2007-10-17
Madam Speaker Aagaard took the Chair at 10 am.
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I advise you of the presence in the gallery of adult students from Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education accompanied by Alison Reedy. On behalf of all honourable members, I extend to you a very warm welcome.
Members: Hear, hear!
Ms MARTIN (Chief Minister): Madam Speaker, last Saturday night I joined some of our most innovative managers and business people at the Australian Institute of Management’s NT Management Excellence Awards presentation and gala dinner at SKYCITY.
The excellence awards recognise and celebrate the achievements of some of our best managers and leaders across a wide range of fields. These are people whose professionalism and talents are helping to drive one of the nation’s most resilient economies.
It was a memorable night, and I was particularly pleased to be able to present Professional Manager of the Year Public Sector Award to Jim Bamber from the Power and Water Corporation. The Territory government sponsors this award, and Jim was a very worthy winner. He is the General Manager Retail for Power and Water, and is responsible for all of the corporation’s interaction with customers which includes front counter operations, the call centre and all online communications. Jim has been in the Territory for 33 years, arriving here in March 1974 just before Tracy. He has been with Power and Water since 1999. Jim was praised for his exceptional management skills and committed customer focus. The judges said he was an instigator of change, a strong project manager and an exceptional leader. On behalf of everyone here, I extend my congratulations to Jim on his award.
Paul Mahoney, the Chief Executive Officer of Regional and Northern Maintenance Services, won the Professional Manager of the Year Private Sector Award. Paul was singled out as having an impressive range of highly developed management skills. His effort in seeing the business through major structural change and significant growth over the past 12 months struck a chord with the judges. Congratulations to Paul.
The Owner/Manager of the Year Award was taken out by Steven Rowe from SRA Information Technology. Steve was chosen for demonstrating strong strategic leadership and management skills within a team oriented environment. The judges said the evolution of Mr Rowe’s business from a sole trader to more than 80 staff was clear proof of his sense of ownership and business commitment. Well done, Steve. It is interesting that Steve walks from one award to another at the moment. Steve and his business won the Territory’s very prestigious Research and Innovation Award against an amazing range of talent earlier this year. He was also winner of the Telstra Business Award for the Territory and the co-winner at the national level. That is an extraordinary achievement. I told Steve on Saturday night that the only award left for him this year is an award to recognise the winner of the most awards. SRA and Steve have done extraordinarily well, and he is a worthy winner of the Owner/Manager of the Year Award.
Finally, Katherine Thomson from Energy 2 Go was named Young Manager of the Year. Katherine was praised by the judges for her determination and vision in establishing her business in a highly competitive market. She started her business from scratch one year ago and is thinking big, hoping to create an Australia-wide franchise.
These awards run hot on the heels of the Chief Minister’s NT Export and Industries Awards, which I attended earlier this month. Both events are a reminder of how far we have come in the Territory, and how our businesses and business people are right up there with the best in the country. Once again, I congratulate all the award winners and wish them all the best for their careers.
Ms CARNEY (Opposition Leader): Madam Speaker, the opposition joins with the Chief Minister to extend our congratulations to Jim Bamber, Paul Mahoney, Steve Rowe and Katherine Thomson. Also, to those who participated in the awards who were not given special presentations and business people who work every day in the Territory, invariably in very innovative and creative ways that serve all of us very well.
The Territory has long been regarded as a can-do place, regardless of who is in government, frankly, and that is something of which we can all be proud. Thank you, Chief Minister, for your report. The opposition joins with you in congratulating everyone involved in the awards.
Ms LAWRIE (Infrastructure and Transport): Madam Speaker, I report on a recent initiative by the government to help ensure people with wheelchairs have better access to taxis in the Northern Territory. As they go about their daily lives, people in wheelchairs have a much greater reliance on taxis than most of us. With recent increases, 15% of our taxi fleet is now multipurpose taxis, or MPTs, capable of taking wheelchair passengers.
However, Territorians with a disability have continued to point out that the service provided by MPTs is not meeting their needs. In the past, some passengers in a wheelchair have booked a taxi for an important event hours in advance and had no taxi turn up, leaving them stranded at home. Unfortunately, some drivers avoid wheelchair pick-ups, given the extra time it takes for a passenger to enter and exit the taxi.
This is why I recently announced the commencement of a Taxi Lift Incentive Scheme. The scheme means that there will be a more reliable taxi service for passengers in wheelchairs. The scheme will give people in wheelchairs greater certainty of taxis arriving. Under the scheme, a $10 bonus compensates multipurpose taxi drivers for the time it takes to load and unload a passenger in a wheelchair and gives a real incentive to take the fare. The $10 goes directly to the driver, which will encourage drivers to provide timely and effective service to wheelchair-bound passengers. The scheme will commence in December this year.
Madam Speaker, the scheme will be paid for by a small increase in taxi fares, 1.8%, and a 15% increase in taxi licences. A 1.8% increase means about an extra 40 on a $20 fare from the airport to the city. The government believes that the general public will be prepared to pay this small extra fare to ensure that people with wheelchairs have the same access to taxis as themselves.
The government is currently working with MPT owners and operators to ensure the implementation goes ahead without delay or administrative difficulty. The operation of the lift fee will be done in conjunction with the administration of the Northern Territory Taxi Subsidy Scheme, which already provides financial assistance for taxi travel for people with disabilities who are dependent on taxis for transport.
The government has decided both these schemes will be administered by the Department of Planning and Infrastructure rather than the Department of Health and Community Services where the Taxi Subsidy Scheme currently resides. It may seem an irrelevant issue as to the whereabouts in government the administration of these schemes reside; however, it is quite an important issue that has been raised with me by disability groups. The Department of Planning and Infrastructure has carriage of public transport, and providing transport options for people with a disability should be a responsibility of the agency. It is not appropriate that the transport needs of people with a disability be looked after by another agency. As I said, this is an important issue to people with a disability.
The idea of a lift fee has been raised with me by many people, but there are a couple of individuals who were particularly passionate in arguing the case. Robyne Burridge, until recently the Head of the Integrated Disability Action Network (IDA), deserves a great deal of credit for this initiative. Mary Johnson is the Chair of the Commercial Passenger Vehicle Board and the Vice-President of IDA. She has been an advocate of such a system and, since the announcement, has talked about the difference it will make.
With the new Lift Incentive Scheme, the Territory Subsidy Scheme, improved driver training and more MPTs on the road, I am confident that there will be real improvements in services for passengers in wheelchairs.
Madam Speaker, I will be writing to all people eligible for the scheme to provide details of how the scheme will operate, and I will continue to work with the Taxi Council to ensure its smooth implementation.
Mrs MILLER (Katherine): Madam Speaker, the minister is right; it has been a bone of contention with disability services for a long time, where people who have a handicap rely on an MPT for transportation have been severely hampered.
It is a great incentive, especially around Darwin, to offer that extra $10 each way. As you were saying, if they come in from the airport and go back out to the airport, it is $10 each way, so that is really good. The operators are given an incentive to ensure that they provide a service to people with disabilities.
One of the challenges in Katherine is that MPTs are very restricted. I assume this also applies to Alice Springs, although it has not been highlighted to me. Our MPTs tend to do trips out to communities because they can carry more passengers, so they are out of use for people with disabilities in Katherine for long periods of time.
Is there something that the minister has thought about that might be an incentive for the operators to ensure that they do address the needs of the people with disabilities in the regional and remote areas? Is there an incentive for them as well?
I welcome the scheme. It is a great incentive to ensure that people with disabilities receive the passenger services they are entitled to. I thank the minister for her report.
Mrs BRAHAM (Braitling): Madam Speaker, it is a welcome initiative. There is another area that I would like to raise and I would like the minister to lobby the federal government about. You are probably aware that we encourage people on pensions to go back to the workforce. However, when this occurs with some of our disabled people, they find that the increase in income affects their pension and, while this is usual for anyone on the pension, the follow-on effect is that it affects their health card. Because of the increase, this is a great disincentive. The health card enables them to obtain necessary medication at a subsidised cost. Without it, the cost is considerable. We have had cases where disabled people have enjoyed going back to the workforce, have had that increase in income and, then, found that they have had their health card taken away from them.
I know it is not your responsibility, but it is a really important issue if we want to get people with disabilities to feel good about themselves, to be able to enter the workforce and do it with the security of knowing that they are not going to suddenly lose the subsidy for medication they really need.
Minister, will you lobby the federal government on behalf of people with disabilities not to remove the health card subsidy so that they can enter the workforce - which is the very thing the federal government is trying to encourage them to do?
Ms LAWRIE (Infrastructure and Transport): Madam Speaker, I thank members opposite for their support of the Lift Incentive Scheme. It is a scheme that directly targets drivers rather than operators. Operators already receive an incentive, which is a 50% reduction in their licence fee for a taxi.
The licence fee is around $16 000. People who pick up an MPT licence pay only $8000. There is already, right across the Territory, an incentive for operators to have MPTs. There certainly are conditions attached to that such as giving priority to wheelchair bound passengers. I am happy to look at any examples in Katherine that the member for Katherine may want to highlight.
I thank the member for Braitling for raising the important issue of the effects of being removed from various health cards when people with a disability have employment. I have to say, under the Howard government, there has been a harsh welfare reform that directly affects people with a disability and their carers. I hope there is a Rudd Labor government because I am convinced that our minister for Aged and Disability Services, Marion Scrymgour, will be able to work closely with a Rudd Labor government to wind back the harsh changes to welfare that have really hurt the most vulnerable in our society, particularly people with a disability and their carers.
Mr HENDERSON (Multicultural Affairs): Madam Speaker, I provide a report on recent disturbing developments in the Multicultural Affairs portfolio.
As Minister for Multicultural Affairs, I have received a large number of representations from Territorians about the recent inflammatory comments from the federal Liberal minister for Immigration, Kevin Andrews.
All members will be aware that on the eve of the federal election, Mr Andrews chose to put into the public domain his antipathy towards migrants from certain parts of the world, particularly Africa, and to highlight what he believes are the unique difficulties they experience in settling into the Australian way of life.
The motivation behind the attack could be one of two things. One option is that these sentiments are the federal Liberals’ true views on this subject. The second option is that these are not their true thoughts, but that Mr Andrews’ statement was a cynical exercise to stir the race pot in the lead-up to the federal election and, in effect, reawaken the ghost of Pauline Hanson from One Nation. Pauline Hanson has come out and supported Kevin Andrews’ statement.
It has been tremendously encouraging to see Territorians, and Australians generally, rally against these terrible tactics. We have seen across Australia diverse groups of Australians calling for the federal Liberals to put the race card back in the box. This week, 32 organisations joined together to publicly decry the statements in an open letter published in newspapers across Australia. The ads carry the logos of organisations as diverse as the National Council of Churches Australia and Caritas Australia. I will quote from a couple of paragraphs in the letter:
At the local level, we have seen a peaceful rally, in which the member for Sanderson marched, and letters presented to the Chief Minister, me, the member for Casuarina and other MLAs.
This morning, the Multicultural Council of the NT had a letter to the editor printed headed ‘African friends hurt by mean-spirited slurs’, and there have been countless Territorians lamenting that, once again, federal politicians are playing the race card in the lead-up to the election for their own ends.
I have received copies of the letters that have been sent to Mr Andrews, and we are looking forward to his response and, dare I say, his retraction of his cynical and hurtful words. Considering the reaction of many ordinary Territorians, and the overwhelming reaction of so many Australians, it has been surprising that the CLP has not made its position clear. I am yet to see or hear a word from the CLP saying Kevin Andrews was wrong.
Whilst no one will ever forget that the CLP preferenced Pauline Hanson’s One Nation Party in the 2001 Territory election, I am surprised that the CLP has not said it also condemns Kevin Andrews and all those in the federal Liberal Party machine for degrading Australian politics once again.
I would like to be able to inform the federal government and the rest of the community that all members of the Northern Territory parliament stand as one in support for our African community, and against the cynical and disgraceful behaviour of a federal Liberal Immigration minister and the shadowy people behind him.
Where do the CLP representatives in this Chamber stand on this subject? Do they stand with their colleagues in the federal Liberal Party, Kevin Andrews, David Tollner and Nigel Scullion? There is an opportunity for the Leader of the Opposition to make her position very clear. Or do they stand with the thousands of fair-minded Territorians and Australians, 32 organisations who came together to produce the open letter and, of course, the African community in our Northern Territory?
Ms CARNEY (Opposition Leader): Madam Speaker, I am glad - although elsewhere others might not be - that the minister has brought on this report this morning.
I, like everyone else, am bound to tell the truth in this place and, indeed, outside. Before I give you a very direct response to your report, minister, I was asked about this last week by the ABC, and I had not heard Mr Andrews’ comments. I have not, to this day, read them, so I rely on media reports since then that I have both heard and read.
I do not agree at all with what Kevin Andrews said. Whether that has ramifications beyond the parliament, so be it. In this job, you have to follow your conscience. As a human being, I believe what Andrews said was offensive. I mentioned to my colleagues what I was going to say in response. In essence, I asked whether they were okay with that, and they are okay with my comments and they stand behind me. So, thank you for the opportunity. You have asked a direct question; we will give you a direct response. Do with it what you will.
Mr WOOD (Nelson): Madam Speaker, I welcome the minister’s report. It is one of the great dangers in society that we tend to generalise. We generalise about Aboriginal people, Americans, whingeing Poms, and Lebanese. This is yet another case of where people generalise. I do not support what Kevin Andrews said and, just as importantly, I do not support what Pauline Hanson said, which is more offensive. She said that these people bring AIDS. It is a disgrace for any politician to say that. I do not support what either of these politicians said.
I would like to have been at the rally on Wednesday. It happened to be General Business Day. I was giving a speech at that time, unfortunately. I would like to have sung the song because, as a member of Darwin Chorale, we have had a multicultural choir which learnt that song, and I would like to have joined in with those people.
I referee soccer from time to time, and quite a number of our Sudanese people play soccer. They play it well. I wish they would come and make their home in the rural area, but the costs are a bit high for them to live in the rural area. I digress, but I wish they would join the Litchfield Soccer Club because they love their soccer.
We should take a positive note from this and send a message back that if people do have a problem when they arrive here - and we know many of these people come from war-torn situations, which are not the same as when you have migrants coming to this country - they have difficulty settling into a different culture. They come into a life that is relatively peaceful. It is a whole new world to them.
What we should be doing is ensuring that mechanisms are there to continually support these people when they come to this country and help these people settle in, especially those coming from war-torn countries where they have been subject to great grief and trauma, their lives have been turned upside down and they have been separated from their families in many cases. We should be looking at helping these people come to Australia, not hindering them.
Mr HENDERSON (Multicultural Affairs): Madam Speaker, I genuinely thank the opposition, the Independents and all members of this House. It is a significant moment. We will find a way of doing something together so we can get back to our Africa community here in the Northern Territory which has been so very genuinely hurt and dismayed by these comments, to show that the Northern Territory parliament and the people of the Northern Territory do support them. I genuinely thank the Leader of the Opposition for her comments.
Reports noted pursuant to standing orders.
Bill presented and read a first time.
Ms MARTIN (Police, Fire and Emergency Services): Madam Speaker, I move that the bill be now read a second time.
I am pleased to introduce this bill into the House today. There are 23 specific amendments. At this point, I stress that this bill is not a major review of the act and, for the most part, it does not reform the law. Rather, these amendments have arisen through operational demands or become necessary following the introduction of new technologies such as in the case with the amendment to replace tape recorded confessions with digital recordings.
The original Police Administration Act commenced operation on 1 August 1979 and has gone through a number of significant amendments since then. Some of those amendments, such as amendments to forensic examination procedures, come from scientific advancements or through changing circumstances of the law. Alternatively, amendments to Parts 4, 5 and 6 of the act came about from a need to introduce a more formalised scheme for a hearing of a charge of breach of discipline or inability.
As with most legislation, changing times and procedures means acts need to be continuously reviewed and amended to ensure they continue meeting their objectives. This is probably more important with the Police Administration Act because of the role of police and the law enforcement functions they perform.
To achieve this, the act sets out powers of police to enable them to do their job efficiently and effectively while still, nevertheless, being held accountable and transparent. This House, therefore, must remain vigilant, ensuring the act does not disadvantage the police from preventing crime, or investigating and prosecuting those persons whose criminal behaviour offends the public law.
With those introductory words, I turn to specific parts of the bill. I do not intend to address each clause. Rather, I will focus on the more significant amendments.
I turn to the first amendment which overcomes an inconsistency between the act and the Bail Act in relation to the period of detention of an intoxicated offender. Currently, if an intoxicated person is in police custody following their arrest, police employ the long-standing practice of detaining the person until they are no longer intoxicated before charging them with the relevant offence. There are a number of reasons for delaying the charging of the person. First, police owe a duty of care to the person and, if a person is charged and bailed in an intoxicated state, police might breach their duty if a person was injured or killed following their release. Second, the person must be informed of the nature of the charges and their rights to bail. Obviously, police would be unable to comply with the obligation if the offender was too intoxicated to understand the charges or their rights to bail or their review of bail. Generally, once police have concluded their questioning or investigations, the law requires the offender to be either released or charged and bailed, or brought before a Justice as soon as practicable.
In addition, where, for example, a person is arrested for driving under the influence, section 137 of the Police Administration Act may not apply because there may not be a need for police to conduct further investigations or questioning. On those occasions, any continued detention would be unlawful. The only power available to the police is to delay the determination of bail on the grounds that the person is intoxicated. However, strict time limits apply. There are no grounds to extend this period, even though the person may continue to be seriously affected by alcohol. Consequently, police are placed in the position of having to elect whether to charge the person whilst they are intoxicated or unlawfully detain the person. This amendment will give police the protection of delaying the charging of the person for as long as it reasonably appears to the member that the person remains intoxicated. This is a practical solution as it will not only ensure police meet their duty of care obligations, but also the person will be in the position of making a rational decision in relation to their rights. What is a reasonable period is a subjective test and is based on the member’s experience from detaining people in protective custody pursuant to section 128 of the act.
The next significant amendment concerns the introduction of a new Division 7A of Part 7 to give police powers to establish and maintain crime scenes. Notwithstanding the common law gives police the power to enter upon a person’s premises in certain circumstances, the power to remain on the premises is quite limited. The rights of NT Police forensic personnel to enter and remain at a place to enable them to carry out their tests are non-existent. Notwithstanding there is little evidence police are regularly refused entry to premises to investigate offences, there is necessarily a community expectation in having police investigate and prosecute serious criminal offences unhindered of threats of trespass or the loss of vital evidence. This does not mean police can establish a crime scene to the detriment of the occupier of premises for just any offence.
Before establishing a crime scene, the responsible member must not only suspect on reasonable grounds that a relevant offence has been, is being, or is about to be committed at the place, but also the member must be satisfied it is reasonably necessary to establish the crime scene. In determining whether it is reasonably necessary, the member can only have regard to the preservation of evidence and the searching for and gathering of evidence to the relevant offence. I must stress that these powers are not exhaustive. The term ‘relevant offence’ has been broadly drafted and means an offence punishable by a term of imprisonment of six months or more. Following the establishment of a crime scene, other persons who assist police in their investigations, such as photographers and forensic personnel who provide essential specialist support to the police, can lawfully be on that place to carry out their work.
Likewise, members are able to exercise a range of crime powers where the circumstances of a case require their exercise, for example, excluding or removing people from the crime scene, opening anything which is locked at the crime scene, digging up anything at the crime scene, or removing part of the structure.
The bill also provides that the crime scene may only be maintained for a reasonable period necessary for the investigations to be carried out. What is a reasonable period is to be determined by a number of factors, including but not limited to the complexity of the crime, the size of the crime scene, the time of day, availability of qualified examiners, and time to conduct re-enactments.
Madam Speaker, I believe these powers are essential to enable police and their specialist technical support personnel to get on with the job of investigating criminal offences unhindered by any threats of trespass by occupiers of premises.
I now turn to the powers of police dogs and horses. As honourable members will be aware, the use of drug detection dogs was launched in December 2004. The drug detection dogs are currently based in Darwin; however, they have travelled on operation deployments throughout the Territory, supporting operational police in the execution of their duties. Although the drug dogs give operational support for police officers, one of their core functions is to support the Drug Enforcement Section’s Remote Community Drug Desk. The Drug Enforcement Section conducts regular remote operations to target the supply of illicit drugs and other substances into Aboriginal communities. It also conducts regular checks of passengers, baggage and freight on regional airlines travelling into and out of remote communities.
To date, drug dogs have detected and prevented in excess of 700 instances of illicit drugs being taken into or out of those communities. This has had a significant impact on criminal activity in the Northern Territory and has resulted in the arrest of a number of suppliers whose operations would otherwise have gone undetected. In addition, earlier this year, a general purpose police dog was introduced into the service. The role of this dog is to assist in keeping the community safe in a range of different situations. By way of an example, modern technology cannot replicate a dog’s ability to track or locate a hidden or lost person or thing. The addition of the general purpose police dog is a valuable asset for police.
Other specifically trained dogs will be recruited into service in the near future. The role of these dogs will be to provide police with operational support in searching for or detecting such things as firearms and explosives and for crowd control purposes. The bill also covers the Mounted Police Patrol Unit.
I will briefly discuss the role of the drug detection dogs because it is these animals that the public will, at some stage, come into contact with. First, these animals may be used by the Dog Operations Unit either with or without a warrant. Section 120 of the act empowers a member of the police force to stop, detain and search, amongst other things, a person in a public place if the member suspects on reasonable grounds the person is in possession of a dangerous drug, precursor or drug manufacturing equipment. It is not necessary for a search warrant to be issued for the purpose of carrying out a search of a person in a public place as long as the member holds the requisite suspicion.
A police officer is entitled to walk in the vicinity of a person and, if the member were able to smell, for example, cannabis in the person’s possession, the member would justifiably form a reasonable suspicion sufficient to entitle him to search the person. He would not thereby commit trespass of the person. Treating a drug detection dog as an extension of a police officer or as an aid to his olfactory senses, the position is unchanged. It does not matter that the dog acts differently from the police officer in the way he detects and indicates, short of trespassing to the person, the presence of a substance or that the dog acts under the encouragement of the police officer. Used in this manner, the drug detection dogs do not search. Rather, they merely act as an extension of the member’s senses, whereby the member can form the necessary suspicion where, in other circumstances, they would be unable to do so.
If the dogs are used under the authority of a search warrant, the circumstances of their use is treated differently. If a search warrant has been issued under section 120B of the act, the drug detection dogs may lawfully be used to assist the authorised member to search for the dangerous drug which is the subject of the warrant. To overcome any conflict between the operational use of the animals by police with any existing laws or by-laws, this bill will override any statutory prohibitions or other obligations. For example, the bill exempts police from the registration requirements under relevant by-laws. Importantly, significant penalties will apply for intentionally killing or injuring a police animal in the execution of the member’s duties. The maximum penalty will be $25 000 or five years in imprisonment. Similar penalties now apply in New South Wales following the callous and deliberate killing of a New South Wales Police Dog Squad animal in December 2004.
The next amendment I wish to draw your attention to relates to section 84G of the act, the powers of the commissioner to suspend a member without salary. Currently, the decision to suspend a member without salary lies with the minister. However, government believes that the decision to suspend a member without salary should be a managerial prerogative of the commissioner exercising administrative responsibility as other chief executives do. The Territory is the only jurisdiction in Australia where the decision to suspend a member’s salary rests with the minister. To ensure the principles of natural justice are upheld, a member who is aggrieved by the decision of the commissioner to suspend the member without pay will have a right to appeal the decision to the Disciplinary Appeal Tribunal.
I now turn to the last amendment I would like to comment on and which I briefly raised earlier. This amendment comes about as a result of significant changes in technology. Like other sectors of the community, it is in the best interests of police to make use of modern technology in their day-to-day operations. One change which is easily implemented but requires legislative reform for evidentiary purposes is the use of digital recordings in records of interview or confessions of suspects. Sections 141 and 142 of the act, which deal with the recording of confessions and admissions, were inserted in 1992 when the predominant technology of the time was tape recorders. These provisions came about following a 1986 High Court decision which held the police practice in some jurisdictions of taking arrested persons to police stations for the purposes of questioning as opposed to before a magistrate was unlawful. This meant that any confessions, including voluntary confessions, were excluded.
This amendment will give police the ability to use a digital recorder - meaning both audio or video - for the purposes of recording interviews and confessions as required under the act. For example, if police are investigating an offence in a remote location, the digital recorder will have the capacity to store a large number of interviews. This is opposed to a tape recorder, where each interview requires the use of multiple tapes. However, unlike a tape, which permanently electromagnetically stores the recording, digital technology stores the sounds on an in-built memory card, which is not permanent. This data would be downloaded onto a computer hard drive at some stage during or following the investigation.
Notwithstanding the risk of tampering or manipulation of the recording is very remote, the statutory provision will ensure proper conduct by police. Moreover, the effect of downloading the recording from the recorder to a computer may render the recording inadmissible as the recording is no longer ‘the electronic recording’ which could be tendered in evidence. To overcome this, it is proposed modelling the amendment on the equivalent provision in section 464AA of the Crimes Act Victoria. As a result, the member making the recording must certify that the recording has not been altered after its making, including that any prescribed requirements, if any, have been complied with. The making of the certificate will ensure the risks of tampering or manipulation are minimised.
As I previously mentioned, I am pleased to introduce this bill into the House today, and believe that all members will agree that the raft of amendments will enhance police operations and enable them to do their job more efficiently and effectively.
Madam Speaker, I commend the bill to honourable members.
Debate adjourned.
Bill presented and read a first time.
Mr STIRLING (Justice and Attorney-General): Madam Speaker, I move that the bill be now read a second time.
The bill before the House today is the culmination of over a year of intensive consultation and legislative and policy development. It is legislation intended to tackle the serious and difficult issue of domestic violence head on. There are many elements to this bill. Some have come about as a result of the extensive stakeholder consultation, while others reflect best practice in Australia and overseas.
Some provisions were developed specifically in response to the issues raised and recommendations made in the Little Children are Sacred report. The government has taken some tough decisions in the development of the bill to protect women and children. We thank those who have taken the time to contribute to the development of the bill through submission and comment.
It is an unacceptable tragedy that lives have been ruined and lost in the Territory as a result of domestic and family violence. These reforms will provide the protection for people experiencing violence in their relationships to rebuild their and their families’ lives. These reforms mark an important step in bringing about genuine change in community attitudes and behaviour which I hope will make a difference to many families who live under the threat of violence.
I will now outline the major features of the bill. First, Madam Speaker, the title of the bill differs from that of the act it is replacing. Renaming the relevant legislation the Domestic and Family Violence Act serves to indicate the breadth of relationships that will be covered by the new act. Violence in intimate relationships can range over all sorts of different relationships in the family and in the home, and is not limited to physical violence against women. The change of title acknowledges the impact of violence on children and others in the family.
We have included objects in the bill that do not appear in the current act to convey to the community the goals, values and principles we are aiming to achieve through the enactment of this legislation. The primary objective of the bill is to ensure the safety of all people, including children, who experience domestic and family violence. The second objective is to ensure that those who commit violence in their relationships must accept responsibility for their behaviour. The objects will assist practitioners and the court to interpret and apply the legislation.
The bill also expands the range of people now able to seek protection by seeking an order. The bill provides that proceedings for a Domestic Violence Order can be instituted on behalf of a child by a relative or other responsible adult. Young people between 15 and 18 will also be able to institute proceedings on their own behalf with the leave of the court. The reform will address what has been uncertainty in relation to minors under the current act.
In cases where a police officer or child protection officer reasonably believes that a child has been exposed to domestic violence and is likely to be adversely affected, the officer must apply for an order. This measure will ensure that protection is provided as a matter duty, another protection not available under the Domestic Violence Act. It is widely recognised that the impact on the social and educational development of children who experience violence or who are exposed to violence towards family members can be long lasting.
We also know that, to some extent, domestic violence is associated with the incidence of child abuse, and there is a direct relationship between domestic violence and child health. These reforms will ensure that children enjoy the same protections from family violence as are available to adults. They aim to ensure that the long-term development of children who find themselves in this situation are not damaged by the experience or exposure to violence at a young age. This initiative is consistent with developments in domestic violence legislation in other states and territories, as well as being consistent with the principle of the best interests of the child contained in the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Unfortunately, young people can also be the aggressors in violent family relationships. In recognition of this, orders can now be sought and made against a young person between the ages of 15 and 18. These orders will operate in the same way as orders against adults, with the court imposing both restraints and positive obligations such as attendance at an appropriate rehabilitation program where the young person agrees to this obligation.
In addition to children, others in relationships that do not currently come within the scope of the Domestic Violence Act will be able to seek protection under the new act. People who are betrothed, engaged or in a dating relationship or in a carers relationship are also covered by the bill. We have included these people and relationships in the bill because the same controlling behaviours that characterise domestic violence can also be experienced by people not married or living together. This category is drafted to specifically include promised wives to ensure they are not intimidated or harassed into having a sexual relationship with their betrothed before the age of 16 without the young woman’s consent.
The bill will also simplify processes regarding Domestic Violence Orders. There will be two general types of orders that can be sought and made: court orders; and police orders. Court orders are made via the usual process; that is, by a standard application to the court by an applicant, to be now known as a protected person, or a police officer on their behalf. Police orders are those made by an authorised police officer in urgent circumstances where it is not practicable to obtain a court order, but where an order is necessary to ensure the safety of a victim. Police orders are generally made in remote and regional areas.
The introduction of police orders as an alternative to telephone orders made by a magistrate was an amendment the government made to the Domestic Violence Act in 2005. Police orders have worked well and been taken up by police as a matter of priority in their on-the-ground work. Effective policing is essential to the success of any domestic and family violence regime. Their support in the development and, in the future, the application of the new regime is vital, and I am sure it is appreciated by all here as well as the community at large.
Magistrates’ orders made over the phone by a magistrate will be abolished under the new bill as both police and magistrates advised that they have been made redundant with the introduction of police orders. The definition of ‘police orders’ is broadened by the bill so that it is clear that officers can issue a police order to ensure the safety of a victim. The threat to the victim does not need to be immediate as it was previously. Defendants the subject of police orders and protected persons will have the right to request a review of a police order to a magistrate.
To address a current procedural anomaly, the bill will introduce a system by which the terms of an old order will continue to apply to a defendant unless and until they are served with the new or varied order. This avoids a gap that exists under the current act.
The bill continues to make provision for consent orders where parties choose to have an order in place to manage the nature of their relationship. The bill introduces a new order that can be made in criminal proceedings regardless of whether the proceedings take place in the Magistrates or the Supreme Court. Where a person pleads guilty to, or is found guilty of, an offence such as stalking or intimidation with intent to cause fear or harm, or where a domestic violence offence was committed, the court can make a Domestic Violence Order in addition to any sentence imposed. The order will operate in the same way as any other Domestic Violence Order, and can be imposed on application by parties or on the court’s own initiative. This order will continue independent of the sentence imposed for the offence.
The bill also reflects careful consideration regarding the grounds for obtaining an order. During consultation, there was some support for a model that focused on the fear experienced by the victim. The Law Society, for example, raised concerns that the person in a domestic relationship should, in fact, hold fear for their safety. These views have been carefully considered. Following discussion with police, and in light of the aims of the reform, a model has been drafted that allows the court to make an order where there are reasonable grounds for the protected person to fear the commission of domestic violence. The test is simple, objective and will work as easily for applicants who seek an order on their own behalf as it will for police where they seek an order on behalf of a victim.
In one of the key aspects of the bill, domestic violence is defined by reference to a set of behaviours not currently covered by the existing act such as economic abuse, sexual assault, stalking, intimidation, coercion, damage to animals and acts which, if repeated, indicate a continuing pattern of abuse. These are in addition to the commonly known domestic violence behaviours such as assault, threats and damage to property.
The inclusion of economic abuse and intimidation in the definition of domestic violence recognises that socially isolating the victim from their normal channels of support and economically depriving them is abusive behaviour that is about shaming and undermining the victim’s capacity to take independent action.
Economic abuse will cover commonly known situations police encounter in their duties such as women who are subjected to standover tactics so that they are forced to give over money or key cards to other members of their family for alcohol, ganja or other purposes. Women who are excluded from the family home or savings when their husbands change the locks or close bank accounts will also be able to seek protection under the bill. Other examples could include clothes being burnt, hair cut off or threats of black magic that may give rise to an application and granting of a Domestic Violence Order.
Another major reform in the bill is the adoption of vulnerable witness provisions in domestic violence proceedings. Under the amendment, the applicant and some witnesses may be able to give their evidence at a place outside the court or utilise a screen or partition in the courtroom to protect them from the view of the defendant whilst they are giving evidence. Victims in court are often overwhelmed by appearing in court and potentially having to deal with the intimidating stare of their partner or husband. These measures will ensure that applicants will be protected from intimidation during proceedings.
In addition, in proceedings for an order where children are the applicants, their evidence will be submitted in a written or recorded statement and the child does not need to appear at the proceedings. Children also cannot be cross-examined. This is consistent with provisions in the Justices Act in proceedings for sexual offences involving children and will further encourage the use of Domestic Violence Orders. However, young people will not be precluded from cross-examination during proceedings in which they are alleged to have breached a Domestic Violence Order in place against them.
Under the bill it will be an offence to publish the name of a child who appears as an applicant or witness in a proceeding, or any information likely to lead to the identification of the child, except where the name is placed in an official report of the proceedings or the court consents to the publication of the name. Likewise, where the court orders that a person’s personal details be prohibited from publication, any publication of those details constitutes an offence.
Another central objective of the legislation is to ensure minimal disruption to the lives of families affected by violence. There will be a new presumption when making orders in favour of an applicant with children in their care remaining in the family home. This will be achieved by the grant of a Premises Order requiring the defendant to vacate the family home in appropriate cases. This may initially appear harsh but government has made the deliberate decision that women should no longer be forced to flee the family home with their children and seek crisis accommodation elsewhere in another suburb, town or city, away from family and friends while the perpetrator remains in the home. The disadvantage experienced by women and children in such situations is often exacerbated by the cost of living and lack of steady income. Children, in particular, suffer. As routines change, the child has to cope with fitting in a new environment and new schooling. We recognise the detrimental impact this has on children and will attempt, through this bill, to minimise it.
In cases where a relationship between two people has broken down altogether and there is little prospect of them living together without continuing violence, and the home is rented, the court will be able to make an order terminating the existing lease and create a new lease for the benefit of the protected person.
The government recognises that this is a big policy step, so has introduced the following safeguards to prevent any abuse of this mechanism: the landlord will have the right to be heard before an order is made; the original expiry date for the terminated lease will not be extended by the order; the landlord can refuse the making of an order as long as the court is satisfied that refusal is reasonable; and the provisions of the Residential Tenancies Act in respect of condition reports on the property and the return of bond monies will apply to tenancy agreements terminated as part of this process.
Finally, the power to terminate a tenancy agreement will not be exercised unless the court is satisfied that the protected person can comply with the terms of the replacement tenancy agreement and, of course, consents to the order. These orders will not be made often, but they will allow victims who live in rented accommodation to remain in their home, free from further violence.
In addition to the court’s ability to make orders restraining the behaviour of the defendant, the bill also compels perpetrators of domestic and family violence to accept responsibility for their behaviour. This will be achieved by imposing positive obligations on them, including an obligation to undertake rehabilitation. This kind of order can only be made with the consent of the defendant and is conditional on an assessment of the availability and suitability of an appropriate program that addresses the defendant’s behaviour.
The mechanism will operate either on application or on the court’s own motion. While agreeing to attend a rehabilitation program requires consent, failure to attend the program will constitute a breach of the order. This provision is intended to bring about attitudinal change with the defendant learning new ways to deal with anger, manage alcohol intake, or rethink the impact of their behaviour on their family relationships.
It is also designed to encourage people to develop problem-solving and communication skills that can be put into use in personal relationships. The bill requires the court to explain the nature and effect of the terms of any order, including details of any restraints or obligations to a defendant and the protected person if that person is in the court.
The court will also be required to explain that the order can be registered and enforced in other states and territories and in New Zealand, what will happen if the terms of the order are breached, and how the order can be varied or revoked. Given that a breach of an order carries criminal consequences, including imprisonment for the defendant, we have decided to include these obligations on the court as part of a preventative strategy to avoid breaches of orders based on simple and genuine misunderstandings of their terms.
During the review of the Domestic Violence Act, many stakeholders raised concerns that the provisions dealing with variations and revocations of existing orders were being used by defendants as a means to seek a de facto appeal or a review of a magistrate’s decision. We were advised that, as a consequence of this, many victims were living in anxiety and uncertainty about whether they would be called to court to respond to an application by the defendant and whether the order would be changed.
Under these reforms, the situation will change. It will be harder for defendants to obtain a variation or revocation of an existing order, with such orders only being made where there has been a substantial change in circumstances. A change of circumstances might include changes regarding the childcare arrangements of children of the relationship or the satisfactory completion of a rehabilitation program.
Domestic Violence Orders will continue to be enforced by criminal sanctions. A breach of a court order will now attract a maximum penalty of two years imprisonment, which replaces six months under the current act. This penalty has been increased as it was the government’s view that six months was manifestly inadequate given the adverse impact that this kind of violence has on family members and on the community. Two years is also broadly consistent with other serious offences of violence, such as threatening to cause injury or assault. A breach of an order is a strict liability offence which means that no fault element needs to be proved and the defence of mistake of fact will be available.
The bill makes some changes to the sentencing regime. The bill does not introduce mandatory sentencing, as has been claimed. Mandatory sentencing already exists under the act. What this bill will do is make the operation of mandatory provisions fairer. Under the new legislation, the court must record a conviction and impose a sentence of imprisonment of at least seven days for a second or subsequent offence where harm results to the protected person. In circumstances where the breach of the order does not, in fact, result in harm, the court will have discretion not to impose a mandatory sentence if the court is of the opinion that in the circumstances of the offence it is not appropriate to do so. The amendment sends a strong consistent message to perpetrators in the wider community that domestic and family violence will not be tolerated, and that a breach of an order is a serious offence and will be regarded as such by the sentencing court.
In circumstances where there has been a technical breach of an order that resulted in no harm to the victim, the court will maintain its discretion, however, and the potential injustice that arises from the current mandatory sentencing system will be avoided. This change will encourage victims to report breaches when they occur. It may also encourage defendants to consent to orders as they will more likely not fear the inflexibility of the previous sentencing regime. This would, in turn, reduce the need for victims to give evidence to obtain orders and reduce the number of court hearings, saving court time and resources. Change should be favourably received by the criminal justice system and the judiciary.
The same sentencing provision will apply to young people between the ages of 15 and 18 where they breach an order. Again, the court will have discretion where harm does not result from the breach and, in sentencing young people, the court can take into account the age of the person as well as the circumstances of the case.
For the registration of interstate orders, we have introduced a small provision that will allow interstate orders to be registered and have effect in the Territory. This will remove the need for persons living in border areas to actually go to court in the Northern Territory to give effect to orders that are already in place elsewhere.
Madam Speaker, as I have detailed at length, the government has not made a final decision regarding mandatory reporting of domestic violence. Further work and consideration will be undertaken and a decision made in the new year. The reforms outlined in this bill could not wait, and so they go ahead independent of that outstanding question. These reforms are required immediately. We could not leave them on the shelf while we worked through the complex issues mandatory reporting raises.
On this point, I wish to bring members’ attention to the provision dealing with health practitioners who do report suspicion to police. Under this bill, these practitioners will be protected from any civil or criminal liability in relation to such a report. The duty of confidentiality is not absolute. Health practitioners may feel compelled to report serious instances of domestic violence if they believe that there is a serious risk of domestic violence to the patient or another person. They may do so where they believe a report is necessary to act in the best interests of their patient. We recognise that health practitioners do not take these things lightly. Many health practitioners consider it a breach of their ethical obligations to their patient. Nevertheless, disclosure of information concerning their patient’s experience of domestic violence in these circumstances is not inconsistent with the doctor’s ethical obligation according to the Australian Medical Association, and government must provide legal protection for health professionals who determine they must provide information to the police.
The bill does contain amendments to other legislation, including the Justices Act. Amendments to this act will allow those who experience violence in a relationship but do not live with the perpetrator to seek a new type of civil remedy called a Personal Violence Restraining Order. The primary purpose of this order will be to secure the safety of the victim, with the grounds for the order being a finding on the balance of probabilities that the defendant committed a personal violence offence that caused harm to the victim as defined in the Criminal Code.
These provisions replace section 99 of the Justices Act, which stakeholders explained during consultation were inadequate to the task and provided limited protection of victims because they were not enforceable by police. This new mechanism will allow the Magistrates Court to refer a matter to compulsory mediation before the court is required to determine an application, unless the matter is of such a significant nature that the court is obliged to hear the matter immediately.
The amendment will also allow police to make an application on behalf of children in circumstances where, for example, they believe a child has been or is being sexually assaulted by a perpetrator who is not in a domestic relationship with that child. Police will be able to act immediately to protect that child while they complete their investigation. In these circumstances, it will be a useful complementary measure to criminal proceedings.
Madam Speaker, in closing, the legislation will be a strong tool to protect victims of domestic violence from further abuse. We have deliberately shifted the presumption in favour of protecting the rights of those often powerless parties who are experiencing violence.
The government also realises that to achieve long-term, sustainable and intergenerational change, we have to look at changing the behaviour of those perpetrating the violence. This bill achieves both fundamental goals. I commend the bill to honourable members, and I table a copy of the explanatory statement.
Debate adjourned.
Continued from 30 August 2007.
Ms CARNEY (Opposition Leader): Madam Speaker, I will brief. I should indicate that the member for Nelson has asked me to raise an issue. I do not believe it requires going into committee but, perhaps in your reply, Chief Minister, if you would respond to it, I thank you.
The opposition supports the bill which, in essence, does two things. First, it enables Emergency Services personnel to order people to clean up their blocks when a Cyclone Watch has been issued, rather than a Cyclone Warning. This means that Emergency Services personnel will have more time to make these orders before a cyclone comes. This stands to reason, considering the near miss that Monica represented last year. Second, it updates the penalty provisions for the Disasters Act for people and corporations who offend against the powers of officers authorised by the act.
We support the bill because they are commonsense amendments and, accordingly, for very obvious reasons. On behalf of the opposition, not much else needs to be said.
On behalf of the member for Nelson, I raise what is a good point. I did not have time to look at it, but he has asked: why has there been such a significant increase of the penalty? In the original Disasters Act, based on the material I have in front of me, an offence penalty was $5000. Now it has gone up to $550 000 …
Ms Martin: $55 000.
Ms CARNEY: $55 000?
Mr Henderson: Those penalty units get everybody.
Ms CARNEY: They get us all, don’t they?
Ms Martin: It is $55 000 as a maximum for an individual.
Ms CARNEY: $55 000 is not quite as gob smacking as $550 000.
Ms Martin: $275 000 for a corporation maximum.
Ms CARNEY: Thank you. I am sure you will restate that for the Parliamentary Record purposes for the edification of the member for Nelson. Thank you. You saw where I was coming from on his behalf; you have answered it. I hope Hansard picked it up, but I invite you to formally record that.
Mr HENDERSON (Employment, Education and Training): Madam Speaker, I support the amendments to the emergency act before the parliament this morning.
Essentially, I do so as member for Wanguri in the northern suburbs and as previous minister for Emergency Services. These are long overdue amendments to this legislation, given that every year the Top End faces the threat of cyclones. All of us who live in Top End coastal communities always feel a little apprehensive leading into the cyclone season.
There are some members of this parliament who lived through Cyclone Tracy and the horrors of that night will stay with those people forever. I have been in Darwin for Cyclone Max, Cyclone Gretel and a number of pretty big near misses; Thelma and Monica were two that all of us were, if we were to be truthful, pretty frightened of hitting our city, particularly those of us who have children. There is apprehension every year in the cyclone season.
I certainly urge all residents to ensure that they have their cyclone kits prepared for the coming season; that they have a plan for home and family as to what they will do and where they will go if a cyclone is predicted to hit Darwin.
The amendments that are being debated today are, as I said, commonsense amendments that probably should have been done a few years ago, particularly with the rate of development occurring in Darwin now. I think someone counted 14 cranes on the skyline. We have significant construction activity happening. Construction sites, by their very nature, have a lot of building materials and other debris accumulated during the construction phase. Given the increasing density of the population in our city, it is important that Emergency Services has the capacity to order errant individuals or corporations who do not maintain their blocks in reasonable order, particularly in the cyclone season where people are preparing for cyclones, when a watch has being declared for Darwin and other communities. Most people are responsible and will tidy their blocks or sites up. Unfortunately, there are a few who will not. Most people do the right thing virtually all of the time. However, you are always going to have some people who will not do the right thing and that is what this legislation deals with.
In the lead-up to Monica last year, I, along with many other members of the House driving to and from work, saw sites that had not been cleaned up and should have been cleaned up. I know at the beginning of the cyclone season, Emergency Services come together with all their counterparts and task force across government to look at how government agencies are prepared for the upcoming cyclone season. Consequently, after the cyclone season, there are significant debriefs conducted by Emergency Services across government about what we learnt from the past cyclone season.
The issue of construction sites not being tidied up adequately even during the Cyclone Warning period really did ring alarm bells for Emergency Services and across government. Maybe the Chief Minister can comment in her closing statement, but I am pretty confident that Emergency Services would have engaged groups like the Territory Construction Association, the Housing Industry Association …
Ms Martin: Chamber of Commerce.
Mr HENDERSON: Yes, Chamber of Commerce, and other industry bodies. I call on those industry bodies to be proactive in letting their members know of their responsibilities to the broader community to ensure that their members maintain tidy workplaces and undertake a preventative cleanup at the start of the season.
It is great to see Darwin City Council have been out in the northern suburbs this weekend encouraging residents to deposit debris and building materials on their nature strips, and Darwin City Council workers have been picking up stuff from the kerbside. Residents in the northern suburbs have been doing their bit, although the stuff is still on my nature strip. I hope they are going to come this weekend to clear up around Wanguri.
Ms Martin: Just take it to the dump.
Mr HENDERSON: Yes, I will take it to the dump if it does not occur.
Similarly, I ask industry associations to be proactive in calling on their members to clean up their workplaces and their building sites in the lead-up to the season.
These provisions in the act give Emergency Services the powers to order companies and individuals to clean up blocks during a Cyclone Watch period. Previously, they could only issue such orders once we were in a Cyclone Warning. It is a provision that probably was adequate 15 to 20 years ago but, today, when we have such development occurring in our city, when a Cyclone Warning has been called most people are thinking about their home and family. Rather than staying on a building site to clean up, most of those workers and their supervisors will probably want to be home preparing their homes and families for a potential cyclone in the warning period. Therefore, bringing that capacity forward to a watch is commonsense. It is certainly going to ensure that we are much better prepared in the event that we have a cyclone potentially bearing down not only on Darwin, but on other communities across the Northern Territory.
It is appropriate that penalties are increased. Given public safety is absolutely paramount and the seriousness of any cyclone that crosses our shores and hits any of our communities, the potential for death, property damage and severe injury are, obviously, very real. These penalties reflect the seriousness and accountability of individuals to ensure that they do the right thing, not only of ensuring their families and neighbours are safe, but also for corporations to ensure that the communities in which they do business are going to be safe as much as possible as a result of their activities.
The penalties have been lifted to $55 000 for an individual and $275 000 for a corporation. They are maximum penalties. It does not mean that if someone has a block in Leanyer and there are a couple of bits of corrugated iron in the back yard that have not been removed or made safe that they are automatically going to be hit with a $55 000 fine. It is a maximum penalty, but it is appropriate, in line with improving the times when Emergency Services can order a cleanup. Companies and individuals that fail to heed those orders can be facing the courts and fines that reflect the seriousness of the intent of this parliament and Emergency Services in making sure that our community is as safe and well prepared as we can possibly be in the event that a cyclone is bearing down on any of our communities across the Northern Territory.
It does not only apply to a cyclone. Emergency Services has the power, in the event of flood and any other natural disaster that may strike the Territory, to order people to clean up, but particularly in a cyclone season where we have a much more developed and robust set of warnings in the event that a cyclone may be bearing down on us.
Madam Speaker, I commend the Chief Minister for bringing these amendments before the House and urge all honourable members to support them.
Ms LAWRIE (Planning and Lands): Madam Speaker, this bill is extremely important as it provides the counter-disaster controllers with the necessary powers to ensure that we can be best prepared for a cyclone. It is essential that cleanups are undertaken when a cyclone is imminent to help minimise potential property damage and loss of lives.
The Northern Territory has adopted the National Building Code of Australia and the relevant Australian standards as our technical building standards. The codes have been reviewed in recent years and the standards in Australia for cyclonic areas are some of the highest in the world. Building standards alone do not mitigate against property damage or loss of lives in extreme cyclones. The Construction Division of the Department of Planning and Infrastructure provides project management for the construction and maintenance of built assets for the Northern Territory government’s client agencies so it plays an important part in ensuring that significant government construction projects are prepared for a cyclone.
When a Cyclone Watch or Warning is announced, the Construction Division of the department instructs its contractors to ensure that they are made aware of the threat and issues instructions where contractors have not been proactive in cleaning up sites. The Construction Division is continuing to work with Police, Fire and Emergency Services in improving its own responses to cyclones, and is actively involved with debrief sessions after all events. The Department of Planning and Infrastructure is an integral part of the Region 1 Cyclone Counter-Disaster Plan. The plan relies on several response groups to carry out work during and after a cyclone. Among these groups are the Engineering Group, which consists of the Infrastructure and Roads Group and local councils.
The Engineering Group has responsibility for the protection, maintenance and restoration of essential services within Counter-Disaster Region 1, which covers Darwin and surrounding areas. The prime tasks are the maintenance and restoration of public buildings, the taking of temporary measures to ensure that services and buildings required during the restoration period are available, the clearing of essential traffic routes and relief from local flooding where drains are blocked, and the opening and maintaining of rubbish and debris tips.
The Infrastructure and Roads Group has responsibility for the maintenance and restoration of public buildings and services associated with these buildings and the clearance of debris from routes within Darwin, including patrolling roads and reporting on conditions within Counter-Disaster Region 1.
These areas also provide professional engineering advice to the Katherine and Alice Springs Flood Plans. While these are now established, they need to be dynamic documents so that lessons learnt can be incorporated into the plans.
As part of Budget 2007-08, the government announced substantial upgrades to several cyclone shelters in the Darwin and rural areas. These included upgrades to shelters at Casuarina Senior College, Nightcliff High School and Taminmin High School. I can advise that a contract was let to the Nightcliff High School project on 10 August and this is due for completion in November. Works at Taminmin High School will be carried out by a contractor already programmed to carry out other works within the building identified for the cyclone shelter upgrade. This work is also due for completion in November.
Following concerns being raised by parents and the department of Education in relation to the timing of works at Casuarina Senior College, I agreed to postpone the Casuarina works until next year. This will avoid any disruption to the school and students, particularly at the all-important time of senior exams. The works were to replace the current cyclone shelter areas into one large area for ease of management. The deferral of works does not affect safety, as the existing cyclone rooms are still to be available to accommodate up to 1500 people at Casuarina Senior College in the event of a cyclone.
Madam Speaker, the Top End of the Northern Territory is naturally prone to tropical cyclone events, with some two to three cyclones affecting the region each year. We need to be prepared for these events and minimise the risks. The importance of the cleanup cannot be underestimated, and provisions in the bill to extend the cleanup period from 24 hours to 48 hours is critical. We have all seen the significant development and construction occurring in Darwin at the moment. At any one time, we have about 14 cranes on the skyline of Darwin. There are a lot of unit developments and office buildings going up, and there is significant work done in securing those sites in the event of a Cyclone Watch or Warning. The 48-hour period will give industry an opportunity to respond to the warnings and instructions from Emergency Services and officers in my agencies and Work Health to get those sites prepared and to tie down anything that can be tied down or remove everything that could become debris in a cyclone.
Those of us who went through Cyclone Tracy know the critical importance of tying down debris. The main cause of damage during Cyclone Tracy and a significant effect on the loss of life was the debris that was flying through the air that night. I can recall, as a child, being trapped in a car during Cyclone Tracy, and the period of Cyclone Tracy prior to the eye. The amount of debris that was flying through the air was absolutely horrifying. It was pieces of corrugated iron and debris of the like and, essentially, we had to cram, as children, in under the seats of the car because the debris was hitting the car and, in instances, bits of the car were basically being sheered off at window level because of the extent of the debris, which become extremely dangerous missiles in the event of a cyclone.
Madam Speaker, I take the cleanup period extremely seriously. I know it will mean that there is less likelihood of significant damage to property and, indeed, less likelihood of loss of life. I joined with people on the weekend in the northern suburbs, in dragging anything that is loose and unnecessary in my yard out on to the nature strip. I join with the members in this debate in congratulating Darwin City Council for its pre-cyclone cleanup. It is critical that we ensure that our residential suburban areas are prepared for the cyclone season - which, of course, we are about to enter into again - but, equally as important, our commercial industrial areas take on their responsibility of ensuring that they are as prepared as possible. Therefore, the extension of 48 hours is a significant change to our ability to be prepared for a cyclone.
I note with some sadness that Palmerston City Council is not, at this stage, planning to embark on a similar pre-cyclone cleanup as Darwin City Council has. I urge them to reconsider that decision. Palmerston is a developing city, as we know. There are new residential areas under construction in Palmerston, and it is particularly important for Palmerston residents to be aware of the need to secure and clean up in preparation for a cyclone.
People lead very busy lives, and it is not until a threat is imminent that people start to turn their minds to the need to prepare. Certainly, in the area of Emergency Services, preparation is a key factor in reducing risk to both property and lives, so I urge the residents of Palmerston to do what they can to secure their properties in terms of anything necessary around the yard, to get that down to their waste transfer station at Archer. I also encourage Palmerston City Council to reconsider. There are many organisations that I am sure the council could approach to help them with the issues of labour and the cleanup. There are some very community-minded organisations based in Palmerston which, I believe, would lend themselves to assist council with the cleanup. Irrespective, if the council does not organise a cleanup, then it is an issue that can be highlighted by local members in their newsletters encouraging people to clean up.
As I said, as a survivor of Cyclone Tracy, I do not underestimate the critical importance of securing anything left around your yard. Sadly, we are seeing predictions of increasing threats of cyclones. There were some predictions a few weeks ago that we are potentially going to see a quite threatening cyclone season this year for the Top End. We all live with that threat. Coastal communities have been hit by significant cyclones in recent years. It has been heartening to see that buildings built to the existing Building Code standards withstood those cyclonic winds very well, and their integrity was sound. However, we know that in some communities there are some very old buildings that are not as capable of withstanding a cyclone.
The importance of an urban focus on the cleanup is significant. The government has been cognisant of the fact that we need to work with our coastal communities to highlight the issue, teach people about preparedness and the safety of the newer buildings as compared to the older buildings, and have their cyclone plans prepared and ready to go in the event of a cyclone threat. The reality of living in this beautiful part of the world, with our great coastal communities and our tropical city of Darwin, is that we live with the threat of cyclones. That means that we are all responsible, each and every one of us, for playing our role in preparing for a cyclone, even if only in the normal role of ensuring you have your radio, batteries, water and household goods, and know what your own personal household plan is. Those of us who have lived in this tropical city for many years have personal plans prepared. There can be an improved emphasis in coastal communities about awareness of the steps that individuals can take to be prepared. I know the opportunity for a cleanup in the coastal communities is something that many local councils would entertain and encourage. It is an opportunity for a cleanup of the community.
This bill really does focus everyone’s minds on the need to be prepared for cyclones and the critical issue of cleaning up prior to a cyclone. The potential to be prepared and clean up prior to a cyclone season exists now. It exists for the capital city of Darwin, but it equally exists for our coastal communities. They are all too aware of the impact of a cyclone. As I said, they have gone through significant cyclones in recent years. I am sure it would not take a whole lot of convincing in our coastal communities to look at a community effort of cleaning up in preparedness for the cyclone season we are about to enter.
As a government, we take our responsibility very seriously. I commend the Minister for Employment, Education and Training for raising the need to work with industry groups to ensure that their members are aware of these changes and of their responsibility in preparation for cyclones.
I can advise that I have had discussions with the TCA and HIA about the role they play as an industry group in providing information to their members. It will be good to see, once these amendments are passed, communication out to those industry groups to ensure that they put the information into their industry newsletters and their online advice to their members. There should be no excuse - no excuse whatsoever - for people taking on their responsibility, whether they are owners of a building under construction, contractors constructing that building, or subcontractors working to those contractors. There is no excuse for not being cognisant of their responsibility and preparedness for a cyclone. As I said, equally there is a responsibility on each of us as residents of a cyclone prone area to do what we can to undertake our own cleanup and have our own cyclone plans ready.
The government is doing what it can to ensure that, in a legislative framework, in an Emergency Services response, in the processes of our various agencies with responsibilities, we are as prepared as possible. The government alone cannot do it. We need the community and industry groups to be prepared to work with us and do their part in preparing for cyclones as well.
I commend the Chief Minister and her agency of Police, Fire and Emergency Services for being extremely focused on things that we can do within a legislative framework to ensure that we have the powers necessary to instruct people to undertake the work that they really should be undertaking without that instruction. It is very much a positive change that provides preparedness for our cyclone prone areas, as well as in flood prone areas.
Madam Speaker, I commend the members for their bipartisan support of the bill.
Mr KNIGHT (Daly): Madam Speaker, I support the Chief Minister’s amendments to the Disasters Act.
These changes have a greater focus on the Darwin and Palmerston urban area, but they also impact on my electorate outside of Darwin. Most of the people in the rural and regional areas use Darwin and Palmerston as service hubs. Recent cyclones have really made people realise the impact it has on regional areas. I will go into that a bit later.
I congratulate the Darwin City Council for the huge effort they started last weekend in cleaning up the loose debris, and the community for participating. As the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport described, it is the airborne debris that can be the biggest cause of property and human damage than the wind itself. Getting that debris out of harm’s way is certainly the way to go.
Over the last few years, cyclones have really brought home the necessity to continually review what we are doing. These amendments recognise that more needs to be done as far as reviewing our response and what we can do as a government to reduce the damage and protect life.
Cyclones have a big impact a long way down the track. The member for Katherine would well realise that cyclones do not just stop their damage once they start to dissipate into a tropical depression. We have had several cyclones that have come in from the Gulf area and are downgraded to a tropical Low, but then they flood Katherine, so they have a great impact. Recent cyclones through the Marrakai area and stretching across into the Adelaide River area demonstrate that damaging winds can travel further south. The last cyclone came to about 50 km north of Adelaide River before it turned north again and it looked like Batchelor was in for some quite significant winds. Other cyclones have travelled down the Victoria River and impacted on places like Timber Creek and coastal communities like Wadeye, around the Cox Peninsula and Daly River.
One area in which I have involvement is counter-disaster plans, which are an integral part of disaster management and what happens in Darwin and Palmerston during a cyclone threat. The people involved in the plans perform terrifically well. Representatives from Emergency Services have given me the time to run through their counter-disaster plans. From a local member’s point of view, I see the interaction between local counter-disaster plans for the Batchelor and Adelaide River areas and how they interact with Darwin. If you have a cyclone threat in Darwin, the first thing that people who have been here for a while do is pack up the car, fuel it up and off they go to Adelaide River, which was seen as a pseudo cyclone shelter. However, the reality is that Adelaide River can only support a certain number of people and livestock.
We had the situation a few years back where horses were being taken from Darwin Turf Club and moved to Adelaide River. The stables filled up very quickly so some people had to go further down the track. I think they went as far as Pine Creek and Katherine. Something that needs to be considered is that interaction with local counter-disaster plans.
It was fortuitous that the last cyclone that came through in some ways happened just before Anzac Day and the Adelaide River Show Society - the ARSS Club as it is known, of which I am Patron - had eggs and bacon for the Anzac Day breakfast. They had catered for over 1000 people and, obviously, that year the service was called off, so they fed everyone in the overflowing caravan park and the town for a day-and-a-half before it all ran out.
All these things need to be considered. People should realise that if they want to get out, they need to plan to go as far as Katherine to get away from a cyclone because you cannot rely on Batchelor or Adelaide River to look after you.
The continual review of the act and of counter-disaster plans needs to happen because we have new developments happening everywhere. The rural area has been described in this House numerous times as developing rapidly. New road infrastructure means that flood patterns change, and so it poses both threats and opportunities to cater for those disasters when they happen.
We had the situation at Dundee Beach where we had a cyclone coming from the east, and a cyclone is always preceded by heavy rain. A few years ago, there would not have been many people out there at all and they would have battened down the hatches and weathered the storm. What is happening now is there is a greater population out there. There are elderly people and people with disabilities. The preceding rain cut off the road to Dundee so people could not get out by road. There is no public airstrip in the community. We have focused attention on what we can do for people out there. There needs to be continual review of these counter-disaster plans and our responses to them.
Forecasting and updating is something that came up in meetings I had after the recent cyclone when I travelled around the communities. People wanted to know what was going on with local roads and about their local area. There is the opportunity with Rum Jungle Radio, which feeds into TEABBA but has a radius of something like 50 km around the Batchelor area. That offers opportunities in the rural and Coomalie areas whereby people can ring in and update about particular roads so people know whether to go one way or another.
There are great opportunities with counter-disaster plans to make use of bushfire volunteers. They work very hard in the Dry Season, and we spoke about it last night. These are people who give their time, and are the type of people who are prepared to have a go. They love their community and commit to those communities. There is an opportunity during the cyclone season, which is really their off-season, to utilise their equipment and skilled personnel. They have a degree of knowledge about equipment, search and rescue and first aid for which they are trained by the Bushfires Council. There are opportunities there for Emergency Services to provide some additional training so that we have a resource available during the cyclone season which will not affect their firefighting duties during the Dry Season.
Madam Speaker, I congratulate the Chief Minister on the amendments. It is a watching brief on our response to cyclones. It is incumbent on us to say that it is a total community effort; you cannot rely on Emergency Services as a full-time staff or the volunteers. The community has to participate and respect these situations when they arise. They have to be prepared before cyclones happen. We get a bit blas about them and then we panic when they happen. Congratulations, Chief Minister. I look forward to discussing this into the future.
Mr VATSKALIS (Business and Economic Development): Madam Speaker, I have a brief contribution because it is very important to change the legislation. This brings us in line with other states, in particular Western Australia.
As you are aware, for a number of years I lived in Port Hedland. The area in Western Australia from Broome down to Dampier is considered to be cyclone alley because most of the cyclones’ routes start in the north and then veer down to the south-west of Western Australia. They usually hit the Western Australia coastline between Port Hedland and Onslow. Many of the cyclones are significant and, by sheer luck, have avoided damage in some of the urban centres in Western Australia.
I recall when I first came to Darwin with my family, we visited the Fannie Bay Gaol Museum which then housed the Cyclone Tracy exhibit. What was really frightening when the exhibit moved to the museum where it is housed now, with the small enclosure where you can hear the taped Christmas Mass of 24 December 1974, is that quite a few people cannot stand that exhibit because it brings back very sad memories. What was interesting was to hear the Mass and the sound of the people singing is blanketed by the sound of the wind, but also the scraping of debris on the road. That is one of the most frightening things in that exhibition.
One thing we know is that with climatic changes, the prediction of scientists is that cyclones, especially in the north of Australia, will increase in severity and it will not be uncommon to have a cyclone Category 4 or even 5 hitting the coast from Queensland to Western Australia. We have seen some of these examples recently with some of the cyclones that have hit the coastline in the Northern Territory and some of the islands.
I congratulate the Chief Minister for bringing these amendments to the House because I do not believe the Northern Territory is as prepared as other states, in particular Western Australia, with regards to cyclones. We tend to believe that we are used to living with cyclones and it will be all right, or that Cyclone Tracy was too long ago and probably will never happen again. However, we have to consider not only the severity of the cyclones, but the effect that the cyclones will have in a city like Darwin, considering the building activity going on.
Most of the damage in Darwin in 1974 was not only because some of the houses were not built according to the standards - and the standards in those days were not as strict as today - but as the cyclone hit Darwin some of the houses that were hit first collapsed and the flying debris hit the second and third houses and so on. It was a domino effect. Of course, when the cyclone came back again, the process was repeated. As a result, a large percentage of houses were damaged. When I went to the Building Branch to ask for the plans for my house in Nightcliff, by accident I had a look at one of the photographs from after the cyclone. The only things left of my elevated house were the columns and the floor. When I asked the clerk where the house was, he told me it was somewhere in Berrimah because it was blown away by the cyclone.
As I said before, I was living in Port Hedland and it is one of the most prepared towns in Australia with regards to cyclone, better than Queensland and, I have to say, probably better than the Northern Territory. However, we are catching up with these amendments to the legislation. In Port Hedland, everyone had a role to play in cyclones and the preparation for them, from the Emergency Services to government services and the local council. The leading role was played by the local council, which conducted a cyclone cleanup and cyclone preparation, and put in place an emergency plan, together with the Emergency Services in Western Australia. They even prepared the cyclone centres where people were going to be housed.
In addition, private business played a significant role. BHP owned the biggest mine and was running the town’s power station. In cyclone preparation, BHP would make trucks available for people to put their freezers or fridges on, so they could be taken to the BHP area to plug them into the power station so people would not lose perishable foods. When I worked for the council in Port Hedland, before the cyclone season, trucks would go around town collecting everything from people’s back yards apart from garden waste. Western Australia has a blue, yellow and red system whereas we have Cyclone Warnings and a different system. When the equivalent of a Cyclone Warning was declared, trucks would, once again, go out and pick up whatever was missed the first time.
In addition to that, the council would declare warnings and would force businesses to prepare themselves for the cyclone. For example, if it was car sales business, it would force them to park cars close together and in front of plate glass windows so debris would not destroy buildings. The threat was significant fines or they would take them to court for orders to clean their yards and store all their loose material in an enclosed area. It is very good to see that we now have that ability 48 hours from when the Bureau of Meteorology says a cyclone is expected to strike and declares a Cyclone Warning. As I said, in Darwin today, there are a significant number of cranes on the skyline and, consequently, there is a lot of building material lying around. This building material can become missiles and flying debris that can cause significant damage or even cost human lives.
I am reminded of a friend who bought a house in Darwin and said the house was built like a fortress. When he tried to find the owner of the house, he discovered that the previous owner of the house, the person who actually built the house, went through Cyclone Tracy with his family. As the house was destroyed around them, they fled down the stairs of the elevated house. As they were fleeing, he felt his wife’s grip loosen in his hand. When he turned around, he found a sheet of metal had hit his wife, nearly cutting her in half. She was one of the victims of Cyclone Tracy.
If you look at some of the scientific books, you can see timber completely going through the trunk of a palm tree. There is such force from a cyclone that a piece of timber can be lifted and thrown around with significant results.
In other cases, cyclones bring a lot of rain to the Territory. I recall, again from Port Hedland, that our house was on the foreshore. A colleague said that one of the cyclones was a dry cyclone with no rain. It took about 2.5 m of sand from under the master bedroom of the house and deposited it about three yards further down. He found that his car, which was left out, was completely stripped to bare metal by the force of the wind and the sand. It was sandblasted by the wind. They had to take the car away, replace all the windows and repaint the car as brand new.
It is significant. That is the force of cyclones. One of the most frightening things was the briefing we received from CSIRO which stated that severity and frequency of cyclones in the north-east, north and north-west of Australia is expected to increase in the next five to 10 years. We have to be prepared now for the emergencies like storm surge, and with the construction of new and adequate cyclone shelters that can withstand the significant pressure of very strong winds. In addition, we must always be prepared for the cyclone season, which is unpredictable.
Madam Speaker, I commend the Chief Minister for her foresight to bring our Territory in line with other states in Australia. It is better to be prepared now than sorry later.
Dr BURNS (Health): Madam Speaker, I will be brief. As a former Minister for Police, Fire and Emergency Services, and along with other members, I am only too well aware of the preparations that are made for cyclones regarding disaster management, the special powers which Police, Fire and Emergency Services have during that time, the preparations they make for evacuation, and for warning people and safeguarding the wellbeing of the public.
This bill is taking another step in that direction, which goes to the prevention of debris. As other speakers have said, debris is a major factor in injury and destruction during a cyclone. I know the member for Karama went through Cyclone Tracy and she mentioned the damage and the fear associated with debris.
I started the ball rolling on this bill when I was Minister for Police, Fire and Emergency Services. It was largely on the basis of when I was doorknocking Mrs Edna Pratt of Wilson Crescent in Moil, an elderly lady who had been through the cyclone and was very concerned about debris in the neighbourhood and the significant damage it could do. She was understandably nervous because she had seen the damage that debris can do firsthand. She, rightly, said to me that people who had not been through a cyclone, as time has progressed, have become slack in relation to debris in their yard. She also came to see me in my office because she wanted to know about progress on this issue. It is people like Mrs Pratt and others who have spoken to me on this issue, that this bill has come before us as a very commonsense and logical step for reducing the potential damage of cyclones.
There was someone else who lobbied me very heavily on this issue at the Rapid Creek Market. It was Mr Frank Moukaddem, who is a friend of mine. He was concerned about the amount of debris, potential missiles, in the Coconut Grove area. This is a government that takes people’s concerns on board, takes advice from Police, Fire and Emergency Services and, hence, we have this bill. It is a sensible step to allow special powers to enforce a cleanup to come into effect once a Cyclone Watch has been announced rather than a Cyclone Warning.
It provides the police and others with special powers to enforce a cleanup from when a cyclone watch is declared, or 48 hours before a cyclone is expected to strike. It lengthens the period for action. We know that Police and Emergency Services staff are really busy at the pointy end when a cyclone is coming. People often feel frustrated when they ring the authorities to say: ‘I am really concerned about debris across the road or down the street’ that Police and Emergency Services personnel are not able to attend to it.
These amendments provide more time for this to happen, and I am sure it is going to give people like Mrs Pratt more peace of mind. She will be able to speak to Emergency Services and Police on this issue. As someone who went through Cyclone Tracy, I am sure she will welcome these amendments. The Territory, as my colleague the member for Casuarina said, is susceptible to cyclones and the scientific advice coming through says that cyclones will increase in intensity with global warning.
We are a very well-oiled machine regarding Police and Emergency Services preparedness. Most people, as the Chief Minister said, do play the game and put potential flying objects inside and try to minimise the amount of debris in the yard but, unfortunately, there are some people who do not. The increased powers and a review of the fines associated with them will certainly smarten a few people up who are not playing the game and make the environment a bit safer for everyone and give people a bit more peace of mind when the threat of a cyclone comes.
Madam Speaker, I commend the bill to the House.
Ms MARTIN (Chief Minister): Madam Speaker, I thank everyone who has contributed to the debate. They are very practical, sensible amendments. I had not realised until the member for Johnston spoke that it actually has its genesis in Mrs Edna Pratt. On behalf of the Assembly, we thank her. It is great that individuals can speak to a minister and we see sensible amendments to a bill that really covers something most essential for the Territory: disaster preparedness. I thank all members who spoke: the Opposition Leader, the member for Wanguri who is also the WorkSafe minister - and that has a component in here, the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, and the members for Daly, Casuarina and Johnston.
The Disasters Act covers more than cyclones. These amendments are specific to cyclones, but the act covers cyclones, floods, outbreaks of plant and stock diseases and threats. It has a wide range and we have to ensure it is as effective as possible.
The components were outlined by most of the speakers. We are extending the time for cleaning up. When a Cyclone Watch is called, which is 48 hours before the strong gusts will hit, that is when cleanups have to happen. It can be enforced; there are stronger penalties. A lot of discussion was about those who did not clean up their blocks, but one of the things that we found from previous cyclones such as Monica and Ingrid, was that with some of our larger industrial developments, larger and more complex building sites, 24 hours was not enough time. One component of this is tougher penalties for those who simply ignore it, but the other is to give more time for businesses which have complex areas to clean up. For example, there were old tanks that just could not be cleaned up in a 24-hour period.
Those are the kinds of things that this bill addresses. There is no doubt that flying debris is one of the major causes of damage in any cyclone and we, as a community, have to ensure we have done as much cleaning up as we can. Now, it is 48 hours in advance. Also, as part of these amendments, WorkSafe NT is now an ‘authorised person’. WorkSafe officers will have powers to enforce cleanups right across the Top End.
To deal with the issue raised by the Opposition Leader on behalf of the member for Nelson, he obviously did some strange calculation when it came to penalty units and ended up with an individual general penalty fine being $550 000. It is $55 000. The penalties have not been changed since the act was introduced in 1982, so it is quite appropriate to review them. The maximum penalty for an individual is $55 000, and for a corporate body, it is $275 000.
Another component is a new, separate penalty for someone who is obstructing or assaults someone who is directed to order cleanups. That is fair as well. It can be a pressure time. If there is a cyclone on the way and someone is properly authorised to direct the cleanup, that has to be respected, so an assault or obstructing a person acting under section 44 will attract a new penalty of up to $22 000 or two years in gaol. These are simple but important changes to the Disasters Act.
Madam Speaker, I thank everyone for their contribution and support.
Motion agreed to; bill read a second time.
Ms MARTIN (Chief Minister)(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 table the report of the Legislative Assembly by-election for the Division of Stuart produced by the Northern Territory Electoral Commission in accordance with the Electoral Act.
Ms MARTIN (Chief Minister): Madam Speaker, I inform the Assembly on the progress we are making in growing the AustralAsia Trade Route.
Developing the AustralAsia Trade Route and positioning the Territory as Australia’s gateway to Asia is critical to the long-term prosperity of the Territory. It will stimulate economic growth and help to broaden and deepen the Territory’s economic base. It will encourage new international trade flows and new sustainable industry development, and create more jobs and business opportunities for Territorians now and into the future.
The trade route, as members know, involves the development of an alternative trade route connecting southern Australia with Asia through Darwin. It takes advantage of the modern infrastructure and transport links now available in the Territory, including our rail and port developments. It is about capturing niche opportunities to move freight between Australia and Asia that, in the past, would not have come via Darwin. It is about stimulating investment in new warehousing and distribution facilities in the Territory to process and handle the freight. It is also about maximising our use of the new freight network to service both our domestic and international trade and business.
The AustralAsia Trade Route has been pivotal to capturing these opportunities. I am advised that the railway has captured some 90% of the line-haul freight carried between Adelaide and Darwin. Despite some early setbacks, the railway is now a critical part of the Territory’s domestic freight network and companies such as Northline are back moving the majority of their freight via rail. The land bridge of bulk minerals from Central and southern Australia to Asia is happening. I will provide more detail on this later. The new shipping services are enabling our mining supply and service companies to develop new export markets, particularly with Indonesia.
The emerging trade route has supported the movement of project cargos for our defence, mining and offshore oil and gas industries and, while the development of land bridge container trade has been limited, due in part to the capacity constraints of the railway in gearing-up for the high volume bulk mineral trades, this remains a future opportunity that we will continue to pursue.
We have seen recently a perfect example of our emerging trade route in action with a $5m, 67 000 tonne shipment of iron ore coming to Darwin by rail from the Territory Resources project at Frances Creek through East Arm port and on to China. It was a reminder of how important our strategic investments in key infrastructure are and will continue to be to the Territory economy.
The $1.3bn transcontinental railway, the $200m East Arm Wharf upgrade and the $50m Darwin Business Park is infrastructure that sets the Territory up for the future. Our new $24m bulk mineral loading facilities are making East Arm the port of choice for bulk mineral exports from Central Australia. These strategic investments have enabled forward-thinking companies like Territory Resources to establish viable operations and secure long-term, lucrative contracts. I will talk more about some of the traffic we are seeing through the port shortly.
Madam Speaker, we have made considerable progress, but there is much more to do if the trade route is to fulfil its undoubted potential. We have a plan to grow the trade route and we have been implementing that plan. Members will recall that in February 2005, I tabled the government’s Growing Our Trade Route Strategy in the Legislative Assembly. The key elements of that strategy revolve around developing new international shipping linkages, levering new industry growth from the port and rail developments, particularly in the Darwin Business Park with new consolidation and distribution centres, growing new export industries such as bulk minerals to China, utilising the backloading capacity of our road and rail networks to deliver mining consumables from Asia into the mining industries of northern and Central Australia, and identifying new export market opportunities such as those we are pursuing in Japan based around energy - that is, gas exports - and Vietnam, which includes growing new sustainable live cattle exports, education and tourism services.
It is a comprehensive strategy that will benefit all Territorians, and I would like now to provide members with some of the detail and outcomes from our work.
Establishing shipping links with Indonesia and the greater South-East Asian region to support our mining supply trade has been a key priority for the government in developing the AustralAsia Trade Route. Over the last two years, we have been promoting Darwin to a range of regional Asian shipping lines and Indonesian mining procurement executives as a logical mining supply and service centre.
This work is beginning to reap rewards, with the recent addition of direct scheduled shipping services to Darwin by MOCEAN Shipping. MOCEAN commenced operations in July 2007 with the aptly named vessel, the Territory Trader. The shipping line will provide new services between Indonesia and Darwin. Just recently, MOCEAN announced a second vessel will join its service, sailing between South-East Asia and northern Australia, effectively increasing its service capacity and frequency. The new MOCEAN service has also begun to call at the port of Hai Phong in Vietnam, providing regular shipping connections for commodities supporting oil and gas drilling programs with their bases in Darwin. In addition, Territory companies are now provided with direct links to Surabaya, a gateway for mining support products destined to the large mining and oil and gas operations in eastern Indonesia. This is an exciting development for the Territory and again demonstrates the value of the AustralAsia Trade Route in opening opportunities for new trade for Territory business. I take this opportunity to wish our friends at MOCEAN Shipping continuing success in the future.
As members may recall, Hai Win Shipping established a regular monthly service between Shanghai and Darwin in January 2006. The monthly service is operating well, with the latest vessel completing a direct call just last month, with further scheduled voyages listed for early and late November 2007. Hai Win has recently informed us of their plans for an additional vessel to join their fleet, which would result in a fortnightly service connecting north Asia with Darwin. Again, the growth of these services is a testament to the increasing awareness of the benefits the AustralAsia Trade Route can offer traders. It is also tangible evidence of the success of our work over the past six years.
I also make the point that existing operators within the Port of Darwin, such as Perkins and Swires, continue to provide an important service linking Darwin to Singapore and a range of other destinations across Asia. Indeed, during the recent Chief Minister’s Northern Territory Export and Industry Awards, I had the pleasure of announcing Perkins Shipping as the NT Exporter of the Year. We will continue to work with all shipping service providers to ensure we continue to increase international trade and business for all Territorians.
The Darwin Business Park continues to play a key role in the development of the AustralAsia Trade Route. It provides a seamless interface between rail and road services, and is instrumental in the efficient consolidation and distribution of goods.
Toll Holdings, the Business Park’s foundation client and Australia’s largest transport and logistics company, has now completed its $5m Stage 2 expansion for Foster's Group at the Park. Other recent developments at the Business Park include: Shaw’s Transport $8.5m development of a transport and logistics warehouse facility, currently under construction with completion expected in February 2008; John Bain Westrans $3m transport and logistics base development is nearing completion; and Gwelo Developments will be constructing a 7000 m2 warehouse storage facility with 250 m2 of office space. Work is set to begin by Christmas.
Madam Speaker, I can report that of the initial 50 ha of the Darwin Business Park site, only a couple of allotments remain, which is a terrific effort. Due to the confidential nature of negotiations and contract arrangements, I am not at liberty to announce them all. What I can say is that the strategic value of the business park and its close proximity to the rail marshalling yards and East Arm Wharf is now paying significant dividends for the Territory.
This is a great result and further underlines how important our initial investments are in developing the AustralAsia Trade Route. More importantly, it will be Territorians who benefit from new private sector infrastructure investment and job creation within the business park itself.
Another key trade opportunity underpinned by development of the AustralAsia Trade Route is bulk mineral exports. Our Growing the Trade Route strategy has a clear goal of developing Darwin as the port of choice for bulk mineral exports from Central Australia. This opportunity is rapidly being realised because of the commodity boom, access to the new railway and strategic investments by the Territory government.
The first such venture, which commenced in May 2006, was bulk manganese exports to China from the Bootu Creek Mine near Tennant Creek. Some 650 000 tonnes per annum is now being exported from Bootu Creek. It was the Territory government that made this new trade opportunity possible through our $24m investment in new bulk handling facilities at East Arm port. Not only did that investment enable the Bootu Creek Mine to eventuate, sufficient capacity was allowed within the infrastructure to accommodate further mineral exports occurring. Territory Resources, who I mentioned earlier, will build on their initial shipment and export some 1.5 million tonnes of iron ore each year from Frances Creek to China.
In July, I had the pleasure in announcing that Oxiana reached agreement with FreightLink, operators of the rail line, and Darwin Port Corporation to transport some 250 000 tonnes per annum of copper concentrate from their Prominent Hill operation in South Australia to Asia via Darwin. That announcement further underlined the growing value of the AustralAsia Trade Route. Quite simply, to redirect this significant shipment from South Australia via Darwin for export demonstrates the Territory’s geographical advantages to Asia and the growing profile of the AustralAsia Trade Route. This will not be the last time this type of redirection of trade occurs. It is a sign of things to come; the beginning of a new era.
We will continue to explore new opportunities and develop initiatives, including opening discussions with BHP Billiton about the possibility of initiating export trade from the huge Olympic Dam project by rail and via Darwin. We will host senior executives from BHP Billiton on an inaugural visit to Darwin before the end of the year to progress this opportunity.
Just last week, officers from my department and the Darwin Port Corporation jointly delivered a presentation on the major economic developments in the Territory, including the trade route, to a global freight conference held in Adelaide. Those attending included a number of senior South Australian mining operators.
As mentioned previously, one of the growth opportunities to the trade route is to utilise the backloading capacity of our road and rail networks to deliver mining consumables from Asia into the mining industry of Northern and Central Australia.
I previously mentioned the shipping connections into Indonesia supporting Darwin becoming a regional supply and logistics base for the onshore and offshore mining industry. In addition to this, we have been working closely with Adgile Services to develop a state-of-the-art classified goods precinct at Hidden Valley, one that will support the local mining industry. It will also complement the development of trade from China, where we are sourcing many of the chemical reagents used in the mining industry. The facility represents an investment of approximately $13.5m over five years by Adgile Services. I am advised that the company has reviewed its development permit and, subject to the receipt of some financial securities from the company by the end of the month, we expect construction to begin later this year.
I will touch on specific areas related to the development of new markets for Territory exports. In particular, I advise members of the significant work that my department is undertaking in Vietnam and Japan. Vietnam is one of the world’s fastest growing economies, providing opportunities for the Territory to grow its international trade base. As you know, I led a delegation there last month to explore more trade opportunities in Vietnam. I am pleased to report that, whilst this was my first official visit to Vietnam and there is a lot more work to do, there have been many good outcomes from that visit already.
In terms of strengthening the political relationship, which cannot be underestimated, I had meetings with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Pham Gia Khiem; the Vice-Minister for Education and Training, Professor Tran Van Nhung; Vice-Minister for Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, Mr Le Bach Hung; and Vice-Minister for Industry and Trade, Nguyen Thanh Bien. The purpose of these meetings was to further cement a good relationship between our jurisdictions and to promote, at the highest level within the Central Government of Vietnam, the Territory’s geographical proximity to Asia, its existing long-standing relationships within the region and its emerging trade capabilities and opportunities, particularly in relation to live cattle, tourism, skilled migration, and raising the profile of the Charles Darwin University.
I also met with Professor Le Huu Nghia, the President of the Ho Chi Minh National Political and Public Administration Academy that has, as one of its key roles, the training and upskilling of Vietnam’s civil servants. Importantly, the meeting allowed us to raise awareness of the Territory and directly demonstrate the benefits and capabilities of Charles Darwin University to the Academy’s highest ranking official. I look forward to hearing more good things from Charles Darwin University in this area.
I also had the pleasure of meeting with Mr Le Hoang Quan, the Chairman of the People’s Committee of Ho Chi Minh City. We had a wide-ranging discussion and talked of the similarities between our jurisdictions in areas like tourism and the development of new port related infrastructure. Chairman Quan was particularly appreciative of our aim to develop economic and trade relationships and even suggested the development of a memorandum of understanding to underpin further trade opportunities.
Speaking of which, I was able to sign an MOU on trade and economic cooperation with the Ba Ria–Vung Tau Province while I was in Vietnam. This province has many similarities to the Territory. It is an emerging oil and gas centre and has strong tourism, agriculture and fishery sectors. I firmly believe the MOU together with our strong political relationships with Ba Ria–Vung Tau Province will provide the foundation upon which future trade in live cattle may be initiated over the coming 12 months or so. My department has been working with their counterparts in Ba Ria–Vung Tau Province to develop an action plan of activities to promote and support trade activities, with cattle trade being high on the agenda as well as education and training, tourism and cultural exchanges.
In addition, my department has continued to follow up trade opportunities at the business level with the following companies:
This same company is also considering establishing its own travel agency based in Darwin to support and grow its subsidiary company, Star Travel. In 2006, Star Travel planned holidays for over 65 000 people across South-East Asia, north Asia and Russia, and now has the Territory firmly in its sights.
Following my visit to Vietnam, I flew to Tokyo to meet with Japanese energy industry government leaders to promote further trade between Japan and the Territory. Energy security is very important to Japan and the nation is a key destination for Australian energy exports. The Territory has the resources, skills and knowledge to meet some of Japan’s energy needs in LNG and uranium. In particular, we are seeking to establish Darwin as a leading centre for gas development which would deliver huge economic flow-on benefits for our economy.
While in Tokyo, I met with Mr Masashi Nakano, the Japanese Vice-Minister for Energy, Mr Tomofumi Hiraku, the Director-General of Natural Resources and Energy Policy with the Ministry for Economy, Trade and Industry, and representatives of INPEX: , Chair Mr Kunihiko Matsuo and President Mr Naoki Kuroda. At these meetings, I demonstrated the business case for establishing gas-based industry in Darwin. An example of this is the case for Darwin to play a role in developing INPEX’s Ichthys gas field in the Browse Basin. While INPEX has a preference to bring Ichthys gas onshore at the Maret Islands off the Kimberley coastline, Darwin is well placed as a viable alternative for the $6bn project if required.
The Tokyo visit was a valuable follow-up to our visit to Japan in January and February this year. It is crucial that Japanese government and business leaders are aware of the potential that exists in the Territory to accommodate energy industries, particularly gas. Importantly for the AustralAsia Trade Route, new gas-based infrastructure investment will result in more project cargoes utilising East Arm Wharf.
We will continue to undertake strategic visits and trade delegations to maintain and grow our export trade, expand our economy and continue to develop the AustralAsia Trade Route.
As I have shown, significant work has been undertaken to grow the AustralAsia Trade Route and already we have seen some very encouraging outcomes, but there is much more we can do. Let me outline some of the initiatives we will undertake to complement the ongoing development of the trade route and, indeed, our overall trade development strategy.
As a priority, we will continue to work with major regional shipping lines to attract increased service capacity and frequency through the port. One particular initiative being pursued is an opportunity to consolidate peak season cargoes via the port for delivery to Melbourne and Adelaide. The economic conditions that we see during the September to February period each year allow shipping lines to impose peak season freight rate increases coupled with limitation of container space on existing services to southern Australian ports. This situation creates potential for the AustralAsia Trade Route to capture and redirect excess container freight volumes which, in effect, will exhibit the capability of the trade route in the eyes of the freight forwarders, brokers and shipping lines themselves.
The peak season initiative for containers entering Australia via Darwin has created real interest. One shipping line is prepared to commit 250 containers every 22 days during the peak season period. That is very positive news for the Territory. However, there are still many challenges for us in growing the trade route, including the capacity constraints of the railway in available space for backloading operations. Further discussions are planned with a range of parties, including the major freight forwarders, to progress these issues.
A second Indonesian Mining Procurement Forum is planned for Darwin during the first quarter of 2008. The successful inaugural event was held in mid-2006. The forum also builds on the successful Global Freight Connect conferences held in April 2007 and October 2005 which attracted a number of regional Asian shipping lines and mining resource suppliers to Darwin. These visitors were able to see firsthand and better understand Territory businesses, their capabilities and capacities. I look forward to the outcomes of this forum and the continued development of Darwin as a mining supply and logistics base.
My department is leading a private sector delegation to the Mining Indonesia Expo in Jakarta which will be held between 31 October and 3 November this year. Currently, there are around 25 private sector delegates representing some 15 companies registered to attend. It demonstrates how seriously people are taking our push to position Darwin as a regional supply and logistics base for the mining industry. The Mining Indonesia Expo is the largest mining expo in the world and brings procurement officers from some of the world’s largest mining operators in direct contact with suppliers. The purpose of attending this expo is to promote Territory-based businesses and their goods and services. We will also seek to establish networks within the region’s mining industry. This event will also act as a precursor to the Indonesian Mining Procurement Forum to be held in Darwin in March next year.
As we speak, my department is supporting the International Business Council of the Chamber of Commerce NT in its business delegation to the Canton Fair in Guangzhou in China. Eight Territory businesses are participating, along with representatives from the International Business Council and the Department of the Chief Minister. The Canton Fair attracts over 300 000 buyers from around the world and accounts for over $80bn in sales each year. Again, this event is aimed at increasing trade within our region through both exports and imports. Importantly, we have arranged for a Hong Kong-based broker to address the delegation about best options for procurement and transportation of goods sought at the Canton Fair to reduce costs and risks during shipment.
We are also working with the Indonesian Consulate and the Australian Embassy in Jakarta to host an East Java-Northern Territory Business Seminar in Darwin early next year. The event will be co-sponsored by the Australian-Indonesian Business Council and provides a great opportunity to strengthen our trade links with Surabaya, Indonesia’s second largest city.
As you can see, since I tabled Growing Our Trade Route strategy in February 2005, much has been achieved and much more is planned. It is now appropriate given the many exciting developments that have occurred since I released the strategy that we now take stock and update the document. Over the coming months, my department will undertake that in consultation with the industry. This work will also complement current reviews of our Asian Relations and Trade priorities.
We are committed to developing the AustralAsia Trade Route and have achieved significant success in a range of areas; success that is seeing increased trade activity, more jobs for Territorians and more opportunities for Territory businesses. This work will continue and I look forward to updating members on the progress and success of the AustralAsia Trade Route in the future.
Mr Deputy Speaker, I move that the Assembly take note of the statement.
Ms CARNEY (Opposition Leader): Mr Deputy Speaker, I genuinely welcome the statement and, for the most part, am pleased with it. This stuff should not be politicised. It is what we are here for, trying to do the best we can in our own different and, sometimes same ways, for the people of the Northern Territory. So thank you, Chief Minister; it was a very comprehensive statement.
Our geography, our enthusiasm, our climate, our similarities, our differences with the Asian region make that region and Darwin obvious bedfellows. Our geography, in particular, makes us better placed than so many other parts of this country. When Australian jurisdictions, our states and territories, are competing for all sorts of things - whether it is police officers, nurses or slices of tourism markets - they will compete for improved trade opportunities. The Territory is extremely well placed. It is because of its geography and we are very lucky.
I do not think I have been up there too many times since, but when the CLP was in government, I remember going up to the minister’s offices and seeing the maps on the walls - which I assume are still there - showing Darwin as the southernmost city in Asia rather than the central and northernmost city of Australia. That was certainly indicative of the attitude of the CLP, and I feel certain that it is indicative of the attitude of this government.
It is fair to say, historically, that after the introduction of self-government, the Territory did become aggressively Asian-centric. I was not around then, but I am advised that Territory Labor, to their credit, was supportive of that approach. I remember when Labor first came to office in the Territory, and certainly when the CLP was in government, there was lots of toing and froing about CLP ministers spending a lot of time in the region. I recall, early on in opposition, the CLP was having a go at the Chief Minister and some of her colleagues and urging them to travel more. It is great that they are now travelling more and good relationships are being cultivated.
Recently, when I met with the Deputy High Commissioner in Singapore and her staff, it was very clear that former Chief Minsters and other CLP ministers were held in very high regard, and the work that they did in the region was appreciated. We are well placed. We have developed, over a long period of time, some natural and very progressive and mutually beneficial relationships with the region. I am the first to encourage this government to continue to do so.
The relationship with China - and I know the Chief Minister has been there a few times in relatively recent times - is good and I understand that the Chief Minister herself is cultivating not only business arrangements, but professional relationships with people involved in key areas. That is important; there does need to be personal interaction. A relationship of trust needs to develop if other countries and the Northern Territory are going to be well served by ongoing relationships and economic relationships in particular, so I congratulate you, Chief Minister. It seems, from what I hear and read and observe around the place, that you are doing well in that regard. Congratulations.
I hear that you are a natural lover of Vietnam. I have not been there, but I look forward to going at some point. China and Vietnam are good examples because they have had their share of difficulties over a long period of time. If you look at the growth of both of those countries, it has, in the last five years, perhaps maybe 10, been astronomical. I was advised that between 1978 and the year 2000, China increased its international trade from $34bn a year to $470bn a year. Of course, that generates wealth and jobs in China and has natural benefits for the Northern Territory.
Despite what I am sure are reservations expressed by my colleague, the member for Blain, and which I share, and I feel certain are shared by members on the other side in relation to some human rights issues, the relationship with China needs to be continually fostered. We wish government well in continuing to do just that.
I had a lot written here, but, with respect, because the Chief Minister’s statement was so comprehensive, there is a certain pointlessness to me reciting it all back at you. I am not going to do that; I will cut a few corners. That is not intended, in any way, shape or form to step away from the comments I have made and the opposition’s support of your government’s efforts in the region. It should not be taken in that way. I am just trying to make the best use of the time I have and make a meaningful contribution.
We congratulate you, Chief Minister, on your recent trip to Vietnam. In relation to the deal involving cattle, that was well done. We noted, with some degree of interest, as did others, that your minister for Primary Industries was not with you at the time. However, that is obviously a matter for you and your colleagues.
Clearly, there are ongoing opportunities in South-East Asia for our livestock. It has been put to me that, indeed, the possibilities are endless, given the industry we have in the Territory. There is probably more work to be done, but I would naturally expect that to be done by the minister for Primary Industries with you beside him, Chief Minister, over a longer period of time. However, we congratulate you in any event.
One wonders about camel. How is that going and what are the possibilities in that respect?
There are growing industries to be found in aquaculture and the fishing industry in the Territory. Exports from Darwin into the increasingly wealthy markets of South-East Asia mean that future production looks bright.
In vegetable matter, I note that Senator Bill Heffernan has been in the Territory recently talking about the future of northern Australia as a hub for growth. There is a potential for the north of Australia to become a bread basket but, unlike the experience in the Murray-Darling, there has to be a sustainable approach applied. With the arrival of global warming, the scientific pointers are that the tropics will receive even greater amounts of rain. It goes without saying that some people’s disaster is another’s fortune. In any event, there is much more to be done. As a result of Senator Heffernan’s enthusiasm, if the Coalition wins government at the next election, we would expect that relationship and the federal government’s enthusiasm to continue. I am hopeful that, in the event that federal Labor is elected, they will continue to regard the north of Australia as a hub for growth because it makes sense to do so.
I have to say, however, there are a couple of things, Chief Minister, you will not like, but I will put them to you anyway because, despite our differences, it is our job to put things to you, whether you agree with them or not. I am sure you will appreciate them in the spirit in which they are given.
We were interested, bemused perhaps, to see what was regarded as an 11th hour advance to the Japanese about trying to wrest INPEX away from the Western Australians. The trip to see the Chair and the President to change their location for coming onshore from the Kimberley to Darwin did rather seem to be too little too late. The Ichthyus Field in Browse Basin is closer to Western Australia by a considerable stretch, and it is my understanding that the deal was almost complete with the Western Australians. It struck me as being too little too late, and does sit in stark contrast to the approach that was used in the past successfully by Premier Court and Chief Minister Stone. Rather than competing with each other, they often travelled together to open markets for the fields, and both had enormous success, as we all know, in Japan and China.
If you take a look across the harbour and ask yourself whether that relationship was successful, everyone would say that it was. We were interested in what appeared to us to be your last ditch attempt - an attempt, no doubt, but too little too late.
What is missing from the statement is that the Browse Basin also has another major interest in play. Shell Woodside is currently in negotiation with Petro China to sell an amount of $45bn worth of gas to China from the Browse field. It would be ambitious to try to wrestle that away from Western Australia considering that Shell Woodside is headquartered in Perth and the location of Browse Basin is so close to Western Australia. There is another opportunity that may well arise that everyone has seemed to miss, other than my colleague and deputy, the member for Blain. I will be interested to know, in the Chief Minister’s response, whether the Territory government followed the member for Blain’s lead and has spoken to Shell Woodside as he did only a few weeks ago.
The member for Blain got on a plane and went to see Shell Woodside in Perth. He spoke with me about that. The reason for this is that Shell Woodside is the developers of the Greater Sunrise field, north of Darwin. Greater Sunrise, as we all know, is enormous. If Shell Woodside is using their interests in the Browse Basin to satisfy a $45bn customer, then any more customers will have to be serviced, in every likelihood, from other fields. Shell Woodside is looking for customers all of the time. As the demand for gas increases internationally, the pressure on Shell Woodside to develop Greater Sunrise will become irresistible for them. It is obvious the role Darwin has to play. Although the Greater Sunrise field is closer to Timor, there is an under sea trench about 4 km deep that makes bringing the gas onshore an engineering nightmare, I am advised. Processing at sea is still difficult technology, therefore, Darwin, which is on the same continental shelf, does look very attractive by any measure.
I turn to Glyde Point. The Territory government and the opposition come from quite different perspectives when it comes to Glyde Point. It was secured by the former CLP government for industrial development because the CLP realised years ago that when Greater Sunrise came online, it would be a massive field and the possible industries that are associated with that would be land-hungry and high profile and, indeed, they are.
Currently we export iron ore. We have to ask: how long will it be before someone wants to value-add the product and build a steel works, for instance, in Darwin? That was going to go out, under the CLP’s vision, to Glyde Point with transport corridors to the wharves in Darwin Harbour. I ask the Chief Minister where that future heavy industry will go now because the only land available zoned for industrial development is Middle Arm. That zoning, when put in place by the CLP, was to create another Winnellie and it was never intended for heavy industry. That is why the CLP selected Glyde Point in the first place.
Uninformed and incorrect comment by the Northern Territory News on this issue has not helped and, while they are busy manufacturing incorrect facts such as attributing comments to me about Berrimah Farm, the real issue is being lost; that there is nowhere for heavy industry to go. As you know - and we raised it with the minister for mining during estimates - Arafura Resources will be building a processing plant primarily for rare earth elements, but will also produce 200 tonnes of yellowcake every year, and they are going to be on Middle Arm. Their plant will be about the size, I am advised, of the Bunnings building on Bagot Road. What about a manganese refinement plant if someone wanted to introduce that? You have to ask: where it will go? Our very strong view is that the government is failing to effectively plan for these elements of growth as it has failed to plan for residential development in the city.
Back to the subject of gas, we note the Chief Minister was feeling particularly triumphant about the deal at Blacktip. We do not think the Chief Minister should be feeling triumphant. The business of having to spend $140m of taxpayers’ money to build a 280 km pipeline to supply gas to a power station 2 km from one of the largest gas supplies in the southern hemisphere is not, we believe, a success.
The concession to supply domestic gas from ConocoPhillips that was secured by the previous CLP government was not secured by Labor when they took office. That is why Wickham Point was selected as a place to bring gas onshore. The fact that not so much as a cigarette lighter’s worth of gas makes its way to Channel Island is staggering and will be, I think, to this government’s everlasting shame. How could the Chief Minister possibly hope to convince anyone that is a good result when she yesterday announced $140m to go, in essence, the long way around?
When I was looking at the Chief Minister’s statement last night - and I did this before when we had a mining statement recently - I like to have a look at what the previous administration did. I was not part it; I do not know all of the history. I rely on cupboards full of documents in my office upstairs and on some that I knew when they were published at the time. I think government members have pretty much slammed aspects of Foundations for Our Future; however, oh, how much of it has been incorporated by the government. This was published in 1999 or 2000. In any event, this chapter is called Become the Supply, Service and Distribution Centre for the Region. It says on page 4 under the heading The Vision for a Supply, Service and Distribution Centre for the Region:
That pretty much, quite rightly, seems to be the map adopted by this government. They are free to pick up aspects of this chapter of Foundations for our Future. Why? Because it was good stuff. Why? Because, as I said at the outset, the Territory is well placed in so many respects to do well in this region. This government knows that. That is great, and we support them, but they do not, surely, for a minute think that it was all their idea and suddenly all happened after 18 August 2001.
Why do I say those things? Because there was a reference in the Chief Minister’s speech at page 7:
Well, you did not do much for the first couple. You buggered up Wickham Point, but, in fairness, yes, in recent years, you have been doing reasonably well, as you should. It is your job. To say, as you have here, Chief Minister, that it is all down to you – spare me!
Having said that and moving away from criticism to something I am sure will please government, because I know they do not like criticism. In relation to some work I did in Singapore, I had a conversation with the Minister for Primary Industry yesterday, and I thank him for it; he was enthusiastic about possibilities there potentially involving our horticultural industry. I thank him for what I consider to be a genuine interest and enthusiasm. With luck, your office would have received an e-mail I sent to the person about whom we were talking.
I am happy to assist, as I should, in any way I can to provide this government with information the opposition gathers and that comes to us to improve the government‘s performance, improve opportunities and improve possibilities. The progress that has been made over a period of time in growing the AustralAsia Trade Route has been impressive, as it should be. It if was not, all of us should be ashamed of ourselves. We are naturally well placed.
I do say that the Chief Minister, while not perfect, is doing a reasonable job. I am very pleased, as I said, that she is cultivating relationships at the personal level, government level, departmental level, because that is critical. I know that the CLP was criticised a lot when ministers kept travelling overseas, and senior public servants were with them invariably, but also senior public servants, from memory, as the Chief Minister has indicated, did trips by themselves, as they should. You cannot foster those sort of relationships and do the sort of work, much of which the Chief Minister has, in fact, been doing, by just picking up the phone. You have to get on a plane. You have to talk to local business representatives. We have to ask them how they can be assisted. We need to take them into the region. We need to have all of the key players sitting around tables asking how they can make it better. It is pleasing that the Chief Minister has done some of that. I believe she took people to Vietnam, and I recall that she did so on one of her relatively recent trips to China. That is to be commended. That is what a Chief Minister of the Northern Territory should be doing.
With those comments - I did cut a bit out of the speech I prepared, Chief Minister - despite our differences, please accept our assurance that we support your efforts in the region, and we thank you for bringing on this statement. It is a good statement, mostly, and I am pleased that you went into the detail that you did. I look forward to commenting on the next statement with a view to hearing about other progress and successes in the region.
Ms LAWRIE (Infrastructure and Transport): Mr Deputy Speaker, I support the Chief Minister’s statement on the AustralAsia Trade Route. An important link in the trade route is, of course, the Port of Darwin. It is strategically positioned at the Top End of the Northern Territory, where it is Australia’s closest port to the Asian region, and is Australia’s northern gateway port.
The completion of the Alice Springs to Darwin railway provides importers and exporters with a seamless transport system between Australia and Asia. I will talk in detail about the recent achievements of our port and rail later in this response. To begin with, though, it is important that, as the minister for Transport, I focus on the very significant contribution that the trucking industry makes to the Northern Territory economy.
The NT trucking sector has made some giant strides since World War II when early truckers purchased surplus military vehicles and, with innovation and risk, applied them to the task of supplying remote Australian towns, cattle stations, indigenous communities and mines. With Alice Springs firmly established as a railhead since 1929, trucks, trains and ships worked in harmony for many years to satisfy the freight task. All this provided jobs and a financial flow-on effect for the fledgling NT economy. Today, the effective combination of trains, trucks and ships continue to build upon our growing reputation as a significant trading hub to Asia.
The Standing Committee on Transport and Regional Service has released a report titled The Great Freight Task. The report, released earlier this year, noted that the road transport sector employed nearly half of all the people employed in the transport and logistics sector in Australia - 215 000, and that transport and logistics is a major contributor to Australia’s GDP.
The trucking industry continues to be the backbone of our transport of goods for interstate and international trade. Whether it is bringing produce to our port, transferring goods interstate, or providing essential resources to remote towns and industries, the Territory has, for a long time, been dependant on the hard-working men and women in our trucking industry. The resources boom has paid great dividends for the Territory and, as the member for Drysdale informed the House yesterday, we continue to attract great interest from the mining industry.
Mining is a significant contributor to the Territory economy, grossing an annual $2.3bn that contributes 20% of the gross state product. Without this government’s strong investment in regional roads and the dedication of transport companies, some of these mining operations could not operate. Working cooperatively on public and private sector infrastructure development is of critical importance. I will continue to support the trucking industry as I recognise the significant challenges they face, including healthy competition from the rail, steadily rising fuel costs, the lack of drivers and increasing congestion on our roads.
In the past 12 months, there has been renewed interest in the resources of northern Australia, not just on our minerals, but also a focus on our water resources; this, in part, the result of water shortages being experienced in the south. The Commonwealth held its inaugural meeting of its Northern Australian Land and Water Task Force on 29 June this year, chaired by Senator Bill Heffernan. While the task force terms of reference fails to note the significant challenges faced in developing our regional areas such as investment in roads and infrastructure, I am pleased that it will be looking at sustainable resource use, principles and practices.
Investment in our regional roads is about growing northern Australia. As part of the Territory government’s submission for AusLink roads funding, I reminded the Commonwealth that only 23% of our road network is sealed. It is the area in greatest need of investment. While 15% of the AusLink road network is within the Territory, historically only 2% of AusLink funding has been allocated to Territory projects. A better share of the funding will help build the Top End of Australia and improve the vital northern transport links.
Our priorities include projects under the AusLink Strategic Regional Program that seek to open up business opportunities in some of the most disadvantaged areas of our nation. They include targeted investment in flood immunity on the Stuart Highway, and investment in the Port Keats road and the Daly River bridge, the Tanami road, the Central Arnhem Road, the Arnhem link road, the Savannah Way and the Outback Way. I believe these projects, if supported, will bring real improvements in the bush.
Part of the increasing success of our live cattle export industry is a result of the government’s investment in roads. The record $180m road budget this financial year is a core feature of our $640m cash investment in infrastructure programs. When our roads budget was announced, Craig O’Halloran, the General Manager of the Territory Construction Association said:
Planning for the future growth of horticulture and agriculture means that we need a strong push towards improving our bush roads, those vital freight transport links. They are important assets to business but, critically, they are also the lifeline for many people living on pastoral stations and in our remote bush communities. Some of the specific Territory road plans for our future include: a $36m investment for the Berrimah Road duplication as part of the $72m Tiger Brennan Drive project, a critical freight link between the south, through our Territory Top End and to the port; $10.5m in ongoing funding towards the Red Centre Way; $45.9m in new and ongoing funding under AusLink will go towards the Victoria Highway, an important freight link to the west; $15m in ongoing and new funds has been provided to improve roads around Wadeye; and an additional $8m over the next four years is provided for the upgrade of the Tanami Road.
With such a large infrastructure program, it is important that the government works closely with the private sector to ensure that the projects can be delivered on time and on budget. That is why in August this year, I addressed the Civil Contractors Federation on the government’s capital works program. I reinforced that while government was committed to strong investment in infrastructure, it needed to work collaboratively with the civil industry to ensure that we can continue to deliver on our strategic roads projects. I was pleased to hear from the contractors that they were enjoying the booming private and public investment in their industry.
While the Tiger Brennan project has finally received a funding commitment from the Commonwealth, one important aspect of the project which has not been talked about in the media is the proposed rail overpass on Berrimah Road. This is a further $11m investment on a 50:50 split with the Commonwealth government to further increase the efficiency of rail and road transport to the Port of Darwin.
The commitment of funding the rail overpass is part of linking our transport network into what needs to be a world-class inter-modal transport framework. To help keep the Territory’s trade route position strong, government needs to work with industry in improving transport inefficiencies; that is, through coordinating our road, rail and sea networks, we will deliver real improvements to our export network through reduced loading times, decreased stoppages and reduced double handling.
The Chief Minister has talked about the success of the Darwin Business Park. It is important to note that the significant growth of the East Arm port area has come from large, very successful Australian and international companies. These companies can see that we are continuing to build a very impressive port, the position of which and road and rail services mean real benefits for their business. The $200m East Arm Wharf facility incorporates 754 m of continuous berth space, 18 ha of sealed hard stand, and a 4000 m undercover cargo handling facility. The East Arm port area also includes and an additional 18 ha of bunded area for future reclamation. This expansion to almost double the existing improved area will allow for future strategic growth of both the port and its adjoining business park.
The port’s traditional market sectors of live cattle exports, offshore oil and gas servicing, and container and general cargo have also continued to grow during the year. Live cattle exports are expected to continue to increase and, with increased exploration and production activity in the Timor Sea, we predict the servicing sector is set for a very busy year ahead. The recent commissioning of a new bulk handling facility at East Arm has also facilitated the trade of bulk materials through our port. This is a further significant investment by this government of $24m.
On 28 September, I had the pleasure of hosting a luncheon for representatives of Territory Resources, theNoble Group based in Hong Kong, and Tianjin Iron and Steel based in China, to celebrate the first shipment of iron ore from the Frances Creek Mine since Cyclone Tracy in 1974. Iron ore was previously mined at Frances Creek from 1966 to 1974 and transported to Darwin on the old North Australia Railway line. A combination of increased prices for iron ore, the completion of the Alice Springs to Darwin railway, and the construction of the new bulk handling facilities at East Arm Wharf have made, once again, the mining of iron ore economically viable.
Territory Resources commenced stockpiling iron ore at East Arm stockpile site with the first railway consignment on 18 July this year. This was in preparation for the first export from Darwin in 33 years. On 25 July this year, the panamax class vessel - named because they are the largest vessel able to transit the Panama Canal - the MV Yerotsakis arrived in Darwin Harbour to transport the first shipment of iron ore. The Yerotsakis is the largest vessel to call at East Arm Wharf. The ship has an overall length of 225 m, a beam of 32 m, and is capable of transporting 67 000 tonnes of iron ore. Territory Resources will export around 1.5 million tonnes of iron ore from Frances Creek to China in the first year. It is expected to increase this to three million tonnes within 18 months.
The export of iron ore follows on from manganese exports to China from the Bootu Creek Mine near Tennant Creek. The first shipment of manganese commenced in May 2006, with around 650 000 tonnes per annum being exported. These exports show the benefits of investing in our infrastructure and establishing trade relations with our northern neighbours.
The Port of Darwin was recently nominated as the preferred export port for Oxiana Limited’s export of copper concentrate from their Prominent Hill mine south-east of Coober Pedy in South Australia. FreightLink and the Western Australia company Giacci Brothers, have won a 10-year contract to transport copper concentrate from the Prominent Hill mine to the Port of Darwin. These represent something of a coup and certainly took the industry by surprise, as many industry analysts were expecting the Oxiana mine to freight its ore south to the Port of Adelaide.
From July next year, we will see up to 240 000 tonnes per annum of copper concentrate transported to Darwin on the Adelaide to Darwin railway and then loaded onto ships for export to copper smelters in Asia. The awarding of this contract to FreightLink shows the value of the Adelaide to Darwin railway to the expanding resources sector. Construction has commenced on a rail spur to the port and a 3200 m2 copper concentrate storage shed on East Arm.
Securing the Oxiana business was an important milestone in the development of the AustralAsia Trade Route and confirmed the Port of Darwin as the northern gateway for mineral exports. The emergence of these bulk mineral trades may not have been so successful without the vision of this government to invest in the $24m bulk materials handling system at East Arm Wharf.
This development not only helped encourage regional mining development in the Territory, but it has also secured bulk customers from a wider field, and we believe it will continue to do so in the future. This means increased export revenue, development of the Territory and, importantly, jobs for Territorians.
The first export of biodiesel left the Port of Darwin in August this year. The tanker, Chemstar Venus, was loaded with 55 300 barrels of biodiesel from the Natural Fuels Australia plant at the Vopak terminal bound for markets in Asia and the United States. This is expected over time to become a regular export as Natural Fuels builds production capacity at its Vopak facility. The export of biodiesel starts a new industry for the Territory as the world looks to finding better ways of reducing its reliance on petroleum-based energy. Natural Fuels’ Darwin operation is the largest biodiesel plant in Australia. It is capable of producing 122 500 tonnes per annum along with 12 000 tonnes of pharmaceutical grade glycerine.
While I have already talked about some of the recent improvements in building our port and transport services, it is important that members remember that it was not long ago that the East Arm area had no rail link, little available land to develop and was, by comparison, a small regional port. Now the Port of Darwin is world-class and positioned to play a pivotal role in the nation’s future industrial growth and in the ongoing expansion of the entire AustralAsia region. Only two weeks ago, we saw the arrival in Darwin Harbour of that massive 53 000 tonne transport ship, the Blue Marlin, carrying a 10 000 tonne oil rig. The rig, the West Atlas, will be used to search for oil in the Timor Sea.
The Darwin Port Corporation is a key member of the AustralAsia Trade Route Task Force and continues to work with regional shipping lines and shippers to expand shipping services through the Port of Darwin. The Darwin Port Corporation is a Government Business Division of the Northern Territory government and reports to me through its Chief Executive Officer, Mr Robert Ritchie. It has an advisory board which advises the port corporation on its activities and the manner in which it carries them out. Mr David Looker is the Chairman of the Board. He has an extensive background in international shipping and logistics and a detailed knowledge of ports and commercial shipping in the Asia Pacific region.
The CEO of the Darwin Port Corporation, Mr Robert Ritchie, was appointed earlier this year and was previously the Vice-President Operations Oceania for Wallenius Wilhelmsen Lines and has more than 24 years experience in the shipping industry.
With the increase in port activity, the Darwin Port Corporation is currently undertaking a series of strategic reviews at my request to position it to meet future development demands. A strategic review is under way into the management structure of the corporation. The outcome of this review will be an optimum management structure with a clear definition of each manager’s role and responsibilities.
A strategic land use and facilities utilisation study is also under way at my request to ensure that appropriate port facilities are available to meet the growing trade and shipping activity in the Port of Darwin. A scope of works is being prepared by Maunsell for the Darwin Port Corporation on a master plan and staged development plan for East Arm Wharf, which will take us through to the year 2030 to support and underpin the government’s policy and objectives. The scope of works is expected to be completed this month, with completion of the master plan scheduled for the second half of next year.
With the increased size of ships entering Darwin Harbour, the corporation is undertaking preliminary dredging studies to review accessibility to the port. The study will cover existing berths and channels and incorporate the future needs of our customers.
In the past 12 months, there has been renewed interest in our resources in northern Australia, not just our minerals, but also a focus on our water resources. As we know, this, in part, is the result of water shortages experienced in the south.
All of this presents challenges to the Northern Territory government in providing growth to our infrastructure, but I am confident the commitment by the Martin Labor government to boosting our infrastructure investments in roads, port and our rail spur links means that we are well positioned to benefit from the increased acknowledgement in the region and throughout Australia of the competitiveness of the AustralAsia Trade Route.
Mr Deputy Speaker, I commend the Chief Minister for her statement. It identifies the strength of growth of the Territory, underpinning our regional development, and is a positive statement that provides a focus and direction for the future of the AustralAsia Trade Route.
Mr NATT (Mines and Energy): Mr Deputy Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to support the statement from the Chief Minister on the AustralAsia Trade Route.
Obviously, Darwin’s proximity to South-East Asia is a fantastic gateway for many products throughout the Territory and Australia, for that matter, as has been pointed out, and I will visit that point in my response.
The opening markets in South-East Asia are terribly important to the economy of the Northern Territory. My portfolios of Primary Industry and Fisheries and Mines and Energy make a considerable contribution to supporting that economy.
As the House knows, last week I introduced the Primary Industry Market Indicator, which is an interactive tool for primary industry people to identify potential export markets and identify existing markets that can be readily expanded. It is great that primary industry growers and pastoralists can access this tool, which will be interlinked with export opportunities we have through the AustralAsia Trade Route.
Obviously, a big contributor to our export industry over many years has been our live cattle export industry. It is worth about $250m a year, and it currently stands at about 1.5% of our GSP. The government has had a great partnership with the NTCA for many years, with several focused programs throughout the Territory and, for that matter, Australia, to ensure that the cattle are in good condition for export. The pastoralists work terribly hard with departments on many of these programs. The NLIS system has played an integral role in this. Obviously, tracking animals around Australia, ensuring that they are tracked and they are of good quality, plays a very important role. The Heifer Fertility Project is another one where the livestock carrying capacity of the animals is monitored. Weight Gain Projects have also been undertaken by the department with the NTCA playing an integral role. These programs are there to increase the market share for the Northern Territory in cattle and buffalo for which there is an export area in South-East Asia.
From the Northern Territory in September, 24 557 head of cattle have been exported through the port, which is 4129 cattle up on September last year. The demand for Northern Territory cattle overseas is quite prolific. It is interesting to note that the year-to-date figure on cattle from all over Australia including the Northern Territory, out of the Port of Darwin is 33 836, up on the same time last year. There is a tremendous demand for cattle in the South-East Asia area, and it is great to see that the export of those animals is increasing.
I was very pleased to hear that the Chief Minister paid a visit to Vietnam, and that cattle was very high on the agenda during her visit. Linked with that is education, tourism and skilled migration, but from the cattle industry’s point of view, it was great to have a memorandum of understanding signed with the Trade and Economic Cooperation with the Province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau is a terrific achievement for the Northern Territory. The economy of Vietnam is growing very quickly, and it has come a long way in a number of years. A few years ago, Vietnam probably could not afford to buy some of our cattle. It is pleasing to note that their economy is growing now and that interest has been shown in Northern Territory cattle. The Northern Territory Cattlemen’s Association, together with my department, will be making a few trips there to ensure that interest continues to the point where we hope that shipments will be leaving Darwin to Vietnam by mid-next year. I am hoping I might be able to follow that up with a visit to Vietnam early next year to continue the good work that the Chief Minister has done in that area.
Malaysia is another important market for our cattle. I went to Sabah in October last year for the opening of their abattoir. I met with a number of government officials, export company representatives, feedlot owners, managers and vets within the area. My department’s people are doing a lot of work with people in Sabah to set that little industry up. Unfortunately, they had a misfortune last month where the abattoir burnt down, but we are hopeful that we might be able to work closer with the Sabah government to ensure that we can get that back up and running again, and continue the good work that we started.
I know the feedlot work is huge. I was lucky enough to visit a number of feedlots. The breeding and feed-up programs are working exceptionally well. To make it even more interesting, Northern Territory cattle were involved.
Indonesia is our biggest export market. In the year-to-date out of NT alone, nearly 160 000 head of cattle have gone to Indonesia. We will continue to work with the Indonesian Feedlot Association, together with the Northern Territory Cattlemen’s Association, to ensure that those export numbers are maintained. Research in cattle production to ensure we have suitable cattle to go into that area will be undertaken. I will visit China in early November. We will stop over in Indonesia to meet with the feedlot association to ensure that our ties remain tight and that we continue the good relationship we have with the Indonesians.
Another area that is very exciting, which I have reported on several times over the last couple of sittings, is mining. With the current resources boom, the Northern Territory is playing a significant role. The potential of the Northern Territory with its vast unexplored lands and the promotion that the department is doing is really giving the Northern Territory some impetus with overseas countries, and in particular China.
I mentioned in the House yesterday that interest in the last 12 months has been prolific. We are receiving 50 applications each month for exploration. My department has been working double time to ensure that those applications are processed as quickly as possible. To have the good news that we had in The Financial Review last Friday, saying that Western Australia was falling asleep behind the wheel and the Northern Territory was the go-ahead place is just the sort of impetus and injection we need to create interest within the mining fraternity.
It does not happen by chance. Building the Territory’s Resource Base was a $15m program over four years which commenced in about 2003. That was the catalyst for interest. The department has spent a lot of money on geoscientific work on the ground in many unexplored areas in and around the Territory. The results of the geoscientific work were put straight onto the department’s website and have created a lot of interest. The site is probably a world leader in some cases, which is one of the many reasons we are making good inroads with mining.
We followed that up with Bringing Forward Discovery, which is a $12m, four-year program that started on 1 July this year. Again, geoscientific research of unexplored land will be undertaken so data can be fed back to explorers so they are properly informed and can get themselves onto the land and have a look at it.
It is interesting to note that $18m was spent on exploration in 2000-01 and there were only 333 exploration licences at that stage. That more than doubled in 2005-06 when more than $30m was spent on exploration and 756 applications were processed. I reported to the House yesterday that I was lucky enough to present the 1000th exploration licence to Territory Gold, which was fantastic. They are a great company which has supported the Northern Territory for a number of years. They are doing some good work in the Bonaparte Basin.
We have a China strategy running at the moment. The Leader of the Opposition pointed out that China plays an integral role in our exports. It is a great focus for us. I attended an AMEC conference in Perth earlier this year and the guest speaker was a gentleman by the name of Robert Friedland. He is a Canadian who owns Ivanhoe Mining and he is a world-renowned mining expert. He gave a very interesting talk, which opened when he said: ‘If you think this resources boom is finished, forget about it. With demand from China, India, Japan and Korea, this resources boom is going to go for a number of years’. He quoted some very interesting statistics: half the cranes in the world are on the China landscape; half the concrete poured in the world is poured in China; and a Manhattan is built in Beijing alone every year. So the construction industry in China is going through the roof. That is really borne about by China’s global demand for iron ore.
In 1990, China had 9% of the world’s iron ore stock; in 2005, that increased to 31%. You can see that China wants every bit of iron ore in the world to cover their construction industry. I visited China in November of last year for a mining conference where we promoted the Territory. Since then, we have had 14 Chinese organisations visit the Territory. This year, I will revisit China as part of our ongoing strategy. We have made some wonderful contacts there. The China Mining Association, together with the China Chamber of Commerce, Metals and Minerals have been a terrific association. We have signed a MOU with China Chamber of Commerce, Metals and Minerals. They have over 4000 members and the fact that they have put a link to our website on theirs goes to show that there is interest in the Northern Territory from Chinese companies.
I hope we can continue to develop those links with China. I am looking forward to ensuring that the Northern Territory gets a leg in because there are a lot of states and territories jockeying for position. However, I believe we have a really good foot in to China because the others have not capitalised as we have.
It is pleasing to note that $24m is being spent on the bulk ore loading system at the East Arm port and it is terrific to see Bootu Creek stockpiling ore together with Territory Resources. I was lucky enough to visit Bootu Creek. Mark Lang, their Operations Manager, showed us around for the afternoon. It is a terrific set-up and it was great to see the mine site is really going ahead. The prospects of another 10 years of life paints a terrific picture for the Territory economy.
They have to truck their ore 63 km to the railway siding. They have about 650 000 tonnes per annum over the 10-year life of the mine so bulk storage at the Darwin Port is playing an integral role. It was pleasing to see that the first rail shipment of manganese from Bootu Creek was delivered to the East Arm stockpile area in 2006.
Added to that is Frances Creek, Territory Resources. The iron ore mine started in June this year. I had the luxury of visiting the site where Bruce McFadzean, the Operations Director of the mine, showed us around. He said in June they moved from being an explorer to a producer and they were very excited by their first railing of 2300 tonnes of high grade ore being shipped to the Port of Darwin. They have entered into a three-year freight contract with FreightLink worth about $30m. It is great to see that they are on the ground feeding the demand of China for their iron ore.
The Territory is well poised to capitalise on the inherent logistical advantages of our location. Our direct links and close proximity to South-East Asian countries stands us in good stead.
It was fantastic to hear that a company based in South Australia is also using FreightLink to bring their copper concentrate. Oxiana is bringing 250 000 tonnes of copper concentrate to the Northern Territory via FreightLink on the railway from their Prominent Hill site. To have a 10-year contract to do that is a feather in the cap for FreightLink. The work they did on the ground to ensure that goes out of Darwin Port is fantastic for the Northern Territory. It was a real coup and I congratulate everyone involved.
The Chief Minister has already pointed out the energy industry is a growing export sector. I happened to grab a map from my table before I came down to the Chamber during the luncheon adjournment. The map shows a number of exploration sites in the seas at the top of the Northern Territory. There is Darwin Shoal. Evans Shoal is another big one. There is work in the Bonaparte Basin as well. It is terrific to see all the little areas and the links that we have in close proximity to Darwin. Hopefully, we might be able to expand on the Bayu-Undan gas pipeline. Every well drilled in 2006 revealed hydrocarbons. That is the highest number of discoveries in a year in the Northern Territory. It is great to see that we are having success in the seas north of Darwin.
The Chief Minister has spoken about the operations of the Darwin liquefied natural gas plant and the exports to Japan in February. The gas plant started the commissioning phase in late 2005 and the first shipment went out in February 2006. The Chief Minister gets very excited every Monday when we sit in Cabinet on the 14th floor of NT House when a load of natural gas leaves Darwin Harbour. It is great to see an average one shipment a week.
There has been extensive exploration and drilling in that area. In 2005, there were only two geophysical surveys undertaken, whereas in 2006, there were 12 undertaken, which demonstrates that the interest is really out there.
The Fisheries Department plays an important part in the sector. We have 650 businesses at the moment employing around 1450 people and injecting $153m annually into the Territory economy. There are several niche export markets for the fisheries industry. Trepang is one. Darwin Aquaculture Centre is playing an integral role in the cultivation of trepang, which is in demand in Hong Kong and China. We have a viable market for that species, together with our wild fish harvest, which is great for our Fisheries Department. I am sure that will grow over the coming years.
In closing, the future of the Northern Territory and its links with Asia is very bright. We are the closest Australian jurisdiction to Asia and we are logically the entry point for Asians to come into Australia. It gives me great pleasure to support the Chief Minister’s statement by talking about my portfolio areas. I look forward to a bright future for the Northern Territory.
Mr VATSKALIS (Business and Economic Development): Madam Speaker, I congratulate the Chief Minister on her statement and action on the development of the AustralAsia Trade Route.
Contributing to and underpinning development of the AustralAsia Trade Route is a key priority of my Department of Business, Economic and Regional Development. My department, through the Land Development Corporation, has particular responsibility for developing the Darwin Business Park to lever new industry growth off the port and rail infrastructure.
As mentioned in the Chief Minister’s statement, the business park is well on the way to becoming a world-class freight hub with the capacity to deal efficiently with the rapidly increasing volumes of freight moving in and out of the Territory. While the Northern Territory government broadly promotes and raises awareness of the trade route and opportunities, both nationally and internationally, the Land Development Corporation focuses on providing assistance with developing detailed individual business opportunities. This means working closely with potential anchor customers, including importers, exporters, global logistic operators and international shipping lines, and clearly understanding their business and development time frames.
The Land Development Corporation is currently experiencing strong demand for land within the Darwin Business Park, which has resulted in a number of new businesses taking up parcels of land at the park. Recent activity has also seen the majority of the subdivided parcels being subject to sale negotiations. In the calendar year to date, the Land Development Corporation has achieved sales in excess of $5m, with a forecast of around $9m in the next 12 months. The Land Development Corporation is currently finalising a further seven land sales within the business park, which are to be concluded this year. The Land Development Corporation is also investigating the subdivision of further land at the park to provide an additional 30-odd industrial sites in staged development.
As noted by the Chief Minister, construction of the second stage at the Toll development incorporating Fosters is complete. Development of the John Bain and Shaw’s Transport facilities are nearing completion. The Arnhem Land Progress Association, a financially independent Territory indigenous organisation, has purchased three blocks in the business park to develop a new $16.7m warehouse and cold store facility in partnership with Campbell’s Wholesale, a division of Metcash, Australia’s third force in food distribution. Gaymark Investments is proposing to develop a distribution centre to the value of $8m, and Gibbins Investments is proposing to develop a freight distribution centre. The total value of business park developments in the next 12 months is expected to exceed $36m.
Members should note that the new business park developments are private sector driven. These reflect the high level of confidence among the Territory business community in the short- and long-term prospects for the AustralAsia Trade Route and the Territory economy. Over the years, the government has also put a great deal of work into developing Darwin as regional mining supply and logistics base. The decision to hold a second Indonesian Mining Procurement Forum is testament to the positive outcomes that were generated from the original forum. These forums should be viewed in conjunction with the ongoing program of government support to enable Territory industry representatives to attend events such as Mining Indonesia, which is scheduled to be held in Jakarta in a few weeks time.
The ongoing support of the Indonesian Customs Pre-Inspection Service in Darwin for goods going to eastern Indonesian ports provides further evidence of the positive light in which Darwin is held by both the Indonesian government and major mining companies.
The aim of all this activity is to secure the long-term future of Darwin as a supply and logistics base for mining activities in the region. When taken in conjunction with my department’s work to have Darwin recognised globally as a maintenance and operation base for oil and gas activities in the region, the future looks bright.
I fully support the Chief Minister’s conviction that the development of the trade route will encourage new international trade flows and stimulate economic growth. The proof of the pudding is in the eating.
My department regularly monitors the health of the Northern Territory economy. I do not need to tell you that the Territory is going through a period of strong economic growth. In 2005-06, the Territory was the star performer across Australia with GSP volume growth of 7.5%, and Access Economics estimates a fairly healthy GSP growth rate of about 6.1% in 2006-07. The major economic growth driver has been the Territory’s mining sector.
China’s and Russia’s appetites for our mineral resources have seen significant private investment in new mines, mining expansions and mineral processing facilities. If they think that the resources boom will stop, I have news for you. In today’s The Australian there is an article ‘Bottomless Pit? Why the resource boom will continue’. It is a two-page article about why the resource boom will continue because of China’s continuous development and building boom which, of course, will have an effect on our resources. In one particular case, a private company in Western Australia had a 330% increase in its share price just by announcing that significant ore was found in one of their tenements.
The AustralAsia Trade Route infrastructure has underpinned a significant portion of this new investment, particularly depending on bulk mineral exports. The value of merchandise exported from the Northern Territory has increased by 51%, from $2.7bn in 2005-06 to more than $4bn in 2006-07 as new resource-based investment entered the production phase. While the majority of this rise was due to the Darwin LNG plant reaching full production, bulk mineral export sales of manganese from Bootu Creek and, of course, iron ore from Frances Creek, have also made a significant contribution.
Export volumes and values are expected to rise even further with the commencement of further iron ore shipments from Frances Creek to China. This increase in bulk mineral exports would not have happened without investment in rail and port infrastructure. This means, I believe, the international trade pudding is proving to be very appetising.
The extension of the railway from Alice Springs to Darwin has also delivered economic benefits beyond those related to trade. I refer, of course, to one of Australia’s great train journeys, The Ghan. The Ghan now runs twice weekly between Adelaide and Darwin and brings a substantial number of big spending tourists to the Territory, more than 30 000 northbound passengers in 2006-07 alone. I well recall a previous CLP minister who announced, when they were planning for the train development, that nothing with legs would travel on the train. He told me the other day he was very happy to be proven wrong because now things with legs get on the train. He was not only referring to tourists, but now the Cattlemen’s Association are discussing the possibility of loading cattle from the Barkly region for shipment to Darwin and on to Indonesia and other ports. Obviously, the train has opened a new route from down south to the north. I am not referring to the north of Australia; I am referring to the north of our continent.
The development of the AustralAsia Trade Route is an accomplishment in itself. However, what it delivers to the Territory in economic growth is even more important. Continued efforts are required to maximise the value of the government’s investment in the trade route, including investment in the rail and port infrastructure and international trade relationships. I believe that the AustralAsia Trade Route, together with a range of other new and exciting developments in the resource sector, will continue to drive strong economic growth and deliver wider benefits to all Territorians.
I strongly support the Chief Minister’s statement regarding development of the AustralAsia Trade Route. My department will continue to give high priority to activities promoting further development of the Darwin Business Park, and establish Darwin as a regional mining supply and service hub. In the past, whenever I have gone down south in my previous portfolio to promote mining or even trade, I have always carried with me the map that shows where Darwin is with regards to Australia and South-East Asia.
I always enjoy seeing the expressions on the faces of some of these people who think that Darwin is in the middle of nowhere when they discover we are closer to Singapore and Jakarta than we are to Sydney or Perth. Also, they discover that within 36 hours to 48 hours, they can ship something from Adelaide to Darwin and within a few days, it can be shipped to Manila, the capital city of the Philippines. As a matter of fact, it would take by boat 19 days to go from Sydney to Manila, while something from Adelaide can reach Manila within seven to nine days through Darwin, and that period is shorter for China, Singapore and Jakarta.
The development of the rail from Adelaide to Darwin was a wise investment, despite the pessimistic forecast of some of the people who had a vested interest, and I refer to people who have interests in the ports in Melbourne, Adelaide and Sydney. Of course, to our benefit is the congestion witnessed currently by those ports and the one in Queensland. All of a sudden, Darwin becomes an attractive area. What is more important is, because it is a new harbour, not all areas are taken by freight forwarders; there is still land available. The Land Development Corporation works very closely with the freight forwarders to ensure that there is land developed for them to establish a base in Darwin to forward goods and services from down south through Darwin to where it is needed most, and where most of our clients sit.
Madam Speaker, as I said, to the south of Darwin, if you put New Zealanders and Australians together, there are about 29 million clients; to our north, we are talking about 2.5 billion clients with Darwin in the centre of the universe.
Mr WARREN (Goyder): Madam Speaker, I support the Chief Minister’s important statement on developing our AustralAsian Trade Route, an important statement in which she proudly outlined how the Martin Labor government is strongly committed to supporting the sustainable economic development of the Northern Territory through this government’s strong commitment to the vibrant promotion and development of our AustralAsia Trade Route.
As a professional engineer who has lived in the Territory for almost 30 years, I was very fortunate to be given the opportunity in my working life to be directly involved in the construction of the Alice Springs to Darwin railway. As we all know, the Adelaide to Darwin railway linkage is a key conduit of this government’s actions to maximise our domestic and international trade and business development.
I spent almost four years on the $1.3bn exciting construction project that is the Alice Springs to Darwin railway. I saw it from start to finish. I was involved in other phases, but I will talk for a moment about that particular phase. I was able to see those first bits of clearing going on. We started in Katherine and on a number of fronts. We did not just start one end and end up at the other. We worked at different phases. That was pretty much part of the plan and the innovative approach that we took to the whole project. To see those first days when there was the excitement there amongst the crews and the engineers - everyone was there when we started moving south of Katherine on the first section we started.
We really wanted to get things going and we had a few hiccups at the start. We were trying a lot of innovative stuff right from the start. Some of it worked; some of it did not. However, to be a part of it when we first started cleaning away and the construction crew started going, and everything was happening; there was such a buzz about the whole thing.
I was there at the end when we were laying that last bit of rail to the end of the port. We pulled a few metres short because we needed to ensure that it was ready for the next day for the Chief Minister and other dignitaries to turn up. We could have pushed on and we could have finished it that day but we did not. Right from the start and at the end, the excitement was still there when that crew was sitting there watching the rail crew lay that last bit of track as it rolled up along the wharf. That was exciting and very sad in many respects as well.
I started on the project back in 1983 when the Bob Hawke Labor government decided to look at the railway. I was actually working with the Northern Territory …
Mrs Miller interjecting
Mr WARREN: Madam Speaker, I will continue and I will ignore that remark. In 1983, I started on that project with the Bob Hawke Labor government, and I am very proud of those days. We were looking at the route and I was involved in a segment around the Lake Woods district near Tennant Creek, which the member for Barkly knows very well. I cannot remember all of it, but I do remember flying in there with helicopters and the buzz and the excitement during surveying. That was when the route was first surveyed. Even in those days, we were more hopeful than expectant that the project would go ahead. It was nice to be involved in those early days.
From 1995 to 1997, I was involved with the group called the Australian National which is a South Australian-based group of railway experts and engineers. I was invited to be part of their team as a consultant. I reviewed all the geotechnical work which had been carried out in the 1982 period - partly by myself, but by a number of other people - through the proposed routes and all the reviews that have been funded over the years bringing all that together, so I gathered a very good insight into it. We resurveyed the whole route.
I left the project behind. I think Daewoo was involved at one stage. I remember sitting at the casino talking to some Korean gentlemen about dollars that I had never experienced before when they were talking about wanting to get involved in the project and asking us how much it would cost to do the geotechnical work. My company had just been bought out by a company called Douglas Partners. We were working with them and they were mentioning figures like $11m to start the geotechnical work straightaway. It was really beyond the capacity of our company, even though it was third largest geotechnical company in Australia at the time, to throw our resources into it.
I left the project, came back in late 1999 when we started to put the bids together. I might stand corrected on that, but it was about that time. There were three companies that were pretty keen to get me involved, but I looked at the whole project and decided to go with the inevitable winners, the ADrail Group, mainly because of my connection with the Australian National guys preceding that. It turned out to be the right choice, but even the bidding stage was exciting. We were looking at different ways to be innovative and ways we could develop the project using a risk management approach, but also adopting innovative ideas. It was quite a small team at that stage, probably about 20 people involved. A lot of the work that I did in the 1995 to 1997 period where we subdivided the whole route into terrain units, was used as a basis for bidding on the project. It was exciting to be part of that, because it meant we could cost the whole project based on similar areas. It was a very important part of the bidding process and was an element of us winning the bid.
Now the rail project is completed, I can visualise every kilometre of that route, every section of it, because I spent so much time up and down that railway. The exciting and innovative construction was absolutely fantastic to watch. Day by day, there were sections rolling out towards each other and, when the teams got together, it was really exciting stuff. People do not appreciate how big it was; it was the biggest construction project in the Territory. There were many townships in the bush. People did not see them because they are off in the bush somewhere. They would pack these townships up and, over about a week, they would move them on to another spot every six months or so. It was just incredible. You would go down and live in first-class accommodation in isolated areas in the middle of nowhere. That was part of the vibrancy of this whole project.
We had 100 potential bridge sites to look at. We drilled all those sites. We had massive cuttings to go through and these were things that I was involved in as the geological engineer. As I said, there was excitement watching the final stages of the ballast and the laying of the rail, the teamwork, and the different crews. People were really keen to do a good job. People talk about construction companies wanting to take short cuts, but that was never the case here. People really wanted to do the best thing. From the basic room cleaner in the quarters in the little townships to the top engineers - everyone wanted to do the best job. Of course, we were constrained by expenses but, ultimately, we wanted to do the best job. We knew we were ahead of time; we knew we were going to make money on it, so that really made the quality element a lot easier.
My final involvement was with the construction and reclamation of saline muds in areas at the port end of the project. This was the final stage of my involvement. We had to basically remove a hell of a lot of saline muds and I had heavy involvement in that. We were looking at carting materials to reclaim it some 50 km from Mt Bundy at one stage, but that is where my involvement in this project came into play. There were materials on-site at the old leprosarium area, and the hills there. I knew, from my geological background, that that would be ideal material. We were able to access that, thanks to the government. We were not only able to cut our costs and be able to reduce the haulage, but we were able to speed the whole project up and bring it forward so that areas like the development park were able to be brought ahead on stream, and we were able to match up with the track laying, which was steaming ahead.
To watch that last bit of rail, prior to the Chief Minister and the dignitaries coming down, rolling onto the wharf was a really sad period because the railway was a major part of my working life over a number of years, but particularly during those three to four years from 2000 to 2004. It did not quite end there. I had the opportunity to work as Construction Manager for the Bootu Creek access road, which the minister for Mines spoke about a little while ago, which is 63 km. I worked on the camp facilities there, the radial stackers and the site investigations for those. There was a bit of involvement there with the radial stackers for Bootu Creek and subsequently, Territory Iron.
I am sorry I have a spent a little time on this. Well, I am not sorry. You have a chance every now and again to reminisce a little about some good times and some experiences and, yes, I am very fortunate to have had that opportunity.
I will get back to what I want to talk about, and that is the critical element of the AustralAsia Trade Route, which does not just stand alone. If you look at what the government is doing across the board, you can see the linkages across the board and the coordination. Since the Martin Labor government was given the mandate to govern in 2001, the Territory has not looked back. This government has turned our economic misfortune under the CLP mismanagement into a sustainable economic future under a the Labor government, with the foresight and the clear vision and direction for a prosperous and vibrant Territory. In doing so, the Martin Labor government has clearly seen the AustralAsia Trade Route and its development as pivotal to development and growth of our lifestyle, which is the envy of the rest of Australia.
I love the Territory. I am a proud Territorian, and this is a great place to raise a family. This government has invested heavily in our future. I am truly and unashamedly proud to be part of such a visionary government. Labor is clearly the natural party of government in the Northern Territory. The strong economy benefits Territory businesses and Territory families, and our economy is not only strong, but sustainable. This government, through its promotion and direct investment in our economic development, is ensuring sustainable growth of both Territory businesses and the lifestyle of economically health Territory families. This has all come about because of a combination of major project promotion, developing our trade opportunities and responsible, fiscal management by the Martin Labor government.
Business activity is at an all time record. Our economy is strong, robust and growing. Our gross state production is now at a healthy 7.5%, driven mainly by investment, investment which, I am proud to say, has been attracted by the Martin Labor government’s responsible management and development of our economy.
Others can see the benefits of investing in our vibrant economy, but not our opposition, of course. They still live in the doldrums of the past, continue to talk down the Territory at every opportunity and, in the next breath, they claim to be proud Territorians. Sadly, they cannot bring themselves to acknowledge the fact that they and their families are reaping the benefits of what the Martin Labor government has delivered to them.
While investment so far has been the principal driver behind our very healthy gross state product growth, the seeds of investment have begun to germinate. Our strong and robust economy is increasingly being driven by production outputs. It is forecast to grow at a healthy 6.2% to mid-2008. In other words, our future GSP growth will be on the back of long-term, sustainable production growth, so we are entering an exciting phase in the Territory’s development. Of course, the AustralAsia Trade Route is a vital part of this government’s growth.
The CLP does not have the capacity, I guess, to see this in the big picture of how a capable government runs a sustainable Territory economy for the true benefit of our great Territory lifestyle. They do not understand that, because they have a leader who focuses on the small picture and mistakenly thinks she is on to a winner. She is a leader who does not understand the basics for what is truly important to Territorians. That was very evident by her speech and her poor effort in response to the Chief Minister’s statement. She is a leader who does not understand that Territorians want their government to deliver them economic prosperity and the benefits that brings. The opposition, unfortunately, is in a shambles; in disarray, out of touch with Territorians and nowhere near ready to govern.
I am proud that I stand here in late 2007 espousing the record of the Martin Labor government. We are entering exciting times which will benefit all Territorians, but this government is not content to rest on its laurels. This government continues to invest in our infrastructure, the training and upskilling of our workforce, research and development of key economic areas, providing tax cuts and incentives to business and families, promoting the Territory’s trade opportunities and, as the Chief Minister detailed, promotion and development of our AustralAsia Trade Route and its links. Most importantly, there has been a planned focus to this government’s investment in the Territory across the board to ensure this is strategically spread across the broadest possible range of governmental activities.
Departments are working together in a coordinated manner to ensure we maximise our opportunities for sustainable growth and development. Equally as important, this investment has been geographically spread across the whole Territory. Our government investment now has opportunities in trade, infrastructure and the construction of the Territory, and sees us lever larger-scale private sector investment in the building of our Territory. That is a key element of what I have been saying. Of course, this means a strong and vibrant economy, jobs for Territorians and their families, and jobs for our prosperous Territory lifestyle.
By adopting this approach to investing in a range of opportunities and projects, which have the greatest potential to help develop the Territory, both large and small across the whole Territory, the Martin Labor government has adopted a fiscally responsible approach to positioning our burgeoning economy for sustainable growth. This is called spreading your investment and is a basic and sound economic principle. The AustralAsia Trade Route promotion is a key element of this focus.
Contrast this to the previous CLP government’s crass approach of trying to pick winners, gambling with our Territory economy. What happened? Like all gamblers, they lost and we ended up with the infamous economic black hole. By putting all their eggs in the one basket, they failed basic economics. I do not believe they have the capacity to do any better now; they are still locked into that stubborn mindset.
The Martin Labor government has transformed the Territory and we are now leading the nation in economic prosperity. This government is committed to delivering for all Territorians well into the future. Our investment in the AustralAsia Trade Route will be a conduit to our economic development, extend our economic opportunities well beyond the Territory’s borders, and is positioning us on a global stage.
Madam Speaker, I thank the Chief Minister for her most important statement and I eagerly look forward to further updates.
Mr WOOD (Nelson): Madam Speaker, I am staggered by some of what the member for Goyder had to say. History is history, and whether you like them or not is irrelevant, but I am of the understanding that the CLP government built the port. Maybe I was dreaming. I do not mind having a go at the previous government’s policies, but let us not change history. These are not the days of an indoctrinated version of history. Whether you like it or not, the CLP government did a lot of good things, especially in developing the Territory. If you do not admit that, you make the rest of your statement about the good things the government is doing look silly.
I am going to stand here today and say that, in many cases, the government is doing plenty of good things. I am referring, in my case, to the port because the member for Katherine and I were invited to visit the port recently. The CEO, Robert Ritchie, was good enough to show us around. Having just returned from the Barkly where I visited Bootu Creek, to visit the port and see where the ore mined at Bootu Creek was now being delivered to the port, and the bulk loading facilities and how that is all set up, I thought was pretty good stuff. This is what our port should be. For a long time, the port has been one of those pie-in-the-sky things.
When it first came into being it was meant to link up with the railway and we were going to have these super catamarans delivering fresh fruit and vegetables from southern Australia through to Asia. I remember those maps with lines going all over the place …
Ms Martin: Not our maps.
Mr WOOD: Yes, but the initial vision was this quick movement between here and Asia using very fast boats. That might have been the idea at the time, but things have moved on and that has not happened.
Other things have happened, one of which is Bootu Creek. Now we have Frances Creek iron ore coming on stream as well, which is great. They have their own facilities at the port for handling their ore at the port.
The port is heavily involved with cattle. We do not ship our cattle on the rail. It is all still done by truck. Whether there are any future possibilities of the rail being used for live cattle exports, I do not know but, at the moment, we are still using trucks.
We saw the oil rig tenders at the port. They are important for the oil and gas rigs to the north. Another area was container shipping, which was loading for China at the time. Even though some of these things are in their infancy to some extent, they do highlight the fact that we are starting to develop these trade routes. There have been lots of ups and downs. If you look over the years, there have been promises about a trade route here and there, and some of those things have lasted for a little while and fallen over.
I would not say they have struggled, but the port and rail have gone through a period where they have had to develop these industries to make them more viable. The use of the rail, especially by the mining industry - Bootu Creek and Frances Creek are just two, but there is also the possibility of mines opening in Batchelor and increased uranium exports through the wharf - mean the port and the rail facilities will get bigger and bigger as time goes on.
I left the tour of the Darwin Port very optimistic about what is happening. They have had some issues with repairs and maintenance to some of the rods that hold the wall snapping. There are still some problems but they have to be sorted out by the original contractor.
There are other things happening, with biofuel tanks now situated in that area. The port is something we can all be proud of. Regardless of the history and of what people say your government or another government does, it is infrastructure that, as time goes on, will be helping the economy of the Northern Territory. Without it we would probably still only have the Port of Darwin which, although it is very nice to have fish and chips down there, the days of loading cement and lots of moo cows are well past ...
Mr Kiely: You miss the cracker boat, do you?
Mr WOOD: Oh, absolutely! The port was a farsighted project of the previous government. I have been critical of the design of the port because I thought that a land-backed wharf would affect the tides in the harbour. However, I have been told that is not the case. We have a wharf that is growing in use by industry. Hopefully, we can get more imports through the port because that is a relatively small part of the use of our port. Exports are our main use. As time goes on, we will find that both the port and the rail become more viable and this all bodes very well for the economy of the Northern Territory.
My main reason for speaking on this tonight is to thank Robert Ritchie and his staff for showing us around the port. It was very informative.
As much as the member for Goyder might expound the virtues of the present government - and he is entitled to do that - from the point of view of people wanting to read the history of the development of the Northern Territory, it is no good putting political blinkers on to the extent that you do not realise that there was another government before that. They did certain good things. You are taking over some of their infrastructure and you are supporting it because you are now developing that infrastructure to a further stage. To some extent, when we are talking about AustralAsia Trade Route, we do not need too much politics; we need to say this is good for the Territory and leave it at that.
Ms MARTIN (Chief Minister): Madam Speaker, I thank all those who have contributed to this debate for their constructive words. I include the member for Nelson; thank you. I am disappointed that the member for Katherine did not speak seeing she seemed to interject so strongly on other members and complained about the work of her own party not being recognised. It would have been good to have the member for Katherine make a contribution rather than snipe from the sidelines. If the member for Katherine feels so strongly that no one recognised the CLP’s contribution to the Territory’s economy in the past, then on your feet, member for Katherine, and make that contribution.
We heard from various ministers about the impact from their portfolio areas on building the trade route. From the minister for Planning and Infrastructure, we heard of the importance of the right infrastructure and what it means to be able to get the results we have so far regarding the trade route and where we need to go in the future. From the Minister for Primary Industry, Fisheries and Mines we heard about the importance of the cattle industry and export of that trade route - some of the areas that we are developing. It certainly is exciting that Vietnam has become a potential export destination for our live cattle.
There was some early work done by the previous government in Vietnam in relation to export of live cattle. It was not successful. On my last trip to Vietnam, there was some questioning about the Territory’s ability to deliver live cattle and success of those live cattle ventures because of a previous CLP minister and the lack of success of that venture. Sometimes, we recognise the CLP in government and its successes in building the profile of the Territory in Asia, in developing the economy, but there are also some downsides. Sometimes, when you are working in Asia in what you think are new areas, you forget that some of the lack of success can come back and bite you. We can overcome this and we certainly will when it comes to live cattle trade in Vietnam.
The minister for Mines talked about the importance of mines, the export of ore and the importance of the railway to some of those marginal operations where the resource was known. However, to get that resource to market, the railway has made the critical difference, and we heard about a marginal mine moving to viability because of the AustralAsia Trade Route.
The enthusiasm always from the Minister for Business, Economic and Regional Development about the future is contagious and I thank him for that, but also the important role of the Land Development Corporation and the Darwin Business Park. It seemed lonely for a long time. We had Toll in there but, very quickly, the confidence the first investment bought has seen a significant expansion of businesses we wanted at the business park to do with export operations and freight forwarding. That is happening. Really, in the time since the business park was established, that has been relatively quick.
I thank the member for Goyder for his contribution. We do not mind a little indulgence about the personal involvement of the member for Goyder in building the railway. It was a fascinating story, and we thank him for that.
This is an important statement for the Territory. There has been a lot of money invested in the trade route: the $1.3bn from the railway; the $200m in the port; and the other associated developments including the $24m for the bulk loader. They are all significant investments. At the time, there was almost a leap of faith from the previous government in the port - and it has been realised, but strategic investment must be made. The Darwin Business Park, the port infrastructure, the railway, the other associated developments, are all decisions made by government with a plan for the future.
Yes, this government built on the work done by the previous government. I will go to some of the myths perpetrated by the Opposition Leader in her contribution to this debate. She started in a gentle mode - which is unusual for the Opposition Leader - saying she definitely supported the statement, and that the things we are doing to build the trade route deserve not to be fought over, but deserve bipartisan support. I wondered where her speech was going. She complimented government on the work we are doing in Asia, and urged us to continue the work we are doing, and that certainly was welcome.
Then we came to some of the myths that are perpetrated by the opposition regarding our economic development and what should be an alternative. I would like to first go to the small lecture that the Opposition Leader gave me about the work of a previous Chief Minister, Shane Stone, the former member for Port Darwin, and the former Premier of Western Australia, Richard Court. She asked why are we are competing with Western Australia over the Ichthys field, and why I do not do what Richard Court and Shane Stone did and go to China and really get out there selling products to the world.
You have to be careful with those kinds of statements because, while the previous Chief Minister Stone did that, no results were ever produced for the Territory. It is all very well to go whisking off with the Western Australian Premier, to sell whose gas to create the relationships? You had a Territory Chief Minister, hand-in-hand with the Western Australian Premier. Who got all the deals? Not us! Certainly, the Western Australians did well. To be fair, the Western Australians had an established gas industry and they had infrastructure. If you look at Karratha and Dampier, yes, they had infrastructure. Yet, the Opposition Leader said this is the way we should be dealing with it.
If this is the way we were dealing with it, we would never have Darwin LNG. To say that I should be following a previous Chief Minister’s example and courting Western Australia is simply wrong. It is a myth. I do not know where the Opposition Leader gets her information, but to say that is a role model is rubbish. It does not serve the Territory, it did not serve the Territory at the time. Her comment about it all being very well to go to Japan and talk to the Chair and President of INPEX, but I think her words were ‘too little, too late’ about the Ichthys field.
I am not going to go into detail because I have previously been into detail here, but we have done quite a considerable amount of work on this, not just one trip to Japan. We have never said that the option of bringing the Ichthys resource from the Browse Basin to Darwin is plan one. We are saying it is the back-up. Quite clearly, INPEX, logically, wanted to bring that gas onshore to the closest possible point but, since they made that decision, there have been a lot of complexities in achieving it. There has been considerable environmental concern from people, not just on the north of Western Australia, but around Australia. There has been considerable concern expressed by the Aboriginal people in the area about the impact on a pristine coast. There has been complexity in what was the INPEX first plan for this resource. It was when those difficulties developed that there seemed to be an opportunity to say: ‘If the project has slowed down and you have deadlines, then an opportunity is here for Darwin’. Initially it was not there, but we looked at where those opportunities were, and have worked for quite some time now with INPEX. The Opposition Leader saying ‘too little too late’ is rubbish. That is not the case. We looked at opportunities as they emerged.
The difficulties for INPEX, of course, are the costs of building pipelines. The cost of building pipelines has increased quite extraordinarily. The capital investment has increased quite considerably over the last few years. In bringing any gas to Darwin, the issue of the cost of the pipeline, which is about 1000 km, is a very serious one.
However, we are pleased that we have presented a case to INPEX when there did not seem to be any possibility before. There was no reason for us to approach INPEX, but we were happy to do so quite some time ago as these issues emerged. We presented to them an alternative case. They are taking that alternative case very seriously. To have the Chief Minister say where there is an opportunity let us present a good case is terrific. It is certainly the response that we are getting from INPEX. We are not setting out to compete with Western Australia; we are looking at where resources are, where there are problems and how we can provide opportunities for Darwin.
Had we said this three or four years ago, we had no track record about these major projects. Now, you can go and say to INPEX: 'There is an LNG plant here. We have a workforce that can support it. The project was delivered by Bechtel with a lot of Territory workers, on time and at the standard they required'.
So we can deliver; we are not just a greenfield site. We delivered an LNG plant successfully, working with the private sector. This government has achieved a track record with major projects and an LNG plant. That says to other companies: 'We can do it'.
I place on record that for the Opposition Leader to wag her finger at me and say: 'Too little, too late' is wrong. There is a very careful strategy. It is not competing with Western Australia; it is providing an opportunity for INPEX if the initial project does not emerge as they first saw it. It is good.
What I said about the Territory not getting a contract out of the work that was done by Richard Court and Shane Stone is interesting. China and Western Australia have a relationship. Our relationship has developed with Japan, and that is where the LNG contract has gone ...
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, please pause. I have just received word that Hansard cannot hear us. If you could remain in your seats until we find out whether or not Hansard does have sound for the record. We will suspend for five minutes until the ringing of the bells.
Debate suspended.
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, would you like to continue? I believe Hansard can hear us now.
Ms MARTIN: Okay, if we have Hansard back on board, I do not have a lot more to say. Another issue that was raised by the Opposition Leader was Glyde Point. She criticised our decision to protect Glyde Point. I will not go into detail on that. I want to deal with the member for Katherine and the Opposition Leader’s words regarding gas coming from the Bonaparte area to Darwin. It was interesting on radio this morning - and this was repeated by the Opposition Leader - the member for Katherine was slightly confused and referred to gas coming onshore at Channel Point. We concede that she was probably talking about Channel Island at the time. These are some of the myths that are perpetrated. The member for Katherine said: ‘The CLP had a deal with ConocoPhillips that said that if they got land here they would deliver gas to Channel Island Power Station’. This is the most fanciful stuff we have ever heard. What is a deal? Is a deal a contract? A deal must be a contract because if you are ever going to deliver anything you need a contract to do that. I say definitively there was no contract. There was no deal ...
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms MARTIN: There was no arrangement, as the member for Katherine is claiming publicly. This is gross ignorance by the member for Katherine who does not understand what was happening at the time.
If the CLP government had a contract with ConocoPhillips to deliver gas into Darwin we might have seen this, member for Katherine. There was no contract. I have checked definitively and there was no contract. I do not know where the member for Katherine got her information, but it demonstrates myths and fancifulness from the CLP that do not serve them well now. I will give a little history of what was happening at the time.
Bayu-Undan’s deal was known about. ConocoPhillips, as the operator of the field, was having discussions about where they could sell the gas. It was a very productive liquids field. They were conducting discussions about where they could sell the gas. I will take you back in time. There was a company called Methanex. We were talking about a methanol plant here. There was a lot of discussion happening there. Some of those discussions with Methanex included maybe some power in the process of trying to put what was a proposal together. I am sure there were discussions about if we need to get buyers of the gas then maybe Power and Water could be one of those. There was never a contract, never that kind of deal that the member for Katherine talks about ...
Mrs Miller interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms MARTIN: That was one thing that was happening, and I think the member for Katherine should be quiet. A parallel process was in a market that was difficult to find buyers for LNG. It is very different now, but it was difficult to find buyers for LNG. ConocoPhillips was negotiating with its Tokyo Electric Tokyo Gas to see if they wanted to take LNG.
Bayu-Undan is not a big field in terms of gas. It is a very rich field but it is not a gas field like many other gas fields around. It is a reasonable size, but not big. The deal that was negotiated by ConocoPhillips was for all that gas to go to LNG. That is the decision they made commercially. There was no contract with the Northern Territory. They were the operators of the field. We have a situation where the member for Katherine has simply misled the public and the Opposition Leader has misled this House. There was no deal. There was no contract. Yes, there were discussions, but there was no deal.
We have a contract. We have done the deal and we have gas coming into Darwin, very competitively priced gas. The member for Katherine was not in the parliament at that time, but she should go back to the person who briefed her and say: ‘You have misled me because there was no deal and no contract’. There were discussions. Always there are discussions about what can happen with this gas resource, but to say there was a deal, member for Katherine, is very wrong. You are misleading the public, misleading our community. She implied that there was some relationship between the land negotiated with ConocoPhillips at Wickham Point and an arrangement that they provide gas to Channel Island. Show me the bit of paper; show me the contract. You are misleading, member for Katherine. You are definitely misleading.
You have to understand the scepticism of some members of this side of the House when the CLP in opposition makes up things about what they did in government, and then the Opposition Leader says to me: ‘You did not do much for your first two years in government. You did not do much for the trade route’. We were building the railway line, for heaven’s sake. How can you have the AustralAsia Trade Route when the fundamental part of it is not built? This, again, is myth perpetration. We were getting gas back on track in those first two years because the previous government had so much bagged Timor Leste that they were not prepared to have discussions with Australia and the Northern Territory because of the bad mouthing of the previous government. That is another myth we have to set aside about what was being done.
We were also finishing the port. In those first two years, no activity, she said. We were building the railway, we were finishing the port. There is still more work to be done on the port. We were getting gas back on track and that announcement was made in 2003. We were doing nothing in our first couple of years and, importantly, recovering an economy that was on its knees. I say to the CLP: do not perpetrate myths. Yes, you made in government great contributions to the Territory, but do not perpetrate myths. Tell the truth about what happened. Tell the truth about getting this economy so low that we had no growth. Tell the truth and we will recognise quite happily the work that you did about the railway, but do not pretend you did things you did not do and recognise the damage that you incurred.
Madam Speaker, we are building the trade route. We are all proud of that. It is a bipartisan issue and I particularly thank the hard-working public servants in my department who go out there and do this hard work day after day. They are fantastic.
Motion agreed to; statement noted.
Mr STIRLING (Treasurer): Madam Speaker, I move that the Assembly do now adjourn.
Seventeen students from the Yirrkala homelands schools recently obtained their Surf Rescue Certificates, a first for our indigenous communities. The course was delivered by Surf Life Saving Australia with the assistance of volunteers from other surf life saving clubs.
The five-day course included learning basic first aid, resuscitation, distress signals, board and tube rescue, recognising different types of surf and rips, and a myriad of surf facts. The instructors were receptive to the English as a second language status of the students and conducted a very hands-on training program. The students completed the course in the allocated time with very good results. As the communities are surrounded by waterways and beaches, the newly gained skills will benefit homelands people. Congratulations to Surf Life Saving Australia for this initiative in expanding their knowledge and training into indigenous communities.
The local football season closed on a high note at the end of August with a very close and exciting grand final match between Baywarra and Saints. The second half was tremendous, with both teams fighting hard to control the game using the wind effectively, and there was sensational play through the centre. Congratulations to Baywarra, the winners on the day, in their debut season, the second indigenous team in the history of the competition to take out a flag in their inaugural year. My thanks to Gove AFL President, Des O’Sullivan, and the committee for a great season of football, recognising the huge amount of voluntary work and time carried out to ensure a successful season.
Dhimurru and Parks and Wildlife have been working with tourist company, World Expeditions on a ghost net cleanup event south of Cape Arnhem. The two groups collectively removed 139 ghost nets as part of their program. Sixteen World Expedition clients from around Australia, two World Exhibition guides, six Dhimurru Rangers, and Parks and Wildlife Ranger, Phil Wise, made up the cleanup team. Everyone camped on location and participated in cultural activities when the tide was not right for collecting the ghost nets.
These intensive cleanups are extremely important to clear coastlines of all ghost nets and marine debris. Data was collected and recorded where nets where found. There are currently 18 indigenous ranger groups around the Gulf of Carpentaria, from Galiwinku to the Torres Strait, involved in the award winning Carpentaria Ghost Nets Program. I thank Steve Roeger, Phil Wise, the Dhimurru Rangers and all those involved in helping to decrease the environmental impact these nets have on marine wildlife.
Senior Sergeant Tony Fuller, Officer-in-Charge of Nhulunbuy Police Station for some years, is to depart Gove and it will be a great loss to the Nhulunbuy region as he takes up a well deserved promotion to Superintendent in Darwin in two weeks time. Tony has been at the forefront of the Alcohol Management Plan devised by our local Harmony group to alleviate alcohol concerns within the region. It is a successful strategy that will be implemented once the federal government’s alcohol laws are deemed to be unworkable and unreasonable in our region.
Tony’s exceptional commitment to his job is testament to the relationship and the respect he has with the Yolngu communities and the township of Nhulunbuy. He has always participated in community events. He coached our local football teams and, for me at a personal level, was always just a phone call away for any issues of concerns on behalf of constituents. I wish Tony, Eli, Daniel and Kane all the very best as they move back to Darwin. I sincerely thank them for being such an important part of our community.
The Relay for Life fundraiser was staged over the weekend of 8 and 9 September. The well attended event commenced on Saturday afternoon, concluding Sunday morning, with 236 walkers competing in 13 relay teams. Over $45 000 - not bad for a small community - was raised for cancer research. My thanks to Fiona Pearce and her team of helpers for organising such an important event, and to the community for participating in a generous way. Over $30 000 of that $45 000 was raised at the G3 camp, from the construction guys working on G3 for Alcan, so a special thanks to them. We are all affected in some way by this illness and I congratulate everyone who contributed to the weekend.
Congratulations to Samantha Zeigler, the Territory’s top VET student this year. Samantha received her award at the awards dinner in Darwin last month. A student of Nhulunbuy High, Samantha has been a resident of Nhulunbuy for eight years. She enrolled in the VET program last year when she was in Year 11 and completed her Certificate I Business as well as Certificate I Hospitality. This year, Samantha is completing her NTCE as well as taking on the extra load of more vocational education training in Business II, Hospitality II and Certificate I in Information Technology. I congratulate Samantha on receiving the award. Her dedication and hard work have paid off, and again Nhulunbuy High School has provided excellent training for these VET students.
Alcan Gove dominated the Mine Rescue competition held in Darwin recently, taking out first place. Their Emergency Response Team was named 2007 Champion ahead of six other mining companies from across the Northern Territory and Western Australia. Congratulations to the Emergency Response Team, a credit to Alcan, and all its employees in benchmarking their safety performance as a priority within the organisation.
The Heart Foundation and Kellogg Australia announced the Yirrkala Dhanbul Council a winner of the 2007 Northern Territory Local Government Awards recently. The Dhanbul Community’s Active Cooking Program has been highly commended in the programs that improve heart health in priority groups. The council was recognised for the policies and programs which encouraged better health in the community. The program is a collaborative nutrition and physical activity program. It provides regular opportunities for Yolngu young people to learn and participate in a healthy lifestyle. I congratulate Dhanbul Community Council and the healthy lifestyle team on their award.
Congratulations to Dean Bloomfield and Geoff Bellinger from Gove and the Northern Territory Eight Ball Team on winning the Timor Cup in Kupang recently. It was a great effort by Dean, who captained the team and was named the Northern Territory’s Best and Fairest Player. I used to play darts with Dean many years ago when we had a darts competition, and he is an accomplished all around sports person. Well done, Dean.
Mr Deputy Speaker, I raise this as a lifelong and devout supporter of Australian Rules in this country and express my disappointment and sadness at recent events, particularly the arrest of West Coast Eagles footballer, Ben Cousins in Perth yesterday, which I think has again highlighted the inadequacy of the AFL’s policies to deal with drug use and abuse in their code. It is no secret that alcohol and drug abuse has been prevalent at West Coast for a long time. The recent death of Chris Mainwaring from a suspected drug overdose strengthens the belief that drugs have been a problem for this club since its inception.
I followed the reporting of the death of Mainwaring and the outpouring of grief at numerous services in his honour across Western Australia. Not one person in Western Australia raised the obvious: what is being done to eradicate the current culture of drugs in place at the West Coast Eagles? I refer to Patrick Smith in The Australian:
The secrecy provisions within the AFL Code concerning players’ drug use does no one any good. It is widely known another AFL club has a number of players in rehab for drug abuse. However, it can only remain as rumour because the AFL Code stipulates that no one is allowed to name the club or the players. I can tell you that every person in Melbourne who follows AFL can name the club and the seven players named in that report, but you are not allowed to under the AFL Code.
Keeping the issue a secret under the AFL Code leaves no one with any confidence at all that the policy works. Aside from that one other club, there is no speculation that any of the other 14 clubs have the ongoing, deep-seated drug issues which are so apparent at West Coast Eagles. This puts a lie to the commentary and the claim, particularly from the West, that the problems at West Coast exist in every club, in every other code and right across the community at large. That is an absolute denial of the facts.
What is true is that AFL footballers, once established within their playing lists, are fabulously paid and have a large amount of recreation time once they have met their training commitments. Tragedy strikes when players fail to show the same self-discipline in their private lives as they show in their pursuit of sporting excellence. If we look at players such as James Hird recently retired, Andrew McLeod, still going, and Nathan Buckley, also recently retired, who come to mind as hugely successful role models for Australian youth, it is a crying pity that their efforts are demeaned by the downfall of Cousins and others of his ilk.
Cousins had an absolute golden opportunity to say sorry with sincerity, and mean it. He had an opportunity to prove he had overcome his addiction and that his rehabilitation was successful, and to get on with his football life. He has failed on every count. The AFL has a system of three strikes and you are out. That is absolutely three strikes to me. If the West Coast Eagles are too inept or too gutless to act, which I suspect is the case, then Andrew Dimitriou and the AFL must. The paying football public inside Australia - excluding Western Australia, I do not believe we will hear a peep from them - will demand no less.
Mrs MILLER (Katherine): Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, tonight I want to speak about tourism and address the AEC report which has been commissioned by government to address changes in the tourism industry in the Northern Territory. I suspect there was a motive for doing this. Having come from a regional tourism area, there has been an effort for some time to try to amalgamate the smaller RTAs into larger tourism associations, meaning Tennant Creek into Alice Springs and Katherine into the Top End and Darwin. That has been ongoing for some time.
By government establishing this consultancy was one way for them to be able to say: ‘Okay, we are going have some figures and statistics just to show how ineffective things are in regional tourism associations’.
Today in Question Time, I quoted from page 91 of the AEC report:
I asked the minister how many RTA members had responded to the operator survey and whether he could break these down into each of the four RTAs. There was a specific reason for that. The report referred to ‘69.5% of regional tourism association members’. We all know that surveys can be jigged to suit whatever you want them to do. What I was asking was how many tourism operators in the Katherine region had responded to that survey. Over 200 members belong to the Katherine Region Tourism Association and if only five of them returned a response, how can you make an assessment about what should happen to the association? That is the reason I asked for the number of respondents.
The minister said it is not in his report and:
What the consultant has done is accurately reported the number of responses that he has had to his survey. What I want to know is how many people responded to the survey. Decisions are going to be made about regional tourism associations that are going to have a lasting impact on the community.
Katherine is one that is highlighted because we have a strong executive in Katherine which has been putting a lot of effort into the Katherine Regional Tourism Association over many years. What happens when the focus goes away from the regions, as we all very well know, is that they start to lose their identity.
I am not only speaking from my own perspective. Today I have received two e-mails from people in Katherine - and this was without any prompting from me, so the rage is there. I have contacted these people and asked if they mind if I include their comments in the Parliamentary Record tonight and they have both given me approval. I would first like to read an e-mail that was sent to minister Henderson and it has been copied to me. It is from Kevin Gray, the Director of NT Technology in Katherine. He is also Chair of the Chamber of Commerce. He wrote:
It is with regards, Kevin Grey.
Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, I have another e-mail that was sent to the consultancy group from Manbulloo Homestead and I quote:
It is dated 16 October 2007. I believe that the minister has received a copy of that. The reason that I am putting these on record is because I believe, as these members have quoted in both their e-mails, this consultation is seriously flawed. The data is not available and it suggests to me that it is a deliberate attempt for an argument to have the funding for marketing from the Regional Tourism Association in Katherine - and I am speaking specifically for Katherine - taken from that area and moved to the Top End. I said in my response to the Tourism statement only last week, before this was highlighted, that I was really annoyed that the AEC consultation has been targeted specifically at disbanding the RTAs.
I sincerely believe the effort is to absorb Tennant Creek into Alice Springs and Katherine into Darwin. The KRTA Executive in Katherine has met, and I know that they have met with the minister. They are pretty upset that they are not having their questions answered. Their questions are: ‘Why can we not have access to the number of people who responded to the survey? Is it because of over 200 members of the Katherine Regional Tourism Association, a very small minority responded to the survey? Does that mean to say that, on the say so of those very few who did respond, a decision will be made that is going to have a pretty significant effect on the Katherine region?’
I ask the minister to ensure he gets that information from AEC because government did commission the consultant. It is really important to reassure the KRTA Executive. I do not know if Tennant Creek have followed this up at all, minister, but I know that the KRTA is very concerned about it, and so am I. I do not want to see the marketing for Katherine Regional Tourism Association moved out of the region for many reasons about which I spoke in response to your Tourism statement the other day and again today.
It is of serious concern and I know that, unless they get those answers, they will really smell something bad. I do not want that to happen. There needs to be open consultation if Tourism NT wants to make some strategic changes, but please come down and talk to the people in Katherine, and please …
Mr Henderson: I was down there last week.
Mrs MILLER: Yes, and I was not there; I was here. Pease talk to the people in Katherine, please listen to them, and please ensure that the AEC report is not just a smokescreen for Tourism NT to try to implement something that I know has been underlying for some time.
Ms SACILOTTO (Port Darwin): Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, this evening I wish to speak on a recent bereavement that has impacted on me and my constituents of Port Darwin and others in the wider Territory community.
I express deep regret at the sudden and unexpected passing of Mrs Monica Sharp, and feel that it is appropriate that I share a little of Monica’s life to be included in the Parliamentary Record forever, as Monica is included our hearts.
I acknowledge in the gallery the presence of Monica’s loving husband, Mr Eric Sharp, and Monica’s dear friend, Mr Cyril Young. Monica Sharp, or Mon as she was known, was born on 28 September 1946 and passed away unexpectedly in Darwin on 14 September this year.
Monica lived with her husband, Eric, at their home in Nakara. She was a true Territory woman - adventurous, full of life with a spirit that cared for others. Monica was born to Raymond and Hilda Cadney in Gevelinghausen, Germany. She was the eldest of two children born to the Cadney family, and her brother Roger was seven years younger.
Monica’s family resided in Germany for a time, as her father was in the British Army. Unfortunately, when they returned to England, life was difficult as there was an abundance of anti-war sentiment against German associations. Monica later returned to Germany to work as a secretary in a steelworks company. In January 1969, Monica met Eric Sharp, who was to be her husband and the love of her life. Eric was also in the British Army and love blossomed between them, even though there were other soldiers competing for pretty Monica’s attentions.
On New Year’s Eve in 1969, Monica and Eric wed and began their married life in Monica’s one-bedroom flat, with a single bed, until they were issued with married quarters nearly two years later. I am told their married life was adventurous, as Eric was posted to numerous operational areas, and they set up home in Northern Ireland, Hong Kong and back in Germany many times. It was while living in England at Catterick Camp Military Base in 1971 that they became parents for the first time, to Samantha. In 1974, Caroline was born in Bristol. Monica really loved the family’s time in Hong Kong and taught English to Chinese Nationals.
The family wanted to migrate to Australia and, when Eric retired from the Army in January 1987, he flew to Sydney with the Russian airline Aeroflot. I am told that Monica was always looking for a bargain and Aeroflot was certainly that. In November 1987, Monica and their daughters arrived to be reunited with Eric who had found work and a home for his family. Apparently, there is a standing joke in the Sharp family in that Monica, the bargain hunter, the girls and the family dog, Patsy, flew United Airlines which made Patsy’s airfare more expensive than Eric’s.
Monica soon found employment and was a clerk for Pacific Dunlop in the Battery Division, and later with Templar Marketing.
Monica was a wonderful mother, wife and travelling companion to Eric. She loved her daughters to bits and there were always words of love and encouragement, but she could also get their attention when it was required.
In 2000, Eric and Monica became a couple of grey nomads and set about travelling Australia. However, after only four months, mainly in the Centre, they arrived in Darwin, decided to stay for a while and got jobs. Monica worked at Cullen Bay Serviced Apartments. Two years later, they resumed their travels, taking in the west coast, south coast, Tasmania and, later, Sydney. About this time, they received a call from a friend wanting to know if they wanted to work in Armata, which is about 150 km from Ayers Rock. Eric and Monica took up the challenge and spent six months managing the local community store. They also worked at Hermannsburg before returning to Darwin.
Settling back into life in Darwin, Monica joined the Australian Red Cross as a care worker in a position she held until she unexpectedly passed away. Monica was a very community-minded person and, during her life, she was a member of the New South Wales Bushfires Brigade, a volunteer for the Arafura Games and a very active committee member for the National Seniors and the Land Cruiser Club. Monica had an effervescence and enthusiasm for life and all it offered to her. She loved the bush and enjoyed nothing better than to be with Eric and their friends sitting around a camp fire enjoying a glass or two.
As I said, Monica was a true Territory woman who had found her niche in the Territory. She loved the Territory way of life and was fascinated by Aboriginal culture, their ability to live off the land, bush medicine and bush tucker. She also loved history in general and loved to go to the movies with Eric, especially to see true stories.
It is well known to her friends and family that Monica loved a bargain, and her favourite colour was blue. She was an avid Queensland supporter in the State of Origin and had a standing bet with her son-in-law, Con. Only a few months ago, one of her ambitions was achieved when she and Eric completed their tour around Australia and visited Cape York.
I close with the words of her friend Cyril Young:
Lived respected, and died regretted.
Mr BONSON (Millner): Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, tonight I pay tribute to a well-known Territorian and two young Territorians who, no doubt, in years to come, will be well-known Territorians.
The first is John (otherwise known as Jack) Stephen Cusack, who was born on 24 June 1935 and passed away on 26 September 2007. Jack Cusack was a well-known Territorian. His family contributed over many years to the Northern Territory. Unfortunately, I was unable to attend his funeral as I was attending to duties in this House, but I extend my condolences to all of the family, in particular Johnny, Jeff and Dave and the rest of the gang. It gives me pleasure to read a testimonial for Jack Cusack entitled Vale Jack Cusack: Gentleman, Leader, Botanist, Teacher. It was presented by Dick Williams:
Mr Deputy Speaker, the Cusack family is well known, not only through Jack, but through his sons in all facets of Territory life. No doubt they will carry on his proud name and believe in what he represented in his life.
In the short time I have left, I want to talk about two special constituents, young fellows who have made their families very proud. Some people may have read of an incident at Freshwater Creek last year where a group of young fellows, like I did many times over the years, after school went down to Freshwater Creek to have a swim through the rapids. Whilst they were down there, they found a rope tied to a tree in the middle of the creek and they were swimming from it when a freak of nature occurred. One of the young fellows had caught his neck in the rope, the rope had snapped sharp and was choking him. If it were not for the actions of his two brave comrades, we might have had a tragedy.
They were awarded the 2007 Pride of Australia Award for Bravery. Their names are Brandon Turner and Stephen Hoffmann. They saved the life of their cousin, Sebastian Young. Sebastian, 13, was strangled when a rope swing became tangled around his neck at Rapid Creek. He was instantly knocked unconscious and his limp body was left dangling on the end of the rope. Stephen and Brandon, both 14, jumped in the water and held Sebastian’s body up to take the pressure off his neck. They managed to get the rope off his neck and dragged him to the bank. They checked his pulse and raised the attention of a passer-by who took Sebastian to Royal Darwin Hospital.
I know their families are extremely proud. I have known them for a long time. It was a great honour for the family, and you can see by the photographs I have from the Northern Territory News, they both dressed up for the occasion wearing their best outfits with ties. That is how highly they considered the Pride of Australia Awards. I take this opportunity to read into the Parliamentary Record the story covered by the Northern Territory News. The headline is: ‘Teen Heroes’ AFL reward’:
I was proud to donate tickets to these young men. I know their families, particularly Norman and Tanya, and they are very proud of their sons and their relations. No doubt, they will contribute the remainder of their lives to the benefit of all Territorians.
Ms CARNEY (Araluen): Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, I want to talk about Bradshaw Primary School, which I have done before. I have to say that in the present circumstances, it does not give me a great deal of joy to do so again.
The circumstances are that the school was broken into twice in the space of one week a couple of weeks ago. Interestingly, sadly, the people who live on or around Adamson Avenue and Van Senden Drive in Gillen have been subjected to smashed residences and vehicles in relatively recent times. Unfortunately, there seems to be a spate of crime in that area based on the reports I am receiving. Sadly, increasing crime is reflected in the recent crime statistics released by government. However, it is Bradshaw Primary School and what happened to that school that I would like to talk about tonight.
There is no doubt that the two acts of outrageous and cowardly vandalism really did shake up the school community. Everyone who has an affinity with Bradshaw School was pretty rocked by what happened. The teaching staff, management support and parent council have worked incredibly hard this year to position the school as a great education facility, rich in cultural diversity and sporting ability. As a result of these acts of vandalism, it is now time to rebuild the confidence of people involved in the school. Of course, nothing knocks someone’s confidence more than something they know and love - be it a person, a school or a community - being the victim of an act of violence or vandalism.
Bradshaw really is a great school. No community or facility deserves to be broken into and damaged. Bradshaw has been doing so well. In March this year, Bradshaw held a fantastic Harmony Day celebration to promote and celebrate the diversity of the school and the community, complete with whole school assembly, classroom discussions around diversity, respect and teamwork, and a lunchtime cricket match that was part of Australia’s Biggest Cricket Match with schools all around Australia playing cricket at the same time. The finale to Harmony Day was the multicultural evening, combining international food tasting and entertainment that was a wonderful event bringing the whole school community together. It showcased great talent. Members will recall that I have spoken about Harmony Day at Bradshaw on a previous occasion in this parliament.
Harmony Day was followed by: a highly successful annual sport day attended by students in their house colours; and families, school choir and individual participation in the Eisteddfod; a group of students participating in the Tournament of the Minds competition; a week-long NAIDOC celebration and family barbecue lunch; and, most recently, the school concert where all classes participated and sang songs celebrating Australia.
I was unable, very sadly, to make that concert, but I know many people who went. I am assured, but not surprised, that it was a fantastic event with great student and teacher participation, one that openly displayed how wonderfully well the school has been operating, how well the children are learning and growing into our future, and how the children are growing into fine young Territorians.
The very last thing on the minds of those at Bradshaw school as they wrapped up another successful term in 2007 was the idea that a group of wayward youth, based on all reports, would inflict such mindless vandalism on the Bradshaw Primary School, and not just once but twice in the space of a few days. The first time, the vandals entered the school and literally smashed it up. The second time, they plastered walls with graffiti and smashed more windows. I was recently advised that a tomahawk was used. It appears as though it was a premeditated act. I am not sure I know of too many people walking around town with a tomahawk. The intent of those who did this damage seriously has to be questioned.
As a result of the attacks, the hard-working teaching staff spent some of their mid-term break restoring 11 classrooms that, I am told, looked like a bomb site after these acts of vandalism. Thirty computer screens were smashed, as well as 12 glass doors and windows and eight internal doors. Each and every teacher’s desk was ransacked. While the school is insured, it does take time, as we know, to restore or replace damaged items.
Ultimately, it is the students of Bradshaw Primary School who suffer. Predominately, this is the final year students in Year 6 who suffer the disruption as they transition to middle school. Facing a damage bill, as I understand, of more than $50 000, the community pulled together and, luckily for Bradshaw Primary School, indigenous organisations, businesses, Alice Springs schools and family, came to the rescue. More than 40 computer screens were donated. Members of the community showed up to help clean up the classrooms in time for the start of school last week, and what a magnificent effort it was.
Alice Springs is a great community. I have said that before and will say it again. I was not surprised that so many people got together to tidy up the school. What is outrageous is that they had to do it. We wish the police well in their endeavours to try to catch the – well, I am not sure that I can find a word for them - but to try to find the offenders who did this. I hope that they are punished appropriately.
I met with Ursula Balfour, the Principal of Bradshaw School, last Friday when I got back from the first week of parliament. I also met with Mel Philips. I spoke with them at some length about the damage that was done and they certainly were quite overwhelmed by the community support that they received as a result of these acts of vandalism. It does not come as a surprise to me that people got together to pitch in and help out, first because I know my community well, I think, and because of the high regard that people have for Bradshaw School in my electorate.
I know that people are working behind the scenes to look for solutions. The school community is of the view that one act of vandalism means they are unlucky, but two in the space of only a few days does require some sort of action to be taken. I wish those people, including principal, Ursula Balfour, the wonderful staff, parents and friends, and the school council well in their endeavours to find a solution in such a way that might better protect their school in future.
With those words, Mr Deputy Speaker, I conclude. However, I say to Darwin-based members if you are in Alice Springs and you want to see a terrific school and get to meet a great school community, call into Bradshaw. They do a great job. I am sure all members share with me my outrage and disgust at what happened to Bradshaw Primary School only a couple of weeks ago.
Ms McCARTHY (Arnhem): Mr Deputy Speaker, recently we lost one of the Territory’s most respected Aboriginal leaders, and one of the pioneers of indigenous tourism.
Burlany Nawurrpbarnbulu was a Senior Guide and Director of Manyallaluk Aboriginal Corporation and so very highly regarded within the community. Burlany was born in Central Arnhem Land and is a member of the Myalli language group. He was raised in a traditional way, hunting with spears and learning from his own tribe as well as neighbouring tribes, Jawoyn, Rembanga and Gunwinku.
His family started to trade skins, snake, crocodile and buffalo, with traders at Maranboy to obtain tobacco, flour, sugar and steel axes, then returning to the stone country. This evolved into working on Eva Valley Station for the Dry Season mustering and working on a surrounding tin mines, but returning to the stone country during the Wet for ceremony and traditional teachings.
Eventually. his family settled on Eva Valley Station among their extended family, the Jawoyn. When the Jawoyn bought Eva Valley Station, his own family decided to try tourism and formed an agreement with the Jawoyn which was incorporated as Jarwurluk. They formed a joint venture with Terra Safari Tours and called their company Manyallaluk. Manyallaluk is a small spring near the homestead which is Sand Frog Dreaming. It is a women’s site and is where women swim when they want to become pregnant. Some of his many stories are being told today through Manyallaluk Aboriginal Cultural Tours, which include basket weaving, spear throwing, fire lighting, painting, learning about the didgeridoo, and short, informative walks learning about bush medicines and bush tucker.
During his time in tourism, he became known as the Northern Territory’s premier cultural guide. His extensive traditional knowledge and outstanding people skills have expanded his reputation to all corners of the international market. His outstanding humour and trademark smile made him popular with all who met him. His willingness to share his culture and story with outsiders was evidence of his generous and caring nature, his sense of humour very much pronounced when a tourist once asked if he could eat a certain berry. His response was: ‘Yes,’ and just as the tourist was about to put the berry into his mouth, he said: ‘but it will kill you’.
He had been on many trade missions with what was then the Northern Territory Tourist Commission, promoting his Aboriginal products overseas, interstate and within the Northern Territory. He attended the major international tourism trade show in Germany, ITB, in the early 1990s and was the driving force behind Manyallaluk winning awards at the National Tourism Awards and Brolga Awards in 1993, 1994 and 1995 and being inducted into the NT Tourism Hall of Fame.
In the year 2000, he guided two descendants of Ludwig Leichhardt, who returned to the Territory to retrace the steps of their ancestor through south-west Arnhem Land. He helped guide the Jawoyn and Parks NT in documenting the thousands of rock art sites encompassed by south-west Arnhem’s escarpment country - a mammoth task, but this was something that he loved to do: to share his knowledge so that his culture could live on. He was doing exactly that when he passed away, sharing his knowledge of his beloved stone country whilst guiding a group of scientists from Curtin University, Charles Darwin University and the CSIRO who were conducting water and fish studies in the Katherine region.
His advice and knowledge on the concentration of feral animals in the Katherine district has been instrumental in the eradication of thousands of horses, donkeys and pigs under the Feral Animal Project, which commenced in 2005.
Burlany was one of the original senior men involved in setting up the West Arnhem Land Fire Abatement (WALFA) project funded by ConocoPhillips. Having grown up in the Eva Valley area, his knowledge of the upper Katherine River, together with his traditional Aboriginal knowledge of burning using ceremonial and hunting methodology, was significant to the project. The WALFA project simulates this traditional method of breaking up the country into a mosaic and rotating burning in the ceremonial way.
Mr Deputy Speaker, the WALFA project has recently won the inaugural Eureka Science Award for solutions to climate change. Burlany was the Senior Fire Manager who, along with Long Johnny Dewar, helped protect the Manyallaluk community by relying on traditional ceremonial knowledge and fire awareness.
As well as the numerous projects Burlany was involved in, he and his wife, Anna Bolgi, looked after many children, including his own from his extended family. He will be sadly missed by Anna and Tanya Bolgi, the Dooley family and his numerous close friends and family.
Mr WOOD (Nelson): Mr Deputy Speaker, I would like to speak about two issues tonight. The first is the rally today. I thank all the people who took part in the rally. I appreciate that they had to take time off work, many of them, and some of them had to travel quite a distance, but they were of one mind when they came to Darwin today. They simply ask the government to rethink its rigid time line on the local government reform and say that whilst reform is good thing, the process government is going through at the moment is too rushed and has not brought the community along with it. They would like you to start again, bring the community along, so we end up with a good process. People are genuinely saying to the government: ‘We are not opposing the principle of reform; we would like you to do it better’.
I also thank the people who helped organise today, which was a wonderful exhibition of people power, if you want to call it that, where people came to voice their opinion to government. They did not come to abuse government or demonstrate any anger in a physical way. They had a good time, decorated their vehicles in the red, white and black, which is symbolic of many of the sporting clubs in Litchfield Shire. That was done on purpose because the issue that has very little discussion in this debate about local government and we do not see in a business plan is the issue of community. Black, white and red is symbolic of what our shire, the Litchfield Shire, is about.
It is 22 years old and has other things besides council meetings, council chambers, budgets and rates. All those things might be important, and that is what a lot of the discussion is about. However, the other side is that it has a heart, which is made up of a lot of people who have lived in the Litchfield Shire for some time. When I passionately fight for my council, I am not fighting for me or the bricks and mortar of the council; I am fighting for the council as part of a community of people, which is something that was lost in this debate from day one.
I go to a lot of sporting club training nights and presentation nights. I go to things like the Old Timer’s Bingo on Wednesday, the Fibre Craft Guild at Humpty Doo Village Hall on Wednesdays as well, there are all sorts of martial arts at night going throughout the shire at Humpty Doo, Bees Creek, Howard Springs. We have scouting groups, the Rural Garden Club, church groups, schools that are associated, you might say, with Taminmin, but they are all part of the Litchfield Shire. There is a feeling that you belong to something. That is important, and that has developed as the shire has developed. The shire is still relatively young, yet one has the feeling that it is going to get cut off in its prime as it is developing.
Someone else thinks they can do a better job and that the economic modelling was not up to scratch. Someone else said the services that were being provided were not adequate, but they forgot to ask us and they forgot to involve the community. The same community is that football club, that rural garden club, those pensioners out there and the shopkeepers who run small businesses. No one has asked them for their opinion.
Transition committees do not represent the community. They have a number of people who were picked to attend meetings on a Wednesday, a working day, when very few people from the public can attend. If you could attend, you had to be invited, and if you were invited, you had to listen in silence and were able to speak for four minutes. I hardly regard that as adequate community consultation.
Community consultation is going out to the public and saying: ‘The government wishes to reform local government in the Northern Territory. We are considering changes to your area, including large amounts of unincorporated areas such as Dundee, Marrakai and Douglas Daly. We also would like to propose that some of the existing councils should amalgamate with other councils’, and then allow the community to have a think about it. Call some public meetings, allow people to have their say, allow people to put up ideas. Do not rush the timetable because the world is not going to drop dead tomorrow if Litchfield Shire Council still operates.
Take in a lot of what people are saying. Do not just use the one model. That is what is happening at the moment. There is one model being developed to fit all, and that is a big mistake. The shires of Barkly and the Central Desert are not the shires around the Top End of the Northern Territory. They are different in geography, climate and people. Yet, there is this belief that for economic reasons - and I keep hearing the economic rationalist behind all of this - we must have one model to suit all. The Top End Shire, as the government, unfortunately, keeps calling it, with the Litchfield Shire, is the first cab off the rank and that model is being used as the basis for other shires. That is a great mistake.
I ask the government again: please hold off. Nothing will happen if this is held back even for one or two years. They are still collecting rates, building roads and mowing lawns at our reserves. All those things are happening; there is no problem. However, if you are not careful, you will destroy that community because the community will feel that it is not part of the reform process.
When Litchfield Shire started, there was a group of residents who sat down and worked out some ideas about how a council should start. Through meetings and discussions in the area, they agreed on the size of the shire, the wards of the shire, council meetings and the types of rates. They elected the CEO, Peter Visentin who was with the council for 22 years. He was appointed by the council.
Now we have a process where the government has told us the size of the shire; the government has told us how many shires; the government is going to find us a CEO, not the council; the government has set the rates; the government has told us the type of rating system; the government has set the timetable - the government, the government, the government, the government, the government! I do not hear ‘community’ and that is a major failing.
This government says a lot about openness and transparency in its philosophy. That may be, but it should apply it to local government as well. I support the government being open and transparent. People might laugh, but the one thing I always enjoyed about this Litchfield Shire Council was that it was set up to have two meetings a month. If you are trying to save money, I will tell you how: it had all committee meetings on the one night so that no one could claim a sitting fee for each committee. They had three committees, and it convened them all on the one night to save money.
It also set up a system whereby it had two public forums. You can attend any council meeting at Litchfield and you can talk about anything in relation to Litchfield Shire at that meeting. There is nothing you cannot talk about. At the end of the meeting, there is another public forum to discuss what is being dealt with during that meeting. John Maley, who was the first President, believed very much in allowing the people of Litchfield Shire to have a say about their council. That is an important philosophy.
We have moved from the community having a say, an open and transparent council. I say to people sometimes when they blame their council for different issues such as whether they want dog by-laws or swimming pool: ‘Have you been to a council meeting? It is no good complaining about your council if you do not go to a council meeting and put those complaints’.
I had a gentleman phone today complaining about his road not having been sealed. There is a process for sealing roads, which is another innovative process in Litchfield Shire. If you have enough residents on the road who want it sealed, council will put them on a list and that road will be sealed. He said he believed that the council had made a wrong decision because they were not going to seal his road. I said to him: ‘The basis behind Litchfield Shire is you have a democratically elected local government and you can attend the meetings and tell members of your local government you think they are wrong. They will vote in front of you and you will be able to see whether they support you or not’. It is a very simple, open, down to earth form of local government.
I heard some ministers say that Litchfield does not provide this or that. That is irrelevant. That is the concern of the residents and they can express their concern at the ballot box of local government. They can express that concern by attending meetings. They can express that concern by writing letters to their representatives in local government. That is their business.
Unfortunately in this debate, we have two modus operandi to argue for the removal of Litchfield: one is that they are not providing the services that people want; and two is that the council is not viable. Whilst we can argue about the non-viability of the council - and I will argue that at another time - the issue of whether the council is providing good or bad services is not an area this government should be using to demolish Litchfield Shire Council. That is an issue for local ratepayers to take up. If I do not like the services my council is providing, I either put my hand up at the next election and say: ‘I will stand for election to that council,’ or you find someone in the community who wishes to stand who agrees with you, and you vote for them. It is that simple. That is the process. That is what it is about.
I have heard the Chief Minister say we do not have a library, a swimming pool and a rubbish dump. Regardless of the history of those issues, it is for the people of Litchfield to decide. It should not be used as a means to drive a wedge in the community so that you can argue the case for the dissolution of Litchfield Shire.
In relation to the non-viability of the council, I simply do not understand where the minister is coming from. The minister has talked about financial models. He has spoken about there not being a model for expert advice over a long period of time. Once again, he has mentioned the model. Then he mentioned the draft business plan, as he did today. This evening, he mentioned the model done up by his department. All this confusion, unfortunately, seems to say the minister is on very shaky ground as to showing proof of why Litchfield is not viable.
I am passionate about the future of local government in the Northern Territory. I want it to be done on grounds that are sound and correct. At the same time, I want the government to realise we are a community. It is not just about the dollars and cents and the rates. We are not just about business plans. We are a community that has developed over time and we are proud of that community. I enjoy living in that community. I do not want to see that community destroyed simply because we have some economic buffoons in the department who can only see economic rationalism as the reason for doing this. We need to do better. We need to involve the community and, until we can involve the community, this reform process will be a hollow one indeed.
Mr HAMPTON (Stuart): Mr Deputy Speaker, tonight I wish to speak about one of the communities in my electorate of Stuart, Yuelamu, also known as Mt Allan. It is similar to many other small communities around the Northern Territory in its history and the services it provides. Just to give a bit of history of the community, it was formerly known as the Mt Allan cattle station and was purchased by the Aboriginal Development Foundation in 1976. In 1979, it became a claim that was lodged under the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976. The claim was granted and title deeds handed over to traditional owners in 1988, but that took nine years and several court cases.
It was a long-running claim that, as I said, went through several court cases, but eventually the traditional owners, the Anmatjere people of Yuelamu, Mt Allan, were granted their title deeds to the community in 1988.
Yuelamu is one of several Anmatjere communities in the region. The Anmatjere language group covers about 1000 people in the region, including communities around Ti Tree, going west across to Laramba or Napperby and then on to Yuelamu. It is home to the Anmatjere people. It is a small, tight community but, in the language group, it extends right across to Ti Tree and east through Utopia.
Yuelamu is very similar to other small communities. It has a school, store, women’s centre, men’s centre, crche, a clinic and council office, excellent work sheds where the young fellows do a lot of training, particularly in heavy machinery, and, like other communities, it has a football oval. That latest addition to the community is a BMX track, which is slowly taking shape with assistance from The Broken Spoke bicycle business in Alice Springs. It is right near the school and the kids are getting very excited as it moves closer to being completed. It gives them another recreational activity.
The community has grown since the early days of 1979, from 76 people to about 300 now. With this growth, there have been a lot of challenges, and one of the positive things that has come out of it is the Anmatjere people’s talent in the art industry. Probably one of the most famous Anmatjere artists was the late Clifford Possum. Unfortunately, Tjapaltjarri, which is his skin name, passed away in 2003 not long after he received the Order of Australia, which was very sad. Many other great artists have come through that area of Mt Allen or Yuelamu.
It certainly has had its share of challenges, including relying on fresh or potable water. This goes back five or six years when the dam, which was the main source of potable water for the community, dried up. Through that region, severe droughts are having a big impact on the community and Yuelamu felt the brunt of it with their only potable water source drying up.
At that time, my predecessor Peter Toyne fought hard in Cabinet to secure funds from this government to invest in works to improve the capacity of the dam. I am proud to say this government put significant money into that through a lot of the hard work by Peter Toyne, and I acknowledge the great contribution from this government. In the vicinity of $1m of works have gone into the dam. Over three years, the people of Yuelamu have done it hard, having to survive on bottled water being trucked in from Alice Springs. I know, having visited many times, the hard times they went through.
We all take water for granted. We can go to a tap and get cold potable water but, for the people at Yuelamu, for three years they had to survive from bottled water being trucked in. They were hard times for them and it was fantastic to have our minister, my colleague, the member for Karama, out there on 7 September officially launching the dam works, which include building a new wall in the middle of the existing dam and making half of it 5 m deeper, which will reduce the amount of evaporation. The walls of the dam were raised so storage capacity could go to 1000 mL, and the water treatment process was upgraded and a new water holding tank installed.
Work was completed early this year. The old men at Yuelamu waited very patiently for this because, not long after it was finished, there were unusually high levels of rain in that area. So, with the minister coming out on 7 September, it was great to see all that work had been put in. The commitment from this government to invest in that work paid off in both ways because the dam is full, 13 m deep, so it was a fantastic occasion.
Also on that day, the minister had the privilege of awarding one of the local lads, Norm Hagan, his certificate. Norm is a great young fella, his family are from there, he is a local young Anmatjere man. I had the pleasure of playing football with Norm many years ago. It is good to see young blokes like this step up. Norm has become the Essential Services Officer for his community. The minister had the pleasure of presenting Norm with his Certificate II in Remote Area Essential Services, which he had completed through Charles Darwin University in partnership with Top End Group Training. On top of that, we had the opening of the dam, and it was great to see plenty of water in there, but it was a great occasion when Norm could show the minister his skills in turning on the new engine of the pumps for the dam to get the potable water in the dam flowing through the tanks and through the community so that people can now drink from taps.
I acknowledge those young fellows, working on CDEP at the time, who participated in the dam project. On one of my trips out there, the young fellas raised the concern that they were not being included in the construction of the dam. One of the main parts of the dam project was to lift the walls around it to increase its capacity. The young fellas are great operators of graders, dozers and water trucks so it was a pleasing result to be able to get eight weeks’ work for these young local fellas to work alongside the contractors and get certificates out of it.
It was a great occasion and means a great deal to the people of Yuelamu after three years of drinking bottled water. It was a great commitment from this government to invest in the dam so it created employment and jobs for the locals. To see Norm Hagen get his certificate was a great achievement for the whole community.
The other event I would like to mention I attended at the community recently was a book launch. On 17 September this year, I had the pleasure of launching a book, Anengkerr angkety which are the Anmatjere words for ‘dreaming stories’. It based around the history and knowledge of an old man there, Jack Cook Ngal. It was published by Batchelor College Press. I will quote a couple of paragraphs from the book. It gives a bit of background and history about the old man, Jack Cook Ngal:
The book is a fantastic achievement not only for the old man, the Anmatjere people and Batchelor Press, it is great for the kids as well. Some of the art work in that book is fantastic.
At this stage, I acknowledge some people involved in developing the book, including: Jenny Taylor, Lecturer in Art and Craft at Batchelor College; Jenny Green, who compiled it, is well known as a linguist and her work on the late W Rabuntja’s book A Town Grew up Dancing; Gail Woods, Lecturer for the Centre for Australian Languages and Linguistics at Batchelor College; the artists who did the great art work in this book were local Anmatjere people including Rowena Larry Ngwarray, Veronica Tilmouth Kemarr, Lisa Cook Mpetyan, Caroline Stafford Pwerrerl, Rowina Stafford Pwerrerl, David McCormack Penangk, Loretta Abbott Ngal, Amarantha McMillan Pwerrerl, Susie Stafford Pwerrerl and Shaun Quinn Penangk.
Briefly, that is a summary of the Anmatjere people at Yuelamu and two great events, the opening of the new dam and the book launch.
I will quickly acknowledge some Alice Springs people who represented the NT in the National Darts Championships this year, and thanks to Chippy Miller who passed this on to me. The championships were in Tasmania, I understand, and the players were Chippy Miller, Lavena Phillips and Linda Galanatt. Lavena Phillips threw the only 180 for the Northern Territory women, a great achievement. Chippy Miller threw three 180s. The combined total of 180s for the NT was 29. Unfortunately, there were no national selections out of it but, in Chippy Miller’s words, it was probably the best performance from an NT darts team in seven years.
I also acknowledge my late Aunty Ivy Hampton who was inducted into the National Darts Hall of Fame.
Mr NATT (Drysdale): Mr Deputy Speaker, I would like to outline a few things that have been happening in my great electorate.
I was happy to read in The Palmerston Sun newspaper of Wednesday 3 October, of a young person who I have had quite a bit to do with in the Palmerston region. The article was captioned ‘From Candy Bar to Manager at 24’. The story featured a terrific young person who, for the past eight years, has worked at CMax Cinema. Kathryn Gooding started as a teenager and, as the caption suggests, she started behind the Candy Bar and today she holds the title of Marketing Manager. I know Kathryn through her work at CMax where she does a fantastic job for a terrific cinema. I have witnessed her energy, enthusiasm and creativity in her work as an event coordinator with the Palmerston Regional Business Association. I know the President of the PRBA, Mr Wayne Zerbe, is extremely pleased to have Kathryn assist him with his functions and some of the office duties. He often comments that he considers himself to be very lucky to have such a capable young woman assist his efforts to promote the PRBA businesses whilst also undertaking full-time work as the Marketing Manager at CMax. I congratulate Kathryn on her promotion, although it is a little belated, and I wish her the very best in the future.
The Good Shepherd Lutheran College is a great little school that is going ahead in leaps and bounds. I have often spoken about them in my adjournment debates. This year, they competed in the International Pedal Prix with a team of about 23 students. It is the first time, I understand, that a Northern Territory school has participated in the Pedal Prix. It is held in Murray Bridge in South Australia each year and it is a 24-hour endurance event, the largest of its type anywhere in the world.
I know from my past experiences in South Australia that it commands a lot of attention in South Australia, and to have a Northern Territory school represented down there is a great feather in their cap. The school had two entries, the Northern Terror which completed 241 laps and covered 498 km and finished 47th out of 75. They had a second bike, the Croc Attack, which completed 216 laps for 446 km, and they achieved 50th place of 70 competitors. Well done to the students and the hard work that they did over those 24 hours. They were heavily supported by parents and staff, and I thank them for their assistance. In particular, I thank the Cheal and the Vozzo families who drove down to Adelaide and back to Darwin with all of the equipment. The Gill family assisted them and, between the three families, they organised the camp site and all the food for the teams while they were competing in the event.
I thank Sarah and Dave Mott, Tom Leach and Simon Hughes who accompanied the students to Adelaide for the event. Simon Hughes, the deputy principal at the school, put a lot of time into the event, organising the bikes and helping train the team. I know that the school thanks him dearly for organising this event. It is a great life experience for those who competed in the very successful weekend. It is interesting to note in the school’s newsletter that a couple of students who competed have made some little comments, and I note a couple of them. Emi said:
Brittney said:
Dannielle said:
Lindsay C had an interesting comment and said:
Obviously, he had some side effects and did a bit of sleep talking with all the exhaustion after peddling the bike through those many laps.
Congratulations to the school, the parents and support staff but, most of all, congratulations to the 23 students who competed in the event. I am sure that the school will go onto bigger and better things when they organise the event for next year.
Talking about schools, the pupils, teachers and parents of Durack Primary School, with some assistance from the Conservation Volunteers Australia and under the guidance of the teacher, Heidy Rubin, who is an absolute driving force, created a new feature for the school: a frog pond. The frog pond will provide a sanctuary for frogs away from the harm of cane toads and it will provide the venue for several classes where the children will learn about cane toads and the techniques for preventing their spread and, of course, nurturing our native wildlife in healthy and friendly environments, in particular, our green tree frogs.
I extend my congratulations to Heidy, Mr Joe and all the children from the school who put their efforts and time into creating such a great feature at the school. Thanks are also extended to Greg from Palmerston Garden Supplies and Mr Wayne Zerbe from the Palmerston Regional Business Association who supplied and organised the materials for the project. Without that assistance, the ponds would not have been built. My sincere thanks go to Greg and Wayne for the organisation and supply of those materials. The project is a wonderful set-up. A large pond will take pride of place and is surrounded by two smaller ponds. When the shade is erected and more plants are established, it is going to be a wonderful tropical environmental feature and will be fascinating for our little green friends to set up home in the future.
There was another major community event held recently that included a Palmerston component and that was the Cancer Council’s Relay for Life. It was conducted at Gardens Oval. We had participants from the Palmerston area, the Palmies in Pyjamies and Team Palmlesstonnes and, together, they raised around about $7000 for the Cancer Council. It was an 18-hour event and was fabulously well attended. It was not too exhaustive an experience and all participants who undertook the walk enjoyed it despite a massive and unexpected pre-Wet Season downpour. They had a great time and are already looking forward to next year. Well done to Denise and Peter Rowe. I met Denise and Peter through my Palmlesstonnes involvement when we had a couple of walks from my office. Denise and Peter started walking this year and it is great to see that they have continued. I know Peter is feeling a lot better for it and Denise tries to get there as often as she can with her crook back. It is terrific to see their progress and that they are participating in a lot of local events.
The 2007 Panasonic World Solar Challenge will start this weekend. It starts in Darwin and heads down to Adelaide, crossing our vast and imposing continent from north to south using only sunlight for fuel. Of course, I am talking about the solar cars. It is a landmark year, the 20th anniversary. One of my schools, Kormilda College, is competing for the seventh year. They have entered their vehicle Towards Tomorrow. The team has been out practising very hard to compete with some of the very experienced and well-supported teams from around the globe. Some of them have been in Darwin for over a month setting up their vehicles. I am looking forward to seeing them tomorrow and over the weekend.
Towards Tomorrow has outrun and outlasted competitors in its own class as well as competitors with multimillion dollar budgets from other countries running in more advanced classes. It holds its own among the best. It is great to see that the students are using their combined strategies, ingenuity and familiarity of the event over the years. They seem to be going from strength to strength each year. They are competing against countries such as Japan, the United States, Germany, New Zealand, Canada, Malaysia and the Philippines. It is a great event. The students benefit greatly from the organisation and the camaraderie they have with the other teams. It is a skill-sharing exercise where they have a lot of team building. They make new friendships and, meeting teams from other countries, they learn a lot about those countries and about the set-up of the vehicles on the road.
It is a fabulous event. I know that drivers, Tom Hamilton, Rachael Boor, Stephanie Braun and Tom Scanlan will share the drive to Adelaide. They have been having some familiarisation at Hidden Valley on the go-karts strip. They have been practising since early September. I want to acknowledge the sponsors that are right behind Kormilda: MKEA Architects and the Charles Darwin University are their platinum sponsors. Their gold sponsors are Bank SA and Power and Water, and their silver sponsors are Merit Partners and All Financial Services, with special thanks to Linfox FCL for bringing the vehicles back from Adelaide, which is great support from them. The bronze sponsor is Norsign.
It would not be complete without mentioning the team members and the support team. From Year 12, we had Francis Allan, Norman Eagle and Glen Summers. Unfortunately, the Year 12s are not able to compete because of the effort they have to put into their examinations, but they have been very supportive of the team. They were in the team over the last couple of years, and they have mentored the team which is going to Adelaide, which is invaluable. I thank Francis Allan, Norman Eagle and Glen Summers for their input. I know they are looking forward to the team’s success.
Year 11 representatives are Rachael Boor, Stephanie Braun, Tom Hamilton, Shane Johnstone, Gabrielle Morriss, Damien O’Dowd, Thomas Scanlan and Tim Woolfe. The Year 10s are Kevin Luke, Clare Paynter, Chris Taylor and Alex Willoughby, and from Year 7 is Chris Gill. Team Managers are David Barrett and Martin Willoughby. The Technical Advisor is Felino Molina, and the Support Team is Kym Butler, Robert Allan and Marilynn Willis.
I congratulate all of them on being involved in the team. I know they have been going through qualifying and scrutineering at the moment at the Darwin Show Grounds and Exhibition Centre. I understand the Chief Minister has a reception for them at Parliament House on Friday night. I look forward to catching up with them, and I wish them all the best as they work their way down the Centre. They have control stops at Katherine, Dunmarra, Tennant Creek, Alice Springs, Cadney Homestead, Glendambo, Port Augusta and Adelaide. It is going to be a big week for them and I wish them a safe and successful trip.
Mr McADAM (Barkly): Mr Deputy Speaker, this evening I pay tribute to a remarkable person whose work has contributed significantly to the development of library and education services in the Northern Territory.
This week marks the retirement of Robin Hempel, the Manager of NT Library’s Reference Services, after 45 years at Education and Library Services in the ACT and New South Wales but, for the most part, in the Northern Territory. Some of the highlights of Robin’s illustrious career have included working at NT Library, Manager of Taminmin Library between 1995 and 2002, Project Librarian in 2003, and Manager of Reference Services since February 2004.
Memorable occasions have included her appointment as Librarian-in-Charge of Alice Springs Public Library after previous employment at the National Library of Australia in 1964-65. Robin served the communities of Katherine, Daguragu, Bamyili and the Tiwi Islands as a teacher and community librarian between 1969 and 1976, making the front cover of the Australian Library Journal in April 1977 with her article, ‘Pumpuni, Pumpuni! How the Tiwi learned to love their library’.
Robin achieved significant funding awards for projects including Innovations in Social Science for Catholic Education between 1980 and 1983; Hyper-highway to Humpty Doo and Preserving our Past while at Taminmin Community Library between 2000 and 2002; and successive Adult Learners Week Awards at NT Library between 2003 and 2007.
Robin was awarded Master Teacher status for Excellence in Teaching Practice at Casuarina Senior College between 1990 and 1995. Other awards included Daguragu Dreaming, a presentation at Australian Library and Information Association’s National Public Library Conference in Perth in 1999. The Australian Library and Information Association is the professional organisation for the Australian Library and Information Services sector, so this achievement highlights the national industry’s recognition of Robin’s work.
The Australian Library and Information Association seeks to empower the profession in the development, promotion and delivery of quality library and information services to the nation through leadership advocacy and mutual support. Robin was convenor of the ALIA Top End 2003-04, with the launch of the first ALIA Top End symposium Power Our Territory: Information Literacy for the Development of the Northern Territory.
Robin Hempel was awarded the Litchfield Shire Citizen of the Year in 2002 and was instrumental in establishing the Family History Service at the NT Library, launched by Hon Delia Lawrie MLA, in February 2007.
In parting from NT Library, Robin said:
On behalf of the Northern Territory government, I sincerely thank Robin Hempel for her contribution to life in the Northern Territory, her dedication to the development of education services, particularly the NT Library, and I wish her well in her retirement.
I also adjourn tonight in respect of Mr Jeff Stead, the Chief Executive Officer of the Aboriginal Areas Protection Authority, who is retiring at the end of this year. Jeff has been the CEO at the Aboriginal Areas Protection Authority for the past four years. He has had a long association with the Northern Territory, commencing as a Patrol Officer in Training with the then Welfare Branch in January 1972. His work in the Territory is a bit like: I’ve been everywhere, man.
Jeff has a huge intellectual presence to match his huge physical presence. People describe him as a very compassionate person; passionate about his work with Aboriginal people and communities throughout the Northern Territory. In his first year in the Territory, he worked at Papunya, Yuendumu and Bagot.
On gaining his qualifications from the Australian School of Pacific Administration, Jeff was appointed Community Advisor at Yayayi in 1973. He spent two years in that job, spending much of his first year living out of a swag. After that, he spent the next few years in various roles in Tennant Creek, Ali Curung and Borroloola before enrolling at the Australian National University to study anthropology. With an Anthropology Honours degree completed at the end of 1980, Jeff went to work as the Mining Anthropologist at the Central Land Council, where he had worked during his university holidays over the previous four years. In mid-1982, Jeff did his first stint with sacred sites working with the then Aboriginal Sacred Sites Authority. From early 1983, Jeff was Research Coordinator for all the anthropological research work at the CLC.
By the mid-1980s, Jeff’s kids were teenagers so he chose to become a consultant, working out of Victoria whilst they undertook their schooling. In those five years, he worked almost exclusively as a consultant preparing Northern Territory land claims.
In 1991, Jeff returned to the Territory, this time as Manager of the Anthropology and Land Tenure Unit at the Northern Land Council where he worked for nearly 13 years.
In all his time at the CLC and the NLC as a consultant, Jeff was directly involved in research for 14 Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act land claims and supervised research on numerous others. Jeff was also the Senior Anthropologist in two native title determinations, St Vidgeons and the Urapunga township.
In recognition of his achievements and contribution, Jeff was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia in 2002 for services to the indigenous community, particularly in the area of land rights and his determination to protect sacred sites.
In 2003, Jeff was appointed to his present position and has directed the changes to the Aboriginal Sacred Sites Act that have strengthened protection and prosecution mechanisms because Aboriginal people, custodians of sacred sites, asked for those changes to be incorporated. Jeff has overseen significant improvements to the structure and operations of the authority to improve relationships between the authority and other NT government agencies, all for the sake of improved protection of sites. Jeff has also worked for a better understanding of sacred sites by other agencies, industry and the general public.
Jeff’s friendship with Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people in the Territory spans 35 years. His understanding of Aboriginal people across the Territory is second to none, and he will be sorely missed. Ask any anthropologist in the Northern Territory about any issue and almost instantaneously, the name Jeff Stead will pop up. Jeff’s commitment to Aboriginal people and culture is clear to all who have worked with him or known him, a man who has made an enormous contribution to indigenous people and, thus, the Northern Territory as a whole. Although largely unheralded and unacknowledged, Jeff is also a very discreet person and was enormously respected for his high standards of integrity and honesty.
Jeff will be a huge loss to the Northern Territory in terms of his knowledge and commitment, particularly in the areas of sacred sites. On behalf of the Northern Territory, Jeff, to you, your wife and children, thank you very much for your outstanding contribution. I know that you are going to retire to Victoria. We wish you all the very best and thank you for your outstanding contribution to the Territory and your stewardship of the Aboriginal Areas Protection Authority.
Mr KNIGHT (Daly): Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, tonight I wish to report to the Assembly on my Commonwealth Parliamentary Association trip to New Delhi, India, in September. I represented the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly.
This was the 53rd CPA Conference. The CPA had its inception in 1911 and has been engaged in the laudable task of promoting democracy, good governance and sustainable development. It also recognises diversity in all its dimensions and encourages member countries to adopt and adapt policies, systems and practices to suit their specific requirements which, in turn, will strengthen the democratic framework. It is a noble cause and I was impressed by the organisation.
At the conference, a number of things happen. There is the Small Countries Conference before the General Assembly, which does a number of things. It is the ultimate authority in determining the policies and arrangements for the association. It also has the purpose of furthering representation of women within Commonwealth parliaments and enhancing the participation of women members in the association’s affairs. It has incorporated a great deal of affirmative action within the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association.
I give members an outline of the program of the conference. I thank Jan Sporn for her assistance in providing me with information and getting me over there, and the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly for his advice prior to my departure. I arrived on Saturday, 22 September, and I thank staff of the Australian High Commission for allowing me to watch an elimination final at their social club that day. I disembarked at 12.30 pm that morning and they allowed me to go into their social club to watch the game.
The Small Countries Conference started on Sunday, 23 September, and there were a number of plenary sessions. The first plenary session was on Parliamentary Initiatives for Managing the Effects of Globalisation on Small Countries. There were presentations from various speakers including one by a Tasmanian delegate, Lisa Singh, who gave a fabulous presentation about how that subject affected Tasmania. The second plenary session was about Collaborative Versus Adversarial Systems in Government in Small Countries, and there was a presentation by the Premier of the North-West Territories of Canada. That was an extraordinary presentation, one I would like to get hold of and bring to this Assembly. It is certainly a very different form of parliament.
Monday 24th saw the inauguration of an exhibition entitled Democracy and Sustainable Development. This was opened by Hon Shrina Sonath Chatterjee who is the Speaker of the Lok Sabha and the President of the CPA. The Lok Sabha is the parliament of India, so Mr Chatterjee is quite an important man. The inauguration of the Commonwealth Women’s Parliamentary Conference was performed by Hon Mr Chatterjee at the Lok Sabha as well.
The third plenary session of the Small Countries Conference was on Regulating Immigration and Human Trafficking, which was quite an interesting session. The member from Nauru asked the Australian delegation to give some opinions about the Pacific Solution, which I and the representative from Tasmania certainly did.
The Commonwealth Women’s Parliamentary Conference had its first session on Strategies to Overcome Barriers Preventing Women from Equal Participation in Decision-making. The second session was on the Role of Women Parliamentarians in Dealing with HIV/AIDS and Poverty Reduction.
The fourth preliminary session for the Small Countries Conference was on Protecting the Environment and Assuring Sustainable Development. I gave a presentation on behalf of the Northern Territory parliament on sustainable development which was about management of the Daly River, and it was well received. I slipped in a photo of my 85 cm barramundi, which all the delegates seemed to enjoy.
Tuesday 25th was the Official Opening of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference held within the grounds of the parliament. We moved onto regional group meetings, so Africa, Asia, Australia the British Islands to the Mediterranean, Canada, Caribbean, Americas, Atlantic, India, Pacific and South-East Asia all had separate regional group meetings. I thank all the Australian delegates. It was a very apolitical and bipartisan approach to the conference. We certainly galvanised together in an Australian sense about our approach to the conference. I will update my parliamentary colleagues at our CPA Branch meeting next sitting about the outcomes of that meeting.
The highlight of that day was At Home hosted by Her Excellency the President of India, Pratibha Devisingh Patil. It was a fabulous garden party, something out of the Raj. It was an amazing scene at the parliamentary palace and is certainly something I will remember for the whole of my life.
On Wednesday 26th, we had a number of workshops as part of the main conference. Workshop A was on Climate Change and Global Warming. Workshop B was on Global Water and Energy Use Towards Sustainable Development. Workshop C was on Balancing Economic Development and Environmental Protection.
On Thursday, we continued the workshops. Workshop D was on Parliamentary Practice and Procedures: Ensuring Reforms to Secure Greater Executive Accountability. Workshop E was on the Roles, Rights and Responsibilities of the Opposition. Workshop F was on Strengthening Financial Security. There was a plenary session on a generally related theme, the Role of Parliamentarians in Addressing Awareness of and in Curbing Human Trafficking, which was a follow-up to the Small Countries Conference.
On Friday, we had a number of host branch plenaries, which were the Right to Recall as a Strategy of Enforcing Greater Accountability on Parliaments of the People. The final plenary was on Benchmarks for Democratic Legislatures.
It was certainly a very full conference from Sunday through to the Friday. I thank the hosts for all the work that they did. We were absolutely superbly looked after.
There were a few things that emerged from the conference. Working parties are established by the Executive Committee of the CPA, have matters referred to them from time to time, and they reported on matters that had been referred to. I will not go through all the delegates, but it is worthwhile noting the Australian members on the newly appointed working party: Senator Allan Ferguson and Ms Virginia Judge from New South Wales were appointed to that working group. They adopted a new mission statement, which they recommended to the association, which is:
It is a focus of CPA to continue with that. There are a number of new strategies, core functions and objectives. I will not go into those tonight because they are quite extensive.
One things to emerge is that they have renamed the Small Countries Conference the Small Branches Conference because some of the jurisdictions represented there are not countries; for example, the Northern Territory. We have representation, so the Small Countries Conference, as part of the CPA, is now called the Small Branches Conference. The population ceiling has been raised to 500 000, so it includes those jurisdictions which are over 400 000 and the cap is 500 000.
I acknowledge some changes with elected officials of the CPA. The Vice-Patron as of next year will be Hon Dato’ Seri Abdullah bin Ahmad Badawi, the Prime Minister of Malaysia, who takes over from Dr Hon Manmohan Singh, who is the Prime Minister of India. Also, the President of the Association will change in 2007-08 to Hon Tan Sri Dato’ Seri DiRaja Ramli Ngah Talib, Speaker of the House of Representatives of Malaysia, and the Vice-President of the Association will change in 2009, and that will be the Malaysian representative.
Again, I thank all the liaison officers for looking after us in India. I will give a full report to our CPA Branch. The CPA has a lot of work to do to strengthen democratic roles within it. It has certainly moved from having a democratic process to turning that into action, real results for people of Commonwealth countries. It is one thing to have democratic elections; it is another thing to deliver effective services to the people of those countries.
I would like to thank our hosts. I have mentioned the Speaker of the Lok Sabha, and the President of the CPA, Shrina Sonnath Chatterjee, the President of India, Pratibha Devisingh Patil, the Prime Minister of India, Manmohan Singh. I put my apology to the Speaker of Lok Sabha, Shrina Sonnath Chatterjee on record. I almost caused an international incident. After the main conference day, I presented the President of the CPA and Speaker of the Indian Parliament with some gifts from the Northern Territory government. It was a small box, which I believe had a crocodile card holder and some scarves with Aboriginal motifs on them. I presented those to the Speaker in the Assembly in front of all the delegates. I had two boxes. One was to be given to a liaison officer. When I got back to the hotel, I knew I had taken one of the card holders out of the box. I went to put it all back and give the second box to the liaison officer. When I opened the box, it actually had the card holder in it, and I was a bit confused. I realised what I had done: I had given the Speaker of the Lok Sabha and the President of the CPA an empty box. I was very embarrassed about that. The next day, I made sure I got the gift to the Speaker. Hopefully, there was no harm done.
Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, I thoroughly enjoyed the trip, which was most worthwhile. I am very inspired about the role of the CPA, and we should re-energise our efforts to participate in it.
Mr HENDERSON (Wanguri): Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, tonight I wish to discuss happenings around my electorate over the last few weeks.
One of my local schools, Wanguri Primary, had a major anniversary this year; its 30th birthday. As a present to the school, I organised for a painting to be donated, along with the story of the painting, from the Wanguri people in East Arnhem Land. From that present, the school council has championed thoughts about twinning the school between Wanguri Primary in the northern suburbs in Darwin with a school in East Arnhem Land called Dhalinybuy, home to the Wanguri people. This is an initiative which has been worked up over the last 12 months, and culminated on the evening of 5 September this year with a Welcome to Country night at Wanguri school. What a fabulous night it was. A relationship is now being developed between Wanguri school in the northern suburbs and Dhalinybuy Homelands School in East Arnhem Land.
The idea behind the exchange is that students from both places can learn about each other’s cultures, and develop a relationship between the two schools so a student exchange program can be set up. The Yirrkala School envisages this program will allow a greater exposure of their students to spoken English than the Yirrkala School and community can currently provide.
At the Welcome to Country festival, each of the classes ran food and drink stalls, and an array of performances were put on by students and Aboriginal dancers. There was a link-up on the night with a big screen - and it was a beautiful night on Wanguri oval - between Wanguri school and Dalinybuy Homelands School in East Arnhem Land, where both communities could watch what was happening.
It was a fabulous evening. A couple of the traditional owners from Dhalinybuy visited us in Wanguri. It was great to see the excitement of our students about essentially the 21st century version of having a pen pal. Through the Interactive Distance Learning link, a videoconferencing link, the students at Wanguri Primary School are going to be able to have video pals, for want of a better phrase, with students in East Arnhem Land. The Welcome to Country night kicked that off.
The night was the culmination of an enormous amount of work through the school over many months. I congratulate the school, especially Michael Duffy, who chairs the school council and has progressed this effort through the council over the last 12 months; the Assistant Principal at Wanguri Primary School, Leah Crockford, who worked very hard through the department in establishing the sister relationship between the two schools; and our Principal Jenny Robinson, who showed real leadership by making this connection happen.
As Education minister, I think it is probably a first in the Territory’s history, certainly utilising the technology so our students at Wanguri Primary can talk to the kids out at Dhalinbuy Homelands in English. The two traditional owners who came from Dhalinbuy were really excited about young students at the homelands being able to have a little pal in Darwin with whom they could talk in English over the Internet. What do our students at Wanguri get out of this? They get a real child’s view, I suppose, of an indigenous culture that is still so strong and solid in East Arnhem Land. Wanguri Primary School and Dhalinbuy school in north-east Arnhem Land have made history. It was a fabulous night, and I extend my congratulations to all concerned.
Another school in my electorate is St Andrew’s where I had a great day on 10 September when I visited Ms Munro’s Year 5/6/7 class to talk about government in the Northern Territory. It was like Question Time, with the students firing questions at me about my life as a member of parliament and a minister, and the about what happens in parliament. There was a lot of interest in the Mace and how it was stored, and the story about how the Mace fell off the back of a ute many years ago in an oft-told fable about how we nearly lost the Queen’s Mace that the kids knew about. They were very excited about that and wanted to know what would happen if any robbers stole the Mace. I was happy to say that in the care of the Speaker and the Clerk of the Assembly and all the security around it, it is very unlikely, but there was a lot of interest in the Mace and what would happen if it was stolen.
As well as the story about the Mace, there was a lot of discussion about other issues in our democratic system. I thank Ms Munro and her class who have been studying government all term and have drawn some amazing pictures of Australia’s past and present Prime Ministers. It was great to see the students’ interest in the way the Territory and the country is run.
I was invited, on 27 September, to Leanyer Primary School for their inaugural Transition Art Fair and their new garden. What a great morning it was. We sat out among the trees and watched the Transition classes and their Grade 4 buddies sing songs and open an art fair that they had worked so hard on. Many parents came along to see what their children had been up to in class and the art work on display was great. There was art hanging from walls, trees, fences - everywhere you looked.
The main theme of the art fair was indigenous arts and craft, and I was presented with a great set of drawings of snakes, basically Rainbow Serpents, that the kids had coloured in, which now hang proudly on the wall in my electorate office. I send a big thank you to all the students of the three Transition classes as well as the three teachers, Kaye Cowley, Melissa Park and Macoushia Kelly. A big thank you also goes to Mary-Lou O’Gallagher’s Year 4 class who helped out on the day. It was a great initiative and the kids were fabulous. I was pleased to see so many mums and dads had the morning at Leanyer School before going on to work.
I have been told that Leanyer Primary School is holding a special assembly in two weeks to give out 93 certificates to students who participated in the University of New South Wales Maths, Spelling, English and Writing competition as well as the Westpac Maths Challenge. Well done to Leanyer School. I will try to get to that assembly and, hopefully, hand out a few certificates to the hard-working students.
The Minister for Housing, in Question Time this week, spoke about the 2007 Public Housing Garden Competition. As the very proud member for Wanguri, I thank and congratulate some of my constituents who took out a number of prizes this year in the Public Housing Garden Competition. As the minister said, many of our public housing tenants go above and beyond what they are required to do as tenants in public housing in tending their gardens, and it is great to see some winners from Leanyer and Wanguri.
First, I congratulate Mike and June McIntyre, who won not only the Best House Garden Prize, but also Overall Best Garden Prize through many of the categories. To Mike and June, congratulations. I look forward to catching up with you very soon to personally give you my congratulations on a fabulous win in two categories.
We also had winners in Leanyer for the Communal Garden: Donna Kittle and Valerie Kildare from the Trower Road units. I have spoken about Donna Kittle many times in this parliament. She is truly an inspiration as a local resident. She is a lady who has enormous vitality and energy. If anyone is down on their luck and needs a helping hand, Donna is always the first one to put in. She is a very special person and, since she moved to the Trower Road unit complex opposite Hungry Jacks in Casuarina, Donna has worked very hard to transform the communal gardens around the flats. It is absolutely magnificent to visit there. She has any number of the local residents involved in looking after not only their little gardens at the back of their units, but also the public open spaces.
Donna and Valerie were very pleased to win awards. I do not think they would mind me saying that they are quintessential battlers, and the prizes of $600 each for Bunnings vouchers are most welcome. When I rang Donna to congratulate her, she said: ‘How are we going to get all this stuff back from Bunnings? We don’t have a car.’ I am sure that was all worked out and they have stocked up with some further implements for gardens and will be back at the Trower Road units further developing a real sense of community.
Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, with those few words about some recent happenings in my electorate and some winners of the Public Housing Garden competition, I conclude my remarks this evening.
Motion agreed to; the Assembly adjourned.
VISITORS
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I advise you of the presence in the gallery of adult students from Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education accompanied by Alison Reedy. On behalf of all honourable members, I extend to you a very warm welcome.
Members: Hear, hear!
MINISTERIAL REPORTS
AIM Management Excellence Awards
AIM Management Excellence Awards
Ms MARTIN (Chief Minister): Madam Speaker, last Saturday night I joined some of our most innovative managers and business people at the Australian Institute of Management’s NT Management Excellence Awards presentation and gala dinner at SKYCITY.
The excellence awards recognise and celebrate the achievements of some of our best managers and leaders across a wide range of fields. These are people whose professionalism and talents are helping to drive one of the nation’s most resilient economies.
It was a memorable night, and I was particularly pleased to be able to present Professional Manager of the Year Public Sector Award to Jim Bamber from the Power and Water Corporation. The Territory government sponsors this award, and Jim was a very worthy winner. He is the General Manager Retail for Power and Water, and is responsible for all of the corporation’s interaction with customers which includes front counter operations, the call centre and all online communications. Jim has been in the Territory for 33 years, arriving here in March 1974 just before Tracy. He has been with Power and Water since 1999. Jim was praised for his exceptional management skills and committed customer focus. The judges said he was an instigator of change, a strong project manager and an exceptional leader. On behalf of everyone here, I extend my congratulations to Jim on his award.
Paul Mahoney, the Chief Executive Officer of Regional and Northern Maintenance Services, won the Professional Manager of the Year Private Sector Award. Paul was singled out as having an impressive range of highly developed management skills. His effort in seeing the business through major structural change and significant growth over the past 12 months struck a chord with the judges. Congratulations to Paul.
The Owner/Manager of the Year Award was taken out by Steven Rowe from SRA Information Technology. Steve was chosen for demonstrating strong strategic leadership and management skills within a team oriented environment. The judges said the evolution of Mr Rowe’s business from a sole trader to more than 80 staff was clear proof of his sense of ownership and business commitment. Well done, Steve. It is interesting that Steve walks from one award to another at the moment. Steve and his business won the Territory’s very prestigious Research and Innovation Award against an amazing range of talent earlier this year. He was also winner of the Telstra Business Award for the Territory and the co-winner at the national level. That is an extraordinary achievement. I told Steve on Saturday night that the only award left for him this year is an award to recognise the winner of the most awards. SRA and Steve have done extraordinarily well, and he is a worthy winner of the Owner/Manager of the Year Award.
Finally, Katherine Thomson from Energy 2 Go was named Young Manager of the Year. Katherine was praised by the judges for her determination and vision in establishing her business in a highly competitive market. She started her business from scratch one year ago and is thinking big, hoping to create an Australia-wide franchise.
These awards run hot on the heels of the Chief Minister’s NT Export and Industries Awards, which I attended earlier this month. Both events are a reminder of how far we have come in the Territory, and how our businesses and business people are right up there with the best in the country. Once again, I congratulate all the award winners and wish them all the best for their careers.
Ms CARNEY (Opposition Leader): Madam Speaker, the opposition joins with the Chief Minister to extend our congratulations to Jim Bamber, Paul Mahoney, Steve Rowe and Katherine Thomson. Also, to those who participated in the awards who were not given special presentations and business people who work every day in the Territory, invariably in very innovative and creative ways that serve all of us very well.
The Territory has long been regarded as a can-do place, regardless of who is in government, frankly, and that is something of which we can all be proud. Thank you, Chief Minister, for your report. The opposition joins with you in congratulating everyone involved in the awards.
Support for Territorians with a Disability
Ms LAWRIE (Infrastructure and Transport): Madam Speaker, I report on a recent initiative by the government to help ensure people with wheelchairs have better access to taxis in the Northern Territory. As they go about their daily lives, people in wheelchairs have a much greater reliance on taxis than most of us. With recent increases, 15% of our taxi fleet is now multipurpose taxis, or MPTs, capable of taking wheelchair passengers.
However, Territorians with a disability have continued to point out that the service provided by MPTs is not meeting their needs. In the past, some passengers in a wheelchair have booked a taxi for an important event hours in advance and had no taxi turn up, leaving them stranded at home. Unfortunately, some drivers avoid wheelchair pick-ups, given the extra time it takes for a passenger to enter and exit the taxi.
This is why I recently announced the commencement of a Taxi Lift Incentive Scheme. The scheme means that there will be a more reliable taxi service for passengers in wheelchairs. The scheme will give people in wheelchairs greater certainty of taxis arriving. Under the scheme, a $10 bonus compensates multipurpose taxi drivers for the time it takes to load and unload a passenger in a wheelchair and gives a real incentive to take the fare. The $10 goes directly to the driver, which will encourage drivers to provide timely and effective service to wheelchair-bound passengers. The scheme will commence in December this year.
Madam Speaker, the scheme will be paid for by a small increase in taxi fares, 1.8%, and a 15% increase in taxi licences. A 1.8% increase means about an extra 40 on a $20 fare from the airport to the city. The government believes that the general public will be prepared to pay this small extra fare to ensure that people with wheelchairs have the same access to taxis as themselves.
The government is currently working with MPT owners and operators to ensure the implementation goes ahead without delay or administrative difficulty. The operation of the lift fee will be done in conjunction with the administration of the Northern Territory Taxi Subsidy Scheme, which already provides financial assistance for taxi travel for people with disabilities who are dependent on taxis for transport.
The government has decided both these schemes will be administered by the Department of Planning and Infrastructure rather than the Department of Health and Community Services where the Taxi Subsidy Scheme currently resides. It may seem an irrelevant issue as to the whereabouts in government the administration of these schemes reside; however, it is quite an important issue that has been raised with me by disability groups. The Department of Planning and Infrastructure has carriage of public transport, and providing transport options for people with a disability should be a responsibility of the agency. It is not appropriate that the transport needs of people with a disability be looked after by another agency. As I said, this is an important issue to people with a disability.
The idea of a lift fee has been raised with me by many people, but there are a couple of individuals who were particularly passionate in arguing the case. Robyne Burridge, until recently the Head of the Integrated Disability Action Network (IDA), deserves a great deal of credit for this initiative. Mary Johnson is the Chair of the Commercial Passenger Vehicle Board and the Vice-President of IDA. She has been an advocate of such a system and, since the announcement, has talked about the difference it will make.
With the new Lift Incentive Scheme, the Territory Subsidy Scheme, improved driver training and more MPTs on the road, I am confident that there will be real improvements in services for passengers in wheelchairs.
Madam Speaker, I will be writing to all people eligible for the scheme to provide details of how the scheme will operate, and I will continue to work with the Taxi Council to ensure its smooth implementation.
Mrs MILLER (Katherine): Madam Speaker, the minister is right; it has been a bone of contention with disability services for a long time, where people who have a handicap rely on an MPT for transportation have been severely hampered.
It is a great incentive, especially around Darwin, to offer that extra $10 each way. As you were saying, if they come in from the airport and go back out to the airport, it is $10 each way, so that is really good. The operators are given an incentive to ensure that they provide a service to people with disabilities.
One of the challenges in Katherine is that MPTs are very restricted. I assume this also applies to Alice Springs, although it has not been highlighted to me. Our MPTs tend to do trips out to communities because they can carry more passengers, so they are out of use for people with disabilities in Katherine for long periods of time.
Is there something that the minister has thought about that might be an incentive for the operators to ensure that they do address the needs of the people with disabilities in the regional and remote areas? Is there an incentive for them as well?
I welcome the scheme. It is a great incentive to ensure that people with disabilities receive the passenger services they are entitled to. I thank the minister for her report.
Mrs BRAHAM (Braitling): Madam Speaker, it is a welcome initiative. There is another area that I would like to raise and I would like the minister to lobby the federal government about. You are probably aware that we encourage people on pensions to go back to the workforce. However, when this occurs with some of our disabled people, they find that the increase in income affects their pension and, while this is usual for anyone on the pension, the follow-on effect is that it affects their health card. Because of the increase, this is a great disincentive. The health card enables them to obtain necessary medication at a subsidised cost. Without it, the cost is considerable. We have had cases where disabled people have enjoyed going back to the workforce, have had that increase in income and, then, found that they have had their health card taken away from them.
I know it is not your responsibility, but it is a really important issue if we want to get people with disabilities to feel good about themselves, to be able to enter the workforce and do it with the security of knowing that they are not going to suddenly lose the subsidy for medication they really need.
Minister, will you lobby the federal government on behalf of people with disabilities not to remove the health card subsidy so that they can enter the workforce - which is the very thing the federal government is trying to encourage them to do?
Ms LAWRIE (Infrastructure and Transport): Madam Speaker, I thank members opposite for their support of the Lift Incentive Scheme. It is a scheme that directly targets drivers rather than operators. Operators already receive an incentive, which is a 50% reduction in their licence fee for a taxi.
The licence fee is around $16 000. People who pick up an MPT licence pay only $8000. There is already, right across the Territory, an incentive for operators to have MPTs. There certainly are conditions attached to that such as giving priority to wheelchair bound passengers. I am happy to look at any examples in Katherine that the member for Katherine may want to highlight.
I thank the member for Braitling for raising the important issue of the effects of being removed from various health cards when people with a disability have employment. I have to say, under the Howard government, there has been a harsh welfare reform that directly affects people with a disability and their carers. I hope there is a Rudd Labor government because I am convinced that our minister for Aged and Disability Services, Marion Scrymgour, will be able to work closely with a Rudd Labor government to wind back the harsh changes to welfare that have really hurt the most vulnerable in our society, particularly people with a disability and their carers.
Federal Liberal Minister's Comments
Regarding Migrants
Regarding Migrants
Mr HENDERSON (Multicultural Affairs): Madam Speaker, I provide a report on recent disturbing developments in the Multicultural Affairs portfolio.
As Minister for Multicultural Affairs, I have received a large number of representations from Territorians about the recent inflammatory comments from the federal Liberal minister for Immigration, Kevin Andrews.
All members will be aware that on the eve of the federal election, Mr Andrews chose to put into the public domain his antipathy towards migrants from certain parts of the world, particularly Africa, and to highlight what he believes are the unique difficulties they experience in settling into the Australian way of life.
The motivation behind the attack could be one of two things. One option is that these sentiments are the federal Liberals’ true views on this subject. The second option is that these are not their true thoughts, but that Mr Andrews’ statement was a cynical exercise to stir the race pot in the lead-up to the federal election and, in effect, reawaken the ghost of Pauline Hanson from One Nation. Pauline Hanson has come out and supported Kevin Andrews’ statement.
It has been tremendously encouraging to see Territorians, and Australians generally, rally against these terrible tactics. We have seen across Australia diverse groups of Australians calling for the federal Liberals to put the race card back in the box. This week, 32 organisations joined together to publicly decry the statements in an open letter published in newspapers across Australia. The ads carry the logos of organisations as diverse as the National Council of Churches Australia and Caritas Australia. I will quote from a couple of paragraphs in the letter:
- An open letter to all Australians and our elected officials:
- We wish to offer our support to members of the various African communities across Australia.
We believe that decisions regarding Australia’s Refugee and Humanitarian Program should be determined on the basis of need for humanitarian assistance, rather than perceptions or assumptions about a group’s capacity to resettle or integrate.
…
We urge all Australians, particularly our elected representatives, to stand up in support of African refugees who have resettled in Australia, to support their further resettlement and family reunification, and to strengthen services that make the transition to Australia easily.
At the local level, we have seen a peaceful rally, in which the member for Sanderson marched, and letters presented to the Chief Minister, me, the member for Casuarina and other MLAs.
This morning, the Multicultural Council of the NT had a letter to the editor printed headed ‘African friends hurt by mean-spirited slurs’, and there have been countless Territorians lamenting that, once again, federal politicians are playing the race card in the lead-up to the election for their own ends.
I have received copies of the letters that have been sent to Mr Andrews, and we are looking forward to his response and, dare I say, his retraction of his cynical and hurtful words. Considering the reaction of many ordinary Territorians, and the overwhelming reaction of so many Australians, it has been surprising that the CLP has not made its position clear. I am yet to see or hear a word from the CLP saying Kevin Andrews was wrong.
Whilst no one will ever forget that the CLP preferenced Pauline Hanson’s One Nation Party in the 2001 Territory election, I am surprised that the CLP has not said it also condemns Kevin Andrews and all those in the federal Liberal Party machine for degrading Australian politics once again.
I would like to be able to inform the federal government and the rest of the community that all members of the Northern Territory parliament stand as one in support for our African community, and against the cynical and disgraceful behaviour of a federal Liberal Immigration minister and the shadowy people behind him.
Where do the CLP representatives in this Chamber stand on this subject? Do they stand with their colleagues in the federal Liberal Party, Kevin Andrews, David Tollner and Nigel Scullion? There is an opportunity for the Leader of the Opposition to make her position very clear. Or do they stand with the thousands of fair-minded Territorians and Australians, 32 organisations who came together to produce the open letter and, of course, the African community in our Northern Territory?
Ms CARNEY (Opposition Leader): Madam Speaker, I am glad - although elsewhere others might not be - that the minister has brought on this report this morning.
I, like everyone else, am bound to tell the truth in this place and, indeed, outside. Before I give you a very direct response to your report, minister, I was asked about this last week by the ABC, and I had not heard Mr Andrews’ comments. I have not, to this day, read them, so I rely on media reports since then that I have both heard and read.
I do not agree at all with what Kevin Andrews said. Whether that has ramifications beyond the parliament, so be it. In this job, you have to follow your conscience. As a human being, I believe what Andrews said was offensive. I mentioned to my colleagues what I was going to say in response. In essence, I asked whether they were okay with that, and they are okay with my comments and they stand behind me. So, thank you for the opportunity. You have asked a direct question; we will give you a direct response. Do with it what you will.
Mr WOOD (Nelson): Madam Speaker, I welcome the minister’s report. It is one of the great dangers in society that we tend to generalise. We generalise about Aboriginal people, Americans, whingeing Poms, and Lebanese. This is yet another case of where people generalise. I do not support what Kevin Andrews said and, just as importantly, I do not support what Pauline Hanson said, which is more offensive. She said that these people bring AIDS. It is a disgrace for any politician to say that. I do not support what either of these politicians said.
I would like to have been at the rally on Wednesday. It happened to be General Business Day. I was giving a speech at that time, unfortunately. I would like to have sung the song because, as a member of Darwin Chorale, we have had a multicultural choir which learnt that song, and I would like to have joined in with those people.
I referee soccer from time to time, and quite a number of our Sudanese people play soccer. They play it well. I wish they would come and make their home in the rural area, but the costs are a bit high for them to live in the rural area. I digress, but I wish they would join the Litchfield Soccer Club because they love their soccer.
We should take a positive note from this and send a message back that if people do have a problem when they arrive here - and we know many of these people come from war-torn situations, which are not the same as when you have migrants coming to this country - they have difficulty settling into a different culture. They come into a life that is relatively peaceful. It is a whole new world to them.
What we should be doing is ensuring that mechanisms are there to continually support these people when they come to this country and help these people settle in, especially those coming from war-torn countries where they have been subject to great grief and trauma, their lives have been turned upside down and they have been separated from their families in many cases. We should be looking at helping these people come to Australia, not hindering them.
Mr HENDERSON (Multicultural Affairs): Madam Speaker, I genuinely thank the opposition, the Independents and all members of this House. It is a significant moment. We will find a way of doing something together so we can get back to our Africa community here in the Northern Territory which has been so very genuinely hurt and dismayed by these comments, to show that the Northern Territory parliament and the people of the Northern Territory do support them. I genuinely thank the Leader of the Opposition for her comments.
Reports noted pursuant to standing orders.
POLICE ADMINISTRATION AMENDMENT BILL
(Serial 97)
(Serial 97)
Bill presented and read a first time.
Ms MARTIN (Police, Fire and Emergency Services): Madam Speaker, I move that the bill be now read a second time.
I am pleased to introduce this bill into the House today. There are 23 specific amendments. At this point, I stress that this bill is not a major review of the act and, for the most part, it does not reform the law. Rather, these amendments have arisen through operational demands or become necessary following the introduction of new technologies such as in the case with the amendment to replace tape recorded confessions with digital recordings.
The original Police Administration Act commenced operation on 1 August 1979 and has gone through a number of significant amendments since then. Some of those amendments, such as amendments to forensic examination procedures, come from scientific advancements or through changing circumstances of the law. Alternatively, amendments to Parts 4, 5 and 6 of the act came about from a need to introduce a more formalised scheme for a hearing of a charge of breach of discipline or inability.
As with most legislation, changing times and procedures means acts need to be continuously reviewed and amended to ensure they continue meeting their objectives. This is probably more important with the Police Administration Act because of the role of police and the law enforcement functions they perform.
To achieve this, the act sets out powers of police to enable them to do their job efficiently and effectively while still, nevertheless, being held accountable and transparent. This House, therefore, must remain vigilant, ensuring the act does not disadvantage the police from preventing crime, or investigating and prosecuting those persons whose criminal behaviour offends the public law.
With those introductory words, I turn to specific parts of the bill. I do not intend to address each clause. Rather, I will focus on the more significant amendments.
I turn to the first amendment which overcomes an inconsistency between the act and the Bail Act in relation to the period of detention of an intoxicated offender. Currently, if an intoxicated person is in police custody following their arrest, police employ the long-standing practice of detaining the person until they are no longer intoxicated before charging them with the relevant offence. There are a number of reasons for delaying the charging of the person. First, police owe a duty of care to the person and, if a person is charged and bailed in an intoxicated state, police might breach their duty if a person was injured or killed following their release. Second, the person must be informed of the nature of the charges and their rights to bail. Obviously, police would be unable to comply with the obligation if the offender was too intoxicated to understand the charges or their rights to bail or their review of bail. Generally, once police have concluded their questioning or investigations, the law requires the offender to be either released or charged and bailed, or brought before a Justice as soon as practicable.
In addition, where, for example, a person is arrested for driving under the influence, section 137 of the Police Administration Act may not apply because there may not be a need for police to conduct further investigations or questioning. On those occasions, any continued detention would be unlawful. The only power available to the police is to delay the determination of bail on the grounds that the person is intoxicated. However, strict time limits apply. There are no grounds to extend this period, even though the person may continue to be seriously affected by alcohol. Consequently, police are placed in the position of having to elect whether to charge the person whilst they are intoxicated or unlawfully detain the person. This amendment will give police the protection of delaying the charging of the person for as long as it reasonably appears to the member that the person remains intoxicated. This is a practical solution as it will not only ensure police meet their duty of care obligations, but also the person will be in the position of making a rational decision in relation to their rights. What is a reasonable period is a subjective test and is based on the member’s experience from detaining people in protective custody pursuant to section 128 of the act.
The next significant amendment concerns the introduction of a new Division 7A of Part 7 to give police powers to establish and maintain crime scenes. Notwithstanding the common law gives police the power to enter upon a person’s premises in certain circumstances, the power to remain on the premises is quite limited. The rights of NT Police forensic personnel to enter and remain at a place to enable them to carry out their tests are non-existent. Notwithstanding there is little evidence police are regularly refused entry to premises to investigate offences, there is necessarily a community expectation in having police investigate and prosecute serious criminal offences unhindered of threats of trespass or the loss of vital evidence. This does not mean police can establish a crime scene to the detriment of the occupier of premises for just any offence.
Before establishing a crime scene, the responsible member must not only suspect on reasonable grounds that a relevant offence has been, is being, or is about to be committed at the place, but also the member must be satisfied it is reasonably necessary to establish the crime scene. In determining whether it is reasonably necessary, the member can only have regard to the preservation of evidence and the searching for and gathering of evidence to the relevant offence. I must stress that these powers are not exhaustive. The term ‘relevant offence’ has been broadly drafted and means an offence punishable by a term of imprisonment of six months or more. Following the establishment of a crime scene, other persons who assist police in their investigations, such as photographers and forensic personnel who provide essential specialist support to the police, can lawfully be on that place to carry out their work.
Likewise, members are able to exercise a range of crime powers where the circumstances of a case require their exercise, for example, excluding or removing people from the crime scene, opening anything which is locked at the crime scene, digging up anything at the crime scene, or removing part of the structure.
The bill also provides that the crime scene may only be maintained for a reasonable period necessary for the investigations to be carried out. What is a reasonable period is to be determined by a number of factors, including but not limited to the complexity of the crime, the size of the crime scene, the time of day, availability of qualified examiners, and time to conduct re-enactments.
Madam Speaker, I believe these powers are essential to enable police and their specialist technical support personnel to get on with the job of investigating criminal offences unhindered by any threats of trespass by occupiers of premises.
I now turn to the powers of police dogs and horses. As honourable members will be aware, the use of drug detection dogs was launched in December 2004. The drug detection dogs are currently based in Darwin; however, they have travelled on operation deployments throughout the Territory, supporting operational police in the execution of their duties. Although the drug dogs give operational support for police officers, one of their core functions is to support the Drug Enforcement Section’s Remote Community Drug Desk. The Drug Enforcement Section conducts regular remote operations to target the supply of illicit drugs and other substances into Aboriginal communities. It also conducts regular checks of passengers, baggage and freight on regional airlines travelling into and out of remote communities.
To date, drug dogs have detected and prevented in excess of 700 instances of illicit drugs being taken into or out of those communities. This has had a significant impact on criminal activity in the Northern Territory and has resulted in the arrest of a number of suppliers whose operations would otherwise have gone undetected. In addition, earlier this year, a general purpose police dog was introduced into the service. The role of this dog is to assist in keeping the community safe in a range of different situations. By way of an example, modern technology cannot replicate a dog’s ability to track or locate a hidden or lost person or thing. The addition of the general purpose police dog is a valuable asset for police.
Other specifically trained dogs will be recruited into service in the near future. The role of these dogs will be to provide police with operational support in searching for or detecting such things as firearms and explosives and for crowd control purposes. The bill also covers the Mounted Police Patrol Unit.
I will briefly discuss the role of the drug detection dogs because it is these animals that the public will, at some stage, come into contact with. First, these animals may be used by the Dog Operations Unit either with or without a warrant. Section 120 of the act empowers a member of the police force to stop, detain and search, amongst other things, a person in a public place if the member suspects on reasonable grounds the person is in possession of a dangerous drug, precursor or drug manufacturing equipment. It is not necessary for a search warrant to be issued for the purpose of carrying out a search of a person in a public place as long as the member holds the requisite suspicion.
A police officer is entitled to walk in the vicinity of a person and, if the member were able to smell, for example, cannabis in the person’s possession, the member would justifiably form a reasonable suspicion sufficient to entitle him to search the person. He would not thereby commit trespass of the person. Treating a drug detection dog as an extension of a police officer or as an aid to his olfactory senses, the position is unchanged. It does not matter that the dog acts differently from the police officer in the way he detects and indicates, short of trespassing to the person, the presence of a substance or that the dog acts under the encouragement of the police officer. Used in this manner, the drug detection dogs do not search. Rather, they merely act as an extension of the member’s senses, whereby the member can form the necessary suspicion where, in other circumstances, they would be unable to do so.
If the dogs are used under the authority of a search warrant, the circumstances of their use is treated differently. If a search warrant has been issued under section 120B of the act, the drug detection dogs may lawfully be used to assist the authorised member to search for the dangerous drug which is the subject of the warrant. To overcome any conflict between the operational use of the animals by police with any existing laws or by-laws, this bill will override any statutory prohibitions or other obligations. For example, the bill exempts police from the registration requirements under relevant by-laws. Importantly, significant penalties will apply for intentionally killing or injuring a police animal in the execution of the member’s duties. The maximum penalty will be $25 000 or five years in imprisonment. Similar penalties now apply in New South Wales following the callous and deliberate killing of a New South Wales Police Dog Squad animal in December 2004.
The next amendment I wish to draw your attention to relates to section 84G of the act, the powers of the commissioner to suspend a member without salary. Currently, the decision to suspend a member without salary lies with the minister. However, government believes that the decision to suspend a member without salary should be a managerial prerogative of the commissioner exercising administrative responsibility as other chief executives do. The Territory is the only jurisdiction in Australia where the decision to suspend a member’s salary rests with the minister. To ensure the principles of natural justice are upheld, a member who is aggrieved by the decision of the commissioner to suspend the member without pay will have a right to appeal the decision to the Disciplinary Appeal Tribunal.
I now turn to the last amendment I would like to comment on and which I briefly raised earlier. This amendment comes about as a result of significant changes in technology. Like other sectors of the community, it is in the best interests of police to make use of modern technology in their day-to-day operations. One change which is easily implemented but requires legislative reform for evidentiary purposes is the use of digital recordings in records of interview or confessions of suspects. Sections 141 and 142 of the act, which deal with the recording of confessions and admissions, were inserted in 1992 when the predominant technology of the time was tape recorders. These provisions came about following a 1986 High Court decision which held the police practice in some jurisdictions of taking arrested persons to police stations for the purposes of questioning as opposed to before a magistrate was unlawful. This meant that any confessions, including voluntary confessions, were excluded.
This amendment will give police the ability to use a digital recorder - meaning both audio or video - for the purposes of recording interviews and confessions as required under the act. For example, if police are investigating an offence in a remote location, the digital recorder will have the capacity to store a large number of interviews. This is opposed to a tape recorder, where each interview requires the use of multiple tapes. However, unlike a tape, which permanently electromagnetically stores the recording, digital technology stores the sounds on an in-built memory card, which is not permanent. This data would be downloaded onto a computer hard drive at some stage during or following the investigation.
Notwithstanding the risk of tampering or manipulation of the recording is very remote, the statutory provision will ensure proper conduct by police. Moreover, the effect of downloading the recording from the recorder to a computer may render the recording inadmissible as the recording is no longer ‘the electronic recording’ which could be tendered in evidence. To overcome this, it is proposed modelling the amendment on the equivalent provision in section 464AA of the Crimes Act Victoria. As a result, the member making the recording must certify that the recording has not been altered after its making, including that any prescribed requirements, if any, have been complied with. The making of the certificate will ensure the risks of tampering or manipulation are minimised.
As I previously mentioned, I am pleased to introduce this bill into the House today, and believe that all members will agree that the raft of amendments will enhance police operations and enable them to do their job more efficiently and effectively.
Madam Speaker, I commend the bill to honourable members.
Debate adjourned.
DOMESTIC AND FAMILY VIOLENCE BILL
(Serial 120)
(Serial 120)
Bill presented and read a first time.
Mr STIRLING (Justice and Attorney-General): Madam Speaker, I move that the bill be now read a second time.
The bill before the House today is the culmination of over a year of intensive consultation and legislative and policy development. It is legislation intended to tackle the serious and difficult issue of domestic violence head on. There are many elements to this bill. Some have come about as a result of the extensive stakeholder consultation, while others reflect best practice in Australia and overseas.
Some provisions were developed specifically in response to the issues raised and recommendations made in the Little Children are Sacred report. The government has taken some tough decisions in the development of the bill to protect women and children. We thank those who have taken the time to contribute to the development of the bill through submission and comment.
It is an unacceptable tragedy that lives have been ruined and lost in the Territory as a result of domestic and family violence. These reforms will provide the protection for people experiencing violence in their relationships to rebuild their and their families’ lives. These reforms mark an important step in bringing about genuine change in community attitudes and behaviour which I hope will make a difference to many families who live under the threat of violence.
I will now outline the major features of the bill. First, Madam Speaker, the title of the bill differs from that of the act it is replacing. Renaming the relevant legislation the Domestic and Family Violence Act serves to indicate the breadth of relationships that will be covered by the new act. Violence in intimate relationships can range over all sorts of different relationships in the family and in the home, and is not limited to physical violence against women. The change of title acknowledges the impact of violence on children and others in the family.
We have included objects in the bill that do not appear in the current act to convey to the community the goals, values and principles we are aiming to achieve through the enactment of this legislation. The primary objective of the bill is to ensure the safety of all people, including children, who experience domestic and family violence. The second objective is to ensure that those who commit violence in their relationships must accept responsibility for their behaviour. The objects will assist practitioners and the court to interpret and apply the legislation.
The bill also expands the range of people now able to seek protection by seeking an order. The bill provides that proceedings for a Domestic Violence Order can be instituted on behalf of a child by a relative or other responsible adult. Young people between 15 and 18 will also be able to institute proceedings on their own behalf with the leave of the court. The reform will address what has been uncertainty in relation to minors under the current act.
In cases where a police officer or child protection officer reasonably believes that a child has been exposed to domestic violence and is likely to be adversely affected, the officer must apply for an order. This measure will ensure that protection is provided as a matter duty, another protection not available under the Domestic Violence Act. It is widely recognised that the impact on the social and educational development of children who experience violence or who are exposed to violence towards family members can be long lasting.
We also know that, to some extent, domestic violence is associated with the incidence of child abuse, and there is a direct relationship between domestic violence and child health. These reforms will ensure that children enjoy the same protections from family violence as are available to adults. They aim to ensure that the long-term development of children who find themselves in this situation are not damaged by the experience or exposure to violence at a young age. This initiative is consistent with developments in domestic violence legislation in other states and territories, as well as being consistent with the principle of the best interests of the child contained in the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Unfortunately, young people can also be the aggressors in violent family relationships. In recognition of this, orders can now be sought and made against a young person between the ages of 15 and 18. These orders will operate in the same way as orders against adults, with the court imposing both restraints and positive obligations such as attendance at an appropriate rehabilitation program where the young person agrees to this obligation.
In addition to children, others in relationships that do not currently come within the scope of the Domestic Violence Act will be able to seek protection under the new act. People who are betrothed, engaged or in a dating relationship or in a carers relationship are also covered by the bill. We have included these people and relationships in the bill because the same controlling behaviours that characterise domestic violence can also be experienced by people not married or living together. This category is drafted to specifically include promised wives to ensure they are not intimidated or harassed into having a sexual relationship with their betrothed before the age of 16 without the young woman’s consent.
The bill will also simplify processes regarding Domestic Violence Orders. There will be two general types of orders that can be sought and made: court orders; and police orders. Court orders are made via the usual process; that is, by a standard application to the court by an applicant, to be now known as a protected person, or a police officer on their behalf. Police orders are those made by an authorised police officer in urgent circumstances where it is not practicable to obtain a court order, but where an order is necessary to ensure the safety of a victim. Police orders are generally made in remote and regional areas.
The introduction of police orders as an alternative to telephone orders made by a magistrate was an amendment the government made to the Domestic Violence Act in 2005. Police orders have worked well and been taken up by police as a matter of priority in their on-the-ground work. Effective policing is essential to the success of any domestic and family violence regime. Their support in the development and, in the future, the application of the new regime is vital, and I am sure it is appreciated by all here as well as the community at large.
Magistrates’ orders made over the phone by a magistrate will be abolished under the new bill as both police and magistrates advised that they have been made redundant with the introduction of police orders. The definition of ‘police orders’ is broadened by the bill so that it is clear that officers can issue a police order to ensure the safety of a victim. The threat to the victim does not need to be immediate as it was previously. Defendants the subject of police orders and protected persons will have the right to request a review of a police order to a magistrate.
To address a current procedural anomaly, the bill will introduce a system by which the terms of an old order will continue to apply to a defendant unless and until they are served with the new or varied order. This avoids a gap that exists under the current act.
The bill continues to make provision for consent orders where parties choose to have an order in place to manage the nature of their relationship. The bill introduces a new order that can be made in criminal proceedings regardless of whether the proceedings take place in the Magistrates or the Supreme Court. Where a person pleads guilty to, or is found guilty of, an offence such as stalking or intimidation with intent to cause fear or harm, or where a domestic violence offence was committed, the court can make a Domestic Violence Order in addition to any sentence imposed. The order will operate in the same way as any other Domestic Violence Order, and can be imposed on application by parties or on the court’s own initiative. This order will continue independent of the sentence imposed for the offence.
The bill also reflects careful consideration regarding the grounds for obtaining an order. During consultation, there was some support for a model that focused on the fear experienced by the victim. The Law Society, for example, raised concerns that the person in a domestic relationship should, in fact, hold fear for their safety. These views have been carefully considered. Following discussion with police, and in light of the aims of the reform, a model has been drafted that allows the court to make an order where there are reasonable grounds for the protected person to fear the commission of domestic violence. The test is simple, objective and will work as easily for applicants who seek an order on their own behalf as it will for police where they seek an order on behalf of a victim.
In one of the key aspects of the bill, domestic violence is defined by reference to a set of behaviours not currently covered by the existing act such as economic abuse, sexual assault, stalking, intimidation, coercion, damage to animals and acts which, if repeated, indicate a continuing pattern of abuse. These are in addition to the commonly known domestic violence behaviours such as assault, threats and damage to property.
The inclusion of economic abuse and intimidation in the definition of domestic violence recognises that socially isolating the victim from their normal channels of support and economically depriving them is abusive behaviour that is about shaming and undermining the victim’s capacity to take independent action.
Economic abuse will cover commonly known situations police encounter in their duties such as women who are subjected to standover tactics so that they are forced to give over money or key cards to other members of their family for alcohol, ganja or other purposes. Women who are excluded from the family home or savings when their husbands change the locks or close bank accounts will also be able to seek protection under the bill. Other examples could include clothes being burnt, hair cut off or threats of black magic that may give rise to an application and granting of a Domestic Violence Order.
Another major reform in the bill is the adoption of vulnerable witness provisions in domestic violence proceedings. Under the amendment, the applicant and some witnesses may be able to give their evidence at a place outside the court or utilise a screen or partition in the courtroom to protect them from the view of the defendant whilst they are giving evidence. Victims in court are often overwhelmed by appearing in court and potentially having to deal with the intimidating stare of their partner or husband. These measures will ensure that applicants will be protected from intimidation during proceedings.
In addition, in proceedings for an order where children are the applicants, their evidence will be submitted in a written or recorded statement and the child does not need to appear at the proceedings. Children also cannot be cross-examined. This is consistent with provisions in the Justices Act in proceedings for sexual offences involving children and will further encourage the use of Domestic Violence Orders. However, young people will not be precluded from cross-examination during proceedings in which they are alleged to have breached a Domestic Violence Order in place against them.
Under the bill it will be an offence to publish the name of a child who appears as an applicant or witness in a proceeding, or any information likely to lead to the identification of the child, except where the name is placed in an official report of the proceedings or the court consents to the publication of the name. Likewise, where the court orders that a person’s personal details be prohibited from publication, any publication of those details constitutes an offence.
Another central objective of the legislation is to ensure minimal disruption to the lives of families affected by violence. There will be a new presumption when making orders in favour of an applicant with children in their care remaining in the family home. This will be achieved by the grant of a Premises Order requiring the defendant to vacate the family home in appropriate cases. This may initially appear harsh but government has made the deliberate decision that women should no longer be forced to flee the family home with their children and seek crisis accommodation elsewhere in another suburb, town or city, away from family and friends while the perpetrator remains in the home. The disadvantage experienced by women and children in such situations is often exacerbated by the cost of living and lack of steady income. Children, in particular, suffer. As routines change, the child has to cope with fitting in a new environment and new schooling. We recognise the detrimental impact this has on children and will attempt, through this bill, to minimise it.
In cases where a relationship between two people has broken down altogether and there is little prospect of them living together without continuing violence, and the home is rented, the court will be able to make an order terminating the existing lease and create a new lease for the benefit of the protected person.
The government recognises that this is a big policy step, so has introduced the following safeguards to prevent any abuse of this mechanism: the landlord will have the right to be heard before an order is made; the original expiry date for the terminated lease will not be extended by the order; the landlord can refuse the making of an order as long as the court is satisfied that refusal is reasonable; and the provisions of the Residential Tenancies Act in respect of condition reports on the property and the return of bond monies will apply to tenancy agreements terminated as part of this process.
Finally, the power to terminate a tenancy agreement will not be exercised unless the court is satisfied that the protected person can comply with the terms of the replacement tenancy agreement and, of course, consents to the order. These orders will not be made often, but they will allow victims who live in rented accommodation to remain in their home, free from further violence.
In addition to the court’s ability to make orders restraining the behaviour of the defendant, the bill also compels perpetrators of domestic and family violence to accept responsibility for their behaviour. This will be achieved by imposing positive obligations on them, including an obligation to undertake rehabilitation. This kind of order can only be made with the consent of the defendant and is conditional on an assessment of the availability and suitability of an appropriate program that addresses the defendant’s behaviour.
The mechanism will operate either on application or on the court’s own motion. While agreeing to attend a rehabilitation program requires consent, failure to attend the program will constitute a breach of the order. This provision is intended to bring about attitudinal change with the defendant learning new ways to deal with anger, manage alcohol intake, or rethink the impact of their behaviour on their family relationships.
It is also designed to encourage people to develop problem-solving and communication skills that can be put into use in personal relationships. The bill requires the court to explain the nature and effect of the terms of any order, including details of any restraints or obligations to a defendant and the protected person if that person is in the court.
The court will also be required to explain that the order can be registered and enforced in other states and territories and in New Zealand, what will happen if the terms of the order are breached, and how the order can be varied or revoked. Given that a breach of an order carries criminal consequences, including imprisonment for the defendant, we have decided to include these obligations on the court as part of a preventative strategy to avoid breaches of orders based on simple and genuine misunderstandings of their terms.
During the review of the Domestic Violence Act, many stakeholders raised concerns that the provisions dealing with variations and revocations of existing orders were being used by defendants as a means to seek a de facto appeal or a review of a magistrate’s decision. We were advised that, as a consequence of this, many victims were living in anxiety and uncertainty about whether they would be called to court to respond to an application by the defendant and whether the order would be changed.
Under these reforms, the situation will change. It will be harder for defendants to obtain a variation or revocation of an existing order, with such orders only being made where there has been a substantial change in circumstances. A change of circumstances might include changes regarding the childcare arrangements of children of the relationship or the satisfactory completion of a rehabilitation program.
Domestic Violence Orders will continue to be enforced by criminal sanctions. A breach of a court order will now attract a maximum penalty of two years imprisonment, which replaces six months under the current act. This penalty has been increased as it was the government’s view that six months was manifestly inadequate given the adverse impact that this kind of violence has on family members and on the community. Two years is also broadly consistent with other serious offences of violence, such as threatening to cause injury or assault. A breach of an order is a strict liability offence which means that no fault element needs to be proved and the defence of mistake of fact will be available.
The bill makes some changes to the sentencing regime. The bill does not introduce mandatory sentencing, as has been claimed. Mandatory sentencing already exists under the act. What this bill will do is make the operation of mandatory provisions fairer. Under the new legislation, the court must record a conviction and impose a sentence of imprisonment of at least seven days for a second or subsequent offence where harm results to the protected person. In circumstances where the breach of the order does not, in fact, result in harm, the court will have discretion not to impose a mandatory sentence if the court is of the opinion that in the circumstances of the offence it is not appropriate to do so. The amendment sends a strong consistent message to perpetrators in the wider community that domestic and family violence will not be tolerated, and that a breach of an order is a serious offence and will be regarded as such by the sentencing court.
In circumstances where there has been a technical breach of an order that resulted in no harm to the victim, the court will maintain its discretion, however, and the potential injustice that arises from the current mandatory sentencing system will be avoided. This change will encourage victims to report breaches when they occur. It may also encourage defendants to consent to orders as they will more likely not fear the inflexibility of the previous sentencing regime. This would, in turn, reduce the need for victims to give evidence to obtain orders and reduce the number of court hearings, saving court time and resources. Change should be favourably received by the criminal justice system and the judiciary.
The same sentencing provision will apply to young people between the ages of 15 and 18 where they breach an order. Again, the court will have discretion where harm does not result from the breach and, in sentencing young people, the court can take into account the age of the person as well as the circumstances of the case.
For the registration of interstate orders, we have introduced a small provision that will allow interstate orders to be registered and have effect in the Territory. This will remove the need for persons living in border areas to actually go to court in the Northern Territory to give effect to orders that are already in place elsewhere.
Madam Speaker, as I have detailed at length, the government has not made a final decision regarding mandatory reporting of domestic violence. Further work and consideration will be undertaken and a decision made in the new year. The reforms outlined in this bill could not wait, and so they go ahead independent of that outstanding question. These reforms are required immediately. We could not leave them on the shelf while we worked through the complex issues mandatory reporting raises.
On this point, I wish to bring members’ attention to the provision dealing with health practitioners who do report suspicion to police. Under this bill, these practitioners will be protected from any civil or criminal liability in relation to such a report. The duty of confidentiality is not absolute. Health practitioners may feel compelled to report serious instances of domestic violence if they believe that there is a serious risk of domestic violence to the patient or another person. They may do so where they believe a report is necessary to act in the best interests of their patient. We recognise that health practitioners do not take these things lightly. Many health practitioners consider it a breach of their ethical obligations to their patient. Nevertheless, disclosure of information concerning their patient’s experience of domestic violence in these circumstances is not inconsistent with the doctor’s ethical obligation according to the Australian Medical Association, and government must provide legal protection for health professionals who determine they must provide information to the police.
The bill does contain amendments to other legislation, including the Justices Act. Amendments to this act will allow those who experience violence in a relationship but do not live with the perpetrator to seek a new type of civil remedy called a Personal Violence Restraining Order. The primary purpose of this order will be to secure the safety of the victim, with the grounds for the order being a finding on the balance of probabilities that the defendant committed a personal violence offence that caused harm to the victim as defined in the Criminal Code.
These provisions replace section 99 of the Justices Act, which stakeholders explained during consultation were inadequate to the task and provided limited protection of victims because they were not enforceable by police. This new mechanism will allow the Magistrates Court to refer a matter to compulsory mediation before the court is required to determine an application, unless the matter is of such a significant nature that the court is obliged to hear the matter immediately.
The amendment will also allow police to make an application on behalf of children in circumstances where, for example, they believe a child has been or is being sexually assaulted by a perpetrator who is not in a domestic relationship with that child. Police will be able to act immediately to protect that child while they complete their investigation. In these circumstances, it will be a useful complementary measure to criminal proceedings.
Madam Speaker, in closing, the legislation will be a strong tool to protect victims of domestic violence from further abuse. We have deliberately shifted the presumption in favour of protecting the rights of those often powerless parties who are experiencing violence.
The government also realises that to achieve long-term, sustainable and intergenerational change, we have to look at changing the behaviour of those perpetrating the violence. This bill achieves both fundamental goals. I commend the bill to honourable members, and I table a copy of the explanatory statement.
Debate adjourned.
DISASTERS AMENDMENT BILL
(Serial 115)
(Serial 115)
Continued from 30 August 2007.
Ms CARNEY (Opposition Leader): Madam Speaker, I will brief. I should indicate that the member for Nelson has asked me to raise an issue. I do not believe it requires going into committee but, perhaps in your reply, Chief Minister, if you would respond to it, I thank you.
The opposition supports the bill which, in essence, does two things. First, it enables Emergency Services personnel to order people to clean up their blocks when a Cyclone Watch has been issued, rather than a Cyclone Warning. This means that Emergency Services personnel will have more time to make these orders before a cyclone comes. This stands to reason, considering the near miss that Monica represented last year. Second, it updates the penalty provisions for the Disasters Act for people and corporations who offend against the powers of officers authorised by the act.
We support the bill because they are commonsense amendments and, accordingly, for very obvious reasons. On behalf of the opposition, not much else needs to be said.
On behalf of the member for Nelson, I raise what is a good point. I did not have time to look at it, but he has asked: why has there been such a significant increase of the penalty? In the original Disasters Act, based on the material I have in front of me, an offence penalty was $5000. Now it has gone up to $550 000 …
Ms Martin: $55 000.
Ms CARNEY: $55 000?
Mr Henderson: Those penalty units get everybody.
Ms CARNEY: They get us all, don’t they?
Ms Martin: It is $55 000 as a maximum for an individual.
Ms CARNEY: $55 000 is not quite as gob smacking as $550 000.
Ms Martin: $275 000 for a corporation maximum.
Ms CARNEY: Thank you. I am sure you will restate that for the Parliamentary Record purposes for the edification of the member for Nelson. Thank you. You saw where I was coming from on his behalf; you have answered it. I hope Hansard picked it up, but I invite you to formally record that.
Mr HENDERSON (Employment, Education and Training): Madam Speaker, I support the amendments to the emergency act before the parliament this morning.
Essentially, I do so as member for Wanguri in the northern suburbs and as previous minister for Emergency Services. These are long overdue amendments to this legislation, given that every year the Top End faces the threat of cyclones. All of us who live in Top End coastal communities always feel a little apprehensive leading into the cyclone season.
There are some members of this parliament who lived through Cyclone Tracy and the horrors of that night will stay with those people forever. I have been in Darwin for Cyclone Max, Cyclone Gretel and a number of pretty big near misses; Thelma and Monica were two that all of us were, if we were to be truthful, pretty frightened of hitting our city, particularly those of us who have children. There is apprehension every year in the cyclone season.
I certainly urge all residents to ensure that they have their cyclone kits prepared for the coming season; that they have a plan for home and family as to what they will do and where they will go if a cyclone is predicted to hit Darwin.
The amendments that are being debated today are, as I said, commonsense amendments that probably should have been done a few years ago, particularly with the rate of development occurring in Darwin now. I think someone counted 14 cranes on the skyline. We have significant construction activity happening. Construction sites, by their very nature, have a lot of building materials and other debris accumulated during the construction phase. Given the increasing density of the population in our city, it is important that Emergency Services has the capacity to order errant individuals or corporations who do not maintain their blocks in reasonable order, particularly in the cyclone season where people are preparing for cyclones, when a watch has being declared for Darwin and other communities. Most people are responsible and will tidy their blocks or sites up. Unfortunately, there are a few who will not. Most people do the right thing virtually all of the time. However, you are always going to have some people who will not do the right thing and that is what this legislation deals with.
In the lead-up to Monica last year, I, along with many other members of the House driving to and from work, saw sites that had not been cleaned up and should have been cleaned up. I know at the beginning of the cyclone season, Emergency Services come together with all their counterparts and task force across government to look at how government agencies are prepared for the upcoming cyclone season. Consequently, after the cyclone season, there are significant debriefs conducted by Emergency Services across government about what we learnt from the past cyclone season.
The issue of construction sites not being tidied up adequately even during the Cyclone Warning period really did ring alarm bells for Emergency Services and across government. Maybe the Chief Minister can comment in her closing statement, but I am pretty confident that Emergency Services would have engaged groups like the Territory Construction Association, the Housing Industry Association …
Ms Martin: Chamber of Commerce.
Mr HENDERSON: Yes, Chamber of Commerce, and other industry bodies. I call on those industry bodies to be proactive in letting their members know of their responsibilities to the broader community to ensure that their members maintain tidy workplaces and undertake a preventative cleanup at the start of the season.
It is great to see Darwin City Council have been out in the northern suburbs this weekend encouraging residents to deposit debris and building materials on their nature strips, and Darwin City Council workers have been picking up stuff from the kerbside. Residents in the northern suburbs have been doing their bit, although the stuff is still on my nature strip. I hope they are going to come this weekend to clear up around Wanguri.
Ms Martin: Just take it to the dump.
Mr HENDERSON: Yes, I will take it to the dump if it does not occur.
Similarly, I ask industry associations to be proactive in calling on their members to clean up their workplaces and their building sites in the lead-up to the season.
These provisions in the act give Emergency Services the powers to order companies and individuals to clean up blocks during a Cyclone Watch period. Previously, they could only issue such orders once we were in a Cyclone Warning. It is a provision that probably was adequate 15 to 20 years ago but, today, when we have such development occurring in our city, when a Cyclone Warning has been called most people are thinking about their home and family. Rather than staying on a building site to clean up, most of those workers and their supervisors will probably want to be home preparing their homes and families for a potential cyclone in the warning period. Therefore, bringing that capacity forward to a watch is commonsense. It is certainly going to ensure that we are much better prepared in the event that we have a cyclone potentially bearing down not only on Darwin, but on other communities across the Northern Territory.
It is appropriate that penalties are increased. Given public safety is absolutely paramount and the seriousness of any cyclone that crosses our shores and hits any of our communities, the potential for death, property damage and severe injury are, obviously, very real. These penalties reflect the seriousness and accountability of individuals to ensure that they do the right thing, not only of ensuring their families and neighbours are safe, but also for corporations to ensure that the communities in which they do business are going to be safe as much as possible as a result of their activities.
The penalties have been lifted to $55 000 for an individual and $275 000 for a corporation. They are maximum penalties. It does not mean that if someone has a block in Leanyer and there are a couple of bits of corrugated iron in the back yard that have not been removed or made safe that they are automatically going to be hit with a $55 000 fine. It is a maximum penalty, but it is appropriate, in line with improving the times when Emergency Services can order a cleanup. Companies and individuals that fail to heed those orders can be facing the courts and fines that reflect the seriousness of the intent of this parliament and Emergency Services in making sure that our community is as safe and well prepared as we can possibly be in the event that a cyclone is bearing down on any of our communities across the Northern Territory.
It does not only apply to a cyclone. Emergency Services has the power, in the event of flood and any other natural disaster that may strike the Territory, to order people to clean up, but particularly in a cyclone season where we have a much more developed and robust set of warnings in the event that a cyclone may be bearing down on us.
Madam Speaker, I commend the Chief Minister for bringing these amendments before the House and urge all honourable members to support them.
Ms LAWRIE (Planning and Lands): Madam Speaker, this bill is extremely important as it provides the counter-disaster controllers with the necessary powers to ensure that we can be best prepared for a cyclone. It is essential that cleanups are undertaken when a cyclone is imminent to help minimise potential property damage and loss of lives.
The Northern Territory has adopted the National Building Code of Australia and the relevant Australian standards as our technical building standards. The codes have been reviewed in recent years and the standards in Australia for cyclonic areas are some of the highest in the world. Building standards alone do not mitigate against property damage or loss of lives in extreme cyclones. The Construction Division of the Department of Planning and Infrastructure provides project management for the construction and maintenance of built assets for the Northern Territory government’s client agencies so it plays an important part in ensuring that significant government construction projects are prepared for a cyclone.
When a Cyclone Watch or Warning is announced, the Construction Division of the department instructs its contractors to ensure that they are made aware of the threat and issues instructions where contractors have not been proactive in cleaning up sites. The Construction Division is continuing to work with Police, Fire and Emergency Services in improving its own responses to cyclones, and is actively involved with debrief sessions after all events. The Department of Planning and Infrastructure is an integral part of the Region 1 Cyclone Counter-Disaster Plan. The plan relies on several response groups to carry out work during and after a cyclone. Among these groups are the Engineering Group, which consists of the Infrastructure and Roads Group and local councils.
The Engineering Group has responsibility for the protection, maintenance and restoration of essential services within Counter-Disaster Region 1, which covers Darwin and surrounding areas. The prime tasks are the maintenance and restoration of public buildings, the taking of temporary measures to ensure that services and buildings required during the restoration period are available, the clearing of essential traffic routes and relief from local flooding where drains are blocked, and the opening and maintaining of rubbish and debris tips.
The Infrastructure and Roads Group has responsibility for the maintenance and restoration of public buildings and services associated with these buildings and the clearance of debris from routes within Darwin, including patrolling roads and reporting on conditions within Counter-Disaster Region 1.
These areas also provide professional engineering advice to the Katherine and Alice Springs Flood Plans. While these are now established, they need to be dynamic documents so that lessons learnt can be incorporated into the plans.
As part of Budget 2007-08, the government announced substantial upgrades to several cyclone shelters in the Darwin and rural areas. These included upgrades to shelters at Casuarina Senior College, Nightcliff High School and Taminmin High School. I can advise that a contract was let to the Nightcliff High School project on 10 August and this is due for completion in November. Works at Taminmin High School will be carried out by a contractor already programmed to carry out other works within the building identified for the cyclone shelter upgrade. This work is also due for completion in November.
Following concerns being raised by parents and the department of Education in relation to the timing of works at Casuarina Senior College, I agreed to postpone the Casuarina works until next year. This will avoid any disruption to the school and students, particularly at the all-important time of senior exams. The works were to replace the current cyclone shelter areas into one large area for ease of management. The deferral of works does not affect safety, as the existing cyclone rooms are still to be available to accommodate up to 1500 people at Casuarina Senior College in the event of a cyclone.
Madam Speaker, the Top End of the Northern Territory is naturally prone to tropical cyclone events, with some two to three cyclones affecting the region each year. We need to be prepared for these events and minimise the risks. The importance of the cleanup cannot be underestimated, and provisions in the bill to extend the cleanup period from 24 hours to 48 hours is critical. We have all seen the significant development and construction occurring in Darwin at the moment. At any one time, we have about 14 cranes on the skyline of Darwin. There are a lot of unit developments and office buildings going up, and there is significant work done in securing those sites in the event of a Cyclone Watch or Warning. The 48-hour period will give industry an opportunity to respond to the warnings and instructions from Emergency Services and officers in my agencies and Work Health to get those sites prepared and to tie down anything that can be tied down or remove everything that could become debris in a cyclone.
Those of us who went through Cyclone Tracy know the critical importance of tying down debris. The main cause of damage during Cyclone Tracy and a significant effect on the loss of life was the debris that was flying through the air that night. I can recall, as a child, being trapped in a car during Cyclone Tracy, and the period of Cyclone Tracy prior to the eye. The amount of debris that was flying through the air was absolutely horrifying. It was pieces of corrugated iron and debris of the like and, essentially, we had to cram, as children, in under the seats of the car because the debris was hitting the car and, in instances, bits of the car were basically being sheered off at window level because of the extent of the debris, which become extremely dangerous missiles in the event of a cyclone.
Madam Speaker, I take the cleanup period extremely seriously. I know it will mean that there is less likelihood of significant damage to property and, indeed, less likelihood of loss of life. I joined with people on the weekend in the northern suburbs, in dragging anything that is loose and unnecessary in my yard out on to the nature strip. I join with the members in this debate in congratulating Darwin City Council for its pre-cyclone cleanup. It is critical that we ensure that our residential suburban areas are prepared for the cyclone season - which, of course, we are about to enter into again - but, equally as important, our commercial industrial areas take on their responsibility of ensuring that they are as prepared as possible. Therefore, the extension of 48 hours is a significant change to our ability to be prepared for a cyclone.
I note with some sadness that Palmerston City Council is not, at this stage, planning to embark on a similar pre-cyclone cleanup as Darwin City Council has. I urge them to reconsider that decision. Palmerston is a developing city, as we know. There are new residential areas under construction in Palmerston, and it is particularly important for Palmerston residents to be aware of the need to secure and clean up in preparation for a cyclone.
People lead very busy lives, and it is not until a threat is imminent that people start to turn their minds to the need to prepare. Certainly, in the area of Emergency Services, preparation is a key factor in reducing risk to both property and lives, so I urge the residents of Palmerston to do what they can to secure their properties in terms of anything necessary around the yard, to get that down to their waste transfer station at Archer. I also encourage Palmerston City Council to reconsider. There are many organisations that I am sure the council could approach to help them with the issues of labour and the cleanup. There are some very community-minded organisations based in Palmerston which, I believe, would lend themselves to assist council with the cleanup. Irrespective, if the council does not organise a cleanup, then it is an issue that can be highlighted by local members in their newsletters encouraging people to clean up.
As I said, as a survivor of Cyclone Tracy, I do not underestimate the critical importance of securing anything left around your yard. Sadly, we are seeing predictions of increasing threats of cyclones. There were some predictions a few weeks ago that we are potentially going to see a quite threatening cyclone season this year for the Top End. We all live with that threat. Coastal communities have been hit by significant cyclones in recent years. It has been heartening to see that buildings built to the existing Building Code standards withstood those cyclonic winds very well, and their integrity was sound. However, we know that in some communities there are some very old buildings that are not as capable of withstanding a cyclone.
The importance of an urban focus on the cleanup is significant. The government has been cognisant of the fact that we need to work with our coastal communities to highlight the issue, teach people about preparedness and the safety of the newer buildings as compared to the older buildings, and have their cyclone plans prepared and ready to go in the event of a cyclone threat. The reality of living in this beautiful part of the world, with our great coastal communities and our tropical city of Darwin, is that we live with the threat of cyclones. That means that we are all responsible, each and every one of us, for playing our role in preparing for a cyclone, even if only in the normal role of ensuring you have your radio, batteries, water and household goods, and know what your own personal household plan is. Those of us who have lived in this tropical city for many years have personal plans prepared. There can be an improved emphasis in coastal communities about awareness of the steps that individuals can take to be prepared. I know the opportunity for a cleanup in the coastal communities is something that many local councils would entertain and encourage. It is an opportunity for a cleanup of the community.
This bill really does focus everyone’s minds on the need to be prepared for cyclones and the critical issue of cleaning up prior to a cyclone. The potential to be prepared and clean up prior to a cyclone season exists now. It exists for the capital city of Darwin, but it equally exists for our coastal communities. They are all too aware of the impact of a cyclone. As I said, they have gone through significant cyclones in recent years. I am sure it would not take a whole lot of convincing in our coastal communities to look at a community effort of cleaning up in preparedness for the cyclone season we are about to enter.
As a government, we take our responsibility very seriously. I commend the Minister for Employment, Education and Training for raising the need to work with industry groups to ensure that their members are aware of these changes and of their responsibility in preparation for cyclones.
I can advise that I have had discussions with the TCA and HIA about the role they play as an industry group in providing information to their members. It will be good to see, once these amendments are passed, communication out to those industry groups to ensure that they put the information into their industry newsletters and their online advice to their members. There should be no excuse - no excuse whatsoever - for people taking on their responsibility, whether they are owners of a building under construction, contractors constructing that building, or subcontractors working to those contractors. There is no excuse for not being cognisant of their responsibility and preparedness for a cyclone. As I said, equally there is a responsibility on each of us as residents of a cyclone prone area to do what we can to undertake our own cleanup and have our own cyclone plans ready.
The government is doing what it can to ensure that, in a legislative framework, in an Emergency Services response, in the processes of our various agencies with responsibilities, we are as prepared as possible. The government alone cannot do it. We need the community and industry groups to be prepared to work with us and do their part in preparing for cyclones as well.
I commend the Chief Minister and her agency of Police, Fire and Emergency Services for being extremely focused on things that we can do within a legislative framework to ensure that we have the powers necessary to instruct people to undertake the work that they really should be undertaking without that instruction. It is very much a positive change that provides preparedness for our cyclone prone areas, as well as in flood prone areas.
Madam Speaker, I commend the members for their bipartisan support of the bill.
Mr KNIGHT (Daly): Madam Speaker, I support the Chief Minister’s amendments to the Disasters Act.
These changes have a greater focus on the Darwin and Palmerston urban area, but they also impact on my electorate outside of Darwin. Most of the people in the rural and regional areas use Darwin and Palmerston as service hubs. Recent cyclones have really made people realise the impact it has on regional areas. I will go into that a bit later.
I congratulate the Darwin City Council for the huge effort they started last weekend in cleaning up the loose debris, and the community for participating. As the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport described, it is the airborne debris that can be the biggest cause of property and human damage than the wind itself. Getting that debris out of harm’s way is certainly the way to go.
Over the last few years, cyclones have really brought home the necessity to continually review what we are doing. These amendments recognise that more needs to be done as far as reviewing our response and what we can do as a government to reduce the damage and protect life.
Cyclones have a big impact a long way down the track. The member for Katherine would well realise that cyclones do not just stop their damage once they start to dissipate into a tropical depression. We have had several cyclones that have come in from the Gulf area and are downgraded to a tropical Low, but then they flood Katherine, so they have a great impact. Recent cyclones through the Marrakai area and stretching across into the Adelaide River area demonstrate that damaging winds can travel further south. The last cyclone came to about 50 km north of Adelaide River before it turned north again and it looked like Batchelor was in for some quite significant winds. Other cyclones have travelled down the Victoria River and impacted on places like Timber Creek and coastal communities like Wadeye, around the Cox Peninsula and Daly River.
One area in which I have involvement is counter-disaster plans, which are an integral part of disaster management and what happens in Darwin and Palmerston during a cyclone threat. The people involved in the plans perform terrifically well. Representatives from Emergency Services have given me the time to run through their counter-disaster plans. From a local member’s point of view, I see the interaction between local counter-disaster plans for the Batchelor and Adelaide River areas and how they interact with Darwin. If you have a cyclone threat in Darwin, the first thing that people who have been here for a while do is pack up the car, fuel it up and off they go to Adelaide River, which was seen as a pseudo cyclone shelter. However, the reality is that Adelaide River can only support a certain number of people and livestock.
We had the situation a few years back where horses were being taken from Darwin Turf Club and moved to Adelaide River. The stables filled up very quickly so some people had to go further down the track. I think they went as far as Pine Creek and Katherine. Something that needs to be considered is that interaction with local counter-disaster plans.
It was fortuitous that the last cyclone that came through in some ways happened just before Anzac Day and the Adelaide River Show Society - the ARSS Club as it is known, of which I am Patron - had eggs and bacon for the Anzac Day breakfast. They had catered for over 1000 people and, obviously, that year the service was called off, so they fed everyone in the overflowing caravan park and the town for a day-and-a-half before it all ran out.
All these things need to be considered. People should realise that if they want to get out, they need to plan to go as far as Katherine to get away from a cyclone because you cannot rely on Batchelor or Adelaide River to look after you.
The continual review of the act and of counter-disaster plans needs to happen because we have new developments happening everywhere. The rural area has been described in this House numerous times as developing rapidly. New road infrastructure means that flood patterns change, and so it poses both threats and opportunities to cater for those disasters when they happen.
We had the situation at Dundee Beach where we had a cyclone coming from the east, and a cyclone is always preceded by heavy rain. A few years ago, there would not have been many people out there at all and they would have battened down the hatches and weathered the storm. What is happening now is there is a greater population out there. There are elderly people and people with disabilities. The preceding rain cut off the road to Dundee so people could not get out by road. There is no public airstrip in the community. We have focused attention on what we can do for people out there. There needs to be continual review of these counter-disaster plans and our responses to them.
Forecasting and updating is something that came up in meetings I had after the recent cyclone when I travelled around the communities. People wanted to know what was going on with local roads and about their local area. There is the opportunity with Rum Jungle Radio, which feeds into TEABBA but has a radius of something like 50 km around the Batchelor area. That offers opportunities in the rural and Coomalie areas whereby people can ring in and update about particular roads so people know whether to go one way or another.
There are great opportunities with counter-disaster plans to make use of bushfire volunteers. They work very hard in the Dry Season, and we spoke about it last night. These are people who give their time, and are the type of people who are prepared to have a go. They love their community and commit to those communities. There is an opportunity during the cyclone season, which is really their off-season, to utilise their equipment and skilled personnel. They have a degree of knowledge about equipment, search and rescue and first aid for which they are trained by the Bushfires Council. There are opportunities there for Emergency Services to provide some additional training so that we have a resource available during the cyclone season which will not affect their firefighting duties during the Dry Season.
Madam Speaker, I congratulate the Chief Minister on the amendments. It is a watching brief on our response to cyclones. It is incumbent on us to say that it is a total community effort; you cannot rely on Emergency Services as a full-time staff or the volunteers. The community has to participate and respect these situations when they arise. They have to be prepared before cyclones happen. We get a bit blas about them and then we panic when they happen. Congratulations, Chief Minister. I look forward to discussing this into the future.
Mr VATSKALIS (Business and Economic Development): Madam Speaker, I have a brief contribution because it is very important to change the legislation. This brings us in line with other states, in particular Western Australia.
As you are aware, for a number of years I lived in Port Hedland. The area in Western Australia from Broome down to Dampier is considered to be cyclone alley because most of the cyclones’ routes start in the north and then veer down to the south-west of Western Australia. They usually hit the Western Australia coastline between Port Hedland and Onslow. Many of the cyclones are significant and, by sheer luck, have avoided damage in some of the urban centres in Western Australia.
I recall when I first came to Darwin with my family, we visited the Fannie Bay Gaol Museum which then housed the Cyclone Tracy exhibit. What was really frightening when the exhibit moved to the museum where it is housed now, with the small enclosure where you can hear the taped Christmas Mass of 24 December 1974, is that quite a few people cannot stand that exhibit because it brings back very sad memories. What was interesting was to hear the Mass and the sound of the people singing is blanketed by the sound of the wind, but also the scraping of debris on the road. That is one of the most frightening things in that exhibition.
One thing we know is that with climatic changes, the prediction of scientists is that cyclones, especially in the north of Australia, will increase in severity and it will not be uncommon to have a cyclone Category 4 or even 5 hitting the coast from Queensland to Western Australia. We have seen some of these examples recently with some of the cyclones that have hit the coastline in the Northern Territory and some of the islands.
I congratulate the Chief Minister for bringing these amendments to the House because I do not believe the Northern Territory is as prepared as other states, in particular Western Australia, with regards to cyclones. We tend to believe that we are used to living with cyclones and it will be all right, or that Cyclone Tracy was too long ago and probably will never happen again. However, we have to consider not only the severity of the cyclones, but the effect that the cyclones will have in a city like Darwin, considering the building activity going on.
Most of the damage in Darwin in 1974 was not only because some of the houses were not built according to the standards - and the standards in those days were not as strict as today - but as the cyclone hit Darwin some of the houses that were hit first collapsed and the flying debris hit the second and third houses and so on. It was a domino effect. Of course, when the cyclone came back again, the process was repeated. As a result, a large percentage of houses were damaged. When I went to the Building Branch to ask for the plans for my house in Nightcliff, by accident I had a look at one of the photographs from after the cyclone. The only things left of my elevated house were the columns and the floor. When I asked the clerk where the house was, he told me it was somewhere in Berrimah because it was blown away by the cyclone.
As I said before, I was living in Port Hedland and it is one of the most prepared towns in Australia with regards to cyclone, better than Queensland and, I have to say, probably better than the Northern Territory. However, we are catching up with these amendments to the legislation. In Port Hedland, everyone had a role to play in cyclones and the preparation for them, from the Emergency Services to government services and the local council. The leading role was played by the local council, which conducted a cyclone cleanup and cyclone preparation, and put in place an emergency plan, together with the Emergency Services in Western Australia. They even prepared the cyclone centres where people were going to be housed.
In addition, private business played a significant role. BHP owned the biggest mine and was running the town’s power station. In cyclone preparation, BHP would make trucks available for people to put their freezers or fridges on, so they could be taken to the BHP area to plug them into the power station so people would not lose perishable foods. When I worked for the council in Port Hedland, before the cyclone season, trucks would go around town collecting everything from people’s back yards apart from garden waste. Western Australia has a blue, yellow and red system whereas we have Cyclone Warnings and a different system. When the equivalent of a Cyclone Warning was declared, trucks would, once again, go out and pick up whatever was missed the first time.
In addition to that, the council would declare warnings and would force businesses to prepare themselves for the cyclone. For example, if it was car sales business, it would force them to park cars close together and in front of plate glass windows so debris would not destroy buildings. The threat was significant fines or they would take them to court for orders to clean their yards and store all their loose material in an enclosed area. It is very good to see that we now have that ability 48 hours from when the Bureau of Meteorology says a cyclone is expected to strike and declares a Cyclone Warning. As I said, in Darwin today, there are a significant number of cranes on the skyline and, consequently, there is a lot of building material lying around. This building material can become missiles and flying debris that can cause significant damage or even cost human lives.
I am reminded of a friend who bought a house in Darwin and said the house was built like a fortress. When he tried to find the owner of the house, he discovered that the previous owner of the house, the person who actually built the house, went through Cyclone Tracy with his family. As the house was destroyed around them, they fled down the stairs of the elevated house. As they were fleeing, he felt his wife’s grip loosen in his hand. When he turned around, he found a sheet of metal had hit his wife, nearly cutting her in half. She was one of the victims of Cyclone Tracy.
If you look at some of the scientific books, you can see timber completely going through the trunk of a palm tree. There is such force from a cyclone that a piece of timber can be lifted and thrown around with significant results.
In other cases, cyclones bring a lot of rain to the Territory. I recall, again from Port Hedland, that our house was on the foreshore. A colleague said that one of the cyclones was a dry cyclone with no rain. It took about 2.5 m of sand from under the master bedroom of the house and deposited it about three yards further down. He found that his car, which was left out, was completely stripped to bare metal by the force of the wind and the sand. It was sandblasted by the wind. They had to take the car away, replace all the windows and repaint the car as brand new.
It is significant. That is the force of cyclones. One of the most frightening things was the briefing we received from CSIRO which stated that severity and frequency of cyclones in the north-east, north and north-west of Australia is expected to increase in the next five to 10 years. We have to be prepared now for the emergencies like storm surge, and with the construction of new and adequate cyclone shelters that can withstand the significant pressure of very strong winds. In addition, we must always be prepared for the cyclone season, which is unpredictable.
Madam Speaker, I commend the Chief Minister for her foresight to bring our Territory in line with other states in Australia. It is better to be prepared now than sorry later.
Dr BURNS (Health): Madam Speaker, I will be brief. As a former Minister for Police, Fire and Emergency Services, and along with other members, I am only too well aware of the preparations that are made for cyclones regarding disaster management, the special powers which Police, Fire and Emergency Services have during that time, the preparations they make for evacuation, and for warning people and safeguarding the wellbeing of the public.
This bill is taking another step in that direction, which goes to the prevention of debris. As other speakers have said, debris is a major factor in injury and destruction during a cyclone. I know the member for Karama went through Cyclone Tracy and she mentioned the damage and the fear associated with debris.
I started the ball rolling on this bill when I was Minister for Police, Fire and Emergency Services. It was largely on the basis of when I was doorknocking Mrs Edna Pratt of Wilson Crescent in Moil, an elderly lady who had been through the cyclone and was very concerned about debris in the neighbourhood and the significant damage it could do. She was understandably nervous because she had seen the damage that debris can do firsthand. She, rightly, said to me that people who had not been through a cyclone, as time has progressed, have become slack in relation to debris in their yard. She also came to see me in my office because she wanted to know about progress on this issue. It is people like Mrs Pratt and others who have spoken to me on this issue, that this bill has come before us as a very commonsense and logical step for reducing the potential damage of cyclones.
There was someone else who lobbied me very heavily on this issue at the Rapid Creek Market. It was Mr Frank Moukaddem, who is a friend of mine. He was concerned about the amount of debris, potential missiles, in the Coconut Grove area. This is a government that takes people’s concerns on board, takes advice from Police, Fire and Emergency Services and, hence, we have this bill. It is a sensible step to allow special powers to enforce a cleanup to come into effect once a Cyclone Watch has been announced rather than a Cyclone Warning.
It provides the police and others with special powers to enforce a cleanup from when a cyclone watch is declared, or 48 hours before a cyclone is expected to strike. It lengthens the period for action. We know that Police and Emergency Services staff are really busy at the pointy end when a cyclone is coming. People often feel frustrated when they ring the authorities to say: ‘I am really concerned about debris across the road or down the street’ that Police and Emergency Services personnel are not able to attend to it.
These amendments provide more time for this to happen, and I am sure it is going to give people like Mrs Pratt more peace of mind. She will be able to speak to Emergency Services and Police on this issue. As someone who went through Cyclone Tracy, I am sure she will welcome these amendments. The Territory, as my colleague the member for Casuarina said, is susceptible to cyclones and the scientific advice coming through says that cyclones will increase in intensity with global warning.
We are a very well-oiled machine regarding Police and Emergency Services preparedness. Most people, as the Chief Minister said, do play the game and put potential flying objects inside and try to minimise the amount of debris in the yard but, unfortunately, there are some people who do not. The increased powers and a review of the fines associated with them will certainly smarten a few people up who are not playing the game and make the environment a bit safer for everyone and give people a bit more peace of mind when the threat of a cyclone comes.
Madam Speaker, I commend the bill to the House.
Ms MARTIN (Chief Minister): Madam Speaker, I thank everyone who has contributed to the debate. They are very practical, sensible amendments. I had not realised until the member for Johnston spoke that it actually has its genesis in Mrs Edna Pratt. On behalf of the Assembly, we thank her. It is great that individuals can speak to a minister and we see sensible amendments to a bill that really covers something most essential for the Territory: disaster preparedness. I thank all members who spoke: the Opposition Leader, the member for Wanguri who is also the WorkSafe minister - and that has a component in here, the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, and the members for Daly, Casuarina and Johnston.
The Disasters Act covers more than cyclones. These amendments are specific to cyclones, but the act covers cyclones, floods, outbreaks of plant and stock diseases and threats. It has a wide range and we have to ensure it is as effective as possible.
The components were outlined by most of the speakers. We are extending the time for cleaning up. When a Cyclone Watch is called, which is 48 hours before the strong gusts will hit, that is when cleanups have to happen. It can be enforced; there are stronger penalties. A lot of discussion was about those who did not clean up their blocks, but one of the things that we found from previous cyclones such as Monica and Ingrid, was that with some of our larger industrial developments, larger and more complex building sites, 24 hours was not enough time. One component of this is tougher penalties for those who simply ignore it, but the other is to give more time for businesses which have complex areas to clean up. For example, there were old tanks that just could not be cleaned up in a 24-hour period.
Those are the kinds of things that this bill addresses. There is no doubt that flying debris is one of the major causes of damage in any cyclone and we, as a community, have to ensure we have done as much cleaning up as we can. Now, it is 48 hours in advance. Also, as part of these amendments, WorkSafe NT is now an ‘authorised person’. WorkSafe officers will have powers to enforce cleanups right across the Top End.
To deal with the issue raised by the Opposition Leader on behalf of the member for Nelson, he obviously did some strange calculation when it came to penalty units and ended up with an individual general penalty fine being $550 000. It is $55 000. The penalties have not been changed since the act was introduced in 1982, so it is quite appropriate to review them. The maximum penalty for an individual is $55 000, and for a corporate body, it is $275 000.
Another component is a new, separate penalty for someone who is obstructing or assaults someone who is directed to order cleanups. That is fair as well. It can be a pressure time. If there is a cyclone on the way and someone is properly authorised to direct the cleanup, that has to be respected, so an assault or obstructing a person acting under section 44 will attract a new penalty of up to $22 000 or two years in gaol. These are simple but important changes to the Disasters Act.
Madam Speaker, I thank everyone for their contribution and support.
Motion agreed to; bill read a second time.
Ms MARTIN (Chief Minister)(by leave): Madam Speaker, I move that the bill be now read a third time.
Motion agreed to; bill read a third time.
TABLED PAPER
Northern Territory Electoral Commission Report – Stuart By-Election
Northern Territory Electoral Commission Report – Stuart By-Election
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I table the report of the Legislative Assembly by-election for the Division of Stuart produced by the Northern Territory Electoral Commission in accordance with the Electoral Act.
MINISTERIAL STATEMENT
AustralAsia Trade Route
AustralAsia Trade Route
Ms MARTIN (Chief Minister): Madam Speaker, I inform the Assembly on the progress we are making in growing the AustralAsia Trade Route.
Developing the AustralAsia Trade Route and positioning the Territory as Australia’s gateway to Asia is critical to the long-term prosperity of the Territory. It will stimulate economic growth and help to broaden and deepen the Territory’s economic base. It will encourage new international trade flows and new sustainable industry development, and create more jobs and business opportunities for Territorians now and into the future.
The trade route, as members know, involves the development of an alternative trade route connecting southern Australia with Asia through Darwin. It takes advantage of the modern infrastructure and transport links now available in the Territory, including our rail and port developments. It is about capturing niche opportunities to move freight between Australia and Asia that, in the past, would not have come via Darwin. It is about stimulating investment in new warehousing and distribution facilities in the Territory to process and handle the freight. It is also about maximising our use of the new freight network to service both our domestic and international trade and business.
The AustralAsia Trade Route has been pivotal to capturing these opportunities. I am advised that the railway has captured some 90% of the line-haul freight carried between Adelaide and Darwin. Despite some early setbacks, the railway is now a critical part of the Territory’s domestic freight network and companies such as Northline are back moving the majority of their freight via rail. The land bridge of bulk minerals from Central and southern Australia to Asia is happening. I will provide more detail on this later. The new shipping services are enabling our mining supply and service companies to develop new export markets, particularly with Indonesia.
The emerging trade route has supported the movement of project cargos for our defence, mining and offshore oil and gas industries and, while the development of land bridge container trade has been limited, due in part to the capacity constraints of the railway in gearing-up for the high volume bulk mineral trades, this remains a future opportunity that we will continue to pursue.
We have seen recently a perfect example of our emerging trade route in action with a $5m, 67 000 tonne shipment of iron ore coming to Darwin by rail from the Territory Resources project at Frances Creek through East Arm port and on to China. It was a reminder of how important our strategic investments in key infrastructure are and will continue to be to the Territory economy.
The $1.3bn transcontinental railway, the $200m East Arm Wharf upgrade and the $50m Darwin Business Park is infrastructure that sets the Territory up for the future. Our new $24m bulk mineral loading facilities are making East Arm the port of choice for bulk mineral exports from Central Australia. These strategic investments have enabled forward-thinking companies like Territory Resources to establish viable operations and secure long-term, lucrative contracts. I will talk more about some of the traffic we are seeing through the port shortly.
Madam Speaker, we have made considerable progress, but there is much more to do if the trade route is to fulfil its undoubted potential. We have a plan to grow the trade route and we have been implementing that plan. Members will recall that in February 2005, I tabled the government’s Growing Our Trade Route Strategy in the Legislative Assembly. The key elements of that strategy revolve around developing new international shipping linkages, levering new industry growth from the port and rail developments, particularly in the Darwin Business Park with new consolidation and distribution centres, growing new export industries such as bulk minerals to China, utilising the backloading capacity of our road and rail networks to deliver mining consumables from Asia into the mining industries of northern and Central Australia, and identifying new export market opportunities such as those we are pursuing in Japan based around energy - that is, gas exports - and Vietnam, which includes growing new sustainable live cattle exports, education and tourism services.
It is a comprehensive strategy that will benefit all Territorians, and I would like now to provide members with some of the detail and outcomes from our work.
Establishing shipping links with Indonesia and the greater South-East Asian region to support our mining supply trade has been a key priority for the government in developing the AustralAsia Trade Route. Over the last two years, we have been promoting Darwin to a range of regional Asian shipping lines and Indonesian mining procurement executives as a logical mining supply and service centre.
This work is beginning to reap rewards, with the recent addition of direct scheduled shipping services to Darwin by MOCEAN Shipping. MOCEAN commenced operations in July 2007 with the aptly named vessel, the Territory Trader. The shipping line will provide new services between Indonesia and Darwin. Just recently, MOCEAN announced a second vessel will join its service, sailing between South-East Asia and northern Australia, effectively increasing its service capacity and frequency. The new MOCEAN service has also begun to call at the port of Hai Phong in Vietnam, providing regular shipping connections for commodities supporting oil and gas drilling programs with their bases in Darwin. In addition, Territory companies are now provided with direct links to Surabaya, a gateway for mining support products destined to the large mining and oil and gas operations in eastern Indonesia. This is an exciting development for the Territory and again demonstrates the value of the AustralAsia Trade Route in opening opportunities for new trade for Territory business. I take this opportunity to wish our friends at MOCEAN Shipping continuing success in the future.
As members may recall, Hai Win Shipping established a regular monthly service between Shanghai and Darwin in January 2006. The monthly service is operating well, with the latest vessel completing a direct call just last month, with further scheduled voyages listed for early and late November 2007. Hai Win has recently informed us of their plans for an additional vessel to join their fleet, which would result in a fortnightly service connecting north Asia with Darwin. Again, the growth of these services is a testament to the increasing awareness of the benefits the AustralAsia Trade Route can offer traders. It is also tangible evidence of the success of our work over the past six years.
I also make the point that existing operators within the Port of Darwin, such as Perkins and Swires, continue to provide an important service linking Darwin to Singapore and a range of other destinations across Asia. Indeed, during the recent Chief Minister’s Northern Territory Export and Industry Awards, I had the pleasure of announcing Perkins Shipping as the NT Exporter of the Year. We will continue to work with all shipping service providers to ensure we continue to increase international trade and business for all Territorians.
The Darwin Business Park continues to play a key role in the development of the AustralAsia Trade Route. It provides a seamless interface between rail and road services, and is instrumental in the efficient consolidation and distribution of goods.
Toll Holdings, the Business Park’s foundation client and Australia’s largest transport and logistics company, has now completed its $5m Stage 2 expansion for Foster's Group at the Park. Other recent developments at the Business Park include: Shaw’s Transport $8.5m development of a transport and logistics warehouse facility, currently under construction with completion expected in February 2008; John Bain Westrans $3m transport and logistics base development is nearing completion; and Gwelo Developments will be constructing a 7000 m2 warehouse storage facility with 250 m2 of office space. Work is set to begin by Christmas.
Madam Speaker, I can report that of the initial 50 ha of the Darwin Business Park site, only a couple of allotments remain, which is a terrific effort. Due to the confidential nature of negotiations and contract arrangements, I am not at liberty to announce them all. What I can say is that the strategic value of the business park and its close proximity to the rail marshalling yards and East Arm Wharf is now paying significant dividends for the Territory.
This is a great result and further underlines how important our initial investments are in developing the AustralAsia Trade Route. More importantly, it will be Territorians who benefit from new private sector infrastructure investment and job creation within the business park itself.
Another key trade opportunity underpinned by development of the AustralAsia Trade Route is bulk mineral exports. Our Growing the Trade Route strategy has a clear goal of developing Darwin as the port of choice for bulk mineral exports from Central Australia. This opportunity is rapidly being realised because of the commodity boom, access to the new railway and strategic investments by the Territory government.
The first such venture, which commenced in May 2006, was bulk manganese exports to China from the Bootu Creek Mine near Tennant Creek. Some 650 000 tonnes per annum is now being exported from Bootu Creek. It was the Territory government that made this new trade opportunity possible through our $24m investment in new bulk handling facilities at East Arm port. Not only did that investment enable the Bootu Creek Mine to eventuate, sufficient capacity was allowed within the infrastructure to accommodate further mineral exports occurring. Territory Resources, who I mentioned earlier, will build on their initial shipment and export some 1.5 million tonnes of iron ore each year from Frances Creek to China.
In July, I had the pleasure in announcing that Oxiana reached agreement with FreightLink, operators of the rail line, and Darwin Port Corporation to transport some 250 000 tonnes per annum of copper concentrate from their Prominent Hill operation in South Australia to Asia via Darwin. That announcement further underlined the growing value of the AustralAsia Trade Route. Quite simply, to redirect this significant shipment from South Australia via Darwin for export demonstrates the Territory’s geographical advantages to Asia and the growing profile of the AustralAsia Trade Route. This will not be the last time this type of redirection of trade occurs. It is a sign of things to come; the beginning of a new era.
We will continue to explore new opportunities and develop initiatives, including opening discussions with BHP Billiton about the possibility of initiating export trade from the huge Olympic Dam project by rail and via Darwin. We will host senior executives from BHP Billiton on an inaugural visit to Darwin before the end of the year to progress this opportunity.
Just last week, officers from my department and the Darwin Port Corporation jointly delivered a presentation on the major economic developments in the Territory, including the trade route, to a global freight conference held in Adelaide. Those attending included a number of senior South Australian mining operators.
As mentioned previously, one of the growth opportunities to the trade route is to utilise the backloading capacity of our road and rail networks to deliver mining consumables from Asia into the mining industry of Northern and Central Australia.
I previously mentioned the shipping connections into Indonesia supporting Darwin becoming a regional supply and logistics base for the onshore and offshore mining industry. In addition to this, we have been working closely with Adgile Services to develop a state-of-the-art classified goods precinct at Hidden Valley, one that will support the local mining industry. It will also complement the development of trade from China, where we are sourcing many of the chemical reagents used in the mining industry. The facility represents an investment of approximately $13.5m over five years by Adgile Services. I am advised that the company has reviewed its development permit and, subject to the receipt of some financial securities from the company by the end of the month, we expect construction to begin later this year.
I will touch on specific areas related to the development of new markets for Territory exports. In particular, I advise members of the significant work that my department is undertaking in Vietnam and Japan. Vietnam is one of the world’s fastest growing economies, providing opportunities for the Territory to grow its international trade base. As you know, I led a delegation there last month to explore more trade opportunities in Vietnam. I am pleased to report that, whilst this was my first official visit to Vietnam and there is a lot more work to do, there have been many good outcomes from that visit already.
In terms of strengthening the political relationship, which cannot be underestimated, I had meetings with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Pham Gia Khiem; the Vice-Minister for Education and Training, Professor Tran Van Nhung; Vice-Minister for Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, Mr Le Bach Hung; and Vice-Minister for Industry and Trade, Nguyen Thanh Bien. The purpose of these meetings was to further cement a good relationship between our jurisdictions and to promote, at the highest level within the Central Government of Vietnam, the Territory’s geographical proximity to Asia, its existing long-standing relationships within the region and its emerging trade capabilities and opportunities, particularly in relation to live cattle, tourism, skilled migration, and raising the profile of the Charles Darwin University.
I also met with Professor Le Huu Nghia, the President of the Ho Chi Minh National Political and Public Administration Academy that has, as one of its key roles, the training and upskilling of Vietnam’s civil servants. Importantly, the meeting allowed us to raise awareness of the Territory and directly demonstrate the benefits and capabilities of Charles Darwin University to the Academy’s highest ranking official. I look forward to hearing more good things from Charles Darwin University in this area.
I also had the pleasure of meeting with Mr Le Hoang Quan, the Chairman of the People’s Committee of Ho Chi Minh City. We had a wide-ranging discussion and talked of the similarities between our jurisdictions in areas like tourism and the development of new port related infrastructure. Chairman Quan was particularly appreciative of our aim to develop economic and trade relationships and even suggested the development of a memorandum of understanding to underpin further trade opportunities.
Speaking of which, I was able to sign an MOU on trade and economic cooperation with the Ba Ria–Vung Tau Province while I was in Vietnam. This province has many similarities to the Territory. It is an emerging oil and gas centre and has strong tourism, agriculture and fishery sectors. I firmly believe the MOU together with our strong political relationships with Ba Ria–Vung Tau Province will provide the foundation upon which future trade in live cattle may be initiated over the coming 12 months or so. My department has been working with their counterparts in Ba Ria–Vung Tau Province to develop an action plan of activities to promote and support trade activities, with cattle trade being high on the agenda as well as education and training, tourism and cultural exchanges.
In addition, my department has continued to follow up trade opportunities at the business level with the following companies:
- • the Pas Foods Company. We are progressing talks on developing cattle trade including inspection of sites to construct an abattoir and feedlots;
• the Khanh Hoa Trading and Investment Company, which wants to receive its first shipment of around 1000 head of live cattle by June next year; and
• the Phoung Nam Group of Companies, which is looking to develop a vocational holiday program with Charles Darwin University. These particular courses could involve English language, animal husbandry, public health care and maritime services. It is a niche market that is currently not being covered by other educational agents in the region and combines two Territory strengths: tourism and education. It is an exciting initiative.
This same company is also considering establishing its own travel agency based in Darwin to support and grow its subsidiary company, Star Travel. In 2006, Star Travel planned holidays for over 65 000 people across South-East Asia, north Asia and Russia, and now has the Territory firmly in its sights.
Following my visit to Vietnam, I flew to Tokyo to meet with Japanese energy industry government leaders to promote further trade between Japan and the Territory. Energy security is very important to Japan and the nation is a key destination for Australian energy exports. The Territory has the resources, skills and knowledge to meet some of Japan’s energy needs in LNG and uranium. In particular, we are seeking to establish Darwin as a leading centre for gas development which would deliver huge economic flow-on benefits for our economy.
While in Tokyo, I met with Mr Masashi Nakano, the Japanese Vice-Minister for Energy, Mr Tomofumi Hiraku, the Director-General of Natural Resources and Energy Policy with the Ministry for Economy, Trade and Industry, and representatives of INPEX: , Chair Mr Kunihiko Matsuo and President Mr Naoki Kuroda. At these meetings, I demonstrated the business case for establishing gas-based industry in Darwin. An example of this is the case for Darwin to play a role in developing INPEX’s Ichthys gas field in the Browse Basin. While INPEX has a preference to bring Ichthys gas onshore at the Maret Islands off the Kimberley coastline, Darwin is well placed as a viable alternative for the $6bn project if required.
The Tokyo visit was a valuable follow-up to our visit to Japan in January and February this year. It is crucial that Japanese government and business leaders are aware of the potential that exists in the Territory to accommodate energy industries, particularly gas. Importantly for the AustralAsia Trade Route, new gas-based infrastructure investment will result in more project cargoes utilising East Arm Wharf.
We will continue to undertake strategic visits and trade delegations to maintain and grow our export trade, expand our economy and continue to develop the AustralAsia Trade Route.
As I have shown, significant work has been undertaken to grow the AustralAsia Trade Route and already we have seen some very encouraging outcomes, but there is much more we can do. Let me outline some of the initiatives we will undertake to complement the ongoing development of the trade route and, indeed, our overall trade development strategy.
As a priority, we will continue to work with major regional shipping lines to attract increased service capacity and frequency through the port. One particular initiative being pursued is an opportunity to consolidate peak season cargoes via the port for delivery to Melbourne and Adelaide. The economic conditions that we see during the September to February period each year allow shipping lines to impose peak season freight rate increases coupled with limitation of container space on existing services to southern Australian ports. This situation creates potential for the AustralAsia Trade Route to capture and redirect excess container freight volumes which, in effect, will exhibit the capability of the trade route in the eyes of the freight forwarders, brokers and shipping lines themselves.
The peak season initiative for containers entering Australia via Darwin has created real interest. One shipping line is prepared to commit 250 containers every 22 days during the peak season period. That is very positive news for the Territory. However, there are still many challenges for us in growing the trade route, including the capacity constraints of the railway in available space for backloading operations. Further discussions are planned with a range of parties, including the major freight forwarders, to progress these issues.
A second Indonesian Mining Procurement Forum is planned for Darwin during the first quarter of 2008. The successful inaugural event was held in mid-2006. The forum also builds on the successful Global Freight Connect conferences held in April 2007 and October 2005 which attracted a number of regional Asian shipping lines and mining resource suppliers to Darwin. These visitors were able to see firsthand and better understand Territory businesses, their capabilities and capacities. I look forward to the outcomes of this forum and the continued development of Darwin as a mining supply and logistics base.
My department is leading a private sector delegation to the Mining Indonesia Expo in Jakarta which will be held between 31 October and 3 November this year. Currently, there are around 25 private sector delegates representing some 15 companies registered to attend. It demonstrates how seriously people are taking our push to position Darwin as a regional supply and logistics base for the mining industry. The Mining Indonesia Expo is the largest mining expo in the world and brings procurement officers from some of the world’s largest mining operators in direct contact with suppliers. The purpose of attending this expo is to promote Territory-based businesses and their goods and services. We will also seek to establish networks within the region’s mining industry. This event will also act as a precursor to the Indonesian Mining Procurement Forum to be held in Darwin in March next year.
As we speak, my department is supporting the International Business Council of the Chamber of Commerce NT in its business delegation to the Canton Fair in Guangzhou in China. Eight Territory businesses are participating, along with representatives from the International Business Council and the Department of the Chief Minister. The Canton Fair attracts over 300 000 buyers from around the world and accounts for over $80bn in sales each year. Again, this event is aimed at increasing trade within our region through both exports and imports. Importantly, we have arranged for a Hong Kong-based broker to address the delegation about best options for procurement and transportation of goods sought at the Canton Fair to reduce costs and risks during shipment.
We are also working with the Indonesian Consulate and the Australian Embassy in Jakarta to host an East Java-Northern Territory Business Seminar in Darwin early next year. The event will be co-sponsored by the Australian-Indonesian Business Council and provides a great opportunity to strengthen our trade links with Surabaya, Indonesia’s second largest city.
As you can see, since I tabled Growing Our Trade Route strategy in February 2005, much has been achieved and much more is planned. It is now appropriate given the many exciting developments that have occurred since I released the strategy that we now take stock and update the document. Over the coming months, my department will undertake that in consultation with the industry. This work will also complement current reviews of our Asian Relations and Trade priorities.
We are committed to developing the AustralAsia Trade Route and have achieved significant success in a range of areas; success that is seeing increased trade activity, more jobs for Territorians and more opportunities for Territory businesses. This work will continue and I look forward to updating members on the progress and success of the AustralAsia Trade Route in the future.
Mr Deputy Speaker, I move that the Assembly take note of the statement.
Ms CARNEY (Opposition Leader): Mr Deputy Speaker, I genuinely welcome the statement and, for the most part, am pleased with it. This stuff should not be politicised. It is what we are here for, trying to do the best we can in our own different and, sometimes same ways, for the people of the Northern Territory. So thank you, Chief Minister; it was a very comprehensive statement.
Our geography, our enthusiasm, our climate, our similarities, our differences with the Asian region make that region and Darwin obvious bedfellows. Our geography, in particular, makes us better placed than so many other parts of this country. When Australian jurisdictions, our states and territories, are competing for all sorts of things - whether it is police officers, nurses or slices of tourism markets - they will compete for improved trade opportunities. The Territory is extremely well placed. It is because of its geography and we are very lucky.
I do not think I have been up there too many times since, but when the CLP was in government, I remember going up to the minister’s offices and seeing the maps on the walls - which I assume are still there - showing Darwin as the southernmost city in Asia rather than the central and northernmost city of Australia. That was certainly indicative of the attitude of the CLP, and I feel certain that it is indicative of the attitude of this government.
It is fair to say, historically, that after the introduction of self-government, the Territory did become aggressively Asian-centric. I was not around then, but I am advised that Territory Labor, to their credit, was supportive of that approach. I remember when Labor first came to office in the Territory, and certainly when the CLP was in government, there was lots of toing and froing about CLP ministers spending a lot of time in the region. I recall, early on in opposition, the CLP was having a go at the Chief Minister and some of her colleagues and urging them to travel more. It is great that they are now travelling more and good relationships are being cultivated.
Recently, when I met with the Deputy High Commissioner in Singapore and her staff, it was very clear that former Chief Minsters and other CLP ministers were held in very high regard, and the work that they did in the region was appreciated. We are well placed. We have developed, over a long period of time, some natural and very progressive and mutually beneficial relationships with the region. I am the first to encourage this government to continue to do so.
The relationship with China - and I know the Chief Minister has been there a few times in relatively recent times - is good and I understand that the Chief Minister herself is cultivating not only business arrangements, but professional relationships with people involved in key areas. That is important; there does need to be personal interaction. A relationship of trust needs to develop if other countries and the Northern Territory are going to be well served by ongoing relationships and economic relationships in particular, so I congratulate you, Chief Minister. It seems, from what I hear and read and observe around the place, that you are doing well in that regard. Congratulations.
I hear that you are a natural lover of Vietnam. I have not been there, but I look forward to going at some point. China and Vietnam are good examples because they have had their share of difficulties over a long period of time. If you look at the growth of both of those countries, it has, in the last five years, perhaps maybe 10, been astronomical. I was advised that between 1978 and the year 2000, China increased its international trade from $34bn a year to $470bn a year. Of course, that generates wealth and jobs in China and has natural benefits for the Northern Territory.
Despite what I am sure are reservations expressed by my colleague, the member for Blain, and which I share, and I feel certain are shared by members on the other side in relation to some human rights issues, the relationship with China needs to be continually fostered. We wish government well in continuing to do just that.
I had a lot written here, but, with respect, because the Chief Minister’s statement was so comprehensive, there is a certain pointlessness to me reciting it all back at you. I am not going to do that; I will cut a few corners. That is not intended, in any way, shape or form to step away from the comments I have made and the opposition’s support of your government’s efforts in the region. It should not be taken in that way. I am just trying to make the best use of the time I have and make a meaningful contribution.
We congratulate you, Chief Minister, on your recent trip to Vietnam. In relation to the deal involving cattle, that was well done. We noted, with some degree of interest, as did others, that your minister for Primary Industries was not with you at the time. However, that is obviously a matter for you and your colleagues.
Clearly, there are ongoing opportunities in South-East Asia for our livestock. It has been put to me that, indeed, the possibilities are endless, given the industry we have in the Territory. There is probably more work to be done, but I would naturally expect that to be done by the minister for Primary Industries with you beside him, Chief Minister, over a longer period of time. However, we congratulate you in any event.
One wonders about camel. How is that going and what are the possibilities in that respect?
There are growing industries to be found in aquaculture and the fishing industry in the Territory. Exports from Darwin into the increasingly wealthy markets of South-East Asia mean that future production looks bright.
In vegetable matter, I note that Senator Bill Heffernan has been in the Territory recently talking about the future of northern Australia as a hub for growth. There is a potential for the north of Australia to become a bread basket but, unlike the experience in the Murray-Darling, there has to be a sustainable approach applied. With the arrival of global warming, the scientific pointers are that the tropics will receive even greater amounts of rain. It goes without saying that some people’s disaster is another’s fortune. In any event, there is much more to be done. As a result of Senator Heffernan’s enthusiasm, if the Coalition wins government at the next election, we would expect that relationship and the federal government’s enthusiasm to continue. I am hopeful that, in the event that federal Labor is elected, they will continue to regard the north of Australia as a hub for growth because it makes sense to do so.
I have to say, however, there are a couple of things, Chief Minister, you will not like, but I will put them to you anyway because, despite our differences, it is our job to put things to you, whether you agree with them or not. I am sure you will appreciate them in the spirit in which they are given.
We were interested, bemused perhaps, to see what was regarded as an 11th hour advance to the Japanese about trying to wrest INPEX away from the Western Australians. The trip to see the Chair and the President to change their location for coming onshore from the Kimberley to Darwin did rather seem to be too little too late. The Ichthyus Field in Browse Basin is closer to Western Australia by a considerable stretch, and it is my understanding that the deal was almost complete with the Western Australians. It struck me as being too little too late, and does sit in stark contrast to the approach that was used in the past successfully by Premier Court and Chief Minister Stone. Rather than competing with each other, they often travelled together to open markets for the fields, and both had enormous success, as we all know, in Japan and China.
If you take a look across the harbour and ask yourself whether that relationship was successful, everyone would say that it was. We were interested in what appeared to us to be your last ditch attempt - an attempt, no doubt, but too little too late.
What is missing from the statement is that the Browse Basin also has another major interest in play. Shell Woodside is currently in negotiation with Petro China to sell an amount of $45bn worth of gas to China from the Browse field. It would be ambitious to try to wrestle that away from Western Australia considering that Shell Woodside is headquartered in Perth and the location of Browse Basin is so close to Western Australia. There is another opportunity that may well arise that everyone has seemed to miss, other than my colleague and deputy, the member for Blain. I will be interested to know, in the Chief Minister’s response, whether the Territory government followed the member for Blain’s lead and has spoken to Shell Woodside as he did only a few weeks ago.
The member for Blain got on a plane and went to see Shell Woodside in Perth. He spoke with me about that. The reason for this is that Shell Woodside is the developers of the Greater Sunrise field, north of Darwin. Greater Sunrise, as we all know, is enormous. If Shell Woodside is using their interests in the Browse Basin to satisfy a $45bn customer, then any more customers will have to be serviced, in every likelihood, from other fields. Shell Woodside is looking for customers all of the time. As the demand for gas increases internationally, the pressure on Shell Woodside to develop Greater Sunrise will become irresistible for them. It is obvious the role Darwin has to play. Although the Greater Sunrise field is closer to Timor, there is an under sea trench about 4 km deep that makes bringing the gas onshore an engineering nightmare, I am advised. Processing at sea is still difficult technology, therefore, Darwin, which is on the same continental shelf, does look very attractive by any measure.
I turn to Glyde Point. The Territory government and the opposition come from quite different perspectives when it comes to Glyde Point. It was secured by the former CLP government for industrial development because the CLP realised years ago that when Greater Sunrise came online, it would be a massive field and the possible industries that are associated with that would be land-hungry and high profile and, indeed, they are.
Currently we export iron ore. We have to ask: how long will it be before someone wants to value-add the product and build a steel works, for instance, in Darwin? That was going to go out, under the CLP’s vision, to Glyde Point with transport corridors to the wharves in Darwin Harbour. I ask the Chief Minister where that future heavy industry will go now because the only land available zoned for industrial development is Middle Arm. That zoning, when put in place by the CLP, was to create another Winnellie and it was never intended for heavy industry. That is why the CLP selected Glyde Point in the first place.
Uninformed and incorrect comment by the Northern Territory News on this issue has not helped and, while they are busy manufacturing incorrect facts such as attributing comments to me about Berrimah Farm, the real issue is being lost; that there is nowhere for heavy industry to go. As you know - and we raised it with the minister for mining during estimates - Arafura Resources will be building a processing plant primarily for rare earth elements, but will also produce 200 tonnes of yellowcake every year, and they are going to be on Middle Arm. Their plant will be about the size, I am advised, of the Bunnings building on Bagot Road. What about a manganese refinement plant if someone wanted to introduce that? You have to ask: where it will go? Our very strong view is that the government is failing to effectively plan for these elements of growth as it has failed to plan for residential development in the city.
Back to the subject of gas, we note the Chief Minister was feeling particularly triumphant about the deal at Blacktip. We do not think the Chief Minister should be feeling triumphant. The business of having to spend $140m of taxpayers’ money to build a 280 km pipeline to supply gas to a power station 2 km from one of the largest gas supplies in the southern hemisphere is not, we believe, a success.
The concession to supply domestic gas from ConocoPhillips that was secured by the previous CLP government was not secured by Labor when they took office. That is why Wickham Point was selected as a place to bring gas onshore. The fact that not so much as a cigarette lighter’s worth of gas makes its way to Channel Island is staggering and will be, I think, to this government’s everlasting shame. How could the Chief Minister possibly hope to convince anyone that is a good result when she yesterday announced $140m to go, in essence, the long way around?
When I was looking at the Chief Minister’s statement last night - and I did this before when we had a mining statement recently - I like to have a look at what the previous administration did. I was not part it; I do not know all of the history. I rely on cupboards full of documents in my office upstairs and on some that I knew when they were published at the time. I think government members have pretty much slammed aspects of Foundations for Our Future; however, oh, how much of it has been incorporated by the government. This was published in 1999 or 2000. In any event, this chapter is called Become the Supply, Service and Distribution Centre for the Region. It says on page 4 under the heading The Vision for a Supply, Service and Distribution Centre for the Region:
- Darwin will:
• become the Regional supply and service centre for the defence, mining, oil and gas sectors, inclusive of all industries necessary to support such a centre.
• further develop as a multi-modal transport and logistics hub with the establishment of the AustralAsia Trade Route and associated imports and exports through Darwin.
This will be achieved by:
• completing the AustralAsia Railway and Stage 2 East Arm Port expansion by 2003;
• bringing Timor Sea Gas onshore by 2003-04;
• establishing logistics distribution/ consolidation centres for import and export by 2004-05, supporting 50 000 containers per annum, including the Supermarket to Asia initiative;
• establishing Darwin as a major offshore oil and gas supply and service centre by 2001;
• developing our service and industrial capacity to provide the full range of service, supply and support services for domestic and foreign defence needs;
• building supply and service capability for the mining industry in Darwin and regional centres.
That pretty much, quite rightly, seems to be the map adopted by this government. They are free to pick up aspects of this chapter of Foundations for our Future. Why? Because it was good stuff. Why? Because, as I said at the outset, the Territory is well placed in so many respects to do well in this region. This government knows that. That is great, and we support them, but they do not, surely, for a minute think that it was all their idea and suddenly all happened after 18 August 2001.
Why do I say those things? Because there was a reference in the Chief Minister’s speech at page 7:
- It is also tangible evidence of the success of our work over the past six years.
Well, you did not do much for the first couple. You buggered up Wickham Point, but, in fairness, yes, in recent years, you have been doing reasonably well, as you should. It is your job. To say, as you have here, Chief Minister, that it is all down to you – spare me!
Having said that and moving away from criticism to something I am sure will please government, because I know they do not like criticism. In relation to some work I did in Singapore, I had a conversation with the Minister for Primary Industry yesterday, and I thank him for it; he was enthusiastic about possibilities there potentially involving our horticultural industry. I thank him for what I consider to be a genuine interest and enthusiasm. With luck, your office would have received an e-mail I sent to the person about whom we were talking.
I am happy to assist, as I should, in any way I can to provide this government with information the opposition gathers and that comes to us to improve the government‘s performance, improve opportunities and improve possibilities. The progress that has been made over a period of time in growing the AustralAsia Trade Route has been impressive, as it should be. It if was not, all of us should be ashamed of ourselves. We are naturally well placed.
I do say that the Chief Minister, while not perfect, is doing a reasonable job. I am very pleased, as I said, that she is cultivating relationships at the personal level, government level, departmental level, because that is critical. I know that the CLP was criticised a lot when ministers kept travelling overseas, and senior public servants were with them invariably, but also senior public servants, from memory, as the Chief Minister has indicated, did trips by themselves, as they should. You cannot foster those sort of relationships and do the sort of work, much of which the Chief Minister has, in fact, been doing, by just picking up the phone. You have to get on a plane. You have to talk to local business representatives. We have to ask them how they can be assisted. We need to take them into the region. We need to have all of the key players sitting around tables asking how they can make it better. It is pleasing that the Chief Minister has done some of that. I believe she took people to Vietnam, and I recall that she did so on one of her relatively recent trips to China. That is to be commended. That is what a Chief Minister of the Northern Territory should be doing.
With those comments - I did cut a bit out of the speech I prepared, Chief Minister - despite our differences, please accept our assurance that we support your efforts in the region, and we thank you for bringing on this statement. It is a good statement, mostly, and I am pleased that you went into the detail that you did. I look forward to commenting on the next statement with a view to hearing about other progress and successes in the region.
Ms LAWRIE (Infrastructure and Transport): Mr Deputy Speaker, I support the Chief Minister’s statement on the AustralAsia Trade Route. An important link in the trade route is, of course, the Port of Darwin. It is strategically positioned at the Top End of the Northern Territory, where it is Australia’s closest port to the Asian region, and is Australia’s northern gateway port.
The completion of the Alice Springs to Darwin railway provides importers and exporters with a seamless transport system between Australia and Asia. I will talk in detail about the recent achievements of our port and rail later in this response. To begin with, though, it is important that, as the minister for Transport, I focus on the very significant contribution that the trucking industry makes to the Northern Territory economy.
The NT trucking sector has made some giant strides since World War II when early truckers purchased surplus military vehicles and, with innovation and risk, applied them to the task of supplying remote Australian towns, cattle stations, indigenous communities and mines. With Alice Springs firmly established as a railhead since 1929, trucks, trains and ships worked in harmony for many years to satisfy the freight task. All this provided jobs and a financial flow-on effect for the fledgling NT economy. Today, the effective combination of trains, trucks and ships continue to build upon our growing reputation as a significant trading hub to Asia.
The Standing Committee on Transport and Regional Service has released a report titled The Great Freight Task. The report, released earlier this year, noted that the road transport sector employed nearly half of all the people employed in the transport and logistics sector in Australia - 215 000, and that transport and logistics is a major contributor to Australia’s GDP.
The trucking industry continues to be the backbone of our transport of goods for interstate and international trade. Whether it is bringing produce to our port, transferring goods interstate, or providing essential resources to remote towns and industries, the Territory has, for a long time, been dependant on the hard-working men and women in our trucking industry. The resources boom has paid great dividends for the Territory and, as the member for Drysdale informed the House yesterday, we continue to attract great interest from the mining industry.
Mining is a significant contributor to the Territory economy, grossing an annual $2.3bn that contributes 20% of the gross state product. Without this government’s strong investment in regional roads and the dedication of transport companies, some of these mining operations could not operate. Working cooperatively on public and private sector infrastructure development is of critical importance. I will continue to support the trucking industry as I recognise the significant challenges they face, including healthy competition from the rail, steadily rising fuel costs, the lack of drivers and increasing congestion on our roads.
In the past 12 months, there has been renewed interest in the resources of northern Australia, not just on our minerals, but also a focus on our water resources; this, in part, the result of water shortages being experienced in the south. The Commonwealth held its inaugural meeting of its Northern Australian Land and Water Task Force on 29 June this year, chaired by Senator Bill Heffernan. While the task force terms of reference fails to note the significant challenges faced in developing our regional areas such as investment in roads and infrastructure, I am pleased that it will be looking at sustainable resource use, principles and practices.
Investment in our regional roads is about growing northern Australia. As part of the Territory government’s submission for AusLink roads funding, I reminded the Commonwealth that only 23% of our road network is sealed. It is the area in greatest need of investment. While 15% of the AusLink road network is within the Territory, historically only 2% of AusLink funding has been allocated to Territory projects. A better share of the funding will help build the Top End of Australia and improve the vital northern transport links.
Our priorities include projects under the AusLink Strategic Regional Program that seek to open up business opportunities in some of the most disadvantaged areas of our nation. They include targeted investment in flood immunity on the Stuart Highway, and investment in the Port Keats road and the Daly River bridge, the Tanami road, the Central Arnhem Road, the Arnhem link road, the Savannah Way and the Outback Way. I believe these projects, if supported, will bring real improvements in the bush.
Part of the increasing success of our live cattle export industry is a result of the government’s investment in roads. The record $180m road budget this financial year is a core feature of our $640m cash investment in infrastructure programs. When our roads budget was announced, Craig O’Halloran, the General Manager of the Territory Construction Association said:
- … from a TCA perspective we’re reasonably happy with the budget; there looks like there’s going to be some considerable spending on infrastructure. Happy to see those outcomes. A lot of money going into roads and civil works. Very happy to see that, and I think all Territorians would be happy to see our roads improve.
Planning for the future growth of horticulture and agriculture means that we need a strong push towards improving our bush roads, those vital freight transport links. They are important assets to business but, critically, they are also the lifeline for many people living on pastoral stations and in our remote bush communities. Some of the specific Territory road plans for our future include: a $36m investment for the Berrimah Road duplication as part of the $72m Tiger Brennan Drive project, a critical freight link between the south, through our Territory Top End and to the port; $10.5m in ongoing funding towards the Red Centre Way; $45.9m in new and ongoing funding under AusLink will go towards the Victoria Highway, an important freight link to the west; $15m in ongoing and new funds has been provided to improve roads around Wadeye; and an additional $8m over the next four years is provided for the upgrade of the Tanami Road.
With such a large infrastructure program, it is important that the government works closely with the private sector to ensure that the projects can be delivered on time and on budget. That is why in August this year, I addressed the Civil Contractors Federation on the government’s capital works program. I reinforced that while government was committed to strong investment in infrastructure, it needed to work collaboratively with the civil industry to ensure that we can continue to deliver on our strategic roads projects. I was pleased to hear from the contractors that they were enjoying the booming private and public investment in their industry.
While the Tiger Brennan project has finally received a funding commitment from the Commonwealth, one important aspect of the project which has not been talked about in the media is the proposed rail overpass on Berrimah Road. This is a further $11m investment on a 50:50 split with the Commonwealth government to further increase the efficiency of rail and road transport to the Port of Darwin.
The commitment of funding the rail overpass is part of linking our transport network into what needs to be a world-class inter-modal transport framework. To help keep the Territory’s trade route position strong, government needs to work with industry in improving transport inefficiencies; that is, through coordinating our road, rail and sea networks, we will deliver real improvements to our export network through reduced loading times, decreased stoppages and reduced double handling.
The Chief Minister has talked about the success of the Darwin Business Park. It is important to note that the significant growth of the East Arm port area has come from large, very successful Australian and international companies. These companies can see that we are continuing to build a very impressive port, the position of which and road and rail services mean real benefits for their business. The $200m East Arm Wharf facility incorporates 754 m of continuous berth space, 18 ha of sealed hard stand, and a 4000 m undercover cargo handling facility. The East Arm port area also includes and an additional 18 ha of bunded area for future reclamation. This expansion to almost double the existing improved area will allow for future strategic growth of both the port and its adjoining business park.
The port’s traditional market sectors of live cattle exports, offshore oil and gas servicing, and container and general cargo have also continued to grow during the year. Live cattle exports are expected to continue to increase and, with increased exploration and production activity in the Timor Sea, we predict the servicing sector is set for a very busy year ahead. The recent commissioning of a new bulk handling facility at East Arm has also facilitated the trade of bulk materials through our port. This is a further significant investment by this government of $24m.
On 28 September, I had the pleasure of hosting a luncheon for representatives of Territory Resources, theNoble Group based in Hong Kong, and Tianjin Iron and Steel based in China, to celebrate the first shipment of iron ore from the Frances Creek Mine since Cyclone Tracy in 1974. Iron ore was previously mined at Frances Creek from 1966 to 1974 and transported to Darwin on the old North Australia Railway line. A combination of increased prices for iron ore, the completion of the Alice Springs to Darwin railway, and the construction of the new bulk handling facilities at East Arm Wharf have made, once again, the mining of iron ore economically viable.
Territory Resources commenced stockpiling iron ore at East Arm stockpile site with the first railway consignment on 18 July this year. This was in preparation for the first export from Darwin in 33 years. On 25 July this year, the panamax class vessel - named because they are the largest vessel able to transit the Panama Canal - the MV Yerotsakis arrived in Darwin Harbour to transport the first shipment of iron ore. The Yerotsakis is the largest vessel to call at East Arm Wharf. The ship has an overall length of 225 m, a beam of 32 m, and is capable of transporting 67 000 tonnes of iron ore. Territory Resources will export around 1.5 million tonnes of iron ore from Frances Creek to China in the first year. It is expected to increase this to three million tonnes within 18 months.
The export of iron ore follows on from manganese exports to China from the Bootu Creek Mine near Tennant Creek. The first shipment of manganese commenced in May 2006, with around 650 000 tonnes per annum being exported. These exports show the benefits of investing in our infrastructure and establishing trade relations with our northern neighbours.
The Port of Darwin was recently nominated as the preferred export port for Oxiana Limited’s export of copper concentrate from their Prominent Hill mine south-east of Coober Pedy in South Australia. FreightLink and the Western Australia company Giacci Brothers, have won a 10-year contract to transport copper concentrate from the Prominent Hill mine to the Port of Darwin. These represent something of a coup and certainly took the industry by surprise, as many industry analysts were expecting the Oxiana mine to freight its ore south to the Port of Adelaide.
From July next year, we will see up to 240 000 tonnes per annum of copper concentrate transported to Darwin on the Adelaide to Darwin railway and then loaded onto ships for export to copper smelters in Asia. The awarding of this contract to FreightLink shows the value of the Adelaide to Darwin railway to the expanding resources sector. Construction has commenced on a rail spur to the port and a 3200 m2 copper concentrate storage shed on East Arm.
Securing the Oxiana business was an important milestone in the development of the AustralAsia Trade Route and confirmed the Port of Darwin as the northern gateway for mineral exports. The emergence of these bulk mineral trades may not have been so successful without the vision of this government to invest in the $24m bulk materials handling system at East Arm Wharf.
This development not only helped encourage regional mining development in the Territory, but it has also secured bulk customers from a wider field, and we believe it will continue to do so in the future. This means increased export revenue, development of the Territory and, importantly, jobs for Territorians.
The first export of biodiesel left the Port of Darwin in August this year. The tanker, Chemstar Venus, was loaded with 55 300 barrels of biodiesel from the Natural Fuels Australia plant at the Vopak terminal bound for markets in Asia and the United States. This is expected over time to become a regular export as Natural Fuels builds production capacity at its Vopak facility. The export of biodiesel starts a new industry for the Territory as the world looks to finding better ways of reducing its reliance on petroleum-based energy. Natural Fuels’ Darwin operation is the largest biodiesel plant in Australia. It is capable of producing 122 500 tonnes per annum along with 12 000 tonnes of pharmaceutical grade glycerine.
While I have already talked about some of the recent improvements in building our port and transport services, it is important that members remember that it was not long ago that the East Arm area had no rail link, little available land to develop and was, by comparison, a small regional port. Now the Port of Darwin is world-class and positioned to play a pivotal role in the nation’s future industrial growth and in the ongoing expansion of the entire AustralAsia region. Only two weeks ago, we saw the arrival in Darwin Harbour of that massive 53 000 tonne transport ship, the Blue Marlin, carrying a 10 000 tonne oil rig. The rig, the West Atlas, will be used to search for oil in the Timor Sea.
The Darwin Port Corporation is a key member of the AustralAsia Trade Route Task Force and continues to work with regional shipping lines and shippers to expand shipping services through the Port of Darwin. The Darwin Port Corporation is a Government Business Division of the Northern Territory government and reports to me through its Chief Executive Officer, Mr Robert Ritchie. It has an advisory board which advises the port corporation on its activities and the manner in which it carries them out. Mr David Looker is the Chairman of the Board. He has an extensive background in international shipping and logistics and a detailed knowledge of ports and commercial shipping in the Asia Pacific region.
The CEO of the Darwin Port Corporation, Mr Robert Ritchie, was appointed earlier this year and was previously the Vice-President Operations Oceania for Wallenius Wilhelmsen Lines and has more than 24 years experience in the shipping industry.
With the increase in port activity, the Darwin Port Corporation is currently undertaking a series of strategic reviews at my request to position it to meet future development demands. A strategic review is under way into the management structure of the corporation. The outcome of this review will be an optimum management structure with a clear definition of each manager’s role and responsibilities.
A strategic land use and facilities utilisation study is also under way at my request to ensure that appropriate port facilities are available to meet the growing trade and shipping activity in the Port of Darwin. A scope of works is being prepared by Maunsell for the Darwin Port Corporation on a master plan and staged development plan for East Arm Wharf, which will take us through to the year 2030 to support and underpin the government’s policy and objectives. The scope of works is expected to be completed this month, with completion of the master plan scheduled for the second half of next year.
With the increased size of ships entering Darwin Harbour, the corporation is undertaking preliminary dredging studies to review accessibility to the port. The study will cover existing berths and channels and incorporate the future needs of our customers.
In the past 12 months, there has been renewed interest in our resources in northern Australia, not just our minerals, but also a focus on our water resources. As we know, this, in part, is the result of water shortages experienced in the south.
All of this presents challenges to the Northern Territory government in providing growth to our infrastructure, but I am confident the commitment by the Martin Labor government to boosting our infrastructure investments in roads, port and our rail spur links means that we are well positioned to benefit from the increased acknowledgement in the region and throughout Australia of the competitiveness of the AustralAsia Trade Route.
Mr Deputy Speaker, I commend the Chief Minister for her statement. It identifies the strength of growth of the Territory, underpinning our regional development, and is a positive statement that provides a focus and direction for the future of the AustralAsia Trade Route.
Mr NATT (Mines and Energy): Mr Deputy Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to support the statement from the Chief Minister on the AustralAsia Trade Route.
Obviously, Darwin’s proximity to South-East Asia is a fantastic gateway for many products throughout the Territory and Australia, for that matter, as has been pointed out, and I will visit that point in my response.
The opening markets in South-East Asia are terribly important to the economy of the Northern Territory. My portfolios of Primary Industry and Fisheries and Mines and Energy make a considerable contribution to supporting that economy.
As the House knows, last week I introduced the Primary Industry Market Indicator, which is an interactive tool for primary industry people to identify potential export markets and identify existing markets that can be readily expanded. It is great that primary industry growers and pastoralists can access this tool, which will be interlinked with export opportunities we have through the AustralAsia Trade Route.
Obviously, a big contributor to our export industry over many years has been our live cattle export industry. It is worth about $250m a year, and it currently stands at about 1.5% of our GSP. The government has had a great partnership with the NTCA for many years, with several focused programs throughout the Territory and, for that matter, Australia, to ensure that the cattle are in good condition for export. The pastoralists work terribly hard with departments on many of these programs. The NLIS system has played an integral role in this. Obviously, tracking animals around Australia, ensuring that they are tracked and they are of good quality, plays a very important role. The Heifer Fertility Project is another one where the livestock carrying capacity of the animals is monitored. Weight Gain Projects have also been undertaken by the department with the NTCA playing an integral role. These programs are there to increase the market share for the Northern Territory in cattle and buffalo for which there is an export area in South-East Asia.
From the Northern Territory in September, 24 557 head of cattle have been exported through the port, which is 4129 cattle up on September last year. The demand for Northern Territory cattle overseas is quite prolific. It is interesting to note that the year-to-date figure on cattle from all over Australia including the Northern Territory, out of the Port of Darwin is 33 836, up on the same time last year. There is a tremendous demand for cattle in the South-East Asia area, and it is great to see that the export of those animals is increasing.
I was very pleased to hear that the Chief Minister paid a visit to Vietnam, and that cattle was very high on the agenda during her visit. Linked with that is education, tourism and skilled migration, but from the cattle industry’s point of view, it was great to have a memorandum of understanding signed with the Trade and Economic Cooperation with the Province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau is a terrific achievement for the Northern Territory. The economy of Vietnam is growing very quickly, and it has come a long way in a number of years. A few years ago, Vietnam probably could not afford to buy some of our cattle. It is pleasing to note that their economy is growing now and that interest has been shown in Northern Territory cattle. The Northern Territory Cattlemen’s Association, together with my department, will be making a few trips there to ensure that interest continues to the point where we hope that shipments will be leaving Darwin to Vietnam by mid-next year. I am hoping I might be able to follow that up with a visit to Vietnam early next year to continue the good work that the Chief Minister has done in that area.
Malaysia is another important market for our cattle. I went to Sabah in October last year for the opening of their abattoir. I met with a number of government officials, export company representatives, feedlot owners, managers and vets within the area. My department’s people are doing a lot of work with people in Sabah to set that little industry up. Unfortunately, they had a misfortune last month where the abattoir burnt down, but we are hopeful that we might be able to work closer with the Sabah government to ensure that we can get that back up and running again, and continue the good work that we started.
I know the feedlot work is huge. I was lucky enough to visit a number of feedlots. The breeding and feed-up programs are working exceptionally well. To make it even more interesting, Northern Territory cattle were involved.
Indonesia is our biggest export market. In the year-to-date out of NT alone, nearly 160 000 head of cattle have gone to Indonesia. We will continue to work with the Indonesian Feedlot Association, together with the Northern Territory Cattlemen’s Association, to ensure that those export numbers are maintained. Research in cattle production to ensure we have suitable cattle to go into that area will be undertaken. I will visit China in early November. We will stop over in Indonesia to meet with the feedlot association to ensure that our ties remain tight and that we continue the good relationship we have with the Indonesians.
Another area that is very exciting, which I have reported on several times over the last couple of sittings, is mining. With the current resources boom, the Northern Territory is playing a significant role. The potential of the Northern Territory with its vast unexplored lands and the promotion that the department is doing is really giving the Northern Territory some impetus with overseas countries, and in particular China.
I mentioned in the House yesterday that interest in the last 12 months has been prolific. We are receiving 50 applications each month for exploration. My department has been working double time to ensure that those applications are processed as quickly as possible. To have the good news that we had in The Financial Review last Friday, saying that Western Australia was falling asleep behind the wheel and the Northern Territory was the go-ahead place is just the sort of impetus and injection we need to create interest within the mining fraternity.
It does not happen by chance. Building the Territory’s Resource Base was a $15m program over four years which commenced in about 2003. That was the catalyst for interest. The department has spent a lot of money on geoscientific work on the ground in many unexplored areas in and around the Territory. The results of the geoscientific work were put straight onto the department’s website and have created a lot of interest. The site is probably a world leader in some cases, which is one of the many reasons we are making good inroads with mining.
We followed that up with Bringing Forward Discovery, which is a $12m, four-year program that started on 1 July this year. Again, geoscientific research of unexplored land will be undertaken so data can be fed back to explorers so they are properly informed and can get themselves onto the land and have a look at it.
It is interesting to note that $18m was spent on exploration in 2000-01 and there were only 333 exploration licences at that stage. That more than doubled in 2005-06 when more than $30m was spent on exploration and 756 applications were processed. I reported to the House yesterday that I was lucky enough to present the 1000th exploration licence to Territory Gold, which was fantastic. They are a great company which has supported the Northern Territory for a number of years. They are doing some good work in the Bonaparte Basin.
We have a China strategy running at the moment. The Leader of the Opposition pointed out that China plays an integral role in our exports. It is a great focus for us. I attended an AMEC conference in Perth earlier this year and the guest speaker was a gentleman by the name of Robert Friedland. He is a Canadian who owns Ivanhoe Mining and he is a world-renowned mining expert. He gave a very interesting talk, which opened when he said: ‘If you think this resources boom is finished, forget about it. With demand from China, India, Japan and Korea, this resources boom is going to go for a number of years’. He quoted some very interesting statistics: half the cranes in the world are on the China landscape; half the concrete poured in the world is poured in China; and a Manhattan is built in Beijing alone every year. So the construction industry in China is going through the roof. That is really borne about by China’s global demand for iron ore.
In 1990, China had 9% of the world’s iron ore stock; in 2005, that increased to 31%. You can see that China wants every bit of iron ore in the world to cover their construction industry. I visited China in November of last year for a mining conference where we promoted the Territory. Since then, we have had 14 Chinese organisations visit the Territory. This year, I will revisit China as part of our ongoing strategy. We have made some wonderful contacts there. The China Mining Association, together with the China Chamber of Commerce, Metals and Minerals have been a terrific association. We have signed a MOU with China Chamber of Commerce, Metals and Minerals. They have over 4000 members and the fact that they have put a link to our website on theirs goes to show that there is interest in the Northern Territory from Chinese companies.
I hope we can continue to develop those links with China. I am looking forward to ensuring that the Northern Territory gets a leg in because there are a lot of states and territories jockeying for position. However, I believe we have a really good foot in to China because the others have not capitalised as we have.
It is pleasing to note that $24m is being spent on the bulk ore loading system at the East Arm port and it is terrific to see Bootu Creek stockpiling ore together with Territory Resources. I was lucky enough to visit Bootu Creek. Mark Lang, their Operations Manager, showed us around for the afternoon. It is a terrific set-up and it was great to see the mine site is really going ahead. The prospects of another 10 years of life paints a terrific picture for the Territory economy.
They have to truck their ore 63 km to the railway siding. They have about 650 000 tonnes per annum over the 10-year life of the mine so bulk storage at the Darwin Port is playing an integral role. It was pleasing to see that the first rail shipment of manganese from Bootu Creek was delivered to the East Arm stockpile area in 2006.
Added to that is Frances Creek, Territory Resources. The iron ore mine started in June this year. I had the luxury of visiting the site where Bruce McFadzean, the Operations Director of the mine, showed us around. He said in June they moved from being an explorer to a producer and they were very excited by their first railing of 2300 tonnes of high grade ore being shipped to the Port of Darwin. They have entered into a three-year freight contract with FreightLink worth about $30m. It is great to see that they are on the ground feeding the demand of China for their iron ore.
The Territory is well poised to capitalise on the inherent logistical advantages of our location. Our direct links and close proximity to South-East Asian countries stands us in good stead.
It was fantastic to hear that a company based in South Australia is also using FreightLink to bring their copper concentrate. Oxiana is bringing 250 000 tonnes of copper concentrate to the Northern Territory via FreightLink on the railway from their Prominent Hill site. To have a 10-year contract to do that is a feather in the cap for FreightLink. The work they did on the ground to ensure that goes out of Darwin Port is fantastic for the Northern Territory. It was a real coup and I congratulate everyone involved.
The Chief Minister has already pointed out the energy industry is a growing export sector. I happened to grab a map from my table before I came down to the Chamber during the luncheon adjournment. The map shows a number of exploration sites in the seas at the top of the Northern Territory. There is Darwin Shoal. Evans Shoal is another big one. There is work in the Bonaparte Basin as well. It is terrific to see all the little areas and the links that we have in close proximity to Darwin. Hopefully, we might be able to expand on the Bayu-Undan gas pipeline. Every well drilled in 2006 revealed hydrocarbons. That is the highest number of discoveries in a year in the Northern Territory. It is great to see that we are having success in the seas north of Darwin.
The Chief Minister has spoken about the operations of the Darwin liquefied natural gas plant and the exports to Japan in February. The gas plant started the commissioning phase in late 2005 and the first shipment went out in February 2006. The Chief Minister gets very excited every Monday when we sit in Cabinet on the 14th floor of NT House when a load of natural gas leaves Darwin Harbour. It is great to see an average one shipment a week.
There has been extensive exploration and drilling in that area. In 2005, there were only two geophysical surveys undertaken, whereas in 2006, there were 12 undertaken, which demonstrates that the interest is really out there.
The Fisheries Department plays an important part in the sector. We have 650 businesses at the moment employing around 1450 people and injecting $153m annually into the Territory economy. There are several niche export markets for the fisheries industry. Trepang is one. Darwin Aquaculture Centre is playing an integral role in the cultivation of trepang, which is in demand in Hong Kong and China. We have a viable market for that species, together with our wild fish harvest, which is great for our Fisheries Department. I am sure that will grow over the coming years.
In closing, the future of the Northern Territory and its links with Asia is very bright. We are the closest Australian jurisdiction to Asia and we are logically the entry point for Asians to come into Australia. It gives me great pleasure to support the Chief Minister’s statement by talking about my portfolio areas. I look forward to a bright future for the Northern Territory.
Mr VATSKALIS (Business and Economic Development): Madam Speaker, I congratulate the Chief Minister on her statement and action on the development of the AustralAsia Trade Route.
Contributing to and underpinning development of the AustralAsia Trade Route is a key priority of my Department of Business, Economic and Regional Development. My department, through the Land Development Corporation, has particular responsibility for developing the Darwin Business Park to lever new industry growth off the port and rail infrastructure.
As mentioned in the Chief Minister’s statement, the business park is well on the way to becoming a world-class freight hub with the capacity to deal efficiently with the rapidly increasing volumes of freight moving in and out of the Territory. While the Northern Territory government broadly promotes and raises awareness of the trade route and opportunities, both nationally and internationally, the Land Development Corporation focuses on providing assistance with developing detailed individual business opportunities. This means working closely with potential anchor customers, including importers, exporters, global logistic operators and international shipping lines, and clearly understanding their business and development time frames.
The Land Development Corporation is currently experiencing strong demand for land within the Darwin Business Park, which has resulted in a number of new businesses taking up parcels of land at the park. Recent activity has also seen the majority of the subdivided parcels being subject to sale negotiations. In the calendar year to date, the Land Development Corporation has achieved sales in excess of $5m, with a forecast of around $9m in the next 12 months. The Land Development Corporation is currently finalising a further seven land sales within the business park, which are to be concluded this year. The Land Development Corporation is also investigating the subdivision of further land at the park to provide an additional 30-odd industrial sites in staged development.
As noted by the Chief Minister, construction of the second stage at the Toll development incorporating Fosters is complete. Development of the John Bain and Shaw’s Transport facilities are nearing completion. The Arnhem Land Progress Association, a financially independent Territory indigenous organisation, has purchased three blocks in the business park to develop a new $16.7m warehouse and cold store facility in partnership with Campbell’s Wholesale, a division of Metcash, Australia’s third force in food distribution. Gaymark Investments is proposing to develop a distribution centre to the value of $8m, and Gibbins Investments is proposing to develop a freight distribution centre. The total value of business park developments in the next 12 months is expected to exceed $36m.
Members should note that the new business park developments are private sector driven. These reflect the high level of confidence among the Territory business community in the short- and long-term prospects for the AustralAsia Trade Route and the Territory economy. Over the years, the government has also put a great deal of work into developing Darwin as regional mining supply and logistics base. The decision to hold a second Indonesian Mining Procurement Forum is testament to the positive outcomes that were generated from the original forum. These forums should be viewed in conjunction with the ongoing program of government support to enable Territory industry representatives to attend events such as Mining Indonesia, which is scheduled to be held in Jakarta in a few weeks time.
The ongoing support of the Indonesian Customs Pre-Inspection Service in Darwin for goods going to eastern Indonesian ports provides further evidence of the positive light in which Darwin is held by both the Indonesian government and major mining companies.
The aim of all this activity is to secure the long-term future of Darwin as a supply and logistics base for mining activities in the region. When taken in conjunction with my department’s work to have Darwin recognised globally as a maintenance and operation base for oil and gas activities in the region, the future looks bright.
I fully support the Chief Minister’s conviction that the development of the trade route will encourage new international trade flows and stimulate economic growth. The proof of the pudding is in the eating.
My department regularly monitors the health of the Northern Territory economy. I do not need to tell you that the Territory is going through a period of strong economic growth. In 2005-06, the Territory was the star performer across Australia with GSP volume growth of 7.5%, and Access Economics estimates a fairly healthy GSP growth rate of about 6.1% in 2006-07. The major economic growth driver has been the Territory’s mining sector.
China’s and Russia’s appetites for our mineral resources have seen significant private investment in new mines, mining expansions and mineral processing facilities. If they think that the resources boom will stop, I have news for you. In today’s The Australian there is an article ‘Bottomless Pit? Why the resource boom will continue’. It is a two-page article about why the resource boom will continue because of China’s continuous development and building boom which, of course, will have an effect on our resources. In one particular case, a private company in Western Australia had a 330% increase in its share price just by announcing that significant ore was found in one of their tenements.
The AustralAsia Trade Route infrastructure has underpinned a significant portion of this new investment, particularly depending on bulk mineral exports. The value of merchandise exported from the Northern Territory has increased by 51%, from $2.7bn in 2005-06 to more than $4bn in 2006-07 as new resource-based investment entered the production phase. While the majority of this rise was due to the Darwin LNG plant reaching full production, bulk mineral export sales of manganese from Bootu Creek and, of course, iron ore from Frances Creek, have also made a significant contribution.
Export volumes and values are expected to rise even further with the commencement of further iron ore shipments from Frances Creek to China. This increase in bulk mineral exports would not have happened without investment in rail and port infrastructure. This means, I believe, the international trade pudding is proving to be very appetising.
The extension of the railway from Alice Springs to Darwin has also delivered economic benefits beyond those related to trade. I refer, of course, to one of Australia’s great train journeys, The Ghan. The Ghan now runs twice weekly between Adelaide and Darwin and brings a substantial number of big spending tourists to the Territory, more than 30 000 northbound passengers in 2006-07 alone. I well recall a previous CLP minister who announced, when they were planning for the train development, that nothing with legs would travel on the train. He told me the other day he was very happy to be proven wrong because now things with legs get on the train. He was not only referring to tourists, but now the Cattlemen’s Association are discussing the possibility of loading cattle from the Barkly region for shipment to Darwin and on to Indonesia and other ports. Obviously, the train has opened a new route from down south to the north. I am not referring to the north of Australia; I am referring to the north of our continent.
The development of the AustralAsia Trade Route is an accomplishment in itself. However, what it delivers to the Territory in economic growth is even more important. Continued efforts are required to maximise the value of the government’s investment in the trade route, including investment in the rail and port infrastructure and international trade relationships. I believe that the AustralAsia Trade Route, together with a range of other new and exciting developments in the resource sector, will continue to drive strong economic growth and deliver wider benefits to all Territorians.
I strongly support the Chief Minister’s statement regarding development of the AustralAsia Trade Route. My department will continue to give high priority to activities promoting further development of the Darwin Business Park, and establish Darwin as a regional mining supply and service hub. In the past, whenever I have gone down south in my previous portfolio to promote mining or even trade, I have always carried with me the map that shows where Darwin is with regards to Australia and South-East Asia.
I always enjoy seeing the expressions on the faces of some of these people who think that Darwin is in the middle of nowhere when they discover we are closer to Singapore and Jakarta than we are to Sydney or Perth. Also, they discover that within 36 hours to 48 hours, they can ship something from Adelaide to Darwin and within a few days, it can be shipped to Manila, the capital city of the Philippines. As a matter of fact, it would take by boat 19 days to go from Sydney to Manila, while something from Adelaide can reach Manila within seven to nine days through Darwin, and that period is shorter for China, Singapore and Jakarta.
The development of the rail from Adelaide to Darwin was a wise investment, despite the pessimistic forecast of some of the people who had a vested interest, and I refer to people who have interests in the ports in Melbourne, Adelaide and Sydney. Of course, to our benefit is the congestion witnessed currently by those ports and the one in Queensland. All of a sudden, Darwin becomes an attractive area. What is more important is, because it is a new harbour, not all areas are taken by freight forwarders; there is still land available. The Land Development Corporation works very closely with the freight forwarders to ensure that there is land developed for them to establish a base in Darwin to forward goods and services from down south through Darwin to where it is needed most, and where most of our clients sit.
Madam Speaker, as I said, to the south of Darwin, if you put New Zealanders and Australians together, there are about 29 million clients; to our north, we are talking about 2.5 billion clients with Darwin in the centre of the universe.
Mr WARREN (Goyder): Madam Speaker, I support the Chief Minister’s important statement on developing our AustralAsian Trade Route, an important statement in which she proudly outlined how the Martin Labor government is strongly committed to supporting the sustainable economic development of the Northern Territory through this government’s strong commitment to the vibrant promotion and development of our AustralAsia Trade Route.
As a professional engineer who has lived in the Territory for almost 30 years, I was very fortunate to be given the opportunity in my working life to be directly involved in the construction of the Alice Springs to Darwin railway. As we all know, the Adelaide to Darwin railway linkage is a key conduit of this government’s actions to maximise our domestic and international trade and business development.
I spent almost four years on the $1.3bn exciting construction project that is the Alice Springs to Darwin railway. I saw it from start to finish. I was involved in other phases, but I will talk for a moment about that particular phase. I was able to see those first bits of clearing going on. We started in Katherine and on a number of fronts. We did not just start one end and end up at the other. We worked at different phases. That was pretty much part of the plan and the innovative approach that we took to the whole project. To see those first days when there was the excitement there amongst the crews and the engineers - everyone was there when we started moving south of Katherine on the first section we started.
We really wanted to get things going and we had a few hiccups at the start. We were trying a lot of innovative stuff right from the start. Some of it worked; some of it did not. However, to be a part of it when we first started cleaning away and the construction crew started going, and everything was happening; there was such a buzz about the whole thing.
I was there at the end when we were laying that last bit of rail to the end of the port. We pulled a few metres short because we needed to ensure that it was ready for the next day for the Chief Minister and other dignitaries to turn up. We could have pushed on and we could have finished it that day but we did not. Right from the start and at the end, the excitement was still there when that crew was sitting there watching the rail crew lay that last bit of track as it rolled up along the wharf. That was exciting and very sad in many respects as well.
I started on the project back in 1983 when the Bob Hawke Labor government decided to look at the railway. I was actually working with the Northern Territory …
Mrs Miller interjecting
Mr WARREN: Madam Speaker, I will continue and I will ignore that remark. In 1983, I started on that project with the Bob Hawke Labor government, and I am very proud of those days. We were looking at the route and I was involved in a segment around the Lake Woods district near Tennant Creek, which the member for Barkly knows very well. I cannot remember all of it, but I do remember flying in there with helicopters and the buzz and the excitement during surveying. That was when the route was first surveyed. Even in those days, we were more hopeful than expectant that the project would go ahead. It was nice to be involved in those early days.
From 1995 to 1997, I was involved with the group called the Australian National which is a South Australian-based group of railway experts and engineers. I was invited to be part of their team as a consultant. I reviewed all the geotechnical work which had been carried out in the 1982 period - partly by myself, but by a number of other people - through the proposed routes and all the reviews that have been funded over the years bringing all that together, so I gathered a very good insight into it. We resurveyed the whole route.
I left the project behind. I think Daewoo was involved at one stage. I remember sitting at the casino talking to some Korean gentlemen about dollars that I had never experienced before when they were talking about wanting to get involved in the project and asking us how much it would cost to do the geotechnical work. My company had just been bought out by a company called Douglas Partners. We were working with them and they were mentioning figures like $11m to start the geotechnical work straightaway. It was really beyond the capacity of our company, even though it was third largest geotechnical company in Australia at the time, to throw our resources into it.
I left the project, came back in late 1999 when we started to put the bids together. I might stand corrected on that, but it was about that time. There were three companies that were pretty keen to get me involved, but I looked at the whole project and decided to go with the inevitable winners, the ADrail Group, mainly because of my connection with the Australian National guys preceding that. It turned out to be the right choice, but even the bidding stage was exciting. We were looking at different ways to be innovative and ways we could develop the project using a risk management approach, but also adopting innovative ideas. It was quite a small team at that stage, probably about 20 people involved. A lot of the work that I did in the 1995 to 1997 period where we subdivided the whole route into terrain units, was used as a basis for bidding on the project. It was exciting to be part of that, because it meant we could cost the whole project based on similar areas. It was a very important part of the bidding process and was an element of us winning the bid.
Now the rail project is completed, I can visualise every kilometre of that route, every section of it, because I spent so much time up and down that railway. The exciting and innovative construction was absolutely fantastic to watch. Day by day, there were sections rolling out towards each other and, when the teams got together, it was really exciting stuff. People do not appreciate how big it was; it was the biggest construction project in the Territory. There were many townships in the bush. People did not see them because they are off in the bush somewhere. They would pack these townships up and, over about a week, they would move them on to another spot every six months or so. It was just incredible. You would go down and live in first-class accommodation in isolated areas in the middle of nowhere. That was part of the vibrancy of this whole project.
We had 100 potential bridge sites to look at. We drilled all those sites. We had massive cuttings to go through and these were things that I was involved in as the geological engineer. As I said, there was excitement watching the final stages of the ballast and the laying of the rail, the teamwork, and the different crews. People were really keen to do a good job. People talk about construction companies wanting to take short cuts, but that was never the case here. People really wanted to do the best thing. From the basic room cleaner in the quarters in the little townships to the top engineers - everyone wanted to do the best job. Of course, we were constrained by expenses but, ultimately, we wanted to do the best job. We knew we were ahead of time; we knew we were going to make money on it, so that really made the quality element a lot easier.
My final involvement was with the construction and reclamation of saline muds in areas at the port end of the project. This was the final stage of my involvement. We had to basically remove a hell of a lot of saline muds and I had heavy involvement in that. We were looking at carting materials to reclaim it some 50 km from Mt Bundy at one stage, but that is where my involvement in this project came into play. There were materials on-site at the old leprosarium area, and the hills there. I knew, from my geological background, that that would be ideal material. We were able to access that, thanks to the government. We were not only able to cut our costs and be able to reduce the haulage, but we were able to speed the whole project up and bring it forward so that areas like the development park were able to be brought ahead on stream, and we were able to match up with the track laying, which was steaming ahead.
To watch that last bit of rail, prior to the Chief Minister and the dignitaries coming down, rolling onto the wharf was a really sad period because the railway was a major part of my working life over a number of years, but particularly during those three to four years from 2000 to 2004. It did not quite end there. I had the opportunity to work as Construction Manager for the Bootu Creek access road, which the minister for Mines spoke about a little while ago, which is 63 km. I worked on the camp facilities there, the radial stackers and the site investigations for those. There was a bit of involvement there with the radial stackers for Bootu Creek and subsequently, Territory Iron.
I am sorry I have a spent a little time on this. Well, I am not sorry. You have a chance every now and again to reminisce a little about some good times and some experiences and, yes, I am very fortunate to have had that opportunity.
I will get back to what I want to talk about, and that is the critical element of the AustralAsia Trade Route, which does not just stand alone. If you look at what the government is doing across the board, you can see the linkages across the board and the coordination. Since the Martin Labor government was given the mandate to govern in 2001, the Territory has not looked back. This government has turned our economic misfortune under the CLP mismanagement into a sustainable economic future under a the Labor government, with the foresight and the clear vision and direction for a prosperous and vibrant Territory. In doing so, the Martin Labor government has clearly seen the AustralAsia Trade Route and its development as pivotal to development and growth of our lifestyle, which is the envy of the rest of Australia.
I love the Territory. I am a proud Territorian, and this is a great place to raise a family. This government has invested heavily in our future. I am truly and unashamedly proud to be part of such a visionary government. Labor is clearly the natural party of government in the Northern Territory. The strong economy benefits Territory businesses and Territory families, and our economy is not only strong, but sustainable. This government, through its promotion and direct investment in our economic development, is ensuring sustainable growth of both Territory businesses and the lifestyle of economically health Territory families. This has all come about because of a combination of major project promotion, developing our trade opportunities and responsible, fiscal management by the Martin Labor government.
Business activity is at an all time record. Our economy is strong, robust and growing. Our gross state production is now at a healthy 7.5%, driven mainly by investment, investment which, I am proud to say, has been attracted by the Martin Labor government’s responsible management and development of our economy.
Others can see the benefits of investing in our vibrant economy, but not our opposition, of course. They still live in the doldrums of the past, continue to talk down the Territory at every opportunity and, in the next breath, they claim to be proud Territorians. Sadly, they cannot bring themselves to acknowledge the fact that they and their families are reaping the benefits of what the Martin Labor government has delivered to them.
While investment so far has been the principal driver behind our very healthy gross state product growth, the seeds of investment have begun to germinate. Our strong and robust economy is increasingly being driven by production outputs. It is forecast to grow at a healthy 6.2% to mid-2008. In other words, our future GSP growth will be on the back of long-term, sustainable production growth, so we are entering an exciting phase in the Territory’s development. Of course, the AustralAsia Trade Route is a vital part of this government’s growth.
The CLP does not have the capacity, I guess, to see this in the big picture of how a capable government runs a sustainable Territory economy for the true benefit of our great Territory lifestyle. They do not understand that, because they have a leader who focuses on the small picture and mistakenly thinks she is on to a winner. She is a leader who does not understand the basics for what is truly important to Territorians. That was very evident by her speech and her poor effort in response to the Chief Minister’s statement. She is a leader who does not understand that Territorians want their government to deliver them economic prosperity and the benefits that brings. The opposition, unfortunately, is in a shambles; in disarray, out of touch with Territorians and nowhere near ready to govern.
I am proud that I stand here in late 2007 espousing the record of the Martin Labor government. We are entering exciting times which will benefit all Territorians, but this government is not content to rest on its laurels. This government continues to invest in our infrastructure, the training and upskilling of our workforce, research and development of key economic areas, providing tax cuts and incentives to business and families, promoting the Territory’s trade opportunities and, as the Chief Minister detailed, promotion and development of our AustralAsia Trade Route and its links. Most importantly, there has been a planned focus to this government’s investment in the Territory across the board to ensure this is strategically spread across the broadest possible range of governmental activities.
Departments are working together in a coordinated manner to ensure we maximise our opportunities for sustainable growth and development. Equally as important, this investment has been geographically spread across the whole Territory. Our government investment now has opportunities in trade, infrastructure and the construction of the Territory, and sees us lever larger-scale private sector investment in the building of our Territory. That is a key element of what I have been saying. Of course, this means a strong and vibrant economy, jobs for Territorians and their families, and jobs for our prosperous Territory lifestyle.
By adopting this approach to investing in a range of opportunities and projects, which have the greatest potential to help develop the Territory, both large and small across the whole Territory, the Martin Labor government has adopted a fiscally responsible approach to positioning our burgeoning economy for sustainable growth. This is called spreading your investment and is a basic and sound economic principle. The AustralAsia Trade Route promotion is a key element of this focus.
Contrast this to the previous CLP government’s crass approach of trying to pick winners, gambling with our Territory economy. What happened? Like all gamblers, they lost and we ended up with the infamous economic black hole. By putting all their eggs in the one basket, they failed basic economics. I do not believe they have the capacity to do any better now; they are still locked into that stubborn mindset.
The Martin Labor government has transformed the Territory and we are now leading the nation in economic prosperity. This government is committed to delivering for all Territorians well into the future. Our investment in the AustralAsia Trade Route will be a conduit to our economic development, extend our economic opportunities well beyond the Territory’s borders, and is positioning us on a global stage.
Madam Speaker, I thank the Chief Minister for her most important statement and I eagerly look forward to further updates.
Mr WOOD (Nelson): Madam Speaker, I am staggered by some of what the member for Goyder had to say. History is history, and whether you like them or not is irrelevant, but I am of the understanding that the CLP government built the port. Maybe I was dreaming. I do not mind having a go at the previous government’s policies, but let us not change history. These are not the days of an indoctrinated version of history. Whether you like it or not, the CLP government did a lot of good things, especially in developing the Territory. If you do not admit that, you make the rest of your statement about the good things the government is doing look silly.
I am going to stand here today and say that, in many cases, the government is doing plenty of good things. I am referring, in my case, to the port because the member for Katherine and I were invited to visit the port recently. The CEO, Robert Ritchie, was good enough to show us around. Having just returned from the Barkly where I visited Bootu Creek, to visit the port and see where the ore mined at Bootu Creek was now being delivered to the port, and the bulk loading facilities and how that is all set up, I thought was pretty good stuff. This is what our port should be. For a long time, the port has been one of those pie-in-the-sky things.
When it first came into being it was meant to link up with the railway and we were going to have these super catamarans delivering fresh fruit and vegetables from southern Australia through to Asia. I remember those maps with lines going all over the place …
Ms Martin: Not our maps.
Mr WOOD: Yes, but the initial vision was this quick movement between here and Asia using very fast boats. That might have been the idea at the time, but things have moved on and that has not happened.
Other things have happened, one of which is Bootu Creek. Now we have Frances Creek iron ore coming on stream as well, which is great. They have their own facilities at the port for handling their ore at the port.
The port is heavily involved with cattle. We do not ship our cattle on the rail. It is all still done by truck. Whether there are any future possibilities of the rail being used for live cattle exports, I do not know but, at the moment, we are still using trucks.
We saw the oil rig tenders at the port. They are important for the oil and gas rigs to the north. Another area was container shipping, which was loading for China at the time. Even though some of these things are in their infancy to some extent, they do highlight the fact that we are starting to develop these trade routes. There have been lots of ups and downs. If you look over the years, there have been promises about a trade route here and there, and some of those things have lasted for a little while and fallen over.
I would not say they have struggled, but the port and rail have gone through a period where they have had to develop these industries to make them more viable. The use of the rail, especially by the mining industry - Bootu Creek and Frances Creek are just two, but there is also the possibility of mines opening in Batchelor and increased uranium exports through the wharf - mean the port and the rail facilities will get bigger and bigger as time goes on.
I left the tour of the Darwin Port very optimistic about what is happening. They have had some issues with repairs and maintenance to some of the rods that hold the wall snapping. There are still some problems but they have to be sorted out by the original contractor.
There are other things happening, with biofuel tanks now situated in that area. The port is something we can all be proud of. Regardless of the history and of what people say your government or another government does, it is infrastructure that, as time goes on, will be helping the economy of the Northern Territory. Without it we would probably still only have the Port of Darwin which, although it is very nice to have fish and chips down there, the days of loading cement and lots of moo cows are well past ...
Mr Kiely: You miss the cracker boat, do you?
Mr WOOD: Oh, absolutely! The port was a farsighted project of the previous government. I have been critical of the design of the port because I thought that a land-backed wharf would affect the tides in the harbour. However, I have been told that is not the case. We have a wharf that is growing in use by industry. Hopefully, we can get more imports through the port because that is a relatively small part of the use of our port. Exports are our main use. As time goes on, we will find that both the port and the rail become more viable and this all bodes very well for the economy of the Northern Territory.
My main reason for speaking on this tonight is to thank Robert Ritchie and his staff for showing us around the port. It was very informative.
As much as the member for Goyder might expound the virtues of the present government - and he is entitled to do that - from the point of view of people wanting to read the history of the development of the Northern Territory, it is no good putting political blinkers on to the extent that you do not realise that there was another government before that. They did certain good things. You are taking over some of their infrastructure and you are supporting it because you are now developing that infrastructure to a further stage. To some extent, when we are talking about AustralAsia Trade Route, we do not need too much politics; we need to say this is good for the Territory and leave it at that.
Ms MARTIN (Chief Minister): Madam Speaker, I thank all those who have contributed to this debate for their constructive words. I include the member for Nelson; thank you. I am disappointed that the member for Katherine did not speak seeing she seemed to interject so strongly on other members and complained about the work of her own party not being recognised. It would have been good to have the member for Katherine make a contribution rather than snipe from the sidelines. If the member for Katherine feels so strongly that no one recognised the CLP’s contribution to the Territory’s economy in the past, then on your feet, member for Katherine, and make that contribution.
We heard from various ministers about the impact from their portfolio areas on building the trade route. From the minister for Planning and Infrastructure, we heard of the importance of the right infrastructure and what it means to be able to get the results we have so far regarding the trade route and where we need to go in the future. From the Minister for Primary Industry, Fisheries and Mines we heard about the importance of the cattle industry and export of that trade route - some of the areas that we are developing. It certainly is exciting that Vietnam has become a potential export destination for our live cattle.
There was some early work done by the previous government in Vietnam in relation to export of live cattle. It was not successful. On my last trip to Vietnam, there was some questioning about the Territory’s ability to deliver live cattle and success of those live cattle ventures because of a previous CLP minister and the lack of success of that venture. Sometimes, we recognise the CLP in government and its successes in building the profile of the Territory in Asia, in developing the economy, but there are also some downsides. Sometimes, when you are working in Asia in what you think are new areas, you forget that some of the lack of success can come back and bite you. We can overcome this and we certainly will when it comes to live cattle trade in Vietnam.
The minister for Mines talked about the importance of mines, the export of ore and the importance of the railway to some of those marginal operations where the resource was known. However, to get that resource to market, the railway has made the critical difference, and we heard about a marginal mine moving to viability because of the AustralAsia Trade Route.
The enthusiasm always from the Minister for Business, Economic and Regional Development about the future is contagious and I thank him for that, but also the important role of the Land Development Corporation and the Darwin Business Park. It seemed lonely for a long time. We had Toll in there but, very quickly, the confidence the first investment bought has seen a significant expansion of businesses we wanted at the business park to do with export operations and freight forwarding. That is happening. Really, in the time since the business park was established, that has been relatively quick.
I thank the member for Goyder for his contribution. We do not mind a little indulgence about the personal involvement of the member for Goyder in building the railway. It was a fascinating story, and we thank him for that.
This is an important statement for the Territory. There has been a lot of money invested in the trade route: the $1.3bn from the railway; the $200m in the port; and the other associated developments including the $24m for the bulk loader. They are all significant investments. At the time, there was almost a leap of faith from the previous government in the port - and it has been realised, but strategic investment must be made. The Darwin Business Park, the port infrastructure, the railway, the other associated developments, are all decisions made by government with a plan for the future.
Yes, this government built on the work done by the previous government. I will go to some of the myths perpetrated by the Opposition Leader in her contribution to this debate. She started in a gentle mode - which is unusual for the Opposition Leader - saying she definitely supported the statement, and that the things we are doing to build the trade route deserve not to be fought over, but deserve bipartisan support. I wondered where her speech was going. She complimented government on the work we are doing in Asia, and urged us to continue the work we are doing, and that certainly was welcome.
Then we came to some of the myths that are perpetrated by the opposition regarding our economic development and what should be an alternative. I would like to first go to the small lecture that the Opposition Leader gave me about the work of a previous Chief Minister, Shane Stone, the former member for Port Darwin, and the former Premier of Western Australia, Richard Court. She asked why are we are competing with Western Australia over the Ichthys field, and why I do not do what Richard Court and Shane Stone did and go to China and really get out there selling products to the world.
You have to be careful with those kinds of statements because, while the previous Chief Minister Stone did that, no results were ever produced for the Territory. It is all very well to go whisking off with the Western Australian Premier, to sell whose gas to create the relationships? You had a Territory Chief Minister, hand-in-hand with the Western Australian Premier. Who got all the deals? Not us! Certainly, the Western Australians did well. To be fair, the Western Australians had an established gas industry and they had infrastructure. If you look at Karratha and Dampier, yes, they had infrastructure. Yet, the Opposition Leader said this is the way we should be dealing with it.
If this is the way we were dealing with it, we would never have Darwin LNG. To say that I should be following a previous Chief Minister’s example and courting Western Australia is simply wrong. It is a myth. I do not know where the Opposition Leader gets her information, but to say that is a role model is rubbish. It does not serve the Territory, it did not serve the Territory at the time. Her comment about it all being very well to go to Japan and talk to the Chair and President of INPEX, but I think her words were ‘too little, too late’ about the Ichthys field.
I am not going to go into detail because I have previously been into detail here, but we have done quite a considerable amount of work on this, not just one trip to Japan. We have never said that the option of bringing the Ichthys resource from the Browse Basin to Darwin is plan one. We are saying it is the back-up. Quite clearly, INPEX, logically, wanted to bring that gas onshore to the closest possible point but, since they made that decision, there have been a lot of complexities in achieving it. There has been considerable environmental concern from people, not just on the north of Western Australia, but around Australia. There has been considerable concern expressed by the Aboriginal people in the area about the impact on a pristine coast. There has been complexity in what was the INPEX first plan for this resource. It was when those difficulties developed that there seemed to be an opportunity to say: ‘If the project has slowed down and you have deadlines, then an opportunity is here for Darwin’. Initially it was not there, but we looked at where those opportunities were, and have worked for quite some time now with INPEX. The Opposition Leader saying ‘too little too late’ is rubbish. That is not the case. We looked at opportunities as they emerged.
The difficulties for INPEX, of course, are the costs of building pipelines. The cost of building pipelines has increased quite extraordinarily. The capital investment has increased quite considerably over the last few years. In bringing any gas to Darwin, the issue of the cost of the pipeline, which is about 1000 km, is a very serious one.
However, we are pleased that we have presented a case to INPEX when there did not seem to be any possibility before. There was no reason for us to approach INPEX, but we were happy to do so quite some time ago as these issues emerged. We presented to them an alternative case. They are taking that alternative case very seriously. To have the Chief Minister say where there is an opportunity let us present a good case is terrific. It is certainly the response that we are getting from INPEX. We are not setting out to compete with Western Australia; we are looking at where resources are, where there are problems and how we can provide opportunities for Darwin.
Had we said this three or four years ago, we had no track record about these major projects. Now, you can go and say to INPEX: 'There is an LNG plant here. We have a workforce that can support it. The project was delivered by Bechtel with a lot of Territory workers, on time and at the standard they required'.
So we can deliver; we are not just a greenfield site. We delivered an LNG plant successfully, working with the private sector. This government has achieved a track record with major projects and an LNG plant. That says to other companies: 'We can do it'.
I place on record that for the Opposition Leader to wag her finger at me and say: 'Too little, too late' is wrong. There is a very careful strategy. It is not competing with Western Australia; it is providing an opportunity for INPEX if the initial project does not emerge as they first saw it. It is good.
What I said about the Territory not getting a contract out of the work that was done by Richard Court and Shane Stone is interesting. China and Western Australia have a relationship. Our relationship has developed with Japan, and that is where the LNG contract has gone ...
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, please pause. I have just received word that Hansard cannot hear us. If you could remain in your seats until we find out whether or not Hansard does have sound for the record. We will suspend for five minutes until the ringing of the bells.
Debate suspended.
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, would you like to continue? I believe Hansard can hear us now.
Ms MARTIN: Okay, if we have Hansard back on board, I do not have a lot more to say. Another issue that was raised by the Opposition Leader was Glyde Point. She criticised our decision to protect Glyde Point. I will not go into detail on that. I want to deal with the member for Katherine and the Opposition Leader’s words regarding gas coming from the Bonaparte area to Darwin. It was interesting on radio this morning - and this was repeated by the Opposition Leader - the member for Katherine was slightly confused and referred to gas coming onshore at Channel Point. We concede that she was probably talking about Channel Island at the time. These are some of the myths that are perpetrated. The member for Katherine said: ‘The CLP had a deal with ConocoPhillips that said that if they got land here they would deliver gas to Channel Island Power Station’. This is the most fanciful stuff we have ever heard. What is a deal? Is a deal a contract? A deal must be a contract because if you are ever going to deliver anything you need a contract to do that. I say definitively there was no contract. There was no deal ...
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms MARTIN: There was no arrangement, as the member for Katherine is claiming publicly. This is gross ignorance by the member for Katherine who does not understand what was happening at the time.
If the CLP government had a contract with ConocoPhillips to deliver gas into Darwin we might have seen this, member for Katherine. There was no contract. I have checked definitively and there was no contract. I do not know where the member for Katherine got her information, but it demonstrates myths and fancifulness from the CLP that do not serve them well now. I will give a little history of what was happening at the time.
Bayu-Undan’s deal was known about. ConocoPhillips, as the operator of the field, was having discussions about where they could sell the gas. It was a very productive liquids field. They were conducting discussions about where they could sell the gas. I will take you back in time. There was a company called Methanex. We were talking about a methanol plant here. There was a lot of discussion happening there. Some of those discussions with Methanex included maybe some power in the process of trying to put what was a proposal together. I am sure there were discussions about if we need to get buyers of the gas then maybe Power and Water could be one of those. There was never a contract, never that kind of deal that the member for Katherine talks about ...
Mrs Miller interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms MARTIN: That was one thing that was happening, and I think the member for Katherine should be quiet. A parallel process was in a market that was difficult to find buyers for LNG. It is very different now, but it was difficult to find buyers for LNG. ConocoPhillips was negotiating with its Tokyo Electric Tokyo Gas to see if they wanted to take LNG.
Bayu-Undan is not a big field in terms of gas. It is a very rich field but it is not a gas field like many other gas fields around. It is a reasonable size, but not big. The deal that was negotiated by ConocoPhillips was for all that gas to go to LNG. That is the decision they made commercially. There was no contract with the Northern Territory. They were the operators of the field. We have a situation where the member for Katherine has simply misled the public and the Opposition Leader has misled this House. There was no deal. There was no contract. Yes, there were discussions, but there was no deal.
We have a contract. We have done the deal and we have gas coming into Darwin, very competitively priced gas. The member for Katherine was not in the parliament at that time, but she should go back to the person who briefed her and say: ‘You have misled me because there was no deal and no contract’. There were discussions. Always there are discussions about what can happen with this gas resource, but to say there was a deal, member for Katherine, is very wrong. You are misleading the public, misleading our community. She implied that there was some relationship between the land negotiated with ConocoPhillips at Wickham Point and an arrangement that they provide gas to Channel Island. Show me the bit of paper; show me the contract. You are misleading, member for Katherine. You are definitely misleading.
You have to understand the scepticism of some members of this side of the House when the CLP in opposition makes up things about what they did in government, and then the Opposition Leader says to me: ‘You did not do much for your first two years in government. You did not do much for the trade route’. We were building the railway line, for heaven’s sake. How can you have the AustralAsia Trade Route when the fundamental part of it is not built? This, again, is myth perpetration. We were getting gas back on track in those first two years because the previous government had so much bagged Timor Leste that they were not prepared to have discussions with Australia and the Northern Territory because of the bad mouthing of the previous government. That is another myth we have to set aside about what was being done.
We were also finishing the port. In those first two years, no activity, she said. We were building the railway, we were finishing the port. There is still more work to be done on the port. We were getting gas back on track and that announcement was made in 2003. We were doing nothing in our first couple of years and, importantly, recovering an economy that was on its knees. I say to the CLP: do not perpetrate myths. Yes, you made in government great contributions to the Territory, but do not perpetrate myths. Tell the truth about what happened. Tell the truth about getting this economy so low that we had no growth. Tell the truth and we will recognise quite happily the work that you did about the railway, but do not pretend you did things you did not do and recognise the damage that you incurred.
Madam Speaker, we are building the trade route. We are all proud of that. It is a bipartisan issue and I particularly thank the hard-working public servants in my department who go out there and do this hard work day after day. They are fantastic.
Motion agreed to; statement noted.
ADJOURNMENT
Mr STIRLING (Treasurer): Madam Speaker, I move that the Assembly do now adjourn.
Seventeen students from the Yirrkala homelands schools recently obtained their Surf Rescue Certificates, a first for our indigenous communities. The course was delivered by Surf Life Saving Australia with the assistance of volunteers from other surf life saving clubs.
The five-day course included learning basic first aid, resuscitation, distress signals, board and tube rescue, recognising different types of surf and rips, and a myriad of surf facts. The instructors were receptive to the English as a second language status of the students and conducted a very hands-on training program. The students completed the course in the allocated time with very good results. As the communities are surrounded by waterways and beaches, the newly gained skills will benefit homelands people. Congratulations to Surf Life Saving Australia for this initiative in expanding their knowledge and training into indigenous communities.
The local football season closed on a high note at the end of August with a very close and exciting grand final match between Baywarra and Saints. The second half was tremendous, with both teams fighting hard to control the game using the wind effectively, and there was sensational play through the centre. Congratulations to Baywarra, the winners on the day, in their debut season, the second indigenous team in the history of the competition to take out a flag in their inaugural year. My thanks to Gove AFL President, Des O’Sullivan, and the committee for a great season of football, recognising the huge amount of voluntary work and time carried out to ensure a successful season.
Dhimurru and Parks and Wildlife have been working with tourist company, World Expeditions on a ghost net cleanup event south of Cape Arnhem. The two groups collectively removed 139 ghost nets as part of their program. Sixteen World Expedition clients from around Australia, two World Exhibition guides, six Dhimurru Rangers, and Parks and Wildlife Ranger, Phil Wise, made up the cleanup team. Everyone camped on location and participated in cultural activities when the tide was not right for collecting the ghost nets.
These intensive cleanups are extremely important to clear coastlines of all ghost nets and marine debris. Data was collected and recorded where nets where found. There are currently 18 indigenous ranger groups around the Gulf of Carpentaria, from Galiwinku to the Torres Strait, involved in the award winning Carpentaria Ghost Nets Program. I thank Steve Roeger, Phil Wise, the Dhimurru Rangers and all those involved in helping to decrease the environmental impact these nets have on marine wildlife.
Senior Sergeant Tony Fuller, Officer-in-Charge of Nhulunbuy Police Station for some years, is to depart Gove and it will be a great loss to the Nhulunbuy region as he takes up a well deserved promotion to Superintendent in Darwin in two weeks time. Tony has been at the forefront of the Alcohol Management Plan devised by our local Harmony group to alleviate alcohol concerns within the region. It is a successful strategy that will be implemented once the federal government’s alcohol laws are deemed to be unworkable and unreasonable in our region.
Tony’s exceptional commitment to his job is testament to the relationship and the respect he has with the Yolngu communities and the township of Nhulunbuy. He has always participated in community events. He coached our local football teams and, for me at a personal level, was always just a phone call away for any issues of concerns on behalf of constituents. I wish Tony, Eli, Daniel and Kane all the very best as they move back to Darwin. I sincerely thank them for being such an important part of our community.
The Relay for Life fundraiser was staged over the weekend of 8 and 9 September. The well attended event commenced on Saturday afternoon, concluding Sunday morning, with 236 walkers competing in 13 relay teams. Over $45 000 - not bad for a small community - was raised for cancer research. My thanks to Fiona Pearce and her team of helpers for organising such an important event, and to the community for participating in a generous way. Over $30 000 of that $45 000 was raised at the G3 camp, from the construction guys working on G3 for Alcan, so a special thanks to them. We are all affected in some way by this illness and I congratulate everyone who contributed to the weekend.
Congratulations to Samantha Zeigler, the Territory’s top VET student this year. Samantha received her award at the awards dinner in Darwin last month. A student of Nhulunbuy High, Samantha has been a resident of Nhulunbuy for eight years. She enrolled in the VET program last year when she was in Year 11 and completed her Certificate I Business as well as Certificate I Hospitality. This year, Samantha is completing her NTCE as well as taking on the extra load of more vocational education training in Business II, Hospitality II and Certificate I in Information Technology. I congratulate Samantha on receiving the award. Her dedication and hard work have paid off, and again Nhulunbuy High School has provided excellent training for these VET students.
Alcan Gove dominated the Mine Rescue competition held in Darwin recently, taking out first place. Their Emergency Response Team was named 2007 Champion ahead of six other mining companies from across the Northern Territory and Western Australia. Congratulations to the Emergency Response Team, a credit to Alcan, and all its employees in benchmarking their safety performance as a priority within the organisation.
The Heart Foundation and Kellogg Australia announced the Yirrkala Dhanbul Council a winner of the 2007 Northern Territory Local Government Awards recently. The Dhanbul Community’s Active Cooking Program has been highly commended in the programs that improve heart health in priority groups. The council was recognised for the policies and programs which encouraged better health in the community. The program is a collaborative nutrition and physical activity program. It provides regular opportunities for Yolngu young people to learn and participate in a healthy lifestyle. I congratulate Dhanbul Community Council and the healthy lifestyle team on their award.
Congratulations to Dean Bloomfield and Geoff Bellinger from Gove and the Northern Territory Eight Ball Team on winning the Timor Cup in Kupang recently. It was a great effort by Dean, who captained the team and was named the Northern Territory’s Best and Fairest Player. I used to play darts with Dean many years ago when we had a darts competition, and he is an accomplished all around sports person. Well done, Dean.
Mr Deputy Speaker, I raise this as a lifelong and devout supporter of Australian Rules in this country and express my disappointment and sadness at recent events, particularly the arrest of West Coast Eagles footballer, Ben Cousins in Perth yesterday, which I think has again highlighted the inadequacy of the AFL’s policies to deal with drug use and abuse in their code. It is no secret that alcohol and drug abuse has been prevalent at West Coast for a long time. The recent death of Chris Mainwaring from a suspected drug overdose strengthens the belief that drugs have been a problem for this club since its inception.
I followed the reporting of the death of Mainwaring and the outpouring of grief at numerous services in his honour across Western Australia. Not one person in Western Australia raised the obvious: what is being done to eradicate the current culture of drugs in place at the West Coast Eagles? I refer to Patrick Smith in The Australian:
- AFL must deregister tragic superstar
West Coast was forced to admit it had a culture of drug abuse within its team. Coach John Worsfold said as many as eight players confessed to him eventually that they had been involved.
The club brought all this upon itself because it preferred to win rather than attack the problem. Chairman Dalton Gooding seemed in denial as first Chad Fletcher collapsed on a holiday in the US and then Daniel Kerr was caught on police tapes talking with a convicted drug dealer. He knew nothing.
The secrecy provisions within the AFL Code concerning players’ drug use does no one any good. It is widely known another AFL club has a number of players in rehab for drug abuse. However, it can only remain as rumour because the AFL Code stipulates that no one is allowed to name the club or the players. I can tell you that every person in Melbourne who follows AFL can name the club and the seven players named in that report, but you are not allowed to under the AFL Code.
Keeping the issue a secret under the AFL Code leaves no one with any confidence at all that the policy works. Aside from that one other club, there is no speculation that any of the other 14 clubs have the ongoing, deep-seated drug issues which are so apparent at West Coast Eagles. This puts a lie to the commentary and the claim, particularly from the West, that the problems at West Coast exist in every club, in every other code and right across the community at large. That is an absolute denial of the facts.
What is true is that AFL footballers, once established within their playing lists, are fabulously paid and have a large amount of recreation time once they have met their training commitments. Tragedy strikes when players fail to show the same self-discipline in their private lives as they show in their pursuit of sporting excellence. If we look at players such as James Hird recently retired, Andrew McLeod, still going, and Nathan Buckley, also recently retired, who come to mind as hugely successful role models for Australian youth, it is a crying pity that their efforts are demeaned by the downfall of Cousins and others of his ilk.
Cousins had an absolute golden opportunity to say sorry with sincerity, and mean it. He had an opportunity to prove he had overcome his addiction and that his rehabilitation was successful, and to get on with his football life. He has failed on every count. The AFL has a system of three strikes and you are out. That is absolutely three strikes to me. If the West Coast Eagles are too inept or too gutless to act, which I suspect is the case, then Andrew Dimitriou and the AFL must. The paying football public inside Australia - excluding Western Australia, I do not believe we will hear a peep from them - will demand no less.
Mrs MILLER (Katherine): Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, tonight I want to speak about tourism and address the AEC report which has been commissioned by government to address changes in the tourism industry in the Northern Territory. I suspect there was a motive for doing this. Having come from a regional tourism area, there has been an effort for some time to try to amalgamate the smaller RTAs into larger tourism associations, meaning Tennant Creek into Alice Springs and Katherine into the Top End and Darwin. That has been ongoing for some time.
By government establishing this consultancy was one way for them to be able to say: ‘Okay, we are going have some figures and statistics just to show how ineffective things are in regional tourism associations’.
Today in Question Time, I quoted from page 91 of the AEC report:
- An operator survey revealed 69.5% of regional tourism association members stated that their RTA membership had little or no impact on the success of their tourism business.
I asked the minister how many RTA members had responded to the operator survey and whether he could break these down into each of the four RTAs. There was a specific reason for that. The report referred to ‘69.5% of regional tourism association members’. We all know that surveys can be jigged to suit whatever you want them to do. What I was asking was how many tourism operators in the Katherine region had responded to that survey. Over 200 members belong to the Katherine Region Tourism Association and if only five of them returned a response, how can you make an assessment about what should happen to the association? That is the reason I asked for the number of respondents.
The minister said it is not in his report and:
- I do not know who has made submissions to it. Obviously, the consultant has put his name to a document. I say to the member for Katherine if that is what people in the tourism industry are saying to the consultant, he would have had accurately reflected that in his report.
What the consultant has done is accurately reported the number of responses that he has had to his survey. What I want to know is how many people responded to the survey. Decisions are going to be made about regional tourism associations that are going to have a lasting impact on the community.
Katherine is one that is highlighted because we have a strong executive in Katherine which has been putting a lot of effort into the Katherine Regional Tourism Association over many years. What happens when the focus goes away from the regions, as we all very well know, is that they start to lose their identity.
I am not only speaking from my own perspective. Today I have received two e-mails from people in Katherine - and this was without any prompting from me, so the rage is there. I have contacted these people and asked if they mind if I include their comments in the Parliamentary Record tonight and they have both given me approval. I would first like to read an e-mail that was sent to minister Henderson and it has been copied to me. It is from Kevin Gray, the Director of NT Technology in Katherine. He is also Chair of the Chamber of Commerce. He wrote:
- Minister Henderson,
I am completely disgusted at the report released last week in relation to the Strategic Review of the KRTA. I am not going to debate the finer points of the 90-page document. That would be acknowledging that it has substance, when in fact it appears to be merely a means to punish the KRTA for standing up for the Katherine region.
Any moves to ‘amalgamate’ the interests of the KRTA will serve to reduce the direct marketing efforts of the KRTA for the Katherine region. Obviously, there appear to be issues the Northern Territory government has with the KRTA, so address them. Whilst local business is vying to defend our positions with the local government transformation and withdrawal of CDEP, which undoubtedly had to be addressed (but centralised contracts? Decidedly anti-local), this uppercut is delivered. What the hell is going on? How about we close the road at Alice Springs and Manton Dam? There is no doubt that centralising to Darwin will be more efficient. Why we are at it, why don’t you relocate the NT parliament to Sydney, Melbourne or Canberra? That will save a lot of flights, but is that what this is all about? Is Katherine deemed to be an unsustainable investment? Many of us work very hard to promote a strong sense of community whilst families and skills leak out of Katherine. This proposal would be two more if it were short-sightedly implemented. That would be a loss to us of not $200 000, but that $200 000 going round in our economy. Of course, I could not begin to fathom the logic of this.
Tourism is a significant contributor to the Northern Territory economy. The funds injected into the KRTA are very necessary to sustain effort and promise for the tourism operators in the Katherine Region. Cost overruns in exotic Darwin-based projects will not be our pain.
Emotive argument? Absolutely.
I strongly suggest Option 5 - Leave the KRTA alone!
It is with regards, Kevin Grey.
Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, I have another e-mail that was sent to the consultancy group from Manbulloo Homestead and I quote:
- As members of the Katherine Region Tourism Association, we are very disappointed with the section of your report concerning the recommendations pertaining to RTAs. We feel very strongly that we want to be represented by the KRTA, not a member organisation based in Darwin and definitely not government, as in Tourism Top End as outlined in Option 3.
The first point we would like to make is that we think the report is flawed, based on the following:
The KRTA staff have done an excellent job of regional marketing because they live in the region and are passionate about it. Personnel based in Darwin will not have the some knowledge or passion. These traits are very important, especially when representing regions at consumer shows.
Because there will still be a need to have employees based in the regions and their supervisor will need to regularly travel to Katherine there will be minimal cost savings.
Aiding the development of new products is better coming from staff living and working in the region who have a greater appreciation of the gaps and regional tourism products.
We are strongly opposed to the recommendations regarding RTAs and request access to the survey data collected.
Yours truly,
Brian and Stephanie Hill
It is dated 16 October 2007. I believe that the minister has received a copy of that. The reason that I am putting these on record is because I believe, as these members have quoted in both their e-mails, this consultation is seriously flawed. The data is not available and it suggests to me that it is a deliberate attempt for an argument to have the funding for marketing from the Regional Tourism Association in Katherine - and I am speaking specifically for Katherine - taken from that area and moved to the Top End. I said in my response to the Tourism statement only last week, before this was highlighted, that I was really annoyed that the AEC consultation has been targeted specifically at disbanding the RTAs.
I sincerely believe the effort is to absorb Tennant Creek into Alice Springs and Katherine into Darwin. The KRTA Executive in Katherine has met, and I know that they have met with the minister. They are pretty upset that they are not having their questions answered. Their questions are: ‘Why can we not have access to the number of people who responded to the survey? Is it because of over 200 members of the Katherine Regional Tourism Association, a very small minority responded to the survey? Does that mean to say that, on the say so of those very few who did respond, a decision will be made that is going to have a pretty significant effect on the Katherine region?’
I ask the minister to ensure he gets that information from AEC because government did commission the consultant. It is really important to reassure the KRTA Executive. I do not know if Tennant Creek have followed this up at all, minister, but I know that the KRTA is very concerned about it, and so am I. I do not want to see the marketing for Katherine Regional Tourism Association moved out of the region for many reasons about which I spoke in response to your Tourism statement the other day and again today.
It is of serious concern and I know that, unless they get those answers, they will really smell something bad. I do not want that to happen. There needs to be open consultation if Tourism NT wants to make some strategic changes, but please come down and talk to the people in Katherine, and please …
Mr Henderson: I was down there last week.
Mrs MILLER: Yes, and I was not there; I was here. Pease talk to the people in Katherine, please listen to them, and please ensure that the AEC report is not just a smokescreen for Tourism NT to try to implement something that I know has been underlying for some time.
Ms SACILOTTO (Port Darwin): Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, this evening I wish to speak on a recent bereavement that has impacted on me and my constituents of Port Darwin and others in the wider Territory community.
I express deep regret at the sudden and unexpected passing of Mrs Monica Sharp, and feel that it is appropriate that I share a little of Monica’s life to be included in the Parliamentary Record forever, as Monica is included our hearts.
I acknowledge in the gallery the presence of Monica’s loving husband, Mr Eric Sharp, and Monica’s dear friend, Mr Cyril Young. Monica Sharp, or Mon as she was known, was born on 28 September 1946 and passed away unexpectedly in Darwin on 14 September this year.
Monica lived with her husband, Eric, at their home in Nakara. She was a true Territory woman - adventurous, full of life with a spirit that cared for others. Monica was born to Raymond and Hilda Cadney in Gevelinghausen, Germany. She was the eldest of two children born to the Cadney family, and her brother Roger was seven years younger.
Monica’s family resided in Germany for a time, as her father was in the British Army. Unfortunately, when they returned to England, life was difficult as there was an abundance of anti-war sentiment against German associations. Monica later returned to Germany to work as a secretary in a steelworks company. In January 1969, Monica met Eric Sharp, who was to be her husband and the love of her life. Eric was also in the British Army and love blossomed between them, even though there were other soldiers competing for pretty Monica’s attentions.
On New Year’s Eve in 1969, Monica and Eric wed and began their married life in Monica’s one-bedroom flat, with a single bed, until they were issued with married quarters nearly two years later. I am told their married life was adventurous, as Eric was posted to numerous operational areas, and they set up home in Northern Ireland, Hong Kong and back in Germany many times. It was while living in England at Catterick Camp Military Base in 1971 that they became parents for the first time, to Samantha. In 1974, Caroline was born in Bristol. Monica really loved the family’s time in Hong Kong and taught English to Chinese Nationals.
The family wanted to migrate to Australia and, when Eric retired from the Army in January 1987, he flew to Sydney with the Russian airline Aeroflot. I am told that Monica was always looking for a bargain and Aeroflot was certainly that. In November 1987, Monica and their daughters arrived to be reunited with Eric who had found work and a home for his family. Apparently, there is a standing joke in the Sharp family in that Monica, the bargain hunter, the girls and the family dog, Patsy, flew United Airlines which made Patsy’s airfare more expensive than Eric’s.
Monica soon found employment and was a clerk for Pacific Dunlop in the Battery Division, and later with Templar Marketing.
Monica was a wonderful mother, wife and travelling companion to Eric. She loved her daughters to bits and there were always words of love and encouragement, but she could also get their attention when it was required.
In 2000, Eric and Monica became a couple of grey nomads and set about travelling Australia. However, after only four months, mainly in the Centre, they arrived in Darwin, decided to stay for a while and got jobs. Monica worked at Cullen Bay Serviced Apartments. Two years later, they resumed their travels, taking in the west coast, south coast, Tasmania and, later, Sydney. About this time, they received a call from a friend wanting to know if they wanted to work in Armata, which is about 150 km from Ayers Rock. Eric and Monica took up the challenge and spent six months managing the local community store. They also worked at Hermannsburg before returning to Darwin.
Settling back into life in Darwin, Monica joined the Australian Red Cross as a care worker in a position she held until she unexpectedly passed away. Monica was a very community-minded person and, during her life, she was a member of the New South Wales Bushfires Brigade, a volunteer for the Arafura Games and a very active committee member for the National Seniors and the Land Cruiser Club. Monica had an effervescence and enthusiasm for life and all it offered to her. She loved the bush and enjoyed nothing better than to be with Eric and their friends sitting around a camp fire enjoying a glass or two.
As I said, Monica was a true Territory woman who had found her niche in the Territory. She loved the Territory way of life and was fascinated by Aboriginal culture, their ability to live off the land, bush medicine and bush tucker. She also loved history in general and loved to go to the movies with Eric, especially to see true stories.
It is well known to her friends and family that Monica loved a bargain, and her favourite colour was blue. She was an avid Queensland supporter in the State of Origin and had a standing bet with her son-in-law, Con. Only a few months ago, one of her ambitions was achieved when she and Eric completed their tour around Australia and visited Cape York.
I close with the words of her friend Cyril Young:
- Monica always acted as Tail-End Charlie. She is now leader of the pack, taking us to that place of peace and tranquillity.
Lived respected, and died regretted.
Mr BONSON (Millner): Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, tonight I pay tribute to a well-known Territorian and two young Territorians who, no doubt, in years to come, will be well-known Territorians.
The first is John (otherwise known as Jack) Stephen Cusack, who was born on 24 June 1935 and passed away on 26 September 2007. Jack Cusack was a well-known Territorian. His family contributed over many years to the Northern Territory. Unfortunately, I was unable to attend his funeral as I was attending to duties in this House, but I extend my condolences to all of the family, in particular Johnny, Jeff and Dave and the rest of the gang. It gives me pleasure to read a testimonial for Jack Cusack entitled Vale Jack Cusack: Gentleman, Leader, Botanist, Teacher. It was presented by Dick Williams:
- G’day, everyone. I’m Dick Williams and I am a scientist with the CSIRO here in Darwin. On behalf of the past and present staff of the CSIRO Tropical Ecosystems Research Centre in Darwin - and indeed on behalf of all of the CSIRO staff and the Northern Territory scientific community - I would like to say a few words in memory of our friend Jack Cusack.
The first word is Tumrapunya. This was a name given by the Tiwi people to Jack. Jack, of course, was a Warlpiri man, but taken from his Warlpiri home when he was young and brought up on the Tiwi Islands. The Tiwi people adopted him and gave him this name. It is a very special name for me because he gave it to my son Jack when he was born. The second word is Tupataprunala - the name he gave to our daughter, Emma. It means moon goddess as she was born under a full moon. Jack held a special place in our family. He liked young Jack and Emma to call him Amanai Jack - Grandpa Jack.
It was always good to have him around home. Probably the most memorable for me was the 1992 Grand Final, when he came over home to watch the game on the TV under the house with my wife, Bronwyn, and me and our mates. We put on the pies and beer; he brought barra and goose and boy, did that make for a good feed. He loved his footy and his beloved Hawks. He and my mate Billy Perrett would sit and discuss the fortunes of the club for hours at a time. Jack was also deeply connected to legendary names in the game, like Long and Rioli.
Tumrapunya, Tupataprunala, Amanai. There’s a lot in those names – simple, beautiful words expressing simple, beautiful, gentle concepts. Just like the man himself. A true gentleman. I never got to the Tiwis with him, but we visited his Warlpiri country on many occasions in the course of field work. This was always a pleasure, and a real highlight and privilege for me. Not too many scientists get to work with Aboriginal people, let alone with people of the calibre of Jack, and in their own country to boot.
- Jack was, of course, a loyal and integral member of the science team at CSIRO for 25 years. Jack joined CSIRO in the early 1970s. Prior to that, he worked on the Tiwi Forestry project with Gus Wanganeen. Prior to that, he’d been trained as a chippie on Melville Island. He retired from CSIRO in 2000 but kept coming into the lab. His keen eye, extensive knowledge and expert bushmanship helped train several generations of scientists. He was an outstanding botanist. For 10 years he was my eyes and ears out bush. I cannot overstate the profound influence he had on me. He also had a profound influence on the lab – he was always happy, singing, whistling and laughing. His laugh was a corker. I am very glad to say that his son John has inherited his fantastic laugh. And we were all in awe, utter awe, of his calligraphic skills – he simply had the most beautiful handwriting I have seen.
- I first met Jack in 1988 - at the time I was a young academic at Monash University. I was in Darwin on holiday with my wife and another mate, and we called into the lab to see Alan Andersen with whom we’d all been at uni. I had collected a swag of plants, asked Alan if he had any ID books. ‘Why don’t you just go and see Jack?’ he said. An hour or so later, I went away a happy customer. Little did I realise that three years later, we would be working together for CSIRO. I last saw him a couple of days before he passed away. He was very keen to go over some old stories. I’d like to share a few with you today.
The first is my very first trip out bush with him to our Research Station in Kapalga in Kakadu. It was the afternoon of the second day of the trip and I managed to lose him. We’d taken a short cut into one of the research spots of Kapalga and from where we ended up, he wasn’t quite sure how to get to the starting point of our sample transects. He told me to stay by the car and he’d go off and find it. Off he went by himself to sort things out. I had the car, the radio, the compass, the map, etcetera, but not a clue about where we actually were. He had his hat, his cigarettes and a bit of flagging tape. After 15 minutes, I was a bit worried, and after half-an-hour, I felt duty bound to radio Gus and Tony for help.
They duly came and reassured me that he would be okay. Sure enough, after an hour, out he wanders, whistling and singing, happy as Larry. Turns out he’d gone the wrong way to start and got a bit bushed, but he managed to find what he was looking for and made sure that he marked it and sussed it out, making sure we would not get bushed again if we used the short cut.
This episode taught me two very valuable lessons: first, in the matters of direction and location, he was spot on and he did it with extraordinary skill by referring to individual trees, sand palms or even peculiar clumps of grass. It was simply extraordinary to watch and be a part of it. The second lesson was that the other guys at CSIRO had great faith in him. ‘Jack, lost? No way! He’ll be back. Don’t worry, son’. I thought to myself: ‘This is a bit of a family here’. It was a very special moment.
The second concerns another scientist, Garry Cook, and the GPS. Garry can’t be here today, but he wants this story told. They were on a field trip and the lab had just taken possession of its first GPS. We forked out $5000, ten times the price of machines these days that are twice as good, an enormous amount of money. The party stopped on the road side to take a positional reading with the GPS. These days, GPS instruments are pocket-size, held in the hand, turn it on, wait 30 seconds for your position and bingo, Bob’s your uncle.
In those days, a GPS was about the size of a house brick, took several minutes to initialise and were easily put off the scent unless you put them in the middle of the road or somewhere similar, like the roof of the car. Now, the main trick in taking a GPS reading from the roof of a car is to remember to retrieve it before you get back in and take off. Cookie forgot. About 80 km later, the penny dropped. They all stopped, hoping against hope that it was still on the roof but, while sometimes miracles happen, this wasn’t one of them.
So around they turned and went looking for it. Sure enough, Jack told Gary to slow down just at the right time, and bingo! There it was: five grand’s worth of plastic and electronics in the middle of the road a few hundred metres up from where they had all stopped. Remarkable? Yes, but also wholly predictable, knowing Jack and his keen eye and memory.
The third was another field trip to Kakadu. We had to spend the night in Jabiru and Jack had organised to stay at Jessie Alderson’s place. We had just pulled up in the driveway and had barely opened the doors when this wave of kids came rushing out from every which way. ‘Uncle Kojak! Uncle Kojak!’ I never forgot that one, either, as it said so much about the esteem that Jack was held in by his family and his people, young and old. That was true in Jabiru, Darwin, the VRD and anywhere else Jack went.
To those of us who have survived him, especially his family and friends here today and elsewhere, I’d just like to conclude by saying we’ve only happy memories. Jack, your spirit remains with us and we are all so much the richer for having known you. To ensure that Jack’s legacy lives on, CSIRO will establish a scholarship program for secondary school students that will be named in his honour. The program will see Aboriginal kids receiving mentorship in science and working with CSIRO during school holidays, which will hopefully be the start of careers that will build on the proud tradition of our dear, dear departed friend, Jack Cusack. Qullum.
Mr Deputy Speaker, the Cusack family is well known, not only through Jack, but through his sons in all facets of Territory life. No doubt they will carry on his proud name and believe in what he represented in his life.
In the short time I have left, I want to talk about two special constituents, young fellows who have made their families very proud. Some people may have read of an incident at Freshwater Creek last year where a group of young fellows, like I did many times over the years, after school went down to Freshwater Creek to have a swim through the rapids. Whilst they were down there, they found a rope tied to a tree in the middle of the creek and they were swimming from it when a freak of nature occurred. One of the young fellows had caught his neck in the rope, the rope had snapped sharp and was choking him. If it were not for the actions of his two brave comrades, we might have had a tragedy.
They were awarded the 2007 Pride of Australia Award for Bravery. Their names are Brandon Turner and Stephen Hoffmann. They saved the life of their cousin, Sebastian Young. Sebastian, 13, was strangled when a rope swing became tangled around his neck at Rapid Creek. He was instantly knocked unconscious and his limp body was left dangling on the end of the rope. Stephen and Brandon, both 14, jumped in the water and held Sebastian’s body up to take the pressure off his neck. They managed to get the rope off his neck and dragged him to the bank. They checked his pulse and raised the attention of a passer-by who took Sebastian to Royal Darwin Hospital.
I know their families are extremely proud. I have known them for a long time. It was a great honour for the family, and you can see by the photographs I have from the Northern Territory News, they both dressed up for the occasion wearing their best outfits with ties. That is how highly they considered the Pride of Australia Awards. I take this opportunity to read into the Parliamentary Record the story covered by the Northern Territory News. The headline is: ‘Teen Heroes’ AFL reward’:
- Just Reward: Stephen Hoffmann, 14 (left) and Brandon Turner, 14 (right) are happy to have their cousin Sebastian Young, 13, back safe and healthy after he almost hung himself while playing at Rapid Creek.
The two Territory teenagers who saved their cousin from being strangled by a rope swing have been rewarded for their courage.
Stephen Hoffmann and Brandon Turner have been given tickets to the NAB pre-season AFL match between Geelong and Port Adelaide at TIO Stadium in Darwin tomorrow.
And their cousin, Sebastian Young, has made it out of hospital just in time to go with them.
‘Its great that we got the tickets’, Sebastian said from his Jingili home yesterday.
‘It’s my favourite sport. I normally go for Essendon, but they are not playing’.
Sebastian was rushed to hospital on Sunday after he was almost strangled when he lost his footing and a rope swing became tangled around his neck at Rapid Creek.
His limp body was left hanging from the rope over the creek.
Stephen and Brandon rushed to his aid, jumping in the water and holding him up to take the pressure of the rope off his neck.
He was kept in the intensive care unit overnight before being moved to a general ward and then discharged on Wednesday.
The 13—year-old, who still bears the rope burn mark around his neck to remind him of the horror incident, said his cousins were his heroes and deserved the AFL tickets.
‘I owe them my life’, he said.
‘I wouldn’t be here today without them.
‘When I woke up in intensive care, I was shocked at what had happened. It’s a bit freaky’.
Sebastian, Stephen and Brandon are looking forward to the big game tomorrow night and said they would be barracking for Port Adelaide.
Millner MLA Matthew Bonson donated the boys the tickets.
I was proud to donate tickets to these young men. I know their families, particularly Norman and Tanya, and they are very proud of their sons and their relations. No doubt, they will contribute the remainder of their lives to the benefit of all Territorians.
Ms CARNEY (Araluen): Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, I want to talk about Bradshaw Primary School, which I have done before. I have to say that in the present circumstances, it does not give me a great deal of joy to do so again.
The circumstances are that the school was broken into twice in the space of one week a couple of weeks ago. Interestingly, sadly, the people who live on or around Adamson Avenue and Van Senden Drive in Gillen have been subjected to smashed residences and vehicles in relatively recent times. Unfortunately, there seems to be a spate of crime in that area based on the reports I am receiving. Sadly, increasing crime is reflected in the recent crime statistics released by government. However, it is Bradshaw Primary School and what happened to that school that I would like to talk about tonight.
There is no doubt that the two acts of outrageous and cowardly vandalism really did shake up the school community. Everyone who has an affinity with Bradshaw School was pretty rocked by what happened. The teaching staff, management support and parent council have worked incredibly hard this year to position the school as a great education facility, rich in cultural diversity and sporting ability. As a result of these acts of vandalism, it is now time to rebuild the confidence of people involved in the school. Of course, nothing knocks someone’s confidence more than something they know and love - be it a person, a school or a community - being the victim of an act of violence or vandalism.
Bradshaw really is a great school. No community or facility deserves to be broken into and damaged. Bradshaw has been doing so well. In March this year, Bradshaw held a fantastic Harmony Day celebration to promote and celebrate the diversity of the school and the community, complete with whole school assembly, classroom discussions around diversity, respect and teamwork, and a lunchtime cricket match that was part of Australia’s Biggest Cricket Match with schools all around Australia playing cricket at the same time. The finale to Harmony Day was the multicultural evening, combining international food tasting and entertainment that was a wonderful event bringing the whole school community together. It showcased great talent. Members will recall that I have spoken about Harmony Day at Bradshaw on a previous occasion in this parliament.
Harmony Day was followed by: a highly successful annual sport day attended by students in their house colours; and families, school choir and individual participation in the Eisteddfod; a group of students participating in the Tournament of the Minds competition; a week-long NAIDOC celebration and family barbecue lunch; and, most recently, the school concert where all classes participated and sang songs celebrating Australia.
I was unable, very sadly, to make that concert, but I know many people who went. I am assured, but not surprised, that it was a fantastic event with great student and teacher participation, one that openly displayed how wonderfully well the school has been operating, how well the children are learning and growing into our future, and how the children are growing into fine young Territorians.
The very last thing on the minds of those at Bradshaw school as they wrapped up another successful term in 2007 was the idea that a group of wayward youth, based on all reports, would inflict such mindless vandalism on the Bradshaw Primary School, and not just once but twice in the space of a few days. The first time, the vandals entered the school and literally smashed it up. The second time, they plastered walls with graffiti and smashed more windows. I was recently advised that a tomahawk was used. It appears as though it was a premeditated act. I am not sure I know of too many people walking around town with a tomahawk. The intent of those who did this damage seriously has to be questioned.
As a result of the attacks, the hard-working teaching staff spent some of their mid-term break restoring 11 classrooms that, I am told, looked like a bomb site after these acts of vandalism. Thirty computer screens were smashed, as well as 12 glass doors and windows and eight internal doors. Each and every teacher’s desk was ransacked. While the school is insured, it does take time, as we know, to restore or replace damaged items.
Ultimately, it is the students of Bradshaw Primary School who suffer. Predominately, this is the final year students in Year 6 who suffer the disruption as they transition to middle school. Facing a damage bill, as I understand, of more than $50 000, the community pulled together and, luckily for Bradshaw Primary School, indigenous organisations, businesses, Alice Springs schools and family, came to the rescue. More than 40 computer screens were donated. Members of the community showed up to help clean up the classrooms in time for the start of school last week, and what a magnificent effort it was.
Alice Springs is a great community. I have said that before and will say it again. I was not surprised that so many people got together to tidy up the school. What is outrageous is that they had to do it. We wish the police well in their endeavours to try to catch the – well, I am not sure that I can find a word for them - but to try to find the offenders who did this. I hope that they are punished appropriately.
I met with Ursula Balfour, the Principal of Bradshaw School, last Friday when I got back from the first week of parliament. I also met with Mel Philips. I spoke with them at some length about the damage that was done and they certainly were quite overwhelmed by the community support that they received as a result of these acts of vandalism. It does not come as a surprise to me that people got together to pitch in and help out, first because I know my community well, I think, and because of the high regard that people have for Bradshaw School in my electorate.
I know that people are working behind the scenes to look for solutions. The school community is of the view that one act of vandalism means they are unlucky, but two in the space of only a few days does require some sort of action to be taken. I wish those people, including principal, Ursula Balfour, the wonderful staff, parents and friends, and the school council well in their endeavours to find a solution in such a way that might better protect their school in future.
With those words, Mr Deputy Speaker, I conclude. However, I say to Darwin-based members if you are in Alice Springs and you want to see a terrific school and get to meet a great school community, call into Bradshaw. They do a great job. I am sure all members share with me my outrage and disgust at what happened to Bradshaw Primary School only a couple of weeks ago.
Ms McCARTHY (Arnhem): Mr Deputy Speaker, recently we lost one of the Territory’s most respected Aboriginal leaders, and one of the pioneers of indigenous tourism.
Burlany Nawurrpbarnbulu was a Senior Guide and Director of Manyallaluk Aboriginal Corporation and so very highly regarded within the community. Burlany was born in Central Arnhem Land and is a member of the Myalli language group. He was raised in a traditional way, hunting with spears and learning from his own tribe as well as neighbouring tribes, Jawoyn, Rembanga and Gunwinku.
His family started to trade skins, snake, crocodile and buffalo, with traders at Maranboy to obtain tobacco, flour, sugar and steel axes, then returning to the stone country. This evolved into working on Eva Valley Station for the Dry Season mustering and working on a surrounding tin mines, but returning to the stone country during the Wet for ceremony and traditional teachings.
Eventually. his family settled on Eva Valley Station among their extended family, the Jawoyn. When the Jawoyn bought Eva Valley Station, his own family decided to try tourism and formed an agreement with the Jawoyn which was incorporated as Jarwurluk. They formed a joint venture with Terra Safari Tours and called their company Manyallaluk. Manyallaluk is a small spring near the homestead which is Sand Frog Dreaming. It is a women’s site and is where women swim when they want to become pregnant. Some of his many stories are being told today through Manyallaluk Aboriginal Cultural Tours, which include basket weaving, spear throwing, fire lighting, painting, learning about the didgeridoo, and short, informative walks learning about bush medicines and bush tucker.
During his time in tourism, he became known as the Northern Territory’s premier cultural guide. His extensive traditional knowledge and outstanding people skills have expanded his reputation to all corners of the international market. His outstanding humour and trademark smile made him popular with all who met him. His willingness to share his culture and story with outsiders was evidence of his generous and caring nature, his sense of humour very much pronounced when a tourist once asked if he could eat a certain berry. His response was: ‘Yes,’ and just as the tourist was about to put the berry into his mouth, he said: ‘but it will kill you’.
He had been on many trade missions with what was then the Northern Territory Tourist Commission, promoting his Aboriginal products overseas, interstate and within the Northern Territory. He attended the major international tourism trade show in Germany, ITB, in the early 1990s and was the driving force behind Manyallaluk winning awards at the National Tourism Awards and Brolga Awards in 1993, 1994 and 1995 and being inducted into the NT Tourism Hall of Fame.
In the year 2000, he guided two descendants of Ludwig Leichhardt, who returned to the Territory to retrace the steps of their ancestor through south-west Arnhem Land. He helped guide the Jawoyn and Parks NT in documenting the thousands of rock art sites encompassed by south-west Arnhem’s escarpment country - a mammoth task, but this was something that he loved to do: to share his knowledge so that his culture could live on. He was doing exactly that when he passed away, sharing his knowledge of his beloved stone country whilst guiding a group of scientists from Curtin University, Charles Darwin University and the CSIRO who were conducting water and fish studies in the Katherine region.
His advice and knowledge on the concentration of feral animals in the Katherine district has been instrumental in the eradication of thousands of horses, donkeys and pigs under the Feral Animal Project, which commenced in 2005.
Burlany was one of the original senior men involved in setting up the West Arnhem Land Fire Abatement (WALFA) project funded by ConocoPhillips. Having grown up in the Eva Valley area, his knowledge of the upper Katherine River, together with his traditional Aboriginal knowledge of burning using ceremonial and hunting methodology, was significant to the project. The WALFA project simulates this traditional method of breaking up the country into a mosaic and rotating burning in the ceremonial way.
Mr Deputy Speaker, the WALFA project has recently won the inaugural Eureka Science Award for solutions to climate change. Burlany was the Senior Fire Manager who, along with Long Johnny Dewar, helped protect the Manyallaluk community by relying on traditional ceremonial knowledge and fire awareness.
As well as the numerous projects Burlany was involved in, he and his wife, Anna Bolgi, looked after many children, including his own from his extended family. He will be sadly missed by Anna and Tanya Bolgi, the Dooley family and his numerous close friends and family.
Mr WOOD (Nelson): Mr Deputy Speaker, I would like to speak about two issues tonight. The first is the rally today. I thank all the people who took part in the rally. I appreciate that they had to take time off work, many of them, and some of them had to travel quite a distance, but they were of one mind when they came to Darwin today. They simply ask the government to rethink its rigid time line on the local government reform and say that whilst reform is good thing, the process government is going through at the moment is too rushed and has not brought the community along with it. They would like you to start again, bring the community along, so we end up with a good process. People are genuinely saying to the government: ‘We are not opposing the principle of reform; we would like you to do it better’.
I also thank the people who helped organise today, which was a wonderful exhibition of people power, if you want to call it that, where people came to voice their opinion to government. They did not come to abuse government or demonstrate any anger in a physical way. They had a good time, decorated their vehicles in the red, white and black, which is symbolic of many of the sporting clubs in Litchfield Shire. That was done on purpose because the issue that has very little discussion in this debate about local government and we do not see in a business plan is the issue of community. Black, white and red is symbolic of what our shire, the Litchfield Shire, is about.
It is 22 years old and has other things besides council meetings, council chambers, budgets and rates. All those things might be important, and that is what a lot of the discussion is about. However, the other side is that it has a heart, which is made up of a lot of people who have lived in the Litchfield Shire for some time. When I passionately fight for my council, I am not fighting for me or the bricks and mortar of the council; I am fighting for the council as part of a community of people, which is something that was lost in this debate from day one.
I go to a lot of sporting club training nights and presentation nights. I go to things like the Old Timer’s Bingo on Wednesday, the Fibre Craft Guild at Humpty Doo Village Hall on Wednesdays as well, there are all sorts of martial arts at night going throughout the shire at Humpty Doo, Bees Creek, Howard Springs. We have scouting groups, the Rural Garden Club, church groups, schools that are associated, you might say, with Taminmin, but they are all part of the Litchfield Shire. There is a feeling that you belong to something. That is important, and that has developed as the shire has developed. The shire is still relatively young, yet one has the feeling that it is going to get cut off in its prime as it is developing.
Someone else thinks they can do a better job and that the economic modelling was not up to scratch. Someone else said the services that were being provided were not adequate, but they forgot to ask us and they forgot to involve the community. The same community is that football club, that rural garden club, those pensioners out there and the shopkeepers who run small businesses. No one has asked them for their opinion.
Transition committees do not represent the community. They have a number of people who were picked to attend meetings on a Wednesday, a working day, when very few people from the public can attend. If you could attend, you had to be invited, and if you were invited, you had to listen in silence and were able to speak for four minutes. I hardly regard that as adequate community consultation.
Community consultation is going out to the public and saying: ‘The government wishes to reform local government in the Northern Territory. We are considering changes to your area, including large amounts of unincorporated areas such as Dundee, Marrakai and Douglas Daly. We also would like to propose that some of the existing councils should amalgamate with other councils’, and then allow the community to have a think about it. Call some public meetings, allow people to have their say, allow people to put up ideas. Do not rush the timetable because the world is not going to drop dead tomorrow if Litchfield Shire Council still operates.
Take in a lot of what people are saying. Do not just use the one model. That is what is happening at the moment. There is one model being developed to fit all, and that is a big mistake. The shires of Barkly and the Central Desert are not the shires around the Top End of the Northern Territory. They are different in geography, climate and people. Yet, there is this belief that for economic reasons - and I keep hearing the economic rationalist behind all of this - we must have one model to suit all. The Top End Shire, as the government, unfortunately, keeps calling it, with the Litchfield Shire, is the first cab off the rank and that model is being used as the basis for other shires. That is a great mistake.
I ask the government again: please hold off. Nothing will happen if this is held back even for one or two years. They are still collecting rates, building roads and mowing lawns at our reserves. All those things are happening; there is no problem. However, if you are not careful, you will destroy that community because the community will feel that it is not part of the reform process.
When Litchfield Shire started, there was a group of residents who sat down and worked out some ideas about how a council should start. Through meetings and discussions in the area, they agreed on the size of the shire, the wards of the shire, council meetings and the types of rates. They elected the CEO, Peter Visentin who was with the council for 22 years. He was appointed by the council.
Now we have a process where the government has told us the size of the shire; the government has told us how many shires; the government is going to find us a CEO, not the council; the government has set the rates; the government has told us the type of rating system; the government has set the timetable - the government, the government, the government, the government, the government! I do not hear ‘community’ and that is a major failing.
This government says a lot about openness and transparency in its philosophy. That may be, but it should apply it to local government as well. I support the government being open and transparent. People might laugh, but the one thing I always enjoyed about this Litchfield Shire Council was that it was set up to have two meetings a month. If you are trying to save money, I will tell you how: it had all committee meetings on the one night so that no one could claim a sitting fee for each committee. They had three committees, and it convened them all on the one night to save money.
It also set up a system whereby it had two public forums. You can attend any council meeting at Litchfield and you can talk about anything in relation to Litchfield Shire at that meeting. There is nothing you cannot talk about. At the end of the meeting, there is another public forum to discuss what is being dealt with during that meeting. John Maley, who was the first President, believed very much in allowing the people of Litchfield Shire to have a say about their council. That is an important philosophy.
We have moved from the community having a say, an open and transparent council. I say to people sometimes when they blame their council for different issues such as whether they want dog by-laws or swimming pool: ‘Have you been to a council meeting? It is no good complaining about your council if you do not go to a council meeting and put those complaints’.
I had a gentleman phone today complaining about his road not having been sealed. There is a process for sealing roads, which is another innovative process in Litchfield Shire. If you have enough residents on the road who want it sealed, council will put them on a list and that road will be sealed. He said he believed that the council had made a wrong decision because they were not going to seal his road. I said to him: ‘The basis behind Litchfield Shire is you have a democratically elected local government and you can attend the meetings and tell members of your local government you think they are wrong. They will vote in front of you and you will be able to see whether they support you or not’. It is a very simple, open, down to earth form of local government.
I heard some ministers say that Litchfield does not provide this or that. That is irrelevant. That is the concern of the residents and they can express their concern at the ballot box of local government. They can express that concern by attending meetings. They can express that concern by writing letters to their representatives in local government. That is their business.
Unfortunately in this debate, we have two modus operandi to argue for the removal of Litchfield: one is that they are not providing the services that people want; and two is that the council is not viable. Whilst we can argue about the non-viability of the council - and I will argue that at another time - the issue of whether the council is providing good or bad services is not an area this government should be using to demolish Litchfield Shire Council. That is an issue for local ratepayers to take up. If I do not like the services my council is providing, I either put my hand up at the next election and say: ‘I will stand for election to that council,’ or you find someone in the community who wishes to stand who agrees with you, and you vote for them. It is that simple. That is the process. That is what it is about.
I have heard the Chief Minister say we do not have a library, a swimming pool and a rubbish dump. Regardless of the history of those issues, it is for the people of Litchfield to decide. It should not be used as a means to drive a wedge in the community so that you can argue the case for the dissolution of Litchfield Shire.
In relation to the non-viability of the council, I simply do not understand where the minister is coming from. The minister has talked about financial models. He has spoken about there not being a model for expert advice over a long period of time. Once again, he has mentioned the model. Then he mentioned the draft business plan, as he did today. This evening, he mentioned the model done up by his department. All this confusion, unfortunately, seems to say the minister is on very shaky ground as to showing proof of why Litchfield is not viable.
I am passionate about the future of local government in the Northern Territory. I want it to be done on grounds that are sound and correct. At the same time, I want the government to realise we are a community. It is not just about the dollars and cents and the rates. We are not just about business plans. We are a community that has developed over time and we are proud of that community. I enjoy living in that community. I do not want to see that community destroyed simply because we have some economic buffoons in the department who can only see economic rationalism as the reason for doing this. We need to do better. We need to involve the community and, until we can involve the community, this reform process will be a hollow one indeed.
Mr HAMPTON (Stuart): Mr Deputy Speaker, tonight I wish to speak about one of the communities in my electorate of Stuart, Yuelamu, also known as Mt Allan. It is similar to many other small communities around the Northern Territory in its history and the services it provides. Just to give a bit of history of the community, it was formerly known as the Mt Allan cattle station and was purchased by the Aboriginal Development Foundation in 1976. In 1979, it became a claim that was lodged under the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976. The claim was granted and title deeds handed over to traditional owners in 1988, but that took nine years and several court cases.
It was a long-running claim that, as I said, went through several court cases, but eventually the traditional owners, the Anmatjere people of Yuelamu, Mt Allan, were granted their title deeds to the community in 1988.
Yuelamu is one of several Anmatjere communities in the region. The Anmatjere language group covers about 1000 people in the region, including communities around Ti Tree, going west across to Laramba or Napperby and then on to Yuelamu. It is home to the Anmatjere people. It is a small, tight community but, in the language group, it extends right across to Ti Tree and east through Utopia.
Yuelamu is very similar to other small communities. It has a school, store, women’s centre, men’s centre, crche, a clinic and council office, excellent work sheds where the young fellows do a lot of training, particularly in heavy machinery, and, like other communities, it has a football oval. That latest addition to the community is a BMX track, which is slowly taking shape with assistance from The Broken Spoke bicycle business in Alice Springs. It is right near the school and the kids are getting very excited as it moves closer to being completed. It gives them another recreational activity.
The community has grown since the early days of 1979, from 76 people to about 300 now. With this growth, there have been a lot of challenges, and one of the positive things that has come out of it is the Anmatjere people’s talent in the art industry. Probably one of the most famous Anmatjere artists was the late Clifford Possum. Unfortunately, Tjapaltjarri, which is his skin name, passed away in 2003 not long after he received the Order of Australia, which was very sad. Many other great artists have come through that area of Mt Allen or Yuelamu.
It certainly has had its share of challenges, including relying on fresh or potable water. This goes back five or six years when the dam, which was the main source of potable water for the community, dried up. Through that region, severe droughts are having a big impact on the community and Yuelamu felt the brunt of it with their only potable water source drying up.
At that time, my predecessor Peter Toyne fought hard in Cabinet to secure funds from this government to invest in works to improve the capacity of the dam. I am proud to say this government put significant money into that through a lot of the hard work by Peter Toyne, and I acknowledge the great contribution from this government. In the vicinity of $1m of works have gone into the dam. Over three years, the people of Yuelamu have done it hard, having to survive on bottled water being trucked in from Alice Springs. I know, having visited many times, the hard times they went through.
We all take water for granted. We can go to a tap and get cold potable water but, for the people at Yuelamu, for three years they had to survive from bottled water being trucked in. They were hard times for them and it was fantastic to have our minister, my colleague, the member for Karama, out there on 7 September officially launching the dam works, which include building a new wall in the middle of the existing dam and making half of it 5 m deeper, which will reduce the amount of evaporation. The walls of the dam were raised so storage capacity could go to 1000 mL, and the water treatment process was upgraded and a new water holding tank installed.
Work was completed early this year. The old men at Yuelamu waited very patiently for this because, not long after it was finished, there were unusually high levels of rain in that area. So, with the minister coming out on 7 September, it was great to see all that work had been put in. The commitment from this government to invest in that work paid off in both ways because the dam is full, 13 m deep, so it was a fantastic occasion.
Also on that day, the minister had the privilege of awarding one of the local lads, Norm Hagan, his certificate. Norm is a great young fella, his family are from there, he is a local young Anmatjere man. I had the pleasure of playing football with Norm many years ago. It is good to see young blokes like this step up. Norm has become the Essential Services Officer for his community. The minister had the pleasure of presenting Norm with his Certificate II in Remote Area Essential Services, which he had completed through Charles Darwin University in partnership with Top End Group Training. On top of that, we had the opening of the dam, and it was great to see plenty of water in there, but it was a great occasion when Norm could show the minister his skills in turning on the new engine of the pumps for the dam to get the potable water in the dam flowing through the tanks and through the community so that people can now drink from taps.
I acknowledge those young fellows, working on CDEP at the time, who participated in the dam project. On one of my trips out there, the young fellas raised the concern that they were not being included in the construction of the dam. One of the main parts of the dam project was to lift the walls around it to increase its capacity. The young fellas are great operators of graders, dozers and water trucks so it was a pleasing result to be able to get eight weeks’ work for these young local fellas to work alongside the contractors and get certificates out of it.
It was a great occasion and means a great deal to the people of Yuelamu after three years of drinking bottled water. It was a great commitment from this government to invest in the dam so it created employment and jobs for the locals. To see Norm Hagen get his certificate was a great achievement for the whole community.
The other event I would like to mention I attended at the community recently was a book launch. On 17 September this year, I had the pleasure of launching a book, Anengkerr angkety which are the Anmatjere words for ‘dreaming stories’. It based around the history and knowledge of an old man there, Jack Cook Ngal. It was published by Batchelor College Press. I will quote a couple of paragraphs from the book. It gives a bit of background and history about the old man, Jack Cook Ngal:
- Jack Cook Ngal was born around 1930 at Napperby Station. He grew up in that region, and like many Aboriginal men of his generation he spent much of his younger life working on cattle stations, often for rations or for little money. He worked at Napperby, Aileron, Pine Hill, Coniston and Mt Allan. Jack speaks both Anmatyerr and Warlpiri, although he regards Anmatyerr as his first language. His grandparents were from areas in the western part of the Anmatyerr country, close to neighbouring Warlpiri country. He is a well-respected elder who now lives at the community of Yuelamu on Mt Allan Station, 280 km north-west by road from Alice Springs. This area is known as Arlwem in Anmatyerr and it is Jack’s mother’s father’s country. Mt Allan Station is now Aboriginal freehold land, title being granted to the Traditional Owners in 1988.
- The stories in the book were told in Anmatyerr language by Jack in 2004 as part of the Mt Allan school project to record histories of Anmatyerr people. These stories are Anengkerr or Dreaming stories, and Jack tells them as he remembers them being told to him by his grandparents when he was young. The word Anengkerr has many meanings. In the Anmatyerr world the Anengkerr is fundamental to an understanding of the origin of stories, songs, ceremonial designs and dances. In the Anengkerr lies the explanation for the land and all its life forms. It provides the foundation for human behaviour, kinship and social conventions and it simultaneously includes the past, the present and the future.’
The book is a fantastic achievement not only for the old man, the Anmatjere people and Batchelor Press, it is great for the kids as well. Some of the art work in that book is fantastic.
At this stage, I acknowledge some people involved in developing the book, including: Jenny Taylor, Lecturer in Art and Craft at Batchelor College; Jenny Green, who compiled it, is well known as a linguist and her work on the late W Rabuntja’s book A Town Grew up Dancing; Gail Woods, Lecturer for the Centre for Australian Languages and Linguistics at Batchelor College; the artists who did the great art work in this book were local Anmatjere people including Rowena Larry Ngwarray, Veronica Tilmouth Kemarr, Lisa Cook Mpetyan, Caroline Stafford Pwerrerl, Rowina Stafford Pwerrerl, David McCormack Penangk, Loretta Abbott Ngal, Amarantha McMillan Pwerrerl, Susie Stafford Pwerrerl and Shaun Quinn Penangk.
Briefly, that is a summary of the Anmatjere people at Yuelamu and two great events, the opening of the new dam and the book launch.
I will quickly acknowledge some Alice Springs people who represented the NT in the National Darts Championships this year, and thanks to Chippy Miller who passed this on to me. The championships were in Tasmania, I understand, and the players were Chippy Miller, Lavena Phillips and Linda Galanatt. Lavena Phillips threw the only 180 for the Northern Territory women, a great achievement. Chippy Miller threw three 180s. The combined total of 180s for the NT was 29. Unfortunately, there were no national selections out of it but, in Chippy Miller’s words, it was probably the best performance from an NT darts team in seven years.
I also acknowledge my late Aunty Ivy Hampton who was inducted into the National Darts Hall of Fame.
Mr NATT (Drysdale): Mr Deputy Speaker, I would like to outline a few things that have been happening in my great electorate.
I was happy to read in The Palmerston Sun newspaper of Wednesday 3 October, of a young person who I have had quite a bit to do with in the Palmerston region. The article was captioned ‘From Candy Bar to Manager at 24’. The story featured a terrific young person who, for the past eight years, has worked at CMax Cinema. Kathryn Gooding started as a teenager and, as the caption suggests, she started behind the Candy Bar and today she holds the title of Marketing Manager. I know Kathryn through her work at CMax where she does a fantastic job for a terrific cinema. I have witnessed her energy, enthusiasm and creativity in her work as an event coordinator with the Palmerston Regional Business Association. I know the President of the PRBA, Mr Wayne Zerbe, is extremely pleased to have Kathryn assist him with his functions and some of the office duties. He often comments that he considers himself to be very lucky to have such a capable young woman assist his efforts to promote the PRBA businesses whilst also undertaking full-time work as the Marketing Manager at CMax. I congratulate Kathryn on her promotion, although it is a little belated, and I wish her the very best in the future.
The Good Shepherd Lutheran College is a great little school that is going ahead in leaps and bounds. I have often spoken about them in my adjournment debates. This year, they competed in the International Pedal Prix with a team of about 23 students. It is the first time, I understand, that a Northern Territory school has participated in the Pedal Prix. It is held in Murray Bridge in South Australia each year and it is a 24-hour endurance event, the largest of its type anywhere in the world.
I know from my past experiences in South Australia that it commands a lot of attention in South Australia, and to have a Northern Territory school represented down there is a great feather in their cap. The school had two entries, the Northern Terror which completed 241 laps and covered 498 km and finished 47th out of 75. They had a second bike, the Croc Attack, which completed 216 laps for 446 km, and they achieved 50th place of 70 competitors. Well done to the students and the hard work that they did over those 24 hours. They were heavily supported by parents and staff, and I thank them for their assistance. In particular, I thank the Cheal and the Vozzo families who drove down to Adelaide and back to Darwin with all of the equipment. The Gill family assisted them and, between the three families, they organised the camp site and all the food for the teams while they were competing in the event.
I thank Sarah and Dave Mott, Tom Leach and Simon Hughes who accompanied the students to Adelaide for the event. Simon Hughes, the deputy principal at the school, put a lot of time into the event, organising the bikes and helping train the team. I know that the school thanks him dearly for organising this event. It is a great life experience for those who competed in the very successful weekend. It is interesting to note in the school’s newsletter that a couple of students who competed have made some little comments, and I note a couple of them. Emi said:
- We all work well as a team, were considerate of each other ...
Brittney said:
- It was nothing like I expected it to be - it was much bigger.
Dannielle said:
- I was amazed that some of the bikes were so fast.
- I loved riding fast around the corners because it gave you a bit of an adrenalin rush.
Lindsay C had an interesting comment and said:
- Beware of side effects: sleep talking, sleep riding!
Obviously, he had some side effects and did a bit of sleep talking with all the exhaustion after peddling the bike through those many laps.
Congratulations to the school, the parents and support staff but, most of all, congratulations to the 23 students who competed in the event. I am sure that the school will go onto bigger and better things when they organise the event for next year.
Talking about schools, the pupils, teachers and parents of Durack Primary School, with some assistance from the Conservation Volunteers Australia and under the guidance of the teacher, Heidy Rubin, who is an absolute driving force, created a new feature for the school: a frog pond. The frog pond will provide a sanctuary for frogs away from the harm of cane toads and it will provide the venue for several classes where the children will learn about cane toads and the techniques for preventing their spread and, of course, nurturing our native wildlife in healthy and friendly environments, in particular, our green tree frogs.
I extend my congratulations to Heidy, Mr Joe and all the children from the school who put their efforts and time into creating such a great feature at the school. Thanks are also extended to Greg from Palmerston Garden Supplies and Mr Wayne Zerbe from the Palmerston Regional Business Association who supplied and organised the materials for the project. Without that assistance, the ponds would not have been built. My sincere thanks go to Greg and Wayne for the organisation and supply of those materials. The project is a wonderful set-up. A large pond will take pride of place and is surrounded by two smaller ponds. When the shade is erected and more plants are established, it is going to be a wonderful tropical environmental feature and will be fascinating for our little green friends to set up home in the future.
There was another major community event held recently that included a Palmerston component and that was the Cancer Council’s Relay for Life. It was conducted at Gardens Oval. We had participants from the Palmerston area, the Palmies in Pyjamies and Team Palmlesstonnes and, together, they raised around about $7000 for the Cancer Council. It was an 18-hour event and was fabulously well attended. It was not too exhaustive an experience and all participants who undertook the walk enjoyed it despite a massive and unexpected pre-Wet Season downpour. They had a great time and are already looking forward to next year. Well done to Denise and Peter Rowe. I met Denise and Peter through my Palmlesstonnes involvement when we had a couple of walks from my office. Denise and Peter started walking this year and it is great to see that they have continued. I know Peter is feeling a lot better for it and Denise tries to get there as often as she can with her crook back. It is terrific to see their progress and that they are participating in a lot of local events.
The 2007 Panasonic World Solar Challenge will start this weekend. It starts in Darwin and heads down to Adelaide, crossing our vast and imposing continent from north to south using only sunlight for fuel. Of course, I am talking about the solar cars. It is a landmark year, the 20th anniversary. One of my schools, Kormilda College, is competing for the seventh year. They have entered their vehicle Towards Tomorrow. The team has been out practising very hard to compete with some of the very experienced and well-supported teams from around the globe. Some of them have been in Darwin for over a month setting up their vehicles. I am looking forward to seeing them tomorrow and over the weekend.
Towards Tomorrow has outrun and outlasted competitors in its own class as well as competitors with multimillion dollar budgets from other countries running in more advanced classes. It holds its own among the best. It is great to see that the students are using their combined strategies, ingenuity and familiarity of the event over the years. They seem to be going from strength to strength each year. They are competing against countries such as Japan, the United States, Germany, New Zealand, Canada, Malaysia and the Philippines. It is a great event. The students benefit greatly from the organisation and the camaraderie they have with the other teams. It is a skill-sharing exercise where they have a lot of team building. They make new friendships and, meeting teams from other countries, they learn a lot about those countries and about the set-up of the vehicles on the road.
It is a fabulous event. I know that drivers, Tom Hamilton, Rachael Boor, Stephanie Braun and Tom Scanlan will share the drive to Adelaide. They have been having some familiarisation at Hidden Valley on the go-karts strip. They have been practising since early September. I want to acknowledge the sponsors that are right behind Kormilda: MKEA Architects and the Charles Darwin University are their platinum sponsors. Their gold sponsors are Bank SA and Power and Water, and their silver sponsors are Merit Partners and All Financial Services, with special thanks to Linfox FCL for bringing the vehicles back from Adelaide, which is great support from them. The bronze sponsor is Norsign.
It would not be complete without mentioning the team members and the support team. From Year 12, we had Francis Allan, Norman Eagle and Glen Summers. Unfortunately, the Year 12s are not able to compete because of the effort they have to put into their examinations, but they have been very supportive of the team. They were in the team over the last couple of years, and they have mentored the team which is going to Adelaide, which is invaluable. I thank Francis Allan, Norman Eagle and Glen Summers for their input. I know they are looking forward to the team’s success.
Year 11 representatives are Rachael Boor, Stephanie Braun, Tom Hamilton, Shane Johnstone, Gabrielle Morriss, Damien O’Dowd, Thomas Scanlan and Tim Woolfe. The Year 10s are Kevin Luke, Clare Paynter, Chris Taylor and Alex Willoughby, and from Year 7 is Chris Gill. Team Managers are David Barrett and Martin Willoughby. The Technical Advisor is Felino Molina, and the Support Team is Kym Butler, Robert Allan and Marilynn Willis.
I congratulate all of them on being involved in the team. I know they have been going through qualifying and scrutineering at the moment at the Darwin Show Grounds and Exhibition Centre. I understand the Chief Minister has a reception for them at Parliament House on Friday night. I look forward to catching up with them, and I wish them all the best as they work their way down the Centre. They have control stops at Katherine, Dunmarra, Tennant Creek, Alice Springs, Cadney Homestead, Glendambo, Port Augusta and Adelaide. It is going to be a big week for them and I wish them a safe and successful trip.
Mr McADAM (Barkly): Mr Deputy Speaker, this evening I pay tribute to a remarkable person whose work has contributed significantly to the development of library and education services in the Northern Territory.
This week marks the retirement of Robin Hempel, the Manager of NT Library’s Reference Services, after 45 years at Education and Library Services in the ACT and New South Wales but, for the most part, in the Northern Territory. Some of the highlights of Robin’s illustrious career have included working at NT Library, Manager of Taminmin Library between 1995 and 2002, Project Librarian in 2003, and Manager of Reference Services since February 2004.
Memorable occasions have included her appointment as Librarian-in-Charge of Alice Springs Public Library after previous employment at the National Library of Australia in 1964-65. Robin served the communities of Katherine, Daguragu, Bamyili and the Tiwi Islands as a teacher and community librarian between 1969 and 1976, making the front cover of the Australian Library Journal in April 1977 with her article, ‘Pumpuni, Pumpuni! How the Tiwi learned to love their library’.
Robin achieved significant funding awards for projects including Innovations in Social Science for Catholic Education between 1980 and 1983; Hyper-highway to Humpty Doo and Preserving our Past while at Taminmin Community Library between 2000 and 2002; and successive Adult Learners Week Awards at NT Library between 2003 and 2007.
Robin was awarded Master Teacher status for Excellence in Teaching Practice at Casuarina Senior College between 1990 and 1995. Other awards included Daguragu Dreaming, a presentation at Australian Library and Information Association’s National Public Library Conference in Perth in 1999. The Australian Library and Information Association is the professional organisation for the Australian Library and Information Services sector, so this achievement highlights the national industry’s recognition of Robin’s work.
The Australian Library and Information Association seeks to empower the profession in the development, promotion and delivery of quality library and information services to the nation through leadership advocacy and mutual support. Robin was convenor of the ALIA Top End 2003-04, with the launch of the first ALIA Top End symposium Power Our Territory: Information Literacy for the Development of the Northern Territory.
Robin Hempel was awarded the Litchfield Shire Citizen of the Year in 2002 and was instrumental in establishing the Family History Service at the NT Library, launched by Hon Delia Lawrie MLA, in February 2007.
In parting from NT Library, Robin said:
- Two things I take with me; the friendship and support of colleagues and the appreciation of clients from all ages and backgrounds. It has all been so much fun.
On behalf of the Northern Territory government, I sincerely thank Robin Hempel for her contribution to life in the Northern Territory, her dedication to the development of education services, particularly the NT Library, and I wish her well in her retirement.
I also adjourn tonight in respect of Mr Jeff Stead, the Chief Executive Officer of the Aboriginal Areas Protection Authority, who is retiring at the end of this year. Jeff has been the CEO at the Aboriginal Areas Protection Authority for the past four years. He has had a long association with the Northern Territory, commencing as a Patrol Officer in Training with the then Welfare Branch in January 1972. His work in the Territory is a bit like: I’ve been everywhere, man.
Jeff has a huge intellectual presence to match his huge physical presence. People describe him as a very compassionate person; passionate about his work with Aboriginal people and communities throughout the Northern Territory. In his first year in the Territory, he worked at Papunya, Yuendumu and Bagot.
On gaining his qualifications from the Australian School of Pacific Administration, Jeff was appointed Community Advisor at Yayayi in 1973. He spent two years in that job, spending much of his first year living out of a swag. After that, he spent the next few years in various roles in Tennant Creek, Ali Curung and Borroloola before enrolling at the Australian National University to study anthropology. With an Anthropology Honours degree completed at the end of 1980, Jeff went to work as the Mining Anthropologist at the Central Land Council, where he had worked during his university holidays over the previous four years. In mid-1982, Jeff did his first stint with sacred sites working with the then Aboriginal Sacred Sites Authority. From early 1983, Jeff was Research Coordinator for all the anthropological research work at the CLC.
By the mid-1980s, Jeff’s kids were teenagers so he chose to become a consultant, working out of Victoria whilst they undertook their schooling. In those five years, he worked almost exclusively as a consultant preparing Northern Territory land claims.
In 1991, Jeff returned to the Territory, this time as Manager of the Anthropology and Land Tenure Unit at the Northern Land Council where he worked for nearly 13 years.
In all his time at the CLC and the NLC as a consultant, Jeff was directly involved in research for 14 Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act land claims and supervised research on numerous others. Jeff was also the Senior Anthropologist in two native title determinations, St Vidgeons and the Urapunga township.
In recognition of his achievements and contribution, Jeff was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia in 2002 for services to the indigenous community, particularly in the area of land rights and his determination to protect sacred sites.
In 2003, Jeff was appointed to his present position and has directed the changes to the Aboriginal Sacred Sites Act that have strengthened protection and prosecution mechanisms because Aboriginal people, custodians of sacred sites, asked for those changes to be incorporated. Jeff has overseen significant improvements to the structure and operations of the authority to improve relationships between the authority and other NT government agencies, all for the sake of improved protection of sites. Jeff has also worked for a better understanding of sacred sites by other agencies, industry and the general public.
Jeff’s friendship with Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people in the Territory spans 35 years. His understanding of Aboriginal people across the Territory is second to none, and he will be sorely missed. Ask any anthropologist in the Northern Territory about any issue and almost instantaneously, the name Jeff Stead will pop up. Jeff’s commitment to Aboriginal people and culture is clear to all who have worked with him or known him, a man who has made an enormous contribution to indigenous people and, thus, the Northern Territory as a whole. Although largely unheralded and unacknowledged, Jeff is also a very discreet person and was enormously respected for his high standards of integrity and honesty.
Jeff will be a huge loss to the Northern Territory in terms of his knowledge and commitment, particularly in the areas of sacred sites. On behalf of the Northern Territory, Jeff, to you, your wife and children, thank you very much for your outstanding contribution. I know that you are going to retire to Victoria. We wish you all the very best and thank you for your outstanding contribution to the Territory and your stewardship of the Aboriginal Areas Protection Authority.
Mr KNIGHT (Daly): Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, tonight I wish to report to the Assembly on my Commonwealth Parliamentary Association trip to New Delhi, India, in September. I represented the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly.
This was the 53rd CPA Conference. The CPA had its inception in 1911 and has been engaged in the laudable task of promoting democracy, good governance and sustainable development. It also recognises diversity in all its dimensions and encourages member countries to adopt and adapt policies, systems and practices to suit their specific requirements which, in turn, will strengthen the democratic framework. It is a noble cause and I was impressed by the organisation.
At the conference, a number of things happen. There is the Small Countries Conference before the General Assembly, which does a number of things. It is the ultimate authority in determining the policies and arrangements for the association. It also has the purpose of furthering representation of women within Commonwealth parliaments and enhancing the participation of women members in the association’s affairs. It has incorporated a great deal of affirmative action within the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association.
I give members an outline of the program of the conference. I thank Jan Sporn for her assistance in providing me with information and getting me over there, and the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly for his advice prior to my departure. I arrived on Saturday, 22 September, and I thank staff of the Australian High Commission for allowing me to watch an elimination final at their social club that day. I disembarked at 12.30 pm that morning and they allowed me to go into their social club to watch the game.
The Small Countries Conference started on Sunday, 23 September, and there were a number of plenary sessions. The first plenary session was on Parliamentary Initiatives for Managing the Effects of Globalisation on Small Countries. There were presentations from various speakers including one by a Tasmanian delegate, Lisa Singh, who gave a fabulous presentation about how that subject affected Tasmania. The second plenary session was about Collaborative Versus Adversarial Systems in Government in Small Countries, and there was a presentation by the Premier of the North-West Territories of Canada. That was an extraordinary presentation, one I would like to get hold of and bring to this Assembly. It is certainly a very different form of parliament.
Monday 24th saw the inauguration of an exhibition entitled Democracy and Sustainable Development. This was opened by Hon Shrina Sonath Chatterjee who is the Speaker of the Lok Sabha and the President of the CPA. The Lok Sabha is the parliament of India, so Mr Chatterjee is quite an important man. The inauguration of the Commonwealth Women’s Parliamentary Conference was performed by Hon Mr Chatterjee at the Lok Sabha as well.
The third plenary session of the Small Countries Conference was on Regulating Immigration and Human Trafficking, which was quite an interesting session. The member from Nauru asked the Australian delegation to give some opinions about the Pacific Solution, which I and the representative from Tasmania certainly did.
The Commonwealth Women’s Parliamentary Conference had its first session on Strategies to Overcome Barriers Preventing Women from Equal Participation in Decision-making. The second session was on the Role of Women Parliamentarians in Dealing with HIV/AIDS and Poverty Reduction.
The fourth preliminary session for the Small Countries Conference was on Protecting the Environment and Assuring Sustainable Development. I gave a presentation on behalf of the Northern Territory parliament on sustainable development which was about management of the Daly River, and it was well received. I slipped in a photo of my 85 cm barramundi, which all the delegates seemed to enjoy.
Tuesday 25th was the Official Opening of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference held within the grounds of the parliament. We moved onto regional group meetings, so Africa, Asia, Australia the British Islands to the Mediterranean, Canada, Caribbean, Americas, Atlantic, India, Pacific and South-East Asia all had separate regional group meetings. I thank all the Australian delegates. It was a very apolitical and bipartisan approach to the conference. We certainly galvanised together in an Australian sense about our approach to the conference. I will update my parliamentary colleagues at our CPA Branch meeting next sitting about the outcomes of that meeting.
The highlight of that day was At Home hosted by Her Excellency the President of India, Pratibha Devisingh Patil. It was a fabulous garden party, something out of the Raj. It was an amazing scene at the parliamentary palace and is certainly something I will remember for the whole of my life.
On Wednesday 26th, we had a number of workshops as part of the main conference. Workshop A was on Climate Change and Global Warming. Workshop B was on Global Water and Energy Use Towards Sustainable Development. Workshop C was on Balancing Economic Development and Environmental Protection.
On Thursday, we continued the workshops. Workshop D was on Parliamentary Practice and Procedures: Ensuring Reforms to Secure Greater Executive Accountability. Workshop E was on the Roles, Rights and Responsibilities of the Opposition. Workshop F was on Strengthening Financial Security. There was a plenary session on a generally related theme, the Role of Parliamentarians in Addressing Awareness of and in Curbing Human Trafficking, which was a follow-up to the Small Countries Conference.
On Friday, we had a number of host branch plenaries, which were the Right to Recall as a Strategy of Enforcing Greater Accountability on Parliaments of the People. The final plenary was on Benchmarks for Democratic Legislatures.
It was certainly a very full conference from Sunday through to the Friday. I thank the hosts for all the work that they did. We were absolutely superbly looked after.
There were a few things that emerged from the conference. Working parties are established by the Executive Committee of the CPA, have matters referred to them from time to time, and they reported on matters that had been referred to. I will not go through all the delegates, but it is worthwhile noting the Australian members on the newly appointed working party: Senator Allan Ferguson and Ms Virginia Judge from New South Wales were appointed to that working group. They adopted a new mission statement, which they recommended to the association, which is:
- The CPA promotes the advancement of parliamentary democracy. Enhancing knowledge and understanding of democratic governance, it builds on forming inclusive and gender sensitive parliamentary committee able to strengthen the Commonwealth’s democratic commitment and to further cooperation among its legislatures.
It is a focus of CPA to continue with that. There are a number of new strategies, core functions and objectives. I will not go into those tonight because they are quite extensive.
One things to emerge is that they have renamed the Small Countries Conference the Small Branches Conference because some of the jurisdictions represented there are not countries; for example, the Northern Territory. We have representation, so the Small Countries Conference, as part of the CPA, is now called the Small Branches Conference. The population ceiling has been raised to 500 000, so it includes those jurisdictions which are over 400 000 and the cap is 500 000.
I acknowledge some changes with elected officials of the CPA. The Vice-Patron as of next year will be Hon Dato’ Seri Abdullah bin Ahmad Badawi, the Prime Minister of Malaysia, who takes over from Dr Hon Manmohan Singh, who is the Prime Minister of India. Also, the President of the Association will change in 2007-08 to Hon Tan Sri Dato’ Seri DiRaja Ramli Ngah Talib, Speaker of the House of Representatives of Malaysia, and the Vice-President of the Association will change in 2009, and that will be the Malaysian representative.
Again, I thank all the liaison officers for looking after us in India. I will give a full report to our CPA Branch. The CPA has a lot of work to do to strengthen democratic roles within it. It has certainly moved from having a democratic process to turning that into action, real results for people of Commonwealth countries. It is one thing to have democratic elections; it is another thing to deliver effective services to the people of those countries.
I would like to thank our hosts. I have mentioned the Speaker of the Lok Sabha, and the President of the CPA, Shrina Sonnath Chatterjee, the President of India, Pratibha Devisingh Patil, the Prime Minister of India, Manmohan Singh. I put my apology to the Speaker of Lok Sabha, Shrina Sonnath Chatterjee on record. I almost caused an international incident. After the main conference day, I presented the President of the CPA and Speaker of the Indian Parliament with some gifts from the Northern Territory government. It was a small box, which I believe had a crocodile card holder and some scarves with Aboriginal motifs on them. I presented those to the Speaker in the Assembly in front of all the delegates. I had two boxes. One was to be given to a liaison officer. When I got back to the hotel, I knew I had taken one of the card holders out of the box. I went to put it all back and give the second box to the liaison officer. When I opened the box, it actually had the card holder in it, and I was a bit confused. I realised what I had done: I had given the Speaker of the Lok Sabha and the President of the CPA an empty box. I was very embarrassed about that. The next day, I made sure I got the gift to the Speaker. Hopefully, there was no harm done.
Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, I thoroughly enjoyed the trip, which was most worthwhile. I am very inspired about the role of the CPA, and we should re-energise our efforts to participate in it.
Mr HENDERSON (Wanguri): Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, tonight I wish to discuss happenings around my electorate over the last few weeks.
One of my local schools, Wanguri Primary, had a major anniversary this year; its 30th birthday. As a present to the school, I organised for a painting to be donated, along with the story of the painting, from the Wanguri people in East Arnhem Land. From that present, the school council has championed thoughts about twinning the school between Wanguri Primary in the northern suburbs in Darwin with a school in East Arnhem Land called Dhalinybuy, home to the Wanguri people. This is an initiative which has been worked up over the last 12 months, and culminated on the evening of 5 September this year with a Welcome to Country night at Wanguri school. What a fabulous night it was. A relationship is now being developed between Wanguri school in the northern suburbs and Dhalinybuy Homelands School in East Arnhem Land.
The idea behind the exchange is that students from both places can learn about each other’s cultures, and develop a relationship between the two schools so a student exchange program can be set up. The Yirrkala School envisages this program will allow a greater exposure of their students to spoken English than the Yirrkala School and community can currently provide.
At the Welcome to Country festival, each of the classes ran food and drink stalls, and an array of performances were put on by students and Aboriginal dancers. There was a link-up on the night with a big screen - and it was a beautiful night on Wanguri oval - between Wanguri school and Dalinybuy Homelands School in East Arnhem Land, where both communities could watch what was happening.
It was a fabulous evening. A couple of the traditional owners from Dhalinybuy visited us in Wanguri. It was great to see the excitement of our students about essentially the 21st century version of having a pen pal. Through the Interactive Distance Learning link, a videoconferencing link, the students at Wanguri Primary School are going to be able to have video pals, for want of a better phrase, with students in East Arnhem Land. The Welcome to Country night kicked that off.
The night was the culmination of an enormous amount of work through the school over many months. I congratulate the school, especially Michael Duffy, who chairs the school council and has progressed this effort through the council over the last 12 months; the Assistant Principal at Wanguri Primary School, Leah Crockford, who worked very hard through the department in establishing the sister relationship between the two schools; and our Principal Jenny Robinson, who showed real leadership by making this connection happen.
As Education minister, I think it is probably a first in the Territory’s history, certainly utilising the technology so our students at Wanguri Primary can talk to the kids out at Dhalinbuy Homelands in English. The two traditional owners who came from Dhalinbuy were really excited about young students at the homelands being able to have a little pal in Darwin with whom they could talk in English over the Internet. What do our students at Wanguri get out of this? They get a real child’s view, I suppose, of an indigenous culture that is still so strong and solid in East Arnhem Land. Wanguri Primary School and Dhalinbuy school in north-east Arnhem Land have made history. It was a fabulous night, and I extend my congratulations to all concerned.
Another school in my electorate is St Andrew’s where I had a great day on 10 September when I visited Ms Munro’s Year 5/6/7 class to talk about government in the Northern Territory. It was like Question Time, with the students firing questions at me about my life as a member of parliament and a minister, and the about what happens in parliament. There was a lot of interest in the Mace and how it was stored, and the story about how the Mace fell off the back of a ute many years ago in an oft-told fable about how we nearly lost the Queen’s Mace that the kids knew about. They were very excited about that and wanted to know what would happen if any robbers stole the Mace. I was happy to say that in the care of the Speaker and the Clerk of the Assembly and all the security around it, it is very unlikely, but there was a lot of interest in the Mace and what would happen if it was stolen.
As well as the story about the Mace, there was a lot of discussion about other issues in our democratic system. I thank Ms Munro and her class who have been studying government all term and have drawn some amazing pictures of Australia’s past and present Prime Ministers. It was great to see the students’ interest in the way the Territory and the country is run.
I was invited, on 27 September, to Leanyer Primary School for their inaugural Transition Art Fair and their new garden. What a great morning it was. We sat out among the trees and watched the Transition classes and their Grade 4 buddies sing songs and open an art fair that they had worked so hard on. Many parents came along to see what their children had been up to in class and the art work on display was great. There was art hanging from walls, trees, fences - everywhere you looked.
The main theme of the art fair was indigenous arts and craft, and I was presented with a great set of drawings of snakes, basically Rainbow Serpents, that the kids had coloured in, which now hang proudly on the wall in my electorate office. I send a big thank you to all the students of the three Transition classes as well as the three teachers, Kaye Cowley, Melissa Park and Macoushia Kelly. A big thank you also goes to Mary-Lou O’Gallagher’s Year 4 class who helped out on the day. It was a great initiative and the kids were fabulous. I was pleased to see so many mums and dads had the morning at Leanyer School before going on to work.
I have been told that Leanyer Primary School is holding a special assembly in two weeks to give out 93 certificates to students who participated in the University of New South Wales Maths, Spelling, English and Writing competition as well as the Westpac Maths Challenge. Well done to Leanyer School. I will try to get to that assembly and, hopefully, hand out a few certificates to the hard-working students.
The Minister for Housing, in Question Time this week, spoke about the 2007 Public Housing Garden Competition. As the very proud member for Wanguri, I thank and congratulate some of my constituents who took out a number of prizes this year in the Public Housing Garden Competition. As the minister said, many of our public housing tenants go above and beyond what they are required to do as tenants in public housing in tending their gardens, and it is great to see some winners from Leanyer and Wanguri.
First, I congratulate Mike and June McIntyre, who won not only the Best House Garden Prize, but also Overall Best Garden Prize through many of the categories. To Mike and June, congratulations. I look forward to catching up with you very soon to personally give you my congratulations on a fabulous win in two categories.
We also had winners in Leanyer for the Communal Garden: Donna Kittle and Valerie Kildare from the Trower Road units. I have spoken about Donna Kittle many times in this parliament. She is truly an inspiration as a local resident. She is a lady who has enormous vitality and energy. If anyone is down on their luck and needs a helping hand, Donna is always the first one to put in. She is a very special person and, since she moved to the Trower Road unit complex opposite Hungry Jacks in Casuarina, Donna has worked very hard to transform the communal gardens around the flats. It is absolutely magnificent to visit there. She has any number of the local residents involved in looking after not only their little gardens at the back of their units, but also the public open spaces.
Donna and Valerie were very pleased to win awards. I do not think they would mind me saying that they are quintessential battlers, and the prizes of $600 each for Bunnings vouchers are most welcome. When I rang Donna to congratulate her, she said: ‘How are we going to get all this stuff back from Bunnings? We don’t have a car.’ I am sure that was all worked out and they have stocked up with some further implements for gardens and will be back at the Trower Road units further developing a real sense of community.
Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, with those few words about some recent happenings in my electorate and some winners of the Public Housing Garden competition, I conclude my remarks this evening.
Motion agreed to; the Assembly adjourned.
Last updated: 04 Aug 2016