2008-06-20
Madam Speaker Aagaard took the Chair at 4.30 pm.
Ms LAWRIE (Leader of Government Business): Madam Speaker, I move that leave of absence be granted to member for Macdonnell due to a family bereavement; the member for Nhulunbuy, who is on the Kokoda Trail; the member for Barkly, who is travelling in the Territory; and I am hopeful the member for Arafura will be returning from Katherine.
Motion agreed to.
Ms LAWRIE (Leader of Government Business)(by leave): Madam Speaker, on behalf of the member for Macdonnell, I present a petition from 948 petitioners relating to the granting of an exploration licence for the Cameco Paladin to explore the Angela and Pamela uranium deposits.
Madam Speaker, I move that the petition be read.
Motion agreed to; petition read:
Ms LAWRIE (Leader of Government Business): Madam Speaker, I move that the Assembly at its rising adjourn until Tuesday 19 August 2008 at 10 am in Parliament House or such other time and/or date as may be advised by the Speaker pursuant to sessional order.
Motion agreed to.
Continued from 11 June 2008.
In committee:
Madam CHAIR: Honourable members, I call upon the Chairman of the Estimates Committee to present the report of the Estimates and Government Owned Corporations Scrutiny Committees.
Mr BURKE: Madam Deputy Chair, I first wish to say that my thoughts are with the member for Macdonnell and her family at this very sad time. The member for Macdonnell received news of her brother’s death when the Estimates Committee was sitting. Such was her dedication and commitment that she continued with the hearings until the end of the session.
It is, therefore, with some sadness that I table the report of the Estimates Committee and the Government Owned Corporations Scrutiny Committee, and their considerations of the estimates of proposed expenditure contained in the schedule to the 2008-09 Appropriation Bill.
I advise honourable members that any outstanding information, including answers to questions taken on notice which have not yet been received, will be tabled during the next sittings of the Assembly in August. As well, the Committee Secretariat will update the questions taken on notice database as answers are received and, when completed, a composite set of questions and answers will be placed on the Legislative Assembly website.
The seventh public hearings of the Estimates Committee provided members with 45 hours to scrutinise the 2008-09 Appropriation Bill. As members are aware, it continues that some agencies are not provided with adequate appearance time before the committee and, in some cases, do not appear at all.
The Standing Orders Committee took this issue on board prior to the 2007 Estimates process and, in a letter to the committee, advised that for the 2007 hearings all ministers would be restricted to a five-minute limit on their opening statements. The five-minute restriction to opening statements was again applied for these hearings and, by and large, the same schedule of appearance has been followed to ensure that, wherever possible, each agency is allowed adequate appearance time. However, as I said, as in the past, this was not entirely successful.
In my opening statement to the hearings, I reminded all committee members that as a total of 45 hours had been scheduled for ministers and agency officers to appear before the committee, it was incumbent on them to maximise their time over the four-day period so that all agencies were given sufficient time to allow for a thorough investigation of all key issues within each output group. As I said there were, unfortunately, occasions again throughout these public hearings where agencies were not fully questioned due to time constraints, or did not appear before the committee.
I take this opportunity to reiterate it should be a priority of the process that all agencies are provided with adequate time so the public scrutiny of their budget for which an estimates process is intended does occur. This is something that the committee will be looking into in conjunction with the Standing Orders Committee in the near future, including seeking feedback from agencies and others involved in the process to ascertain the best process of meeting the purpose of the Estimates Committee, whilst maintaining the present high level of accountability.
I take this opportunity to personally thank the members of the Public Accounts Committee who formed the core membership of the Estimates Committee for the manner in which these public hearings have been conducted. I also place on record a vote of appreciation from the committee to all other members who participated in the public hearing process, as well as the staff of the Committee Secretariat, who have provided direct support to the running of these hearings and in the weeks leading up to it.
I thank the staff of the Table Office and Hansard for their hard work over the past week. Thanks are also extended to the staff of the other areas of the Legislative Assembly who have provided the critical support work so that the hearings can happen. This is particularly so this year, when the recabling project necessitated a change of location from the committee area to the Parliament House Dining Room on Level 4 which has proved to be an ideal venue for this purpose.
I wish to personally thank each of the following staff for their input. In the Committee Secretariat, Ms Pat Hancock who, for the first time, took over the responsibility for the support services and the running of hearings, ably assisted by Kellie Trout. Other committee staff who played a part include Terry Hanley, Robyn Smith, Kim Cowcher and, seconded to committees, Phyllis Mitchell.
In the Table Office, thanks go to Graham Gadd, Steve Stokes, and Annette Brown; in Hansard, Helen Allmich, Lee Frank, Elizabeth Olajos and Sue Gray. Building Services people who were responsible for the set-up in the dining room which worked so well are Carmel Kelly, Errol Edwards, Shane Bird and Tony Hibberd. The technical support provided by the Assembly’s IT Manager, Greg Connors, was superb, right down to a special trip back to the office at 9 pm one evening to provide alternative lighting when a source failed; and Clifton Eliorda who, as always, was there to ensure that members were able to be online for the duration.
I thank the parliament security staff detail for their diligence through the hearings, especially Marty Deramos and Leonie Davies who were on duty outside the hearing room.
My appreciation is also extended to the Clerk, Mr McNeill, for ensuring that the process was, once again, streamlined.
There were 71 questions taken on notice this year; 10 more than in 2007. A total of 38 had been replied to by the time the Government Owned Corporations Scrutiny Committee hearing closed at 3.30 pm this afternoon. Given that the estimates hearing finished at 1 pm today and the Government Owned Corporations Scrutiny Committee ran for two hours between then and the opening of this session of the Assembly, the secretariat will need to follow up on the remaining questions early next week.
In addition to these questions, there was one question taken on notice during the Government Owned Corporation Scrutiny Committee hearing this morning, and the response to this question was reported back to the committee prior to the closure of the public hearing.
I acknowledge the Government Owned Corporations Scrutiny Committee which sat for the seventh time. Power and Water Corporation officials provided members with valuable insight into the operation of the organisation. I place on the record in this Chamber again this year, the committee’s appreciation of time and effort put in by Mr Neil Philip, Chairman of the Board, and Mr Andrew Macrides, Managing Director.
I have just a few awards that I would like to acknowledge for this year. For the second year running, the award for Best Jack Rations must go to the member for Port Darwin who has an amazing array of nibbles and specialties in a variety of pockets. The Groundhog Day Award, which is in reference to a movie where the main character goes through same day again and again, goes to Dr David Ritchie, CEO of Local Government, who was here no less than three times with a different minister. We may have to make him an honorary member of the Estimates Committee.
The Che Guevara Socialist Cooperative Award is awarded to Treasury, for the equitable sharing of Minties across all officials at and behind the table. Clearly, they are a close unit as no one was missed. The Rising Star award goes to Ms Pat Hancock who so effectively and efficiently ran her first Estimates Committee.
Members: Hear, hear!
Mr BURKE: The Most Carefully Sought Advice Award goes to the Minister for Health, who during one exchange - I think it was a question in relation to an investigation - and one of the minister’s advisors said: ‘I am trying to dig up the report but I do not think there were foul findings in that, if you give me a moment’. Dr Burns said: ‘So, you are looking up your briefs now?’ ‘I am’.
Finally, the quote of the week - I suppose I call this the Billy Connolly One Liner – in an exchange late in the evening referred to the very effective program, Closing the Clap!
Thank you, Madam Chair.
Madam CHAIR: Honourable members, pursuant to the resolution of the Assembly dated 11 June 2008, the committee has before it consideration of the Appropriate Bill 2008 (Serial 141) and reports of the Estimates Committee and the Government Owned Corporations Scrutiny Committee.
The question is that the proposed expenditure be agreed to, and that the resolutions and expressions of opinion as agreed to by the committees in relation to the proposed expenditure or output with reference to the Appropriation Bill 2008 (Serial 141), or the activities, performances, practices and financial management of the Power and Water Corporation with reference to its Statement of Corporate Intent for 2008-09 be noted.
I remind members that speech time limits for this debate are as follows. The ministers, Leader of the Opposition and shadow minister, 20 minutes; any other member, 10 minutes. The maximum period for consideration and conduct of this debate is five hours. As the time is now 4.45 pm, if the debate is not concluded by 9.45 pm, I will put the question.
Honourable members, when consideration of the bill and reports have been concluded, and the question put, the following question will then be put forthwith without debate: That the remainder of the bill be agreed to. The bill will then be reported to the Assembly. Following this report, the Speaker will then call upon the Treasurer to move the third reading of the bill.
Mr MILLS: Madam Chair, I acknowledge the member for Brennan and his report. I am very pleased, member for Brennan, that you identified all of those good people who worked around us in way or another - all different levels; some, perhaps, who would never have imagined they would be acknowledged in this way. I commend you for that and thank you for acknowledging all those people around us. Though the gallery was barely packed with good citizens who came to observe important matters that bear on their wellbeing and their future, it is, nonetheless, business that is conducted in the presence of the community. On that basis, there is an element of great seriousness about what we do - notwithstanding there were two Italian tourists who happened to get out of the lift at the wrong floor and got corralled with some advisors; ended up watching this for a time, scratched their heads and then decided to leave. They are probably writing notes in their journal now. I remember having a chat to them. I could not quite work out what it was about; it was very difficult to explain - as it is for a lot of our citizens who do not quite understand what it is we are doing, but have a sense that it is important. We know that it is. For those of us who are involved in it – as with any member who was involved in this process - learns a lot as a result of it.
I came into this Chamber, as the member for Wanguri did, in 1999, and there was a different system. Members opposite think it was the worst thing that has ever occurred, and now there is this glorious system. That silly nonsense aside, this process of scrutiny is a very good process to assist us, if we are honest. As members, it helps us to get a better grasp. I am sure members who carry or bear that great responsibility as ministers of the Crown, also receive fresh insights into the responsibilities they bear. In some cases, that was very evident as they began to get a grasp of the import and the complexity of the matters that we are called to attend to.
As members of the opposition and Independents, we feel the weight of that most acutely and, particularly having a small opposition. Though some regard the work of parliament as a game, like a sport or a contest, underneath that, there are the deeper issues; that being, a small opposition to hold the government accountable. A government can only be held accountable through quality questioning. Quality questioning cannot be arrived at without a deeper understanding and much intelligence. With only four members, it has been, quite honestly, challenging to be able to acquit our responsibility to hold government accountable. However, I am proud of my team, and I believe the team has done a superb job, when you consider the length of time given and the range of topics needed to be covered. I believe, as far as were able, we have acquitted ourselves adequately to carry on our responsibilities as members of this parliament, and to ensure there is a degree of accountability brought upon government.
I acknowledge the good work of the Independents as well. There is a good sense of camaraderie that develops at these times. Some of the superficial business surrounding our activities fades away as we focus on that which is important, helping us to understand and get behind the answers to the questions. The purpose of the answers sometimes seems to obstruct. We have to be careful about how we ask our questions and how they are responded to. Being diligent in this way we stand a chance to get some idea of what the true story really is, particularly when we are talking about matters of Treasury. You need a certain level of concentration and knowledge to be able to do that.
I also acknowledge fellow committee members on the PAC. It was good working with you. They are special times and we start to develop that camaraderie as a result of working together in an important process.
I turn my attention now to matters I believe were highlighted as a result of our investigations; that being, once again, the issue of superannuation liability. There is nothing more disturbing than a capacity to move away from something, and not draw full attention to it, or explain it away or minimise it. That cannot occur now with superannuation liability, but the sad thing is, it appears government still does not have a grasp of that. I am sure in their heart of hearts they do have an understanding of it, but they think they are playing some kind of political game, so they will play word games to try to deflect from it, or attack and discredit the questioner as a means to defend their position. But the fact is, there is a serious issue that needs to be attended to. Any analysis would show that the capacity of this government to attend to a fundamental responsibility such as unfunded superannuation liability has been inadequate in light of the record increase in revenue that has flowed to this Territory government.
Whatever the reasons, whether you think you have caught the resources boom or not, the fact is, revenue flows into this Territory in prodigious amounts. You have a large capacity to deal with fundamentals like unfunded superannuation liability. I do this not to score a point. The fact remains, $330m is more than you expected, with minimal effort given to responding to the challenge of ongoing liability. Those sorts of things remain concerning. The amount of money flowing in presents a challenge of how you will cut your course. Will you be tempted to attend to the short term? Or, will you do the responsible thing, and make adequate, substantial and wise provisions for the future? It appears this is a government that has fallen into temptation and been attracted to the short-term option – to heck with tomorrow.
For those of us who have been involved in small business, who have taken risks, who have paid off debts, know that you cannot take such a cavalier approach. When we extrapolate that to the highest level of government, these decisions will result in considerable challenges to those who will have their hands on the helm to steer the ship of state in the future.
It also shows there is a growth in the Territory economy, without a doubt. Whether you think you are personally responsible for that growth or not, we can put that aside. The fact is, it is growing, it is booming. That also presents challenges, but has also presented opportunities for the Territory government to have enlarged revenue streams. Once again, the challenge is: how do you wisely use that? Once again, I am disturbed by the ongoing theme that flows from government, that being: ‘Look at all the money that we have spent’, as though that is an achievement. Something akin to a kid going to the show, and coming out saying: ‘We had a great time, I spent $200’. But the question is: what did they get for the $200? We are talking about a sound investment. There is more of an achievement to be applauded in the result of your investment, the results of your expenditure - not the expenditure itself.
You talk about a social problem. There are a range of them, requiring a sophisticated response. We need something of greater sophistication than to say: ‘Yes’, acknowledge the problem and, ‘Do not worry, we have spent $200m more than …’. That is a very superficial response and designed to draw applause perhaps only from the peanut gallery. The rest, who understand how challenges are met, are more interested in the result of the expenditure. We still have a government with the attitude of: ‘Lots of money coming in. Somehow or other we have caused all this to happen and we are spending lots of it, in response to problems’. But are we fixing the problems? That is where the test remains.
We have ongoing concerns about the true nature of the arrangements entered into with regards to the waterfront when it was first proposed, compared to what has been built - notwithstanding during that time there has been extraordinary increases in the value of land. That investment will bear a result for the Territory. There are some goods and bads in it. Still, the commercial confidentiality surrounding the nature of that arrangement, how it is that a public amenity has been significantly reduced, are some of the questions, that seem, even through an estimates process, unable to be resolved or answered.
With all the words and talk about oncology, there is still the game of politics being played concerning the promise made in response to the plight of cancer sufferers. It is this Labor government that made the promise in the knowledge of the presence of cancer in 2001. In 2008, there are still word games being played. But all of that aside, just tell us what is really going on. It is not about you; it is about the cancer sufferers and, more importantly, about a promise that was made. I know as a dad, I have made a promise to my kids on a couple of occasions, and I did not keep it and my son reminded me of it. Whether it was expedient or not, I had some obligation because I said I would do it. It is on that level when that sort of social contact is entered into, the only way to acquit yourself is with transparent honesty. We have not had that.
We have had games played and excuses made in the context of a contract, that being a promise, regarding cancer treatment. To this day, we are drawing more attention to the fact that there has been a regime change in Canberra that are just wonderful good guys, but still no attention to the fundamental details – the promise, where is the money, when is it going to happen, and is it happening in a genuine and sincere way in response to a real problem. The problem is not political; it is a health issue, and it is an ethical issue. You have a promise, and if you cannot fulfil it, just be honest with people - those cancer sufferers the Minister for Health and I had the opportunity to speak with and hear their stories. This business is conducted in their presence. It is not a game.
These and many other issues, I could speak about, but we came through these estimates, once again, with surprise. We see it coming and we are challenged by the weight that we must carry, particularly from opposition. We get to the other side of it, thinking that was a good experience and we have grown as a result of it.
There are, undoubtedly, problems with the process and, rather than entering into an argument now regarding problems X, Y and Z - because that has been discussed before, it is on the record - I have decided, if the Chief Minister at expense to the Territory calls an early election, I make one election commitment now. If there is a change of government, and if you, the Labor government, believe that this estimates system is so good, I hereby commit to keeping the same system in place for two years before it will be considered for change. That way, you will know by the weight of experience what it is we are trying to describe here. So, that is one election commitment that is made now. The system will remain exactly as it is because the bed that you say is so comfortable and so good, you will thereby lie in it and see how comfortable and good it is. There are challenges with it, but it will stay as it is and, after two years, we will reconsider.
Thank you to all those involved. It is been a good experience and strengthens us as members.
Mr WOOD: Madam Chair, I also pass my condolences on to the member for Macdonnell. That is the first I heard that there had been a death in the family. I know everybody here feels the same. It is a very tragic thing to happen during the estimates. I wish her and her family well in this difficult time.
It might sound a bit sadistic but I actually enjoy the estimates, believe it or not, even though I am petrified when they are about to happen. They do require a bit of work, but I find it most important. In fact, I believe it is nearly the most important part of being in this House. It gives me an opportunity - sometimes it is stressful – to ask questions of the government, to test what they are saying and, at the same time, hopefully, give them an opportunity to listen to some other points of view, regardless of whether they agree with them or not because, as a parliamentarian, I am working for the Territory.
I will continue to fight about the Darwin prison; the Berrimah Farm; the lack of adequate and cheap housing and land; the processes determining the location of INPEX, and local governance. The government does not always agree with me, but the Estimates Committee gives me a reasonable opportunity to put a reasonable viewpoint to the government. It allows me to put my point of view in this House every year. That is really important.
During the local government debate I spoke about the democratic process. This process, too, is highly important, because it enhances the democratic process. It enhances the parliamentary process and it makes for a better government. There are some changes that need to happen and I mention here what I think could make a difference. The opposition had some, what I call ‘formatted questions’. They were the same questions for every department. I suggest there could be a system where, at the beginning of the period for that particular minister, that set of formatted questions could be handed to the minister and the answers could come back during that session. They were simply the same questions asking for some statistics. That would save some time.
We have made minor changes. I asked about ports a couple of years ago, saying that ports never got mentioned in estimates. Now, ports are up the top of the list. We should be putting ports down the bottom of the list next time and something else up the top. An area, for instance, that keeps getting missed out is the Fire Brigade. They come late at night and they never get a question. I feel there is room for an analysis of which portfolios have not had a chance to be scrutinised. That would require, the staff to go through over the last couple of years and see which portfolios or which sub-portfolios have not had a chance to be scrutinised These would then come to the top in next year’s Estimates Committee list.
The other thing that fell down this time was that there had been a change in ministers halfway during the year. Some ministers had a relatively small portfolio in relation to other portfolios. The Treasurer has what I regard as one of the biggest portfolios. You have Planning and Lands, and Infrastructure and Transport, plus the Treasury. They are pretty important areas of discussion in this House. They have a lot to do with the future development of the Territory. I had four more pages of questions, Treasurer, and you might have said: ‘Oh, heaven help us’. I had those because I believe there were lots of questions to be asked about your portfolio.
The minister for sport - I love sport, but, by gee, you are stretching the sport questions out over a couple of hours and get down to saying: ‘Who do you think will win the footy on Saturday?’ There was also another minister - I cannot think who at the present time. Maybe there could be some weighting based on portfolios rather than ministers. Again, that is only just a suggestion, because we need to ensure that every minute of the time we are in estimates is used as efficiently as possible because, as I said, it is a really important system.
I was talking briefly to the member for Stuart, and he said it is an opportunity to learn a lot of things. I agree. There are a lot of things that come out of estimates that are not political; they are informative. In fact, one of the best areas we deal with is the Power and Water section, where we have a chance to look at the policies of Power and Water. That, in itself, is a very important portfolio. The future of the Territory depends on the supply of water, electricity, and energy and even sewerage systems - which was mentioned a number of times today. Those things might sound pretty mundane but, with a growing city - and you can look around and see a number of buildings going up - there are questions that need to be asked about the capability of our infrastructure to handle the growth occurring here.
I was listening to what the member for Blain said about how the Territory is booming. We can say lots of great things about the amount of money we have in the budget; how we are spending money here, money there; how we are building new convention centres – there is just great growth in the Territory. Well, there is, but I say again, as I have said before, that if part of our society is being left behind because they cannot put a roof over their head because of the cost of living, if people in remote areas have extremely high unemployment, if literacy and numeracy are at extremely low levels - so low that employment opportunities for these people are practically nil, outside doing some fairly mundane tasks - then I do not think we can gloat too much. We, as a society, must never forget that not all of us are as well off as some of us. Although some may say: ‘Oh well, too bad’, I say that a government like the government in the Northern Territory, knowing that it is getting plenty of money from the GST and that we have a booming economy, must never take it for granted that everybody is doing well.
We do have a section - maybe it is a small section, but we have a section - in our community which is struggling. We have high mortgages, which affects even the middle class in our society, and society generally.. Look at the amount of crime. As I was coming into town for the estimates, I listened to the ABC and the crime report from the Officer-in-Charge at the police station in Mitchell Street. You hear of the number of break-ins, bashings, car accidents - and that is each day. You would have to wonder where our society is heading and whether some of the issues we are faced with today stem from stress - financial stress people suffer due to having to work day and night to be able to service debt, especially through mortgages. Perhaps this is having an effect on families, and young people are not getting the love and attention they would get if there was not that stress around. There are issues that we need to look at as a whole.
Once again, I thank all the staff who were involved in the estimates, they have done a fantastic job. And Hansard - I do not know how they ever translate what I say. They should get a medal. I look forward to next year’s estimates as well.
Ms LAWRIE: Madam Chair, I join with all of the members in the Chamber to thank the Assembly staff, they put in a lot of hours to ensure democracy is upheld in the Territory, and I do not say that lightly. Having formerly being a member of the Estimates Committee, I understand the effort that goes in behind the scenes. Well done to Pat Hancock in her first time at the helm of the estimates secretariat - impressive job there - and thank you very much to the Clerk and Terry Hanley, who helped out behind the scenes, and to the Committee Secretariat.
I sincerely thank the Chair of the PAC, the member for Brennan. He did an exceptional job, I believe, in his role as Chair; he was very fair and set a high professional standard. I know in debates past, people have had things to say about the chairing but, given the tone of the debate in the Chamber today, we can all wholeheartedly congratulate the member for Brennan for his effort, ably supported by the member for Port Darwin, who undertook the role of Deputy Chair and stepped in for several sessions. Both of them put in about 38 hours during the week, chairing sessions across the estimates mandate - no small amount of effort put in on behalf of the democratic process.
I understand and concur with the sentiments of the Leader of the Opposition. It is tough going through estimates. It is hard for a small in numbers opposition to sustain the week. I hope they found the opportunity to question ministers and public servants a very worthwhile process. I am heartened by the announcement by the Leader of the Opposition that, would he be given an opportunity to govern, he would keep the process. It is certainly a long change from debates of past. It is important. I believe the role the opposition and the Independents play during the estimates week is a critically important role to play. The government is well served by the estimates process, and we have a very deep and abiding commitment to the process. Of course, we are going to have issues, and we are going to disagree on the perceptive but, fundamentally, we are there to scrutinise the budget, and that is a very important task that occurs during the estimates week.
The Leader of the Opposition still refuses to understand the issue of superannuation liability. Fundamentally, he is running a line that government really has not grasped the issue of superannuation liability. He claims we are playing some kind of political word game with it. Well, it could not be further from the truth. This Labor government has put $170m towards this unfunded superannuation liability. We are driving that liability down. We are working to reduce the liability significantly. When you have the opportunity, as I do as Treasurer, to talk to experts in the field, they are astounded at how quickly we are dropping the liability. When we came to government, the nett debt plus employer liability, as a proportion to revenue, was 134%. In just a few years, we have driven that down remarkably to 108%, a massive change - a massive change, as the experts would say. This government takes our responsibilities extremely seriously, and included in that is the superannuation liability.
As I have said, our government was addressing debt, as we have. We are driving down the debt we inherited, including that superannuation liability. We also must turn our budgets towards those resources that improve core services that every Territorian has a right to enjoy. We know we have a significant unmet need across the Territory. Significantly, that unmet need lies in the bush. Closing the Gap is our initiative driving forward resources and services into the bush. I believe our government can and must stay on track with driving through the services people can access in town. They are now in our regional towns and we are driving those services out into our remote communities.
There is $57m-odd put into Closing the Gap additional services in this budget this year alone - no small feat. We are not playing for the short term. We are here, and we are pursuing the growth of the Territory for the long term, right across the Territory.
I see that as the stark difference between the parties. I believe the history of the Territory will show - and you can only judge history at a time further from where we are today - this is a government for all Territorians. Whether they reside in our flourishing, beautiful tropical capital city, or the beautiful red Centre in Alice Springs or in the regional towns of Tennant Creek and Katherine or, indeed, in our remote communities, we will pursue the right of all Territorians to have a quality of life in which they can raise their children in a safe environment, in appropriate housing, with access to education and health services, and drive on roads that are safe. All these tasks we are starting to make inroads into when it comes to the bush, but we have a long way to go.
Our government, whilst I am Treasurer, will not take our eyes off the need to continue to significantly provide resources to the bush while we drive the economic prosperity of our capital, Alice Springs and our regional towns. All of this we should and must do. We do not resile from the fact that, as you build into the future, you use the growth we are experiencing today, the growth that enables us to fund $870m in infrastructure investment in this budget alone. That is a phenomenal record. We are funding around $700m this financial year and we are stepping up. We are stepping up to levels that no other government in the Territory has ever done.
The Leader of the Opposition continues to bag the waterfront but, again, that is proof government can work with the private sector and leverage significant private sector investment and drive the economy. Tourism is a critically important part of this economy. That convention centre down at the waterfront has 23 conventions booked. Approximately 11 000 people will come into this town and help us by spending into our economy.
In terms of oncology, the Northern Territory government is not playing games; it is not a political game, we are dealing with the heath of Territorians. We are providing opportunity for them to be appropriately treated with oncology services in the Territory. I pay tribute the Minister for Health, who has worked solidly and doggedly and pursed federal government after federal government to land the agreement to provide the oncology service, because that is the nature of health services.
Health services are about agreements between the Commonwealth and the Territory. We do not just go through the health services arrangements on our own - they are partnerships. He has sealed a partnership with the Commonwealth government and there will be an oncology service. This is not about politics; this is about delivering a health service. I went to the funeral of a cancer sufferer today. I stand here, today, reminded about how critically important this service is to Territorians and their families to be appropriately cared for in the Territory.
This is a government that has produced five surpluses in a row. We are, for the first time ever, in a position with our budget to have surpluses in all our forward estimates. This is following us coming to government with some terrible deficits that burdened the early years of the Labor government. We climbed out of that with tight financial management, fiscal responsibility, and worked at driving the key economic drivers in our economy for tourism, the resources and LNG onshore. We are now seeing the benefits of that, particularly driving, obviously, the construction program through our capital works expenditure.
So what do we have today? We have the nation’s strongest growing economy. We are the best economy in the nation. We are punching above our weight. We have low unemployment, we have delivered secondary education into the bush. We have had drops in property crime, we have extended life expectancy of three years for Aboriginal women. On the waterfront, on about $115m in investment, we are going to get our return on that through property sales and, as I said before, we have 23 conventions and 11 000 delegates coming through. All of this bodes well for our future.
I am particularly proud to be the Treasurer of the Northern Territory - the first, I believe, Northern Territory-grown Treasurer. I view the Territory as coming of age. I go down there and have a look at the waterfront and I know that the town I was born in has certainly come of age. I travel to Alice Springs and I see the bright future that Alice has, and the communities across the Centre are really starting to take and claim and own and drive forward their communities and their regions. The people are strong. The people of the Territory are strong. The government is listening to them. We do look forward to and invite debate from the opposition. That is about a healthy democracy.
I particularly enjoy the debates with the member for Nelson. I particularly enjoy the planning debates with the member for Nelson. I have no doubt that, while there is breath left in the pair of us, we will continue to debate planning. I respect his views and I invite his opinions. It does test all of the processes that good government goes through.
Thank you to all of the members who participated in the estimates process. It has been a very hard process, a very long week. Thank you, of course, again to the committee staff. Thank you to the Table Office staff. Thank you to the Hansard staff. Congratulations to our PAC Chair and our Deputy Speaker in chairing the estimates process. They did a fantastic job on behalf of government.
Madam CHAIR: The question is that the proposed expenditure be agreed to and that the resolutions or expressions of opinion as agreed to by the committees in relation to the proposed expenditure or output with reference to the Appropriation Bill 2008 (Serial 141) for the activities, performances, practices and financial management of the Power and Water Corporation with reference to its Statement of Corporate Intent for 2008-09 be noted.
Motion agreed to.
Remainder of the bill agreed to.
Bill reported; report adopted.
Ms LAWRIE (Treasurer): Madam Speaker, I move that the bill now be read a third time.
Motion agreed to, bill read a third time.
Continued from 7 May 2008.
Mr MILLS (Opposition Leader): Madam Speaker, the government has introduced the Revenue Law Reform (Budget Initiatives) Bill (Serial 146) and the Pay-roll Tax Amendment (Harmonisation) Bill (Serial 148). These bills have been introduced to be read together. These bills affect various changes. Primarily, they have the effect of introducing three changes: first, the changes to the HomeNorth Scheme for the first homebuyers; second, to the stamp duty regime to include mining tenements; and third, changes to the payroll taxation system. There are also other amendments to the operation of non-discretionary trusts and other minor amendments to instruments. Typical of this government, every time they have some bad news, they omnibus it in a bill that brings good news.
You see, Madam Speaker, if I do not agree with this bill here today, I have to vote against the whole instrument. That is a problem because if I do that, I will be voting against the changes to the HomeNorth Scheme. These changes, for what they are worth, need to be supported, but I am cautious about the changes to the mining tenements legislation.
The exploration industry is particularly unhappy with the arrangements. I cannot say that I blame them. The measures included in the bill make exploration licences property that is subject to stamp duty. Mr Loganathan has done press on this issue and was quite vocal in the media about it. His comments were widely reported. This will not apply to new exploration licences but it will apply to subsequent transfers by including them in the definition of land. The mining industry’s peak body, the Resources Council, has rolled over and accepted this instrument after originally telling us that it was vehemently opposed to this action by government. However, my caution exists …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr MILLS: My caution exists on several levels. First, they object to a tax on a licence that authorises them to spend money. An exploration licence is, essentially, an exclusive right of access to a particular area to identify any valuable minerals that are in the area. That is an expense to the explorer and there is no right to extract at all associated with the licence. There are values in the capacity to sell or trade in the exploration licences, and it is that value the government seeks to tax. Up until now, the Stamp Duty Act has specifically exempted exploration licences from stamp duty.
This then leads to the second area of irritation for me on this issue, and that is the implication there has been a deliberate and conscious use of the exploration lease exemption to avoid tax. Surely, if people are breaking the law, they need to brought to justice. If companies are engaged in extraction for profit under the guise of exploration licences, surely it is not such a difficult charge to make. However, what we see here is not just a genuine attempt to close a loophole; it appears an attempt to balance the books for a payroll tax cut …
Members interjecting.
Mr MILLS: The government gives and the government takes away. It is easy for government to demonise the mining industry - the mining industry knows this and has chosen not to have a fight. They are rich beyond imagination, and they generate no votes in the northern suburbs, so the latest strategists would say. The answer is to imply they are on the take, and to tax them is the response. What concerns me is that this is a common approach in politics in the modern world and a hallmark of this government ...
Members interjecting.
Mr MILLS: Madam Speaker, if they do not like someone, the stops are pulled out and no holds are barred.
Last year, the Howard government was the devil incarnate for his approach to the waste dump. How muted are the voices of outrage now? Sadly, so many organisations that grumble do not publicly criticise the government because they are worried about how government will respond. I suspect, when this bill is passed, the mining industry will accept it, albeit grudgingly, as a reality.
However, with some grave reservations, we will not obstruct this measure, largely due to the construct of this package, which has measures in it that are eminently supportable It does include one issue which, in my view, is in need of further questioning. Nonetheless, it will be our intent to watch this very carefully to see if problems do arise. Though the Treasurer claims the return to government from this will be in the order of $300 000 to $400 000, others have a significantly different view that the amount may be far greater than that. We want to see this measure does not impede exploration in the Northern Territory, or the ensuing benefits that will flow into the industry, and it is not a measure merely to collect taxes. We seek to ensure it achieves what government describes it will achieve. The opposition will be watching.
Madam Speaker, with those comments, we support the bill, with some reservations.
Ms LAWRIE (Treasurer): Madam Speaker, I have to say comments in that speech were some of the most extraordinary I have heard in this Chamber. To describe the Resources Council as having rolled over – what an outrageous and wrong comment from the Leader of the Opposition.
The Resources Council stands strongly as an advocacy group for its membership. As Treasurer, I have met with executive members of the Resources Council and their new Chief Executive Officer, and they have ardently put the view of their members - in terms of the proposal before us today and the revenue law reform - and talked to us about the perceptions around the potential impact of applying stamp duty to the transfer of exploration licences. As a government, we stepped them through what the changes were; and what the impact is expected to be. Once they became fully informed of the changes and the proposed impact, they were satisfied with the government’s proposal. They were equally satisfied with government’s plans dealing with any one-off scenarios we captured, that were not intended to be captured.
We have had a very positive working relationship working through the detail of the issue. That is how good governments work. You sit down with the appropriate industry body, who may not say everything about …
Mr Mills interjecting.
Ms LAWRIE: … governments and then you sit down with them and you work through any issues they have and you come to an agreed understanding on what the …
Mr Mills: Apply that to the teachers.
Ms LAWRIE: … and an understanding of indeed what the outcomes are. Very clearly, the government did not bring these reforms in to have any impediments to the resources industry here. We brought them in to close a loophole. We brought them in and, you are right, it does affect some commercial lawyers involved in providing advice to resource companies. It is going to close off a hitherto open opportunity to run out a protracted, lengthy legal …
Mr Mills: Oh. So they are on the take?
Ms LAWRIE: … argument over the transfer of stamp duty of expiration licenses. I find that comment from the Leader of the Opposition offensive. I pick up on that; saying they are all on the take. That is an offensive comment, Leader of the Opposition. For someone who purports to be the alternative Chief Minister, you really do have to watch your approach when talking about industry and, quite appropriately, what the industry does.
Mr Mills: You are just speaking about the solicitors.
Ms LAWRIE: Very ridiculous comments coming out of the Leader of the Opposition today - quite extraordinary.
What the government is introducing in this reform is what exists in New South Wales, Western Australia – I will repeat that, Western Australia is the largest mining producer in Australia - South Australia and Tasmania. The Leader of the Opposition said we have brought it in to balance out the tax cuts on payroll tax. The payroll tax cuts are worth $7.2m. Just the payroll tax cuts …
Mr Mills: The industry thinks you might get $8m for this.
Ms LAWRIE: … without the harmonisation, which is worth another $1.5m, are worth $7.2m. Calculations done by Treasury officials, revenue specialists, predict the stamp duty changes will be in the realms of $300 000 to $400 000. So how does that offset $7.2m in payroll tax cuts, unless the Leader of the Opposition does not know how to add up? The government is closing a loophole, with applying stamp duties as a transfer of exploration licences - not to new exploration licences, but the transfer, because we have seen a new process occurring in the last few years, emerging through commercial lawyers, where they are applying a greater weight of value to the mining exploration licences on transfer than the mining tenement itself. There is a protracted legal argument over years. You end in a place where the Northern Territory government, as advised during the estimates period, has won its legal challenges on that matter.
Where the taxation revenue specialists have landed to in terms of the weighting - and they are very conservative in where they apply the weighting on these exploration licences, I might say; they are very conservative - we have proven to be successful. However, it has cost a lot of money, a lot of time and has been an unnecessary loophole in the industry. So, we are shutting it down. We are not revenue raising. This is not going out for revenue raising; $300 000 to $400 000 is meaningless in an industry such as the resources industry. It is meaningless in revenue to government. It is not about the $300 000 to $400 000. It is about the protracted lengthy, administrative and legal arguments that delay appropriate full transfers.
The revenue law reform is a package that provides tax cuts and important opportunities for Territorians to get into the home market through significant improvements to the HomeNorth Scheme. We are the first jurisdiction in Australia to attack and cut across all of our conveyancing stamp duty rates, as well as reduce down the threshold. No other jurisdiction has gone out so aggressively to reduce stamp duty as we have in this budget. I am very proud that we are leading the nation in making home affordability an opportunity for Territorians. I commend the Revenue Law Reform Bills to the Chamber.
Motion agreed to; bill read a second time.
Ms LAWRIE (Treasurer) (by leave): Madam Speaker, I move that the bills be now read a third time.
Motion agreed to; bills read a third time.
Continued from 11 June 2008.
Mr CONLAN (Greatorex): Madam Speaker, I thank the minister for providing a briefing for me, taking the initiative. I got a call from his department to inform me this was going to happen and I had that briefing last week. I know this bill is reasonably straightforward and, obviously, designed to bring the Jabiru council into the West Arnhem Shire as part of local government reform. Because this local government body has that unique legislative position, it is not subject to effective oversight by the minister so this change will, obviously, remedy that. Jabiru has had a bit of a chequered history. It has had some recent dysfunction and this will go towards remedying that. The bill is in accordance with the government local reform policy.
Just one question though, minister. There was an outstanding debt from Jabiru. I believe it was round about $8m. My understanding is this was owed to the Territory for quite a few years. I am not sure whether that has been written off or whether it is still outstanding. If you could highlight what has happened to that debt, that would be appreciated. Thank you. But apart from that, we will not oppose this bill, Madam Speaker.
Mr WOOD (Nelson): Madam Speaker, I agree with the minister’s statement in his second reading that these amendments are historic in the development of Jabiru. They are, in the sense that, basically, this finishes the Jabiru Town Council. I had many good times at Jabiru and Jabiru Town Council. It might have been a little council but it was always a pretty enthusiastic one.
I have to mention Mr Dave Norton in my response. I am not even sure he is on the existing council but he has been part and parcel of Jabiru Town Council for many years. He was different, not in a bad way; different in that when he attended meetings, he always turned up in a tweed jacket with some badges on it ...
Mrs Miller: Patches.
Mr WOOD: Patches, was it? Yes. And he was no slouch at giving his opinion. He was one of the colourful characters that came out of the Jabiru Town Council. We are seeing today the end of era for better or worse. We are not going to get into that argument tonight because that is something we will find out in the long run. Jabiru did have its ups and downs, as the member for Greatorex said. It was put in the hands of an administrator not so long ago. It has looked after an area of the Territory which is one of the richest areas, especially in relation to mining. There was always doubts about the future of Jabiru so that was one of the issues they had to deal with. In the end, it has looked over one of the nicest towns in the Northern Territory.
Jabiru still is. It is always nice to go out there and meet people. I once stood as independent for Goyder when Goyder went out that far. I doorknocked all the houses around there. It was one of those places that, when you saw a pair of boots at the back door, you definitely did not knock because you knew someone was home and asleep since they were shift workers. I always found Jabiru a very friendly place. I noticed recently some of the residents came in to Freds Pass to play cricket. They involve themselves in the wider community. They field a team in the Rugby Union, they might even field a team in the TEAFA Australian Rules.
Jabiru has been a very active part of the Territory’s community. Their town council was very much part of that, as well. It is with a tinge of sadness - maybe not from the government’s point of view, since it had a few headaches in the past with Jabiru Town Council, but for some of us - that we say goodbye to this small but, very effective, town council.
I am interested to know what Dave is going to do now for a living. Maybe he is going to put his name down for the new West Arnhem Shire Council. I wish him, all the people at Jabiru, and those who have worked on Jabiru Town Council well. I thank them for the work they have done. As with most councils, they are not highly paid. In fact, I believe Jabiru councillors were not paid at all. They worked for their community for all those years and they should be recognised.
Mr KNIGHT (Local Government): Madam Speaker, I concur. I guess those colourful characters will probably find a new platform, a much higher and louder platform in the shires. No doubt, Dave Norton, or Naughty as they call him out there - I think it is his Hash House Harriers name - has been very vocal. Ralph Blyth has been fairly vocal over the years. The CEO of LGANT’s, origins were also with the Jabiru Town Council. I lived out there for many years. The member talked about the facilities and the people of the town. I played with the Bombers out there and came in on the bus trips. The footy matches were easy, the bus trips were harder, I can tell you, especially the return trip when they would pull up at the Humpty Doo Pub, fill up and off you go ...
Mr WOOD: With petrol that was.
Mr KNIGHT: Sorry?
Mr WOOD: It was petrol.
Mr KNIGHT: Petrol, yes. You could talk about Jabiru and its many stories. I hope they bury some of the stories where they bury most of the tailings, but there is one I will recount. Dennis Cryer is the dog catcher out near the Mobile Service Station out there ...
Mr Wood: The Jabiru town Cryer?
Mr KNIGHT: No, his name was Cryer. I remember someone telling me they saw these dogs belting across the road out of the scrub and he thought that was a bit strange. Next minute, the council vehicle burst through the bushes, across the road and off he went after these dogs. I remember being a resident there. Residents would quite regularly get their dogs locked up and off they would go in the middle of the night to find the pound, wherever it was, and break the dogs out.
Anyway, that is the colourful history of Jabiru and I believe it will continue. It is the key focus of the shires to continue the amenity of the town.
With respect, the debt the member for Greatorex was alluding to, the liabilities of Jabiru Town Development Authority will stay with them. The responsibilities and debts of the town council, however, will come across. We have checked it and there are very few outstanding liabilities of the Jabiru Town Council. Jabiru has an evolution about the future of that and it has a very bright future.
This is an administrative process. This is the moving forward with local government. I am delighted to see Jabiru being very proactive in this. We look forward to a bright future for one of those wonderful towns within the Territory.
Motion agreed to; bill read a second time.
Mr KNIGHT (Local Government)(by leave): Madam Speaker, I move that the bill now be read a third time.
Motion agreed to; bill read a third time.
Ms LAWRIE (Leader of Government Business): Madam Speaker, I move that the Assembly do now adjourn.
Mr HENDERSON (Wanguri): Madam Speaker, for those of us living in major centres in Australia, medical help is never far away. For those living in the most remote parts of the country and the Territory, the Royal Flying Doctor Service is always there in times of trouble. Recently, the Royal Flying Doctor Service celebrated its 80th anniversary with open days across the country.
The Royal Flying Doctor Service was created by Reverend John Flynn in Cloncurry, Queensland, to provide medical assistance to those living in the most isolated parts of the area. Reverend Flynn came to a lease agreement with Qantas for the use of a De Havilland DH.50 single propeller plane at a cost of two shillings a mile flying. The first flight was from Cloncurry to Julia Creek on 17 May 1928 and, two years later, flights began operating on a national basis. The RFDS has been there 24 hours a day, seven days a week every since.
The RFDS is the largest and most comprehensive aeromedical organisation in the world, and it is easy to see why. This year, the 47 aircraft in the fleet will fly over 21 million kilometres, and will treat 250 000 patients; that is, one patient every three minutes, many of whom will be residents of the Territory.
It is amazing to think that, 80 years ago, Reverend Flynn had the vision to create a service that is such an integral part of life in regional Australia. I pay tribute to him on behalf of all Territorians. I congratulate the many medical, mechanical, flight, and administrative staff who have helped make the Royal Flying Doctor Service such a success.
I will speak of a number of recent events in my electorate. The Lyons Display Village and the suburb opened just a couple of weeks ago. I had the pleasure of attending the opening of the Lyons Display Village earlier last month. It was really good to get down there and see the wonderful work that the team of Lyons and the buildings firms that build the display homes have put in. Lyons is a fantastic new suburb, and all the houses look absolutely great. Over 600 people come through the village on opening day. The village is made up of six homes, each built to reflect Lyons’ high standards of residential design guidelines. Four local builders have put homes on display: PTM homes, Shamrock Homes, Larrakia Homes and Darwin Constructions.
As most of us know, Lyons is a joint venture development between Defence Housing Australia and the Canberra Investment Corporation. I thank Geoff Smith, the Lyons Project Developer and all of his team. Geoff has done an absolutely first-rate job since Canberra Investment Corporation won the tender to develop Lyons. I really believe that they have set a new benchmark of residential suburban development here in Darwin.
I also went to Lyons a couple of weeks ago for the opening of the whole suburb. It was a fantastic evening. Everybody was in a real party mood. The concert was held in Garamanak Park, part of the community area of Lyons. It was great to see my federal colleague, Damien Hale, there, as well as the Lord Mayor of Darwin, a number of ward aldermen, and my colleague, the member for Casuarina. The highlight of the evening was a concert by Jessica Mauboy. The Jabaru Band and the Kenbi Dancers put on wonderful shows. However, the scene stealers were the two choirs, both from Wanguri. The Wanguri Primary School captivated everyone with their version of I Still Call Australia Home, Never Ending Story and Crocodile Rock, whilst Holy Spirit sang their hearts out with Dare to Dream, Tomorrow, We Absolutely Have to Have Music and Moscow. Jessica put on an absolutely fantastic show. My daughter was absolutely thrilled, as an eight-year-old little girl, to be in the mosh pit with all the other little girls for Jessica, and got Jessica’s autograph on her school uniform. Isobel was really happy and it was a great night.
The annual Holy Spirit School Fete was held recently, and I went along to take my place on the spinning wheel. I have been doing that for many years now, and really enjoy a couple of hours at spinning the wheel and raffling off some great prizes. The fete at Holy Spirit is the main event on the social school fundraising calendar, and has been held for many years. It was great to wander around sampling many of the goodies on offer. As always, the fete was well organised. It was chock full of stalls, with a huge variety of things on display. A big thank you to Jane Sheehan and her fete committee. It is a lot of hard work putting on that fete every year, and Jane does a magnificent job. Thanks also to the Principal, Bernadette Morriss, and her staff, students, and parents for putting on such a wonderful day.
It is good to see that Neighbourhood Watch is back up and running in Leanyer and Wanguri. After a break, monthly meetings are happening again. Neighbourhood Watch gives the residents a chance to catch up with all the goings on of an area, and a chance to speak to police about concerns. Brian Kennedy has been heavily involved with Neighbourhood Watch for many years, including the last few as Chairperson for the Leanyer area. Unfortunately, Brian has had to step down, and the meeting held in May honoured his role and achievements. I was very proud to be able to supply Brian with a certificate thanking him for all of his hard work. Brian had not been well lately and has made a big contribution. , Brian, thank you for that contribution and I wish you well.
I welcome Holly Rafiqi into the chairman’s role. Holly is a resident of Leanyer and has put her hand up to help out. Holly, I wish you best in your endeavours with Neighbourhood Watch. I am sure you will do very well and I look forward to working with you.
Every year, the Cancer Council encourages everyone to have a cup of tea for the big fundraising cause. This year was no exception. On Friday, 23 May, I headed down to my wonderful seniors village in Leanyer for their Biggest Morning Tea, which was actually an afternoon tea, but who is going to quibble? It is always nice to head down there, catch up with many friends that I have in the Leanyer Seniors Village, which is such a wonderful focal point of the Leanyer suburb. I thank John and Nali Smith and Christine Beaumont for all their work in organising such a wonderful event, as well as the residents who donated some great food. It is always fantastic to go to an afternoon tea at the village. Leanyer Seniors Village raised more than $200 for the Cancer Council. Well done.
I would like to finally talk about two very popular school choirs out in Wanguri. The Holy Spirit School Choir swept through the Eisteddfod recently, picking up four first places. I was lucky enough to hear the choir perform at the school fete, so I knew how successful they would be. Holy Spirit picked up first place in the categories of Year 3 and Under Choral Primary Groups; Year 3 and Under Sacred Groups; Year 6 and Under Choral Primary Groups; and Choral Primary Second Language Songs. Also, the whole school performed in the dance category, with all students helping out and performing to a really high standard, so to Holy Spirit, well done.
The Wanguri Primary School Choir is newly formed under the expert tuition of teacher, Emily Kuhn. I headed down to assembly last week to hear them sing before their first big performance at the Lyons opening. The choir is made up of kids from Year 2 to Year 6. They sound wonderful and work together very professionally, I am very proud to say my little daughter, Isobel, is part of the choir and does a great job. They sing a haunting rendition of I Still Call Australia Home. You could have heard a pin drop in the assembly hall when they opened assembly with that song.
With those few words, Madam Speaker, I conclude my adjournment debate.
Motion agreed to; the Assembly adjourned.
LEAVE OF ABSENCE
Members for Macdonnell, Nhulunbuy,
Barkly and Arafura
Members for Macdonnell, Nhulunbuy,
Barkly and Arafura
Ms LAWRIE (Leader of Government Business): Madam Speaker, I move that leave of absence be granted to member for Macdonnell due to a family bereavement; the member for Nhulunbuy, who is on the Kokoda Trail; the member for Barkly, who is travelling in the Territory; and I am hopeful the member for Arafura will be returning from Katherine.
Motion agreed to.
PETITION
Granting of Exploration Licence to
Cameco Paladin
Granting of Exploration Licence to
Cameco Paladin
Ms LAWRIE (Leader of Government Business)(by leave): Madam Speaker, on behalf of the member for Macdonnell, I present a petition from 948 petitioners relating to the granting of an exploration licence for the Cameco Paladin to explore the Angela and Pamela uranium deposits.
Madam Speaker, I move that the petition be read.
Motion agreed to; petition read:
- To the Chief Minister of the Northern Territory and Cabinet
We the undersigned strongly object to the granting of an exploration licence for Cameco Pelton to explore the Angelo and Pamela uranium deposits located just 25 km south of Alice Springs. The deposits are located within the boundaries of Alice Springs water catchment area and there is a risk of contaminating surface and groundwater sources. Uranium mining consumes large volumes of water and will impact on local eco systems. Exposure to uranium radiation poses a significant risk to workers and community members. The area including the two sites identified in the draft NT Parks Master Plan that is holding national biodiversity and conservation significance. These areas should be reserved for low impact developments such as tourism and not opened up for high impact projects like uranium mining.
We the undersigned request the Northern Territory government not grant an exploration licence to Cameco Paladin for the Angela and Pamela uranium deposits and return the areas to reservation from occupation status.
SPECIAL ADJOURNMENT
Ms LAWRIE (Leader of Government Business): Madam Speaker, I move that the Assembly at its rising adjourn until Tuesday 19 August 2008 at 10 am in Parliament House or such other time and/or date as may be advised by the Speaker pursuant to sessional order.
Motion agreed to.
APPROPRIATION BILL
(Serial 141)
(Serial 141)
Continued from 11 June 2008.
In committee:
Madam CHAIR: Honourable members, I call upon the Chairman of the Estimates Committee to present the report of the Estimates and Government Owned Corporations Scrutiny Committees.
Mr BURKE: Madam Deputy Chair, I first wish to say that my thoughts are with the member for Macdonnell and her family at this very sad time. The member for Macdonnell received news of her brother’s death when the Estimates Committee was sitting. Such was her dedication and commitment that she continued with the hearings until the end of the session.
It is, therefore, with some sadness that I table the report of the Estimates Committee and the Government Owned Corporations Scrutiny Committee, and their considerations of the estimates of proposed expenditure contained in the schedule to the 2008-09 Appropriation Bill.
I advise honourable members that any outstanding information, including answers to questions taken on notice which have not yet been received, will be tabled during the next sittings of the Assembly in August. As well, the Committee Secretariat will update the questions taken on notice database as answers are received and, when completed, a composite set of questions and answers will be placed on the Legislative Assembly website.
The seventh public hearings of the Estimates Committee provided members with 45 hours to scrutinise the 2008-09 Appropriation Bill. As members are aware, it continues that some agencies are not provided with adequate appearance time before the committee and, in some cases, do not appear at all.
The Standing Orders Committee took this issue on board prior to the 2007 Estimates process and, in a letter to the committee, advised that for the 2007 hearings all ministers would be restricted to a five-minute limit on their opening statements. The five-minute restriction to opening statements was again applied for these hearings and, by and large, the same schedule of appearance has been followed to ensure that, wherever possible, each agency is allowed adequate appearance time. However, as I said, as in the past, this was not entirely successful.
In my opening statement to the hearings, I reminded all committee members that as a total of 45 hours had been scheduled for ministers and agency officers to appear before the committee, it was incumbent on them to maximise their time over the four-day period so that all agencies were given sufficient time to allow for a thorough investigation of all key issues within each output group. As I said there were, unfortunately, occasions again throughout these public hearings where agencies were not fully questioned due to time constraints, or did not appear before the committee.
I take this opportunity to reiterate it should be a priority of the process that all agencies are provided with adequate time so the public scrutiny of their budget for which an estimates process is intended does occur. This is something that the committee will be looking into in conjunction with the Standing Orders Committee in the near future, including seeking feedback from agencies and others involved in the process to ascertain the best process of meeting the purpose of the Estimates Committee, whilst maintaining the present high level of accountability.
I take this opportunity to personally thank the members of the Public Accounts Committee who formed the core membership of the Estimates Committee for the manner in which these public hearings have been conducted. I also place on record a vote of appreciation from the committee to all other members who participated in the public hearing process, as well as the staff of the Committee Secretariat, who have provided direct support to the running of these hearings and in the weeks leading up to it.
I thank the staff of the Table Office and Hansard for their hard work over the past week. Thanks are also extended to the staff of the other areas of the Legislative Assembly who have provided the critical support work so that the hearings can happen. This is particularly so this year, when the recabling project necessitated a change of location from the committee area to the Parliament House Dining Room on Level 4 which has proved to be an ideal venue for this purpose.
I wish to personally thank each of the following staff for their input. In the Committee Secretariat, Ms Pat Hancock who, for the first time, took over the responsibility for the support services and the running of hearings, ably assisted by Kellie Trout. Other committee staff who played a part include Terry Hanley, Robyn Smith, Kim Cowcher and, seconded to committees, Phyllis Mitchell.
In the Table Office, thanks go to Graham Gadd, Steve Stokes, and Annette Brown; in Hansard, Helen Allmich, Lee Frank, Elizabeth Olajos and Sue Gray. Building Services people who were responsible for the set-up in the dining room which worked so well are Carmel Kelly, Errol Edwards, Shane Bird and Tony Hibberd. The technical support provided by the Assembly’s IT Manager, Greg Connors, was superb, right down to a special trip back to the office at 9 pm one evening to provide alternative lighting when a source failed; and Clifton Eliorda who, as always, was there to ensure that members were able to be online for the duration.
I thank the parliament security staff detail for their diligence through the hearings, especially Marty Deramos and Leonie Davies who were on duty outside the hearing room.
My appreciation is also extended to the Clerk, Mr McNeill, for ensuring that the process was, once again, streamlined.
There were 71 questions taken on notice this year; 10 more than in 2007. A total of 38 had been replied to by the time the Government Owned Corporations Scrutiny Committee hearing closed at 3.30 pm this afternoon. Given that the estimates hearing finished at 1 pm today and the Government Owned Corporations Scrutiny Committee ran for two hours between then and the opening of this session of the Assembly, the secretariat will need to follow up on the remaining questions early next week.
In addition to these questions, there was one question taken on notice during the Government Owned Corporation Scrutiny Committee hearing this morning, and the response to this question was reported back to the committee prior to the closure of the public hearing.
I acknowledge the Government Owned Corporations Scrutiny Committee which sat for the seventh time. Power and Water Corporation officials provided members with valuable insight into the operation of the organisation. I place on the record in this Chamber again this year, the committee’s appreciation of time and effort put in by Mr Neil Philip, Chairman of the Board, and Mr Andrew Macrides, Managing Director.
I have just a few awards that I would like to acknowledge for this year. For the second year running, the award for Best Jack Rations must go to the member for Port Darwin who has an amazing array of nibbles and specialties in a variety of pockets. The Groundhog Day Award, which is in reference to a movie where the main character goes through same day again and again, goes to Dr David Ritchie, CEO of Local Government, who was here no less than three times with a different minister. We may have to make him an honorary member of the Estimates Committee.
The Che Guevara Socialist Cooperative Award is awarded to Treasury, for the equitable sharing of Minties across all officials at and behind the table. Clearly, they are a close unit as no one was missed. The Rising Star award goes to Ms Pat Hancock who so effectively and efficiently ran her first Estimates Committee.
Members: Hear, hear!
Mr BURKE: The Most Carefully Sought Advice Award goes to the Minister for Health, who during one exchange - I think it was a question in relation to an investigation - and one of the minister’s advisors said: ‘I am trying to dig up the report but I do not think there were foul findings in that, if you give me a moment’. Dr Burns said: ‘So, you are looking up your briefs now?’ ‘I am’.
Finally, the quote of the week - I suppose I call this the Billy Connolly One Liner – in an exchange late in the evening referred to the very effective program, Closing the Clap!
Thank you, Madam Chair.
Madam CHAIR: Honourable members, pursuant to the resolution of the Assembly dated 11 June 2008, the committee has before it consideration of the Appropriate Bill 2008 (Serial 141) and reports of the Estimates Committee and the Government Owned Corporations Scrutiny Committee.
The question is that the proposed expenditure be agreed to, and that the resolutions and expressions of opinion as agreed to by the committees in relation to the proposed expenditure or output with reference to the Appropriation Bill 2008 (Serial 141), or the activities, performances, practices and financial management of the Power and Water Corporation with reference to its Statement of Corporate Intent for 2008-09 be noted.
I remind members that speech time limits for this debate are as follows. The ministers, Leader of the Opposition and shadow minister, 20 minutes; any other member, 10 minutes. The maximum period for consideration and conduct of this debate is five hours. As the time is now 4.45 pm, if the debate is not concluded by 9.45 pm, I will put the question.
Honourable members, when consideration of the bill and reports have been concluded, and the question put, the following question will then be put forthwith without debate: That the remainder of the bill be agreed to. The bill will then be reported to the Assembly. Following this report, the Speaker will then call upon the Treasurer to move the third reading of the bill.
Mr MILLS: Madam Chair, I acknowledge the member for Brennan and his report. I am very pleased, member for Brennan, that you identified all of those good people who worked around us in way or another - all different levels; some, perhaps, who would never have imagined they would be acknowledged in this way. I commend you for that and thank you for acknowledging all those people around us. Though the gallery was barely packed with good citizens who came to observe important matters that bear on their wellbeing and their future, it is, nonetheless, business that is conducted in the presence of the community. On that basis, there is an element of great seriousness about what we do - notwithstanding there were two Italian tourists who happened to get out of the lift at the wrong floor and got corralled with some advisors; ended up watching this for a time, scratched their heads and then decided to leave. They are probably writing notes in their journal now. I remember having a chat to them. I could not quite work out what it was about; it was very difficult to explain - as it is for a lot of our citizens who do not quite understand what it is we are doing, but have a sense that it is important. We know that it is. For those of us who are involved in it – as with any member who was involved in this process - learns a lot as a result of it.
I came into this Chamber, as the member for Wanguri did, in 1999, and there was a different system. Members opposite think it was the worst thing that has ever occurred, and now there is this glorious system. That silly nonsense aside, this process of scrutiny is a very good process to assist us, if we are honest. As members, it helps us to get a better grasp. I am sure members who carry or bear that great responsibility as ministers of the Crown, also receive fresh insights into the responsibilities they bear. In some cases, that was very evident as they began to get a grasp of the import and the complexity of the matters that we are called to attend to.
As members of the opposition and Independents, we feel the weight of that most acutely and, particularly having a small opposition. Though some regard the work of parliament as a game, like a sport or a contest, underneath that, there are the deeper issues; that being, a small opposition to hold the government accountable. A government can only be held accountable through quality questioning. Quality questioning cannot be arrived at without a deeper understanding and much intelligence. With only four members, it has been, quite honestly, challenging to be able to acquit our responsibility to hold government accountable. However, I am proud of my team, and I believe the team has done a superb job, when you consider the length of time given and the range of topics needed to be covered. I believe, as far as were able, we have acquitted ourselves adequately to carry on our responsibilities as members of this parliament, and to ensure there is a degree of accountability brought upon government.
I acknowledge the good work of the Independents as well. There is a good sense of camaraderie that develops at these times. Some of the superficial business surrounding our activities fades away as we focus on that which is important, helping us to understand and get behind the answers to the questions. The purpose of the answers sometimes seems to obstruct. We have to be careful about how we ask our questions and how they are responded to. Being diligent in this way we stand a chance to get some idea of what the true story really is, particularly when we are talking about matters of Treasury. You need a certain level of concentration and knowledge to be able to do that.
I also acknowledge fellow committee members on the PAC. It was good working with you. They are special times and we start to develop that camaraderie as a result of working together in an important process.
I turn my attention now to matters I believe were highlighted as a result of our investigations; that being, once again, the issue of superannuation liability. There is nothing more disturbing than a capacity to move away from something, and not draw full attention to it, or explain it away or minimise it. That cannot occur now with superannuation liability, but the sad thing is, it appears government still does not have a grasp of that. I am sure in their heart of hearts they do have an understanding of it, but they think they are playing some kind of political game, so they will play word games to try to deflect from it, or attack and discredit the questioner as a means to defend their position. But the fact is, there is a serious issue that needs to be attended to. Any analysis would show that the capacity of this government to attend to a fundamental responsibility such as unfunded superannuation liability has been inadequate in light of the record increase in revenue that has flowed to this Territory government.
Whatever the reasons, whether you think you have caught the resources boom or not, the fact is, revenue flows into this Territory in prodigious amounts. You have a large capacity to deal with fundamentals like unfunded superannuation liability. I do this not to score a point. The fact remains, $330m is more than you expected, with minimal effort given to responding to the challenge of ongoing liability. Those sorts of things remain concerning. The amount of money flowing in presents a challenge of how you will cut your course. Will you be tempted to attend to the short term? Or, will you do the responsible thing, and make adequate, substantial and wise provisions for the future? It appears this is a government that has fallen into temptation and been attracted to the short-term option – to heck with tomorrow.
For those of us who have been involved in small business, who have taken risks, who have paid off debts, know that you cannot take such a cavalier approach. When we extrapolate that to the highest level of government, these decisions will result in considerable challenges to those who will have their hands on the helm to steer the ship of state in the future.
It also shows there is a growth in the Territory economy, without a doubt. Whether you think you are personally responsible for that growth or not, we can put that aside. The fact is, it is growing, it is booming. That also presents challenges, but has also presented opportunities for the Territory government to have enlarged revenue streams. Once again, the challenge is: how do you wisely use that? Once again, I am disturbed by the ongoing theme that flows from government, that being: ‘Look at all the money that we have spent’, as though that is an achievement. Something akin to a kid going to the show, and coming out saying: ‘We had a great time, I spent $200’. But the question is: what did they get for the $200? We are talking about a sound investment. There is more of an achievement to be applauded in the result of your investment, the results of your expenditure - not the expenditure itself.
You talk about a social problem. There are a range of them, requiring a sophisticated response. We need something of greater sophistication than to say: ‘Yes’, acknowledge the problem and, ‘Do not worry, we have spent $200m more than …’. That is a very superficial response and designed to draw applause perhaps only from the peanut gallery. The rest, who understand how challenges are met, are more interested in the result of the expenditure. We still have a government with the attitude of: ‘Lots of money coming in. Somehow or other we have caused all this to happen and we are spending lots of it, in response to problems’. But are we fixing the problems? That is where the test remains.
We have ongoing concerns about the true nature of the arrangements entered into with regards to the waterfront when it was first proposed, compared to what has been built - notwithstanding during that time there has been extraordinary increases in the value of land. That investment will bear a result for the Territory. There are some goods and bads in it. Still, the commercial confidentiality surrounding the nature of that arrangement, how it is that a public amenity has been significantly reduced, are some of the questions, that seem, even through an estimates process, unable to be resolved or answered.
With all the words and talk about oncology, there is still the game of politics being played concerning the promise made in response to the plight of cancer sufferers. It is this Labor government that made the promise in the knowledge of the presence of cancer in 2001. In 2008, there are still word games being played. But all of that aside, just tell us what is really going on. It is not about you; it is about the cancer sufferers and, more importantly, about a promise that was made. I know as a dad, I have made a promise to my kids on a couple of occasions, and I did not keep it and my son reminded me of it. Whether it was expedient or not, I had some obligation because I said I would do it. It is on that level when that sort of social contact is entered into, the only way to acquit yourself is with transparent honesty. We have not had that.
We have had games played and excuses made in the context of a contract, that being a promise, regarding cancer treatment. To this day, we are drawing more attention to the fact that there has been a regime change in Canberra that are just wonderful good guys, but still no attention to the fundamental details – the promise, where is the money, when is it going to happen, and is it happening in a genuine and sincere way in response to a real problem. The problem is not political; it is a health issue, and it is an ethical issue. You have a promise, and if you cannot fulfil it, just be honest with people - those cancer sufferers the Minister for Health and I had the opportunity to speak with and hear their stories. This business is conducted in their presence. It is not a game.
These and many other issues, I could speak about, but we came through these estimates, once again, with surprise. We see it coming and we are challenged by the weight that we must carry, particularly from opposition. We get to the other side of it, thinking that was a good experience and we have grown as a result of it.
There are, undoubtedly, problems with the process and, rather than entering into an argument now regarding problems X, Y and Z - because that has been discussed before, it is on the record - I have decided, if the Chief Minister at expense to the Territory calls an early election, I make one election commitment now. If there is a change of government, and if you, the Labor government, believe that this estimates system is so good, I hereby commit to keeping the same system in place for two years before it will be considered for change. That way, you will know by the weight of experience what it is we are trying to describe here. So, that is one election commitment that is made now. The system will remain exactly as it is because the bed that you say is so comfortable and so good, you will thereby lie in it and see how comfortable and good it is. There are challenges with it, but it will stay as it is and, after two years, we will reconsider.
Thank you to all those involved. It is been a good experience and strengthens us as members.
Mr WOOD: Madam Chair, I also pass my condolences on to the member for Macdonnell. That is the first I heard that there had been a death in the family. I know everybody here feels the same. It is a very tragic thing to happen during the estimates. I wish her and her family well in this difficult time.
It might sound a bit sadistic but I actually enjoy the estimates, believe it or not, even though I am petrified when they are about to happen. They do require a bit of work, but I find it most important. In fact, I believe it is nearly the most important part of being in this House. It gives me an opportunity - sometimes it is stressful – to ask questions of the government, to test what they are saying and, at the same time, hopefully, give them an opportunity to listen to some other points of view, regardless of whether they agree with them or not because, as a parliamentarian, I am working for the Territory.
I will continue to fight about the Darwin prison; the Berrimah Farm; the lack of adequate and cheap housing and land; the processes determining the location of INPEX, and local governance. The government does not always agree with me, but the Estimates Committee gives me a reasonable opportunity to put a reasonable viewpoint to the government. It allows me to put my point of view in this House every year. That is really important.
During the local government debate I spoke about the democratic process. This process, too, is highly important, because it enhances the democratic process. It enhances the parliamentary process and it makes for a better government. There are some changes that need to happen and I mention here what I think could make a difference. The opposition had some, what I call ‘formatted questions’. They were the same questions for every department. I suggest there could be a system where, at the beginning of the period for that particular minister, that set of formatted questions could be handed to the minister and the answers could come back during that session. They were simply the same questions asking for some statistics. That would save some time.
We have made minor changes. I asked about ports a couple of years ago, saying that ports never got mentioned in estimates. Now, ports are up the top of the list. We should be putting ports down the bottom of the list next time and something else up the top. An area, for instance, that keeps getting missed out is the Fire Brigade. They come late at night and they never get a question. I feel there is room for an analysis of which portfolios have not had a chance to be scrutinised. That would require, the staff to go through over the last couple of years and see which portfolios or which sub-portfolios have not had a chance to be scrutinised These would then come to the top in next year’s Estimates Committee list.
The other thing that fell down this time was that there had been a change in ministers halfway during the year. Some ministers had a relatively small portfolio in relation to other portfolios. The Treasurer has what I regard as one of the biggest portfolios. You have Planning and Lands, and Infrastructure and Transport, plus the Treasury. They are pretty important areas of discussion in this House. They have a lot to do with the future development of the Territory. I had four more pages of questions, Treasurer, and you might have said: ‘Oh, heaven help us’. I had those because I believe there were lots of questions to be asked about your portfolio.
The minister for sport - I love sport, but, by gee, you are stretching the sport questions out over a couple of hours and get down to saying: ‘Who do you think will win the footy on Saturday?’ There was also another minister - I cannot think who at the present time. Maybe there could be some weighting based on portfolios rather than ministers. Again, that is only just a suggestion, because we need to ensure that every minute of the time we are in estimates is used as efficiently as possible because, as I said, it is a really important system.
I was talking briefly to the member for Stuart, and he said it is an opportunity to learn a lot of things. I agree. There are a lot of things that come out of estimates that are not political; they are informative. In fact, one of the best areas we deal with is the Power and Water section, where we have a chance to look at the policies of Power and Water. That, in itself, is a very important portfolio. The future of the Territory depends on the supply of water, electricity, and energy and even sewerage systems - which was mentioned a number of times today. Those things might sound pretty mundane but, with a growing city - and you can look around and see a number of buildings going up - there are questions that need to be asked about the capability of our infrastructure to handle the growth occurring here.
I was listening to what the member for Blain said about how the Territory is booming. We can say lots of great things about the amount of money we have in the budget; how we are spending money here, money there; how we are building new convention centres – there is just great growth in the Territory. Well, there is, but I say again, as I have said before, that if part of our society is being left behind because they cannot put a roof over their head because of the cost of living, if people in remote areas have extremely high unemployment, if literacy and numeracy are at extremely low levels - so low that employment opportunities for these people are practically nil, outside doing some fairly mundane tasks - then I do not think we can gloat too much. We, as a society, must never forget that not all of us are as well off as some of us. Although some may say: ‘Oh well, too bad’, I say that a government like the government in the Northern Territory, knowing that it is getting plenty of money from the GST and that we have a booming economy, must never take it for granted that everybody is doing well.
We do have a section - maybe it is a small section, but we have a section - in our community which is struggling. We have high mortgages, which affects even the middle class in our society, and society generally.. Look at the amount of crime. As I was coming into town for the estimates, I listened to the ABC and the crime report from the Officer-in-Charge at the police station in Mitchell Street. You hear of the number of break-ins, bashings, car accidents - and that is each day. You would have to wonder where our society is heading and whether some of the issues we are faced with today stem from stress - financial stress people suffer due to having to work day and night to be able to service debt, especially through mortgages. Perhaps this is having an effect on families, and young people are not getting the love and attention they would get if there was not that stress around. There are issues that we need to look at as a whole.
Once again, I thank all the staff who were involved in the estimates, they have done a fantastic job. And Hansard - I do not know how they ever translate what I say. They should get a medal. I look forward to next year’s estimates as well.
Ms LAWRIE: Madam Chair, I join with all of the members in the Chamber to thank the Assembly staff, they put in a lot of hours to ensure democracy is upheld in the Territory, and I do not say that lightly. Having formerly being a member of the Estimates Committee, I understand the effort that goes in behind the scenes. Well done to Pat Hancock in her first time at the helm of the estimates secretariat - impressive job there - and thank you very much to the Clerk and Terry Hanley, who helped out behind the scenes, and to the Committee Secretariat.
I sincerely thank the Chair of the PAC, the member for Brennan. He did an exceptional job, I believe, in his role as Chair; he was very fair and set a high professional standard. I know in debates past, people have had things to say about the chairing but, given the tone of the debate in the Chamber today, we can all wholeheartedly congratulate the member for Brennan for his effort, ably supported by the member for Port Darwin, who undertook the role of Deputy Chair and stepped in for several sessions. Both of them put in about 38 hours during the week, chairing sessions across the estimates mandate - no small amount of effort put in on behalf of the democratic process.
I understand and concur with the sentiments of the Leader of the Opposition. It is tough going through estimates. It is hard for a small in numbers opposition to sustain the week. I hope they found the opportunity to question ministers and public servants a very worthwhile process. I am heartened by the announcement by the Leader of the Opposition that, would he be given an opportunity to govern, he would keep the process. It is certainly a long change from debates of past. It is important. I believe the role the opposition and the Independents play during the estimates week is a critically important role to play. The government is well served by the estimates process, and we have a very deep and abiding commitment to the process. Of course, we are going to have issues, and we are going to disagree on the perceptive but, fundamentally, we are there to scrutinise the budget, and that is a very important task that occurs during the estimates week.
The Leader of the Opposition still refuses to understand the issue of superannuation liability. Fundamentally, he is running a line that government really has not grasped the issue of superannuation liability. He claims we are playing some kind of political word game with it. Well, it could not be further from the truth. This Labor government has put $170m towards this unfunded superannuation liability. We are driving that liability down. We are working to reduce the liability significantly. When you have the opportunity, as I do as Treasurer, to talk to experts in the field, they are astounded at how quickly we are dropping the liability. When we came to government, the nett debt plus employer liability, as a proportion to revenue, was 134%. In just a few years, we have driven that down remarkably to 108%, a massive change - a massive change, as the experts would say. This government takes our responsibilities extremely seriously, and included in that is the superannuation liability.
As I have said, our government was addressing debt, as we have. We are driving down the debt we inherited, including that superannuation liability. We also must turn our budgets towards those resources that improve core services that every Territorian has a right to enjoy. We know we have a significant unmet need across the Territory. Significantly, that unmet need lies in the bush. Closing the Gap is our initiative driving forward resources and services into the bush. I believe our government can and must stay on track with driving through the services people can access in town. They are now in our regional towns and we are driving those services out into our remote communities.
There is $57m-odd put into Closing the Gap additional services in this budget this year alone - no small feat. We are not playing for the short term. We are here, and we are pursuing the growth of the Territory for the long term, right across the Territory.
I see that as the stark difference between the parties. I believe the history of the Territory will show - and you can only judge history at a time further from where we are today - this is a government for all Territorians. Whether they reside in our flourishing, beautiful tropical capital city, or the beautiful red Centre in Alice Springs or in the regional towns of Tennant Creek and Katherine or, indeed, in our remote communities, we will pursue the right of all Territorians to have a quality of life in which they can raise their children in a safe environment, in appropriate housing, with access to education and health services, and drive on roads that are safe. All these tasks we are starting to make inroads into when it comes to the bush, but we have a long way to go.
Our government, whilst I am Treasurer, will not take our eyes off the need to continue to significantly provide resources to the bush while we drive the economic prosperity of our capital, Alice Springs and our regional towns. All of this we should and must do. We do not resile from the fact that, as you build into the future, you use the growth we are experiencing today, the growth that enables us to fund $870m in infrastructure investment in this budget alone. That is a phenomenal record. We are funding around $700m this financial year and we are stepping up. We are stepping up to levels that no other government in the Territory has ever done.
The Leader of the Opposition continues to bag the waterfront but, again, that is proof government can work with the private sector and leverage significant private sector investment and drive the economy. Tourism is a critically important part of this economy. That convention centre down at the waterfront has 23 conventions booked. Approximately 11 000 people will come into this town and help us by spending into our economy.
In terms of oncology, the Northern Territory government is not playing games; it is not a political game, we are dealing with the heath of Territorians. We are providing opportunity for them to be appropriately treated with oncology services in the Territory. I pay tribute the Minister for Health, who has worked solidly and doggedly and pursed federal government after federal government to land the agreement to provide the oncology service, because that is the nature of health services.
Health services are about agreements between the Commonwealth and the Territory. We do not just go through the health services arrangements on our own - they are partnerships. He has sealed a partnership with the Commonwealth government and there will be an oncology service. This is not about politics; this is about delivering a health service. I went to the funeral of a cancer sufferer today. I stand here, today, reminded about how critically important this service is to Territorians and their families to be appropriately cared for in the Territory.
This is a government that has produced five surpluses in a row. We are, for the first time ever, in a position with our budget to have surpluses in all our forward estimates. This is following us coming to government with some terrible deficits that burdened the early years of the Labor government. We climbed out of that with tight financial management, fiscal responsibility, and worked at driving the key economic drivers in our economy for tourism, the resources and LNG onshore. We are now seeing the benefits of that, particularly driving, obviously, the construction program through our capital works expenditure.
So what do we have today? We have the nation’s strongest growing economy. We are the best economy in the nation. We are punching above our weight. We have low unemployment, we have delivered secondary education into the bush. We have had drops in property crime, we have extended life expectancy of three years for Aboriginal women. On the waterfront, on about $115m in investment, we are going to get our return on that through property sales and, as I said before, we have 23 conventions and 11 000 delegates coming through. All of this bodes well for our future.
I am particularly proud to be the Treasurer of the Northern Territory - the first, I believe, Northern Territory-grown Treasurer. I view the Territory as coming of age. I go down there and have a look at the waterfront and I know that the town I was born in has certainly come of age. I travel to Alice Springs and I see the bright future that Alice has, and the communities across the Centre are really starting to take and claim and own and drive forward their communities and their regions. The people are strong. The people of the Territory are strong. The government is listening to them. We do look forward to and invite debate from the opposition. That is about a healthy democracy.
I particularly enjoy the debates with the member for Nelson. I particularly enjoy the planning debates with the member for Nelson. I have no doubt that, while there is breath left in the pair of us, we will continue to debate planning. I respect his views and I invite his opinions. It does test all of the processes that good government goes through.
Thank you to all of the members who participated in the estimates process. It has been a very hard process, a very long week. Thank you, of course, again to the committee staff. Thank you to the Table Office staff. Thank you to the Hansard staff. Congratulations to our PAC Chair and our Deputy Speaker in chairing the estimates process. They did a fantastic job on behalf of government.
Madam CHAIR: The question is that the proposed expenditure be agreed to and that the resolutions or expressions of opinion as agreed to by the committees in relation to the proposed expenditure or output with reference to the Appropriation Bill 2008 (Serial 141) for the activities, performances, practices and financial management of the Power and Water Corporation with reference to its Statement of Corporate Intent for 2008-09 be noted.
Motion agreed to.
Remainder of the bill agreed to.
Bill reported; report adopted.
Ms LAWRIE (Treasurer): Madam Speaker, I move that the bill now be read a third time.
Motion agreed to, bill read a third time.
REVENUE LAW REFORM
(BUDGET INITIATIVES) BILL
(Serial 146)
PAY-ROLL AMENDMENT
(HARMONISATION) BILL
(Serial 148)
(BUDGET INITIATIVES) BILL
(Serial 146)
PAY-ROLL AMENDMENT
(HARMONISATION) BILL
(Serial 148)
Continued from 7 May 2008.
Mr MILLS (Opposition Leader): Madam Speaker, the government has introduced the Revenue Law Reform (Budget Initiatives) Bill (Serial 146) and the Pay-roll Tax Amendment (Harmonisation) Bill (Serial 148). These bills have been introduced to be read together. These bills affect various changes. Primarily, they have the effect of introducing three changes: first, the changes to the HomeNorth Scheme for the first homebuyers; second, to the stamp duty regime to include mining tenements; and third, changes to the payroll taxation system. There are also other amendments to the operation of non-discretionary trusts and other minor amendments to instruments. Typical of this government, every time they have some bad news, they omnibus it in a bill that brings good news.
You see, Madam Speaker, if I do not agree with this bill here today, I have to vote against the whole instrument. That is a problem because if I do that, I will be voting against the changes to the HomeNorth Scheme. These changes, for what they are worth, need to be supported, but I am cautious about the changes to the mining tenements legislation.
The exploration industry is particularly unhappy with the arrangements. I cannot say that I blame them. The measures included in the bill make exploration licences property that is subject to stamp duty. Mr Loganathan has done press on this issue and was quite vocal in the media about it. His comments were widely reported. This will not apply to new exploration licences but it will apply to subsequent transfers by including them in the definition of land. The mining industry’s peak body, the Resources Council, has rolled over and accepted this instrument after originally telling us that it was vehemently opposed to this action by government. However, my caution exists …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr MILLS: My caution exists on several levels. First, they object to a tax on a licence that authorises them to spend money. An exploration licence is, essentially, an exclusive right of access to a particular area to identify any valuable minerals that are in the area. That is an expense to the explorer and there is no right to extract at all associated with the licence. There are values in the capacity to sell or trade in the exploration licences, and it is that value the government seeks to tax. Up until now, the Stamp Duty Act has specifically exempted exploration licences from stamp duty.
This then leads to the second area of irritation for me on this issue, and that is the implication there has been a deliberate and conscious use of the exploration lease exemption to avoid tax. Surely, if people are breaking the law, they need to brought to justice. If companies are engaged in extraction for profit under the guise of exploration licences, surely it is not such a difficult charge to make. However, what we see here is not just a genuine attempt to close a loophole; it appears an attempt to balance the books for a payroll tax cut …
Members interjecting.
Mr MILLS: The government gives and the government takes away. It is easy for government to demonise the mining industry - the mining industry knows this and has chosen not to have a fight. They are rich beyond imagination, and they generate no votes in the northern suburbs, so the latest strategists would say. The answer is to imply they are on the take, and to tax them is the response. What concerns me is that this is a common approach in politics in the modern world and a hallmark of this government ...
Members interjecting.
Mr MILLS: Madam Speaker, if they do not like someone, the stops are pulled out and no holds are barred.
Last year, the Howard government was the devil incarnate for his approach to the waste dump. How muted are the voices of outrage now? Sadly, so many organisations that grumble do not publicly criticise the government because they are worried about how government will respond. I suspect, when this bill is passed, the mining industry will accept it, albeit grudgingly, as a reality.
However, with some grave reservations, we will not obstruct this measure, largely due to the construct of this package, which has measures in it that are eminently supportable It does include one issue which, in my view, is in need of further questioning. Nonetheless, it will be our intent to watch this very carefully to see if problems do arise. Though the Treasurer claims the return to government from this will be in the order of $300 000 to $400 000, others have a significantly different view that the amount may be far greater than that. We want to see this measure does not impede exploration in the Northern Territory, or the ensuing benefits that will flow into the industry, and it is not a measure merely to collect taxes. We seek to ensure it achieves what government describes it will achieve. The opposition will be watching.
Madam Speaker, with those comments, we support the bill, with some reservations.
Ms LAWRIE (Treasurer): Madam Speaker, I have to say comments in that speech were some of the most extraordinary I have heard in this Chamber. To describe the Resources Council as having rolled over – what an outrageous and wrong comment from the Leader of the Opposition.
The Resources Council stands strongly as an advocacy group for its membership. As Treasurer, I have met with executive members of the Resources Council and their new Chief Executive Officer, and they have ardently put the view of their members - in terms of the proposal before us today and the revenue law reform - and talked to us about the perceptions around the potential impact of applying stamp duty to the transfer of exploration licences. As a government, we stepped them through what the changes were; and what the impact is expected to be. Once they became fully informed of the changes and the proposed impact, they were satisfied with the government’s proposal. They were equally satisfied with government’s plans dealing with any one-off scenarios we captured, that were not intended to be captured.
We have had a very positive working relationship working through the detail of the issue. That is how good governments work. You sit down with the appropriate industry body, who may not say everything about …
Mr Mills interjecting.
Ms LAWRIE: … governments and then you sit down with them and you work through any issues they have and you come to an agreed understanding on what the …
Mr Mills: Apply that to the teachers.
Ms LAWRIE: … and an understanding of indeed what the outcomes are. Very clearly, the government did not bring these reforms in to have any impediments to the resources industry here. We brought them in to close a loophole. We brought them in and, you are right, it does affect some commercial lawyers involved in providing advice to resource companies. It is going to close off a hitherto open opportunity to run out a protracted, lengthy legal …
Mr Mills: Oh. So they are on the take?
Ms LAWRIE: … argument over the transfer of stamp duty of expiration licenses. I find that comment from the Leader of the Opposition offensive. I pick up on that; saying they are all on the take. That is an offensive comment, Leader of the Opposition. For someone who purports to be the alternative Chief Minister, you really do have to watch your approach when talking about industry and, quite appropriately, what the industry does.
Mr Mills: You are just speaking about the solicitors.
Ms LAWRIE: Very ridiculous comments coming out of the Leader of the Opposition today - quite extraordinary.
What the government is introducing in this reform is what exists in New South Wales, Western Australia – I will repeat that, Western Australia is the largest mining producer in Australia - South Australia and Tasmania. The Leader of the Opposition said we have brought it in to balance out the tax cuts on payroll tax. The payroll tax cuts are worth $7.2m. Just the payroll tax cuts …
Mr Mills: The industry thinks you might get $8m for this.
Ms LAWRIE: … without the harmonisation, which is worth another $1.5m, are worth $7.2m. Calculations done by Treasury officials, revenue specialists, predict the stamp duty changes will be in the realms of $300 000 to $400 000. So how does that offset $7.2m in payroll tax cuts, unless the Leader of the Opposition does not know how to add up? The government is closing a loophole, with applying stamp duties as a transfer of exploration licences - not to new exploration licences, but the transfer, because we have seen a new process occurring in the last few years, emerging through commercial lawyers, where they are applying a greater weight of value to the mining exploration licences on transfer than the mining tenement itself. There is a protracted legal argument over years. You end in a place where the Northern Territory government, as advised during the estimates period, has won its legal challenges on that matter.
Where the taxation revenue specialists have landed to in terms of the weighting - and they are very conservative in where they apply the weighting on these exploration licences, I might say; they are very conservative - we have proven to be successful. However, it has cost a lot of money, a lot of time and has been an unnecessary loophole in the industry. So, we are shutting it down. We are not revenue raising. This is not going out for revenue raising; $300 000 to $400 000 is meaningless in an industry such as the resources industry. It is meaningless in revenue to government. It is not about the $300 000 to $400 000. It is about the protracted lengthy, administrative and legal arguments that delay appropriate full transfers.
The revenue law reform is a package that provides tax cuts and important opportunities for Territorians to get into the home market through significant improvements to the HomeNorth Scheme. We are the first jurisdiction in Australia to attack and cut across all of our conveyancing stamp duty rates, as well as reduce down the threshold. No other jurisdiction has gone out so aggressively to reduce stamp duty as we have in this budget. I am very proud that we are leading the nation in making home affordability an opportunity for Territorians. I commend the Revenue Law Reform Bills to the Chamber.
Motion agreed to; bill read a second time.
Ms LAWRIE (Treasurer) (by leave): Madam Speaker, I move that the bills be now read a third time.
Motion agreed to; bills read a third time.
JABIRU TOWN DEVELOPMENT
AMENDMENT BILL
(Serial 152)
AMENDMENT BILL
(Serial 152)
Continued from 11 June 2008.
Mr CONLAN (Greatorex): Madam Speaker, I thank the minister for providing a briefing for me, taking the initiative. I got a call from his department to inform me this was going to happen and I had that briefing last week. I know this bill is reasonably straightforward and, obviously, designed to bring the Jabiru council into the West Arnhem Shire as part of local government reform. Because this local government body has that unique legislative position, it is not subject to effective oversight by the minister so this change will, obviously, remedy that. Jabiru has had a bit of a chequered history. It has had some recent dysfunction and this will go towards remedying that. The bill is in accordance with the government local reform policy.
Just one question though, minister. There was an outstanding debt from Jabiru. I believe it was round about $8m. My understanding is this was owed to the Territory for quite a few years. I am not sure whether that has been written off or whether it is still outstanding. If you could highlight what has happened to that debt, that would be appreciated. Thank you. But apart from that, we will not oppose this bill, Madam Speaker.
Mr WOOD (Nelson): Madam Speaker, I agree with the minister’s statement in his second reading that these amendments are historic in the development of Jabiru. They are, in the sense that, basically, this finishes the Jabiru Town Council. I had many good times at Jabiru and Jabiru Town Council. It might have been a little council but it was always a pretty enthusiastic one.
I have to mention Mr Dave Norton in my response. I am not even sure he is on the existing council but he has been part and parcel of Jabiru Town Council for many years. He was different, not in a bad way; different in that when he attended meetings, he always turned up in a tweed jacket with some badges on it ...
Mrs Miller: Patches.
Mr WOOD: Patches, was it? Yes. And he was no slouch at giving his opinion. He was one of the colourful characters that came out of the Jabiru Town Council. We are seeing today the end of era for better or worse. We are not going to get into that argument tonight because that is something we will find out in the long run. Jabiru did have its ups and downs, as the member for Greatorex said. It was put in the hands of an administrator not so long ago. It has looked after an area of the Territory which is one of the richest areas, especially in relation to mining. There was always doubts about the future of Jabiru so that was one of the issues they had to deal with. In the end, it has looked over one of the nicest towns in the Northern Territory.
Jabiru still is. It is always nice to go out there and meet people. I once stood as independent for Goyder when Goyder went out that far. I doorknocked all the houses around there. It was one of those places that, when you saw a pair of boots at the back door, you definitely did not knock because you knew someone was home and asleep since they were shift workers. I always found Jabiru a very friendly place. I noticed recently some of the residents came in to Freds Pass to play cricket. They involve themselves in the wider community. They field a team in the Rugby Union, they might even field a team in the TEAFA Australian Rules.
Jabiru has been a very active part of the Territory’s community. Their town council was very much part of that, as well. It is with a tinge of sadness - maybe not from the government’s point of view, since it had a few headaches in the past with Jabiru Town Council, but for some of us - that we say goodbye to this small but, very effective, town council.
I am interested to know what Dave is going to do now for a living. Maybe he is going to put his name down for the new West Arnhem Shire Council. I wish him, all the people at Jabiru, and those who have worked on Jabiru Town Council well. I thank them for the work they have done. As with most councils, they are not highly paid. In fact, I believe Jabiru councillors were not paid at all. They worked for their community for all those years and they should be recognised.
Mr KNIGHT (Local Government): Madam Speaker, I concur. I guess those colourful characters will probably find a new platform, a much higher and louder platform in the shires. No doubt, Dave Norton, or Naughty as they call him out there - I think it is his Hash House Harriers name - has been very vocal. Ralph Blyth has been fairly vocal over the years. The CEO of LGANT’s, origins were also with the Jabiru Town Council. I lived out there for many years. The member talked about the facilities and the people of the town. I played with the Bombers out there and came in on the bus trips. The footy matches were easy, the bus trips were harder, I can tell you, especially the return trip when they would pull up at the Humpty Doo Pub, fill up and off you go ...
Mr WOOD: With petrol that was.
Mr KNIGHT: Sorry?
Mr WOOD: It was petrol.
Mr KNIGHT: Petrol, yes. You could talk about Jabiru and its many stories. I hope they bury some of the stories where they bury most of the tailings, but there is one I will recount. Dennis Cryer is the dog catcher out near the Mobile Service Station out there ...
Mr Wood: The Jabiru town Cryer?
Mr KNIGHT: No, his name was Cryer. I remember someone telling me they saw these dogs belting across the road out of the scrub and he thought that was a bit strange. Next minute, the council vehicle burst through the bushes, across the road and off he went after these dogs. I remember being a resident there. Residents would quite regularly get their dogs locked up and off they would go in the middle of the night to find the pound, wherever it was, and break the dogs out.
Anyway, that is the colourful history of Jabiru and I believe it will continue. It is the key focus of the shires to continue the amenity of the town.
With respect, the debt the member for Greatorex was alluding to, the liabilities of Jabiru Town Development Authority will stay with them. The responsibilities and debts of the town council, however, will come across. We have checked it and there are very few outstanding liabilities of the Jabiru Town Council. Jabiru has an evolution about the future of that and it has a very bright future.
This is an administrative process. This is the moving forward with local government. I am delighted to see Jabiru being very proactive in this. We look forward to a bright future for one of those wonderful towns within the Territory.
Motion agreed to; bill read a second time.
Mr KNIGHT (Local Government)(by leave): Madam Speaker, I move that the bill now be read a third time.
Motion agreed to; bill read a third time.
ADJOURNMENT
Ms LAWRIE (Leader of Government Business): Madam Speaker, I move that the Assembly do now adjourn.
Mr HENDERSON (Wanguri): Madam Speaker, for those of us living in major centres in Australia, medical help is never far away. For those living in the most remote parts of the country and the Territory, the Royal Flying Doctor Service is always there in times of trouble. Recently, the Royal Flying Doctor Service celebrated its 80th anniversary with open days across the country.
The Royal Flying Doctor Service was created by Reverend John Flynn in Cloncurry, Queensland, to provide medical assistance to those living in the most isolated parts of the area. Reverend Flynn came to a lease agreement with Qantas for the use of a De Havilland DH.50 single propeller plane at a cost of two shillings a mile flying. The first flight was from Cloncurry to Julia Creek on 17 May 1928 and, two years later, flights began operating on a national basis. The RFDS has been there 24 hours a day, seven days a week every since.
The RFDS is the largest and most comprehensive aeromedical organisation in the world, and it is easy to see why. This year, the 47 aircraft in the fleet will fly over 21 million kilometres, and will treat 250 000 patients; that is, one patient every three minutes, many of whom will be residents of the Territory.
It is amazing to think that, 80 years ago, Reverend Flynn had the vision to create a service that is such an integral part of life in regional Australia. I pay tribute to him on behalf of all Territorians. I congratulate the many medical, mechanical, flight, and administrative staff who have helped make the Royal Flying Doctor Service such a success.
I will speak of a number of recent events in my electorate. The Lyons Display Village and the suburb opened just a couple of weeks ago. I had the pleasure of attending the opening of the Lyons Display Village earlier last month. It was really good to get down there and see the wonderful work that the team of Lyons and the buildings firms that build the display homes have put in. Lyons is a fantastic new suburb, and all the houses look absolutely great. Over 600 people come through the village on opening day. The village is made up of six homes, each built to reflect Lyons’ high standards of residential design guidelines. Four local builders have put homes on display: PTM homes, Shamrock Homes, Larrakia Homes and Darwin Constructions.
As most of us know, Lyons is a joint venture development between Defence Housing Australia and the Canberra Investment Corporation. I thank Geoff Smith, the Lyons Project Developer and all of his team. Geoff has done an absolutely first-rate job since Canberra Investment Corporation won the tender to develop Lyons. I really believe that they have set a new benchmark of residential suburban development here in Darwin.
I also went to Lyons a couple of weeks ago for the opening of the whole suburb. It was a fantastic evening. Everybody was in a real party mood. The concert was held in Garamanak Park, part of the community area of Lyons. It was great to see my federal colleague, Damien Hale, there, as well as the Lord Mayor of Darwin, a number of ward aldermen, and my colleague, the member for Casuarina. The highlight of the evening was a concert by Jessica Mauboy. The Jabaru Band and the Kenbi Dancers put on wonderful shows. However, the scene stealers were the two choirs, both from Wanguri. The Wanguri Primary School captivated everyone with their version of I Still Call Australia Home, Never Ending Story and Crocodile Rock, whilst Holy Spirit sang their hearts out with Dare to Dream, Tomorrow, We Absolutely Have to Have Music and Moscow. Jessica put on an absolutely fantastic show. My daughter was absolutely thrilled, as an eight-year-old little girl, to be in the mosh pit with all the other little girls for Jessica, and got Jessica’s autograph on her school uniform. Isobel was really happy and it was a great night.
The annual Holy Spirit School Fete was held recently, and I went along to take my place on the spinning wheel. I have been doing that for many years now, and really enjoy a couple of hours at spinning the wheel and raffling off some great prizes. The fete at Holy Spirit is the main event on the social school fundraising calendar, and has been held for many years. It was great to wander around sampling many of the goodies on offer. As always, the fete was well organised. It was chock full of stalls, with a huge variety of things on display. A big thank you to Jane Sheehan and her fete committee. It is a lot of hard work putting on that fete every year, and Jane does a magnificent job. Thanks also to the Principal, Bernadette Morriss, and her staff, students, and parents for putting on such a wonderful day.
It is good to see that Neighbourhood Watch is back up and running in Leanyer and Wanguri. After a break, monthly meetings are happening again. Neighbourhood Watch gives the residents a chance to catch up with all the goings on of an area, and a chance to speak to police about concerns. Brian Kennedy has been heavily involved with Neighbourhood Watch for many years, including the last few as Chairperson for the Leanyer area. Unfortunately, Brian has had to step down, and the meeting held in May honoured his role and achievements. I was very proud to be able to supply Brian with a certificate thanking him for all of his hard work. Brian had not been well lately and has made a big contribution. , Brian, thank you for that contribution and I wish you well.
I welcome Holly Rafiqi into the chairman’s role. Holly is a resident of Leanyer and has put her hand up to help out. Holly, I wish you best in your endeavours with Neighbourhood Watch. I am sure you will do very well and I look forward to working with you.
Every year, the Cancer Council encourages everyone to have a cup of tea for the big fundraising cause. This year was no exception. On Friday, 23 May, I headed down to my wonderful seniors village in Leanyer for their Biggest Morning Tea, which was actually an afternoon tea, but who is going to quibble? It is always nice to head down there, catch up with many friends that I have in the Leanyer Seniors Village, which is such a wonderful focal point of the Leanyer suburb. I thank John and Nali Smith and Christine Beaumont for all their work in organising such a wonderful event, as well as the residents who donated some great food. It is always fantastic to go to an afternoon tea at the village. Leanyer Seniors Village raised more than $200 for the Cancer Council. Well done.
I would like to finally talk about two very popular school choirs out in Wanguri. The Holy Spirit School Choir swept through the Eisteddfod recently, picking up four first places. I was lucky enough to hear the choir perform at the school fete, so I knew how successful they would be. Holy Spirit picked up first place in the categories of Year 3 and Under Choral Primary Groups; Year 3 and Under Sacred Groups; Year 6 and Under Choral Primary Groups; and Choral Primary Second Language Songs. Also, the whole school performed in the dance category, with all students helping out and performing to a really high standard, so to Holy Spirit, well done.
The Wanguri Primary School Choir is newly formed under the expert tuition of teacher, Emily Kuhn. I headed down to assembly last week to hear them sing before their first big performance at the Lyons opening. The choir is made up of kids from Year 2 to Year 6. They sound wonderful and work together very professionally, I am very proud to say my little daughter, Isobel, is part of the choir and does a great job. They sing a haunting rendition of I Still Call Australia Home. You could have heard a pin drop in the assembly hall when they opened assembly with that song.
With those few words, Madam Speaker, I conclude my adjournment debate.
Motion agreed to; the Assembly adjourned.
Last updated: 04 Aug 2016