is failing. Pretty much everyone thinks so, with the exception of some government ministers. Is it not more sensible, as I said at the outset, instead of putting on more layers of restrictions, to undertake an assessment and go the extra yard and see how it can be improved because he might be able to save it? There might be some things you can do.
I note that the minister is not adverse to this sort of argument because I saw his letter this morning - I respectfully do not call it a submission - to the Senate committee regarding the Families, Housing and Community Services and Indigenous Affairs and Other Legislation Amendment that was sent off just the other day. In relation to the intervention, the minister said: ‘The Northern Territory government fully supports the intervention, but believes some elements could be improved at both operational and legislative levels.’ If you say that, minister, in relation to the intervention and its associated legislation, might you not be compelled to use the same argument or, at least, accept it from others in relation to the dry town? In essence, that is the summary that we put in relation to the dry town.
The second major point is this legislation should not be debated without looking at what the current restrictions are in Alice Springs. The current restrictions that I am aware of are a requirement to provide ID and advise as to where the alcohol is going to be consumed for purchases over $100 - that is a federal one and I will come back to that if I have time; certain types of takeaway alcohol available only after 2 pm - that is beer, spirits and wine; and others being only available from 6 pm - fortified wine etcetera; the dry town - that is, no alcohol is to be consumed in the town of Alice Springs except private dwellings, licensed premises and the Telegraph Station; prohibition of alcohol in town camps - that was a federal government one but I remember the minister came out in support of that; prohibitions on alcohol being purchased for people who use the store cards under the income management scheme; and alcohol courts to deal with people who are affected by alcohol. They are just some of the restrictions.
You would have to ask yourself: are any of these working? If so, which ones and how well or how badly? Minister, we invite you to accept that, out of all of those restrictions, few of them are working well; few are working as any of us intended. If you look at the last crime figures in particular - I think it was the December quarter or the ones released in March - increases in violent assaults in Alice Springs up 16% in the same quarter based on the same quarter of the previous year. Traditionally, that has been the indicator, and both sides of politics latch on to the crime statistics to prove their case. We say we prove it much more convincingly than you do every time, given the rising crime figures.
In any event, the crime figures are another indicator of how badly things are going in Alice Springs under all of these restrictions. Some of them have emerged since the intervention; some of them were planned well beforehand. Some of them were by a Labor government in the Northern Territory; some were by the conservative government in Canberra. The federal ones are retained by the federal Labor government which you have said you support in their endeavours. There are a number of restrictions. Would it not be best to review all of them in a comprehensive manner and see which ones are working before you add another layer of bureaucracy onto them?
The member for Nhulunbuy let us all know that he was at work today when he did his little explosion in his contribution. On the basis that he still represents the government of the Northern Territory, I suggest to him through you, that the government cannot have it both ways. The government cannot, on the one hand, say of the $100 takeaway limit - which personally I think is ridiculous and thought it at the time. It was very interesting - no one asked me. No one asked me. I could not believe it. I believe that was a bad idea. However, the member for Nhulunbuy was wholesome and fulsome in his praise of former Chief Minister, Marshall Perron, when he said: ‘Marshall Perron used to try everything’. I am paraphrasing him now but, in essence, the member for Nhulunbuy said no idea is a bad idea.
Let us say, for the sake of the argument, that the feds were having a bit of a go and, under Marshall Perron, pin-up boy for the member for Nhulunbuy, government said that this is worthy of support, worthy of a bit of a go. You cannot reconcile that with having your own ID system for buying a takeaway can of beer for $2.50 that requires ID just like the federal government one. Similarly, you cannot, with respect, attack another government for having a go and then not accept criticism of your proposals for, I suppose put another way, having a go. Criticism, we believe, is warranted for some of the reasons I have outlined.
In your second reading speech, you referred to ‘cutting the supply of liquor as an essential part of this government’s strategy to combat alcohol abuse and the serious social health problems …’ etcetera. You go on to say, ‘the slight inconvenience of this new system will be more than compensated by the reduction in crime and antisocial behaviour caused by people who should not have access to alcohol’.
There is a sameness of language, with respect, when the Alcohol Court Bill and Antisocial Behaviour (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill came before the parliament in December 2005, which we debated in February of the following year. Then Attorney-General, Peter Toyne, said:
- The purpose of these bills is to implement the government’s election commitments regarding antisocial behaviour. In particular, the bills will provide for new strategies to deal with offenders who are alcohol-dependent; provide for a new category of dry or restricted premises suitable for urban areas; and improve mechanisms for dealing with tenants in relation to antisocial behaviour.
He went on to say:
- The legislative package underpins a coordinated whole-of-government approach to breaking the cycle of alcohol abuse, violence and antisocial behaviour in our community.
Then he goes on, at length, to talk about all of the wonderful aims of the alcohol courts. This is just one example. If I were to do things with computers that I probably cannot do, and try to match up sentence for sentence over a raft of legislation, I think I might be able to find pretty much the same sentences, the same language used by government over the years.
The government is wanting some people in the Northern Territory, although not everyone, and that is another argument in itself, to accept the imposition of providing their ID when its existing restrictions, in many respects, though not all, are failing, when government uses the same old line, ‘well, we will give this a go because this is our attempt to tackle alcohol abuse and antisocial behaviour’. You would think, would you not, that the government might learn that it needs to do a bit more than just parroting the same old lines, and that it is bad public policy to just attach bits and pieces and then call it a framework.
Interestingly, when Peter Toyne talked about the Alcohol Courts Bill, no mention was made of an ID system. No, someone came up with that idea much later on. That is clearly an example of it being just chucked into the pot. This is not good policy. This is not the basis upon which any government should make policy. It is just dumb.
In relation to the alcohol courts, and I commend anyone who reads this Hansard - no doubt hundreds of thousands of people will - but all those who read the Hansard, I invite them to read what Peter Toyne said on 1 December 2005, of all the lofty aims for the alcohol courts, and then what the opposition said. We said they would not work, that what you dished up were not the right tools. They were not the right tools and time probably prevents me from going into all of the arguments. But we told you. I recall that that was a pretty earnest debate as well. It is an arrogant government that just does not listen to anyone. However, you would think that, over time, it if they cannot admit that others can be right on occasions, that they might at least admit it to themselves.
Let us have a look at the alcohol courts. After writing to the Attorney-General, and not getting a response for some time, and then pushing him on it, I received the following information, and I am glad I did. This was current in February. In the 18 months since the alcohol courts have been operating, 99 people across the Territory have been referred to them. Of the 99, just 27 have successfully completed a court ordered treatment program. In the same period, that 18 months’ period, I believe based on figures contained in the Police annual report, about 40 000 people were taken into protective custody for being drunk. The figures are worthy of reading out further. In the 18 months that figures were provided for, 42 people have appeared before the court in Alice Springs, 57 in Darwin; one prohibition order has been made in Alice Springs, two in Darwin; 28 people have been ordered to attend a treatment program in Alice, 43 in Darwin. Of the 28 people ordered to undertake a treatment program in Alice Springs, only eight completed the program and 14 failed. Of the 43 in Darwin, only 19 offenders successfully completed programs and nine failed.’ I am reading from a media release I issued on 26 February this year.
The point is that you went to the 2005 election and you said: ‘We are going to romp and stomp, we are going to do all sorts of things’. Peter Toyne even admitted that the Alcohol Bill and Antisocial Behaviour Bill were the government’s response to its election promise to deal with antisocial behaviour and alcohol. You guys backed yourself on this package. Down the track, 18 months of data, clearly the alcohol courts have failed ...
Dr Burns: Not so.
Ms CARNEY: Well, minister, you say ‘Not so’. You are the same bloke I think who is likely to stand up in reply and say: ‘No, no, no, Jodes, the dry town is not failing, either.’ If that is the line you will pursue, minister, do it at your peril. Do it at your peril. When you go to bed tonight, you think about how you and your colleagues felt when you were all booed. Clare got a hiding, but you all deserved it, and you all got it. When you were all booed by the hundreds of Alice Springs residents who looked you in the eye and said: ‘Sorry, guys, you have to listen to us.’ If you are going to stand up and say: ‘No, no, no, you are wrong,’ do it at your peril.
I do not have a copy with me of the big glossy that was sent around Alice Springs several weeks ago. It talked about alcohol and how the government’s strategy was working. If that is what you seriously think, then you are just on another planet in terms of measuring the pulse of the people of Alice Springs. You are on another planet when it comes to ignoring all other information. I know you are going to talk about the 10% and, by jingoes, do we want details of that. If you are going to talk about increases or decreases in hospital admissions, I invite you to table the figures. Unlike some people on your side and in the Northern Territory, I do not accept just because you say something it is therefore true. I say that in relation to all of your colleagues, minister, including you.
All of us want this problem fixed. I note the irony that Neil Bell was here today, and Eric Poole was here today. They probably argued and debated alcohol policy as much as we have. The minister and I were both elected in the 2001 election. So, for as long as we have both been here, I have been thinking that we are going to continue to talk about alcohol. Those blokes talked about it in the last generation. No one has the silver bullet. I do not think there is a silver bullet. But no government should be blinded by its own arrogance and believe its own spin about how well things are working, when clearly they are not.
The case as put by government is not compelling. I wrestled with my position on this legislation, as I think all good legislators should. It is not just a matter of ticking the box. You should get your head thoroughly around it, search your conscious, match it up with your constituents and make a decision accordingly.
I cannot tell you the number of approaches I have had from constituents about the effects of the dry town. Most of my time in this parliament will be spent answering e-mails from people. Some of them make me weep, as I did in front of yet another constituent who came in a week or so ago. People are not coping. I have never known of an issue that is at risk of swamping two of the local members. Not like this.
I have 70-year-old ladies coming into my office, crying, and young families talking about the effects of crime in the town on them. This is real human stuff. It would be a fool who would not be moved by it. We should be moved by this stuff, and we would not be really human if we were not.
All of us want solutions as our predecessors in politics did but, minister, this is not the answer. We oppose it. We think it is bad policy. We think it is tacked on, and we think the evidence for that is pretty obvious. We do not believe that good public policy is just a stacking on of layers of other people’s ideas. We think, at the very least, before the review of the dry town starts, let alone finishes, that a review should be undertaken before you look at other bits and pieces. We urge you to speed up that review, by the way, because it simply must be done and done quickly.
I predict that you will talk about the pure alcohol stuff, the hospital admissions. Please table relevant information. If you are brave enough to say that the people of Alice Springs do not know what they are talking about, then, as I said, be that at your peril.
As an alternative, and in a sort of spirit of, perhaps cooperation is not quite the right word, but as lawyers say in court: ‘If you are against me on everything, Your Honour, can you make a submission in respect of something else as an alternative?’ As an alternative, minister, might you not be persuaded to hold off this legislation and bring it back on six months down the track? Because, by then, presumably, your review of the dry town legislation will have been completed; presumably aspects of the intervention would be resolved. I note from your letter/submission to the Senate committee that your desire is improving some of the operational aspects of the intervention, as am I.
Over and above all the policy stuff and the idea itself, we think the timing is just not right and, finally, our constituents, who guide us in so many things, tell us that they do not want it. There are various descriptions of how many problem drinkers there are in Alice Springs. Reviewing the material over lunchtime, the former Chief Minister said that the problem drinkers were about 150 to 200. I gathered she was talking about across the Territory. I think figures of 300 have been mentioned. I gather from people around the place that that figure is increasing. In any event, if you have, say, 300 to 500 problem drinkers, why do you not enforce properly what you have? Yes, it requires resources; police is but one example. However, why do you not enforce what you have already? Enforce it in a fair dinkum way, then assess it and then see whether additional policy ideas such as an ID system will fit and work.
However, and it is not surprising, given that they see people drinking every day, as do I when I am in my home town of Alice Springs, that the same people say: ‘Well, there are only a few hundred drinkers, why should the rest of the population, black and white, be penalised?’ That is an argument that all of us, as politicians, will grapple with, but it is a reasonable argument that deserves a response, particularly in light of all of the restrictions that exist in a place like Alice Springs which I have listed.
People on the eastern seaboard would be staggered by the number of restrictions we have and, going to Alice Springs and seeing the line up at every alcohol outlet at 2 pm, and then seeing the effects of it for the next 24 hours. What you are doing is not working. We say you should enforce it, and review it - not in a ‘let us spin it and tell everyone it is working, when it is clearly not’ way, but a proper way. Might the timing for this be further down the track? Minister, in relation to the figures that you are going to rely on I suspect, can I remind you to table or provide evidence of the figures that you rely on.
That concludes our position, Madam Speaker, and I look forward to the comments from the member for Greatorex.
Mr WOOD (Nelson): Madam Speaker, I thank the minister for the briefing that his department gave me yesterday. I have listened to the debate and thought long and hard about this. My comments rely on my background in relation to alcohol abuse, especially in indigenous communities, and the many attempts by many good citizens who have tried to do something to change the way alcohol is dealt with in the Northern Territory. Unfortunately, I would be the first to say that I do not think alcohol or the problems associated with alcohol have improved one iota since I came to the Territory in 1970. In fact, they have got worse.
I decided not to support this, not because I am here to just be a knocker. I believe we have to try things, but I will highlight why it is impractical legislation. I would support it, perhaps, if it could be trialled. I know the member for Nhulunbuy said we have ID in Gove and Groote. That is a different system. That is a system where, if I want to drink, I have to have a card. The ones who do not have a card are the ones who cannot drink. If I am a person who is causing trouble in town, and not on a prohibition order or on any of the orders that you mention in your second reading, but the locals may reckon I am a nuisance, I have been sleeping on the footpath at night, well, that bloke is not going to be able to have a drink for the next four weeks. Or if a person caused some problems at the football, he is not going to have access.
That is not quite the system we are talking about here. We are talking about a system that is going to pull out the people who have official orders against them. We are going to apply it to a series of towns in the Northern Territory. In light of what you say here, minister:
- … the community leaders and members request the government to step immediately to reduce the incidents of public fighting, domestic violence, indecent behaviour, obscene language that occurs all too often because of alcohol abuse.
If you had added to that Mitchell Street, Darwin, I might have thought we were realistic about what we are trying to do. For too long, we have put this issue out of Darwin. I was in Darwin on Friday night, fairly late. Mitchell Street is about drinking alcohol - that is what it is. If you want to deny it, you are in the wrong place. We have a society in which, I still believe, drunkenness is okay. I have said before, we have to change the attitudes of people. The Prime Minister, Mr Rudd, is so concerned about binge drinking he is willing to add an amount of tax on to these mixed drinks. I know there are arguments about whether that is going to work, but Mr Rudd is saying these are the issues that are hitting our society that we are not looking at. I have spoken here many times about advertising of alcohol, especially in relation to sport. We are not doing anything. Are we really getting to the hard issues that we have to, or are we tinkering? This, to me, is tinkering.
I have said many times we know there are people in our society who have gone through that revolving door of alcoholism time and time again. I do not know whether you should go to CAAPS and ask them how many people have been through that door time and time again. I believe there is a need for compulsory rehabilitation of people, not because I want to pick on people, but because, out of the kindness of what we are trying to do, we must help these people who cannot help themselves. I argue that we should have had low-security prisons in Katherine and Tennant Creek, which could have been developed around a prison farm with, possibly, some annexes which might be able to be used for helping some of these people who have a continual alcohol problem and do not have the ability to help themselves. We have to look at that. Some of these problems we have today have to come back to us, as individual people. No matter how much we might try to put all these great ideas into place, if a person does not want to get off the grog, they are not going to get off the grog.
The idea in theory might be good. I would like a trial, because you now have dry areas. You have now brought in certain hours where alcohol cannot be sold, or certain types of alcohol cannot be sold. I do not know what the assessment of the effect of that is. I would like to see whether that has had any effect. Before we add another layer, it would be good to see whether those two programs that you have put in place are working, and if they have had a real effect.
The problem I have with the ID system is that, by picking specific towns, for instance, Mataranka, everyone heads down to the two pubs at Larrimah, and there will be nothing to stop them, and vice versa. People in Katherine will all head to Darwin or Pine Creek, or Adelaide River. So, you have a system which is based on the notion that I cannot move from my area. But I can just get in my car and go elsewhere where I do not have to use a card. It has limitations within itself simply because people are mobile.
The other issue, and this is what I had from the briefing, there are about 10 people who have prohibition orders, and there were about 20 people who had the other type of order which was an alcohol intervention order. I did not get the numbers for bail conditions or court ordered domestic violence orders both of which restricts alcohol use. If I just took the first two figures, there are 10 people who have prohibition orders and 20 people who have alcohol intervention orders. Where are they in the Territory? Not only do we have a small number, we might have no one in Tennant Creek, or we might have one person in Tennant Creek, who has a prohibition order. We might have three people in Katherine and the rest of the prohibition orders might be in Darwin. Those people would not be affected in the first place. So the people this is aimed at, we are not even sure where they are. Are we going to, by this very means of having a card, actually get to the people we are trying to stop drinking?
The other part, and this is why I said at the beginning I count on some of my knowledge of working in indigenous communities over many years, and alcohol at that time in Daly River was a big problem, no doubt about it. People were bashed up in those days, and people died and people were killed, but people will find a way of getting around the system. To me, you base the system on something that has been thought of in an office somewhere. The reality is that down here on the ground people will find ways of getting around it - for example, I will get my mates to buy my grog. Now, in a little community, you might be able to say: ‘We know you are taking that grog to such and such’, but in a community like Katherine with 10 000 people and quite a number of outlets, my mate might travel around the takeaway outlets on a regular basis and just buy three cartons instead of his normal two, and he gives me the one.
I know, again, from the briefing that the government might consider bringing in legislation that says that is a crime. Well, it has not got it now, so it is not a crime for him to hand his grog over to a bloke with a prohibition order. To me, that is why it will not work. People are not silly. When it comes to people who really want to drink, they will find many ways of getting around the law. This is one of the problems that we have here. It is not practical, it has not been thought through. I am not knocking the government for trying, I just think this legislation is not the right way to go.
I understand where we are heading. As I said, a trial might have been better, it might have picked up some of the issues I have. We can say, all right, we have done a trial. I do not know how you would do a trial if you picked a place like Alice Springs. Everyone would go down the road to Kulgera and up the road to somewhere else to try to avoid it. A trial would have been better than trying to introduce a fairly expensive system – no doubt this will cost the government a fair bit of money in IT and making sure the identification cards actually work. I do have some concerns that it sounds nice but, in actual fact, I do not think it is going to work.
I take up what the member for Araluen said: ‘It is no good me getting up and saying: “You have a silly idea without looking at an alternative”’. I suppose my alternative is we should be putting more emphasis into education, trying to change the attitude to drunkenness, for example. To me drunkenness seems to be the norm today. Prime Minister Rudd has said: ‘I think binge drinking is a major problem for young people’. Some statistics came out the other day talking about a 1:4 ratio of young people who regularly binge drink about once a week. If those are the sorts of figures that are going around, then we are attacking only part of the problem, we are only looking at a certain aspect of it. We are not attacking the whole of it.
I have also spoken about advertising. I believe advertising is a very powerful tool. Governments seem to be very scared to go to the alcohol industry and say: ‘We think advertising for alcohol should be restricted’. There is also the way that alcohol is displayed. Why are many young people drinking vodka-type drinks today? Because they are coloured and they taste nice. I bet if they drank straight vodka they would not drink it the way they drink mixed drinks. The alcohol industry is not silly. It might pretend that it is concerned, but the facts are that it deliberately promotes its product in a way which will attract people to drink it. After all, it is in the business of making money. I believe we should be targeting some of those areas.
The other area is rehabilitation. We need to put more effort into rehabilitation. There is a definite need for governments - and I believe alcohol courts can do it - which will empower a magistrate to send a person to rehabilitation programs. If we are aiming at many indigenous people who have these problems, then it would be far better to have these programs out in their own country, or, at least away, from the city where they can try to get literacy and numeracy skills, get medical attention - because we know in many cases it is a medical problem - be able to work out in the garden, be visited by relations. I believe we have not done that, unfortunately.
We have Dilinya, 270 km from Katherine, run by Sheila Millar who struggles under her own steam, but runs an enterprise with six or seven houses, all beautifully kept. She runs a program that I believe she does not particularly want the government to know about, but the facts are that she seems to be successful. The problem she has is that as she gets successful outcomes, the numbers of people requiring her assistance mount up to the point where she cannot cope.
This is a big problem. I do not think the ID system is going to solve it. It may solve it, like the member for Nhulunbuy said, in specific communities where there is control, in this case controlled by an Aboriginal community over its own land and, therefore, it has that jurisdiction. But we are not talking about Aboriginal land here; we are talking about open towns. To use Nhulunbuy and Groote Eylandt as examples is not fair in terms of what has been put forward here today.
Minister, I do not get up here and criticise for the sake of criticising. I accept the government has a big problem with alcohol abuse in the Northern Territory. We know there is domestic violence and there are deaths and car accidents, but I feel that this is not the answer. I put forward positive proposals as something the government should look at. As it is, I think it will not work, and, to be honest with you, I think it will be a waste of money. It needs to be looked at again, to be thought out more carefully, perhaps even trialled to see if it does work.
I will give you another example. Basically, what you are saying with this system is that we will ban someone from drinking at a pub, or getting alcohol. I have been to Aboriginal communities, though, where you see a board on the wall, and Bill, Fred, Harry, have been banned for six weeks, three weeks, five weeks, seven weeks. They can ban them for a little while but, as soon as the ban is over, they are back and the whole problem returns. We have not gotten to the nub of why they are drinking so much.
We could go into all the social issues about employment, health, education, etcetera, but the thing is we still have these major problems that need a lot more work done on them. We need to provide much more assistance to people who have alcohol problems. I do not see that this ID system will fix what we are trying to change.
Mr CONLAN (Greatorex): Madam Speaker, I would just like to add that while the member for Nhulunbuy before was trying to highlight some discrepancy in some comment I made back in 19 whatever and compared it to something I said in 2000-whatever about the dry town, I can assure him and this House that my stance on the dry town issue has been consistent from day one. It is not the dry town legislation per se that I take issue with; it is the inability by this government to actually enforce the dry town legislation. That is where I take issue. I would have thought that the member for Nhulunbuy, after all the years in this House, might have been able to tell the difference.
However, I would like to say that I thank him for paying me such a huge compliment in calling me the John Laws of Alice Springs.
A member interjecting.
Mr CONLAN: Well, Lawsie, as we know is the greatest radio broadcaster that this country has ever seen - 54 years in Australian radio. I would like to say thank you very much to the member for Nhulunbuy for paying me such a huge compliment. A true legend, old Lawsie, in Australian radio. Thank you very much, member for Nhulunbuy.
I am going to be much more pointed in my response when it comes to this alcohol ID system. It is just another attempt by this government to address alcohol-related issues in the Territory. Another attempt, fair enough, but also an admission of failure that everything else they have done in the past has not worked. Over and above all the other measures that they have introduced, namely the dry town legislation which we have spoken about ad nauseam, restricted trading hours, restrictions on certain products, alcohol courts and prohibition orders just to name a few, and that coupled with the federal government’s $100 cap on alcohol products without providing identification have not worked – also something that this government was very vocal about during the coalition days last year when they introduced that, extremely vocal about it. They castigated the Howard government but all of a sudden they have gone very quiet on the $100 cap.
The raft of measures to curb alcoholism, and alcohol-related crime, introduced by this Northern Territory government has failed, dismally failed. As the member for Araluen, the member for Katherine, and even the member for Nelson pointed out, a simple stroll down the streets of Alice Springs, Tennant Creek, or Katherine will highlight that failure: inebriated bodies in the parks and streets of Tennant Creek, Katherine and Alice Springs surrounded by blankets of VB cans and bottles is a sign that the measures introduced thus far have not worked.
However, it is plainly evident that when you take a drive around the suburbs of my electorate and many other electorates in the Northern Territory, particularly electorates in Alice Springs, and witness the blatant flaunting of the law, in particular the ‘No Grog’ sign in public housing, which is something that the former Minister for Housing flatly denied was happening …
Mr McAdam: Absolute rubbish.
Mr CONLAN: … flatly denied that it was actually taking place …
Mr McAdam: We put them up.
Mr CONLAN: … despite the photographs and the e-mails I forwarded to the minister and his department in Alice Springs …
Mr McAdam: We put them up. It took you five days to respond, you idiot.
Mr CONLAN: … but it is happening. Whether this government chooses to believe it or not, there are many Territory Housing properties where drunks are going to drink to such an extent that they are compromising their own health, their own sanitary conditions, their neighbours and their children. This government’s battle against drunks is a losing battle. They are losing the battle and they have lost the war and the confidence of Northern Territorians.
All the measures that have been put into place to win this battle have failed. All you need to do is – and maybe the former Minister for Central Australia could have spent a bit more time in Alice Springs …
Mr McAdam: I live in Central Australia, you idiot.
Mr CONLAN: … just spent 10 minutes at the North Side Shops, just 10 minutes is all we ask at the North Side Shops in Alice Springs. That is all. Just 10 minutes. Just have a look any time after 2 pm. Mothers doing shopping after work - these are true stories. I am not making this up. These are stories that people have come into my office …
Mr Warren: Yes, you are, you make it all up.
Mr CONLAN: Perhaps the member for Goyder might take a little jaunt down to the North Side shops and see for himself: mothers doing their shopping who will not get out of the car with their children for fear of being abused, attacked, insulted, verballed or humbugged.
This is happening every single day in Alice Springs - every single day. Parents are refusing to allow their teenage children to work in some of these supermarkets for the same reasons - the hidden victims and the growing costs of the failure by this government to address alcohol-related crime. A small business opted to close early to avoid the daily fallout of public drunkenness, depriving the business of income, the staff of wages, teenagers of pocket money, and the community of a service. Other small business operators are losing confidence in the town because it is overrun by large, overwhelming displays of public drunkenness, criminal and lawless behaviour. Not to mention the effect this sort of thing is having on tourists, families and all the stakeholders, of Alice Springs, Central Australia and, indeed, the whole of the Northern Territory.
I draw your attention to a letter written by the Chief Minister sent out recently, I think in March:
- Action to Tackle Antisocial Behaviour and Youth Crime. Antisocial behaviour and youth crime are two critical issues facing the Northern Territory. I am determined to tackle them.
Well, that is good to hear:
- I have recently announced new plans to crack down on both of these issues. The comprehensive package to deal with antisocial behaviour includes security cameras, a dedicated Night Patrol and an antisocial behaviour report line.
Not one for Central Australia - not one - however, this letter was sent to every household in Alice Springs:
- The comprehensive plan includes the first response patrol, dedicated antisocial behaviour reporting line, Darwin area Night Patrol, closed circuit television cameras, increased short-term accommodation, Return to Home Program boosted, new level of cooperation between all government and non-government agencies.
That was sent to every household in Alice Springs - not one initiative for Alice Springs.
Here is a letter written to the Editor of the Centralian Advocate on 28 March this year. It was written by a couple from Woree in North Queensland:
- Tourist Bureau blasts Alice as a dump.
- We are visitors from North Queensland and we are both of Aboriginal descent. We came to the Northern Territory because we wanted to see the red Centre, Katherine Gorge and Darwin and, possibly, to buy indigenous artwork. But we are absolutely appalled at the large numbers of filthy, dirty people wandering aimlessly about the centre of your town. These bludgers are using our tax money to buy grog and to live the life of Riley …
Members interjecting.
Mr CONLAN: This is the letter. I am just highlighting this:
- Yeperenye is the worst shopping centre we have ever visited in our life. Our phone was stolen within five minutes of our being there. We think the Labor Party likes to keep our people ignorant so they can live off their misery. The idea of allowing these great unwashed to wander around shouting and screaming is to drive good people out of the town so that the ALP and their mates can live off our tax money in a socialist utopia.
What a dump! We are going to Adelaide to spend the rest of our holidays …
Mr BONSON: Madam Deputy Speaker, a point of order!
Mr CONLAN:
… away from the filth …
Ms SCRYMGOUR: A point of order!
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Member for Greatorex, cease!
Ms SCRYMGOUR: A point of order!
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Minister?
Mr Warren: You knew it was a point of order. Madam Deputy Speaker, that was offensive.
Mr BONSON: Madam Deputy Speaker, I reflect that the member for Greatorex is alluding that the Australian Labor Party is somehow supportive of the views that he is putting forward by, obviously, a CLP crony.
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: There is no point of order.
Mr CONLAN: I do not know who wrote that. Their names are on this and they are from Woree in North Queensland. I am sure you could contact them and find out what political allegiance they have, member for Millner. Nevertheless, I am reading this, and this is the best part. In fact, it is not the best part but it is certainly worth mentioning:
- We are going to Adelaide to spend the rest of our holidays away from the filth and we will not be recommending the Northern Territory to anyone.
That is a letter to the editor. There is no doubt about it, it is a pretty heavy hitting letter and perhaps a bit over the top but, regardless, it is a snapshot of public opinion. It is the sort of stuff that we, in Central Australia, are dealing with on an hourly basis.
This alcohol ID system tacked on the back of every other measure to try to curb criminal and alcohol-related criminal lawlessness in Central Australia is doomed to fail. The people of Alice Springs know you have failed in addressing alcohol-related crime. They know you failed to win the war on drunks. In fact, the drunks are actually winning the war on all the prohibitive measures introduced by this soft-on-crime Northern Territory government.
Mr Knight: I am sure the Chamber will be very interested in your comments, member for Greatorex.
Mr CONLAN: There is no evidence, no evidence – perhaps the Minister for Central Australia can take a little sashay out to the North Side shops and speak to some of these business people himself.
Mr Knight: The Chamber will be very interested in your comments, member for Greatorex. Very interested. Go and talk to the Chamber of Commerce.
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Member for Daly, order!
Mr CONLAN: Maybe that is what you need to do, Minister for Central Australia, so you can go back to Cabinet and tell your Cabinet colleagues this is what is happening.
There is no evidence whatsoever to suggest that things in Central Australia will be any different under this ID system ...
Ms Scrymgour: Oh, you are not on radio anymore.
Mr CONLAN: The real problem – John Laws of Alice Springs, thanks very much.
Obviously, the real problem is not being addressed by the Northern Territory government. We need some tough love, we need to get tough on these drunks ...
Members interjecting.
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order!
Mr CONLAN: Madam Deputy Speaker, get tough on drunks and address the real problem. The real problem facing Territorians in Central Australia, instead of, every five minutes, tacking on another little …
Ms Carney: Someone’s apparently good idea.
Mr CONLAN: Someone’s idea, on the back of a whole raft of failed legislation already and address the real problem. Madam Deputy Speaker, I do not support the bill.
Dr BURNS (Justice and Attorney-General): Madam Deputy Speaker, I thank all members for their contribution. In some cases, it is hard to know where to start. The starting point in this is to say that government has never pretended that any of the alcohol measures we brought in are a silver bullet in themselves. We have never contended that. We have never said that. We have never promised that.
Nonetheless, in contradiction to what has been asserted by members on the other side, they are saying: ‘You are just tacking another bit on the end of the policies and strategies that you have already introduced with this ID system’. I would strongly assert this ID system is actually the machinery that will better support the measures that we have brought in already. The members of the opposition and Independents have catalogued those measures. If we are talking about dry towns, if we are talking about alcohol restrictions, that is, restricting the amount of product per person per day, you can have one cask of wine per day, that is your quota, by having a linked ID system that says, ‘Joe Blow, you have had your quota today, and if you go to the shop down the road because it is linked you will be refused service at that shop’.
Furthermore, I am not denying that other people buy grog for others. I am not denying that in the least. Of course, people are ingenious, they have an alcohol problem, they are alcoholics, they will try any way to get alcohol to drink. But what it will do, amongst their immediate cohort, who are also drinkers, once they have had their quota for that day, it is going to be very hard for them to get a second one.
What we are looking at here is an overall strategy to reduce harmful alcohol consumption. I believe that the measures thus far in Alice Springs, evidenced by a 10% per capita overall reduction in pure alcohol consumption, shows that these measures can work. What we are saying with this ID system is, it is actually the machinery to assist, to drive alcohol consumption down further.
The member for Nelson talked about a trial. He wanted a trial somewhere for alcohol restrictions and ID systems. All you have to do is look at Groote Eylandt, because if there ever was a trial that could show what the results can be when you reduce harmful alcohol consumption it is Groote Eylandt. The report on the management system at Groote Eylandt said 75% fewer cases of public drunkenness; protective custodies over a year declined from 90 to 11; 52% less property crime; 60% reduction in incidents of disturbance; 67% drop in the number of police call outs for aggravated assault; absenteeism for indigenous employers at the local mine dropped from 7.8% to 2.4%; and improved community function and wellbeing. We know that Groote Eylandt is unique. There is a mining company there, there are Aboriginal communities, and it is isolated. They have shown what can be achieved by reducing alcohol consumption.
It is very difficult to transplant what has happened at Groote Eylandt elsewhere in the Territory. However, we are looking at the strategies this government has brought forward, rolled out and implemented - far more than the previous government in terms of restricting supply - all of which constitutes a genuine attempt to reduce harmful alcohol consumption and the end result of that. Some people poo-poohed some of the statements John Boffa made. The statements concerned reduced violence in the town in terms of murders and other serious incidents. There was also the report that the member for Daly referred to, a report outlining a reduction in stabbing events in Alice Springs. That is giving some weight to what is going on.
These are serious attempts by this government to reduce harmful alcohol consumption. We have never said that any one of these measures will be a silver bullet. As the Leader of the Opposition pointed out, this is a very complex issue and a very complex problem. At the bottom of it, as the Leader of the Opposition pointed out, is personal choice. The member for Nelson also pointed that out: it is a personal choice, and, ultimately, a personal responsibility. I am on the public record as saying that is at the heart of it. That is at the heart of people making choices not to drink grog in an inappropriate or harmful way. That is what we have to aim for.
As we said earlier today, the Living with Alcohol program introduced by Marshall Perron was highly applauded and a very successful program for the time that it ran. I think that is where we have to go. I have stated it in this House before that, in terms of demand reduction in this population, this is a government that is serious about reducing demand. It is a complex issue because we are looking at social, demographic, economic and cultural factors, all of which are very complex and contributing to drive this situation.
Part of our response has been Closing the Gap: the initiatives that government has undertaken in terms of closing the gap in education, economic development, and jobs. This is a big undertaking. What we are saying regarding the alcohol restrictions, the dry towns and the ID system, etcetera, is that this is one element of an overall strategy. I repeat that: to say that the ID system is an add-on is quite erroneous. The ID system is all about giving these strategies the adequate machinery in terms of the identification of people, ensuring that the restrictions on product and certain people accessing alcohol are carried out with greater efficiency. That is what this is about. To say that it is an add-on is to completely miss the point.
Speaker after speaker talked about the multitude of measures implemented by this government, and we should be halting, evaluating and then maybe adding some more. We are in the process in Alice Springs. It has been very difficult - and I would have to say it continues to be difficult - to find an appropriate organisation to carry out an evaluation independent of government to let everyone know, the good citizens of Alice Springs, and the people of the Northern Territory generally, and the government, exactly how these measures have impacted on many of the outcomes that we are interested in. Police callouts, public drunkenness, assaults, admissions to hospital, there is a whole range of measures. I have been quite strong on the public record as saying that I want to see an evaluation, one outside of government, by someone who is absolutely independent and can hand down a report. As government we will look at that. We will be flexible and modify what approaches and strategies we are going to adopt on the basis of that report. And also input from communities.
The Leader of the Opposition talked about social change. We all want that, but this is the government through Closing the Gap, through the initiatives around indigenous education, indigenous economic development, indigenous health that is really trying to lead and support social change. As we said, with Closing the Gap it comes back to individuals showing leadership within the indigenous community and that is what we are trying to support also.
The Leader of the Opposition talked about bringing the community on a journey to come to a point where everyone would agree, as in Groote Eylandt, and then implement certain strategies and policies. I would contend that there has been a journey in these communities. There have been invitations from the Alice Springs Town Council and from the Katherine Town Council to bring in a dry town. There have also been very positive comments from those entities about ID systems. We have been engaging through alcohol reference groups both in Alice Springs and Katherine. As I have said before in this place, there is a whole range of people who are involved in those reference groups. Some of those groups do not agree; in fact, they are diametrically opposed in their views. However, there are people from the tourism industry, there are people from Aboriginal medical services, government employees, police, and these are very important forums to chew over these issues and to provide a way forward on a whole range of matters.
It is disappointing for me that the opposition has been inconsistent on this matter. Quite a number of them, as the member from Nhulunbuy pointed out, have at various times been very supportive of an ID system and dry towns. The member for Nhulunbuy read out a few but I have some here. The member for Greatorex said the results we are seeing thus far, in terms of a dry town, appear to be good. This was on Thursday, 18 October in this place:
- Dry town status for Alice Springs appears to have addressed some of the problems of alcohol abuse on the streets.
…
- I know Katherine is considering dry town status and I encourage other jurisdictions feeling the effects of alcohol-related antisocial behaviour to apply to become a dry town.
Everyone has the right to change their mind. I suppose the member for Katherine …
Mrs Miller: We are asking you to look at it and evaluate it properly.
Dr BURNS: Yes, I know, member for Katherine, but you made statements: ‘I am a great fan of dry towns’. The member for Katherine said on 18 October:
- I would rather see an ID card system implemented across the Territory. It is a great initiative to control those people who should not be buying alcohol.
Fair enough. It seems you had a position then but you have a different position now. I believe politics have entered into this and the Leader of the Opposition is not showing leadership at all. I believe you are genuine in your support now, but what is happening now has become clouded with politics. The Leader of the Opposition needs to have a good hard look at himself and where he is leading the CLP on this issue. He has been very inconsistent.
The only person who has been consistent has been the member for Araluen from what I can see on the public record, and also in terms of her calls for an evaluation, say, in 12 months time, to give all the strategies time to bed down. That is a reasonable argument. However, there is nothing to stop us from retrospectively evaluating what has occurred previously, and then to prospectively evaluate as we move along implementing these plans. We can walk and chew gum at the same time. I pointed out, and the statements themselves point out, the inconsistency of the CLP’s position on this particular issue.
The member for Nhulunbuy made a very constructive contribution. He talked about the mayhem of grog. He also paid tribute to Marshall Perron, as I have done, and the Living with Alcohol program. He talked about Groote Eylandt and Nhulunbuy and catalogued the positives in Nhulunbuy. He called them immediate and visible improvement in Nhulunbuy, and catalogued some of those changes. However, Nhulunbuy is a special example because it is an isolated community. It is probably not quite as isolated as Groote, but it does have the advantage of isolation. He has pointed out the advantages of having an ID system in Nhulunbuy, but he also pointed out this is early days. We need to look at the indicators in the longer term.
I agree with the member for Araluen. Government needs to be flexible. Government needs to acknowledge those things that are not working well and try to fix them where possible, and discard those that are not working at all. She said it is arrogant of government to do otherwise. I agree with her and give an undertaking to this House that we will be carefully looking at what is working and what is not. This is a government that is committed to trying. This is a government that is committed to reducing harmful alcohol consumption within the Northern Territory.
The member for Katherine talked about the need to ‘find a key for change’. Those were the words that the member for Katherine used. She also talked about the long-standing issues in Katherine regarding alcohol, and she has acknowledged those before in this place. From what I remember, she welcomed some of the initiatives that this government has embarked upon. She talked about the hard-core drinkers being a known group and a need to deal with them. I believe she also raised the issue of sobering-up shelters and rehabilitation.
This government has been able to secure from the Commonwealth $15.9m in additional funding in this particular area, and I commend the Minister for Family and Community Services. In that, there will be $1.3m for the Katherine sobering-up shelter. That is significant expenditure in Katherine. Also, in rehabilitation, there will be 11 additional beds within Katherine, as well. This is very positive news that I have been advised of by the member for Arafura in her ministerial capacity. There is an approach in sobering-up shelters and rehabilitation and that is very important for the Katherine area.
We talked about the issue of getting others to buy alcohol and I covered that to some degree. A number of members talked about the inconvenience of an ID card. I have seen the demonstrations of the ID system, member for Katherine, and the actual transaction just takes a matter of seconds. I cannot really see that it is a major inconvenience. One of the things that I have focused on, as minister, regarding business, is to minimise the time of the transaction, to make it as simple as possible, to modify the machinery so that it fits within a bottle shop or a cash register area in a shop and does not take up a lot of space as well as being functional. It is some inconvenience, but I do not believe it is a major inconvenience.
People asked: ‘What are you going to do about other areas like Timber Creek, Tennant Creek, etcetera’. My response to that is that, as government, there are facilities within the legislation for the minister to declare certain areas and certain licensed premises as requiring an ID system. I am quite prepared, in consultation with the member for Barkly and the community of Tennant Creek, to look at implementing an ID system in Tennant Creek. What I have tried to do, in Alice Springs and Katherine, is to roll this out to ensure that it is working properly in each location. It is a major job. There is fairly major technology involved. There is the training of staff. I have tried to minimise the impact on business, ensure that the local community is aware of what it is about, and that there is education of the local community. I am quite prepared, and government is quite prepared, to roll out this technology in other locations.
Many people have talked about the movement of indigenous people as a result of the Australian government’s intervention. I am squarely on the record in this place of warning the federal government. I tried to warn Mal Brough, I tried to warn Senator Johnston, who was the then Justice minister when he visited Darwin in the lead-up to the election, that the Australian government’s intervention would create a major drift of people into the large towns up and town the track in the Territory, and that that would be an undesirable effect of the intervention. They did not listen and that is what has happened.
I strongly contend that some of the numerical increases in assaults in places like Alice Springs is simply because there are more people in town and there are more people who are drinking in town. Why? Because of the Australian government’s intervention, but does that mean …
Mr Conlan: It is your responsibility to police those towns, and it always was.
Dr BURNS: Absolutely, and I take up the interjection by the member for Greatorex. This was something that was handed to us.
Mr Conlan: It was a result of your failure to address child sexual abuse.
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order!
Ms SCRYMGOUR: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The member for Greatorex should withdraw his …
Mr Conlan: What? Stating from the report Little Children Are Sacred? That is what stirred the intervention. Do not you remember?
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Honourable members, I will remind you of Standing Order 51, which I will find and read out to give you all a bit of time out:
- No member may converse aloud or make any noise or disturbance which in the opinion of the Speaker is designed to interrupt or has the affect of interrupting a member speaking.
Minister, I ask you to direct all of your comments through the Chair.
Dr BURNS: Madam Speaker, of course.
As government we will contend with the drift of people and the attendant effects as a result of the intervention. Everyone was talking about governments listening, but obviously the previous federal government did not listen at all and look where they are today. Look where Mal Brough is today, look where John Howard is today. They did not listen. We are the ones who live here, we tried to tell them, they did not listen, they did not care less about the Territory. We are just picking up the pieces of what they did.
The member for Daly talked about the effects of grog. He focused as the Local Government minister on governance issues, safety and security, and building of community. He talked about this government dealing head on with the problem. That is certainly what we are doing. He also pointed out that we have never contended that our dry areas or any of the measures that we brought in have been a silver bullet. I reiterate that.
The member for Braitling talked about prohibition orders. It is important for me to talk about this. There has been a lot of focus on prohibition orders, but that is one element of what we are talking about here. We are talking about prohibition orders and, yes, there have been a handful, seven or so across the Territory, but there are also alcohol intervention orders. That is a very important thing that the alcohol court can …
Mrs Braham: How many? About 20.
Dr BURNS: You asked a question, I am coming to it.
So, with an alcohol intervention order, a person who is guilty of an offence, or if they are alcohol dependent, and then they consent to participate in treatment. Here are some figures: to the end of March 2008, 144 clients have been referred to the alcohol court - 90 in Darwin, 49 in Alice Springs, two each in Katherine and Tennant Creek, and one in Nhulunbuy; 17 no purchase orders and three referrals to the alcohol court in Katherine, which has been running for about a month or so now. That is very positive. This is well above the originally anticipated figure of 200 over three years clearly signalled by the former Attorney-General, Peter Toyne, when he introduced this legislation.
I have a media release which I am more than happy to lay on the table here. This is what Peter Toyne said on 1 December 2005:
- It’s estimated about 200 people will be dealt with by the Alcohol Court over three years.
This means the original intention of the alcohol court is on target in terms of numbers. I do acknowledge - and my colleagues have also acknowledged - that there are a number of people interacting with the law, either getting put into protective custody quite a number of times, having a number of infringement notices associated with dry town legislation, who are slipping through the net, people who probably need to be brought before such an alcohol court. What we have said on the record is that we are examining that. We are prepared to make changes; the same commitment, in fact, that we have demonstrated in terms of alcohol issues all the way along the line.
We are prepared to take steps as a government. We are prepared to take on the criticism and the naysayers but we are taking steps. We know it is a complex issue but at least we are trying.
There were questions about costs from the member for Braitling. The cost in Alice Springs to implement the ID system is $245 000 and, in Katherine, $262 000. There are recurrent expenditures associated with that because it is government that is maintaining the database, putting the data in. I do not have that recurrent cost with me but government took all the responsibility of the costs, the installation, the upkeep, the maintenance, so it would not be a burden and a cost impost on business.
The member for Braitling asked, why not clubs? Clubs have a defined membership. We do not really see them as being part of the problem. The problem is mainly takeaway outlets associated with public hotels. That was our thinking. If things change, if things shift, of course, we will look at that.
You asked about the Alcohol Framework Report. I am answering all your questions, member for Braitling, I am trying to.
Mrs Braham: I am listening, I am listening.
Dr BURNS: As you said, we have implemented a number of those recommendations. The major parts of the recommendations, however, will come in with the Liquor Act. I know it has taken a long time and it has been delayed. It was delayed due to the intervention and a great deal of work had to be done around that. I am hoping that mid-year we will have the new Liquor Act going out for public consultation. Many of the recommendations within that framework will be contained within the Liquor Act. That was a very good question you asked, member for Braitling.
The member for Araluen is a strong supporter of the dry town. She produced headlines to demonstrate that she believes it is failing. I take on board what she says. I believe we need to monitor this situation, we need to make changes. If there are policing and enforcement issues, we need to look at those. If there are court issues to do with the court and the administration of justice we also need to look at that. We are prepared to be flexible, we are prepared to make changes and we are focused on what is happening.
The member for Araluen asked about how we measure alcohol consumption. The Liquor Commission has very detailed records of sales. From those records of sales of particular products, by knowing the percentage of pure alcohol in each product, they are able to calculate the amount of pure ethanol that is sold through the liquor outlets within the town. That is how they are able to calculate it. I can assure the member for Araluen it is a very accurate calculation of pure alcohol consumption.
I would say to the member for Araluen that there has been engagement with the Alcohol Reference Group in Alice Springs, quite a range of different groups involved with quite different views.
I have talked a number time about this ID system actually supporting the policies that we have implemented. It is the machinery that supports restrictions on product, prohibition orders and intervention orders. That is what I would say. It is not added on, it is bolstering. It is actually supporting what we have done previously.
The member for Nelson said he could see no improvement in indigenous alcohol issues over the past 30 or 40 years. He said he could not support it because he does not believe it is practical. I believe that the proof will be in the pudding. I say to the member for Nelson regarding dry towns and the electronic ID, we have been engaged with the communities and in some cases invited by the community government or municipal councils to implement these sorts of measures. The member for Nelson also talked about rehabilitation. I have covered that as well.
The member for Greatorex talked about this being another government attempt. Yes, it is another government attempt, but it is in the context of what I have said before. This is a government that is prepared to take steps, to implement policies, to try to reduce harmful alcohol consumption. He said we have been very quiet about the $100 cap brought in by the previous federal government. That is not saying, member for …
Mr Conlan: Since the change of government!
Dr BURNS: No, no! The letter that the member for Araluen was quoting from before outlines to the current federal government this government’s opposition to the $100 cap. I will reiterate it here but I need a little more time.
Mr HAMPTON: Madam Speaker, I move that the minister be granted an extension of time pursuant to Standing Order 77.
Motion agreed to.
Dr BURNS: Madam Speaker, I will reiterate this government’s position on the $100 cap on alcohol brought in by Mal Brough and John Howard. We opposed it. I put that view to the various ministers in the current federal government. I put it in writing to Jenny Macklin in the letter that the member for Araluen has. This is in stark contrast to the opposition. They were absolutely silent on the $100 cap issue. They did not want to go near it. They were challenged in this House to put their position on the $100 cap during or before the last federal election. They did not have guts to stand up and say anything about it.
However, now they are coming in here and accusing this government of cowardice and there is no basis for it. We have been consistent, unlike the opposition, in our opposition to this $100 cap. I am very confident and hopeful in the review of the intervention that is going to start in mid-year. We will be putting a very strong case to the Commonwealth that the $100 cap should be scrapped, amongst other changes as the member for Araluen pointed out with the intervention. We want it to work better but the $100 cap is completely pointless.
I am concerned how the member for Greatorex has come in and, to be honest, I believe he has talked Alice Springs down. No one is saying that Alice Springs does not have problems, that there has not been a further influx of people into town, that there have not been further social problems, antisocial behaviour and crime. However, I do not think it does anyone any good, member for Greatorex, to come in and talk Alice Springs down the way that you have today. You need to be constructive. It was very negative seeing that Alice Springs is a tourist town and we saw what happened the last time that this sort of behaviour went on. There was national television about Alice Springs; we had the tourism industry in Alice Springs complaining about the conduct of members of the opposition and what they did. You need to be very careful in what you say about Alice Springs, and be constructive.
I will read what David Koch said about Alice Springs. He said:
- Basically, one thing we have to remember is, I remember 15 years ago, 10 years ago and five years ago, and I personally think the town is much safer, much better than it was five years ago, 10 years ago and 15 years ago. Basically, 15 years ago, it was a pretty open slather war zone; 10 years ago it was not much better; and five years ago it was improving. To be honest, our town has improved over the last four, five, six years. … It has got better. It can get better …
Mr Conlan: These are comments from residents of Alice Springs.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Dr BURNS: You are not on radio any more; you are in parliament. You are a representative here of the people of Alice Springs and all the interests of Alice Springs.
Mr Conlan: I have been representing their views to you today. Representing their views to you today.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, order! Member for Greatorex, cease interjecting. Minister, direct your comments through the Chair.
Dr BURNS: All right, Madam Speaker. What worked for you as the John Laws of Central Australia - and I truly believe you thought you were the John Laws of Central Australia. Basically, what worked for you on radio in the role that you had on 8HA - and you did it very well; I am not saying you did not - but you have a different role in here. I encourage you to become more of a statesman for Alice Springs and leave that other role behind; try to look for the positive, for constructive criticism, try to build Alice Springs up rather than pull it down.
Madam Speaker, it is disappointing that the opposition - and I am not sure of the member for Braitling’s position - and the member for Nelson could not support it. However, as government, we are supporting this. We believe it is a step forward. Having an ID system as part of the strategy, as I have said a number of times, actually gives our strategies the machinery, the basis, the wherewithal to do what we want it to do: reduce harmful alcohol consumption in those centres where it has been introduced.
Madam SPEAKER: The question is that the bill be now read a second time.
The Assembly divided:
Ayes 17 Noes 5
Mrs Aagaard Ms Carney
Ms Anderson Mr Conlan
Mr Bonson Mrs Miller
Mr Burke Mr Mills
Dr Burns Mr Wood
Mr Hampton
Mr Henderson
Mr Knight
Ms Lawrie
Ms Martin
Mr McAdam
Ms McCarthy
Mr Natt
Ms Sacilotto
Ms Scrymgour
Mr Vatskalis
Mr Warren
Motion agreed to; bill read a second time.
Dr BURNS (Justice and Attorney-General) (by leave): Madam Speaker, I move that the bill be now read a third time.
Motion agreed to; bill read a third time.
PERSONAL EXPLANATION
Member for Araluen
Member for Araluen
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I have given my leave to the member for Araluen to make a short personal explanation. I remind honourable members that we listen to personal explanations in silence and also that it is not a debate.
Ms CARNEY (Araluen)(by leave): Madam Speaker, today in Question Time, the Chief Minister said that the opposition opposed legislation regarding domestic violence and police powers. The bill to which he was referring was the Domestic Violence Amendment (Police Orders) Bill (Serial 17), which was debated on 18 October 2005. I believe the Chief Minister misrepresented my position as shadow minister with carriage of the bill and that of the opposition. I will quote parts of what I said when the bill was debated:
- … the opposition is in a position where we are generally supportive of what the Attorney-General is trying to achieve, however, I stress it is with a number of reservations expressed by many others. I am sure the Attorney-General and his departmental officers are aware of them. The extent and the nature of the concerns simply create a level of unease within me, not only as a politician but as a person who has had a long-standing interest in this area.
I went on to say:
- What I propose to do is to read into the Parliamentary Record a number of concerns expressed by others because that is appropriate in all of the circumstances.
Towards the end of the debate, I said:
- Returning to the opposition’s formal view, when it comes to this legislation, we are supportive of it.
… for the purposes of a good debate, and in the interests of parliament, Territorians and in particular the people who work in this area, you should, with respect, put on the Parliamentary Record your fulsome answers to these very legitimate concerns that have been raised. I do not think that I can put matters any more clearly. With those comments, I look forward to the Attorney-General’s response.
MINISTERIAL STATEMENT
Our Economy – Delivering for Families
Our Economy – Delivering for Families
Mr HENDERSON (Chief Minister): Madam Speaker, last week I had the pleasure and the honour of hosting thank you drinks for many of the workers who have been building the Darwin Convention Centre at the Darwin City Waterfront. It struck me that major projects such as the waterfront and convention centre are not just about this government delivering on its promises to grow our economy after the previous government’s zero growth policy. We have done that and we are continuing to move the Territory ahead. It was not just about this government doing its best to deliver on jobs and training for Territorians. We have done that. We have the fastest growing employment in the nation and the highest proportion of people in training in the country. It was not just about this government delivering better facilities and a better lifestyle. We are certainly doing that. It is about Territorians delivering for families.
This Thursday will mark the 50-day countdown to the opening of the Darwin Convention Centre, so I pause here to note the contribution by Territorians to this major project. Around 700 000 hours of labour went into the building of the Convention Centre; 700 000 hours of sweat and determination by Territory workers and Territory businesses to get the job done on time and on budget. It really has been about Territorians delivering the goods for Territorians because this major project has already given great impetus to the Territory’s economy and will continue to do so.
The construction process generated 180 new jobs with over 95% of contracts awarded to Territory businesses. The Darwin Convention Centre is set to inject further millions into the Northern Territory economy. It will create 160 tourism jobs within the first four years of operation. This figure is expected to rise to 200 within the first decade. The Darwin Convention Centre is also on course to increase tourism expenditure by more than $193m over the next 20 years. This is great for the tourism industry, a boon for local business, with the Darwin Convention Centre already confirming 28 events to date with over 8000 confirmed delegates and with another 40 events in negotiation. It has meant $800m in leverage in private sector investment into the Territory’s economy.
It is a huge credit to the team from the Sitzler-Laing-O’Rourke joint venture who have been working on-site since late 2005. It will be a major stimulus to the tourism industry, our second largest industry and largest private sector employer, and an asset to the hard-working entrepreneurs in the tourism industry who will benefit from the Convention Centre and new hotels on the waterfront.
All this has come from the 700 000 hours of sweat from Territory workers and businesses that have gone into building this great contribution to the broader Territory economy. They deserve our thanks and they enjoyed a cold drink the other night.
My government believes it is an exciting time for the Northern Territory. Under the CLP our economy was heading south. In fact, we had zero growth in 2000-01. We believe our time in the north has come. Our goal is to ensure that the Territory continues to be the best place to live, to work and raise our families. It is a time in which we have to be level-headed and fiscally responsible but one in which we must also act decisively and creatively. It is occurring during a period of international financial market volatility in Australia and internationally; volatility that is likely to play out for some time yet.
What would seem clear, however, is that there are two speed economies in world markets. We are witnessing continued strong growth in China and India - driven very much by internal demands and exports - which is predicted to be sustained into the foreseeable future. Between 1990 and 2030, China’s global economic ranking will move from 11th in the world to 2nd; from an economy worth $0.6 trillion to $13.8 trillion. India’s ranking will move from 16th to 4th; from $0.3 trillion per annum to $4.3 trillion. At the same time, the world’s largest economy, the USA, is likely in technical recession. Warren Buffett today said he believed the USA was certainly in recession and for some time to come, whilst the European Union is experiencing slowing growth. The consensus amongst experts is that we will not see a decoupling of the Chinese and the American economies but their disparity of performance is likely to persist for some time. There is another consensus. Economic power in the 21st century will inevitably focus on Asia.
Somewhere in the middle of this is Australia. We are experiencing a two speed economy with resource rich jurisdictions such as Queensland, the Territory and Western Australia responding to strong demand from China, Japan and India in particular with slower growth and mixed results compared to the rest of the nation. It is no accident that the Northern Territory is poised to take advantage of the unique circumstances that face us. This is our competitive advantage - our proximity to the economic powers to our north.
These unique circumstances are also underpinned by the strength in our own economy that we have built since 2001 and the future prospects for economic growth into the next five years. It demonstrates that the benefits of our strong economy are flowing through to Territory families and small businesses. The strong economy the Territory is now enjoying has not come about by accident. It simply has not fallen out of the sky. It has been through the deliberate actions of this government as prudent fiscal managers of the economy. It has come about through policies designed to build and consolidate and to instil the confidence to invest in the economy.
This has been the fundamental difference between this and the previous government. Territorians are now harvesting the fruit of our policies. This has only been possible through the fundamentally different approach we have brought to economic management in the Territory and our strategy of building business investment confidence. It has been achieved firstly by being sound fiscal managers faced with huge - and growing - budget deficits. We took the hard decisions necessary at the time to reverse the lack of confidence that was so widespread back then. An integral part of the process was to reduce taxes to business leading to the Territory being the lowest small business taxing jurisdiction in the country.
In addition, we have taken a strategic approach to infrastructure and capital investment by government. We have invested heavily into meeting the backlog of repair and maintenance of government assets from public housing to roads. We were prepared to take on big projects such as the waterfront through to new aerodromes, schools, clinics and housing. This hard infrastructure has been matched by social infrastructure such as more police, more nurses, more teachers and doctors serving our growing population. This is a process that we will see repeated at next week’s budget.
As you would have noted from last Monday’s analysis, the Northern Territory is forecast to have the highest economic and employment growth in Australia for the next five years. In 2008-09, the Northern Territory is predicted to have an economic growth of 7%, well above the other states average of 3.9%. Our population growth is 2.2% whilst the nation is growing at 1.5%. The report also outlines this year’s strong employment growth of 5.5%, that is more than 5000 extra jobs for Territorians in the coming year. Nationally we have the workforce highest participation rate at 72.7% compared with the national rate of 65.2%.
Access Economics also points out that our population growth, and I quote:
- … has underpinned the strongest retail performance anywhere in the country.
Retail growth is up 10.6% compared to the national figure of 7.6%. I can add to this the Territory has the second lowest inflation rate in the nation and is the second most affordable for housing. The Territory has the highest business confidence levels in the nation whilst we have the lowest taxing jurisdiction for small business in the country.
The Territory, leading up to statehood, is the logical focus for growth particularly in light of the tremendous opportunities that lie with the economic powerhouses on our doorstep. Darwin will be the capital of northern economic and social development and, as a focus for northern development, we will continue to punch above our weight in the national economy.
Let me briefly outline the strategic importance of the Territory in building our economic ties with Asia. I have just visited China, Japan and Hong Kong which are all keen to secure gas supplies for their energy requirements whilst cutting their greenhouse emissions through accessing LNG and uranium. We are increasingly regarded as a gateway to trade and a growing logistics and distribution hub through the deep water port of East Arm, excellent communication facilities, the AustralAsia Railway and links to the national highway network.
The LNG industry is now well and truly part of Territory life with Darwin being Australia’s second international gas hub. LNG tankers sailing in and out of our magnificent harbour are no longer an unusual sight. It was a pleasing sight to see one being loaded today and we will be happy to see more. This industry will be the Territory’s key opportunity for future growth as acknowledged by Access Economics. ConocoPhillips is already considering an expansion, boosting production up to 10 million tonnes per year. The $750m Blacktip gas project off the west coast of the Territory and its associated gas processing plant will feed the Territory’s power generation requirements and supply gas to industry for the next 25 years. Currently the NT government is doing its best to convince INPEX and Total that Darwin is the best suited place for the development of Ichthys LNG projects.
The AustralAsia trade route has proven to be a key incentive for much of this investment in the Territory. Government has worked hard to establish strategic infrastructure such as the transcontinental railway, the East Arm Wharf, Darwin Business Park and the Bulk Mineral Loading Facility based at East Arm as well as key shipping links to desirable markets within our region. Darwin is quickly establishing itself as the port of choice for bulk mineral exports, particularly from Central and South Australia. The ports of Sydney and Melbourne are effectively land locked, the potential for growth at the Port of Darwin has yet to be realised. For example, in May 2006 Bootu Creek shipped its first bulk manganese ore from Darwin to China. The mine is currently examining opportunities to increase production to 700 000 tonnes per annum in 2008, with all production to be exported through the Port of Darwin.
To this we can add Oxiana Limited’s 10-year contract for the transport of bulk mineral concentrates from the Prominent Hill Copper-Gold operation in South Australia for export; and Territory Resources’ milestone maiden shipment of 65 000 tonnes of high grade iron ore from the Port of Darwin destined for China. It expects to increase their production of iron ore to 2 million tonnes per annum fairly soon and 3 million tonnes per annum in 2009, with all production to be exported through the Port of Darwin.
The Territory is host to more than 10% of the Australian Defence Force personnel and their families. It provides a base for a raft of new Defence platforms including the Abrams tanks, Tiger helicopters, Armidale class patrol boats and FA-18 fighter aircraft. These new platforms have opened up lucrative investment and industry opportunities in the Territory, particularly through repairs and maintenance programs. Defence expenditure in 2005-06 represented 6% of the national outlays with $954m in the Territory.
We face challenges to the economy. The major one, of course, is the continuing issue of labour and skills shortages. That is why this government has put such a strong emphasis on training since were elected in 2001. Under Jobs Plan 3, we set a target of 10 000 VET students in four years. In the first three years, we have reached 7800 students in VET, the highest proportion of people training in the country. I think that figure was updated by our minister today in the House. I think it is well over 8000 now.
I ask the question, and it is not an idle question: where would our economy be if we just followed the abysmally low levels of training available prior to 2001? Notwithstanding our large effort in training, we still face critical labour shortages, especially in particular skills. That is why I called for more flexible migration policies to boost the number of skilled and unskilled migrants who settle in the Northern Territory. The Northern Territory receives less than 1% of Australia’s total migrants. We must see that grow with a strategic focus on boosting immigration to regional areas. We must establish regional targets for skills and labour through migration.
There are also technical problems of overcoming the many tyrannies of distance we face and the enormous infrastructure requirements we require in consolidating and diversifying our economic base. Added to this is the need for growth in our economy to benefit the regions. We need to invest the dividends of this growth wisely as social and economic infrastructure to benefit our towns and regional and remote communities. The former Minister for Housing said what we needed in the Northern Territory to address the remote housing shortfall was a Marshall Plan. We now have a Marshall Plan in the form of the Strategic Indigenous Housing Infrastructure Program. This program will deliver $647m of new and upgraded serviced land, and new and upgraded housing, in approximately 73 communities across the Territory over the next five years.
We will continue to foster economic developments in remote towns in the Territory. A pilot economic development project has been developed at Maningrida by Peter Anderson and Associates. The purpose of the study is to identify the ‘enterprise gap’ and establish why private enterprise cannot or will not fill this market sector. The pilot will also identify business opportunities for local people and the skills needed to undertake these businesses. Business is not for everyone, but small business is at the heart of our economic development and, more importantly, jobs. There is no one-size-fits-all strategy.
DBERD is working towards establishing an Ernesto Sirolli project in Katherine. Mr Sirolli is an internationally-recognised expert in the field of sustainability of communities and the formation of micro-enterprises. Already, a number of business and organisations in Katherine have met with Mr Sirolli and indicated their willingness in principle to sponsor the employment of a Sirolli-trained graduate to help Katherine initiate and generate its own solutions to its community capacity, self-reliance and future prosperity.
The Indigenous Business Development Program continues to grow. The program has grown from seed funding of $300 000 to $900 000 this year. As I speak, the department is examining new grants applications and, shortly, the minister for Business will be writing to successful applicants.
There are also stark economic and social issues facing indigenous Territorians. The central theme of Closing the Gap is to engage indigenous people in the economy. To give you an idea of the task in front of us, I will give some key data. The Aboriginal participation rate in the workforce is around 40% compared to a Territory-wide rate of 72.7%. The unemployment rate is around 13% compared to the Territory-wide rate of 4.7%. These figures are not sustainable and contribute to tremendous social disadvantage in the Territory. We are in the process of moving hundreds of indigenous Territorians to the Northern Territory public sector positions. The Commonwealth is now funding hundreds more positions as full-time work.
This is only a start. Closing the Gap is an inter-generational program far away from the usual pressures of the electoral cycle. We are also working towards increasing the proportion of indigenous employment in the Northern Territory Public Service with an emphasis on regional and remote employment; implementing indigenous economic development initiatives; making indigenous employment a focus of government procurement policies; and using the expansion in housing programs as an impetus to training and employment.
The Northern Territory has a key role in the development of Northern Australia and it is the strength of our economy that will make this possible. However, it has not happened by accident. It has come from strong financial management, with a strong commitment to invest in people and projects that will deliver long-term economic and social benefits. It has come from working to create an open economy in which business, both large and small, has confidence and certainty in investment. It has come from taking a long-term vision and not one beholden to an electoral cycle.
It is an exciting time, a time of opportunity; a time which rewards initiative, entrepreneurship and hard work. In terms of the future growth of the national economy, our time has well and truly come. We have the resources - the oil and gas off the north-west coast, the Timor Sea and the Bonaparte Gulf. We have uranium, which will provide global demand for base load power generation to combat global warming. We have the water resources when the driest continent on earth is getting drier. We have the vast landscapes of the tropical north and our fabulous Red Centre which will be continue to be amongst the nation’s greatest tourist destinations. Above all, we have Territorians delivering the goods to Territorians. We now have Territorians in increasing numbers who have the confidence to invest in this economy. The future is in the north and Territorians have the determination, skills and vision to ensure that our future will ensure that we live in the best place to live, work and raise a family in Australia.
Madam Deputy Speaker, I move that the Assembly take note of the statement.
Mr MILLS (Opposition Leader): Madam Deputy Speaker, sadly, the statement is predictable. It starts with an assertion which is shallow and hints at the attitude, the approach of this government, which seems to have such a disregard for matters of substance. This has a similar level of substance to the glossy brochures which seem to infiltrate our letterboxes and are, I am sure, being prepared in great quantity to fill our letterboxes, our radios, our television screens and newspapers.
This is a government that appears to believe that its marketing and the running of images and ideas are its prime objective. In that, the cleverly crafted words belie a lack of true belief in what is the right thing to do and say in this Chamber. A look back over your shoulder and to take a view of that which was before and to describe 27 years of a former government as its economic policy being a zero growth policy, that is how it starts, and I think sets a sad tone. Not that I want to spend my time in defence of what went before, but it is plain to any Territorian that it was no such thing as a zero growth policy. It may be a cleverly coined word from some collective of spin doctors but it is not true. It clearly indicates the shallow depths that are plumbed by a government completely preoccupied with spin and the generating of images with empty and shallow marketing rhetoric.
The truth is, whatever happens, whether you are in government or other administrations that have preceded you, some have done good, and some bad, some things can be praised, some things just sit there for their own sake, and others can be criticised. There is a mix of all. The truth is that the foundational infrastructure for economic development was laid before the Labor Party came to office. The infrastructure for tourism was established, the roads networks, the schools were in place, and the university was established. The port was put in place. The original and foundational negotiations for the gas development were already in place. These were finished under a different administration. That is the way things work, but the heavy lifting had already occurred, as the heavy lifting had already occurred with the railway.
To start your statement - which appears to me nothing more than elevating a glossy brochure to the form of a statement delivered in parliament - with a zero growth policy as your grand entry into this contribution in our parliament, gets us off to a very poor start. If this is the level of leadership that we expect to see offered at the next election, I am deeply concerned about the good people of the Northern Territory who are to be represented by this quality of leadership, this quality of statement.
There is good and there is bad. There is that which can be praised and there is that which can be criticised in the past, in the present, and into the future with the plans that are in place or not in place. Let’s get a little more sanity and reality to this, a bit more balance and we may have some real progress. This is not some kids club for budding politicians. This is the real deal. This is the Northern Territory parliament with a wonderful future. I would like to see a bit more balance in this rather than the deliberate misrepresentation for the purposes of crafting an image …
Members interjecting.
Mr MILLS: For the deliberate purpose of creating an image and feeding a marketing campaign. We need issues of substance.
It is a deliberate misrepresentation to refer to a former government doing its business in discharging its responsibilities in government and laying the foundations upon which this government has built. To call it a zero growth policy is a misrepresentation.
But today is a day for misrepresentation. During Question Time the Chief Minister said the CLP did not support the Domestic Violence Bill. That is incorrect. It did! In Question Time the Chief Minister did not understand that Domestic Violence Units started in 1994. They were not an invention of this government. The Chief Minister had no problem in misrepresenting the member for Nelson. The Chief Minister has form on this. If he does not agree, he misrepresents. He does not agree with the Country Liberal Party vision for a world-class industrial complex at Glyde Point and Gunn Point, so he misrepresents!
Again, he says that the Country Liberal Party does not want gas development - a misrepresentation. We want gas development. We disagree …
Members interjecting.
Mr MILLS: Were you at the meeting? Was this Chief Minister at the meeting? That is an open and blatant misrepresentation of what occurred in that meeting.
Members interjecting.
Mr MILLS: I was in the meeting. How dare you stand in here - you have no business! You were not in that meeting! That is a misrepresentation ...
Mr Kiely: Say that in the House on the record.
Madam DEPUTY CHAIR: Member for Sanderson, order!
Mr MILLS: I am doing it right now. Pipe down; I have had enough of this nonsense!
We want a gas development but we disagree with the government on the site and the approach to take. How can this Chief Minister be believed, trusted? How can anyone listen to this statement and believe any of the substance of it? The Chief Minister will not table information and, like the rest of his ministers, makes it up on the run. Yet, we want to listen to the Chief Minister reading a statement which is more like a glorified brochure on the government’s so-called achievements, most of which rest upon the foundations of a previous regime, the Country Liberal Party. But not able to draw yourself to look back and see that what has occurred in the past. No, nothing happened in the past! A whole new glorious era arrived to the Northern Territory when the Labor Party came to office. Before that it was scorched earth, there was nothing there.
This is not true! It is a misrepresentation. And the result of misrepresentation is that you lack credibility yet you are to stand before a community and seek to be re-elected. We cannot trust you because you misrepresent just to assert your position that you want to sustain for a marketing campaign. It requires leadership.
The Treasurer over there is happy to glare at me and make comments regarding substance. Well, check your own media release, Treasurer, which was issued today, that generates an idea that you have put a certain amount of money towards a certain road project when you have deliberately deceived and dishonestly presented to the Territory community …
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker!
Mr MILLS: Oh dear, this hurts does it?
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Resume your seat, member for Blain. Minister, what is your point of order?
Ms LAWRIE: The Leader of the Opposition cannot accuse me of deceiving the community. It is patently untrue. Everything in the media release in terms of the funding for Tiger Brennan was correct.
Mr Mills: I can accuse you of deceit. You tell me under what standing order?
Ms LAWRIE: You are absolutely wrong, you are absolutely wrong.
Mr Mills: Anyway, we will leave that for our adjudicator to decide on.
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! Treasurer, if you feel you have been misrepresented you can make a personal statement after.
Mr MILLS: If you read your press release again, you are happy to pump up information just for the sake of creating an impression but not interested in making any kind of difference to the good people we represent.
Today we have a glorified brochure on the government’s so-called achievements, most of which foundations lay upon that which occurred before. Maybe that flyer which went around a week or so ago, that green brochure, I think it was called the Recruiting Membership for the Paul Henderson fan club …
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Leader of the Opposition, I was listening to the debate and the words that you said could only be said by way of substantive motion. I ask you to withdraw the remarks that you made about deliberately deceiving?
Mr MILLS: Those particular words?
Madam SPEAKER: Those particular words. Leader of the Opposition, they can only be done by way of substantive motion.
Mr MILLS: All right, deliberately misrepresenting …
Madam SPEAKER: Leader of the Opposition, it is the same thing.
Mr MILLS: Madam Speaker, I withdraw. I mean, I …
Madam SPEAKER: Leader of the Opposition, just withdraw, thank you.
Mr MILLS: All right.
Madam SPEAKER: These are the rules, the standing orders which we all follow in this parliament, Leader of the Opposition.
Mr MILLS: In their place I would say that the truth was not evident, it was misrepresented. I would use those words but do I have to withdraw every use of the word misrepresented?
Madam SPEAKER: Leader of the Opposition, there are many ways of presenting things. However, one of them is not implying that there was some kind of deliberate deception or misrepresentation by the government, or any member in this Chamber. Therefore, I ask you to put things in a way which you believe that something could have been happening but it therefore is not definite.
Mr MILLS: I withdraw the word deceit.
Madam SPEAKER: Thank you, Leader of the Opposition.
Mr MILLS: I will move on.
We have a brochure flying around the place that is trying to recruit membership for the Paul Henderson fan club. Perhaps that does not work so we read a glossy brochure out in parliament today. However, if you cannot misrepresent then we still do not represent. The people of Alice Springs do not get any sense that there is a commitment for representation because we now have a Darwin-based Minister for Central Australia. There is no effective representation for the people of Alice Springs.
Mr Kiely: What about the members for …
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order!
Mrs Miller: Just listen.
Mr Kiely: Listen to what?
Mrs Miller: You are so rude and arrogant.
Mr Kiely: Fifteen minutes and he has not gone near the statement.
Mrs Miller: Just listen. You cannot stand it, can you?
Mr Kiely: I am listening and I am hearing nothing of substance.
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order!
Mr MILLS: Madam Deputy Speaker, there is good and there is bad. There is that which can be praised and that which can be criticised. If it hurts members opposite that we take a different approach in talking about things that are important to the Northern Territory, I make no apology. The issue here is, it is not about how good you appear in the media, the issue is representing proper leadership for issues that affect Territorians.
There are matters related to the economy, and I am pleased to hear that in all this puffery today regarding careful and deliberate managing of the economy - it does not happen by accident, you all know the lines - there has been no reference provided to the historical aspect to this. That under those terrible days before the golden dawn arrived when the Labor Party came to office it was just bleak and awful. Then it became real good and all this careful management occurred and then prosperity reigned in the Northern Territory. You cleverly overlook that there was a tax reform that did occur at that time. That spoils the fairytale a bit, doesn’t it? The GST flowed into the Northern Territory and it made a big difference because you had money to spend. ‘But let us not tell the kiddies that it is money that has come from another place, let us try to create the impression, boys and girls, that we created all this wealth and it came about because we are really clever and we are really good at managing money’.
The truth is that you are very good at spending money. If you listen to the whole story, even today, all that we hear from this Labor government is their delight at pointing out what they have spent! If there is a problem: ‘Rest assured, we have spent money and we have bought this and we have paid for that’. However, the issue is: in true leadership and proper management you talk about the result of the expenditure. You cannot run a business and say it is going really well because we have spent lots of money - half the story - spent lots of money on strategies that have produced a result. It is easy for you today to run the spending of the money story because there is money to spend. Heaven help us if we come to a time when the money slows down! What will you be left with to talk about then? You will be so far away from a previous regime that you cannot blame them and, my goodness, you might have to take responsibility for the way things are unfolding before your eyes. Who will you blame then?
The GST has flowed into the Territory in great measure. That has brought about the capacity for this government to do its core business which is delivering health, education, law and order. Those are the results that we need to see, whether they are demonstrating progress or not. Last estimates - and I am really looking forward to these coming estimates - I think the core message could be distilled into these statistics: population has increased. ‘Look at us, look at us, we have caused the population to grow’. Well, there are factors that done that. The population has increased since 2001 by 7%. That is great, I am glad to see the Territory growing. Since 2001, the increase in government own sourced revenue, which is taxes, fees and charges, is an increase, folks, of 67%. Your capacity to take money off citizens and into your own coffers to run programs has increased by 67%, and the GST revenue since 2001, since you came to office, has increased by 80%. Therein, in summary, is your core message.
If your business is then to deliver services - that is the business of state and territory governments, to deliver services - how have you, in fact, gone in the delivery of those services? Are we getting a better result with all this extra capacity in our health system? We heard a question today that there are Territorians - with all this extra capacity - being triaged in ambulances. We almost deliberately overlook the fact that - rest assured, everyone is going to be looked after - those ambulances, three times in the last three weeks, are held up. Is that a good service delivery? Is there a policy response to that? Citizens would like to hear about that.
Are we achieving outstanding results in education with all the increased capacity? Yes or no? I do not think so, because the MAP results show that we are slipping behind. We are coming from a long way behind. I am not going to say: ‘Oh, the Labor Party is at fault here; look at the results’. The capacity to address and strategically spend to produce a result is there, but the results are not there. It has slipped in many cases and, disturbingly so. Are the teachers happy? Are they strengthened? Are they great believers in the direction of the leadership of this government? No. I am amazed at how resolved the teachers are. We say that teaching is an ageing profession. Many of them are very conservative people, and for them to make the decision, in the best interests of trying to get a better deal for education in the Northern Territory, is an extraordinary event.
Then we go to law and order. Are we getting results? All that we hear from this government, from the Chief Minister today, is a description of all the money that has been spent on all the different programs and all the extra police. That is good. You can point to that, but are we getting a result? The statistics demonstrate that we are not getting the results. There are some serious, severe in some cases, social problems. Are we making progress? I do not believe so, and if you honestly and maturely look at the data and listen to people, ask people questions and listen to their answers, you will find that people are increasingly concerned about the decline in respect for law and the ensuing social disorder that is emerging all around us. I am not just creating this. I am talking to people. I am hearing what they have to say. I have not been in a situation where so many people I know have been broken into. I thought it would never happen to me. There are some serious social issues. You have the capacity to attend to them.
The Chief Minister says we live in a community, not in an economy. If that is the case, we need to see the outcomes in health, education, and law and order. You have the increased capacity. Are we getting the result? Capacity to spend, but we are not getting the result. That is where these statements should dwell, honestly dwell, with the point of the issue. Are we achieving results for Territorians? The issue is not how you appear in the media. It is not the creation of images. It is delivering results for Territorians.
A question was asked today of the Minister for Business and Economic Development. I heard then an echo to the same issue by the Minister for Primary Industry and Fisheries, and Mines and Energy, and it referred to China. The issue is the continuing of this story - I just need it to be tested. You are talking about going to China and, by the way, China has had a significant part to play in the benefits we are enjoying today. The Access Economics report, the one before last, said that all our eggs are in the China basket. That is not a negative, do not jump on that one, but we are enjoying, at this point, and have a responsibility to manage, the immense growth from China. It is a wave that we are surfing. How well we surf it and where it takes us is the issue.
I would like a response to this from government, rather than say that there have been 17 different visits from different Chinese companies, that is great, but there are reports coming out federally and back into China that the approach of the Rudd government in assessing these foreign investments is sending another message into China. The message coming from Australia into China is ‘they are not welcome’. So, of the 17 that have been referred to today, what effect …
Members interjecting.
Mr MILLS: What effect? The question is simple. The question is simple and it applies – before you get too chuffed there, it applies to anyone, but in this specific case, it has been referred to in the media. If you read the papers rather than glossy brochures, you will see this. And I am genuinely concerned. What is the answer to that? Is this message going back into China as it relates to the oft-quoted 17 or whatever expressions of interest from China? I would like to know. These things need to be tested. I am sorry to rain on the parade, but I am just recounting material that I am reading in the media. My job is to ask these questions, I am very sorry, Madam Treasurer.
Mr Kiely: On whose behalf?
Members interjecting.
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order!
Mr MILLS: On behalf of Territorians. Whose behalf do you operate on, the Labor Party?
Mr Kiely: Who paid for your trip to Taiwan?
Mr MILLS: What has that got to do with it?
Mr Kiely: I am just asking: on whose behalf?
Mr MILLS: The issue is there appears to be a change in national policy regarding foreign investment. I want to know what effect that has on those who express an interest in the Territory. Read the papers. The Sydney Morning Herald and the Financial Review talk about it. Read things other than glossy brochures. That is a question that needs to be followed up on. I am terribly sorry to raise this and cause such a ruckus, but I have a responsibility to ask these questions.
That leads us to another responsibility of government. When it comes to this strategic position, I guess it is positioning ready for the election and we will know whether there is an election or not through the budget. It is quite clear, just as we see swarms of dragonflies to tell us that the Dry Season is here, so we have a plethora of promises from you lot. You must have difficulty in managing who is going to make an announcement today with all these promises and announcements, all of which clearly indicates an upcoming election. We will see if I am wrong. Maybe it is a false start to the Dry Season and it is a false start to the election. I do not know.
The economic benefits of running a full term are quite significant. Not only does it bring stability to the public sector but it allows the public sector to focus on the delivery of programs as established without political interference.
I believe there is an economic argument to be put forward for the establishment of fixed parliamentary terms. That way, politicians would not muck around with the date for their own political benefit. That has an economic benefit. It would be an economic cost to run an early election. It will also be a cost to the quality of public policy and public program delivery. All at the expense of doing whatever you can to ensure you maximise your political benefit to run an early election in your own interests. It would not be for anyone else’s interest. You would not go to an early election in the interests of the Northern Territory, you might try to spin that but, in truth, you would only be going in your own interest.
Which comes down to the foundational issue which Territorians will be sitting and watching to see whether you believe in anything; whether you believe strongly enough that the Territory has a clear future so you will extend your vision and your planning beyond the next election; whether you put in and commit yourself to proper and sensible planning that you will stick to, explain to people and stand by; and provide clear, principled leadership on the planning regime across the Northern Territory.
Do you have a real plan for the Northern Territory or not? Are you in reactive mode and changing here, there and everywhere just to accommodate the short term? You will end up in serious trouble as we are already seeing. We have, perhaps, the privilege, the opportunity, sadly, of being able to see these things from another perspective. It appears that members opposite have difficulty seeing these things. It strikes me that we are not sure where we are going in the long term. The Chief Minister has come back from the 2020 summit with all these ideas that create a sense of purpose and direction for the Northern Territory. They were great in that environment and I was pleased to be a part of that. But we need a 2020-30 vision for our planning for the Northern Territory. The decisions that are being made, the accusations that have been leaked to try to cover up the fact that you have no plan, you have no direction. You will say the …
Mr Kiely: You cannot go forward looking in the rear view mirror, Terry. That is all you have done for this whole debate.
Mr MILLS: You will say anything it takes to create an immediate need. You have not been able to stand up and deliver a clear and understandable vision of where we are going. We have changes upon changes and others sitting outside can start to see chaos and disorder in the planning approach in this government. It is deeply troubling and you need to extend your vision out much further than your own parliamentary cycles and self interest. You need to get on with the job of laying some serious foundations, providing proper leadership for the development of the Northern Territory. Otherwise, we will live to regret the day when short-term decisions were made and no proper and authoritative leadership was provided for the development of the Northern Territory. That is your challenge and that is where you are deficient.
There has been a complete absence of strategic infrastructure development …
Ms Lawrie: Wrong.
Mr MILLS: … even to have recently – oh, right.
Ms Lawrie: You just missed the waterfront did you? You missed the convention centre.
Mr MILLS: Even recently you were able to put an ad in the paper and advertise for someone to help you with your infrastructure plan, clearly an indication you do not have an infrastructure plan. You put an ad in the paper to try to recruit someone to develop an infrastructure plan. Upon which basis is this infrastructure plan to rest? Is there a comprehensive vision? Where is Weddell? Where are the young people going to live? Where is the land release? Northern Territory, shortage of land, how are we going to solve that problem? Shortage of land, what principles does this infrastructure plan rest on? These issues still remain unaddressed.
The statement is merely a recount of an image, an idea, a brochure delivered in parliament to create an image about government but does not address the core issues, and does not provide the necessary leadership for the development of the Northern Territory.
Ms LAWRIE (Treasurer): Madam Deputy Speaker, I thank the Chief Minister for his economic statement today. It is extremely timely given that we are in the lead up to the 2008 budget process. I have worked very hard alongside my colleagues with the Treasury and across the agencies to ensure that the key elements of the budget are in place.
The Chief Minister has outlined the economic indicators that so clearly demonstrate the strength of our economy. I have to say, for the Leader of the Opposition and the shadow Treasurer to not even go to any of those economic indicators in his contribution really goes to show how shallow an approach the CLP is taking these days to the growth of the economy. To completely ignore where we are tracking in terms of economic growth, where our population growth is, what our predictors are meant to be, to completely ignore that we are bucking national trends and our growth is predicted to be the strongest in the nation through the next five years, in a contribution to a statement on the economy, really is quite surprising.
Some of the factors behind the strong economic indicators point to the fact that there has been very strong financial management under the Labor government. We are determined to ensure the budgets we bring down recognise not only the delivery of the need for today, but, as I have said since I have been Treasurer, recognise the need for five years’ time. We are planning through the next decade and beyond.
Whilst the Leader of the Opposition might want to refer to - and I have to say, it is extremely disrespectful to ACIL Tasman and Evans and Peck who, on their own, are both highly regarded nationally for their expertise they will deliver to this - for him to refer to a 10-year infrastructure plan that is being provided by them through a tender from the government, to refer to it as a glossy brochure is quite extraordinary. This demonstrates how the Leader of the Opposition does not understand the due and productive processes of good government.
Strong financial management that underpins the approach of the Labor government provides businesses, developers and investors with certainty. It is this attraction and certainty that leverages private investment into the Territory. You have seen, through successive years under the Labor government, useful leveraging of private investment. The waterfront project which the Leader of the Opposition so easily dismisses, is recognised by Access Economics as a major project, and shows how successful we can be in leveraging private investment off public expenditure. If the Leader of the Opposition, the economic vandal opposite, had had his way, the project would not have happened. Indeed, the taxpayer would have had to fully fund a strange version of the convention centre, a car park version.
Access Economics has forecasted 7% economic growth in the Territory next year. That is a very strong forecast given that, say for example, if you want to compare it to China, they have been forecasting a growth of 10%. Beyond next year, Access Economics is forecasting an economic growth of around 5% per annum and has indicated that the Territory’s economy will be the fastest-growing economy in our nation. That is a big call to make. Access Economics is independent and highly-regarded. For them to say that we will be the fastest-growing economy is significant because we are stacked against Western Australia and Queensland, which are also resource-rich states and are expanding their economies significantly. For a small jurisdiction to be given that accolade by Access Economics proves that we are absolutely punching above our weight. No jurisdiction punches above its weight – particularly in the context of a jurisdiction the size of ours - without the government underpinning where that growth is occurring through the budgetary decisions that government is making. That picture is the picture that the opposition want to totally ignore.
In growing the economy and the population, increasingly, you have to look at where your infrastructure spend is in terms of the government. That is why this year we are spending a record $645m on infrastructure. The decisions of government could have meant that that funding could have gone elsewhere. However, $645m on infrastructure shows our commitment to ensuring that right across the Territory we are spending on improving our roads, port infrastructure, schools, hospitals and, importantly, our energy and water infrastructure through Power and Water. Money is spent on supporting our lifestyle, the fishing, sporting and community infrastructures.
The Chief Minister talked in detail about the waterfront project. Everyone in this House will remember the Leader of the Opposition calling on the waterfront project to be scrapped - which he pretended he did not do in Question Time today until he was reminded of the NT News front page where it did point out that he had called for it to be scrapped. Economic vandalism - in great danger - this man has a very strange perspective on how to deliver the economic drivers of growth. We would not have the strong economic figures that we are seeing today if the wish of scrapping the waterfront had been delivered.
It would be economic absurdity to scrap the waterfront. We would have seen an $800m worth of investments, jobs and cash injected into our economy, just going to the scrap heap. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics Labour Force figures, we have more than 5000 people in jobs now compared to this time a year ago. That is 5000 people with a new source of income. That is being reflected in the way we have a nation’s strongest growth in retail spending; consumer confidence is extremely high.
The recycled Leader of the Opposition is back and he has not learned his lesson from the last time he was the leader when he was calling for the waterfront to be scrapped. Now, he is at it again. This time, he is trying to undermine the $12bn worth of potential investment from INPEX, which has clearly said in a briefing and on the public record that they are only interested in a site at Middle Arm where existing infrastructure is because there is a window of opportunity, our competitive advantage in when they need to get their products to market ...
Members interjecting.
Ms LAWRIE: The opposition and the member for Nelson glibly want to ignore the facts. They want to ignore the reality …
Mr Wood interjecting.
Ms LAWRIE: … that infrastructure exists at Middle Arm …
Mr Wood interjecting.
Ms LAWRIE: … that INPEX is only interested in the Middle Arm location ...
Mr Wood interjecting.
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! Member for Nelson!
Ms LAWRIE: They exist in a fantasy land, a fantasy of their own making. They completely ignore the reality. They are just not interested at all.
We are talking about Middle Arm which has been zoned for development since the 1980s. The member for Nelson rants at me about the Planning Scheme because he thinks he is the guru of planning. I have to say he chops and changes and is all over the place when it comes to planning and his views on planning and developments that come forward. If you relied on his perspective on planning you would be floating in the breeze on a whimsy of what he feels in his mind is a planning result.
In 2003, independent consultants, KBR, costed the infrastructure requirements at Glyde Point for such a plant to be between $320m and $430m. In today’s figures, we would be looking at round about a $500m infrastructure requirement. Where does the Leader of the Opposition and the member for Nelson think the $500m would come from? Are they going to cut into police? Are they going to cut into health services? Are they going to cut into education services?
You only have to look at the zero growth back in 2000-01 when the construction industry was on its knees. We are an economy that responds to construction dips. The government, very carefully, very judiciously, approached a need at a very difficult time when we inherited a budget in deficit to target spending into infrastructure and to increase the capital works program, delivering infrastructure into core service need areas and, importantly, putting cash against that - we inherited an infrastructure capital works program that was not cashed against - to rebuild the capacity in the construction industry and reignite the economy of the Territory at the time.
It is interesting just to get a snapshot of what we are delivering now, in 2007-08, with the $645m infrastructure program. So far, we have delivered $235m of the capital works program and the repairs and maintenance program. We will deliver around $325m by the end of the financial year, with other projects that straddle into the second half of the year. We have about $215m worth of major projects on the capital works program and $110m on the repairs and maintenance program that underpin the Territory government’s investment in infrastructure. Forty-four projects are already completed and 43 are on track for completion by the end of this financial year. The remainder, as I said, are major projects that straddle across financial years, because the nature of the construction sector in the Territory requires construction to be largely through the Dry Season.
Just have a look at some of those capital works projects that will be completed by the end of the financial year. We have our eight middle school projects; major investments in delivering middle school buildings in Palmerston, Darwin and our major towns in the Territory. We have the Rapid Admission and Planning Unit at Royal Darwin Hospital; a health centre for Kalkarindji; first and second crossovers at Nitmiluk National Park; headworks for Stage 1 at Mt John Valley land release; pavement strengthening and widening right across Territory roads; the second stage of the Red Centre Way, the Maryvale Road upgrade; numerous black spot projects; and significant Roads to Recovery projects.
Rolling programs that are also in the program include the Victoria Highway; the Closing the Gap projects; Desert Knowledge Precinct; Darwin City Waterfront works; Tiger Brennan Drive; aerodromes and roads; the Northern Territory Rural Clinical School research facility; renal relocatable self-care facilities; the Marrara outdoor netball court; home economics and science facility at Borroloola Community Education Centre; and an upgrade of the emergency department at Alice Springs Hospital.
The Department of Planning and Infrastructure has already delivered a majority of the 1300 projects on the repairs and maintenance program and are, I have been advised, on track to complete 100% of that program by the end of the financial year.
In addition to the general government capital works program and the repairs and maintenance program, DPI also delivers around $44m for Territory Housing by the end of the financial year to deliver real improvements in the bush. In addition, there is a range of projects that are part of a $1.1bn Stage 1 of Darwin City Waterfront redevelopment, and the project is progressing in line with the revised program. The convention and exhibition centre is receiving the finishing touches ahead of program and on budget. The seawall, boating lagoon and beach are complete. The cruise ship passenger terminal and multilevel car park are on track for completion in mid this year. The wave lagoon is on track for completion later this year. Landscaping of the public parklands will be completed to suit the timing of the hotels in late 2008, and Wharf One Residential in early 2009.
The government is delivering on its infrastructure commitments. It should not be understated that this government’s record infrastructure expenditure is being delivered in challenging locations right throughout the Territory and in a climate of very strong private sector activity. That is, we are out there competing for the skilled workforce. A recent Access Economics report forecasts the Territory will experience the highest economic growth in the country through the next five years. It is critically important that our government does whatever it can to focus this growth to the benefit of all Territorians.
The recently announced ACIL Tasman/Evans and Peck tender to develop a 10-year infrastructure plan for the Territory is critical. It will ensure we get the most out of every dollar in our future infrastructure budgets, importantly providing the private sector with the certainty to invest in our Territory. It will examine the changing needs of the Territory; it will harness economic opportunities such as increased export, trade and mining activity; and will ensure the government infrastructure spending is absolutely focused on priority areas. It will promote private sector investment by providing certainty as well as increase, hopefully, the private sector capacity to deliver these vital projects for the Territory.
The government also has very responsible land release strategies in place to cater for the increase in the Territory’s population. We are approving more units and subdivisions which play an important role in increasing house supply. We are also implementing affordable housing into the Territory government land releases. For the first time we have an affordable housing policy. The releases such as Bellamack - and I have written to the Commonwealth Defence Housing Authority and relevant Commonwealth ministers requesting that they adopt similar affordability provisions into the current Lyons development and the future Muirhead development.
Last year, there were more than 600 new blocks of land approved in the Darwin, Palmerston and rural area. If you listen to the opposition they would have you believe that there were none. Since January 2006, we have had more than 1100 new units approved in the Darwin CBD alone. In terms of Lyons and Muirhead, 700 new blocks will be developed in the suburb of Lyons. Once it is completed at the end of 2009, development will proceed on the suburb of Muirhead. The government is currently working with the Defence Housing Authority on the planning for the suburb of Muirhead which, we believe, will yield around 1000 lots.
In Palmerston, as of March this year, there were blocks available in Gunn at The Chase and in Rosebery Park. Bellamack will provide around 650 blocks with 15% reserved for first homebuyers and public housing. The first blocks are expected to be available in early 2009. We have already had out, in the planning process, the Palmerston eastern suburbs of Mitchell, Johnston and Zuccoli providing for a further 2500 to 3000 blocks. In addition to this, we have announced some 650-odd lots with a percentage of 15% reserved for first homebuyers and public housing in Berrimah Farm, which the government intends to proceed with on the back of Bellamack.
Importantly, in Alice Springs, the Larapinta Stage 2 blocks sold at auction; 39 blocks will be developed with six set aside for first homebuyers and one multiple dwelling block for seniors’ public housing. Mt John Valley negotiations are continuing well with the traditional owners, the Lhere Artepe. We are expecting to see a yield of around about 70 blocks in the first stage. Sitzlers is already on the headworks tender for Mt John Valley. In the rural area, work is under way on the Coolabah Tree Estate on Ragonese Road and Stage 1, I am advised, comprises of 62 lots. There is a further 94 lot rural subdivision approved on Stegar Road.
The government does have an eye on its land release policy and we, unlike the opposition, are not going to flood the market. We will have a carefully staged approach to land release so that we are providing for a land release market that has a range of options from affordable options through to prime land locations, as well as units through to house lots. What we will not do is flood the market because in a market as small as the Northern Territory’s property market you can send the value of existing properties crashing down. If you do that, especially in the context of a time where you have a credit squeeze occurring as a result of the sub prime mortgage problems in the United States - the last thing you would want to do right now is distort your property markets by a flood of land release. We have been out and clearly articulated where the residential land release will be, the stages of land release and what that will yield, and how that is keeping track with the property market requirements.
In the context of the property market, we saw a 20% growth in 2006 moderating down to 11% growth in 2007. We have strong property market growth. We are seeing a moderation of those home values - which we wanted to see. Twenty per cent, whilst it put money in the assets of a lot of Territorians and we have seen many Territory families benefit from that, we also wanted to make sure that became a moderate growth to allow people to enter to enter into the home market, which we have done through a complete overhaul of the HomeNorth Scheme in 2003, further adjustments to the HomeNorth Scheme in 2005, and a commitment to make quarterly adjustments to that scheme.
We are providing home ownership opportunities for our population growth which is part of providing for a greater skilled workforce which feeds into the broader economic growth picture. An example of that is the McArthur River Mine. There are a lot of workers - I know because there are quite a few of them who have bought houses in my electorate of Karama - who are flying from Darwin on Air North to the McArthur River Mine. They are able to use the high income they are getting in the mining sector with the boom that is occurring with mining resources here in the Territory to purchase properties and live the lifestyle that we all enjoy in the Territory - living and working and raising their families.
They are the benefits to Territory families of strong economic drivers, particularly in the mining sector boom off the back of the major oil and gas project that Wickham Point delivered us. That is one of the reasons why we were going hell for leather, as the underdogs, to try to secure the $12bn INPEX project which will be the next major project on our horizon. What a difference that will make to the families of the Territory if that arrives. For the economic vandal opposite, to do everything he can to scuttle the INPEX project, you really have to wonder just where their heads are at because, quite frankly, no one can work it out. The business industry cannot work it out. Even the non-government sector is shaking its head, not understanding where they are coming from.
It is interesting that they beat the drum about Glyde Point in terms of a locality for INPEX. I would just remind the opposition that there were extremely sound environmental reasons for not proceeding with Glyde Point. The environment lobby and AFANT came out very strongly in support of the government’s decision to take Glyde Point off the industrialisation agenda. I am happy to remind the opposition about that because we are a government that understands you can actually have both. You can have major projects and particularly LNG projects at Middle Arm, while you have sound, strong environmental processes that mean you do not have the pollutants. The LNG Wickham Point plant is a shining example of how you can do both. You can protect your environment and provide industrial development on land that has been zoned for industrial development since the 1980s.
In terms of an economic driver, as roads minister, I have been focused on the need to improve the Territory’s road network so that we can get product to market, so that residents of the Territory can move around their communities and enjoy the services provided for in our major regional centres and our capital city. Year on year we have been increasing the roads budget. Last year, the budget was around $180m, a combination of the AusLink funding and Territory government funding. In the budget next week, this will rise to $271m as I announced today. We only get about 2% of the AusLink funding while we have 15% of the network. So whilst a core and significant amount of our roads funding is Commonwealth, we are still being short changed. We were short changed under the Howard government to the tune of about $90m, though we are seeing how things can change and with the improved cooperation, federal relationships are strong.
We have already seen work start on the Tiger Brennan Drive extension which will be fantastic economic driver in itself. It is about being a freight road, it is an access road to the East Arm Port and it will be an important social benefit for the families who live in the Darwin rural and Palmerston areas as well. It will have a unique impact on the Top End, in the sense that it will change the dynamics. It will bring the cities of Darwin and Palmerston closer together. It will bring the communities of Darwin, rural, and Palmerston closer together. I believe we will have a whole lot of spin-off benefits of that particular road extension - the $110m project that we sought, we pursued, we chased, and we are now delivering.
Part of the current economic success is being driven by government through strategic investment in our port and the adjacent Darwin Business Park. We are continuing to build an extremely impressive port. It is positioned strategically in the region. The growth in associated road and rail infrastructure means real benefits for our exporters. We are integrating our road, rail and port facilities to provide inter-modal solutions to improve our export capabilities. The new bulk loading facility at East Arm, commissioned in 2007, has facilitated the trade of bulk materials through our port. A significant investment in infrastructure by the government, the bulk mineral loader was delivered at a cost of $24m. If we are to further develop the Darwin Port as a conduit between Australia and Asia, further investment and infrastructure will need to be provided.
A strategic land use study is also under way to ensure that the appropriate port facilities are available to meet the growing trade and shipping activity in our port. When you talk about punching above its weight, there is a shining example in the Port of Darwin. We are getting increasing numbers of overseas visitors who are extremely interested and impressed by our port and its facilities. We are seeing ships of increased size entering the harbour, and the Darwin Port Corporation is undertaking preliminary studies to view the accessibility to the port. The study will cover the existing berths and channels, and incorporate the future needs of our customers. Our port has a very bright future, indeed.
The government has shown its ability to have very careful, strong, financial management. We have gone from inheriting major deficits to very prudent restraint through our budget processes to turn that back around into surpluses. Regarding the Leader of the Opposition running the line that it is all just because we are awash with GST dollars, I will say this - I have said it before and I will say it again: the Territory is getting only what the Territory absolutely deserves. We are not going to apologise for going out and fighting in Canberra for the dollar that the Territory should be getting. The GST is carved up on a needs basis as well as a population basis.
If the Leader of the Opposition wants to argue the case for Western Australia for GST, he is in the wrong jurisdiction. We are here and we will argue the Territory’s case for an increase in the GST relativities because we have outstanding needs. I will stack up our infrastructure requirements, particularly for our roads, against any other jurisdiction. When they realise that we only have 23% of our road network sealed, they are amazed at the task ahead of us. When they know that in the bush we inherited an absolute lack of core and fundamental infrastructure such as schools, health clinics, and police stations. When you need to build from the bottom up, as we are having to do in the bush - and I take my hat off to the former Housing Minister and the work ahead of the current Housing Minister and my own Planning and Infrastructure agency and the housing program that will be delivered to dramatically change the way people live in the Territory. It is a significant investment and it will be one of the greatest results that we can deliver; that is, in being able to say what part of the Commonwealth dollar, what part of the nation’s taxes should be delivered into the Territory. I call it catch-up money. We have a very long way to go to catch-up.
There is confidence there. There is business confidence, consumer confidence, and an plan to create jobs growth underpinned by our training, our Jobs Plan, and our investment in education. There is a plan to provide the infrastructure and the right structures to support mining, oil and gas exploration and investment. All of these things brought together create the economic environment to invest in the Territory. That private sector investment is critical to the Territory’s growth, but private sector investment does not happen by chance. It does not happen in an unstable economic environment. It happens when the government understands its plans for spending government resources.
Madam Deputy Speaker, we have been very careful and very considered in our previous budgets in how we do that. I am looking forward to the budget next week. It is not going to be a spurious, flippant approach to where we are at in the electoral cycle that the Leader of the Opposition was trying to indicate. It is about a strong eye on the economic and social requirements of the Territory. I commend the Chief Minister’s statement.
Mr VATSKALIS (Business and Economic Development): Madam Deputy Speaker, I recall a former American President who said: ‘It is the economy, stupid’ – and it is about the economy. It is about the economy and this is important for our government.
I also found the Leader of the Opposition’s selective memory very curious. He spoke about the Chief Minister’s statement but did not go into the statement, or respond to the details of the statement. Instead, he took us on a long trip without substance. I say selective memory because I found it very curious that he had the audacity to stand up and argue about his INPEX statement, and challenge my colleague, the member for Sanderson, about his attendance at the meeting. Well, none of us were at the meeting. It was the INPEX representative. It was an INPEX representative who came out in the newspaper, and said clearly and stated publicly that he had briefed the Leader of the Opposition. He explained to him the implications. He explained to him that the only place INPEX would ever consider coming was the Darwin harbour area. However, the Leader of the Opposition soon after, despite the fact that at the meeting he supported the INPEX proposal, he said the best place to go is Glyde Point.
I was at the meeting, and other people had meetings with INPEX. This morning, Daryl Manzie spoke to Chris Young, the CEO of the Chamber of Commerce. Chris Young said:
- … the Chamber is actually having direct dialogue with representatives from INPEX and we know for a fact that they have been made very nervous by the sorts of discussions that Terry’s been having, particularly since when they met with Terry he offered them full support for the INPEX proposal coming to Darwin.
They told Terry they want to come to Darwin. Terry agreed where was to go. INPEX met with the Chamber of Commerce and they told the Chamber of Commerce that they met with Terry about their proposal to come to Darwin and Terry agreed. So, somebody here is not telling us the truth, the full truth, and it is very surprising.
The other thing, of course, is the selective memory about China, and his complaints about China and how the Rudd government is somehow stopping companies from China investing in Australia – not true. The news was that the Rudd government asked 10 Chinese companies to resubmit their submissions to the Foreign Investment Assessment Board before they proceed to acquire interest in some companies that produce strategic minerals in the Pilbara.
What is also surprising is his selective memory about what was happening in 2001 when this government gained office and came to power. The Territory economy was on its knees. You could not sell a house. People were not buying houses because they were not confident about their future. Construction had ground to a halt. People were leaving the Territory. People were selling assets to survive. I know that very well because, in 2001, I and the member for Wanguri – we have a big Greek constituency - were doorknocking and talking to people, and the people were desperate. I remember the days when I would go to the Galleria for a coffee and the whole place would be full of Greek subbies who did not have work. They were complaining about the lack of work and they were telling me how they were packing up to go to Western Australia to survive. To make things worse the CLP left the Territory broke with $130m deficit and a debt level that was increasing over time. There was no capital works.
I remember when we came to power and I got the first budget. I had a look at the repairs and maintenance budget. It would only last until November despite the fact that it had only been a few months since the new government had come to power. The population was leaving at a fast rate and the nett immigration was about 3000 people. Skills were leaving the Territory. Economic growth was zero per cent. Families, working families suffered. But today, seven years later, there are more cranes in the sky than ever before. There are major projects under way or completed. Unemployment is less than 4%. Capital works is showing record level expenditure and the private sector investment levels remain at historical highs.
Seven years in power and we have already seen two skyscrapers in Darwin: Mantra Pandanus and Evolution. Three more are being built in Daly Street and there are proposals for more and more buildings and hotels built through private initiatives. No private investors will invest in a place, in a jurisdiction when the economy is strong, when the government is not supportive and where the government has no plans for the future. I remember in 2001 that there was only one crane in the sky, one building being constructed. That was Darwin Central. That was it. The only reason this place went up was because the parliament here decided to make an investment in this town. The then government saw it as a big opportunity. I remember the fanfare and all the publications about the activity in Darwin. One building in 2001; look around you today.
The waterfront - number one on the CLP hate list – is a $900m investment, and two hotels are currently under construction. This represents a project that could change the face of Darwin. Gas and oil are now a major focus. The Blacktip pipeline; Nexus is planning at $1bn gas project in the Timor Sea; the LNG project for Methanol Australia is $1.3bn. The economic growth is predicted to be over 7% by Access Economics. Our population is increasing by 2% every year. In some quarters we are in nett interstate migration gain, something that has been rare for the past 30 years in the Territory.
That is a stark contrast between the performance of the CLP and the Labor Party. How did we achieve this change to our economy? ‘It’s the GST,’ says the Leader of the Opposition. Of course, it was the GST. The money comes out of my pocket and your pocket, our pocket. Money comes from every Australian’s pocket. We all pay 10% GST and this money is distributed by the federal government, the previous federal government, this federal government and future federal governments. The difference is this money did not just disappear. It was invested wisely - in teachers, nurses, police officers, and infrastructure.
On coming to office we made a strategic decision to focus funding on capital works. Despite having little budget flexibility, we have invested more money into the economy and our first-ever full budget was labelled ‘Spend, spend, spend’ by the media. We focused our economic strategy around four key points: providing a high level of cash for capital works and infrastructure; focusing funds on economic drivers to produce future growth; making sensible and strategic reductions to taxation on business and the community; and maintaining strong fiscal discipline.
Each year since coming to office, we have put into place record infrastructure budgets. Today we have two $1bn infrastructure programs under way in housing and in essential services, as well as hundreds of millions of dollars of record spending on roads and capital works to provide services such as hospitals, health clinics and schools.
We have invested our economic growth wisely. Members would remember the slump that hit tourism when Ansett collapsed in the wake of 11 September. We saw the threat and we invested an additional $10m a year to attract tourists through tourism marketing. Today, our tourism levels are returning to sound, solid levels despite the enormous competition we have across the world for the tourism dollar. Access Economics, in their latest report, comments that even though tourism around Australia is levelling off, the Territory’s tourism market is moving upmarket - fewer backpackers and more big spenders.
We invested in the port with the bulk loader and other port equipment. We thought the bulk loader would last a few years. Now we have realised that we probably have to install another one very quickly due to the mineral boom. We already have to look probably for a second crane now that more containers are arriving in our harbour.
We are investing in a major overhaul of our essential services. Not content to continue with the patch-up regime of the CLP - ‘Let it break and when it breaks, we’ll fix it’ is what they were saying about the Power and Water Corporation equipment - we have put in place a five year plan that will see the long-term power and water needs of our community catered for well into the future. The same has been done for housing. We have chased aviation investments. I remember when Ansett collapsed and there were only Qantas flying to Darwin and we really suffered. Now we have Qantas, Jetstar, Virgin Blue and, of course, Tiger. Jetstar is proposing to establish a hub in Darwin. That does not happen by accident. That happens because people have confidence in the government of the Territory.
We have invested in beef roads to ensure we can move cattle throughout the Territory despite the attempt by the previous ministers of the Liberal federal government not to provide any funding to the Territory because we were not incorporated, because we did not get local government. Now that we want to establish local government, the CLP argue not to proceed with the local government reform. This is the party that forced the Tiwi Islands into local government against their will. This is the same party that forced other groups into local government situations against their own will.
That strategic investment, made in a way that allows further leveraging by the private sector, has been important in broadening our economic strength. We have provided the lowest taxing regime of any Territory government. Since coming to office we have reduced taxes by around $170m and this has been across a broad range of business taxes. Payroll tax has been reduced. A range of business stamp duties has been removed. For business with up to 100 staff, the Territory government is the lowest taxing jurisdiction in Australia. We have created a highly competitive environment for business despite the burden of distance and isolation.
In doing all of this, we have maintained strong fiscal discipline. We have delivered five budget surpluses and we have reduced debt. We are the first Territory government to set aside funds to pay superannuation liabilities. This is the level of discipline that has been shown.
As the minister for Business, Tourism, Housing, Defence Support, Regional Development, Essential Services and Asian Relations, I am well placed to see an overall picture of the Territory economy. I am part of the efforts being made across government to build a better Territory with a stronger, brighter future. We have acted to spend and invest across the Territory so that the regional centres also grow and develop. The construction and infrastructure dollar has been spread across the Territory to ensure growth, jobs and development of communities - and I recall the member for Katherine asking: ‘What about regional development?’
We are the first government in the Territory to release new land in Alice Springs. We are the first government in the Northern Territory to put another large power station in Weddell to supplement power. We are the first government of the Territory to establish a cultural centre in Katherine. We are the first government in the Territory to argue against removing Defence personnel from Katherine. We are the first Territory government to put in place all the means ....
Mrs Miller: We do not have the power to run it now.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr VATSKALIS: We have not closed a power station in a regional centre like Katherine. Instead, we actually have improved and increased the capacity and we bought new generators. We are the first Territory government to listen to people and move a multimillion dollar power station away from the people in order to reduce the impact on the people there and to increase the parcel of land in Alice Springs. We are the first Territory government to directly negotiate with a gas supplier to acquire gas from Blacktip for power generation.
In addition, we are the first Territory government to come through with a significant project in Alice Springs, namely the Desert Knowledge Centre. This centre will value add to the developing smart economy that is evident in Alice Springs. Innovation and creativity is the hallmark of Territory business. I have to say this is particularly evident in Alice Springs. The Desert People’s Centre and the Desert Knowledge Centre will build and develop those industries. In Tennant Creek and Katherine, as well as Alice Springs, we have been focused on attracting business through specific advertising of these places as tourist and business destination.
I have recently been in China promoting four-wheel drive travel as a popular sport. It has been strongly supported by the Police Association in China. This form of tourism has the potential to bring a large number of tourists from China through the Territory looking at our pristine and clean environment. I am informed that groups coming in, in the next few months, will have a four-wheel drive course from Kings Canyon to Alice Springs through the Mereenie Loop
To promote the development of business in smaller centres, the government has provided a program of grants to assist small business to establish in fledgling areas such as Maningrida and other remote communities. Despite all this activity, I know we cannot rest on our laurels. We must chase investment, chase business, and chase tourism. We must get out there, talk to people across the country and the world to bring the Northern Territory to their attention.
I know just how fragile the economy of a small community can be. That is why we go to these efforts. That is why when we identify a problem with the economy we take a strategic approach to it. Take the issue of skills and labour. When we came to office the training effort was pathetic despite the fact everyone could see that there was a shortage of skills building up. We introduced Jobs Plan 1, 2, and 3. We invested proportionally more than any other state in training. We focused on regional packages of training to get young Territorians across the Territory into the mainstream workforce. We invested heavily in better education in the bush.
All of these things are the actions taken by good, sensible governments responding to the long-term needs of the community.
All of this stands in stark contrast to the position taken by the Leader of the Opposition and the CLP in general. This would have to be one of the few political parties in the world where they ossified in government, and have got even crustier in opposition. Normally, opposition is the time for learning and repositioning, honing skills, and focusing on what your alternatives would be. What do we get from the Leader of the Opposition? Opposition to everything - opposition for the sake of opposition. He opposed the waterfront - $1bn in investment gone. His party opposed undergrounding power in Darwin. His party now oppose INPEX. His stance shows absolutely why no Territorians should ever trust the CLP with the levers of power.
Major projects are the lifeblood of the longer-term strength of our economy. That is why we have been aggressive in chasing and getting long-term major projects. The waterfront is such a project. Ten years of development and a major injection of new business through convention-based tourism makes this project a perfect example of effective economic management by the government. The G3 major project in Nhulunbuy and the development of the Desert Knowledge Precinct in Alice Springs were major projects to have strong flow-on effects through small businesses.
The INPEX project, if we get it, will be transformational. It will mean a quantum leap forward in the development of Darwin as both an important oil and gas industry hub but, also, as the major point for downstream processing of gas products. It will see the level of manufacturing able to be done here increase. It will lift population rates. It will begin the long-haul process of making Darwin an economy that has breadth and depth and can rely on a diverse range of industries and a bright future. It is a future in which we can provide for all Territorians, our children and their children.
However, the Leader of the Opposition wants to scuttle it. The CLP should look very closely at themselves. What is it you are doing in this community? Are you jumping on bandwagons just to get some air play, or are you putting together a serious, positive platform you can take to the people? To date, all we have seen is the opposition to, and destruction of, the Territory’s future - and all Territorians will condemn that.
Madam Speaker, I welcome the Chief Minister’s statement. I can assure him that all Territorians - and I - will work for the development and the growth of this community. One of the reasons I got into politics was because the Territory was my choice. I have nowhere else to go, and this is the place where I made my home. I came from Western Australia, and have no intention of going back to Western Australia. There is no way to re-migrate to my country of birth, Greece. This is the place where my kids were born, this is the place I want my kids to grow, and this is the place where I would like the kids to have opportunities for a job. This is why I put my hand up, at the time when not many people were brave enough to put their hands up, knowing what would happen to them if they did not get to government. Since we came to government, I have worked hard and I will continue to work hard for the betterment and development of the Territory.
Ms SCRYMGOUR (Employment, Education and Training): Madam Speaker, I support the statement by the Chief Minister on the Northern Territory economy. The announcement last week regarding the predicted 7% economic growth rate in the Territory is exciting news. It is a fantastic achievement from both government and the Territory community - the best in the country because, put simply, we are channelling our resources to ensure that we are catering to the demands in growth and planning for areas of future growth.
I am honoured to be, in this time of economic prosperity, the Minister for Employment, Education and Training, because with industry booming, this means more jobs for Territorians. Of course, job creation means that people with skills are required, and this government is all for growing our own across every area of employment, education and training. We have a strong emphasis on growing our own nurses and teachers. Across industry, we have a special emphasis on training in the skill shortage area.
My department recently published a reassessment of the skill shortage areas for the Territory. A skills shortage exists where employers are unable to fill, or have considerable difficulty, filling vacancies. We have quite a list of shortage areas including, but not limited to, electricians, plumbers, cooks, tilers, metal fitters, auto electricians, motor mechanics, welders, and metal fabricators. In the current climate, many of these are also included on the national shortage list.
There are many more areas of shortage on the list but, as you can see, there is a significant problem in some of our more traditional trades. This is an area that we are targeting - and we are targeting successfully. Under Jobs Plan 3, this government directs its focus to areas that encourage local business owners to take on more apprentices and trainees. In the last few years, we have significantly invested in the VET program, innovative skilling programs and employer/employee incentives to ensure our workforce is able to fill both the current and emerging skills shortage areas.
There are currently 22 000 students enrolled in VET studies across the Territory. The Territory has the highest VET participation rate in Australia for people aged 15 to 64 years. The Northern Territory also has the highest VET participation rate by indigenous status in Australia. In 2006, approximately 48% of VET students in the Northern Territory were indigenous.
Much has changed since I was at school. Just last week, I was at Casuarina Secondary College chatting to the staff about the VET programs they are running and seeing for myself the sort of activities that our VET students are engaging with in our schools. There are some amazing teachers and programs running to ensure our kids are ready to join the workforce when they complete their schooling. For example, at the college, Ms Gwenda Smallacombe has a class of students running a virtual insurance company. They do everything from producing insurance products to processing claims. The classroom has a businesslike feel to it, and I congratulate all those teachers and schools out there that are always looking at better ways to give our kids the best chance in life once they complete their secondary schooling.
The WorkReady Program targets kids at school with up-front training, such as OHS and Driver Training, so that they are ready to take up apprenticeships and traineeships when leaving school and entering the labour market. In the area of apprentices and trainees, since 2001 we have grown our numbers of annual commencements by more than 600. We currently have 3355 apprentices in training in the Territory, with 1759 of those in the traditional trade areas, everything from construction to hairdressing. Importantly, 23% of these apprentices and trainees are indigenous, and a whopping 31% are women.
As the Minister for Women’s Policy, I am particularly pleased to see women taking up new training and employment opportunities that were traditionally thought of as jobs for men. Whilst recently visiting the Evolution worksite, I came across several women who were involved in training to become tilers. They were embracing the opportunity with enormous enthusiasm. The barrier between specific jobs for men and women has truly been crossed and in a very positive way.
The other area of our focus is working with industry and business providing important incentives to maximise opportunities for Territorians who want to work or want to improve their skills base. This financial year, we have released approximately 340 Northern Territory Occupational Shortage Employer incentives, and approximately 100 Northern Territory Disadvantaged Group Employer incentives. This means that employers will access an incentive payment of $4000 towards taking on an apprentice in an occupational shortage area, with $2000 of this as an up-front payment, and an additional $2000 after two years of employment.
The Disadvantage incentives target those groups most at risk of unemployment: migrants, the homeless, disability groups and indigenous Territorians. It provides employers with a $2000 incentive payment after three months of employment.
The Workwear/Workgear Bonus program is a payment for apprentices and trainees in the skills shortage areas through the provision of work gear. I am advised that more than 1500 apprentices have accessed the $1000 bonus, and more than 2700 trainees have accessed the $300 bonus.
Just yesterday, I was at St Vincent de Paul announcing the successful recipients of the Australians Working Together grants program, or AWT. These grants are for specifically targeted pilot or short-term labour market programs for disadvantaged Territorians. Currently in its fifth year, the grants assist disadvantaged Territorians to access training and employment opportunities and build sustainable pathways to employment. The grants program is an initiative of my department using funds from the Australian government’s Australians Working Together program. In 2008, eight individual programs have been funded. The successful programs will assist approximately 116 disadvantaged Territorians to gain new skills and/or experience work opportunities. This is a fantastic outcome and money well spent.
The program is achieving positive outcomes. For example, a group of young men undertook training in rural operations and are now planning to establish their own gardening business. The St Vinnies project, Knockabout Chefs Dare to Dream is a collaborative effort between St Vinnies and Charles Darwin University. The program will assist 30 men and women who have experienced long-term unemployment and homelessness in achieving a Certificate 1 in Kitchen Operations. They will be trained by a qualified chef and will receive intensive support and mentoring from St Vinnies staff. Whilst training, the men and women will provide around 10 000 meals over the year to needy people in Darwin. Training will be accredited but flexible and tailored to meet the needs of these very vulnerable people. When trained, the participants will be assisted in their transition into employment with the support of CDU’s tourism and hospitality staff and their wider community networks in the hospitality sector.
Another worthwhile program is Build Skills. The Territory government provides $0.5m a year and works with employers directly to upskill or reskill existing workers so they can meet industry demands. We know employers today are looking for more skilled or highly skilled workers. This program, in partnership with industry, provides a scheme that can meet this need. To achieve success, targeted funding and training is needed. This is the approach this government has taken with much success. Our Prime Minister is singing the same tune with the planned release of 450 000 new training places across the country. We are ahead of his call and are certain that we are channelling our resources in human capital in the right direction to ensure that the Territory can continue to enjoy unprecedented economic growth.
Madam Speaker, I commend the Chief Minister’s statement to the House.
Debate adjourned.
ADJOURNMENT
Mr HENDERSON (Chief Minister): Madam Speaker, I move that the Assembly do now adjourn.
Madam Speaker, the recent local government election saw a changing of the guard in Alice Springs. After 14 years on council with eight of those as Mayor, Fran Kilgariff has hung up her robes. Unfortunately, I was unable to be there to farewell Fran personally but the Minister for Central Australia was there to convey my best wishes to Fran.
Fran has been a tireless advocate for Alice Springs on a diverse range of issues. We have not always seen eye to eye on all the issues but it has always been apparent that the best interests of Alice Springs were at the forefront of her mind. Over the course of Fran’s mayoralty much has been achieved in Alice Springs: the Alice Springs Convention Centre, the Traeger Park Grandstand, funding for the Aquatic Centre, CCTV in the Todd Mall and, of course, Alice Springs becoming a Solar City. This project alone will bring more than $40m into the Alice Springs economy. That is testament to Fran’s tenacity and vision.
We have enjoyed a strong and productive relationship with the Alice Springs Town Council with Fran at the helm, one which I hope will continue with the new Mayor Damien Ryan and the newly elected council. Congratulations to Fran on everything she has achieved in her time on the Alice Springs Town Council. I know with her dedication and energy she will continue to invest in her home town and make Alice Springs an even better place to live.
The Chamber of Commerce plays a pivotal role in representing business throughout the Territory. After 11 years of service to Alice Springs’ business, Beth Mildred has retired as manager of the Central Australian Chamber of Commerce. Over those 11 years Beth has showed an absolute commitment to representing the voices of business both big and small across Alice Springs on a wide range of issues. Beth has played a pivotal role in the highly successful Central Australian Expo held each February which show cases local business and products and attracts up to 8000 visitors. I have had the pleasure of attending a number of expos over the years and they are always a fantastic opportunity to see what Central Australian business has to offer.
Beth has been replaced in the manager’s chair by Diana McMullin, whom I look forward to meeting next time I am in Alice Springs. Diana has big shoes to fill but I am sure that she will be as passionate about advocating for business as Beth has been.
Congratulations to Beth on her many achievements over 11 years as head of the Chamber. I am sure my colleagues will join with me in wishing Beth a relaxing and employable retirement.
I would like to speak about our school leaders in my electorate of Wanguri. Around this time of the school year, the schools are electing their school leaders. Any student who puts up their hand for a position on the school leadership team is doing a great thing for their school and their community.
It is always fantastic to go out to electorate schools and to see the wonderful ways the school leaders contribute to making each school such a great place to be. I would like to make mention of all the future leaders in the Territory in the schools in my electorate. All of the leaders get a certificate, and a letter from me congratulating them, and I try to present those personally. It is wonderful to see these young people putting their hands up to be on the SRC, to be elected as school captains or sports captains. I am sure they are going to be leaders of the future.
Madam Speaker, I seek leave to have the names of school leaders at Leanyer Primary, Wanguri Primary, St Andrew Lutheran School and Holy Spirit Primary School incorporated into the Parliamentary Record.
Leave granted.
- Leanyer Primary School:
SRC Members:
Year 6: Maddison Smith, Cameron Cable, Dakota McDowell, Holly Ferguson, Bailey Heatherington-Tait, Ty Ede, Rachael Thomas, Charlotte Gordon, and Alex Pilicic.
- Year 5: Thomas Ford, Emily Ford, Jasmin Hunkin, George Triantaffillos, Gemma Gray, Shanika Johnston, and Cooper Ehmer.
- Year 4: Nathan Betson, Holly Griffiths, Laura Simon, and Demi Tattingham
House Officials:
- Kakadu – Captains: Hugh Williams-Richardson and Kristina Lee; Vice-Captains: Lauren Maddock and Anika Sorenson
Litchfield – Captains: Toby Hunkin, Troy Gale and Tatjana Linklater; Vice-Captains: Luis Rodrigues and Jasmin Hunkin.
Uluru – Captains: Harrison Oakhill and Vicky Ly; Vice-Captains: Jackson Clayfield and Amelia Jape.
Coburg – Captains: Ty Ede and Dakota McDowell; Vice-Captains: Gemma Gray and Natalie Strawhorn.
- Wanguri Primary School:
Library Monitors:
Zoe Martin, Tommy Lay, Dylan Li, Jennifer Walton, Niamh Marah, and Talisha May.
- House Officials:
Victoria – Captains: Brady Rothwell and Emily Hudson; Vice-Captains: Amelia Dalrymple and Julio Valentine.
Dundas – Captains: Lachlan Hand and Taliesha Peckham; Vice-Captains: Liam Henderson and Faneromeni Koulouriotis.
Wellington – Captains: Mason Niven-Trewin and Jaiden Baker; Vice Captains: Nadia Goad and Nikki Coggins.
Palmerston – Captains: Hayden O’Brien and Niamh Marah; Vice-Captains: Amir Majid and Zoe Martin.
- St Andrew Lutheran School:
SRC Members:
Year 6: Paige Peek, Jacob Scott, Elliot Scott, Jacob Hazeldine, Emma Worsley, Chloe Murray and Phin Tupper-Creed.
Year 5: Faneromeni Maillis and David Bitzer.
Year 4: Caitlin Cuff and Rixon Watts.
Year 3: Mitchell Stennett and Jack Mulqueeney
- Holy Spirit Primary School:
SRC Members:
Christopher Teng, Thomas Lourigan, Tia Quatermass, Jessica Musgrave, Emma Crimmings, Courtney Mauger, Brenna Marshall, Benjamin Jong, Leroy O'Shea, Miriam Ashburner, Evangelitsa Frazis and Alye Wright.
School Captains:
Thomas Lourigan, Jessica Musgrave, Christopher Teng and Courtney Mauger.
- Sports Captains:
Mikaela Trikilis, Emily Burton, Tiani O'Shaughnessy, Baden Sciberras, Kaileen Grills, Chloe Aguis, Michael Coombes, and Keaton Ferns.
Mr HENDERSON: Thank you, Madam Speaker, thank you, parliamentary colleagues.
At Wanguri Primary School I was very pleased to be at the assembly the other day for a fantastic new initiative between Wanguri Primary School and the Kiwanis Club of Darwin. This year Wanguri Primary is running the Kiwanis Terrific Kids Club in place of the usual student representative council. The Kiwanis Terrific Kids Program originated in 1982 in the United States of America. The program is now endorsed by Kiwanis groups throughout the world and is operated in cooperation with approximately 800 local Kiwanis clubs through more than 2000 schools covering nearly one million children in 74 countries including Australia. In the Northern Territory, Wanguri Primary and Wagaman Primary are using the Terrific Kids Club through the Kiwanis Club.
The Terrific Kids Club encourages the kids at Wanguri to become leaders, not just in their schools but in the wider community. It is fantastic the Kiwanis are running this program through the NT. I was very proud to go to the school and present students with their certificates alongside Phil Hedger from the Kiwanis Club of Darwin. I congratulate Phil for bringing this initiative to Wanguri School. Phil is a local resident and it was great to see local residents through community groups supporting their local school.
Madam Speaker, I seek leave to have the names of those students incorporated into the Parliamentary Record..
Leave granted.
- Lorenzo Jones-Cubillo, Chloe Smith, Tomas Hudson, Connor Cruikshank, Mia Jesson, Yvonne Maillis, Jacob O’Brien, Jenna Dearman, Andrew Martin, David Danson, Nutura Kulatunga, Lachlan Bayliss, Natalie Griffin, Telita Kellner, Savvas Koulouriotis, Zac Thiele, Kirrily Hand, Jorja Foster, Faneromeni Koulouriotis and Evdokia Louloudias.
Mr HENDERSON: Madam Speaker, we have just had a round of school council AGMs throughout my electorate. It is fantastic to go to the AGMs. If I am not able to go there I go to as many school council meetings as I can. People are volunteering their time to get involved in the school, get involved in the running of the school, contributing to their children and their school’s education and running. It is a huge commitment and the people who do it are absolutely passionate about it. I thank our school councils and I will just go through some of the positions.
At Leanyer, Grant Hatcher was returned as Chair and Wayne van Sambeek, Vice Chair. This will be Grant’s second year as Chair. Thank you, Grant, for your continuing good work.
At Wanguri, Michael Duffy has been re-elected Chair with Samantha McNaughton as Vice Chair. I think Michael is in for his second year as Chair. Michael Duffy is a passionate person about public education; he is greatly involved with COGSO and is running an indigenous project for COGSO at the moment. To Michael and Samantha, thank you for putting your hands up and being re-elected.
At St Andrew Lutheran School, a small school in my electorate which does a great job, Treva Gerschwitz has been elected Chair and Meghan Thamm elected as Vice Chair of the school council. Thank you very much for your contribution to the school. The Parents and Friends Association at St Andrew’s has Kate Brown as Chair and Nicole Lamb as Secretary. Thank you for again your contribution to the school.
Holy Spirit Primary School is in my electorate. The fete is coming up 10 May. I put out a challenge. I believe it is the best school fete in the northern suburbs of Darwin every year, and I look forward to it. Paul Albion has been elected Chair of the board at Holy Spirit. Thank you, Paul, for the contribution you have made.
Madam Speaker, I seek leave to have the names of the members of the school councils incorporated into the Parliamentary Record.
Leave granted.
- Leanyer Primary School:
Grant Hatcher – Chair; Wayne van Sambeek – Vice-Chair; Rhonda Karis – Secretary (Minutes); Christine Milne – Secretary (Corro); Dianne Scally – Treasurer; Robyn Simon; Jo Bond; Janice Lane; Mandy de Vries; Jenny James; Donna Goodman; and Teacher Representatives - Sally Bruyn, Danielle Ford, Maria Albion, Leanne Linton, Clare Visentin, Macushla Kelly, and Dawn Soares.
- Wanguri Primary School:
Michael Duffy – Chair; Samantha MacNaughton – Vice-Chair; Robyn Nowland – Secretary (Minutes); Clio Marah – Secretary (Corro); Tania Sellers – Co-opted Treasurer; Teacher Representatives - Guy Glover, Shirley Neve, and Leah Crockford; Leanne Phillips; Wynyard Lum; Lisa Rothwell; Vanda West; Helen Foley; Rusty Dyson-Holland; Olga Dalrymple; and Elice Crisp
- St Andrew Lutheran School:
Treva Gerschwitz – Chair; Meghan Thamm – Vice-Chair; Neil Leek – Bursar; Kate Riley – Principal; Colin Hill – Secretary; Church Representatives - Kerry Duncan and Jill Duncan; Dale Gosden – Pastor; and Alan Cuff – Parent Representative.
Parents and Friends Association:
Kate Brown – Chair; Nicole Lamb – Secretary; Karen Antcliff – Treasurer; and Cindy Kilburn
Holy Spirit Primary School:
Paul Albion – Chair, Bernadette Morriss, Jane Sheehan, Chris Simmonds, Michelle Richards, Michelle Procter, Johanna Stieber, Catherine Packham, Caroline Wright, David Villa, Lee Mian Chong and Fr Jack.
Mr HENDERSON: Thank you, Madam Speaker. To all of those people who contribute to what is probably the most important social infrastructure all of us have in our electorates; which are our schools, our education system is better thanks to the contribution that these people make locally and right across the Territory.
Mrs MILLER (Katherine): Madam Speaker, I thought there were a couple more people speaking to the statement.
I wish to put on the Parliamentary Record the disappointment that I and the Katherine community are feeling at the decision that this government has taken in deciding to locate the new prison in Darwin. From the time the minister announced that a new prison would be built somewhere in the Northern Territory, it was very obvious that the regional areas of Katherine and Tennant Creek were going to lobby hard for each of their areas and, in my case, of course, for Katherine.
This government constantly claims that they love the regional areas and they work for all Territorians. Well, in the consideration of a major infrastructure project so relevant to regional Northern Territory, one that could significantly develop a region and ensure the long-term support for ongoing development, this government has fallen by the wayside. The excuses that have been put forward about the prison being located in Darwin are nothing but short-sighted and confirm, once again, that you do not give a rat’s for any major development outside of Darwin.
Can you imagine how the residents of Katherine felt when the announcement was made that $1m was to be spent upgrading the Berrimah prison for the short term, and that it would then be pulled down once the new prison was established? What an absolute waste of taxpayer’s money! How can you justify putting $1m into such a short-term repair and maintenance project, to pull it down also in the short term? In addition, you can bet your sweet bippy that the estimated cost of $1m for repairs will blow out to considerably more than that, just as other projects that this government announces have done.
If government is prepared to spend that amount of money, instead of putting up a prison that will be ultimately destroyed, why doesn’t it go down the path of putting that money towards a facility in a regional area? Of course, I would like to see that happen in Katherine. A facility built in Katherine would not cost the amount of money that has been suggested, especially if it was to be constructed next to the research station which could be utilised as part of the rehabilitation program for the low- to medium-security prison clients.
Katherine is desperately looking for a commitment from this government of major infrastructure development. When the new prison for the Northern Territory was announced, there was some hope that, at long last, there could be something big happening in Katherine. The advantages this infrastructure development would bring to the Katherine region include: benefits through building and construction, training, employment and very practical use of the land at the Katherine Research Station. Katherine Town Council and the business community have also lobbied government in support of this development in Katherine.
This government also put in place Economic Development Committees throughout the Territory, whose role it is to determine economic priorities for each of their regions and to report and lobby government in support of those. The Katherine Economic Committee has discussed the proposal to build a prison and definitely support its location in a regional area, first preference being, of course, Katherine. The Katherine Economic Committee has written a letter to government which is very supportive of the development of a low- to medium-security prison in Katherine.
I have asked permission from the committee to read into the Parliamentary Record the letter from the Katherine Economic Committee to government. I will now read from a copy which states the case for Katherine very clearly:
- Dear Minister
As Chair of the Katherine Economic Committee I am extremely concerned about the proposal to build a new prison or expand the existing prison in Darwin.
The committee met on Thursday, 3 April 2008 and there was strong support for a facility in Katherine. The committee feels that Katherine is the ideal location of any new facility. This view is supported by the Chamber of Commerce and was also supported by the former town council. I am committed to working with the council, the Chamber and other groups in Katherine to ensure that there is a united approach to government in regard to having a facility built in Katherine.
Katherine has the infrastructure required to support a low security training facility. This includes CDU, Group Training NT and Batchelor Institute. These training providers are well placed to support a low security training facility that would prepare inmates for return to a meaningful position in Katherine or their communities. There is also the benefit for Katherine of providing justification for more training to be delivered here. At present, many apprentices or trainees have to travel to Darwin to undertake their chosen course of training. This introduces significant travel and accommodation cost.
Providing a facility in Katherine would meet recommendation 168 of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody, which is that Aboriginal people who are incarcerated need to be as close as possible to family. The rationale is that Aboriginal people will fare better while incarcerated if they have the support of family. This translates into better results when they are released.
Other advantages of building a facility in Katherine include increased training and employment opportunities and general economic benefits for the town. There will be jobs during construction and positions for staff once a facility was built. The multiplier effect will increase retail activity. Having a facility in Katherine would provide opportunities for employment of local people. This would overcome any problems that Corrections may have in recruiting people to Katherine or Tennant Creek.
One of the problems at present is that when people are released from Berrimah they arrive in Katherine without any real prospects of employment. Having a facility in Katherine would allow inmates to interact with local employers as part of training and rehabilitation programs and gain confidence in approaching those employers for jobs once released.
One possibility that should be considered is using the existing hospital as a low security. It has accommodation for both inmates and staff. The hospital is located in a flood prone area and problems are still emerging as a result of the 1998 flood. The hospital becomes isolated very early in a flood event and as a result there is considerable effort required to move patients and any bodies in the morgue to other temporary facilities. This happens at a time when response personnel are already having to deal with other emergencies. Building a new hospital in a flood free area would provide obvious benefits and the cost could be partly offset by using the existing hospital for a low security training facility.
The Katherine EDC doesn’t see a push for a facility in Tennant Creek as competing with Katherine. Having smaller facilities in both Tennant Creek and Katherine makes a lot of sense in terms of regional development and meeting the recommendations of the Royal Commission into Deaths in Custody.
Yours sincerely
John Leo
Chairperson
Katherine Economic Development Committee
I do not believe that regional development is taken seriously by this government. I listened to the Chief Minister’s statement today, which was all about how fantastic the economic growth is in the Territory, and all I could hear was everything wonderful happening in Darwin.
This government supports anything that can be seen up here but is not seriously concerned about ensuring that the regions are supported. The establishment of a prison in Katherine and/or Tennant Creek would have certainly changed my opinion about that. There have been the arguments that it is not viable, prison officers do not want to go there, it is too expensive to build there, etcetera, etcetera. I am so disappointed that these excuses have been used, and to me that is all they are: excuses, excuses.
Build the infrastructure and you can bet that people genuinely seeking employment will come if they are unable to source employment locally. One aspect that is possibly a big challenge to building such a valuable infrastructure in Katherine is, I believe, that Power and Water may have a challenge supplying enough power for this facility. Unless I am wrongly informed, Katherine is at its maximum supply now. If that is accurate, that major improvement of infrastructure for power supply to Katherine needs to be considered very soon otherwise there will be no major development within Katherine at all.
I sincerely hope that government will reconsider where they are going to locate this prison and start to look at the regional areas which have been very severely affected by the lack of development of infrastructure development, and especially where they could establish one in Katherine and another in Tennant Creek. That would suit those areas and be far more financially viable for government to operate.
Mr KIELY (Sanderson): Madam Acting Deputy Speaker, tonight I talk about a valuable event I was invited to emcee on Sunday, 27 April 2008. That was the launch of 2008 Darwin Rose Pageant. Every year since 1984, the Northern Territory Irish Association has given the opportunity for young Territory women to participate in the Darwin Rose pageant, offering participants the opportunity for personal development and fun. Participants learn the art of public speaking, personal grooming, fund raising skills, and the opportunity to embark on a journey to discover themselves and their heritage. The winner each year goes on to represent the Northern Territory at the Rose of Tralee International Festival in Ireland.
The Rose of Tralee Festival draws its inspiration from the story of an ill-fated love between a servant girl, a Catholic girl, and the son of wealthy merchant, who happened to be a Presbyterian, as told in the love song, The Rose of Tralee. It is a quite a moving story of star-crossed lovers. A 17-year-old servant girl, Mary O’Connor, worked in a wealthy household. The son of the household owner, William Pembroke Mulchinock, fell madly in love with her. William got himself in a bit of strife and had to flee to India. When he returned, some six years later, it was on the day that the cortege bearing Mary O’Connor passed by the window. It was from that time on that he used to visit her grave. He always loved her and, though he married again, he ended up returning to the place where she was buried and died a broken man.
The Irish have a history of turning bleak events into happy and wonderful occasions to be celebrated. It was the love that he had for this girl. There was a song written about the Rose of Tralee and I will read you the last few lines of it. This is very important to the spirit of what the Rose of Tralee pageant is about. The last lines of The Rose of Tralee are:
- Yet 'twas not her beauty alone that won me.
Oh no, 'twas the truth in her eyes ever dawning
That made me love Mary, the Rose of Tralee.
The Rose of Tralee is not a beauty pageant. To earn a place in the international final requires an entrant to be poised, mature, vivacious, intelligent, as well as having a flair for dress and good manners, not to mention that other intangible quality that is celebrated in the song, The Rose of Tralee.
I had the great fortune to be the Master of Ceremonies at the pageant launch. My role was to introduce the pageant candidates and assist them if they got stuck or nervous while they were up there. I felt a bit redundant because these young women were everything that is looked for in this pageant. They had poise, were mature and vivacious, and they most clearly were intelligent. The age span was noteworthy. There was one young woman who was celebrating her 18th birthday which is the minimum age for getting into the pageant. She was a little nervous when she got up there but when she starting speaking and describing her background, her Irish heritage and why she had entered into the pageant, it became very clear she was comfortable there as were the rest of the candidates.
The candidates for the 2008 pageant are Erin Holland, Amy Nicholls, Brigitte Ryan, Colleen Brannelly, Kate Hudspith and Siobhan Niland. Siobhan travelled all the way from Alice Springs for the pageant and went back the following afternoon. Siobhan’s father came from Ireland and she has been back many times to the old country to see her relatives. She was pretty happy about that.
These young women addressed an audience of people they did not know. Their poise was something to be seen to be believed. If there is one job I would not like to have it would be on the panel of judges. There are five judges this year. I will not go into their names because while they are out in the public arena and the candidates know who the judges are, I will not put them into the Hansard, I will leave them a bit of anonymity in the community. The judges really have their work cut out because all of these people are exceptional. The one who does become the Rose is in for a fantastic journey. I have seen some of the video of what happens in Ireland at Tralee. This festival is something to be seen. There is a week of festivities. The Irish certainly know how to host this pageant. It has people from America, South Africa, England and Ireland, and all across the globe. Anyone with Irish heritage can enter.
The candidates for the Rose of Tralee are going to be busy over a very short period. The official launch was Sunday, 27 April 2008. On 13 May 2008, we have a sponsors’ reception here at Parliament House which I will be attending. That will be fun. It is full cocktail wear so that is going to be pretty special. On 16 May 2008, there is the Lord Mayor’s reception hosted by the Darwin City Council and the new Lord Mayor, which is strictly invitation only. I do not know if I will be lucky enough to get an invitation to that. If I do, I will certainly attend. There is also the Administrator’s reception at Government House on 27 May, so you can see this is quite busy. The final cocktail party where the successful candidate will be announced is on 6 June 2008 at SKYCITY Casino.
I have been to quite a number of these over the years. They are simply fantastic. They are a wonderful thing to get to. The candidates are able to get out and talk to the audience. There is quite an air of excitement and anticipation, and when the successful candidate is announced, it is good to see everyone congratulating to her. Your heart goes out to the people who were not successful but it is not that sort of environment, everyone is happy for the winner.
In between all these functions there is also a great deal of fundraising that goes on. So, if any members of parliament are approached about getting along to a function to support any of these people in any of their fundraising endeavours, I urge you to get behind them and maybe even drag along a few friends.
Any monies from the events they host go to the NT Irish Association’s nominated charity. This year, it is the RSPCA. How wonderful is that? While talking about the RSPCA, they have the Million Paws march coming up soon. They are always in need of a few bob. They are a very worthy charity. All the money that the Rose of Tralee contenders raise goes to the RSPCA. That is a fabulous gesture by the NT Irish Association.
These pageants cannot happen without a very willing, dedicated and hard-working committee. I also put on record and acknowledge the hard work that the committee does. The committee’s president is the NT Irish Association’s president, Julia Baxter. The secretary is Kay Gargett, and Mary McAlpine is part of the committee. These people are tireless. I must admit that they are well supported by their husbands. They keep the home fires burning while the committee members are busy doing what they have to do to make the pageant a success.
As I said, get along to the cocktail party. Go to any functions that the Rose of Tralee candidates are having. I wish all candidates the best of luck, and to sincerely enjoy the moment. I am sure that they will learn and develop from it. Good luck to them all. I look forward to the passing on of the sash at the cocktail party. Hopefully, last year’s Darwin Rose, Kate O'Fathartaigh, will be able to hand it over. I heard that she is in Dubai, so I am not too sure whether she will be there. Once again, it speaks volumes of the calibre of the people who put their hands up to participate. Not only do you get to represent the Territory in Ireland, but it can lead to great international adventures. That is wonderful.
The NT Irish Association and Rose of Tralee are supporters of the Territory and showcase the Territory when they are away. As a community and a government, we should look at this group and see what they do. They are in Ireland where the Rose of Tralee is telecast to 6.5 million people I believe. The Northern Territory is getting all this exposure. Perhaps the Minister for Tourism might like to look at that and see whether he can help this struggling band of poor Irish immigrants from a long time ago – although some of them are pretty close – and give them a hand with the Rose of Tralee pageant in future.
Dr BURNS (Johnston): Madam Deputy Speaker, I had the pleasure of attending the ordination of Phil Zamagias, a constituent in my electorate, as a minister in the Anglican Church at the Christchurch Cathedral, Smith Street on Sunday, 24 February this year.
Reverend Phil Zamagias has been flying in the Top End since the late 1980s. He and his family moved to Arnhem Land to work as a charter pilot with Missionary Aviation Fellowship. Phil is of Greek extraction. His parents come from Kos and Rhodes, and his family was involved in hosting Greek families that were evacuated to Sydney after Cyclone Tracy. He trained as an engineer with Qantas before learning to fly and, hearing about the opportunity to work in the Territory came to visit in 1985. Phil and Leeanne trained at Sydney Missionary and Bible College and moved to Arnhem Land. Based at Oenpelli, Phil flew teachers, nurses, doctors and government officials to the most remote communities in a small, single-engine Cessna. On occasion, he would also transport mobile polling booths and politicians during election campaigns. He later moved to Gove where he flew commuter aircraft on scheduled services to Top End communities.
After a brief return to Sydney where his father was dying, Phil and his family accepted a position with the Bible Society to return as the ‘Flying Bible Man’, a role he was very familiar with. Phil’s role is to support community initiatives; to develop linguistic programs based on Bible translation; and the preservation of language and cultural identity. The Anglican, Uniting, Catholic, Lutheran and Baptist Churches each have such projects that are supported by the Bible Society. They have resulted in various publications including the very first full Bible in an indigenous language, the Kriol Baibul. Kriol is a language that developed to serve the needs of indigenous people interacting with pastoralists in the Roper River area early last century. It has spread westward and is now spoken by around 30 000 people as far west as the Kimberleys.
The Kriol Baibul was dedicated at the Katherine Christian Convention in May 2007 at a ceremony attended by church, community and political leaders from all over Australia. Phil was MC for the event and had been assisting the project over last years before publication. This year, Phil is pleased to be involved in the dedication of three more indigenous scripture publications, the Burarra New Testament at Maningrida on 18 April; the Ngaanyatjara Shorter Bible at Warburton on 11 May; and the Djambarrpuyngu New Testament at Elcho Island on 8 June. These are the result of decades of painstaking work by indigenous and non-indigenous translators and linguists.
The Djambarrpuyngu New Testament brings a new collaboration to the Northern Territory with the typesetting and printing being carried out by the Indonesian Bible Society. Phil travelled to Jakarta in 2006, where he was warmly welcomed. With a printing press that employs 200 people, he saw they were well suited to producing books for use in tropical climates. The Indonesian Bible Society is delighted to be part of a significant project for Australian Aboriginal people and hope to send a delegate to the dedication in June.
Phil has been involved in recording indigenous language translation of the bible on to digital audio. The Burarra language of Maningrida was his first project in the field, where he went and recorded St Mark’s Gospel for use by non-literate people in the church. The recordings on CD and the transcript have been distributed to church leaders and are used in fellowship meetings. It took a week of recording and three weeks of editing to produce a master copy. He arranged for the recording studio at Nungalinya College to be refurbished by the Bible Society to allow other language groups to come to Darwin and record their own languages.
Phil is also working on a children’s project to be launched in mid-2008. It will consist of a colouring book with favourite Bible stories, coloured pencils, a custom CD from Colin Buchanan and a wrist band. Fifteen thousand will be produced in English and in local languages for free distribution to children in remote communities that want them.
Phil flies the Bible Society’s Piper aircraft regularly to communities across the Top End, from Western Australia to Torres Strait, supporting all Christian denominations in bringing hope and meaning to people who are often living in difficult situations. Indigenous Christians are very active in their communities and are often significant leaders and role models. Phil’s work is to support their initiatives and to encourage them to persevere. He is welcomed everywhere he goes and is invited to speak at community events, schools and churches.
Phil’s work takes him to Robertson Barracks, where he supports the Military Chaplains with special Bibles made for Australia’s Defence Force personnel. These Bibles are very popular amongst soldiers deployed overseas and are in big demand. Phil is pleased to make grants of these Bibles to the commanding officers and their chaplains free of charge.
Like many Territorians, Phil wears a few different hats. Phil has been the Motor Racing Chaplain at Hidden Valley Raceway since 2003. He attends club events as well as the V8 Supercars. ‘I do the tune-ups on people’, he says. If people need someone to talk to, they know that he will listen. He has been asked to do funerals, memorials, weddings and baby-naming ceremonies for motor racing families and their friends.
Phil is also the State Coordinator of Sports Chaplaincy Australia, the peak accrediting body for Sports Chaplains across Australia. This group provides chaplaincy services to elite sports, including the Australian Olympic Team and sporting clubs at all levels throughout Australia.
Phil is also the Assistant Minister of St Luke’s Palmerston where, as well as Sunday services, he is leading a men’s group that tackles life’s big issues through the wisdom of the Bible. Special guests such as doctors, lawyers, military chaplains and politicians bring professional guidance to the group.
Phil is Chairman of the NT Branch of Australian Fellowship of Evangelical Students, which provides chaplains to universities across Australia. AFES now has a chaplain at Darwin’s CDU campus.
Phil has served on the board of Rhema-FM radio in Darwin, after previously being an announcer and board member at Gove-FM.
Phil’s family comprises his wife, Leeanne and two boys, Tim and Alex. Leanne runs the Bible Society’s Resource Centre at Casuarina and supports Phil’s remote area work from Darwin. She is actively involved in church and community events. Tim is a second year Engineering student at CDU and enjoys motor racing, photography and helping out with sound equipment at church. Alex is in Year 10 at Marrara Christian College. He enjoys singing and has performed in several Darwin stage productions.
Phil’s story is one of inspiration and I wish him all the best in his new role as Reverend Phil Zamagias. I am sure all members join me in those best wishes.
Ms CARNEY (Araluen): Madam Deputy Speaker, tonight I talk about a promise made by the Labor government in 2005 during the Territory election campaign - a promise that has not been kept. I raise it for a number of reasons but the main reason is that there are many people in Alice Springs who are not only on to this breach of promise but very concerned about the nature of it and its ramifications.
I refer, to a media release dated 23 March 2005 under the name of then Chief Minister, the member for Fannie Bay. In that media release the then Chief Minister announced $8.1m to the Alice Springs Town Council for an aquatic centre. The Chief Minister made this announcement in Alice Springs and lead all and sundry to believe that the government would deliver on its promise. The media release says, and I quote:
- Alice Springs residents can now look forward to:
a stand alone 25 m heated swimming pool;
heated changing rooms;
a hydrotherapy pool;
an aqua play water park; and
an environmentally friendly facility with solar power and gas heating.
- The provision of a hydro therapy pool will be in an especially important health asset for Central Australia.
There were subsequent references to Alice Springs getting a hydrotherapy pool. There are many references but I will refer to just a couple made by the Labor candidate for Araluen, Mr John Gaynor. In one piece of election material circulated around the electorate, it is on A3 size paper and in colour, it says ‘New Aquatic Centre’ and then it says:
- Labor has committed over $8m to build a major aquatic centre in Alice Springs. The centre will include an indoor heated pool, a hydrotherapy pool, an aqua play area, and heated change rooms. The centre will be built next to the Alice Springs 50 m outdoor pool which is undergoing $200 000 worth of deepening works.
That was the promise not only made by the Chief Minister but the Labor candidate who stood for the seat of Araluen. This was not the only document, however. There was another issued under the name of Mr John Gaynor, Labor candidate for Araluen. This is an A4 sheet of paper, normal colour. Mr Gaynor says, and I quote:
- It’s wonderful news that Alice Springs is going to get a heated pool and water park. We’ve been waiting for this for many years, and now, under the Martin Labor government, it is going to happen. Chief Minister Clare Martin made the announcement at the swimming centre this week with $8.1m earmarked for the project, which includes a stand alone heated pool, a water play park, and a hydrotherapy pool.
Now that the election is over and a couple of years down the track, the hydrotherapy pool has vanished. I refer to a media release issued by the new Chief Minister, member for Wanguri, dated 10 March 2008. He talks as his predecessor did, in glowing terms about the $8.1m towards the construction of the Aquatic Centre. He said in his media release that:
- The main features of the Aquatic Centre are:
an Outdoor Leisure Fun Pool; and
environmentally friendly facilities, including solar power measures.
Now, the hydrotherapy pool has disappeared, and this government seems to be of the view that the people of Alice Springs have not noticed. I can assure them that they have. I have had a number of representations, and it is fair to say that a number of people are very concerned, and others are very angry.
I refer to an article in the Centralian Advocate dated Friday 18 April of this year. On page 8, Heather Whittaker expresses her concerns about the new swimming centre. The article is headed ‘Hydrotherapy Pool wanted’. It then goes on to say:
- An Alice Springs pensioner is calling for a hydrotherapy pool at the $16m aquatic centre. Heather Whittaker, 77, said the pool would be beneficial for people who require physiotherapy work
The article goes on to quote Mr Greg Buxton, the Director of Technical Services at the Alice Springs Town Council, who said that a hydrotherapy pool would cost an extra $2.8m. The council has been placed in an impossible position. They, no doubt, are involved in the funding agreement from government, and the council will be administering, for the want of a better expression, the money advanced by the Northern Territory government.
However, the council knows that the people of Alice Springs wanted a hydrotherapy pool. The council knows that the people of Alice Springs were promised a hydrotherapy pool. Yet, the hydrotherapy pool is not within the budget. I believe it is well known that when the government under the former Chief Minister announced the $8.1m for the aquatic centre that it just was not enough to include all that was promised. That, however, is not the problem of the council; that is not the problem for the people of Alice Springs; that is a problem for government. It is typically the case across the Northern Territory that the government promises one thing and delivers another, but it is particularly the case with, it seems, most things related to Alice Springs.
The swimming pool is in the electorate of Araluen, and as the local member it is incumbent upon me to raise these concerns. The government will squib - the government usually squibs when they are caught out - but I would respectfully suggest that the government has absolutely nowhere to go. The hydrotherapy pool was promised. The hydrotherapy pool will not be delivered. The hydrotherapy pool has slipped off the radar of the Northern Territory government. They are so arrogant they believe that no one notices. Well, I can assure them that it has been well and truly noticed.
I will table this, if necessary - but it may not be necessary - I am showing members in the Chamber this evening the latest plan developed by the Alice Springs Town Council within the confines under which they now operate. There was a public meeting last week in Alice Springs of people interested or working in the field of disability. There were a number of concerns about disabled access at the new aquatic centre. One of the issues was the disappearance of the hydrotherapy pool. The chair of that group, Michelle Castagna, a well known and respected person in Alice Springs, and a disability advocate, very kindly afforded me the opportunity of addressing the meeting. I was given permission and, indeed, was encouraged to raise the disappearance of the hydrotherapy pool in the Northern Territory parliament during these sittings. Of course, I undertook to do so and am doing so now.
If one looks at this plan, it is blindingly obvious that the hydrotherapy pool does not exist. There were people at that group who felt very strongly that a hydrotherapy pool should be there. Government may well say: ‘We are giving you some other things that will suffice’. I believe there is an attempt at persuading the people of Alice Springs that something else would do. In the Chief Minister’s media release of 10 March 2008, he referred to ‘a program pool (to be used for physiotherapy programs)’. This is, in many respects, a specialist area. There is a difference between a hydrotherapy pool and other alternatives currently being worked on by the Alice Springs Town Council. A program pool, a wave ball, or the river which the Technical Services Manager described at the meeting, are not, do not, cannot, amount to a hydrotherapy pool, and people who work in the area know that to be the case.
To say that this is disappointing is an understatement. Unfortunately, it is typical of the way this government conducts itself. Nevertheless, I have been asked to pursue the matter. I have also been specifically asked to see if I can get access to the funding agreement documents between the Northern Territory government and the Alice Springs Town Council to see whether the provision of a hydrotherapy pool is a condition of that funding.
I now formally call on either the Minister for Central Australia, the Chief Minister or the Minister for Sport and Recreation to advise me either formally or informally during these sittings whether it is possible for me, on behalf of those I represent, to obtain a copy of that funding agreement. If it is possible – and subject to the details of the funding agreement - I am compelled to ask whether the Alice Springs Town Council is obliged to deliver what the Northern Territory government has, essentially, announced as its new package as opposed to what it promised in the election campaign of 2005.
There is a view that this places the council in an invidious position because the council well knows what the promise was in 2005. Presumably, the terms of the funding agreement do not include provision of a hydrotherapy pool. If that is the case, I would doubt that council can go beyond the terms of the funding agreement. In any event, I formally ask for a copy of that funding agreement or, at very least, to know the terms of it.
This is the case of the missing hydrotherapy pool. No government in modern politics or, indeed, any other politics over the years, can get away with promising something and not delivering it. We do not even need to wax lyrical about core promises and non-core promises. This was a rock solid, fair dinkum promise, made by the former Chief Minister, followed up by the candidate, Mr John Gaynor - who interestingly, works for the Chief Minister these days. As the former candidate, he would know that he promised, in accordance with his old boss, the former Chief Minister, that he and the former Chief Minister would deliver the hydrotherapy pool. He and many others know that the hydrotherapy pool has apparently fallen by the wayside.
I also take this opportunity of formally asking for an explanation as to why this has occurred. If there is a sensible explanation, then run it by me, as an elected member, run it by the people of Alice Springs, answer media inquiries, and explain why it is that the hydrotherapy pool has gone missing.
Madam Speaker, this evening, albeit briefly, I congratulate the student representatives of the SRC at Bradshaw Primary School to whom I presented badges last month. I congratulate in Year 2/3 Lee, Leah Braham and Skye Coleman; in Year 3/4 Prince, Jasmine Donahoo and Claire Spurling; Year 3/4 Hooton, Joe Worrall and Dimity Andresen; Year 4/5 Barney, George Worrall and Penny Reu; and Year 5/6 Unit, Alexis Coleman, Shona Willis and Stewey Thornton.
The president is George Worrall. The Vice President is Alexis Coleman. The Secretary is Penny Rue, and the Treasurer is Stewey Thornton.
These kids have already had class meetings and have some great ideas for fundraising and special events. The kids at Bradshaw are very special kids, and all of these students will, I am sure, do well. I am fortunate enough to know many of them, and it was an honour for me, as the member for Araluen, to present them with their badges. I know that the SRC at Bradshaw Primary School will do well. As local member, I am always happy to support them. The school is going forward in leaps and bounds. I am very proud of them. I am sure all members will join with me in congratulating this year’s SRC representatives at Bradshaw Primary School.
Motion agreed to; the Assembly adjourned.
Last updated: 04 Aug 2016