2005-05-04
Madam Speaker Braham took the Chair at 10 am.
Mr HENDERSON (Leader of Government Business): Madam Speaker, I move that the routine of business be rearranged or suspended if a question or debate is before the Chair so as to permit the opposition response to the Budget 2005-06 to be taken at 11 am on this day.
Motion agreed to.
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I have given permission for various media to broadcast live or re-broadcast with sound and vision the opposition’s budget reply; 8TOP FM radio to broadcast live the opposition’s budget reply; and the Northern Territory News to take photographs.
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I advise of the presence in the gallery of Millner Primary School Year 6 and 7 students accompanied by their teacher Cathy Deans. On behalf of all honourable members, I extend a warm welcome.
Members: Hear, hear!
Madam SPEAKER: I advise members that, in Alice Springs when you said ‘Hear, hear!’ to some of the students, it really pleased them. They said: ‘Did you hear what they said? They said “Welcome”; they are pleased we are here’. Therefore, when you say ‘Hear, hear!’ automatically you are probably not realising that students appreciate your response. I thought that was rather lovely.
Mr BURKE (Opposition Leader)(by leave): Madam Speaker, I present a petition not conforming with standing orders from 640 petitioners relating to funding and resources to build an oncology facility at Royal Darwin Hospital. Madam Speaker, I move that the petition be read.
Motion agreed to; petition read:
Mr DUNHAM (Drysdale): Madam Speaker, I present a petition from 140 petitioners praying that there be a review of the location of the detention facility at Marlow Lagoon. The petition bears the Clerk’s certificate that it conforms with the requirements of standing orders. Madam Speaker, I move that the petition be read.
Motion agreed to; petition read:
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, it is with deep regret that I advise you of the deaths of nine service men and women on 2 April 2005 while on a humanitarian mission following the earthquake damage on the Indonesian island of Nias. I ask honourable members on completion of debate to stand in silence as a mark of respect.
Ms MARTIN (Chief Minister)(by leave): Madam Speaker, I move that this Assembly express its deep regret of the deaths on 2 April 2005 of nine Australian military personnel on the island of Nias in Indonesia, and place on record its appreciation of the humanitarian mission provided by these officers following the earthquake damage on Nias:
On 2 April this year, whilst providing medical and other humanitarian support following an earthquake, a Royal Australian Navy Sea King helicopter from HMAS Kanimbla crashed, killing nine service men and women on board. Two other ADF members survived the crash. On behalf of all Territorians I extend our heartfelt condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of those killed.
Defence Force Chief Peter Cosgrove said of the nine who died:
Over a number of conflicts and wars, Australians have earned a formidable reputation as fighting soldiers, sailors and airmen. This has been appropriately acknowledged during the recent Anzac Day activities. This reputation has been exhibited in actions such as those at Gallipoli, on the Kokoda Track during World War II, at Kapyong in Korea and Vietnam at Long Tan. However, the reputation of Australian service men and women extends well beyond these battlefront situations. It includes other operations such as peacekeeping in East Timor and, in more recent times, during major humanitarian relief operations.
We all recall the devastating Boxing Day tsunami which affected so many countries and people in our region and the magnificent response from Australia, including the Defence Force. All reports on the Defence Force’s extensive involvement in Operation Sumatra Assist indicate that the same approach that is typical in all operations was evident: professionalism and just getting on doing the job with good humour. What Australia and the Defence Force were doing on Nias was helping out a mate who needed them. As the operations following the tsunami were winding down and the Indonesian authorities were assuming responsibility for the tasks which had been performed by the ADF, an earthquake devastated islands off the coast of Sumatra.
Australia again responded rapidly and HMAS Kanimbla was redeployed to assist. It was during this phase of Operation Sumatra Assist that the tragic accident involving the Sea King occurred. By 2 April, Kanimbla, complete with fresh medical teams, was moored in Gunung Sitoli harbour, off the tiny island of Nias where it was to act as a floating command and coordinating centre and a hospital. Late in the afternoon of the 2nd, the Sea King was transporting an emergency medical team to the remote village of Aman Draya when the accident occurred, causing the death of six Navy and three Air Force personnel.
The Prime Minister paid tribute to the nine victims at a memorial service at Parliament House in Canberra, reflecting on meeting some of them during a trip to Aceh earlier this year after the tsunami. John Howard told the hundreds of family, friends and colleagues gathered there that the nine who were killed embodied the Australian spirit. He said:
Madam Speaker, the Territory government supports these sentiments and acknowledges the inherent danger our Defence personnel are in on all operations. We are aware of the closeness of the Defence family and, although none of those killed were from the Territory, we appreciate the heartbreaking sadness being felt by our Defence Territorians. We offer them assurances that we are thinking of them. Nothing can replace the loss suffered by husbands, wives, partners, children or parents of those killed. Unless you are in the situation of suddenly losing a loved one, it is difficult to appreciate the grief that must be felt. They can never be replaced. Again to family, friends and colleagues of those who died in the accident at Nias, I offer our sincere sympathy and condolences.
Mr BURKE (Opposition Leader): Madam Speaker, the Country Liberal Party joins with the government in passing on our sincere condolences to the families and friends of all those who died in the tragic Sea King helicopter crash on Nias Island off the north-western Sumatra coast on 2 April 2005.
Much has been said about the sacrifice that these young Australians made, and it is pleasing to see a condolence motion of this type in the House today. The Chief Minister mentioned what was said by General Cosgrove and our Prime Minister, John Howard, but what also needs to be underscored are the remarks that were made by the President of Indonesia about that crash. When he was in Australia, speaking on behalf of all Indonesians, he said:
I hope that we do not have to have further condolence motions before this House but, practically and sadly, the nature of the work and the nature of the world we live in tells us that is a forlorn hope. However, if tragic events like this do occur in the future, as I expect they will, I hope that Australians, through their governments - as the Chief Minister has done today - recognise through such a condolence motion the contribution that those service men and women make. They do not ask for much; they serve their country selflessly and often give their lives.
It is worth reminding us, when we pay the highest tribute to these Australians today, what we have overlooked having done in the past. Recently, I marched with 900 armoured personnel from Vietnam in the Anzac Day March in Melbourne. Of those 900, the ranks are thinning; many are not there any more. Sadly, young Australians who were at the height of physical fitness when I last saw them - many I have not seen for 30-odd years - are now in wheelchairs and some on walking sticks.
Tragically, also, for some at the functions that I attended, they had not seen each other since Vietnam. Worse, for many of them who were National Servicemen and completed a tour of Vietnam after 12 months of training and were discharged from the Army four days after they arrived back in Australia, there was no farewell from Australians; no thanks for what they did; no opportunity to be debriefed; and no opportunity to even talk with their comrades. To see those men, nowadays, grasping each other, renewing friendships and acquaintances, and telling stories that are almost forgotten by some, is pleasing in one way but sad in another when we think about how we Australians treated those personnel at that time and how, for many of them, those deep wounds are such that they will never recover from them.
I hope that, through the politics of Australia, we never, ever find ourselves in that situation again and we do, as we are doing today, recognise - wherever Australians serve, whether we agree with what they do or not - their contribution. In the case of these particular nine who were killed so tragically on humanitarian work, we should also recognise the enormous contribution they did not realise they had made.
If we think back only a few short years to the confrontation over East Timor we had with Indonesia, many Australians thought that relationship was in deep trouble and would not recover for many years. It has been through the efforts of our current government, spearheaded by the enormous and selfless effort of our Defence Forces in helping Indonesia deal with the tsunami disaster and the Nias earthquake, to name two, that more than ever relationships with Indonesia are probably on the strongest footing than Australians could ever remember. Therefore, they did not die in vain. They died in glory, and that glory has been underscored by the President of Indonesia. Their parents, friends, and families should be enormously proud of what they have done. We will always remember them.
Members: Hear, hear!
Mr WOOD (Nelson): Madam Speaker, I join with the opposition and the government in expressing my condolences to the families and friends of all those who died in the Sea King helicopter crash on Nias. Only a relatively short time before the crash, I watched as HMAS Kanimbla loaded up with supplies and equipment and sailed out of Darwin Harbour for Aceh; the Defence personnel crew lined up along the ship as they waved goodbye to family and friends, and the two Sea King helicopters parked at the rear.
Little did we know or expect that a trip which was to start as a humanitarian voyage to the tsunami victims in Aceh and then, by a strange twist of fate, extended due to the earthquake in Nias, would turn into a tragedy. We know that it is tragic when lives are lost in conflict; however, conflict, as we know, has an inherent risk. It feels even more tragic when lives are lost helping others who are suffering from a natural disaster such as in Aceh and Nias.
Our Defence Forces do a fine job and make one proud to be an Australian. I recently saw a photo in the Army magazine which I felt epitomised the role of our men and women who are doing their best in bringing peace and friendship to this part of the world. It was a picture of an Australian Army medical officer holding a newborn baby whilst the baby’s Indonesian mother, with a beaming smile, looked on from her hospital bed. Recently, when young children stood next to Brigadier John Cantwell and pinned yellow ribbons to a wall at Howard Springs shops to remember our forces overseas, they showed their support for the fine work of our Defence men and women; they recognised and remembered.
Those service men and women who died on 2 April this year were also assisting our neighbours in times of need. They reflected a compassionate and generous Australia in a region where relationships have not always been good. In doing their part, they gave the ultimate sacrifice. I also will use the words of General Cosgrove:
Members rose and observed one minute’s silence.
Motion agreed to.
Mr AH KIT (Sport and Recreation): Madam Speaker, today I report on the progress and highlights of the forthcoming 2005 Arafura Games, which begin in only 10 days time. As members know, this will be the eighth games to be held in Darwin, and plans for this year’s games are on track with full support from all our member countries.
As discussed in the media today, the Arafura flame will arrive on 13 May at the beach at Bullocky Point. This will be celebrated by a traditional welcome by the Larrakia people. It will then travel to Marrara Oval and form an integral part of the opening ceremony the following day. This ceremony will be, as I have stated in this House previously, the biggest production spectacle Darwin has ever witnessed.
Registrations of athletes for this year are possibly the most diverse of any previous event witnessed in the Territory. Entries have been received from as far away as Brazil, United Kingdom, India, Italy and even Mongolia. We welcome back representatives of the United States of America. It will be fantastic to witness Australians competing against these countries, as well as our Asian neighbours. For the first time, we will have participants from each populous continent in the world. A focal point for these games will be the Marrara Hub which will be a veritable hive of daily activity including visits from our games mascot, Rocky. There will be food stalls, trade displays, medal presentations, celebrity beach volley ball and cultural themed entertainment.
Importantly, business matching opportunities have been made available through the games to participants, primarily targeting national and international visitors. I acknowledge the hard work of my department, the Department of Business, Industry and Resource Development and the Chamber of Commerce which have been actively pursuing expressions of interest.
I would also like to highlight the International Sport Conference which will be run concurrently with the games. To date, there are 150 registered participants for the conference which will be held at the Charles Darwin University. This conference, which has been entitled ‘Celebrating Sport and Culture’ has attracted more international participants than ever before, and will be supported by 37 presenters, and a display of sporting organisations’ products and services, in addition to a Year of Sport and Physical Education gala dinner. This conference will certainly put the Territory on the map regarding our ability to organise such high profile events.
Also important to these games is the schedule that has been put in place for drug testing. Random tests will be conducted during the games to ensure that the credibility of the games is upheld. All participants have been made aware of the need to adhere to worldwide anti-doping policies which will be enforced during the events.
I take this early opportunity to thank those agencies and groups which are working tirelessly to bring these games together. These include the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Department of Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs, the Charles Darwin University, the Northern Territory Police, Risk Management Services, the Department of Health and Community Services including the Royal Darwin Hospital, our sporting coordinators, our ambassadors, our volunteers and last, but most certainly not the least, my staff at the Events Branch and our valued sponsors.
Madam Speaker, without the skill and dedication of all these partners, the Arafura Games would simply not be possible. This Arafura Games will, no doubt, be the best to date and continue to contribute to our great Territory lifestyle.
Mr ELFERINK (Macdonnell): Madam Speaker, who could stand up and do anything but applaud the Arafura Games – a wonderful institution which was started many years ago by the former CLP government? The Country Liberal Party is happy and pleased that the government realises the importance of these games and has gone to great lengths to promote it, even as far as Ulan Batur. The games stand as a wonderful institution that is a beacon to the whole of the South-East Asian region. Across the vast Pacific Ocean people now see that beacon shining and come to it to compete under its light.
However, not all is sweetness and light in the Department of Sport and Recreation, sadly. One of the areas that causes me great concern, as the minister so correctly pointed out, is the importance of properly funding sport and recreation in our community. There is actually a $4m cut out of this year’s budget to what was expended on sport and recreation last year. This is a major concern to the members on this side of the House and the reason is that the health of our community, as expressed through their sporting activities, is something that is vitally important to prevent blow-outs in things like the Health budget that we have seen.
I am also concerned by the absence in the budget papers - and I hope that I can be corrected on this by the minister - for funding in the infrastructure works so that the Traeger Park promise can be maintained. I ask the minister in his reply here today to point out to me where in the budget books the Traeger Park promise will be upheld in terms of the money that is going to be spent there to bring Traeger Park football stadium up to speed. If it is there, well and good, but I am having trouble finding it in the infrastructure stuff. Perhaps the minister can guide us to the Traeger Park promise.
Mr AH KIT (Sport and Recreation): Madam Speaker, might I add, once again, that if the shadow spokesman for sport and recreation would like a briefing, I am quite happy to provide one. However, he seems to be reluctant to do that. What he obviously does not understand when he looks at the budget papers - and he has not been a minister in the past so it is hard for him - in the Cabinet process additional dollars are sought, and I have been successful, which adds to what is in the budget books …
A member interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr AH KIT: … in the past. You really have no idea and no understanding …
Members interjecting.
Mr AH KIT: … and it would be interesting to see the commitment to Traeger Park. There has been additional monies put in for the grandstand, and it will be built.
Ms MARTIN (Tourism): Madam Speaker, I would like to inform the House of the successful negotiations that have been undertaken by the Tourist Commission with two of the oldest and most respected Japanese wholesalers, Nippon Travel Agency and Kintetsu International.
Increasing numbers of Japanese holidaymakers are falling in love with Alice Springs and Central Australia. Just last week, we saw the first Japan Airlines’ Jumbo arrive in Alice Springs carrying 364 passengers from Osaka and, on Monday, a further 382 passengers arrived in Alice Springs from Tokyo. In fact, the passengers were met on arrival in Alice Springs by Vice President and Regional Manager for Australia, Mr Hashimoto of Japan Airlines, and President and Chief Executive Officer, Mr Sato, of Nippon Travel Agency Australia.
Significantly, Alice Springs, Central Australia, is their only Australian destination as part of their 100th Anniversary global charter program. Two further charters have now been confirmed to arrive in Alice Springs in August, taking the tally of Japanese charter visitors to over 1500. In total, these visitors are expected to inject an additional $1m into the Central Australian economy.
Confirmed dates of arrival of the additional Japanese charters are 8 August and 11 August, with bookings for the third charter from Nagoya to open on 16 May. This means three charters established through Nippon Travel Agency and the fourth charter organised through Kintetsu International. The Tourist Commission has worked with Kintetsu for many years, and it was Kintetsu who pioneered the first direct charter flights to Alice in 2003 which were, you will probably remember, Madam Speaker, an outstanding success.
Central Australia was the only Australian destination to be chosen for these charter flights. It is a tribute to the people of Alice Springs and local tourism operators that they have clearly captured the hearts of the Japanese traveller.
The recent flights are part of a worldwide charter program for 2005 to be operated by Nippon Travel Agency and Japan Airlines, and are part of those 100-year anniversary celebrations. Strong consumer demand has prompted the additional services. The charters that arrived in the past week had sold out in only four weeks. The marketing and advertising in Japan was supported by government with a contribution of close to $200 000 in marketing for all four charters. The charters follow on from successful charters in the past and indicate a growing interest among the Japanese in exploring our iconic attractions and their natural and cultural surrounds.
The most popular itinerary includes a three-night stay in Central Australia that involves one night at Uluru, one night at Kings Canyon and one night in Alice Springs. One of the new highlights included was a farewell dinner at Ooraminna Homestead, showcasing the real Australian outback under an incredible canopy of stars. By all accounts, this has been a unique experience for the travellers. Jan Hayes of Ooraminna has told us that the first night was very successful and that our Japanese visitors enjoyed the Australian food and beautiful stars, particularly when the lights were turned off. Jan said: ‘As this was our largest Japanese group, all our visitors were saying “happy” and taking many photographs, with me in them’.
Part of the group also enjoyed the hike through Kings Canyon. It is a four-hour walk that takes you up into the massive sandstone rim and down into a lush oasis-like environment, complete with a sparkling freshwater spring. There is nothing like Kings Canyon.
There are encouraging signs of recovery in the Japanese market. Central Australia is well positioned to capitalise on this trend with the promotion of products such as these charter flights with Japanese travellers. The December international figures indicate that Japanese visitation into the Territory has grown by about 12% over the past 12 months compared with 2003, and Japan is the third-largest source of international visitors to the Territory.
Attracting new flights to the Territory is a high priority of my government. The Tourist Commission continues to work closely with the Japanese market to build a long-term business case to operate regular charter flights to both the Top End and Central Australia in the traditionally busy period for outbound travel from Japan. These continued developments send a clear message to the consumer - particularly to the Japanese consumer - that the Territory is open for business and our numbers are growing.
Mr MILLS (Blain): Madam Speaker, this is a most welcome report that has the attention of the Japanese tourist focussed on Central Australia. It is a great credit to the tourism industry in Central Australia for being able to carry this level of interest. However, I query the active role of this government in making this occur when it appears that it is the interest that has been evoked by a television program in Japan - which this government has had nothing to do with – and, as a result, the report today is simply a report on something that has occurred with little involvement of government.
I also noted in the report there was no comment with regards to the raising of the status of the Alice Springs Airport to cater for international flights on a consistent basis. I note, also, there was no reference to the fact that nearly half of the government’s Cabinet members, at some stage or other, have been Tourism Minister since you have been in government and that Central Australia has, in fact, seen 102 000 fewer visitors to Central Australia alone. In a single year, this economy has seen 91 000 fewer visitors to the Northern Territory. From your own figures, Chief Minister - and the Treasurer would be aware of these - when you calculate the cost or the benefit that tourism brings to the region, that is a significant loss to the Territory economy. I bear in mind that the tourism sector has had to bear the loss of approximately $70m of revenue, as has the wider economy, as a result of 91 000 fewer visitors. Bearing in mind our engagement with the region, there was a 51% drop in tourists visiting from our immediate region. Chief Minister, these are factors for which you must bear full responsibility.
Ms MARTIN (Tourism): Madam Speaker, it is very sad that the opposition spokesperson on tourism is so ignorant. It would have been good for him to go to the ATEC symposium last week in Alice Springs and hear the industry talk about how tough Australia’s international tourism market has been for the last three years. This is not just a Territory factor; it is right across our market. There has been negative growth …
Mr Mills: That is excuse-making.
Ms MARTIN: He said it is excuses; these are facts, Madam Speaker. It is the reality: negative growth for the last three years. I am proud to stand in here and say we are turning that around. It has been turned around, strategically, by this government. He said: ‘You did not mention what government did’. We have been working with the travel agencies in Japan; we put $200 000 in additional marketing money that we have put into tourism to make that happen. We are actively engaged in that and, to hear the opposition spokesperson just bag the whole procedure, shows more than anything else his absolute ignorance.
We are proud of the fact we have seen a 12% growth in tourist numbers from Japan into the Territory over the last 12 months. Is that a bad thing, is it? You make it sound like …
Members interjecting.
Ms MARTIN: We are growing the numbers. We have grown the domestic market …
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, your time has expired.
Ms MARTIN: We have grown the domestic market, and it is terrific for Alice Springs.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, thank you!
Dr BURNS (Infrastructure and Planning): Madam Speaker, last year, in response to a question asked by the member for Nelson, I advised that I wanted fewer traffic lights and that I would be looking to reduce the number of traffic lights along our strategic roads.
Indeed, over the last year, I have knocked back lobbying from the CLP to install an extra set of traffic lights at Duke Street on the Stuart Highway in Stuart Park. I have also rejected a proposal for another set of traffic lights to be installed at Berrimah Road that would have impacted, primarily, on the trucking industry and traffic to The Ghan. On the basis of discussions with the Australian Trucking Association NT, I have rejected that particular proposal.
I have requested the department to appoint an external consultant to review all the traffic lights on the Stuart Highway and Tiger Brennan Drive, between the Arnhem Highway and the Darwin CBD. I travelled both roads with the consultant and departmental officers. We inspected each of the 22 intersections controlled by traffic lights and discussed options - a very pleasant Saturday afternoon’s work, I might say.
The consultant’s report is under consideration by government. The report will also be released for public comment and input in the near future. While it presents some opportunities, the report also highlights the constraints that we face in constructing roundabouts on urban roads that are shared with road trains. These include financial considerations. The engineering and construction costs of a typical road train-compatible double lane roundabout is in the order of $2m. In many cases, the construction of a roundabout on the Stuart Highway will also require resumption of private land, adding to the cost - and that is not to even think about some of the services and electricity substations that are situated along there as well.
Clearly, the report requires both short-term and long-term responses. In the immediate year, this budget includes funding for the removal of the first traffic light on the Stuart Highway. Works will be undertaken at the intersection of the Stuart Highway and Tulagi Road, so that the through movement of inbound traffic on the Stuart Highway will no longer be delayed by traffic lights. Just down the road from Tulagi Road is the major intersection of the Stuart Highway and Roystonea Avenue. After several years of lobbying, the Commonwealth has now agreed to partly fund the extension of Tiger Brennan Drive to join the Stuart Highway at this intersection - and partly funding means a 50:50 contribution by the Commonwealth and Territory governments.
I have written to the Commonwealth minister for roads, Jim Lloyd, advising that the Martin Labor government is prepared to commit shared funding for the construction of a flyover at this intersection. This would eliminate a major set of traffic lights and free up the flow of traffic between the rural area and Darwin between Palmerston and Darwin. In short, the plans at present are for a level crossing there with the extension of Tiger Brennan Drive. What I am proposing is a flyover and great separation to cut out all the traffic lights there. This will require $10m extra capital, and I proposed to the Commonwealth that the Territory is prepared to commit $5m and we want to see an equal commitment by the Commonwealth of $5m.
Unfortunately, I have a letter here which I would like to table, a reply to a letter I wrote on this issue to Jim Lloyd. I was very disappointed to receive a letter from him saying they are not willing to contribute any funding for this project; that is, the great separation. Unfortunately, this is another battle for fair Commonwealth funding that I will need to take up.
Congestion and delays at the traffic lights at the intersection of the Stuart Highway and Deviney Road have been raised by the public. These were funded by the Commonwealth under the Black Spot program. Members will recall there have been a number of tragic accidents at that particular area. The consultant review states that traffic control at this site is warranted and that the land constraints preclude other solutions in the short term. To assist traffic lights in the area, I have instructed the department to prepare designs for the construction of additional lanes on the Stuart Highway in this area to increase road capacity and reduce traffic delays. Similarly, the department is preparing engineering designs for the construction of passing lanes on Tiger Brennan Drive. These passing lanes are planned for construction, coinciding with the extension of Tiger Brennan Drive out to the Stuart Highway.
The traffic consultant has completed a review of the timing phases of traffic lights on the Stuart Highway. The consultant has also been retained to review these lights’ sequencing arrangements on a six-monthly basis. Rather than entirely remove some traffic lights, it will be possible to carry out modifications to the operating hours that can be made to traffic lights at some intersections. I understand such modifications occur in some urban areas elsewhere in Australia, and I have requested the department to provide advice on such possibilities for the Territory.
Madam Speaker, it is a challenge for any Minister for Transport …
Madam SPEAKER: Your time has expired, minister.
Mr DUNHAM (Drysdale): Well, well, well. Before this bloke here entered politics, I remember him talking about ‘deadly Territory’ and how we had this terrible government that let people go fast on the roads. He has now realised that some of the stuff he is toying with, he has opened his big yap before he has worked out what it is about. Two minutes before an election, he is ‘gunna, gunna, gunna’ do all sorts of stuff. He is gunna have reports, gunna get on to Jim Lloyd, gunna take lights out - and it is too late, too late. No wonder the call him Dr DIPE.
This bloke here in charge of DIPE has gone out with a big promise and they have said: ‘Oh, it is a bit hard, minister, we are going to have to procure services and the rest of it’, so he has come in here with a big mob of excuses. Well, we do not want to hear them! We want to hear what you are going to do. You know what you are going to do? It has to be in this book that is called the budget. So, do not come in here three minutes before an election and run this great big mob of platitudes about how hard your job is. Get out of the way; let someone else do it! Let someone else have a go. I will speak to Jim Lloyd; I will talk to engineers. Heaven forbid! On a Saturday, I will even drive down the Stuart Highway.
So he went past the Berrimah lights. On a Saturday, he went down counting lights: ‘Oh, 22! Gee, that seems a lot’. Well, mate, that is your job. Seriously, if this is all too hard; if you have done what you did with Rapid Creek, opened the big yap and then get elected to government and have to fix it and realise: ‘Oh, gee, this is tricky. Pity we could not blame SARS or anything else like the Chief Minister does’. This is your job. Right? It is no good saying: ‘If the Commonwealth gave me a big mob of money I will fix it up, but I am not going to do it myself, and it is not in the budget’. Not good enough, mate - just not good enough! Two minutes before the election, you have given people ample demonstration why they should be voting differently in Johnston.
Mr WOOD (Nelson): Madam Speaker, the minister really should have taken a drive down the Stuart Highway at 7 am and 5 pm if he wants to get some idea of what traffic lights do to peoples’ frustrations.
It is good news and it is not good news because on the one hand, the minister is saying we are going to get a flyover over Tiger Brennan and, on the other, he says that we did not get enough money from the Commonwealth - which really means we are not getting it. The other thing is it is not an idea of this government to put a flyover; it was the idea of the previous government because – remember? - I held up a big book. There is a great big book with all the flyovers for the Stuart Highway from one end to the other, more or less, and none of them have been done except Bagot flyover. I would like to see a flyover over Tiger Brennan Drive. Whether it is done by this government or another government, I could not care; my job will be to lobby for better road communications in Darwin.
I believe the Tulagi Road intersection will be very interesting if they are going to make a straight through lane on it. Have they forgotten that the Army personnel comes out of there between about 3 pm and 5.30 pm every afternoon? Most of those people turn either left up to Temple Terrace or right and go up Yarrawonga Road. If they have to cut across a lane that is a through lane, I would be very interested to see how that works.
I do not know whether we are developing the same problem we have at the Girraween Road intersection at Coolalinga - which does not appear to be in the budget. We have - and I include the member for Goyder here - been lobbying for at least four years to change the alignment of Girraween Road to make it safer, and there does not appear to be one thing in the budget to do that. The government put this on the plans four years ago. We had meetings with all the owners of land at Coolalinga, they had big plans up for the public to look at - and what has happened four years later? Absolutely nothing! I ask the minister if he has a commitment in this budget to do something about Girraween Road intersection before more people are killed or injured, or are we going to have to wait for a change of government to get something done?
Mr Maley: Gerry Wood, go, you good thing!
Mr Dunham: Glad you brought this one on!
A member: Whoops, whoops!
Madam SPEAKER: Order, thank you. Order!
Dr BURNS: Madam Speaker, despite the mocking from members opposite, I believe I have outlined a very credible plan forward for the short term and the longer term. When the traffic light survey is made public, I will be interested to hear what the opposition has to say about their plans for the future.
In relation to Roystonia Avenue, it is a shared government project between the Commonwealth and the Territory government. It is quite reasonable for us to ask for a 50:50 contribution from the Commonwealth. We put our money on the table; Jim Lloyd has knocked it back. I have asked David Tollner and Nigel Scullion to lobby for this, and the members opposite should be doing the same because it is partly a Commonwealth responsibility.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, thank you! That was an entertaining debate, minister.
Mr VATSKALIS (Mines and Energy): Madam Speaker, I provide an update on the situation of the former Mt Todd gold mine. In 2000, the mine ceased operating and its owners went into receivership. It fell to this government to manage the site and ensure minimal environmental impact, particularly to the Edith River and downstream users.
In February this year, the government considered a range of submissions concerning Mt Todd which covered background information, current environmental and site management, tenure management, the Mt Todd agreement, and the Mt Todd Project Agreement Ratification Act, and the long-term rehabilitation study.
The government recognised that the site location has the potential to create significant environmental problems and took a number of decisions to deal with the issue. It was recognised that the clear direction for the long-term rehabilitation of the site must be determined if it is to be properly managed. A consultant was engaged to develop the terms of reference for the initial studies required for the Mt Todd mine site rehabilitation project, in order to provide the comprehensive understanding of the problems at the site. This is not a rash ad hoc approach, but a detailed scientific and engineered approach to arrive at a responsible solution. If this initial planning is not completed successfully, carefully, and accurately, such rehabilitation work might be wasted.
In the budget, the government has provided $374 000 for 2005-06 to fund the ongoing management of the site. The necessary resources will continue to be put into ensuring the integrity of the Edith River system, and that it is not compromised by water discharges or other activities on the site.
To provide stakeholders and the community input into management of the site, the Mt Todd Mine Site Rehabilitation Reference Group has been established. It includes representatives of the key stakeholders, including the Jawoyn Association, the Environment Centre of the Northern Territory, and AFANT. The group has met twice to date; on 9 March and 14 April 2005, and will continue to have input into the development of solutions for the site. I joined the reference group on its inspection of the site on 15 April 2005. The priorities of the group are input into the terms of reference for the major study of the site. Members of the group are also contributing to work options for the 2005 Dry Season to minimise environmental impacts in the next Wet Season.
The government is absolutely committed to sustainable development and the protection of the environment. We acknowledge the problems at Mt Todd - problems we inherited, and problems we are addressing. My department, in consultation with the community reference group, is maintaining the mine site to protect the Edith River and the interests of downstream users. It is considering the options for improving environmental management of the site in the coming Dry Season, and coordinating the work in the perspective of the long-term rehabilitation planning.
The deconstruction of tailings on the site is nearing completion. Constant monitoring is undertaken to ensure safety and the environment have not been compromised, and reasonable efforts are being made to remove all waste materials. Management of the mine site is a complex and difficult issue.
The resources allocated to managing this activity in the department have been strengthened. The government is committed to ensuring that the legacy of gold mining at Mt Todd does not create problems for future generations of Territorians.
Mrs MILLER (Katherine): Madam Speaker, I thank the minister for his report. I visited Mt Todd recently and spent several hours there. It certainly needed a reference group, which will be kept busy for some time. There are many major problems happening and the reference group is going to need a fair bit of money, and to put in a lot of work.
I was going through the budget papers last night and there is some interesting stuff in them about mining exploration. On page 76 of the budget paper he says the economy and mineral exploration expenditure has fallen by 13.3%, whilst the rest of the country has increased its spending by 8.2%. Minister, what is in the budget to increase the investment in exploration in the Northern Territory, and do you agree with page 77 of that same document which says: ‘Constraining factors on exploration expenditure continue to include the Native Title Act and the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act’? Would the minister answer those questions for me?
Mr VATSKALIS (Mines and Energy): Madam Speaker, I thank the member for her contribution. I appreciate the fact that she is interested in Mt Todd and acknowledges that it is a disaster; unfortunately, created by her own party. I call on her to apologise to all Territorians for the disaster they created, to all the people in Katherine for the inadequate environmental program they put in place, and about the amount of money that Territorians have to fork out to repair the disaster that you created.
As for who created the situation in Mt Todd, I had an e-mail from a person in Katherine who belongs to your party and who said that Mike Reed, the ex-member for Katherine, and Tim Baldwin, the member for Daly, should be hauled over hot coals for that disaster because ‘they came to Katherine and said to us: “Mt Todd is the best, environmentally friendly mine in the whole world”’. Well, I beg to differ.
As for adequate repatriation, Madam Speaker, I would like members to have a very good look at the budget to see where the variation is and how much more money we put in the mining budget.
Reports noted pursuant to Sessional Order.
Mr STIRLING (Treasurer): Madam Speaker, I move that so much of standing orders be suspended as would prevent bills entitled Pay-roll Tax Amendment Bill 2005 (Serial 288), Taxation (Administration) Amendment Bill 2005 (Serial 289) and Stamp Duty Amendment Bill 2005 (Serial 290):
Motion agreed to.
Bills presented and read a first time.
Mr STIRLING (Treasurer): Madam Speaker, I move that the bills be now read a second time.
The bills seek to put in place a package of revenue measures announced as part of the 2005-06 Budget by proposing amendments to the Taxation (Administration) Act, the Stamp Duty Act and the Pay-roll Tax Act. The key proposals announced in the budget involved abolishing of electronic debit transaction duty from 1 July 2005 and increasing, from 3 May 2005, the stamp duty first home owner concession from the first $125 000 of a property’s value to the first $200 000 of a property’s value. These proposals are intended to complement initiatives announced in last year’s budget that increased the payroll tax threshold to $1m and abolish debits tax from 1 July 2005. In all, taxes will be cut by almost $15m in 2005-06, and bank accounts held in the Territory will be free from taxes for the first time in many years.
I will now address the changes proposed in the bills in more detail. As part of the Territory’s commitment to national tax reform, it is proposed to abolish electronic debit transaction duty for transactions that occur after 30 June 2005. This will save Territorians $2.7m in 2005-06. Importantly, electronic debit transaction duty will remain payable for transactions that occur before 1 July 2005 and the old rules, such as the requirement to keep records, will continue to apply to those transactions.
Increasing the stamp duty threshold for first home owner concession from the first $125 000 of a property’s value to the first $200 000 of a property’s value nearly doubles the stamp duty saving on the purchase of a first home. The maximum concession will increase from $3640 to $6800 and is expected to cost $450 000 in 2004-05, and $2.7m on a full-year basis in 2005-06. It is proposed that this change will apply to instruments entered into on or after 3 May 2005. The revenue will be safeguarded by ensuring that purchases secured prior to that date, either by contract or option, will not be eligible for the increased concession.
There are two other stamp duty initiatives which have arisen from submissions to government that set out sensible reasons why changes to the laws are desirable. The first seeks to extend the stamp duty exemption for motor vehicles registered in the name of a totally and permanently incapacitated war veteran to include extreme disabled adjustment war veterans. The fact that these war veterans were not eligible for the stamp duty exemption was brought to government’s attention by the Australian War Veterans EDA Society. These EDA veterans are the most disabled of all veteran pension recipients, and it is only appropriate the exemption be extended to cover them. It is proposed the exemption will be available for motor vehicle certificates of registration issued to these veterans on or after 1 July 2005.
The second seeks an extension to the so-called ‘family farm’ exemption. This exemption provides an incentive to encourage younger generations to continue to work the family farm and to increase the use of more modern and productive farming techniques by providing a stamp duty exemption on the transfer of the family farm to the younger generation of a family. The exemption has been limited to pastoral properties since it was introduced, due to the significant capital costs associated with that industry and the relatively low returns on that investment. However, this reasoning applies equally to other land-based primary producers and, accordingly, it is proposed to extend the ‘family farm’ stamp duty exemption to property used for other forms of land-based primary production.
In addition, the Territory’s current exemption is limited to transfers between natural person relatives and excludes land held in other structures such as companies and trusts. This does not address the commercial reality of how such property is generally held. For instance, primary production land may be held in a company or trust as a form of asset protection. To overcome this limitation, it is proposed to allow the exemption for transfers between family members and family companies in which all of the shareholders are family members and trusts, where the beneficiaries are all family members. It is proposed that the changes to the ‘family farm’ exemption apply to instruments executed on or after 3 May 2005.
Another stamp duty proposal relates to the power provided to the Commissioner of Taxes under the Taxation (Administration) Act to extend the time for taxpayers to undertake actions required under the act, such as lodging documents for assessment and paying tax. To exercise this power, the commissioner must serve an instrument on each individual taxpayer. A minor amendment to the act is proposed to operate from 3 May 2005 so that the commissioner can, by way of a published notice, grant general extensions of time to classes of people. The government has endorsed the commissioner utilising this power to issue a notice which will be effective from 3 May 2005, extending the time for lodging and paying duty on instruments that are conditional contracts. Previously, these instruments had to be lodged and paid within 60 days after execution. Where the conditions were not met a refund would be made. The new approach will only require the lodgement and payment of duty within 60 days after the contract becomes unconditional, subject to certain safeguards such as a maximum length of time before the instrument must be lodged, even if subject to unfulfilled conditions. This is a much more efficient and fairer manner of assessing such instruments.
Under stamp duty legislation, conveyances of dutiable property and marketable securities are assessed on the consideration or unencumbered value of the property conveyed, whichever is the higher. Where such a contract includes an amount of consideration that is only payable on the happening of a future event - that is, a contingent consideration - the consideration for the conveyance is taken to be the highest that could possibly be payable under the contract, irrespective of whether that consideration is ultimately paid. This treatment is long established under the common law and is applied consistently in all states and territories. However, this may result in purchasers paying more stamp duty than if duty had been assessed only on the amount of consideration that is actually paid. In addition, due to the way in which stamp duty laws operate, these purchasers would not normally be entitled to any refund of stamp duty in the event that an amount of contingent consideration is not paid. Accordingly, it is proposed to allow a refund where stamp duty has been assessed and paid on the basis of contingent consideration included in a contract executed on or after 1 July 2005, and the full amount of that consideration is not subsequently paid and will not be paid.
Finally, the payroll tax grouping provisions cause companies to be grouped where the same person or persons can control the businesses carried on by those companies because they hold the majority of the voting shares in the companies, or because they control the majority of votes at meetings of the directors of the companies. A recent New South Wales case has cast some doubt on whether those provisions apply to companies that are acting as a trustee of a trust. It was not intended that the grouping provisions be limited in this way. Accordingly, amendments are sought to restore the operation of the grouping provisions in relation to corporate trustees to the way in which they were applied prior to the court decision. It is proposed that this amendment apply from 1 July 2005. Madam Speaker, I commend the bills to honourable members.
Debate adjourned.
Continued from 3 May 2005.
Mr BURKE (Opposition Leader): Madam Speaker, yesterday the Treasurer laid down Labor’s blueprint to take the Territory forward. Unfortunately for the Martin Labor government, it also records their track record. Sadly and worryingly, it is a litany of failure and lost opportunity from a government that has never had a vision for the Northern Territory. In a tragic irony, this lack of vision has been coupled with enormous financial opportunity that has been lost. This budget has demonstrated clearly why the Labor government has no understanding of how to stimulate and grow the economy, any grasp on how to manage money, and no idea of how to realise the vast potential of this great land to benefit the lives and prosperity of individual Territory families and businesses. It is a budget of failures and false promises; a blatant attempt to whitewash the facts and mislead Territorians.
Let us look at the facts from the government’s own budget papers. Population growth is projected to grow at a low level of just 1%; well below the average growth under successive CLP governments. Jobs growth, at 5.4% when the ALP took office, has declined rapidly and is now forecast to remain negative. The facts are that there are less people in employment now than when the ALP took office. State final demand in 2004-05 has grown by only 1.2%, which indicates a stalled economy.
This is not a budget, it is a whitewash - it is a con. Like all of its predecessors, it is built on a foundation of false hope and chicanery. Let us briefly look at some of the previous budgets and their claims before turning to the real issue at hand: how to make the Territory the thriving, robust economy it once was, with a lifestyle that was the envy of every other Australian.
In the November mini-budget of 2001, the Chief Minister, the member for Fannie Bay, said:
Fact: Labor now says this will not now occur until 2011. That, in itself, is telling of Labor’s ability to manage the economy or, alternatively, it was just a barefaced con.
Further, the member for Fannie Bay forecast that the economy would grow by 5% in 2001-02. It did not; it grew by 2.3%. In 2002-03, it was forecast to grow by 3.7% and it grew by just 0.2%. In 2003-04, it was forecast to grow by 3.4% and it grew by 0.4%. In 2004-05, it was forecast to grow by 5.8% and, now, they are forecasting in this budget an implausible 7.3%. Really? After we have already had two quarters of zero growth, the question this raises is: why should we believe the Treasurer when he forecasts 6.2% in 2005-06? The answer is simple: we should not - not on past performances.
Let us turn to the government’s ability to control its spending. Every year, general government spending has blown out beyond forecast. In 2001-02, they overspent on their mini-budget by $34m. In 2002-03, they overspent by $64m. In 2003-04, it was $104m and, in 2004-05, it was $84m. That is $284m more than was budgeted for. If a government cannot control its expenditure, it clearly cannot manage the economy.
This government’s record on infrastructure is as damning as any other of its failed promises. Capital works spending is down in this budget. More than $131m has been rolled over from last year’s capital works budget unspent, and much of the mooted capital works spending announcements such as an upgrade to Ward 4 of Alice Springs Hospital with eight renal stations, will not even begin until next year. Also, what about Palmerston Senior College? Labor has promised this over three budgets with a targeted school opening in 2005, yet not a sod has been turned and there is now no committal date for construction of this college in this budget. More than $60m in the capital works budget is federal roads money, and Labor’s only major project, the waterfront, requires borrowing to fund the $73m government contribution from 2004 to 2006. The huge emphasis on the waterfront project is an attempt to boost the ALP image, yet Territorians have not been told the full story, and costs, before this major commitment was made.
Labor came to power on a promise to reduce debt, yet it plans to increase the Territory’s nett debt position on a project which Territorians have not yet been appraised of regarding its benefits or risks. This project binds Territorians for 16 years and should not be finalised behind closed doors. What is worse is that the government plans to borrow more despite the enormous additional revenue it has received from GST and Territory taxes.
This budget and its predecessors reveal, once again, a failure to accurately achieve forecast growth, to stimulate the economy, grow population, and to grow jobs, just to name a few. For the Treasurer and this government there is always an excuse when confronted by failure. It is either the Australian Bureau of Statistics at fault, the Commonwealth government dudding the Territory, or some sort of external force at work. The Treasurer’s response is the equivalent of a student’s excuse to his teacher: ‘The dog ate my homework’. Never is it the economic incompetence of this government. How can people have confidence in the future - the confidence to invest in and grow their businesses, to move to the Territory and bring up their families - when the government cons them with false assumptions in the most important document they produce each year?
I turn to a few of the specifics in this budget which give further rise to concern. Firstly, the Treasurer cannot do basic maths. Spending figures on business initiatives on page 26 of Budget Paper No 2 do not add up to the totals provided. This is not a trivial mistake; it is expected that the Treasurer will be accurate. The Treasurer has based his entire 2005-06 budget on a CPI figure of 1.6% when even his own budget papers forecast 2%. This will affect the accuracy of every figure in this budget, therefore, how can we believe it? According to this year’s budget papers, employment last year dropped by 1.3%, or roughly 1300 jobs, yet the Treasurer claimed last year that his budget would deliver more jobs, and even wrote to Territorians promising this.
What about the teacher’s pay increase? This is a $55m commitment over the next two years, yet there is no accounting for it in these budget papers. That will require an unaccounted for amount of around $27m in this budget period – yet, no mention in the budget. How can we believe anything the Treasurer says? This government’s own tax revenue has increased from an estimated average of $1326 for every man, woman and child last year, to a whopping $1466 for every person in this budget only 12 months later, yet the Treasurer would have us believe that his budget delivers less tax for Territorians. Overall, this government is reaping an extra $46m more in own state revenue than last year.
Minister Stirling claims that this government is the most tax reforming government in the Territory’s history. The truth is that the reforms were made by the Commonwealth, signed off by my CLP government, and fought against by the Labor Party. The fact is that this government must be judged on the outcomes and predictions of its predecessors and, by those standards, it will not stand any test of scrutiny. That is why the Territory is marking time whilst the rest of Australia powers ahead. It is a government at sea; a government which is drowning in incompetence.
After four years of inaction and with an election looming, the ALP is, predictably, attempting in this budget to get some focus on major economic boosters such as the waterfront. They have tried to have us believe they are leading the way in tax reform by making some limited concessions to business. This really is a case of too little, too late. They have had a dream run. Never before has a Territory government been so flush with money with a GST windfall of $249m since 2003-04, and a further windfall of $683m over the next five years. The sad thing is that they have done so little with it. The ALP has proved again it can spend, but it cannot manage. It has frittered away the cash without appreciable long-term economic benefit. It has not used the windfall GST to address the economic malaise from which the Territory suffers. The key economic drivers of population and jobs are well below where they need to be, and Territory business needs more support than indicated in this budget. It is just not good enough.
What the Territory desperately needs, and what only the County Liberal Party can provide, is sound economic management based on reality, not fantasy. The County Liberal Party is the party of the Territory. It is not a branch office of any other party, but a party solely dedicated to advancing the interests of the Territory and Territorians. We stand for a strong, dynamic Territory with a powerhouse economy; an economy that fuels our living standards. We stand for a Territory where business, both small and large, can flourish and prosper. We stand for a Territory where families can safely and, without intimidation, enjoy our unique lifestyle, where it is safe to go to a park or to stroll down the street, and our children can go to the corner store without being harassed.
As I and my colleagues regularly travel throughout the Territory, people from the remotest outposts, our towns and cities, are telling us the same thing. In Alice Springs, people are saying they cannot buy an affordable block of land, and telling us of the problems with itinerants. In Darwin, people have told us of the same problem and of the gangs that roam our streets and the ever-growing obstacles to business. In Tennant Creek, people want basic health care such as not having to travel to Alice Springs to have a baby, and want control of their streets from roving drunks at night. I believe that 140 people picked up in one night is inexcusable, and the member for Barkly would agree with me on this. In Katherine, people want their streets cleaned up. In Palmerston, they want their 24-hour health clinic restored.
Critically, everywhere we go the question on people’s lips is this: what has been done with all the money from the increases in stamp duty and the GST windfall? They are asking us: why isn’t the health system any better; why are people leaving the Territory; why isn’t more happening with infrastructure; why haven’t more schools been built - any schools, in fact; why haven’t our roads been fixed; why are tourism numbers falling; and why isn’t business getting the relief it needs? They are saying: ‘It is just not good enough’.
Throughout the Territory people are crying out for the same thing. They are demanding that government meets their priorities, their wants and needs, and not those of a set of social engineers - and no, they do not want to be just like every other state. They are demanding that government delivers.
I, and my colleagues in the Country Liberal Party, have heard those concerns. We have developed a comprehensive plan to make the Territory the great place it once was, and we are going to unleash the full potential of the Territory. We are going to reinvigorate the real engine and spirit of the Territory - the entrepreneurial and pioneering ‘go get ’em’ attitude that was once prevalent but is now suppressed by government.
Today, I am going to announce some elements of our plan for the Territory and for Territorians: a plan to ease the tax burden on our businesses to stimulate their growth and profit; a pledge to grow our shrinking population; a comprehensive plan for infrastructure that delivers, not promises; a plan to improve the quality of life for families; an action plan on law and order; and a commitment to end waste in government.
I believe that business is the backbone of the Territory. We want people to have the opportunity to start a business, be successful in it, and grow it. Successful enterprises benefit us all. For too long, business in the Territory has been shackled by a punitive tax regime that is designed to keep the government’s coffers full, not grow a business. Unless business has the capital and the freedom to use that capital, then it will not employ other Territorians. A strong business sector equals a strong Territory, and that means jobs and security for families and individuals. The Country Liberal Party has a business tax plan that will invigorate both small and large businesses. It will not only foster smaller businesses, but attract larger companies to the Territory and encourage them to invest in our resources, in our tourism industry, in our export industries, and in manufacturing.
I have already announced the first tranche of business tax cuts: stamp duty on non-residential conveyances; stamp duty on non-quotable marketable securities; stamp duty on leases; stamp duty on hiring arrangement duty; and electronic debits. Cutting these taxes will boost business, especially small business which, fortunately, is not burdened by payroll tax. On coming to government, the Country Liberal Party will immediately cut these taxes, not in a piecemeal way or grudgingly, but all of them in one hit. This will mean an immediate shot in the arm to the tune of $67.2m, and business will not have to wait until 2009 to get the full benefit.
However, our plan is not confined to small business. We know that, for the Territory to grow, we need new investment. We must create a climate where businesses actually find it to their competitive advantage to move to the Territory and invest in our future, and we must ensure that businesses which already do business in the Territory can do so on a competitive footing, not only with their interstate counterparts, but also with our northern neighbours. Currently, large businesses are burdened with the second highest level of payroll tax in the country at 6.2%; only the Australian Capital Territory has a higher rate. A Country Liberal Party government is committed to making our payroll tax regime the most competitive in the country, not the most punitive. Tinkering with thresholds will not attract business, but a wholesale cut in the rate will. Therefore, we will reduce the payroll tax rate by 27% to make the Territory the lowest payroll jurisdiction in Australia. That would cut the Territory’s rate to 4.5%, creating an investment stimulus that goes beyond any that a mere tinkering of the threshold will achieve.
Further, a Country Liberal Party government would maintain the thresholds as forecast in the budget, and it would also have a positive impact on the attitude to investment by businesses, not only here in the Territory, but also by those interstate and overseas. Investment is the lifeblood of the Territory and only the Country Liberal Party, the Territory’s own party, is prepared to foster that investment. We will also end the ambiguous definition of ‘a subcontractor’ in the Territory that is destroying those Territory businesses that built the Territory, and prevent more companies from being roped into the payroll tax net.
The Territory could once proudly boast that it had one of the strongest population growth rates in the country. Throughout the 1990s, our population grew by 1.8%, well above the national average. That population growth was a powerful tool in boosting our economic growth. Now we are growing at a miserable 0.7% according to the latest Australian Bureau of Statistics data, well below the national average of 1.2%. There is a serious problem confronting the Territory. Our birth rate is the highest in the country, well above the national average, but our population growth rate is below the national average. Any population growth we have is being offset by losses from nett interstate migration. Put simply, more people are leaving the Territory than are arriving. The latest ABS data reveals that 1500 more people left the Territory for interstate than arrived. Further, the budget papers show that school student numbers are down by around 1300. These figures have a dramatic impact on the economy and cannot be ignored.
The Country Liberal Party, as part of its plan to revitalise the Territory, will focus on population growth as an urgent priority. In government, we will have a medium-term goal of growing the population by 2.5% per year. On our revenue base, that will add, after allowing offsets for costs associated with growth, in excess of $60m per year in additional revenue, or $240m over a four-year term. We can grow our population and we will.
The first step will be to reverse the nett interstate migration, and our business tax plan is the first plank in that reversal. Creating the environment to grow business will grow the pool of jobs and the Territory’s economy along with it.
The second plank will be ongoing and major infrastructure programs. Traditionally, major projects and infrastructure works have driven the Territory’s economy. It has always been the Country Liberal Party which has won, and delivered, those projects, and supported the Territory with a comprehensive ongoing and deliverable program of government capital works. It was the Country Liberal Party which got the Alice to Darwin railway line up; that built East Arm Point; built a new school almost yearly; put the $60m extension to Royal Darwin Hospital; built the university, the Performing Arts Centre, Marrara sporting facilities; and also put health clinics, barge landings, schools and airstrips in remote communities.
The Labor government and the Territory’s economy have been the recipients of the major projects and initiatives that were won and commenced under the Country Liberal Party. Over the past four years, we have not seen one major project started or completed by Labor, and the Territory is the worse for it. What we have seen is government in paralysis, unable to get a major project commenced or completed - and the waterfront is a stark example of this failure - a government unable or unwilling to bite the bullet and force projects through, that prevaricates, constantly wrings its collective hands and, in endless consultation, is unable to reach a decision.
However, more importantly, Labor’s vacillation and policy confusion has impacted in a negative way on the public service. Quick decisions traditionally made by the public servants are now delayed in a bureaucratic maze ruled by ministers. The first step a Country Liberal Party will take is to free up the public service to make decisions and do their job; that is, serving the public. A Country Liberal government will set the direction and public servants will revert to their traditional role of providing best advice to the government of the day.
In government, the Country Liberal Party will have a Cabinet of nine ministers to ensure a greater access and direct responsibility to the public. I will guarantee that industry and business is a primary source of advice to government, and I will establish a business consultative council reporting directly to the Chief Minister to ensure bottlenecks such as those affecting procurement and infrastructure works are eliminated. Further, I want the business consultative council to bring forward ideas to government, to plan and coordinate with government, and to operate in partnership with government to get major infrastructure works happening. We have to make the government and the public service responsive to the business sector if infrastructure projects are not to be bogged down - and that is what we will do.
However, having the processes in place, we then need a program. Upon winning government, we will implement a 10-year program to weatherproof our major road network, and that includes bridges. We will provide the infrastructure to East Arm Port to allow it to achieve operational benchmarks to match those of other ports in our region. We will build a major water supply for Alice Springs, including using it for recreational facilities. We will guarantee that the waterfront project connects seamlessly and completely with the central Darwin business district. We will work with the Defence industry to provide the necessary infrastructure to establish Darwin as a major centre for Defence maintenance in Australia. We will put the excitement back into our tourism product by developing a number of major tourism infrastructure projects including further resort development.
These are just a few of the major infrastructure projects which will be undertaken by the Country Liberal Party. The Country Liberal Party will ensure speedy approval of projects and have a proactive, focussed approach that plans and executes projects and then delivers them on time and on budget. We will smooth the peaks and troughs that have characterised infrastructure development in the Territory and bring confidence and certainty to business to plan for the long term. We will build rise and fall provisions into our tendering processes.
Another fundamental for the Territory and its infrastructure development - in fact, the key driver of the future for the Territory - is power, particularly electricity. The Territory must have a reliable and expanding supply of electricity if it is to capture a greater share of the nation’s wealth and development. We must grow our manufacturing base, and cheaper energy is fundamental to this. Our current gas reserves are finite. We must ensure that we have more energy for the future. Labor bungled the final arrangements for the Bayu-Undan field by not reserving any gas from these enormous reserves for Territory consumption. A government with its eye on the ball would have negotiated so that our gas supplies would be guaranteed. A future Country Liberal government will secure a share of the enormous offshore gas fields to ensure our energy and electricity generating requirements into the future.
That leads me to the next element of the Country Liberal Party’s plan for the Territory.
I have outlined how we will stimulate business, grow our population through that and other initiatives, and manage the infrastructure requirements of the Territory. These coordinated plans mesh to produce a vibrant economy. However, a vibrant economy without an environment that encourages people to raise their families in the Territory, and to migrate to the Territory, is of little consequence. Also, we have to guarantee people that their quality of life will be assured, that the Territory is a great place to have and raise a family, with opportunities for their sons and daughters. Therefore, as part of our plan to re-energise the Territory, the Country Liberal Party will tackle the quality-of-life issues that face families everyday.
First, we are going to make the Territory a safer place for families, for kids and for our elderly. We unreservedly commit ourselves to a zero tolerance policy. We will not tolerate gangs and itinerants threatening and intimidating our way of life and its very quality. The Territory’s unique way of life is being undermined and that, in turn, threatens our tourism industry and our reputation as a safe place to bring up kids. It is one of the reasons people are packing up and leaving and why people from other states are not migrating north. You can understand it when there are riots in the streets and police have to draw their guns, when you daily read headlines such as ‘Attacked by Gangs at Shops’, ‘Bail Boy Mugs Woman’, ‘Harassed by Itinerants’ or ‘Cabbie Slashed After Beer Hassle’ and when you read them, you know that they are the norm, not an aberration. We will not tolerate this behaviour, and we will fix it.
The CLP will introduce a zero tolerance approach to itinerants and all antisocial behaviour: if you break the law, you will be facing the full extent of the law. At the same time, we will introduce programs to help build respect for the law and build self-esteem for chronic offenders. We will establish police kiosks in target areas known for high antisocial behaviours. There will be a three strikes policy for property offenders. Domestic violence will be treated the same as assault, and we will not tolerate child abuse or sexual offenders in any way. Fixing these problems is not just about more police - they are doing a great job - it is about an attitude that will not accept lawlessness, and that attitude must come from the top down. A Country Liberal Party government will not tolerate taxpayers’ money being paid directly to drug users, as this government is doing, to research party drug use in the Territory.
Addressing these problems will go a long way to addressing our declining population by shoring up our quality of life. Quality of life also goes to the delivery of services and bolstering our community. How can we expect to attract professionals, skilled workers and families to the Territory when we cannot offer a standard of hospital and specialist services that people expect to find in other capital cities in Australia? Therefore, a CLP government will provide increased specialist services, including a full cardiovascular service in our first term, with upgraded oncology facilities to follow. We will work with the federal government to establish Darwin as a regional specialist centre for north Australia and the near Asian region.
Despite Labor’s repeated promises, a CLP government will build a Palmerston Senior College as a matter of urgency. And understand this: to cater for our project population growth, a CLP government will build new schools designed to cater for 300 students in each school. No existing schools will be affected, as this policy is designed to give parents greater choice in their children’s education. It is disappointing to learn and see that the minister for Education, the Treasurer, has used a taxpayer-funded government flyer to peddle a deception on this matter. A CLP government will encourage parents and families to be genuine partners in their children’s education. We will strengthen and extend the Parents as Teachers program Territory-wide.
Sport is also the glue that binds our community at a grassroots level. The Country Liberal Party will ensure that community sporting groups have their funding restored to levels that will allow them to grow and develop.
For young Territorians, the Country Liberal Party government is committed to ensure that major musicians are supported by the government so that they can stage shows in the Territory. Distance should not create a cultural divide between Territory youth and their interstate peers.
One of the key ingredients of Territory lifestyle is our recreational fishing. The CLP will ensure that the Territory remains the pre-eminent recreational fishing destination in Australia. We will work with the Commonwealth, landowners and recreational fishermen to achieve greater access for recreational fishing in coastal waters and inland waterways.
These integrated quality-of-life plans will help deliver an environment where people can once again enjoy our unique lifestyle without threat or intimidation, and the surety of a health and education system that gives parents and their children the opportunities they deserve.
The Labor government has been spendthrift, particularly when it comes to self-promotion. Only the Country Liberal Party has the financial and economic management skills to control the budget processes and the right priorities when it comes to spending. As pointed out earlier, this government has overshot all its spending targets in each of its budgets. That is not management; that is mismanagement.
The Chief Minister gave an undertaking early in her term that heads of departments’ jobs would be in jeopardy if they overran their budgets. Further, this government has presided over an unprecedented growth in political staff. The Chief Minister’s office now has 30 more people on its payroll serving eight ministers than the CLP had serving nine. These people serve no purpose other than as propagandists for the failed policies of the Martin government. It is typical of this government that they are prepared to spend more money on spin than they are on the needs of everyday Territorians. I make this commitment: a CLP government will immediately cut staff numbers by 30 to save $2m, and redirect this money to worthwhile community groups.
There are unlimited opportunities available in order to reach our full potential, but the Territory needs a clear vision to get there. The government’s budget delivered yesterday does not deliver that vision. Our commitments laid out here today are just a taste of the exciting future ahead under a Country Liberal Party government. These commitments are squarely aimed at stimulating the Territory’s economy by fostering business and growing our population. Without a vibrant business sector the Territory languishes and that affects us all. Our initiatives, our plans, will stimulate investment and business growth. They are designed to capture the spirit that made the Territory the great place it once was and could be again. They mesh the requirements of a safe and secure environment for investment and growth, coupled with an equally safe and secure environment for families. You cannot look after one without the other. People are the Territory. It is people who are prepared to have a go, to take a chance, who want to enjoy our unique lifestyle, that these elements of our plan cater to.
As I said at the outset, the Country Liberal Party stands for a strong, dynamic Territory with a powerhouse economy. To do that, we will cut business taxes and boost jobs with a comprehensive and deliverable infrastructure program. We will strengthen our vital tourism, primary and secondary industries, and attract new investment with our business tax plan. We stand for a future of unbridled opportunity for all Territorians, and that is what this plan delivers. It is part of a comprehensive approach to reinvigorating the Territory and making it the great place it once was. It will stimulate business and create jobs. While the outline I have provided is focussed squarely on tax relief for business, I will be making further announcements to afford relief to families and individuals in the lead-up to the election.
Our plans for the Territory are fully costed. Our opponents will say this plan is unaffordable. I say we cannot afford not to implement this plan. Without it, the Territory will languish in a mire of mediocrity and I will not stand for that.
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, we will continue budget replies later in the day. We will return to government business. Media representatives should cease filming.
Debate adjourned.
Continued from 24 March 2005.
Mr ELFERINK (Macdonnell): Madam Speaker, I continue the remarks I started to make on the last day of sittings in Alice Springs. I expressed concerned at that time that, at the very death knell of our parliamentary business in Alice Springs, the Chief Minister would walk into the Chamber and advise the House of the most singularly critical report I have ever heard or read from an Ombudsman into any government department. It is a report that she sat on for six days. She could have just as easily have delivered that report on the first day of sittings in Alice Springs. Although, technically, she is correct in that she has three sitting days to deliver the report, she waited until the very death knell of the third day before the report hit the Table. If this government was into being open, honest and accountable, as it so widely advertised it would be, it would have allowed a fulsome debate on that occasion and in the full glare of the Alice Springs parliamentary process, rather than the furtive exercise that was engaged in.
Already, the hysteria has started to be generated by government in relation to this. Even as short a time ago as yesterday, the Ombudsman’s comments were under attack from this government. I can quote what happened yesterday in this parliament, when I was talking about this particular report. I said:
Well, I will take the minister to the appropriate page - page 6 - and point out that the Ombudsman says that:
In case the minister has missed it, I then go to page 8, where the Ombudsman says that:
The Ombudsman has gone to great pains to point out on two occasions that what was happening here was contrary to law, against the law, illegal. The minister for Police can stand up in here and say, ‘No, he does not’ all he likes. The fact is that, clearly, the minister for Police, a minister for the Crown, has not read the report or is trying to mislead Territorians about it. I would suggest that the minister for Police …
Mr HENDERSON: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The honourable member knows that he cannot accuse any member of this House of misleading the parliament unless he does so by way of substantive motion. I ask him to withdraw the comments.
Madam SPEAKER: I do not think there is a point of order at this stage. If you feel you have been misquoted you can refute it by personal explanation or in your speech. Member for Macdonnell, I give you warning not to assume too much, though.
Mr ELFERINK: I hear your words, Madam Speaker, and I will show appropriate restraint.
Clearly, this minister does not have a clue what has happened in relation to this report. If it is clearly stated in the first eight pages twice by the Ombudsman then, clearly, this Ombudsman is trying to make a point. The point that he is trying to make is that somebody acted illegally, broke the law. That is the crux of this whole process.
It is worth visiting this Ombudsman’s report because, I can tell you, it makes for some pretty interesting reading. If members do not want to read the whole report, then I urge members to travel between pages 36 and 40 in this report. It makes your hair stand on end. I will quote the Ombudsman, because he says it more eloquently than I:
Mr G being the Executive Director of the department:
… and 17 June 2002 (the minister’s final approval of the SPG …
… in question) the department had a reasonable opportunity to properly consider and advise
the minister’s proposed allocation of grant money to the LGC …
… Such action would have allowed the minister to make an informed and considered decision.
This is the Executive Director of the department:
This is an astonishing thing. This council did not ask for this vehicle; this is a $35 000 gift to a council which did not ask for it, and did not want it when it was given to them because it would have cost them too much to run. What happened? The minister received a phone all from somebody and, as a result of that conversation, he got onto a boat and went to Mandorah, and sat down in a pub and had a conversation with some people from that community. During that conversation, he promised the provision of a Toyota, probably to one of those individuals there, then went back to his office to find a mechanism by which a $35 000 motor vehicle could be granted to the community.
This is interesting, as the minister has insisted publicly on ABC radio that he was under the impression that he was meeting with members of the council in their responsibility as councillors. That is plainly wrong and misleading. Why do I know that? Because if I go to page 76 of this report - and it is worth quoting into the Parliamentary Record:
These three people who met with the minister in the pub were aware that they were not representing the council. In actual fact, they were meeting as traditional landowners.
There was a press release issued around this time from the minister’s office saying that he had sorted something out at Kenbi. I wonder if this particular vehicle could have been part of that package? The point is, this is clearly – clearly - a step outside the minister’s area of responsibility. The minister has used a $35 000 vehicle as a gift to people living in that area under the guise of the local government authority. How do we know the minister was showing influence in what happens at the local government authority? I quote from page 78 when one of the people who sits on the council was asked by the Ombudsman: ‘Why did you accept a vehicle that you did not ask for?’. The person replied:
Did not say no:
Here was a councillor who felt intimidated by the minister: ‘… the minister would have been on to us …’. What was the conversation that happened in that council meeting at that time? That would be a very interesting thing. Was anybody present at that council meeting at the time also present at the conversation in the pub some time earlier? I would like to think there was and, in fact, it is almost certain that the people who met with the minister at the pub - or at least one or two of them - were present at the council meeting where this decision was made. The minister’s name, doubtlessly, was bandied about in an effort to convince the council to pass a resolution to take a car from the minister which had not been asked for, and was not wanted by the council itself. The vehicle was then gifted to the council by the minister and then, magically, the car is gifted onwards.
Here is the minister’s out, because the car was gifted on by a field officer. That field officer will remain nameless - although I think everybody in this room now knows that field officer’s name - because that field officer is a victim; a victim of this minister’s deliberate misuse of the funds available to him in an effort to achieve an outcome which is still not clear.
Ms MARTIN: A point of order, Madam Speaker! That should be withdrawn. It is a serious accusation he is making and, if he wants to make it, he should it by substantive motion …
Mr Elferink: I am happy to do that.
Ms MARTIN: … and there is no evidence within that report to substantiate what he is saying. It should be withdrawn.
Madam SPEAKER: I was listening in context to it and I thought it was an assumption the member was making. However, I realise the minister …
Ms Martin: It is pretty ugly.
Madam SPEAKER: … also has an opportunity …
Mr Elferink: I am prepared to go ahead with a censure motion.
Ms Martin: It is not substantiated in the Ombudsman’s report.
Madam SPEAKER: The minister has an opportunity to refute that argument. Again, I warn the member for Macdonnell.
Mr ELFERINK: Madam Speaker, this minister has the responsibility to stand up and say: ‘I have broad shoulders. I carry the responsibility of what my department says and does’. His first option was to stand up and say: ‘I have been a public administrator for 20 years, I know what is going on’. His second option, when he realised how much trouble he was in and what was actually in the report, was to publicly attack a public servant in the Darwin Airport, in front of a TV camera, and say that public servant has been chastised. This minister was meeting in pubs with people over a few drinks to try to find out what to do with $35 000 Toyotas, and has his hands all over this from the word go.
Let us have a look at the process which was involved in the transfer of this property. It is worth reading the fact that Mr G said this was not the normal process of doing things. It was not at all normal for a council to receive money to monitor sites and country. This minister had another reason for providing this Toyota and, although the Ombudsman says in his report there is no evidence to directly link the minister with that decision to gift the Toyota to a private individual, there is clearly evidence that the minister was involved in the transaction from its very inception to the delivery of the Toyota to the council and, then, there is the delivery of the Toyota from the council to one of the people the minister met with. I ask all people with a reasonable grasp of how things work in the world whether this is just an amazing coincidence or, in actual fact, there was something else in the minister’s plans. The point is that, if the minister was to be discovered doing this in actuality, he would be in deep trouble. However, he has built the firewall in and the firewall is a public servant.
In the last couple of days, I read a newspaper report, of which I have a copy here, in which this government sued a woman who had been bashed senseless, within an inch of her life. Why did they sue that woman? Because of a clerical departmental error. A dual application had been put in for a victim of crime application, one in Tennant Creek and one in Alice Springs. It was a clerical error; it was not the woman’s fault at all. As a consequence of it, she was harangued all the way to the Supreme Court of the Northern Territory to recover $3000 worth of costs.
I ask this question: if the Department of Justice is prepared to pursue an assault victim to the Supreme Court to extract $3000 from her for clerical errors, in costs, what steps has this minister taken to recover the $35 000 to the taxpayer for the erroneous delivery of a vehicle into taxpayers’ hands? Who will pay for this error? Is it you, minister? Is it the field officer you blame? Will the field officer pay, minister? Is it the council themselves? Will it be taken from their next budget? Will it be the CEO of the department? Who will it be? Who is going to pay? Is it going to be left to the taxpayer? It is a very inconsistent approach by this government when they are prepared to pursue assault victims for $3000 and, in another instance, 12 times that amount is supposed to go to the keeper. I would like to hear from this minister: who is going to pick up the bill for this decision?
Another problem is that the process the minister went through to get this vehicle approved has a very big question mark over it, and I take this from page 37 of the report, and I quote the Ombudsman:
The minister may choose to follow that recommendation or not, but there is a series of criteria. I am starting to wonder what this government looks to in criteria when it comes to dishing out grants, because it is clear that the Treasurer seems to think that - what was it? - Mr Big Pants and Mistress Natasha were worthwhile recipients of a grant.
Incidentally, it is worth pointing out, as a small departure from this debate, that this Treasurer said that the Community Benefits Fund, which paid for Mr Big Pants and Mistress Natasha, was going to be done from arm’s length of government and it was all going to be squeaky clean. Yet, we hear on radio that this Treasurer still signed off on all of the grants that came before him. Therefore, the promise is that they would do it from arm’s length but, really, they sit up in their little offices and sign off on these things. However, I digress.
The fact is that this Toyota did not go to the department for any sort of assessment. Again, I quote from the Ombudsman:
I go on a little further:
The fact is that the Ombudsman could not criticise the minister because his office did not respond to the minister, so he could only criticise the department. The minister shot himself in the foot when, a few days later, he climbed in front of a TV camera and said this:
If that is true, then the one out clause that the minister was provided with to plead ignorance, because he was not properly advised by the department, has gone. The minister has said: ‘I know what is going on. I have been a public administrator for 20 years. I am not corrupt. I know how this stuff works’. If you know how it works, why didn’t you send it off to the department for an assessment? The reason is that the minister already knew that the department’s response would be: ‘You have to be kidding! Surely you can find better things to spend $35 000 on’.
Mr G, the Executive Director of the department, acknowledged:
What is of particular concern to me is Mr G’s assertion that:
How many more, minister? How many more vehicles have been given away? I would like to see this minister lay on the Table in his response here today, in an exercise of openness, honesty and accountability, a full list of all vehicles given away since he has been minister under special purpose grants. It could not be that hard to rake up, and would not take that long to do. I would also like to know how many of those went to the department for assessment, because you would have a result that would not look well for the minister.
In fact, I have some evidence to make this assertion, and this evidence comes from the Ombudsman on page 39 of his report. The Ombudsman said:
The Executive Director of the department:
The person who runs the grant, the guy who signs the cheques - well actually no, he does not sign the cheques - administers the grant of this $1.2m fund - this guy is sitting there. It is his job to keep an eye on the money and he is, ‘not aware or privy to the basis upon which the minister appears this grant’. What does that mean? That means that the guy who is supposed to be running the special purpose grants account does not have a clue what the minister is spending the money on. He gets a cheque for $6000, and does not have a clue. He gets a cheque for $6000, pays it out, and the minister’s little scribble is on the bottom of it. How many more?
This is an investigation into one gifted vehicle and, during that investigation, the minister is discovered in other areas to have signed cheques off without even the grants controller, the guy who runs the account, having the vaguest idea what the minister is signing off on. I again quote:
Not unusual. How many more, minister? How many more cheques have you signed, how many more vehicles have been given away which have not been scrutinised by the department underneath you?
Mr Ah Kit: None, none.
Mr ELFERINK: If you are such an expert on public administration, surely the minister would be asking himself: ‘Gee whiz, perhaps I should go and get some advice on this before I start scribbling out cheques’. The minister, by way of interjection, says ‘None’. Good! Put them all on the Table. Put every special purpose grant for the last three years on the Table, let us have a look. Let us have a look at how much you have given away. There is your credibility. You can test and demonstrate his credibility by putting down every grant given away in the last three years on the Table and we will have a look at it. We will go and talk to the people and see whether or not this is done through the appropriate process.
As I said at the outset, this is probably one of the most shocking indictments of a minister that has ever hit the Table in this place. It is a clear and unequivocal criticism of the minister. It is critical either because he (a) was involved in this process, which then does make the process corrupt; or (b) was not involved in the process and has absolutely no understanding of what is happening around him and in his department. It is up to the public of the Northern Territory to make a determination as to which.
Small wonder that the Ombudsman no longer has his job: ‘We have decided on a new act for the Ombudsman’, says the Chief Minister, ‘Bye Mr Boyce. Thanks for coming; we really thought you had done a great job, but you are on your way’. They have now executed the Ombudsman. Guess what else? They are now going to execute the minister. This is the minister who was pre-selected to stand for the seat of Arnhem in the next Territory election and, all of a sudden, the health conditions which he has had for the last three years – it has been no secret; he has discussed them in here and outside before – become too much for him. He sought pre-selection then, as the torpedoes start to head towards him, including the torpedo of Mr Warren Anderson who is still having a battle with him – by the way, I wonder how much of the $3m worth of legal costs added to the minister’s department goes to the defence against Warren Anderson? There is a torpedo for you. This minister has Mr Jeff Sher QC representing him who, as I understand it, will not get out of bed in the morning for $8000. This is the best litigation silk in the country representing this minister. That is another torpedo heading in his direction. You have this torpedo heading in his direction, and we have a minister who is ducking and weaving on several other issues.
This minister suddenly decided he has had enough and he wants to retire. I bet he does! But, gee whiz, I can tell you something else: I will not believe the story that he was not pushed until the police dust his back for fingerprints. It was all very well and good to see Clare giving him a big hug and saying: ‘Jack, thanks for coming, you have done a good job, mate, but we do not want you around this time’. Absolutely not! I can tell you why: this minister has become a millstone around the neck of this government going into the next election. True to form with the Labor Party, they will quite ruthlessly and happily execute all those around them for the purposes of making sure they look squeaky clean.
That fact is that there needs to be more inquiry into this. The Auditor-General has been given a reference to look into this, but the reference should be to the Public Accounts Committee. It should travel to Belyuen and speak to the players and public servants involved, and gain evidence from all those people and report before the next Territory election to advise what was actually said at that pub all those years ago. If the Public Accounts Committee was able to report on this and take evidence from these people, it would fill in the blanks that this Ombudsman’s report leaves behind - the questions which are unanswered.
What is not going to happen in this parliament today is any commitment from this government to have the Public Accounts Committee look at it. Also what is not going to happen is the special purpose grants signed off by this minister over the last three years are not going to get to this Table. That is the litmus test to the integrity of this minister: put the grants on the Table, let us have a look at them, and then we can make an assessment as to whether the integrity of your ministership has been up to standard.
Debate suspended until after Question Time.
Continued from earlier this day.
Mr WOOD (Nelson): Madam Speaker, I would like to say a few things on this issue. The Ombudsman’s report is fairly lengthy and, at times, fairly complicated. I am not sure whether that is the Ombudsman’s style, but it certainly requires a bit to work through it. It does say some succinct things, and one is on page 8 under ‘Maladministration’, where the Ombudsman clearly states:
I am interested in hearing the minister’s response to the Ombudsman’s report, but I would like him, when he is giving his reply, to address the section of ‘Maladministration’.
I have a number of questions that, hopefully, the minister will be able to answer. The first relates to a footnote on page 27, which refers to this statement by the Ombudsman:
The question I ask, minister, is: is that an appropriate way to approve the sale of a vehicle - or the gifting of a vehicle, to be more accurate - or was there other documentation that backed up this notation to which the Ombudsman referred?
Another question that I would like the minister to answer relates to page 25 where the Ombudsman said:
I have other questions. Since the Ombudsman bought out this report, has the government been proactive in looking at the role of its own department in this particular affair? What has it done to, perhaps, improve the way it acts in these circumstances if it is at fault? What is the role of the department in educating, you might say, in the role of local government because, obviously, the role of local government in relation especially to conflict of interest takes up a large amount of this report. I, for one, have spoken about local government as distinct from traditional government in this parliament before. Local government deals with the provision of local government services although, if you read the documentation for the Belyuen Community Council, they actually have quite a few other responsibilities. Regardless of that, they need to act within the Local Government Act and, clearly, from the Ombudsman’s point of view, they may have acted illegally or contrary to law.
I believe there needs to be that continual reinforcement that local governments are bound by the Local Government Act. You can see this no more than when there are times when CEOs are put under pressure by some people on a council to act contrary to the law. Of course, sometimes there are threats of violence towards those people, and I know that makes it very hard for that person to stay within the law, or is required, basically, to leave for their own safety. I believe there needs to be a continual reinforcement that anyone on a local government, no matter where they are in the Territory, must act within the law. If they do not, then penalties must apply. And minister, I remember very early in parliament, you spoke about how unfortunate the state of affairs were in many of our regions. I am presuming that you were generally talking about the bad state of local government in those communities ...
Mr Elferink: Page 10 is what you are looking for, Gerry. The organisational bankruptcy of the vast majority of remote Aboriginal communities.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Thank you.
Mr WOOD: Thank you, member for Macdonnell. Yes, it is the organisational bankruptcy of the vast majority of remote Aboriginal communities. I believe part of that is that Aboriginal communities were given far too many things to do that they were not funded for, far outside what normal councils would be required to do. They started taking on banks, post office, health when, really, they should have been working on hygiene, rubbish, roads, keeping the place tidy, parks and gardens, that sort of thing. I believe we put too big a load on them. The other thing is, I do not think a lot of people understood that they were part of a government which had to act as a government and act within the law. We need to reinforce those, so that every time new councillors come on to a council, that happens. I am not saying there have not been educational programs, but you do wonder if those educational programs really worked if the minister says there is organisational bankruptcy in those communities.
I am interested in the response, minister, because I am concerned that, if the Ombudsman is raising this - and he is also hinting that it may occur elsewhere - I wonder what the Department of Local Government has done. After all, that is its job. I have had my issues with the Territory government, but local government is subservient to the Northern Territory government. The Northern Territory government makes its by-laws, or at least it approves them. The Northern Territory government is the owner of the Local Government Act, so you have to ask whether they have been enforcing their own Local Government Act to make sure the councillors are acting appropriately. The question is, in the case of this particular council, whether any action has been taken if the council has done something unlawful? Has there been any requirement within the department to find out if someone has done something unlawful or, not done something at least according to the public service act? I am interested in answers to questions like that.
The question is if the vehicle was not meant to be gifted, therefore, the process was illegal or incorrect or wrong - whatever spin you want to put on it - who is paying for that vehicle; and who is going to compensate the government for a vehicle that really should not have been there in the first place? I am interested in that as well.
The Ombudsman has also 14 I think – I will just check how many recommendations - on pages 9 and 10 as part of the Executive Summary. There is a whole series of recommendations there. I am wondering, in your reply, whether you would be able to address those recommendations and tell us how many of the recommendations you agree with. An Ombudsman’s report is an Ombudsman’s opinion. Even the council I have worked on has been, at times, subject to Ombudsman’s investigations. We have not always agreed with the Ombudsman. However, the Ombudsman here has brought out a fairly big document, so he was pretty serious about this particular matter. He has made 14 recommendations. Minister, I am interested for you to tell us how many of those recommendations you will put in place, and if you have any disagreements with those recommendations.
Lastly, I ask one other question, minister. It relates to the Ombudsman saying that he had sent a draft copy of his report to your department, your office. It appears as though there was no comment from your office about the draft report. Was there any reason for that, or did you feel that you would rather wait for the final report to come out and then comment on it?
Madam Speaker, it is a very interesting report. It highlights some very important issues. We have to be stricter with the way we run our councils. We also have to be stricter, from a government point of view, with how special purpose grants are given out. We have to make sure they are not just a nod of a head and a wink. I am not saying that this is, necessarily, the case; I am very interested to hear what the minister has to say about how this particular case occurred. However, the Ombudsman has raised it and, for him to write a report this long certainly must indicate he believes there have been problems either in the granting of the vehicle, the operation of the local government council that is involved, or the manner in which the department has operated. They are all issues that need to be addressed by the minister. I am certainly interested in hearing what he has to say.
Mr AH KIT (Community Development): Madam Speaker, I say at the outset that I will respond shortly to some of the questions asked by the member for Nelson and, no doubt, answer some of the concerns raised by the member for Macdonnell, even though what I am about to say will prove that, as I believe, he has it totally wrong.
The facts of this matter have been laid out in the Ombudsman’s report which was tabled in the last sittings in Alice Springs. They are quite clear, and I commend the Ombudsman for the work he carried out. Since then, the people on the opposite side have sought to embroider and distort those findings. The member for Brennan, indeed, has claimed an act of criminality by me. I am told that he has written a letter alleging this criminality to the Police Commissioner. I, in turn, wrote to the commissioner making myself available to assist police in the matter. I would like to table that, Madam Speaker, because I will come back to it very shortly. I will quickly read it:
That points out, quite clearly, that I have nothing to hide. However, despite repeated requests to the Leader of the Opposition by the media, he has not produced a single shred of evidence. He and the member for Macdonnell, along with various other CLP candidates, have indulged in attacks on me. And this, from the member for Macdonnell, who refused to speak to the police in their inquiries after the notorious camel killing episode reported in the media in recent times.
I would like to table a copy of that press release. However, before I do that, I would like to read that also …
Mr Dunham: You are innocent because somebody else has done something wrong? It is not going to work, mate. It has nothing to do with giving away motor cars.
Mr AH KIT: Well … On 19 April 2005, ‘MP camel shooting inquiries slammed’ …
Mr Dunham: That is not a motor car!
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr AH KIT: This is camels. So it is okay to shoot camels?
Members interjecting.
Mr AH KIT: Madam Speaker, I will try not to be interrupted by the members opposite. The story goes:
It goes on:
Mr Elferink again refused to comment.
I have written a letter to the Police Commissioner saying: ‘I have nothing to hide, talk to me if you have a problem’.
Mr Dunham interjecting.
Mr AH KIT: We are waiting …
Mr Dunham interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Drysdale, cease.
Mr AH KIT: We will await the outcome of the police inquiries. They will, no doubt, write back to the Leader of the Opposition providing advice on what they intend to do with it. I certainly hope that it is not going to be too long, because I am quite sure that nothing will be found and that I will be cleared, as I should be.
Anyway, I go on. I can only hope that - although I will not hold my breath - the member for Brennan and others will have the grace to apologise to me and the Territory electorate when the police find nothing to act on. Similarly, I can only hope - but, again, will not hold my breath - that an apology will come from those on the other side when the Auditor-General makes a similar determination.
Mr Elferink: Yes.
Mr AH KIT: You said yes? Good, I will wait for that public apology.
As anyone who has read the report would know, the matter relates to a $35 000 special purpose grant provided to the Belyuen Community Government Council in 2002 for the purchase of a vehicle to allow the council to monitor country and sites. This is a function that falls within the realm of the council’s responsibilities as stipulated in its constitution - a constitution endorsed by this parliament under a previous CLP government.
The relevant provision reads, under section 12(w) relating to functions of the Belyuen Community Government Council, that the council may perform the function of the maintenance and preservation of Aboriginal law and custom. There can be nothing clearer than that, and it was on that basis that the grant of $35 000 was made to the Belyuen Council and that I met, at Mandorah, with the CEO and president of the council and another member of the community. To suggest there is something mysterious …
Mr Elferink: They were not there in that capacity. You swore on oath that they were not.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Macdonnell, you have had your say. Let us listen to the minister.
Mr AH KIT: … or sinister about a local government minister meeting with the CEO and a president of a council says something about the peculiar mindset of those opposite. It was on the basis of that meeting with members of Belyuen Council, and a subsequent written request that I approved the grant.
Subsequent to that, as the Ombudsman’s report makes clear, things went pear-shaped. The council, not wishing to incur costs through the use of the vehicle, gifted it to three individuals who would carry out the task. In doing so, the council failed to seek the required ministerial approval for this action under section 129(4) of the Local Government Act, which requires a council to obtain ministerial approval to sell or exchange an asset. The department did not specifically advise the council that ministerial approval is required for the gifting of a resource provided with funds from the government.
Of his own motion, the Ombudsman inquired into the circumstances surrounding the gifting of the vehicle. The Ombudsman forwarded an interim report to the department and a detailed response was provided to the matters raised. In my view, the department was open and frank in its response to the Ombudsman, and the department acknowledged and, indeed, acted upon, suggestions in the Ombudsman’s preliminary report to improve procedures used to administer special purposes grants under the act. While he is not entitled to question the personal decisions of a minister in this case, in his final report, the Ombudsman stated:
Mr Dunham: Have you talked to him and made yourself available?
Mr AH KIT: I will start again, Madam Speaker:
I recently endorsed a formal protocol for the processing of local government special purpose grants, as recommended by the Ombudsman. The department has met with the Belyuen Community Government Council, which has agreed to pay back the $35 000 provided to it as a special purpose grant and has also undertaken to take up recommendations made by the Ombudsman in relation to the management of conflicts of interest.
The Chief Minister has referred the matter to the Auditor-General for consideration and advice as to what action, if any, is deemed appropriate in the circumstances. The Auditor-General will report, if he has not already, to the Chief Minister. I believe she will be participating in this debate and can inform the House on the Auditor-General’s findings.
In the remaining time, I want to come to some of the points raised with regard to ‘Maladministration’ on page 8. I read page 8, which deals with the Ombudsman’s opinion:
You have to understand what I have just explained, and ask whether this is aimed at the minister or the department or a particular officer. Certainly, I do not see it being aimed at myself, given what else he has said in regards to his report on page 35. In fact, he said:
I also go to one of the concerns raised by the member for Nelson about the bottom of page 27. I want to let him know what I believe the Ombudsman is referring to. From memory, in the briefing I received from the department, I noted in my handwriting that the vehicle was approved but it must go to the council and not to individuals. So that is spelt out quite clearly from me.
I also respond to a question asked by the member for Nelson in regards to waiting for the final report. Yes, I am waiting for the final report. I did not feel at that time, with the politics that was being played out, that I should respond to the Ombudsman. He had a job to do; he went out and talked to people. He talked to the CEO, obviously, and to people within the department. I felt that I had nothing to fear in regard to the inquiry, that I would be cleared - and that, I believe, is still going to be the case - and that I would wait for the final report. That was the choice I made.
In regard to this whole situation with the grant, I can say to the members opposite that it is not the first time I have had an attack on me and my reputation. I have worked in public office for some 25 years, and I have worked very hard to establish a very good name, I believe, in the Northern Territory and across this country. However, I come from a big family. I have had claims of nepotism. I have, on my father’s side, 250 immediate family members, and my mother’s side, similar. I have 500 very close relations. If you add to that extended family, I have something like 3000 relatives I am very proud of, and for whom I will not make any apologies. Many of them born here, grew up here, worked hard all their lives, will continue to work hard, and will continue to contribute to the Territory and to how we move forward. If they have won jobs on their own merit, good luck to them, whether in the public service or private sector. I refute any of these silly allegations of nepotism with regard to any of my family being appointed to any position with any department within the public service, the Commonwealth or local government as such.
As I said, I am somewhat concerned about the continuous attacks in regards to my reputation. I do not know whether members opposite can claim that they have been able to have a very hardworking career as mine, in regard to the battles that I have fought over the years and my contribution to the Territory. However, I certainly do not take kindly to having them go off on a wild goose hunt, accusing me of being corrupt. That is something that is not substantiated. I believe that when the Auditor-General reports to the Chief Minister, and when the report of the Commissioner of Police comes back, that there will be nothing found.
Madam Speaker, I will very keenly await the apology that has been promised and committed by the member for Macdonnell, and I certainly hope the Leader of the Opposition follows suit, because going on a wild goose chase or accusing me of shooting myself in the foot is nothing short of saying that I have conducted myself in a very corrupt manner. It is something that I have not done for 25 years. I have worked hard and I do not believe I deserve this type of cheap, political, gutter treatment from the members opposite.
Mr DUNHAM (Drysdale): From the start, Madam Speaker, it is not cheap; we are talking about $35 000 here which is quite an important amount of money. I believe the minister’s appeal to us to look to his credentials and his history degrades him. He should focus on this report. It has been evident that he has not read it that closely, by his contribution just then. I read it after parliament in Alice Springs. I have not revisited it to any great extent, but some of the things he said I knew to be different. It was gifted to one person, not to three.
The community government council may well have some powers that have been authorised through devices by this parliament, but it was outside the boundaries. My old reading of the Local Government Act meant that, if you wanted to do something outside of your boundaries and functions, there had to be an approval for it.
Regarding the business about ‘it is not him’; it has to be somebody. I guess that is the point that my colleague, the member for Macdonnell, was trying to make: that $35 000 has gone missing. The council has put its hand up and said: ‘Well, we will chuck that back into the pot!’ The councillors also said in this report: ‘What, you think we were going to upset the department and the minister by knocking this vehicle back? No way!’ That is probably one of the biggest concerns in here; that there appears to be a fear in the councils that they would have some sort of punitive response if they did not participate in this act of collusion. That is evident in there. For the council to be saying: ‘Well, we will be getting involved in this whole chain of things, even though we did not ask, we did not want it, we were worried about the procedure’, causes me concern, because I do know that this minister is anti-local government.
While he is quite happy to parade his credentials here, I remember his credentials. I worked in the Office of Local Government when the member for Arnhem was in the land council and fought against local government - strongly against local government. We got to the high farce stage where the permit for Don Dunstan, former Labor Premier of South Australia, to go to Ngukurr was knocked back. It was quite a guerrilla campaign that was waged by the land council against local government, which they saw as, somehow, diminishing their powers and potency as the great orator and spokesmen for Aboriginal people. So, I know his bona fides.
When you look at the Darwin City Council, it is not that long ago that I stood in this House and protected the Town Clerk of the Darwin City Council, Mr Alan McGill, whom I know to be a honourable and upstanding man, and the minister was affronted and offended. He said: ‘You have made this terrible attack on the officers of the Office of Local Government’. Well, I believe the Office of Local Government is as accountable as members of this parliament - as anybody else. It shows just how hollow the words were because the minister, as soon as there was a whiff about a problem with this, quickly came out and blamed - who? A field officer in the Office of Local Government. I know this gentleman. I have worked with the person who is unnamed - and I shall not be naming him here either - and I know him to be a field officer of longstanding. I know him to be a person of great honour and integrity. He has worked right throughout many communities in the Top End and his reputation, although anonymous in this report, has been impugned.
The minister said: ‘If you read the report you will see the car was gifted to Belyuen’. The report does not tell us that, and I guess that is my point. There are a few of us who have done the links. We have done our little check and we know who in the community it is. Some people even know where the vehicle is and what it is worth - $2500 I am told currently, because it has now been traded twice. The minister has to do a little more about defending the integrity of the system, not: ‘It is not me, I am a good and honest bloke and everybody knows me to be that, therefore, I do not have to say anymore. I wrote a letter to the Police Commissioner saying I will participate, and I am sure the Auditor-General will find me innocent’. Well, the Auditor-General has not commenced to look yet. It is my understanding he is waiting for the police report. Perhaps he knows something more than me. However, I would have thought the police investigation is still on foot. I would have thought that, after that, the Auditor-General will do what the Chief Minister has asked him to do; that is, to investigate this matter. I would have thought that he will report back to parliament.
This is a significant matter because it is a bit of a needle in a haystack when you are sitting in opposition looking for where the government might have mucked up particularly, as I said, where there could be elements of collusion; where communities could be so worried about their relationship with the minister and the department that they unwittingly get involved in it. It is in the report if you read it. I am very concerned, and I am happy to quote from page 30 of the Ombudsman’s Report:
It would appear on the reading of this report that we are not talking about one car; we are talking about a process. The report talks about a couple of other grants, or monies, which found their way to people who do not have incorporation or whatever behind them. Therefore, one can only assume that they went to natural persons, and there are at least two such grants in this report.
This is a significant issue. This is not a cheap shot; it is an expensive shot. I suggest the current Minister for Local Government should have taken this as a most serious matter. It is no good to table a letter saying: ‘Dear Commissioner of Police, I am happy to cooperate’. He must have known about this. This report has been going on for some time; there would have been briefs to the minister. On at least one of the matters in here there were significant discussions between the CEO and the minister.
I point out that the CEO, in our Westminster tradition in relation to matters such as finance, is called the Accountable Officer. The reason for this is that he eventually is called to account for these monies and this type of thing. I will be most angry if the field officer concerned is, in some way, impugned or punished about this, as I know the person and his level of integrity. Albeit anonymously, I am happy to put on the Parliamentary Record my great support for this person. If, in any way, this person is punished as a result of this Ombudsman’s report, I will be making very strenuous representations in parliament, and also to the Ombudsman and Attorney-General, as I am sure he will be found to be an innocent bystander.
The same is not demonstrably true of the minister, nor the accountable officer. The minister’s contribution was very light on those matters. He definitely was in a pub talking to people who asked for something, and they definitely somehow got it. That trail between asking for a motor car and getting a motor car involved the minister. Whilst he might say the Ombudsman did not say he had his fingerprints all over it, the Ombudsman also said: ‘I was not able to ask’. The minister said it in his answer. He said: ‘…while the politics were being played out …’. Well, we did not know about it. We did not know until Alice Springs when this hit the ground. Therefore, the only politics being played out must have been internal to the Labor Party and to people involved in this, as we were totally unaware of it.
For him to want to wait for the report obviously puts a stern caveat on the Ombudsman on two counts: first, that he cannot look at the actions of a minister, and second, the minister did not participate in his investigation, or chose not to as he was waiting for the politics to be played out. This is not good enough, Chief Minister. If you think it is answered by the impending exit of the member for Arnhem, I can tell you it is not. It goes to a systemic failure; this is one motor car that got into the hands of private citizens which was funded by the taxpayer. It is entirely reasonable to ask whether that systemic failure replicated itself for other vehicles, on other occasions. It is entirely reasonable for the member for Arnhem be called to account, currently as a minister and maybe later on as a citizen of the Northern Territory. However, this is not a matter which should be trivialised in the way of ‘some CLP witch hunt’.
We were totally oblivious to this until the Chief Minister chose, in the dying moments of the Alice Springs sittings, to slap this matter on the Table and hope it would go away. It is curious it has been brought on again today, and I suspect it is some sort of government attempt at catharsis where they bring it on, we get the collective bile off our liver, and they can then go out and say: ‘This has been debated in parliament and it is all finished’. It is not finished; there is a police investigation on foot, as well as an Auditor-General investigation. This parliament records its concern over at least a couple of speakers that this matter has not reached any finality, and it should not be portrayed to anybody that that is the case.
I look with interest to further contributions from ministers. I was absolutely gobsmacked and appalled yesterday to read about the circumstances of that poor lady who was assaulted and, through clerical error, was overpaid an amount of $3000. The minister today talked about the teachers’ EBA and said: ‘Oh yes, $50m. That is within budget; that is pretty easy to find’. Well, $3000 is a pretty significant amount to find if you are out there as someone who has been the victim of an assault such as this.
I would suggest that this is treated seriously by this government. I suggest they tell us who is being pursued. If it is, indeed, the Belyuen Council that has chosen to repay the $35 000, I would like to know whether the minister’s comments that a field officer was responsible and had been slapped on the knuckles is something that he is prepared to withdraw because, obviously, he was wrong when he made that allegation against field staff.
I will leave it there, Madam Speaker, other than to say that I hope there will be an opportunity for this parliament to revisit this. If the intention of bringing this on today is that we get past it and, like the member for Johnston not being called to account for his actions and various other things that we have seen here, the Chief Minister says: ‘No, sorry, that is all behind us. We are not going back there and we are never going to discuss it’. If that is the intention of this, she has another think coming, because this is a matter that must be pursued to its finality. If what we have here is one example of a systemic failure, any auditor will tell you that the propensity for it to happen on more than one occasion is there.
What we have here is a hole that demonstrates risk, and that risk is something that could have provided several cars. The minister has not gone anywhere near that. His refusal to answer questions in Question Time was certainly something that rang alarm bells for me. I will be very pleased to revisit this on the future occasions that it comes before this parliament.
Ms MARTIN (Chief Minister): Madam Speaker, I want to thank the Ombudsman for his report into this particular circumstance; the special purpose grant. That is why we have an Ombudsman. If there are issues about administration, if there are things that do not follow proper process, then that is what we rely on the Ombudsman to do. Therefore, I thank him for his report.
What I find curious is that, even though the Ombudsman has been very clear in his findings, we have had members of the opposition say that somehow there was more to it. The Ombudsman made a very clear assessment of his investigation, which was substantial – this is not a lightweight document – and is very clear about the result. Yet, members of the opposition in a very clever - I will give them clever - and strangely slippery way are trying to imply that there was more to it.
We rely on the Ombudsman’s Office, the Ombudsman himself to make a report and, yet …
Mr Baldwin: You table these lists of motor cars. How about you table them?
Ms MARTIN: Madam Speaker, the member for Daly could have contributed to this debate had he wished.
Mr Baldwin: Yes, you could table the list; you are the Chief Minister.
Ms MARTIN: Madam Speaker, we are dealing with one particular circumstance that the proper processes through a department were not followed. This has been spelt out very clearly in the Ombudsman’s report. Yet, listening to members of the opposition, the Ombudsman must be incompetent because they tell a very different story. They take small pieces of information throughout this report, put it together in a way that suits their purposes, then say there is a conspiracy theory and call the minister corrupt. That is not a logical chain of events. I say thank you to the Ombudsman for his report. He has clarified where…
Mr Dunham: You stand fully behind him on this?
Ms MARTIN: The member for Drysdale had an opportunity to contribute to this debate …
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Drysdale, let us have silence.
Ms MARTIN: … and I thank him for that contribution. I do not necessarily respect that contribution because I do not think it was accurate, neither do I the member for Macdonnell’s contribution because, when you have a straightforward report into an incident that says there was incorrect advice given within the department and that that can be rectified and, as the minister says, it has been rectified, to me, that is the end of the matter. Yet, you have the opposition creating this wild and tangled conspiracy that has no evidence in this report - no evidence at all.
I thank the Ombudsman for his report, part of which said that we should refer the matter to the Auditor-General. This has been done. The Auditor-General has advised me that he has reviewed the Community Development files that are relevant to this matter, and discussed the circumstances surrounding the grant with officers in the department. The Auditor-General found no evidence of any systematic failure on the part of the department. I make that clear. Or are we going to have the opposition say that we have an idiot Ombudsman and an idiot Auditor-General? I just say this: the Auditor-General found no evidence of any systematic failure on the part of the department. End of conspiracy theory! Okay? End of conspiracy theory.
Mr Baldwin interjecting
Ms MARTIN: Okay, the Auditor-General is incompetent as well? Fine. We have these statutory positions, Madam Speaker …
Mr DUNHAM: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I cannot leave that on the Parliamentary Record because the assumption is that I insinuated the Auditor-General was incompetent.
Ms Martin: You did.
Mr DUNHAM: I would never do that, Madam Speaker.
Ms Martin: So did the member for Macdonnell.
Mr DUNHAM: So for her to pose a rhetorical question and answer it herself in the …
Mr BONSON: A point of order, Madam Speaker!
Mr DUNHAM: … pretence that was coming from me …
Mr BONSON: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Could we ask the member to return to his desk before he …
Ms Carney: Good point of order, Matty. Go, man!
Mr DUNHAM: A point of order, Madam Speaker!
Madam SPEAKER: No, there is no point of order, member for Drysdale. Chief Minister, continue. If we could have the Chief Minister continue in silence as we did for most of the speakers, we would not have this misunderstanding that seems to have eventuated.
Ms MARTIN: Madam Speaker, I will finish with what the Auditor-General said, because I have a lot of confidence in our Auditor-General. I also have a lot of confidence in our Ombudsman and the Ombudsman’s Office. Let me just put that on the record, unlike the views of the members of the opposition, who are basically saying you cannot trust their reports.
Mr Dunham: Not true.
Ms MARTIN: It is true. In the Auditor-General’s opinion …
Mr BURKE: A point of order, Madam Speaker!
Mr STIRLING: A point of order, Madam Speaker!
Madam SPEAKER: We seem to have points of order everywhere. Leader of the Opposition, you are first.
Mr BURKE: I was of the view and I understood that the Auditor-General reports to parliament. The Chief Minister, by her statement, is saying that the Auditor-General has reported to her but not to this parliament. If she is making comments of the Auditor-General, why does she not table his report or his preliminary briefing for the parliament to see?
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, you have been requested to …
Ms MARTIN: Madam Speaker, I referred the report to the Auditor-General. He has responded to me.
Madam SPEAKER: Are you going to table that report?
Mr Burke: Where does the Speaker and the parliament fit into this? Do we fit in or not?
Madam SPEAKER: Let me get some advice from the Clerk.
Mr Burke: You cannot verbal the Auditor-General in this parliament.
Ms MARTIN: I am not verballing. I am quoting with his permission.
Mr Burke: You are. Lay his report down if you have something to say about it.
Ms MARTIN: I am quoting with his permission, thank you. I am not verballing anyone, unlike the opposition.
Madam SPEAKER: The same as I could ask the Auditor-General something, you could, any member could. If they reply to that member …
A member interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Hang on. It is the Auditor-General’s decision whether he reports to the parliament.
Mr BURKE: I respect that, Madam Speaker, but I ask the Chief Minister to clarify her comments, because she is asserting in this parliament that the Auditor-General has made definitive comments with regard to his investigation. Will you now admit, Chief Minister, that is not the case at all because he has not reported it?
Madam SPEAKER: He has not reported to the parliament, he has responded to the Chief Minister, and she is quoting from his response to the Chief Minister.
Ms MARTIN: Thank you, Madam Speaker. If you want to say that I am lying in here, move a substantive motion.
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, I do not believe that is what the Leader of the Opposition said. Just get on with your response.
Ms MARTIN: He seems to be implying that I am misquoting the Auditor-General, and I am not.
In the Auditor-General’s opinion, there was no breach …
Mr Burke: How do we know that?
Ms MARTIN: I asked him for a report and was advised by the …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms MARTIN: In the Auditor-General’s opinion, there was no breach of the Financial Management Act or the Audit Act. There was, says the Auditor-General, a breach of the Local Government Act by the council, albeit in circumstances where the council was acting on advice from Community Development …
Mr BURKE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The Chief Minister is reading from a document. Could I ask it be tabled?
Ms MARTIN: They are notes, Madam Speaker, I am not going to table it. They are notes to me.
An NT Auditor-General’s Office internal working document has been prepared, summarising the results of the initial review and discussions, and that document, for the Auditor-General, will provide a point of reference when planning the Department of Community Development’s compliance audit for 2005-06. From the Auditor-General’s point of view there was not a breach of the Financial Management Act or the Audit Act, but he is very clear there was a breach of the Local Government Act …
Mr Dunham: Allegedly. We have not seen the report.
Ms MARTIN: I say again that what I have listened to from the opposition on this matter is simply a smear campaign. It is taking unrelated comments from an Ombudsman’s report, particularly in the case of the member for Macdonnell who created his own story from that and added conspiracy in it, implying that, when it is very clearly said by the Ombudsman that there had been a fault of process in the department, that somehow or other that the minister was involved. The Ombudsman made it very clear. Just because the opposition wants to find another story here and want to keep reiterating that there is another story, the facts are that there is not - there is not. We had the member for Drysdale saying we obviously have thousands of cars that have been gifted. On what basis are you talking about this? You could make that up on any particular circumstance. You have to actually have a few facts. We do have processes in this parliament, like estimates, where you can explore that. However, you cannot come in and make allegations, wild fantasies, based on no facts. Get your facts. That is what the Ombudsman has done here …
Mr Dunham: Where are your facts?
Ms MARTIN: If you do not believe the Ombudsman’s report, say so - be honest about it …
Mr Dunham: No, we believe him; that is the whole basis of our argument.
Ms MARTIN: But you do not believe the Ombudsman’s report …
Mr Dunham: Yes we do. Yes we do.
Ms MARTIN: The Ombudsman is very clear in his recommendations and the results of his report - very clear. I thank the minister for his very comprehensive response to the Ombudsman’s report. I thank the Auditor-General for his comments to me which I sought, quite appropriately. Madam Speaker, again, I thank our Ombudsman, Peter Boyce, for his time in the job and look forward to the appointment of the next Ombudsman.
Motion agreed to; paper noted
Continued from earlier this day.
Ms MARTIN (Chief Minister): Madam Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to contribute to the appropriation debate for my government’s 2005-06 budget. As the Treasurer outlined yesterday, this budget confirms my government as the most tax reforming government in the Territory’s history. For the benefit of the opposition, that means taking taxes down, not putting them up. It delivers less tax, local jobs and better skills.
This budget supports and builds on what was achieved over the past three years, and will enable the Northern Territory government to deliver continued, outstanding economic growth rates for the Territory, create more jobs for Territorians, ensure we have the right skills in place for those jobs, and to make sure the Territory remains a fantastic place to live.
In addressing the areas of my portfolios and how they are reflected in this Budget 2005-06, first to tourism. As Minister for Tourism, I am pleased to say that, through this budget, the Territory government continues to recognise the tourism industry’s crucial role. The tourism sector is a significant component of the Territory’s healthy economy, both as the second largest contributor to our gross state product and as an employer.
In 2003, the Territory government allocated an extra $27.5m over three years for tourism marketing and industry development. This enabled the Tourist Commission to undertake the biggest overhaul of our marketing and communications strategies in decades. During 2005-06, $10m in additional funding will go towards international and domestic marketing activities, while $2.4m will be spent on tourism development with a priority on indigenous culture and nature-based tourism.
Tourism marketing activities include placing our innovative Share Our Story footage on pay TV and cinema, as well as investigating options to place the footage on global pay TV. The Share Our Story campaigns are being rolled out for each of the six priority regions: Darwin, Katherine, Kakadu, Tennant Creek/Barkly, Alice Springs and Uluru regions. A partial focus is on attracting key domestic and international media to the Territory who can help us share our message with potential visitors. The Destination Alice Springs campaign is the first cab off the rank in the Share Our Story campaign.
The Tourist Commission will continue working vigorously to maintain our strong marketing position in Europe, including Germany, Italy, France, Spain, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Scandinavia, Singapore, the Americas, New Zealand and Japan, as well as developing awareness of the Territory in Hong Kong, mainland China and Malaysia.
Funding of $1m has been allocated for aviation cooperative marketing activities with international airline partners as indicated with the latest Japanese charters that are in Alice Springs. An ongoing priority for the government is to expand the number of international and domestic airline services into the Territory, and discussions are continuing with a number of the airlines operating in Australia and Asia. Just in the past week, we have seen the arrival of two Japan Airlines charter flights in Alice Springs. The flights from Tokyo and Osaka are great news for the Central Australian tourism industry, carrying a total of 746 passengers. Alice Springs is their only Australian destination.
Exciting new international initiatives include focussing on the travellers throughout Europe and the United Kingdom identified by the marketing experts as self-challengers. These campaigns are being developed with Student Travel Association, and involve promotions through universities as well as cinema advertising, and print and poster advertising.
The budget enables us to continue to focus on Central Australia to seek further tourism developments and enhancements around the Mereenie Loop as it is sealed, the West MacDonnell Ranges and the Larapinta Trail. The Mereenie Tourist Loop project totals $43m, including an allocation of $8m in this year’s budget.
I was pleased to announce recently that the Territory government will invest $7.48m over the next three years to upgrade visitor facilities at Litchfield Park to make sure that the park can handle the increased visitor numbers we anticipate over the next five to 10 years. The funding includes $3.4m for an information centre at Wangi Falls, similar to the existing one at Kakadu.
This budget includes almost $2m worth of projects; for example: $850 000 to redevelop the Wangi Falls day use area and provide more parking; $700 000 to upgrade the camp ground at Florence Falls; closing and rehabilitating the camp ground at Buley Rockhole; landscaping along the creek between Florence Falls and Buley Rockhole – that is a wonderful walk; and formalising the entry to the park in the Walker Creek/Bamboo Creek area.
We have also committed $500 000 for infrastructure work associated with a luxury wilderness lodge at Wildman River, 150 km from Darwin. The resort, which is expected to be operational in 2007, is a project by Voyages Hotels and Resorts and General Property Trust, and will be a sister property to the multi-award winning Longitude 131 at Uluru.
In July, government will take part in the World Expo event in Japan. A World Expo brochure will be developed on the Territory complementing three new Drive Australia brochures that are being translated into Japanese.
The Territory’s representation overseas will continue. We will have a new public relations representative for Pan Asia in Singapore, Malaysia, China and Hong Kong, targeted media and trade familiarisation activity will be maintained, and a new motivational brochure in Chinese and English will be created. We will maintain our trade representation service in Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong.
We are entering a joint agreement for a publication between South Australian Tourist Commission, Western Australia’s Tourist Commission, our Tourist Commission and Lonely Planet Publications to be distributed in Europe and United Kingdom.
In April next year, Inbound to the Outback 2006 will be held at Kings Canyon with a familiarisation tour throughout the Northern Territory. About 50 inbound tour operator buyers and 50 Northern Territory suppliers will attend.
The commission will continue its tourism development focus with an emphasis on helping current business to continue to refine their products to suit the changing needs of travellers and developing new products. The commission will work closely with 10 businesses in the coming year to further develop their product and help them become more active in their national promotion. The commission will also continue to implement the Indigenous Tourism strategy. We want to see more indigenous Territorians employed in our tourism industry, to provide better marketing of the indigenous tourism product and encourage new, sustainable indigenous tourism experience.
Certainly, tourism is one of the very strong growth areas of our economy. The commitment from government through the budget process has really seen some of the difficulties we faced three years ago start to turn around. It was heartening to be complimented at ATEC in Alice Springs last week, along with Victoria, as two of the areas of Australia that are really out there marketing their product and seeing the results. It was complimenting to know that we are ahead of some of the other states in doing so.
As Minister for Arts and Museums, I am delighted to announce that the government has committed to $300 000 of minor new works for the Territory’s first ever coordinated Public Art strategy. The Public Art strategy will support the arts community and help to make sure that our public spaces are creative and vibrant places. The strategy will focus on economic and professional opportunities that contribute to enhancing and improving the quality of the built environment and the public facilities; provide economic and marketing opportunities for the construction sector to value-add to projects in a properly structured, professional way; and continue to develop active partnerships, formal and informal, with local government and the private sector. Of course, the public art at the waterfront will lead the way in this.
The Territory’s indigenous arts strategy, Building Strong Arts Business, which I launched last year, will continue with annual funding of $1.1m. This strategy supports sustainable indigenous arts development through showcasing export and employment opportunities, art centre development and sustainability, initiatives to develop indigenous performing arts, and cross-border partnerships.
I recently announced that the government had signed a new deal with Telstra, worth over $1m over five years, which will continue to build the profile of the Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Award. This is Australia’s richest indigenous art prize, and makes an immeasurable contribution to both tourism and creation of jobs in the bush.
Almost $400m will be provided in arts grants in 2005-06 to strengthen the capacity of the arts and culture sector in the Territory. This includes an additional $750 000 for festivals and showcasing Territory arts grants, which have been part of the last two budgets. There are 26 community arts and cultural festivals staged throughout the Territory each year. Apart from the ones in the main centres, the majority of them are in regional and remote communities. These festivals directly engage about 120 000 people, locals and tourists, in arts and cultural activities across the Territory. They also give Territorians the opportunities to showcase our culture and talent at a local, national and international level. Preparing for, managing and presenting these festivals provides direct employment for Territory artists and art workers, as well as bringing members of communities together to share a positive and creative experience.
Also in this budget - and I am very proud of this - is additional recurrent funding of $750 000 that has been provided to enable the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory to continue operating at the standard all visitors have come to expect and appreciate. We had record numbers of visitors at the Museum and Art Gallery last year – 210 000 – and the expectation is that we will seriously gazump that number this year.
There is a strong commitment to arts in this budget. It is not just art for art’s sake. Arts is an industry, which creates jobs, tourism opportunities and is part of underpinning our vibrant Territory lifestyle which, as I said in Question Time, the Seabreeze Festival at Nightcliff demonstrates only too well.
Moving on to the Department of Chief Minister, indigenous issues are a priority of my government, and the budget supports our key initiatives in this area. For example, the over-arching agreement on indigenous affairs between the Commonwealth of Australia and the Northern Territory was signed last month. The agreement sets the way forward in the post-ATSIC era and will ensure funding is better targeted. This is a major achievement for the Territory. We are the first to sign up and are leading the nation, and this was acknowledged by the Prime Minister.
The first schedules to flow from this new agreement are for housing, arts and regional government. For example, for housing, it will bring together existing Commonwealth and Territory indigenous housing programs into a single program to be delivered at the Territory level. One of the major benefits of a more coordinated effort is that any savings made through streamlining government services and reducing administration costs will go directly to programs on the ground and free up more money to build homes.
The Parks and Reserves Framework is another achievement of which we can be proud. It sets the framework for the Territory government, together with traditional owners, to establish a world-class system of parks and reserves throughout the Territory. The High Court decision in Ward presented the possibility of great uncertainty for the future of the Territory’s national park estate. This legislation turns that uncertainty into a great opportunity. We have reached a comprehensive arrangement that deals with land rights and native title issues without resorting to economically crippling litigation. The approach is critical to the economic future of the Territory given the comparative advantage the Territory enjoys with respect to our natural heritage and indigenous knowledge systems. I am very pleased that, in this budget, significant funds are going to parks – not only the Parks and Wildlife Service, but also to building the infrastructure in parks throughout the Territory.
The second Indigenous Economic Forum will be held later this month, on 25 and 26 May, to showcase indigenous economic development and highlight key issues, lessons learnt, and what is needed to create sustainable economic opportunities for indigenous people and communities.
The Community Harmony strategy will continue to address issues of homelessness, and the health, wellbeing and social behaviour of itinerant groups. The strategy will continue to assist itinerants return to their homelands, and provide access to housing, employment and health services. As part of the strategy, Larrakia Nation has worked with elders from across the Territory to develop protocols on respect for country but, also importantly, in complementing what I have just outlined: very strong activity from our police on our streets, dealing with breaking of the law and antisocial behaviour. I am sure the minister for Police will be talking about those initiatives in his response to the budget.
As the Minister responsible for Young Territorians, Minister for Women’s Policy and Minister for Senior Territorians, I am pleased that this budget includes funding of $4m to continue women’s, youth, multicultural and seniors’ advancement in our community. One initiative for seniors I announced recently gives older Territorians the option of using their travel concessions to fly their friends and families to the Territory. That means every four years, senior cardholders receive the value of one return economy air fare to travel themselves, or to fly their loved ones here. $140 000 for the Youth Grant Program will continue in this budget, to provide the Territory’s young people with access to personal development programs and activities, and events initiated by young people themselves.
My government is committed to engaging with the community and working with Territorians, and we have been able to hear first-hand about the issues that matter through our Community Cabinets and the Women’s Forums that are held in conjunction with Community Cabinets. I also add to that the very important Business Round Tables that are held right across the Territory. This is just one of the many ways in which my government engages with the community, and has enabled ministers to meet thousands of Territorians and hear what they have to say. For example, last month we visited communities around the West MacDonnells and held a Women’s Forum at Ntaria, Hermannsburg. The next Community Cabinet will be held in Alice Springs on 23 and 24 May, and it is my intention that Community Cabinets will continue to be held throughout the Territory. We committed to 30 Community Cabinets through the first three-and-a-half years, and we have actually made it to 33, so we are ahead of schedule.
The $3.3m in grants we give to support various community sectors will continue, including $1.8m to support Major Events in the coming year. Hidden Valley, home of the famous Darwin V8 Supercar race, will receive a major upgrade, with an investment of $900 000 for an additional eight pit garages to ensure this and future year’s events are run smoothly and safely. Further work worth $3m will be undertaken to upgrade and improve facilities for all motor sport enthusiasts at Hidden Valley over the next few years.
BassintheGrass in Darwin and BassintheDust in Alice Springs will again be concerts not to be missed this year. My government is committed to ensuring Territorians, especially younger Territorians, have the chance to enjoy events similar to the Big Day Outs held in other states. In fact, tickets go on sale this Friday for BassintheGrass, to be held on 4 June at the Amphitheatre. My only regret in going to the BassintheGrass is that I am probably one of the oldest people there, which certainly makes you feel your age just that small amount.
My government will continue to support events across the Territory, including Australian Rules football, international cricket matches, and a wide range of other events such as the growing and highly successful Finke Desert Race - which had an honourable mention in the Australian Tourism Awards this year, and there was an outrageous roar from the table at the ATA - and the Barkly May Day Muster. The list of events goes on.
We will also continue our allocation of $500 000 in grants to improve facilities for our diverse community under the Multicultural Community Facilities Development program. This allocation is part of the $1.5m over three years announced last year to help with renovation and upgrade of facilities managed by recognised multicultural community organisations, with the aim of promoting diversity in the Territory.
Some $740 000 has been allocated to support projects that promote cultural and linguistic diversity in the Territory through the Multicultural Affairs Sponsorship program. The program includes funding for cultural and linguistic awards, totalling up to $150 000 for individuals and community groups, to undertake research, further study or specialised training in languages or other cultural activity relating to their multicultural background.
Also, as part of my department, funding of $500 000 was allocated to support the Tsunami Relief Appeal in this financial year. This disaster affected many community groups in the Territory, and I was proud that we, as Territorians, could assist with kick-starting the appeals.
Last financial year, my government delivered on its promise to establish an independent Electoral Commission. Ongoing additional resources of $500 000 have now been provided to the commission to bolster electoral education and establish a permanent office in Alice Springs. This funding – I did not hear a ‘hear hear’ from the Minister from Central Australia …
Dr Toyne: Hear, hear!
Ms MARTIN: Good. This funding will help to ensure fair, independent, and professional electoral services continue to be provided to Territorians.
Additional funding of $150 000 has been provided towards the operation of the Palmerston Information Centre; a great initiative, and one that came from the first women’s forum we held in Palmerston. Located at the Palmerston Shopping Centre, Information NT provides a range of brochures, information sheets, and support material, with staff who can talk to people and show them how to access information on-line. In the next financial year, this centre will incorporate the Territory Business Centre activities.
I am also pleased to announce a new phase in the Territory government’s working relationship with the community sector. Community groups provide valuable social services throughout our Territory community and this government, importantly, recognises their work. Following extensive consultation with the community sector held across the Territory last year, my government will implement a charter to provide a framework for enhancing relationships between the government and community sector; establish a task force of community sector and government representatives to oversee the implementation of the charter to develop a three-year plan to build capacity in the community sector; and link funding for social service focussed community organisations to the consumer price index. This will provide more security year-on-year, and help these organisations to plan and deliver outcomes to the community with greater certainty. I am delighted that NTCOSS has been very complimentary about that initiative.
In this budget, resources of $1.5m have been allocated to continue interstate and overseas campaigns and other marketing efforts to position the Territory as a great place to live, work and invest. Our marketing efforts have included the very successful skilled workers campaign which, so far, has attracted 1700 inquiries from across Australia and New Zealand.
To strengthen Territory marketing efforts further, $330 000 has been allocated to help secure the television series The Alice which will, essentially, give us priceless publicity on free-to-air television for an hour every week for 22 weeks, providing a national and, potentially, international focus on the Red Centre. Hear, hear?
Members: Hear, hear!
Ms MARTIN: Come on, Minister for Central Australia.
Members interjecting.
Ms MARTIN: It is a great opportunity. The Alice will profile Alice Springs, and tell stories of the Centre for 22 weeks right around Australia and internationally. One of the important things about the company which is making The Alice is they have very strong connections into Germany, one of our key markets and one which has really struggled since the German economy’s downturn. I am confident that this strategic investment into the Alice will get us a great outcome in that important German market ...
Dr Toyne: Jawohl!
Ms MARTIN: Okay. I am pleased to note that our marketing efforts appear to be paying dividends with the Territory’s population passing the 200 000 mark for the first time recently. As the Treasurer said today, young Samuel was the 200 000th, and our population is now growing at three times the forecast rate.
As the Minister for Territory Development, I must say how exciting it is to see our vision for the Territory’s development becoming a reality. This budget includes allocation to support the continuing development and facilitation of major projects which are underpinning our outstanding economic growth; projects which create opportunities for Territory businesses and, importantly, jobs for Territorians.
Grant funding of $800 000 has been provided in this budget to support the operations of the Desert Knowledge Australia Corporation, and the Desert Knowledge Cooperative Research Centre. The Desert Knowledge Precinct will be an exciting national and international focal point for business, education and research activities to build social and economic opportunities in Desert Australia. The precinct will be the headquarters for Desert Knowledge Australia, the Desert People’s Centre, and the Desert Knowledge Cooperative Research Centre in which the Northern Territory government and Charles Darwin University are key players. The budget includes a new and continuing program of $22m for 2005-06 which will include buildings for the Desert People’s Centre, the Business and Innovation Centre, and continuing installation of headworks. Tenders for the first two Desert Peoples Centre buildings will be called next month in June.
The $1.16bn LNG plant at Wickham Point is now 60% complete, with total employment of 2100, including non-manual and craft workers; 1800 of those employed are tradespeople and 48% of the tradespeople are Territorians. More than 6200 purchase orders have been issued to over 280 Territory vendors and 18 major subcontracts have been awarded to Territory companies. The 504 km long $750m pipeline has been laid and is in the process of being tied into the offshore production facility at Bayu-Undan. The first LNG shipment is scheduled for early next year.
The $2bn expansion of the Alcan Gove facility, the biggest project in the Territory’s history, is well under way. Gas is expected to be delivered to Alcan in later 2007. In relation to the Blacktip gas field, we are confident that a final investment decision will be made before next month, June, to develop this field at an estimated cost of $500m. The gas will be piped through the $500m trans-Territory pipeline 940 km to the Alcan alumina refinery at Gove from Wadeye. Combined, the Alcan, Blacktip and trans-Territory pipeline projects are worth $3bn and will deliver significant benefits to Territory businesses, their workers and their suppliers.
At the same time, the Northern Territory government continues to work to secure long-term gas supplies for Darwin, attract downstream customers such as petrochemical and other gas-based manufacturing industries to the Territory, and seek the establishment of policies that will ensure the development of remote gas resources at prices that are competitive globally to attract these new industries.
This budget reflects our commitment to the waterfront project. Last year, we said that we would inject $100m and this money is now in the budget books. This is great news. The exciting $1.1bn Darwin City Waterfront will be home to Darwin’s convention and exhibition centre. Territory businesses have been lining up to work with the developer to help make it happen. Over the first three years of this project, an estimated $280m will be injected into the Territory’s economy and it will create about 1000 jobs. A commitment has been made that local content will exceed 85%, which will benefit Territory workers, contractors and subcontractors.
This coming year, we will continue to develop the AustralAsia Trade Route into a vibrant alternative trade route for the nation, one of the government’s key economic goals. We have already seen a number of tangible achievements for the new trade route and the AustralAsia Railway.
Last week, on 28 April 2005, saw the signing of a major contract between Bootu Creek Resources, the owner of the Bootu Creek manganese mine just north of Tennant Creek, and the AustralAsia Railway operator, FreightLink. The five-year contract is to carry 600 000 tonnes of manganese annually from the mine to Darwin. I point out that the Northern Territory government’s planned upgrade to the East Arm Port helped to secure that deal. The government will spend more than $11m on bulk handling facilities to offload minerals such as the Bootu Creek manganese. The mine and the bulk handling facilities are due to be operational in August, creating more than 80 jobs, and generating about $70m a year in export earnings for the Territory.
Other achievements related to the trade route include the introduction of the Swire Shipping Singapore/Darwin service; the Hai Win direct shipping service between Shanghai and Darwin, the first-ever service from China to Darwin and another trial in June, and the development of a major business park next to the domestic rail freight terminal. We will now focus on eight priorities highlighted under the Growing Our Trade Route strategy, including significantly growing Darwin’s international shipping and aviation connections; expediting the growth of the route as a viable alternative route; establishing Darwin as Australia’s northern trade centre for break-bulk consolidation and de-consolidation; expand Darwin’s position as Australia’s northern supply base centre for servicing the offshore oil and gas industry and mineral developments in our region; developing Darwin as the port of choice for bulk minerals exports for Central Australia to Asia; continuing to grow the Territory’s trade links using Darwin’s new international shipping connections and Australia’s new free trade agreements; promoting the Darwin Business Park as the location of choice for consolidation, distribution and value-adding activities; and expediting opportunities in the Territory’s regional communities to deliver ongoing economic activity and sustainable new employment.
The Office of Territory Development is worth every cent we spend on them. Their productive way of growing the Territory’s economy and focussing on those major projects has really seen many come to fruition - if we did not have the Office of Territory Development - long before they would happen. I pay tribute all those working throughout all departments I have responsibility for, but I note that OTD does a terrific job.
In summary, Budget 2005-06 will prove to be both responsible and effective, supporting sustainable economic development and social development for Territorians. This budget is about backing Territorians, and delivers less tax, more local jobs and better skills. At the same time, the initiatives funded will continue the trajectory of growth and opportunity for all Territorians. I commend the Treasurer for a terrific budget which will help to keep our wonderful Territory moving ahead.
Dr TOYNE (Health): Madam Acting Deputy Speaker, in February 2004, I and the Minister for Family and Community Services launched Building Healthier Communities: a framework for health and community services, 2004 to 2009. Building Healthier Communities is our vision for better health for all Territorians. It describes the progress we have made since the election of this government and charts our path for the future.
Budget 2005-06 represents a significant step forward in making this vision a reality. This government is putting more resources than ever before into our health system. Overall, the Department of Health and Community Services’ budget for 2005-06 is $687m. This is $207m, or 43%, more than the previous government’s last budget just four years ago. This means more services for the public, more and better paid staff, and that services we provide are top quality. It also means better support for our nurses.
We promised 75 new hospital-based nurses in our first term; we have delivered over 100 extra nurses across our health system. Today, our nurses are amongst the best paid in Australia. They have better professional development and training, and we have created the NT Nurses and Midwifery Awards to recognise the important role they play in the Territory community.
This government is also building better hospitals. Today, they are better resourced and employ more staff than ever before and, for the first time, all five are accredited as meeting national standards for quality of care, something the CLP was not able to achieve in 27 years in power.
Continuing this government’s record of increasing spending in health, Budget 2005-06 will provide $528.9m for health services and research for Territorians, a record amount for these important areas. This represents not just services that will be delivered in the next financial year, but it is also an investment in the future; in people, programs and infrastructure that will serve Territorians for many years to come.
In 2005-06, the government will provide $392m for acute care services across the Territory. This is primarily for in-patient and out-patient services at our hospitals, but also includes resources to enable people to get hospital services when they are not available locally, such as road and aero-retrieval transport services and the Patient Assisted Travel Scheme. It also includes specific acute care initiatives to improve the quality of health care in the Territory.
Hospitals are costly organisations to run and each year the costs increase with more expensive technology, higher demand and increasing expectations. In this environment, it is important that our hospitals work together to make sure that the maximum amount of resources are used to deliver health care services to the Territory public. I am pleased to report that the NT hospital network is now well established and provides a forum for our hospitals to work collaboratively on key areas such as medical recruitment.
This government has a strong record of supporting the Alice Springs Hospital with increasing funding and more staff. This year, the budget for the hospital rises to $81.2m. I am also pleased to announce that recurrent funding of $1.94m has been allocated in 2005-06 to further enhance medical staffing at the hospital, especially of the Intensive Care Unit and the Accident and Emergency Department. This will enable a second part-time intensive care specialist and senior registrar to be employed. Staffing in the Accident and Emergency unit will be consolidated, with nine nursing positions and the recruitment of a registrar and a part-time emergency consultant. This funding will also be used to recruit six junior medical officers to provide relief support for existing staff across the hospital.
Meanwhile, at the Royal Darwin Hospital, the budget for 2005-06 will be $156.4m. As well, a number of specific projects are becoming a reality. The 12-bed hospice is scheduled for completion this month. This will provide compassionate and appropriate services for those Territorians with life-limiting illnesses, and a $1.87m budget has been allocated to fund the first year of its operation. The new birthing centre at RDH is estimated to cost $2.5m and will provide family-friendly birthing rooms with deepwater baths for pain relief. In 2005-06, funding of $300 000 has been provided for the operation of the centre, including for staff training. I will return to the important issue of antenatal care and maternal and child health later in this speech.
I was pleased to announce last week that we will be calling for expressions of interest to set up and run a safe and sustainable radiation oncology unit for Territorians. This follows the recommendation of an expert medical report set up by the government to look at options for supporting Territorians needing radiotherapy. In the meantime, Budget 2005 includes $500 000 per year to improve care and support services for Territorians who will continue to have to travel interstate for radiotherapy treatment pending the creation of the unit. This money will be for better patient support and coordination, including care coordinators and counselling, and also for upgrading existing services including employing a specialist haematologist, better allied health services and resources to ensure Territorians access the most up-to-date treatments available.
The Territory has the highest prescription rate for Section 8 drugs in Australia, and many of these drugs can cause harm in the community. As part of our response to this problem, we have tightened up the way they are prescribed. In doing so, it is important that those who need to can get access to chronic pain services. For those people who live with chronic pain in the Northern Territory, Budget 2005 allocates $340 000 for services such as multi-disciplinary assessment and care planning, group treatment programs, and visiting medical pain specialists.
The Northern Territory has the highest incidence of kidney disease in Australia. A few years ago, people whose kidneys were failing had few choices regarding where they could receive dialysis, as services were limited to Alice Springs, Darwin and, eventually, Katherine. However, in the last three years, we have opened centres in Tennant Creek and Palmerston, and now have home haemodialysis occurring in Umbakumba, Galiwinku and, soon, in Maningrida. We also have partnership agreements with the Western Desert Nganampa Walytja Palyantjaku Tjutaku to support the innovative trial of respite dialysis in Kintore. In 2005-06, the NT Renal Service will receive $16.8m to continue to support clients in their homes and in community-based treatment throughout the Territory. We will also allocate an additional $2m to further support renal services closer to patients’ homes.
We have allocated $110m for Community Health Services, as well as $46m for Public Health Services in this financial year. These include services in our regional centres and in remote areas, and includes primary health care and public health services such as oral health. Access to responsive and effective health services in all areas of the Territory is an important issue and one that this government has worked hard to improve.
I would like to explain the variation of negative $5.5m for Community Health Services in 2005-06 compared to 2004-05. This variation is due to three factors: first, there has been a reallocation across output groups of corporate overheads; second, some services previously apportioned to Community Health Services, such as the Gove Medical Unit and the Medical Retrievals from Alice Springs Hospital, have been more appropriately apportioned to Acute Care Services; and lastly, some Commonwealth grants to Community Health Services finished in 2004-05 and have not yet been renewed or placed with other grants. They are highly likely to continue but, as they have not yet been formalised, we are unable to count them in the budget.
There are numerous important initiatives we are supporting in Community Health Services and public health. I previously mentioned the important issue of maternal and child health. The birthing centre is just one component of this government’s commitment to improve maternal and child health and wellbeing. Budget 2005 contains a commitment for an additional $203 000 to fully subsidise training costs for NT nurses to study locally as midwives. Growing our own midwives makes good sense; it ensures they have a good understanding of issues which impact on the health and wellbeing of Territory mothers and babies. If we can increase the pool of local potential recruits, this will decrease our reliance on recruiting midwives interstate and internationally, something that has been becoming increasingly difficult with the national and international shortage.
We have also allocated $500 000 to implement a Territory-wide strategy to improve maternal and early childhood outcomes, building on the success of the Child Health Initiative which has already created a 25-strong multi-disciplinary team of child health workers. The new funds will be used to employ two additional remote outreach midwives, one for the Top End and one for Central Australia; two extra allied health professionals such as speech pathologists or audiologists …
A member: Path-ol-og-ist, audi-ol-o-gist!
Dr TOYNE: Yes, that one. The Minister for Family and Community Services started the rot in here today, so we will try to pull out of the dive.
Audiologist was the word - and three extra community child health workers.
We are also carrying out our promise to eliminate single nurse posts across the Territory. This has now been completed at Kings Canyon, Titjakala, and Minjilang. There has been strong support for this reform from the remote health work force and communities. Fourteen single nurse posts remain, and work necessary for the upgrading of Robinson River, Bonya, Canteen Creek, Ikuntji and Laramba is nearing completion.
We need to adequately support all remote health staff to do their jobs efficiently and effectively. As part of our commitment, Budget 2005 includes $0.9m to provide desktop computers and equipment at remote health centres. Using technology to link our remote staff will make a huge difference to them and to the services they provide in the community.
In the important public health areas of oral health and infectious diseases, we will allocate an additional $0.6m to continue the dentist recruitment drive, to upgrade equipment, to employ an additional oral health promotion officer, and a prosthes - here we go, I am sure Hansard will work it out –prosthetist, and to establish an electronic client management system. An additional $0.5m has also been provided for the HIV/STI treatment and prevention program enhancement. This will bring NT government funding to this program to $2.5m.
Finally, this government has a commitment to innovation and making sure we get value for money and real health gains from the resources we put into our health system. New service models are explored and evaluated for the benefit they bring and, where there is good evidence, they are implemented. Last month, we launched such a service, NT HealthDirect. This new service will provide Northern Territory residents and visitors with access to free confidential and reliable health advice 24 hours a day, seven days a week. $500 000 has been allocated for the first full year of operation of this innovative service. Budget 2005 builds on the successes of this government in health. It delivers more money for more health services for Territorians, it supports our hospitals and our nurses, and it continues our commitment to building healthier communities in the Territory.
This government is also committed to making our community safer as well as healthier. Budget 2005 represents a significant step forward in the government’s program of Building Safer Communities: $5.2m will be invested in modernising the NT’s correction system, a part of this government’s four-year $26.4m program of investment in the Territory’s prisons. Implementation of recommendations of the Review of Adult Custodial Services: A Path to Good Corrections, will continue full steam ahead, building on the significant progress to date. Budget 2005 will support recruitment of additional prison officers, additional psychiatrists, and additional case managers in both Darwin and Alice Springs. Improved offender management systems will be introduced and prison treatment, education and rehabilitation programs expanded with a focus on the prevention of re-offending.
Budget 2005 will also fund the final stage of construction of the low security area at Darwin’s Correctional Centre to deal with prisoner numbers and longer gaol sentences. The construction of living units will also be financed under Budget 2005.
This government is also building better courts. Courts right across the Territory will be upgraded as part of this budget: $100 000 has been provided to upgrade and expand the Tennant Creek Court House; $60 000 for improvements in Darwin Supreme Court; and $50 000 for the Nhulunbuy Court House.
Budget 2005 will also give Territorians greater access to justice than ever before. It will make the Community Justice Centre a permanent part of the Northern Territory’s justice system. Following a successful 12-month trial, the centre has been allocated $326 000 to continue providing quick and easy access to mediation and dispute resolution outside the traditional court structures. Territorians have been using the centre to assist with resolution of tenancy disputes, neighbourhood disputes, small claims, motor vehicle collisions, and civil and family disputes. Access to effective dispute resolution has never been easier. To improve access to legal representation, this year’s budget further boosts the Legal Aid Commission by $720 000. Legal aid services will be also extended into the Tennant Creek region. This means more Territorians will have access to free legal services.
Domestic violence advocacy services have received an extra $100 000 to extend services delivered by Central Australian Women’s Legal Service in Alice Springs and services in Darwin.
Tackling petrol sniffing and volatile substance abuse is another key area, with landmark reforms currently going through parliament. Budget 2005 will provide additional funding to increase the capacity of Department of Justice to provide assessments and advice on volatile substance abuse to the court, in the same manner as through the drug court program, CREDIT NT.
This government has been tough on crime and the causes of crime. Crime across the Territory has fallen and property crime has been cut in half. We established the Office of Crime Prevention to lead whole-of-government crime prevention policies and work in partnership with police and communities on community-led strategies. This year, the Office of Crime Prevention will have a budget of $3.5m, giving them extra capacity to continue their successful work. Community-based crime prevention will also receive a boost with $350 000 being set aside each year to assist regional and indigenous crime prevention councils to implement their community safety plans and develop local solutions to crime. This money is additional to the $400 000 already available each year to community organisations for crime prevention projects.
Consumer and Business Affairs will also receive a boost of $300 000 each year to build continued important reforms and extend investigations, compliance and dispute work.
In closing, Budget 2005 builds on the success of this government in Building Safer Communities right across the Territory. It will strengthen crime prevention activities, particularly community-based crime prevention. It will improve our courts. It will deliver more staff and extra capacity to our gaols. It will make Community Justice Centres an ongoing part of our justice framework, giving Territorians easy access to dispute resolution. It will extend the availability of free community legal services and specialist legal services for victims of domestic violence. It will assist in tackling volatile substance abuse.
Madam Acting Deputy Speaker, Budget 2005 is an excellent budget for the ongoing future of the Northern Territory. I commend both the Treasurer and our government for this fine outcome.
Mr AH KIT (Community Development): Madam Acting Deputy Speaker, the key message of the budget is backing Territorians and there is a simple reason for this: the Martin Labor government believes in a strong, vibrant future, inclusive of all Territorians from the deserts of the Centre to the wetlands and islands of the north. By backing Territorians in this budget, we will consolidate our achievements of the last three-and-a-half years and move the Territory ahead to create the kinds of opportunities for us all that will make the Territory the envy of the nation. We already have the best lifestyle in the nation. This budget ensures that we will maintain it and, in backing Territorians, the Treasurer is not having an each-way bet. He is backing Territorians straight-up; he is backing the Territory to win. He and our government are confident that all Territorians share our vision for a community that values the way we live, and in the capacity of Territorians to work together to protect and maintain those values.
As you will have noted from my recent announcement, this will be my last budget speech. There is a certain sadness about that, of course, but there is a certain pleasure in the fact that I will be handing over to my successor the task of working with my colleagues to determine the shape of a budget. As you would know yourself, Madam Acting Deputy Speaker, Budget Cabinet is not for the faint-hearted, and it is a lot of work. I take this opportunity to thank my colleagues for the huge effort they have put into the document we are debating today.
My Department of Community Development, Sport and Cultural Affairs has, yet again, seen an increased allocation of resources. Between the budget estimates of 2004-05 to 2005-06, this has amounted to an increase of approximately $13m or 6%. Over the last year, of course, the 2004-05 budget saw an estimated increase in allocation of $26.8m. Importantly, this reflects the flexibility and policy responsiveness that has been hallmark of the Martin Labor government, and reflects the forward estimates model used in other Australian jurisdictions, as outlined on page 7 of Budget Paper No 3.
In the last year, the process of estimates being augmented by policy decisions produced one-off expenditures including, but not limited to: $3m establishment grants to our emerging regional authorities; $4.98m in additional Aboriginal rental housing program funds; $3.5m additional power generation costs for indigenous essential services; $3m in capital grants for Traeger Park, Hockey NT, Northern Territory Rugby Union and the Alice Springs swimming pool; and $3.97m for the gifting of sporting facilities to communities and councils constructed by government prior to the introduction of accrual accounting.
In looking at these global figures for the department, it is worth noting the fact that the highly successful Arafura and Alice Springs Masters Games always occur within a single financial year - in this case, 2004-05, which accounts for a two-year cycle of increases and decreases in sports funding to the tune of $1.5m. I am sure all members of this House will applaud the organisers of last year’s Masters Games and look forward to this year’s Arafura Games in 11 days time. Both events form an integral part of the Territory’s sporting calendar, as well as being invaluable components of the Territory’s $150m per annum sport and recreation sector.
I now turn to the details of Budget 2005-06 with respect to the portfolios with which I have the privilege of being charged. In governance, local government in the Territory holds a unique position in our political landscape, something that has been recognised by both sides of politics over many years. As I outlined in this place last year, as part of the Stronger Regions, Stronger Futures policy our focus has been on strengthening and expanding the capacity of local governance, especially in our towns in remote regions. Consistent with this in 2004-05, we allocated $3m to the developing regional authorities at Thamarrurr, Nyirranggulung Mardrulk Ngadberre and the Tiwi Islands Local Government. In the coming year, this support will be continued as other regional authorities develop as voluntary associations of towns and communities. This quiet revolution in the bush offers enormous hope for regional development in the Territory, and our continued financial support will maximise the potential for success for the towns and communities that our emerging regional authorities will represent.
Flowing directly from this is our commitment to sustainable communities and regional development. Later this month, we will be launching the Territory’s first Indigenous Economic Development strategy at a special forum in Darwin. Indeed, it will be the nation’s first such effort in creating a comprehensive approach to building on existing successes while mapping a sustained approach to lifting our remote towns and communities out of their impoverishment. In tandem with this, in 2005-06 we will be maintaining the work of the Territory’s five regional development boards, including annual funding of $500 000 to the regional development funding process. These boards go well beyond providing advice to me; they play a critical role in harnessing the ideas and energies of their respective regions in the development of planning processes that provide real ownership of their futures to the regions. Only last weekend, I had the pleasure of attending one of the ventures backed by this fund, the Katherine Country Music Muster, which the people of Katherine see as one of the linchpins for the development of sustainable tourism and cultural activities for the region.
In regards to Community Harmony, I spoke earlier about the capacity of Territorians to work together to achieve social goals. This is very much the case with regard to the scores of organisations and individuals from the private, public and community sectors who are working together on the Community Harmony program. In 2005-06, we shall continue to fund this important program at the level of $1.79m to address health, wellbeing and social behaviour issues in our major towns and cities. It is designed to provide opportunities and pathways for those who find themselves in our urban centres, to move away from destructive lifestyles to return to their home towns and communities, or to move to a more productive lifestyle in our major centres. I would, however, point out here, the lessons we have learnt through Community Harmony in the Territory are being taken up in other states.
In regards to indigenous housing services, during the current financial year the department and IHANT have resolved that the department would take up an enhanced role in the provision of housing management and regional construction support, with an increase in the administration fees paid to the department to reflect increased costs of service delivery as well as the expansion of the program. In 2005-06, thanks to the Commonwealth/Northern Territory overarching agreement the Chief Minister outlined in this place yesterday, we will see far greater integration and reduced duplication between the various housing funding streams of the two governments. While there is an obvious objective of increasing the efficiencies of existing indigenous housing programs, we will continue to put the very strong case for increased Commonwealth allocations to indigenous housing in remote towns and communities of the Territory.
With indigenous essential services, for many years these communities have experienced a progressive deterioration in essential services infrastructure to the point where, in many cases, the cost of repairs and maintenance has exceeded that of replacement and renewal. On an ongoing basis, a base $46m has been allocated to this program, with $52m in 2005-06. Only two weeks ago, for example, I was privileged to attend the opening of one of the fruits of this program, the new powerhouse for the Daly River area. As well as providing a safe, environmentally friendly, flood-free power source to the Nauiyu township, power will be extended to many non-indigenous customers in the area, including horticultural and tourism enterprises.
With respect to the Aboriginal Interpreter Service, the government is set to continue its support for the service. Not noted in Budget Paper No 3 is a variation in funding to 2005-06. $336 000 of this variation is related to a one-off Commonwealth grant in 2004-05 for training, and is carried over from 2003-04. The remainder of the variation is due to the Aboriginal Interpreter Services’ reduction in corporate overheads, productivity gains and reallocation of costs shared across a number of output areas in the department.
The Northern Territory government recently renamed the Library and Information Service the Northern Territory Library, recognising it as a single identity and contact point for access to library services in the Northern Territory. In the coming year, allocations to local government for library services will be maintained at current levels.
As I have often noted, sport and recreation is very much a cornerstone of our Territory identity and our lifestyle. What is less often recognised is the importance of the sport and recreation sector to the Northern Territory economy. With something in the order of 2000 employees in the sector, or 2% of the work force, the sector is worth something in the order of $150m to the economy. Furthermore, there is an increasing strategic value for the role of the sector for the economy as major sporting events become integrated into tourism.
As I have already mentioned, we will shortly be seeing the start of the Arafura Games following the highly successful Masters Games of last year. In both cases, these games have significant economic impacts in their own right. To this we must add the growing number of other events that this government has actively pursued.
One of the principal foundations of our approach has been to adopt a planned program of facility development across the Territory, with an average of $8.4m a year spent on capital and major repairs and maintenance outlays between calendar years 2002 to 2006. While this has obvious benefits to the building and construction sector, it has direct spin-offs to the quality and competitiveness of our athletes. The fact that, for example, both this government and previous governments have maintained internationally quality synthetic turf pitches for hockey has been directly reflected in the Territory being able to punch way above their weight in the code. It certainly is no accident that more Territory hockey players have been honoured in the Northern Territory Sports Awards than any other code.
In 2005-06, our strategy of building and consolidating sporting facilities across the Territory will continue: $5m will be allocated to Stage 1 of the construction of the Palmerston Recreation Centre, with $4.5m to follow; $5.8m to a home for the Football Federation of the Northern Territory - otherwise known as soccer - at Marrara is going to happen; $1.9m will go to continue remedial works at Hidden Valley, as well as expending facilities at the Black Top; and $800 000 to the construction of a new drag strip in Alice Springs.
With shifting patterns in recreational and sporting pursuits, as well as changing social activities, a number of our sporting groups face continuing difficulties in management. This is especially the case with those groups that depend heavily on volunteer labour which is, after all, the most common characteristic of our sporting groups. For this reason, there will be a further allocation of $150 000 in the coming year towards Sportsbiz, which is aimed at strengthening the management and governance capacity of sporting organisations in the Territory.
In the coming year, there will be increased funding of some $300 000 to the Northern Territory Institute of Sports, with funding enabling improved direct financial assistance to athletes, and the number of introductory level squad programs will be increased. The additional commitment to the NTIS would ensure a high quality of operation assisting the development of elite athletes.
Along with many other Central Australians who have enjoyed the second Wizard Cup challenge match played at Traeger Park earlier this year, the introduction of high-quality events such as this to the Territory is an important part of boosting the aspirations of our younger athletes, as well as providing coaching for these kids, and train-the-trainer opportunities for our officials. In Australian Rules alone, around 45 000 people have attended national games played in the Territory. The program of events we have actively pursued will continue in 2005 and 2006 with Australian Rules, national basketball, national netball and international cricket.
Territory Housing has three principal functions: the provision of social housing; the provision and maintenance of government employee housing; and the provision and access to low and middle income Territorians to private home ownership. In the coming year, we will see the further development and implementation of Home Territory 2010 to provide a sustainable housing policy for the Territory. Key features of this include continuing renewal programs, with a special focus on housing complexes. We anticipate a spend of a further $1.8m dedicated to the continuation of renovation projects to address amenity of public housing stock to meet housing provision standards, and improve neighbourhood appeal.
In the area of government housing, there will be continued emphasis on capital works and renovations to bring government employee housing up to core amenity and design standards. A special feature of this year’s allocations will be the construction of six teachers’ houses at Wadeye at a cost of $2.4m, underlining our commitment to the COAG progress, not to mention the town of Wadeye’s efforts to boost school attendances.
The Northern Territory, historically, has by far the lowest level of home ownership in the nation, around 42% compared to an average of 66%. It is critical to the future sustainability that we turn this around. Not only is there a demonstrated link between personal and social health and wellbeing and private home ownership, but this government sees home ownership as an important element of our population strategy. Put simply, people who buy their own patch of the Territory are far more likely to stay here, build businesses and families here, and commit to moving the Territory ahead. It is particularly important that home ownership is picked up by younger Territorians.
I am pleased to inform the Assembly, as I have done periodically since July last year when we revamped HomeNorth, of its continued success. As of last week, some 506 Territorian households have been funded, approved, and approved in principal by HomeNorth to the value of $87.5m. This is an extradionary result. Combined with the highest level of home affordability in Australia, HomeNorth has become the nation’s most accessible and successful home ownership program. Since the revamp of HomeNorth last July, 22% of the people taking up the HomeNorth loans have been less than 25 years old and 37% are less than 30 years old, demonstrating our success in targeting younger Territorians to make a long-term commitment to the place where they have grown up.
Madam Acting Deputy Speaker, in finishing my last budget speech, I would like to thank the Treasurer for the fine job he has carried out in developing Budget 2005. It is a responsible document and one that carries forward the kind of programs Territorians need.
I do not agree with this morning’s NT News in which the Treasurer was described as ‘old’. Your passion and commitment and enormous capacity for hard work are legendary, and you are a long way from needing to dye your hair.
I also take this opportunity to thank the public servants across the Department of Community Development, Sport and Cultural Affairs for the incredible work they have put into the development of Budget 2005-06. There is a tendency for many people to take a single look at documents such as Budget Paper No 3, for example, and pretty much switch off. It is hardly bedside reading, and wading your way through outputs and performance tables is not all that riveting. Nevertheless, Budget 2005 represents countless hours of dedicated work from Territorians across the whole-of-government who show the kind of commitment I mentioned at the beginning of these remarks to moving the Territory ahead. Without those people, Budget 2005 would not be possible.
Ms CARNEY (Araluen): Madam Acting Deputy Speaker, obviously, the CLP is in an interesting position. If we lose the election, we will all be seeing each other in estimates and, if we do not lose the next election, I am not quite sure what happens to the estimates process. However, in the event that the CLP is unsuccessful at the next election, I very much look forward to estimates. Although the process is, on occasion, frustrating, it does provide us with the opportunity to drill down. Even members on the other side will appreciate that the budget, having been presented yesterday, does not really provide us with much time to go through it. Having made those comments, I propose my contribution tonight to be fairly broad-brush. However, in the event that we do need to go to estimates, I can assure all members that my contribution will be far from broad-brush.
In any event, I propose to deal with Health first and then Justice. This is my first budget where I speak as the shadow Health minister, and a person who, possibly, after the next election could be the Health Minister. Therefore, it is important that, over the next few weeks, I talk to many people around the Territory, as I usually do, and get their observations on the budget.
I have had the opportunity of speaking to some people - mostly nurses - and they tell me that they are under-whelmed for a few reasons. They tell me that the budget, to the extent that they understand it, does nothing to alleviate their concerns, nor does it do anything towards alleviating the concerns of Territorians needing to go to the hospitals in the Territory. I remind members that there are, in Alice Springs, 1600 people still waiting for elective surgery, some of whom have been waiting an inordinate amount of time. Indeed, as evidenced by the Minister for Family and Community Services’ recent experience at Royal Darwin, patients are waiting for up to 24 hours in Accident and Emergency to be seen.
There does not appear to be anything - or at least anything significant - in the budget that is directly targeted at addressing those very significant problems in those areas. There is mention of funding in Budget Paper No 3 at page 119 about recruitment to nursing positions. I will be asking at estimates whether that allocation is part of previous announcements. Only a couple of months ago, prior to the Alice Springs sittings, the Minister for Health announced yet another recruitment drive to get nurses to the Territory. I would like to know whether the allocation for recruitment to the nine nursing positions in Alice Springs is part of that campaign or whether it is a new one.
I note, and of course I have taken the liberty of looking at the member for Port Darwin’s reply to the budget last year, and she talked at length about the increasing blow-outs in health. The Leader of the Opposition talked this morning in his budget reply about the fact that every budget under the Australian Labor Party in the Northern Territory has blown out - every singly budget from the mid-year report - and in Health it has blown out constantly. In fact, it has even blown out since the mid-year report, which was only published in November. It blew out then to $644m. Government estimates that, for this year, it will continue to blow out to $660m. Where is the money going? Where has it gone, and are Territorians seeing bang for their buck? We do not think so because they do not tell us, they tell us that they do not.
The Chief Minister told everybody that she would sack CEOs who blew their budgets. The CEO of Health has presided over a constant blowing out of budgets, yet he is still employed. Perhaps that says more about the Chief Minister than that CEO; in other words, it is difficult to take anything the Chief Minister says seriously and we certainly cannot regard her as a person of her word.
In any event, the budget is now up to $686m. Labor crows about - and I notice that the minister did in his contribution earlier - the fact that funding continues to go up, that health funding is at an unprecedented level. Well, the Australian Labor Party can thank John Howard and Peter Costello for that. We have an inordinate amount of money, $600m, a third of which I think, if memory serves, was not event predicted - an extra $600m. It is just as well the health budget has gone up but, of course, as this government constantly reminds us, and is evidenced by the budget documents themselves, they are all about outputs - outputs and outcomes.
We ask: where are the outcomes for this additional funding? It is not too much to ask for a woman with a sore hip in Alice Springs to get it fixed in 2005. It is not too much to ask for a young footballer to have his knee fixed and not have to wait 18 months for any surgery to be undertaken. It is a disgrace. That is the indictment of this Labor government. Whilst they are spending and have put additional money into health, we say that they have not directed that funding anywhere near properly. At very least, where are the results? I wonder what the Minister for Health would say to people with sore hips and knees and so on, everyone waiting for elective surgery? I wonder whether the minister would say, as he may have said to the Minister for Family and Community Services after she waited 24 hours at Royal Darwin Hospital - and, of course, that is just at Accident and Emergency at Royal Darwin as opposed to elective surgery – ‘But we are spending $686m in health’. If he did say that, she probably would have replied by saying: ‘Well, why did I have to wait 24 hours to be seen?’ Darwin is a capital city in 2005. We have a relatively small population and, yet, we just are not seeing the results.
In acute services, namely hospitals, we have seen yet again that blow-out by about $14m from last year’s budget with, really, no explanation as to why. This budget has provided an extra $21m on top of that estimate, but I say again, there are no initiatives specifically targeted at addressing waiting lists, waiting times or nurse shortages. There is some additional funding that goes towards things such as the hospice and the birthing centre. While those things were announced last year, they are hardly new. Thank God those things have been referred to by the Minister for Health and, indeed, have some sort of inclusion in this budget because, if it was not for the hospice and the birthing centre, Royal Darwin Hospital does not get much of a mention. I will come to that and some of the other issues that are plaguing patients and nursing staff in particular at the hospital later.
In relation to the hospice, I will be asking at estimates, on behalf of many interested parties, whether that funding will include the curtains, the cutlery, the crockery and the television sets because members involved tell us that they have received no assurance that government - notwithstanding that it said it would build a facility - would, in fact, furnish it.
What else do we have? We have nothing targeted at improving services at our hospitals. I would have thought that prior to an election, given that health is a top-of-mind issue for so many Territorians, the government would have done better. I agree with some of the sentiments contained in the Northern Territory News this morning; it was a conservative budget. I feel sad for those Territorians who need to go into our hospital systems because I do not think they will be seeing the results. They may, indeed, be asking, notwithstanding the $686m for health: where are the services?
We have seen another blow-out in acute services and yet, nothing directed to getting more nurses on the wards; something that nursing staff, particularly in Alice Springs and Darwin, tell me is critical. Members may recall that, in March of this year, a nurse from Royal Darwin wrote a letter to the Chief Minister to highlight what she described as her extreme concerns about the emergency department. She made the comment that what was needed was urgent funding for the entire hospital. She also said that bed numbers needed to be increased, and that that was a priority. I am not a nurse, but I would have thought that a nurse at the hospital who takes the time to write to the Chief Minister probably would know what she was talking about. Yet, as we see with so many instances, government has elected to ignore that and not deal with the problems that have been very genuinely and sincerely raised.
These are the people at the coalface, who ministers get up and thank and pay tribute to. I am always willing to participate in that, because they do work very hard; they are a very dedicated bunch. However, they are finding it tough under this government. Nurses are concerned that an unavoidable death may occur unless action is taken to fix things up at the Royal Darwin Hospital. Neither the nurses, nor Territorians, will be comforted by this budget.
The Minister for Health, of course, does not have great form when it comes to listening to nurses. This was the man who needed to be dragged, kicking and screaming, to meet with them in Alice Springs after they asked him to do so, after many, many weeks of industrial action. It was only when we said that we would meet with them at the 11th hour that the minister elected to do so. Let us remind ourselves of why the nurses at Alice Springs went on strike. They put an advertisement in the Centralian Advocate in February, I think, which referred to the excessive workloads arising out of continuing staff shortages:
The ad went on the say:
It did not seem to me, from my perusal of the budget papers, that there was anything in there to give nurses any comfort. I know that the nurses have lifted their industrial action, but those problems have not been cured. I would have liked to have seen, as I am sure they would have, something in the budget to make them feel that there was some light on the horizon.
While I am talking about nurses at the Alice Springs Hospital, I should enlighten members as to what it is they continue to do. Whilst many people think that the industrial action per se has finished at the hospital, the nurses have - and it was confirmed again recently - moved a vote of no confidence in executive management – a vote of no confidence in executive management.
I agreed, absolutely, with everything the Leader of the Opposition said today. In particular, in the context of this unprecedented - I would have thought - action by nurses in Alice Springs, I agreed with his comments regarding not having a public service employed or working on the basis of their political beliefs. I cannot remember his exact words and I do not have his speech with me; however, in essence, he was saying that there is a perception, certainly by many of the public servants I talked to, that senior bureaucrats have been appointed on the basis of their political beliefs. That will not happen under the CLP. So, the nurses in Alice Springs continue a vote of no confidence in the executive management. I have seen nothing from the minister over the last month to indicate that he is even remotely concerned about that. Well, we are and we will take action accordingly.
In relation to Royal Darwin Hospital, I remind members of something else that happened in March this year. The minister said in a number of interviews and press releases that there were 345 beds at the hospital. In March, nursing staff undertook their own count and came up with only 279. They undertook their count because they told me that they are at the end of their tether. There is nothing that I can see, at least in this budget, that is directed to fixing the problems or to assisting the nurses - $686m but not enough beds. To say that I am concerned about that is something of an understatement.
I also note in relation to the Alice Springs Hospital, there is no mention of the extra $8m - which brings us to a total of $10m - for the building rectification works that are required at the Alice Springs Hospital. No doubt, I can pursue this further at estimates. However, the minister was talking, I think about February, about how the Alice Springs Hospital needed additional funds for the rectification works. I cannot see any in this budget. Whilst I am on the topic of the rectification works, the member for Drysdale and I had a briefing last week with public servants, one of whom was a solicitor from the Department of Justice. We received some specific information; we are awaiting more.
The Minister for Health, who is also the Attorney-General, gave an interview, on or about 16 February, in which he suggested that former government ministers - present and former members of this Assembly in the CLP - were somehow responsible for the building rectification bungle. From the briefing, that is not the case. The minister and Attorney-General on radio named these people and said they were in the frame. I note that the member for Arnhem, this afternoon when we were talking about the Ombudsman’s report, became somewhat indignant that people had suggested any impropriety on his part and he was looking forward to an apology.
Well, it cuts both ways. The minister, who is the Territory’s first law officer as well, prides himself on having a bit of integrity for which I admire him, but we will see how serious he is on this occasion. I would have thought it is appropriate to issue an apology to the people he named because it is abundantly clear, from the briefing we had, that there is no legal action anticipated in relation to former CLP members. There never was! Counsel was never instructed in relation to it. The suggestion that this minister perpetrates on radio to every Territorian listening is that the CLP and some of its members where in the gun. Nothing could be further from the truth. It is unfortunate that the Minister for Health and the Territory’s first law officer seems to be becoming a bit more creative with his language, and that he is resorting to these very low blows and making comments that are completely and utterly without foundation.
I note that there is an allocation to the upgrade of Ward 4 at Alice Springs Hospital. What government has been shy about telling Territorians and, certainly, the people of Central Australia is when that work will commence. It is next year; that is hardly good enough. I should make mention in the course of this contribution of some relatively recent information that was provided to me in relation to a library at the Alice Springs Hospital.
The Alice Springs Hospital is a teaching hospital and has a close relationship with Flinders University. Flinders University offered, some time ago, $100 000 towards improving the library, which was to move out of its present location to somewhere else on the hospital grounds. People involved calculated that, for an improved library which would serve as a cutting edge library for a health precinct that could be used by general practitioners, people at Congress, other health services, almost anyone in the health and allied health professions and be very complementary to the aims of the hospital, and also complement Flinders University’s role, it would take a figure of $187 000. They were told, I am told, to go back and cut their estimate. They went back with another figure, I believe somewhere in the order of $110 000 or $120 000, and were told to cut it again. Eventually, it came down to $97 000. Given that Flinders University was offering $100 000, it is a mean and stingy government that elects not to put its hands in its own pockets to make a contribution to a library that could be the envy of so many other hospitals and health precincts anywhere else in this country. That is a cause of great concern and I could not help but note there was nothing in the budget about upgrading the library in Alice Springs.
I am also told that the nurses cannot use word processors in the Alice Springs library. There is a reference in the budget to getting some computers on desktops, but it is not at the Alice Springs Hospital; it is not at the library. I do not know why it is that the nurses, I am told, cannot use the four or five computers at the library for word processing purposes - but there you go. That is what I am told.
I am also told that nurses who are studying in Alice Springs and who are enrolled at Charles Darwin University last year received a great deal of support from the Centre for Remote Health. I understand that nursing students are no longer able to use the library at the Alice Springs Hospital, and they were told this without any explanation, either from the hospital or Charles Darwin University.
In his contribution, the minister touched upon, and has tried to make much of in other forums, recruiting more nurses and seeing if we can keep people local and so on. Yet, we have what I can only describe as a bizarre situation – and I do wish the minister would step in and fix it - where nursing students in Alice Springs are not being supported. It does not matter what your job is; everyone needs support, particularly as a student, and particularly when we have a shortage of nurses. It is unfair that they are not permitted to use the hospital library. I know that there a number of other issues that student nurses have, but they can wait for another day.
I notice that Tennant Creek did not get much of a guernsey. I believe the minister said today that Tennant Creek Hospital got another $8m. I will be asking where that can be found in the budget. I would have thought that there would be some initiatives in the budget specifically aimed at addressing the crisis which is the health system in Tennant Creek, despite the best efforts of the member for Barkly, whom I know is committed to this. I would have thought he would be very disappointed by this budget, as I am sure the people of Tennant Creek will be. Perhaps members of the Tennant Creek Town Council will be disappointed because they are the ones who have started to put their shoulders to the wheel in the absence of this government doing so.
Moving, in the time I have remaining, to community health services; this is a cut. This budget clearly demonstrates that area has been cut by nearly $6m. Community health services are aimed at improving health through education, development, prevention, early intervention and so on. The outcome for these sorts of services is described in Budget Paper No 3 at page 125 as follows:
The difficulty is that, when one looks at the measurement used - the standard measurement, Weis, the measure for admitted patients in our hospitals - it clearly shows that this government expects more people to be admitted in 2005-06 than there were in 2004-05. My point is that, if we are striving to do what we can to ensure that people do not go to hospitals, therefore, they are healthier Territorians, why would government be expecting to see more people admitted to hospitals and why, in those circumstances, would there be a cut?
I also refer to the community events reference on page 125 of Budget Paper No 3. There is an extradionary revelation here. We know that, from the annual report last year, there were 125 000 people who availed themselves of what is called in the budget papers ‘Community Health Events Urban’. In other words, people who went to community health centres for some sort of treatment - 125 000 people. According to this budget, the estimate is 98 000 people will avail themselves of those services. Well, this must explain why it is that government has decided to cut it. Either they know something we do not, or they have just taken the view that we will cut it, therefore, it follows that fewer people will use these services. Not good enough, minister, and in estimates we will certainly be pursuing that.
So much to talk about, so little time. I note that health research has been cut and that the minister talked about the valuable contributions made by Menzies School of Health Research, CRC for Aboriginal Health, and the Health Gains Unit in his speech last year. I wonder whether they have stopped making such valuable contributions; if not, why has funding to our research been cut? The oncology announcement was a disgraceful attempt to back pedal from a breach of an election promise. Clearly polling - well, I would have thought that polling in the northern suburbs - suggested that some people were seriously peeved about this broken promise, and yet only weeks, presumably, from an election, the minister comes out and says: ‘No, no, no, we are going to do something’. Well, it seems like a cobbled together proposal, and that is very unfortunate and, in my view at least, really quite disrespectful to those people involved, many of whom are doing it very tough indeed.
Health, generally, is unhealthy. I was looking forward to the Health budget. I thought there would be some great things in there. Whilst there are some - and I am happy to congratulate the Treasurer on some initiatives, some are good, there is no doubt about that - the nature of this business is that often, unfortunately, I guess, we tend to concentrate on what is not there. However, because there are so many things that we expected to be there and are not there, it is only appropriate that I refer to them.
The Justice portfolio was somewhat disappointing as well. I noticed the minister’s rhetoric about making communities healthier and safer and all that sort of stuff. That is not what the people tell us. I once again refer to the contribution made by the Leader of the Opposition earlier today. People are telling us from Darwin to Alice Springs that they do not feel safe or happy, and they are not buying this government’s spin. I am sure the member for Macdonnell, as a former police officer, will go through the parts of the budget that deal with police. In the context of the Justice budget per se it was pretty ordinary, nothing innovative or new. I notice the minister was talking about the Integrated Offender Management System, otherwise known as IOMS. That has been included in the last two or three budgets; he has been talking about IOMS for a very long time. In fact, he has probably long forgotten the trip he took to New Zealand to look at the Integrated Offender Management System. Prison officers tell me that it is not fully operational, but the Attorney-General is becoming increasingly predictable, and there is always going to be reference to IOMS in budgets, it seems.
He did refer to some upgrading at some court houses - I am not sure off the top of my head, but I do not think in his reply he talked about upgrades to the Alice Springs Court House. I will be looking at that. Certainly, it was my understanding that there would be some upgrading. I will be pursuing that at estimates. It may well have been an inadvertent omission the minister made.
I see that there is provision for two new sexual assault prosecutors. We promised three only a week or so ago and government has come up with two. It is better than nothing, given that domestic violence and violence against the person has increased markedly under this government. At least it is pleasing to see that they are starting to use the words ‘sexual assault’ and so on. We wish those two prosecutors well. The DPP budget has blown. There are all sorts of reasons for that.
Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, my time is running out. I look forward to estimates in the event that we are unsuccessful at the election. It is unfortunate that there is really not much new either for Health or Justice in the budget.
Mr Kiely: You are assuming you will be back?
Ms CARNEY: Did you open your mouth? I thought they had told you to shut it. Did you say something, member for Sanderson?
Mr KIELY: A point of order, Mr Acting Deputy Speaker! I do not think we have to stand in this place and be told to ‘shut your mouth’ by people. There should be at least some level of decorum.
Ms Carney: You will not have to stay here for long.
Mr ACTING DEPUTY SPEAKER: Sorry, member for Sanderson?
Mr KIELY: I ask the member to withdraw that comment, please.
Ms CARNEY: Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, speaking to the point of order, I did not say ‘shut your mouth’ to the member for Sanderson and, accordingly, there is nothing to withdraw.
Mr ACTING DEPUTY SPEAKER: All right. Members for Araluen and Sanderson, I did not hear the exchange, so I cannot rule on it.
Mr VATSKALIS (Mines and Energy): Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, Budget 2005 is about backing Territorians, as the Treasurer said in his opening address, and it certainly delivers less tax, local jobs and better skills. Local jobs and better skills is exactly what my portfolios of Primary Industry and Fisheries and Mines and Energy within my department are out there to do: provide jobs and skills for Territorians. Of course, mines and primary industries provide many job opportunities for Territorians.
The department’s responsibilities include the achievement of important government objectives that are vital to the future of the Territory. Those that impact particularly strongly on my industry portfolios are supporting sustainable economic development in partnership with industry and business; stimulating indigenous economic development; supporting regional economic development; and promoting innovation, technological development and commercialisation. I am very happy to report that this budget enables the department to work with industry and communities to achieve economic growth and wealth creation in the Territory, across all regions.
I will now outline the initiatives and programs that are supported by this budget, and provide information of the direct funding. However, I will exclude corporate overheads and DCIS notional charges.
First, let us have a look at the Fisheries portfolio. The department works closely with stakeholders to facilitate the ecologically sustainable development and management of the Northern Territory aquaculture industry, fisheries and aquatic resources. This government recognises that aquaculture and fishing have grown in recent years, increasing the value of most fisheries. This includes an increase of $3.8m for barramundi aquaculture; an increase of $2.5m in the pearling sector; an increase of $3.4m for the shark fishery; and an increase of $700 000 for the offshore snapper fisheries.
This government recognises the significant economic development potential of the Territory’s aquatic resources and the resulting social benefits and wealth creation possibilities, particularly for indigenous Territorians. In this budget, a total of $6.9m has been allocated to the department to assist all sectors of the fishing industry, including aquaculture, recreational, commercial fishing, tour operators, and indigenous activities. This is split into $3m for fishery management; $2.1m for fishery research; and $1.8m for fishery development.
This government is also carrying out an extensive review of the Fisheries Act and a budget of $100 000 has been earmarked for this purpose. It is anticipated that a consultation phase of the review of the Fisheries Act will be completed during 2005. Also, under the Commonwealth’s Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act, Fisheries must achieve export accreditation from the Commonwealth Department of the Environment and Heritage if they are to continue to operate. The Northern Territory was successful in 2004-05 in achieving export accreditation for the trawl, demersal and shark fisheries. The remaining export fisheries are on track to meet the Commonwealth deadlines.
It would be no surprise to the House that this government regards indigenous economic development as vital to the Territory’s future growth and continues to fund indigenous programs. It can be very well for the opposition to complain about itinerant problems, about all sorts of problems in these communities, but the reality is we are not going to address these issues unless we provide jobs to indigenous Territorians - jobs in the places, the towns and the small cities where they live. This is exactly what my department is doing. Many coastal towns do not have a fishing licence to go commercial fishing or a net licence to do some netting and provide fresh seafood to the Territorians who happen to live in those areas.
This budget contains $700 000 for indigenous fisheries activity similar to a commitment last year. Under the indigenous fisheries programs, departmental staff work closely with indigenous people to identify, research and develop commercial fishing opportunities for indigenous communities. Indigenous people have been involved on-site in the training of their communities to maximise opportunities for local employment. The programs have included the development of appropriate activity models, business cases and policies and include projects aimed at:
Another indigenous economic development activity is the successful Indigenous Community Marine Rangers Program that, to date, has employed 37 rangers. The program has led to the establishment of two steering committees which assist the five current consultative committees to provide an avenue for effective communication between the Northern Territory government and the traditional owners on matters relating to both sea management and economic development opportunities. As well as additional ranger groups, a new consultative committee was established that is based in Maningrida. Let me remind you, the indigenous marine rangers discovered the illegal Indonesian boat that was moored in one of the rivers outside Maningrida.
Another example of the department working successfully with the communities is Riverwatch, a joint community and departmental initiative. Riverwatch has grown with the establishment of new information centres on the Victoria, Roper and Mary River systems. The information centres have been well received and act as a conduit back to the department on issues of local significance while providing information on fisheries and the aquatic environment relevant to the region. The comments received from tourists are that they can find all the information at their fingertips through the Riverwatch system and it is incredible. People who have not seen anything like that in other states want to copy this program for other states. This program also provides vital information to us about illegal activities, and about possible environmental problems in the rivers.
The Land Access Working Group works with relevant land councils and pastoral lease holders to increase recreational fishing access opportunities in the Northern Territory.
The department is working closely with the barramundi industry and other stakeholders to revise the current management arrangements for the commercial barramundi fishery. Resource allocation, gear types for each fishing area, closures and ecologically sustainable development principles would be discussed during the review of the Barramundi Management Plan. In addition, the Aquatic Resource User Group Forum has commenced the development of a five-year strategic plan/10-year outlook for the barramundi fishery.
A total of $1.8m will be used to developed aquaculture opportunities in the Northern Territory, in addition to supporting the Darwin Aquaculture Centre’s commercial marine fin-fish hatchery. The aquaculture program has substantially supported the ongoing development of barramundi, prawn and pearl farming in the Northern Territory, and the department is working with industry on the commercialisation of mud crab aquaculture. Within the next financial year, there will be specific focus on working with industry to expand the commercialisation of existing farmed species. Significant improvements continue to be made to the quality and quantity of juvenile barramundi from the Darwin Aquaculture Centre. As you are no doubt aware, the Darwin Aquaculture Centre spawns and rears barramundi fingerlings for commercial fish farms, often with a surplus of fish between 50 mm and 100 mm. Many of these surplus fish have been stocked in Manton Dam, Lake Bennett, Lake Todd, and Darwin Harbour. The department continues to lead the way in Australia with Fisheries Aquatic Pest Management. Other jurisdictions are now adopting a similar monitoring, risk-based assessment and response approach to that developed in the Territory.
The Northern Territory government continues its support of the Northern Territory Seafood Council with a grant of $175 000 which has been derived from fishing licence revenue. The department and the Northern Territory Seafood Council will continue to work actively on the co-management of commercial fishing resources, and further develop local fisheries.
Recreational fishing is a significant part of the Territory’s lifestyle, and $2m has been allocated for new recreation infrastructure by this government to be spent over four years to develop recreational fishing in the Northern Territory. I did not hear anything in the Leader of the Opposition’s response about the allocation of any funds from his party for infrastructure for recreational fishing. The only thing he discussed was improved access to inland waters, something we have already addressed.
Some $40 000 has been committed to assist the fishing tour operator industry, to start a representative organisation and to develop self-funding mechanisms. $900 000 has been allocated for the recreation fishing program in 2005-06. This covers general management, research and policy development, and promotion of recreational fishing in the Northern Territory.
The department’s central budget for the Industry Development Support Program also contains $170 000 to support the Amateur Fishermen’s Association of the Northern Territory, which includes $10 000 for fishing club grants. AFANT represents Northern Territory anglers and conveys their issues and concerns to government and other parties through a range of consultative and informative mechanisms. I am pleased to say that AFANT works very closely with the department and the government. We are negotiating a series of outcomes as part of AFANT’s budget preparation for 2005-06. Recreational fishers at the AFANT AGM were pleased when I was able to inform them of this government’s promise in securing access opportunities adjacent to the Peron Islands and at Point Stuart.
I now turn to the Primary Industry portfolio. The Northern Territory government has committed over $23.4m to be spent in support of Northern Territory primary industry programs during 2005-06. The amount includes $1.8m from other sources for specific research and development projects and targeted animal and plant disease programs.
The department’s staff will continue working with, revising and implementing the plans for each primary industry sector under the government’s Economic Development Strategy. Northern Territory primary industry includes cattle and other livestock including buffalo, crocodiles, poultry, pigs and camels; horticulture including fruit, vegetables, nursery and cut flowers; and cropping including field crops, forestry, hay and seed.
Based on information currently available, the department is estimating gross value of production of these industries for 2003-04 in the NT was $359m. This includes $245m for the cattle industry, $11m for other animal industries, $15m for mixed cropping, and horticulture at $88m. Northern Territory primary industries, including fisheries, employed an estimated 2300 people during 2003-04.
Northern Territory government programs for primary industries have a strong regional delivery focus. The agriculture mixed farming program is focussed in the Katherine, Douglas Daly and Darwin areas. Horticulture is mostly in the Top End including Katherine, with some at Ti Tree and Alice Springs.
Pastoral programs provide support in all regions, with turn-off directed to the live export trade and interstate markets. Statistics for the industry highlight its significance. The cattle population is estimated at 1.9m head. Annual turn-off is in excess of 500 000. The value of turn-off cattle is approximately $245m per annum, and there are large multiplier effects in the rest of the economy. The most recent survey by the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics reveals a capital structure of the industry in the Northern Territory of around $1.6bn. Resource protection services are located throughout the Territory, with laboratory support provided from Darwin.
I now turn to some of the specific budget allocations for primary industry. The department’s central budget for the Industry Development Support Program contains approximately $1.1m for primary industry organisations that work with government to grow their industry sectors. Importantly, this joint effort between government and industry bodies also helps support Territory enterprises in marketing their produce, goods and service, not only nationally, but internationally.
The Northern Territory government recognises the importance of increasing employment opportunities among indigenous people, especially in remote communities and outstations, as outlined in the Indigenous Economic Development Plan. I am pleased to say that this budget contains $408 000 for the delivery of programs that will help expand the indigenous pastoral and horticultural enterprises on indigenous-owned land; restore and expand employment opportunities for indigenous people in rural and remote areas by identifying training needs and coordinating delivery of training; and support the practical application of skills.
I am pleased to announce that traditional staff are recent additions to the Indigenous Pastoral Program, with a dedicated officer now working from the Alice Springs Arid Zone Research Institute and one from the Katherine Research Station. These are two of the three departmental officers working on the Indigenous Pastoral Program, and their mission is to get cattle established on indigenous land and young indigenous people into the pastoral work force. A few years back, in the 1950s and 1960s, Aboriginal people were the backbone of the pastoral industry. They were very good stockman and, from Port Hedland, Western Australia, the Northern Territory and Queensland, they were living on the stations to work on the stations. Unfortunately, that does not happen anymore. We would like to bring these people back to the stations, to the pastoral industry, and also make sure that their land is back into production and they can they be productive Territorians and provide jobs for young Territorians.
The Horticulture Indigenous Program will be employing one additional staff member who will be located at the Arid Zone Research Institute and who will be focussing on commercial enterprise development, employment and training and the community garden program. The funding provided to the Horticulture Indigenous Program has allowed one of the existing horticulture staff from Darwin to work full-time with Top End indigenous communities to develop and update community gardens and assist with appropriate horticulture information delivery.
In addition to the sectoral plans I mentioned earlier, staff working with the horticultural industry are continuing to work to a strategic plan that encourages development through the management of knowledge, improved industry skills and land, water and infrastructure availability.
As I mentioned previously, the value of horticultural production in the Northern Territory, including nursery and cut flowers, for 2003-04, was estimated at $88m. In this budget, $2.9m has been earmarked for research, extension and development programs across our horticultural industry. These programs will focus on continuing work on our research stations and creating effective partnerships with the horticultural industry and organisations; developing new products and varieties; developing and testing production technologies; and packaging and distributing horticultural information. Work will also continue with the mango industry on improving management of the supply chain from the farm gate to the retailer.
Maintaining the disease-free status of our horticultural industries under the umbrella term of bio-security is vital to ensuring continued market access and economic viability. As such, $3m will be used to maintain the programs of grower accreditation and certification assurance, the management and/or eradication of plant pests and diseases, and the provision of laboratory services. Inspection, certification and registration services that allow local growers access to interstate and overseas markets for Territory horticultural produce will continue.
There is $820 000 to be used to support public health and environmentally related-water quality monitoring for urban and remote communities.
To ensure livestock health and to maintain national and international market access for the Territory, this budget contains $4.6m to support ready access to all available domestic and export markets of Territory livestock, including cattle, camels and buffalo. These services include veterinary laboratory services; animal disease control and emergency response programs; inspection, treatment and certification services to facilitate the sale of animals and animal products; and the continuation of collaborative programs with the Charles Darwin University. A further $5m will be used for targeted research, development and extension services to the pastoral industry. These programs include collaborative projects with major pastoral companies, increasing breeding herd efficiencies, utilising native pastures, and joint initiatives with the Indigenous Land Corporation, Northern Land Council and Central Land Council. $2.8m will go towards agricultural development programs to ensure continued research, development and extension services.
I now turn to the Mines and Energy portfolio, the powerhouse of the Northern Territory economy. Total funding for the department’s Minerals and Energy Group is $22.4m in 2005-06, reflecting the fact that mining and petroleum industries combined make the greatest single contribution to the Northern Territory’s gross state product. The group works to support development of these industries and also regulates them to ensure best practice in health, safety and environmental management. Its funding includes $6.8m in Commonwealth grants under the Renewable Remote Power Generation Program.
There have been significant changes to the structure of the Minerals and Energy Group over the past financial year which will have a positive impact on how it will operate in 2005-06. These changes resulted from a review of the former Mines and Petroleum Management function by Network Australia Consulting Pty Ltd, with the aim of ensuring the department has the capability and flexibility to deliver effective regulatory services. As a result, the various functions formerly undertaken by the Mines and Petroleum Management Division have been separated into individual divisions: the Mining and Petroleum Authorisation Division, the Mining and Petroleum Compliance Division and the Mining Evaluation Division. In addition, the stand-alone position of Chief Investigator has been created to coordinate investigation of accidents, whilst the stand-alone position of Manager Mt Todd has been created to coordinate issues related to the management and rehabilitation of the Mt Todd mine site. The Energy Policy and Renewable Energy Division was also created to focus on the strategic issues in this area, and Mining Development Division was established to clearly separate development activities from regulatory functions. The existing Mineral and Energy Titles Division and the Northern Territory Geological Survey Division continue in their existing forms.
The Mining and Petroleum Authorisations Division has been allocated $890 000 in this year’s budget. The division is the initial coordination point for guiding mining and petroleum operators in adopting recognised best practice and due diligence in an environmental management, workplace safety, occupational health, and radiation safety. The Mining and Petroleum Compliance Division has been allocated $2.1m in the next financial year. The division is responsible for inspecting and auditing mining and petroleum operations to ensure they comply with Territory and Commonwealth legislation and operating approvals.
A key government initiative in this budget is funding of $200 000 for a team of two mining officers to inspect and audit Alcan’s activities during the G3 expansion of the Gove bauxite and alumina operation. The funding is for two years and will ensure the project is properly monitored during construction and commissioning.
The Territory government is committed to protect the safety and health of those in the mining industry, and to ensure the industry plays its part in protection of the environment under new legislation which was introduced in January 2002, the Mining Management Act.
The Mining Evaluation Division has been allocated $1.12m in 2005-06. The division has a critical regulatory role to play in dealing with the long-term environmental issues relating to mine closures and legacy mine sites. Issues such as the acid rock drainage, such as at Mt Todd, are very difficult technically and very costly to rehabilitate. Staff will be focussing on understanding the reasons for the development of such major long-term issues, and developing action plans to meet some of the challenges. The Mining Evaluation Division will also be assisting the Manager of Mt Todd mine site, who has responsibility for managing the water on-site to minimise impacts from discharge, while also coordinating the necessary studies required to develop long-term rehabilitation options for consideration by the government.
The terms of reference are being finalised to establish cost estimates for the initial studies for government consideration. Further funds will be allocated by government to actual rehabilitation works, depending on the outcome of the study. In addition, options for immediate remedial work that is compatible with the longer-term planning work which can be done this Dry Season are being costed for separate submission to government. Some $370 000 has been allocated from the Executive Services Division to resource activities at Mt Todd in the coming year to undertake basic site management and maintenance.
The position of Chief Inspector has been allocated nearly $130 000. This funding, essentially, comprises the salary cost for the Chief Investigator. When required, the Chief Investigator will be able to draw additional resources from the group in order to meet statutory requirements. The Chief Investigator will independently coordinate or conduct investigations of all incidents and complaints on mining and petroleum leases to ensure appropriate remedial actions are implemented by both industry and the department.
The Mining Development Division will receive $570 000 in the next financial year to undertake a range of activities to promote, attract and facilitate accelerated exploration and sustainable development of the Territory’s mineral and onshore petroleum resources.
The Northern Territory Geological Survey Division has been allocated $6.92m in 2005-06, including $3.1m allocated by the government for the third year of a four-year Building the Territory’s Resource Base Program. The division is responsible for collecting, interpreting and disseminating geoscientific data, with the aim of attracting mineral and petroleum exploration.
The Energy Policy and Renewable Energy Division has been allocated $7m this financial year, the bulk of which is Commonwealth grants under the Renewable Energy Rebate Program. The program provides remote power users with cash rebates of 50% to replace expensive diesel generation with renewable energy.
The Mineral and Energy Titles Division has been allocated $2.38m to continue its critical role of granting and maintaining mineral and petroleum titles in the Territory. This includes $250 000 from the Building the Territory’s Resource Base initiative. The division facilitates valid legal access to mineral and petroleum resources through processing applications for mineral and petroleum titles. It is working to build productive partnerships between government, the mining and petroleum industries and the Northern Territory land councils, with the aim of facilitating access to land for exploration and mining.
The Executive Services Division has been allocated $1.25m next financial year. This division contains a range of strategic services including the allocation for the Mt Todd program.
This government’s economic performance has been excellent and this budget will ensure the Territory’s continued growth. In our Territory, we have a stable government, industries that are competitive on a national and world scale, strong and developing trade and relationship links with Asia, world-class natural resources, strong infrastructure foundations, and proximity to major oil and gas reserves. In addition to this, the Northern Territory economy is in a period of strong growth in the resource sector as a result of major projects such as the expansion of Alcan Gove.
The Leader of the Opposition said: ‘Show me a project that this government has started’. Well, I can cite two, or three probably, very soon. One is the LNG plant across the harbour, the second is the expansion of Alcan and third the trans-Territory pipeline that is about to start construction pending successful negotiation. Hopefully, with the successful outcome of the Sunrise negotiations we might see some bigger programs that this government is going to start. Of course, these projects will not finish in one year or two; they will finish in more than three, four or five years - they are long-term programs. It is very mischievous of the Leader of the Opposition to say: ‘Show me a project you have started and finished in this four years of government’. I cannot show him any that we have finished; I can show him many that we have started and they will finish in the next few years.
I now turn to the government’s continuing commitment to the multicultural community in the Northern Territory, a very strong commitment. We support the multicultural community. We appreciate their contribution to the Territory and we stand by the different communities because they have made a significant contribution, not only to the economy and the wealth of the Territory, but also to the development of a unique culture of the Territory, which has elements of the Chinese, Asian, indigenous, Greek and many other cultures. I was very impressed to find out that one of the most multicultural cities in the Northern Territory is Alice Springs, when I attended, during the last couple of months, the Harmony Day celebrations. I was astounded by the number of different ethnic community groups that reside in Alice Springs, and the presentations that took place there.
Through my Multicultural Affairs portfolio, the Northern Territory government will provide $740 000 to support projects that promote cultural and linguistic diversity in the Territory through the Multicultural Affairs Sponsorship Program. This includes cultural and linguistic awards totalling up to $150 000 for individuals and ethnic community groups to undertake research, further study, specialised training in language, or other cultural activities related to their ethnic origin, with special focus on relating and sharing these experiences and activities with the general community.
We provide an interpreter and translation service to assist agencies to communicate and deliver their services. We provide cross-cultural awareness training and assistance to overseas trained professionals, para-professionals, technical, trade and other skilled workers, in obtaining recognition of their qualifications and skills. We provide operational assistance to migrant and ethnic community organisations, including the Multicultural Council of the Northern Territory and the Multicultural Community Services of Central Australia. We provide awards like the Charles See Kee Awards to recognise and celebrate people, organisations and initiatives that have made an outstanding contribution towards advancing multiculturalism and counteract racism in the Territory. A further $500 000 will be allocated to the three-year $1.5m Multicultural Communities Facility Development Program – a new initiative announced last year.
Government, industry and communities are working closely and effectively in moving the Territory ahead and ensuring our great Territory lifestyle continues. Together, we are capitalising on these opportunities to build an even stronger, more diverse and more sustainable economy.
This is exactly what this budget is doing. I have many interstate friends who are very well aware that we are heading towards an election. They were expecting a very different budget – a lot of hand-outs. Certainly, governments tend to give hand-outs just before an election, but the electorate has become very cynical. You cannot pull the wool over their eyes. They are very well aware that when governments go to an election and give a lot of money out, they are obviously trying to buy their votes. I recall a cartoon today in a newspaper – I believe it was in the Centralian Advocate – a Territorian pushing home an empty wheel barrow, saying to his wife: ‘They did not buy my vote’. That is exactly what this budget does - we are not buying votes. Instead, we are providing jobs, skills for Territorians, and tax cuts for Territory business.
It is not an extravagant budget, but a very balanced budget that sets the foundation for further development of the Territory. It is a budget that will provide families in the Territory with opportunities: to buy their first home; to educate their kids; to send their kids to VET schools to learn a trade; if they run a small business, to pay less tax; to save the 10% on our key cards, every time we use it to pay for groceries, which will save some money - not an enormous amount, but some. I can find better uses for $2000 per year than giving it to Mr Costello or the Territory Treasury.
Madam Speaker, this is a balanced budget, and I congratulate the Treasurer on what is a logical budget. It is not extravagant. It does not attempt to buy votes. It is, instead, a budget for Territory families, for local jobs, better skills and less tax.
Dr BURNS (Transport and Infrastructure): Madam Speaker, Budget 2005 builds on the Martin government’s strong record in delivering less tax, creating local jobs, and building the skills of the Territory’s work force.
This year’s budget again demonstrates the Martin government’s commitment to developing new infrastructure across all regions and sectors of the Territory, creating more jobs and developing government services. The total budget commitment for infrastructure spending in 2005-06 is $476m. This follows on from three years of record infrastructure spending. The infrastructure budget has been sustained at record levels and has grown from $405m in 2001, to $427m in 2002, $438m in 2003, and projected total expenditure of $479m by the end of the current financial year.
Significantly, this budget increases the cash allocation to minor new works by some 40%, taking minor new works to a total of $28.6m. Most importantly, this year’s budget maintains the Martin government’s record in delivering a high cash allocation to the capital works program. This contrasts starkly with the CLP’s dismal record in government. In the last Burke CLP budget, the value of re-voted works - that is, work continuing works - exceeded the cash allocation.
I have shown this graph before, but I will show it again because it is significant. It shows cash represented by blue lines and the re-vote is represented by yellow blocks. It can be clearly seen that, in the last Burke budget, the re-vote exceeded the cash. By contrast, it can be seen that cash is rising at a great rate under the Martin Labor government, which is something of which we are proud. This really exposes the Opposition Leader and his term in government. With all the promises he has made about infrastructure spending and building things, he plunged the Territory exactly where the re-vote exceeded the cash. That meant that there was not enough money to pay for works that had been announced, let alone provide any new cash for new work.
In the last Burke CLP budget, the cost of re-voted capital works - those projects already under way or committed - was valued at a massive $208m. However, the Burke CLP government allocated just $192m cash to both the re-voted program and the new program announced in the CLP budget. This was clearly an unsustainable situation. It is a CLP legacy that is very well remembered by the construction industry, building subcontractors and associated small businesses.
I turn to capital works and infrastructure development. Budget 2005-06 is crammed with infrastructure initiatives to keep the Territory moving ahead and further enhance the Territory lifestyle.
Budget highlights include an additional $7.3m to advance the Darwin City Waterfront project and the Darwin convention and exhibition centre. This year’s funding for the city waterfront project will allow the power, water and sewerage and access headworks to be installed along the waterfront’s precinct boundary.
The 2005-06 budget reflects the critical need to build and upgrade the Northern Territory’s vast road network, including major tourist highways, arterial roads and strategic outback roads that support the rural industry and remote communities. Key spending highlights for roads in this year’s budget include $15m to commence upgrading flood prone sections of the Victoria Highway and construct four new bridges on this highway. This upgrade is included in the AusLink network funding, and follows three years of lobbying to have the Commonwealth fund this necessary upgrade of the national highway network. A further $11m is approved for the West MacDonnell Range and Litchfield National Park tourist loop roads. Cash is also provided to continue the government’s $10m beef roads program, which is over two years.
Other infrastructure spending highlights in this year’s budget include $2.7m for Stage 2 headworks at Central Australia’s Desert Knowledge Precinct. This work includes complete power, water and sewerage for the first of the precinct buildings, including augmentation of the town water supply to accommodate the precinct’s water demand. These works complement the $16m program for the construction of the Business and Innovation Centre and the administration and teaching buildings at the Desert People’s Centre.
Territory national parks and reserves are major catalysts for the Territory’s tourism industry and they will receive a substantial boost in this year’s budget, both in capital works and operational expenditure. Among the key infrastructure initiatives are as follows:
Other significant capital works commitment this year include $450 000 to provide roads, water, electrical and sewerage services to six new blocks to be used by community organisations along Batten Road at Marrara; $5.8m provided for the completion of the home of soccer in Darwin; and $1.9m provided for upgrades to Hidden Valley raceway. As can be seen, this is a mighty budget for supporting Territory lifestyle and sport within the Northern Territory.
In regional land development, the release of land for residential development in Alice Springs is, under this government, now taking place. We intend to further release land in anticipation of demand as Alice Springs continues to grow. Flowing on from the signing of the indigenous land use agreement with Lhere Artepe Aboriginal Corporation in April 2004, 40 house blocks have been created in the first phase of land development at Larapinta. Completion of the Stirling Heights subdivision and granting of freehold title on land formerly subject to native title is expected to occur later this month. Government provided $1.95m for headworks to service Larapinta in 2004-05 to enable two developments to proceed. The second development lease will be sold by public auction on 20 May. This will create a further 45 lots, including lots to be made available to first home buyers. These are expected to be available early in 2006.
Also under negotiation with native title owners is the release of residential land at Mt John Valley, and around 120 lots expected from a Stage 1 development. Capital works funding of $1m is being provided to headworks in this first stage at Mt John Valley, with tenders expected to be advertised shortly.
In Darwin, $1.5m has been committed to extend the sewerage headworks at the Darwin Business Park, which will include the provision of a new sewer pump station and 700 m of sewer main. Works by the Land Development Corporation on behalf of DIPE to provide the sewerage headworks at the Darwin Business Park will greatly enhance the estate’s capacity to accommodate new businesses. Among potential future inclusions are fish processing and similar industry, which require land close to the waterfront. The corporation will also receive $400 000 in minor new works funding this year to meet the land servicing requirements of industries coming into the estate. A further $390 000 is provided for marketing the Darwin Business Park and investigating the land development opportunities, focussing on trade development and oil- and gas-based industries.
I now turn to DIPE minor new works. This year’s budget sees a major boost of almost 40% in the minor new works program across government. This will take the value of the program to almost $29m. This program is of vital importance to small contractors in business. The doubling of the minor new works threshold from $150 000 to $300 000 is another important initiative that will assist small business in this year’s budget.
If I could just digress from my written notes for a minute, coming into this budget, the very strong feedback I had from the construction industry and contractors within the construction industry is that the construction economy, if you like, is running very hot at present; there is probably more than enough work and costs are escalating. Therefore, it was very important for government to get the mix right in this budget of our infrastructure spend, and this is exactly what we have done. We have the major projects going on, both government and outside this government in the private sector, and we have also been careful to ensure that there is quite a lot of works in the minor new works budget to ensure that those smaller businesses and subcontractors have plenty of work to carry on with.
DIPE will account for almost $10m of the government’s minor new works program in 2005-06. It is pleasing to note that Territory-based businesses account for some 93% of the number, and 95% of the value of DIPE’s contracting for infrastructure works. The government’s expenditure on infrastructure will generate more than 4000 full-time jobs in the construction and related industries; a vital component of the Territory’s economy.
I turn now to AusLink. The Commonwealth government has announced its intention to no longer fully fund the construction and maintenance of our national highways. This proposal, which contains a number of potentially adverse consequences for the Territory, is now being implemented. I have raised these concerns directly with Jim Lloyd, who is the Commonwealth minister for roads, and I will continue to argue for fair funding for Territory roads. Budget funding for the AusLink program in the Northern Territory this year includes $15m to construct four new bridges at Victoria River, Joe Creek, Lost Creek and Sandy Creek on the Victoria Highway, and to lift and strengthen sections of road pavement through the Victoria River floodplain. This will commence upgrading the flood immunity of the Victoria Highway, something that the Martin government has been lobbying for over the course of the last three years. $4m will be provided through the Australian Roads to Recovery Program to upgrade local roads, and $700 000 through the National Black Spot Program for projects, subject to federal approval, that will improve the safety of targeted NT government and local government roads. $2m is provided to enhance the safety and efficiency of the road network by strengthening and widening selected sections of the Stuart, Barkly and Victoria Highways.
The Commonwealth minister has recently written to me rejecting the unanimous motion passed by this Assembly last year which called on the Commonwealth to restore the $20m of underfunding that the Territory suffered over the last four years of the Commonwealth’s Roads to Recovery Program. I believe this represents inequitable treatment of Territorians by the Commonwealth and, effectively, treats Territorians as second-class citizens compared to Australians residing in other states. I do not intend to let the matter rest, and I trust that the government will continue to have the unanimous support of all members of the Legislative Assembly.
I now turn to Territory roads. This year’s budget contains a boost of 50% more cash for capital works on NT roads compared to the 2004 budget. A major contributor to this was the injection of an additional $10m program throughout the 2004-05 and 2005-06 years to upgrade Territory beef roads. This program, of course, continues in the 2005 budget. Repairs and maintenance for Territory roads also gets an 8% boost in cash, and the total cash for the roads budget works program has increased from $80m in last years’ budget to over $95m in this year’s budget. That represents a 19% boost in this year’s budget. When you compare this year’s budget to the last Burke CLP budget, the cash allocated to capital works on Territory roads has more than doubled.
Once again, I have a graph to illustrate this particular point. Here you can see, in 2001-02, the blue line and the escalating cash funding that this government has been putting in Territory roads is absolutely outstanding. Members would agree with me that this is fantastic result in 2005-06. The CLP allocated just over $15m in the 2001-02 budget. This rises to well over something like $33m in this year, 2005-06. The CLP made some grandiose promises today about waterproofing our roads. I am not sure whether that means putting raincoats over them, or sealing all of our roads. No doubt, the Leader of the Opposition will be called upon to clarify exactly what he means and what sort of money is involved, and I will be watching that very carefully.
Returning to our budget, our budget means better roads and more jobs for locals both in construction and through the stimulation of the economy. An $8m program is provided for the West MacDonnell Range Tourist Loop Road to promote tourism and regional development. The work will include reconstruction and sealing of selected sections of Namatjira Drive between Glen Helen and Larapinta Drive, and Larapinta Drive between Hermannsburg and Kings Canyon. A $4.5m contract for works on this road was recently awarded to Works Infrastructure, a Territory business. Tenders have recently been called for the sealing of 14 km of the loop running north from the Watarrka National Park; these tenders close next week. Also, $3m is allocated for reconstruction and sealing of the Litchfield National Park Road. This is Stage 2 of the project which will greatly enhance access to these tourist draw cards.
Last year, the government announced a $10m program to rebuild and improve strategic beef roads. This program includes $1.6m to extend the seal on the Point Stuart Road, to improve access for pastoralists, fishing enthusiasts and tourists. Upgrading the Maryvale Road is included in this year’s program at a value of $800 000. This will provide pastoral industry access, and also improved access for remote communities.
A further $800 000 is allocated under the Rural Arterials Program to improve road safety by strengthening the pavement of, and widening, the Arnhem Highway; $500 000 is provided to improve access to the remote Arnhem Land communities of Ngukurr and Numbulwar by constructing a causeway at Rose River and other upgrades of the road; $500 000 is allocated to upgrading river crossings along the Central Arnhem Highway from Beswick to Gove including upgrade of the Wilton River crossings; and $500 000 is allocated to upgrade sections of the Sandover Highway including re-sheeting and drainage upgrades. Funding of $1.14m will support the Safer Territory Communities Road Safety Programs and initiatives.
I now turn to urban enhancement. The 2005 Budget continues funding for the government’s popular program to revitalise suburban shopping centres and other urban enhancement programs. Projects throughout the length and breadth of the Territory will be funded under this program in 2005-06. I recently announced the government’s commitment of $350 000 to further progress the Todd and Charles River master plan. Of particular interest to residents in electorate of Johnston is the provision of $300 000 in this year’s budget to upgrade the Rapid Creek Corridor.
Turning now to public transport, the coming year will see an increase of peak hour bus services, new services introduced into unserviced areas and the expansion of services in the Darwin rural area. I plan to make further announcements about these services in the near future. In addition, $144 000 is included in this year’s budget to introduce special bus services for tenants of Darwin and Palmerston public housing seniors villages.
I now turn to Parks and Wildlife. The department’s Parks and Wildlife Service will receive an increase of $1.2m to baseline operational funding to manage the Northern Territory parks estate. That is an increase of 13% in operational funding. This increase will be ongoing in subsequent years.
As well as the increase in general operational funding, the Parks and Wildlife Service will receive an addition $650 000 this year specifically for implementing joint management arrangements in 27 Territory parks. Joint management will enhance the capacity of regional communities to realise the potential of parks as catalyst for regional economic development and employment.
The Alice Springs region will deploy more resources into its fire management program, which has become a high priority following the relatively low rainfall experienced in the Centre over the past 12 months.
Programs for the control of feral animals such as camels, horses, donkeys and cattle will be expanded, involving more frequent patrols by helicopters.
The Top End region’s weed control program will include more concentrated efforts in eradicating gamba grass within Charles Darwin National Park. The weeds program in Shoal Bay Coastal Reserve, Berry Springs Nature Park, and Litchfield National Park will be expanded.
With the increase of the number of people visiting major Territory parks like Litchfield, Nitmiluk and Watarrka, the Parks and Wildlife Service will be able to allocate resources and develop these high visitation areas to reduce pressure on existing infrastructure.
This year’s budget recognises the critical importance of protecting the Territory’s natural resources from introduced weeds and animal pests, fire erosion, and other elements. One of the most serious environmental blights to impact on the Territory environment is the notorious cane toad, which has now colonised widely across the Top End and is on the verge of invading Darwin, Palmerston and the Litchfield Shire. Significant support funding has already been committed to counteract this potentially devastating exotic pest, and this year’s budget includes a further $1.1m to help provide immediate and long-term controls. Specifically, this year, $480 000 has been allocated to assist the proactive Frog Watch community campaign, which includes Toad Busters and extensive trapping. At the same time, the Martin government’s initiatives will continue in providing the secretariat for the National Task Force on Cane Toads, supporting long-term biological control research within the CSIRO, and the continuation of the Island Ark Program to protect threatened species.
I recently met with the West Australian Minister for Agriculture and Forestry, Hon Kim Chance, to discuss the looming invasion of cane toads into Western Australia. At that meeting, it was agreed in principle that the two states would collaborate in fighting the spread of this pest. This may involve significant expenditure of Western Australian funds in the Territory, on Territory soil, to try to halt the spread of the pest into WA. That should have been done a long time ago. When the cane toads were coming across from Queensland into the Territory, that is the sort of activity that the CLP should have been trying to do.
Other budget initiatives include $1.5m to provide information on the groundwater resources that sustain communities and the horticultural, pastoral and mining industries across the Northern Territory. There is $900 000 to collect data on water flows and levels in Territory rivers and groundwater systems that are required for the sustainable use of water resources. There is $1m for a project to collect, collate and distribute information on soil, vegetation and land capability to reduce risk and achieve sustainable development of land for rural production, industrial use and urban expansion.
Budget 2005-06 provides increased funding for the multiple award winning Territory Wildlife Park and the Alice Springs Desert Park. Visitor numbers at the Alice Springs Desert Park have increased due to recent marketing focussed on international and domestic tourists. Visitors to the Desert Park are expected to reach a record 85 000 during the 2005-06 year, as more tour operators come on board. Visitor numbers to the Territory Wildlife Park are expected to rise to around 75 000 in 2005-06 as new experiences targeted towards domestic and international visitors are developed, and marketing is specifically focussed towards these groups.
Alice Springs Desert Park will receive $80 000 this year to introduce 200 visitor audio guides in three languages; to work with traditional owners to further develop indigenous interpretation, visitor experiences; and to promote Central Australia’s Desert Park to The Ghan’s Red Kangaroo passengers.
The 2005-06 Budget further supports the Darwin Harbour Regional Plan of Management, with $300 000 allocated to this important government initiative. This amount includes $91 000 to employ a research officer; $80 000 to develop indigenous community participation in managing the Darwin Harbour area; $80 000 for a public information campaign; and $101 000 as the first of three annual allocations to identify significant Darwin Harbour environments and prevent their degradation.
Budget allocations have been provided this year for the express purpose of streamlining government services to the business sector and the general public. $120 000 will go to further developing and enhancing electronic service delivery options for the Motor Vehicle Registry’s commercial customers and the community. During the 2005-06 year, the MVR e-Government project will see the implementation of an on-line system (Dealer On-line, as it is known) to enable licensed motor vehicle dealers, or LMVDs, to transfer their registered owner details and disposal advice for second-hand registered vehicles that they sell. Dealer-On-line will be an enhancement of the dealer franchise system for electronic registration of factory new vehicles that is due for implementation in June 2005.
Since the introduction of MVR Quick Pay in late 2004, there has been a steady upward trend on Internet transactions. In December 2004, the first month of introduction, 10 transactions were recorded. This increased to 1207 transactions in March 2005. MVR will go to tender in 2005-06 for a telephone interactive voice response system that will enable Quick Pay renewals to be conducted over the telephone 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Promotion of these improved services for customers will continue throughout the year.
Additional funding of $650 000 has been allocated this year to implement changes to the Planning Act and Building Act, including education, promotion, enhanced appeal processes and related construction industry reform initiatives. The Martin Labor government has embarked on a comprehensive package of reform for the construction industry. This includes measures to protect consumers and workers and further increase the level of professionalism in the industry. A key element of this was the amendment of the Building Act to provide for the registration of home builders and the introduction of compulsory home warranty insurance. The budget allocation for the coming financial year will cover set-up and administrative costs for the residential builders registration component of this reform and an enhanced Building Practitioners Board. This will include additional administrative and technical staff to undertake the audits and investigations, and establishment and maintenance of the appropriate database.
In summary, the 2005-06 Budget puts the Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Environment in a strong position to enhance services it provides to Territorians across the board.
I turn now to the Power and Water Corporation. The Power and Water Corporation’s capital investment program for 2005-06 will total $66m. This is some $28m, or 70%, greater than the corporation’s investment program in the CLP’s last budget. Substantial progress has already been made on the undergrounding of electricity distribution infrastructure in the Darwin suburbs, particularly in Nightcliff, with Stage 1 of the Nightcliff project completed during 2004-05. In contrast, the CLP opposition have repeatedly gone on the record opposing this program and vowing to scrap it. The government will continue to fund this highly popular initiative, although I note earlier in this session that the opposition has done a backflip on this particular issue, so it will be interesting to see what sort of costing and time frame they come out with regarding what they want to do. The government’s funding to this project is in addition to the $1m contribution directly provided by the Power and Water Corporation.
A government commitment to provide electricity supply to residents of Dundee Beach continues, with projected expenditure of $3m in 2005-06. Planning for the next phase of this project will commence in the first half of the 2005-06 financial year.
Work will commence on the selection and purchase of additional generating capacity for Alice Springs. This will ensure that the residents of Alice Springs are provided with an increasingly reliable electricity supply well into the future. I also foreshadow that the Power and Water Corporation Board is looking at a study and ways to augment power supply within Darwin, so I compliment Power and Water and its board on their investment in infrastructure within the Territory.
Construction of the Frances Bay zone substation will continue in 2005-06 and will provide increased reliability and security of supply for the growing demand in the Darwin CBD. This is an estimated $12.5m investment in the future of the development of Darwin city ...
Mrs AAGAARD: Madam Speaker, I move that an extension of time for the minister to conclude his remarks.
Motion agreed to.
Dr BURNS: I thank the member for Nightcliff. During 2005-06, a new water pumping station will be installed at Tennant Creek to improve the reliability of water services to the Tennant Creek community. Drinking water quality remains a high priority issue throughout the Territory, with Power and Water continually monitoring all supplies. During 2005-06, a range of activities will commence to upgrade drinking water supplies. These include: investigation of a new water source at Mataranka; development of a replacement bore for Newcastle Waters; an upgrade of disinfection facilities and improvement of security for current water sources at Pine Creek; development of new water sources at Ti Tree; investigation of improved water treatment options for Borroloola and Kings Canyon; and an upgrade to the primary chlorination facility at Katherine.
Approximately $3m will be spent in 2005-06 on relining sewers throughout the Territory. It is anticipated that this is level of investment will be ongoing to continually improve Territory-wide sewerage services.
The government continues its priority commitment to the provision of essential services to remote communities. Through fee-for-service arrangements between the Department of Community Development, Sports and Cultural Affairs and the Power and Water Corporation, some $47m will be government funded in 2005-06 to improve and maintain power, water and sewerage services to remote communities.
I now turn to the Darwin Port Corporation. The Darwin Port Corporation’s budget for 2005-06 illustrates the ongoing business progress of the port in establishing commercial operations in East Arm, addressing the facilitation of new trades and trade routes, and increasing port security compliance requirements. The coming financial year is an exciting one for the Port of Darwin: LNG ships will commence operations in the harbour; bulk loading of manganese will commence from Bootu Creek, doubling the tonnages carried on the north-south rail link; bulk liquid operations will transfer to East Arm associated with the Darwin industry fuel terminal; and further bulk liquid proposals are being considered for establishment in the Darwin Business Park. In addition, new freight linkages between Darwin and our northern neighbours are actively being explored.
It is planned that the following infrastructure projects will be undertaken during the coming year: completion of the 110 m wharf extension; completion of the bulk liquid’s berth; commissioning of new oil pipelines connecting the bulk liquids berth and the Darwin industrial fuel terminal; bulk materials handling facilities for the Bootu Creek manganese ore export project; a new incinerator to meet Quarantine disposal requirements; and further port security infrastructure.
There are many more initiatives in this year’s budget which will become evident throughout the year that I am sure other members from this side of the House will be speaking about. It is a fantastic budget, moving the Territory ahead. It is exciting to be minister with the infrastructure spend and the investment in the future of the Territory, in Territory business. This is a budget that is sensible, balanced, and will certainly move the Territory ahead. Voters in the upcoming election will judge this budget; they will certainly judge the alternative put forward by the opposition today and, I suppose, more policies as time progresses. People will see in this budget sensible fiscal management, investment where it counts: in infrastructure, in upskilling Territorians, and creating jobs for Territorians.
This is away ahead, Madam Speaker. The Territory is going through a very exciting phase and people recognise that. I commend this budget and the Treasurer in the way that he has delivered the budget. I also commend the very hard work that has been done by officers of Treasury; it is a mammoth task to pull the budget together. People can quibble over a few typos and a few mistakes in it but, overall, the NT Treasury does a fantastic job. I would also like to thank John Tobin in my office for helping to compile this very extensive overview of the infrastructure spend, and what is happening in Power and Water and the port. In short, this is a fantastic budget. I commend it to this House and to Territorians.
Mr KIELY (Sanderson): Madam Speaker, I thank the Treasurer and the Martin government on behalf of the electorate of Sanderson for developing a budget that is good for families, seniors, first time jobseekers, those in employment, business and, overall, for the Territory.
Budget 2005 backs Territorians. It delivers less tax, local jobs and better skills. Budget 2005 provides a significant boost to the task of skilling Territorians. Budget 2005 will help us achieve a healthier Territory. Budget 2005 will help us, as a community, achieve better education outcomes. Budget 2005 helps make our community an even safer place by addressing the core services of education, health and police. Budget 2005 is about community; family; good government; and delivering to the people of Sanderson and every other Territorian a financial framework that they can depend on to deliver a quality lifestyle that is so highly valued by all of us.
The Wednesday’s edition of the NT News carried the headline ‘Steady Old Syd’, an observation that Budget 2005 was conservative, modest or neutral. I take this as an affirmation that Budget 2005 has been developed from a strong foundation of fiscal responsibility, and not from a cynical base of pork-barrelling or trying to schmooze the electorate in an election year. Well do I, my colleagues, and the community remember the last budget brought down by the last CLP Burke government and its complete manipulation and distortion of the true financial picture. The promises made in that budget, and the motivation for those promises, stand in stark contrast to the no-nonsense, strategically-focussed and well-balanced budget developed under the steady hand of the member for Nhulunbuy.
The horizons of the people of Sanderson go beyond the boundary of Lee Point Road, Vanderlin Drive, Matthews Road, and McMillans Road. I, therefore, look to the entire scope of the budget and what it means to those I represent. From what I see, I can stand here and comfortably say that, overall, this is a good budget for Sanderson.
I know, because people have made mention to me of their delight that the new initiative of NT HealthDirect is funded to the tune of $0.5m; it is a much appreciated initiative in this year’s budget. NT HealthDirect is a 24-hour free and confidential telephone health triage and information service available to all Territorians and visitors. In line with the government’s five-year framework Building Healthier Communities, NT HealthDirect’s telephone triage and information service is designed to contribute to the range of health services available in the Territory and to complement the work of health and community services professionals. The value of this initiative, a Martin Labor government initiative, one which I doubt the CLP opposition would have even considered - well, they certainly had not in the 27 years they were in government - to the families of young children is well beyond the financial costs. NT HealthDirect is an investment and peace of mind for worried parents who have a sick child and are not sure what to do. I would have loved to have had such a service when my kids were young. It is a wonderful initiative for our more senior members of the community who might not otherwise bother with checking what might be, to them, a minor ailment that might pass without any knowledgeable person being able to provide advice as to whether the complaint is a passing one or the early warnings of something more serious.
NT HealthDirect is just one of the many new initiatives in this record funding budget allocation of $687m, a sum which, since 2001, is an increase in health spending by some 43%. This figure alone demonstrates the massive shortfalls that have been a feature of our Territory health system for so many wasted years of neglect of the previous government. Yet, we hear the constant chant from the opposition that the health budget is blowing out. They do not offer any alternative; only constant negative carping designed to talk down confidence in our health system for their own political advantage. They demonstrate by their attitude that they do not care about the real health condition of our community ...
Ms Carter: What about the member for Arafura? What does she have to say?
Mr KIELY: I will just read that again: they demonstrate by their attitude that they do not care about the real health condition of our community.
Unfortunately, not everyone in our community is able to share or fully participate in the great lifestyle that we stridently aim for. As a community, we do have an obligation toward assisting others who, though life’s chances, suffer disadvantage. I, therefore, congratulate the Minister for Health and the Minister for Family and Community Services for the good work they must have done to have included in this budget a significant boost to funding for our non-government organisations. These organisations will receive grant indexation to meet the real costs of providing these important services to our community.
This is not my view alone. I take the liberty of reading from a radio interview transcript of Ms Jane Alley from the Northern Territory Council of Social Services and Mr Daryl Manzie on Territory Talk on 8TOP FM this morning:
We introduced paid maternity leave. We pay for it each year in the budget. There is money for families, and we all know what a boost that is to a family with a newborn. We allow people to take family leave as sick leave and pay that in the budget. The government is spending nearly $1m to employ trainees, which works for young people and support families. We will spend around $420m on preschools, primary schools and secondary schools - there is more money for families. We run the Darwin Bus Service to transport families around; that is nearly $7m. We have just announced an increase of $140 000 to bring services to the seniors villages.
I am particularly pleased with the allocation of 19 additional high school counsellors above formula for our schools. I know the principal, school council, parents and students of Sanderson High are very pleased because they have wanted a dedicated school counsellor for many years. They realised the need for a person with these skills ages ago, and have funded the employment of the existing school counsellor from within formula. Now this resource will be freed up and they will be able to offer a more varied curriculum to the students. What a great result for Sanderson High community that has been delivered in Budget 2005.
I was elected on a promise of making jobs creation a priority. Budget 2005, building on our budgets of 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004, is helping me to keep my promise to the community of Sanderson. Initiatives such as HomeNorth loans and the home owners stamp duty concession, which has been increased over the term of the Martin Labor government from around $2000 in 2002 to $6800 today, not only benefits families but also our building industry. The flow-on into the economy from these types of initiatives, particularly in the form of jobs, is a great joy to me and to those I represent.
Infrastructure spending in Budget 2005 has been set at $476m. Since 2001, this government has committed $2.2bn in cash, of which 80% of the total value of all contracts over $50 000 has gone to local business. This year, we will see continuing work on the Litchfield Loop and the Mereenie Loop Roads. We will see the commencement of upgrades totalling $7.5m over three years at Litchfield Park. There is $3m for urban renewal; $2m for fishing infrastructure; $5m for the completion of the substation at Marrara; and $3.6m for a new fire station at Marrara. The list goes on and on. What it all means is more jobs - more job opportunities for the mums and dads and for school leavers.
This is a good solid budget; it is not full of empty promises. It is a budget of which I am proud and which stands strong due to its integrity. Ours is a budget for 2005-2006 which builds on the work we have solidly undertaken over the term of our government.
We heard today the alternative budget outlined by the opposition. I am not going to slam the opposition budget; I believe Territorians are astute enough to know which is achievable and which is smoke and mirrors. I know Territorians have not forgotten what the CLP Burke government budgets were like, and the true state of our community when he was the Chief Minister in the final two-and-as-half years of the CLP’s management of the Territory economy. I trust in their memory, I trust in the Martin government, and I fully trust the integrity and foresight of Treasurer Stirling.
Madam Speaker, on behalf of the Sanderson community, I thank all those who have assisted in the formulation and presentation of Budget 2005.
Debate adjourned.
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, pursuant to the terms of reference of the Northern Territory’s Statehood Steering Committee adopted by the Assembly on 17 August 2004, I table an extract of minutes of the proceedings of the Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee dated 3 March 2005 and 21 April 2005 respectively, appointing membership and co-Chair of the Northern Territory Statehood Committee; and a copy of my determination in respect of sitting fees and travel allowances for members of the Northern Territory Statehood Steering Committee.
Mr McADAM (Barkly)(by leave): Madam Speaker, I move that the Assembly, pursuant to resolution of 17 August 2004, adopt:
It gives me great pleasure to welcome the formation of the Statehood Steering Committee and support the adoption of the membership of that committee. I take this opportunity to briefly inform the Assembly of the issues discussed at the inaugural meeting of the Northern Territory Statehood Steering Committee held in Alice Springs on 21 and 22 April.
The committee came together for the very first time to consider a very full agenda and conduct a public forum. The level of dedication by the members was very clear. We have a balance of community members from industry, indigenous communities, private citizens, and young people. Amongst some of the things that the committee discussed was the role of the newly-appointed co-chair, Sue Bradley, who we should all congratulate on taking on what is going to be an important role as the community face of statehood and as the committee spokesperson. The members also declared the committee and its secretariat are to have an open door policy to ensure all Territorians have a voice on the issues related to statehood.
Initial interest in the committee has seen national media coverage on ABC radio and morning TV, as well as a lot of local coverage. I am confident that the committee will be in a position to consolidate that over the coming year or two, in respect to community education and consultation. The committee discussed engagement in some detail, and will be devising strategies to ensure statehood is understood in schools, remote communities, and across the urban centres. Different ways to deliver the message was identified as a top priority for the committee, and the diversity of the membership will assist in delivering the right message across the Territory. The committee plans to go out to shows in July this year to talk to Territorians about what they need to know about statehood.
The committee will be looking in depth at the well-known Kalkaringi and Batchelor Statements, examining issues such as indigenous governance and customary law, as well as the other details of those statements. They will be ensuring that, when the time comes, those matters identified at Kalkaringi and Batchelor will be considered as part of the constitutional development process.
The steering committee will lay the groundwork that leads up to a truly participatory process of constitutional development, leading into a summit or convention when members will be fully-elected representatives.
One important thing the Statehood Steering Committee resolved in Alice Springs is that the first stage is to get the community onside about the process and comfortable with talking about statehood. The public forum was an important first step. The forum attracted a small group of people. There were about 20 who turned up and met the committee. The participants spoke at length about the way people want to see the issues discussed openly and publicly over time. To achieve that, the committee will be building relationships with the community and conducting more forums as time goes on.
I welcome the formation of the committee and thank my colleagues on the Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs for their hard work and dedication in putting together a Statehood Steering Committee, which will work constructively with this Assembly to advance statehood on terms that are acceptable to the majority of Territorians.
Madam Speaker, in conclusion, I would like to thank very much, as I mentioned previously, my colleagues. I refer to the members for Millner, Macdonnell, Goyder, Sanderson and, of course, you, Madam Speaker. Also, to the member for Blain, who played a very important role regarding arriving at where we are today, and to the member for Arafura who played an equally important role. I thank Mr Michael Tatham, the secretary, and Sharon McAlear, the administrative executive assistant to that Statehood Steering Committee. They did a wonderful job in organising that meeting. I pay tribute to Mr David Horton, secretary to the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee who played an important role as a link between the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee and the formation of the Statehood Steering Committee. Thanks also to Maria Viegas, the research officer. Maria has done a lot of work, so we thank her for her contribution. Also to Liz McFarlane who is the administration support to the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee. To all of those people, thank you very much, and the process is under way.
Mr ELFERINK (Macdonnell): Madam Speaker, I very briefly endorse everything that the chairman of the committee and member for Barkly has said today. Of course, members always have their differences inside the committee, but one of the great joys of this committee - now that I have been the longest serving member on this particular committee - is that, even prior to the 2001 election - basically since 1997 - nothing ever went to a vote inside the committee. The committee is quite unusual, inasmuch as it is seeking to project itself as a bipartisan committee which tries, or wants, to keep an open as possible feel for the future constitutional development of the Northern Territory.
I hope, expect and anticipate that the members of the subcommittee which is now assisting the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee headed by Sue Bradley, does what they do in the same sprit without loading any particular expectation on any statement or expression of values per se, but looks at things like the original committee’s green document which I still think is worth revisiting as an options paper. Also subsequent work done by the Constitutional Convention, although criticised, produced some very good documents - the Kalkaringi Statement and other such statements. All of these statements will eventually go into the melting pot which will, hopefully, develop a constitution for the state of the Northern Territory, whatever that might be called. I hope that constitution is palatable to not only the majority, but to the vast majority - most people who live under its care.
It will lead to disagreements - passionate disagreements. There will be passionate people involved in this. However, I do not know of any constitution that has been developed anywhere - even a constitution such as the one of the United Kingdom which is, basically, a series of unwritten conventions - that has not been developed as a result of passion and, in many instances, the spilling of blood. Hopefully, we will not have to go to that degree. Nevertheless, it is an important role that this committee is going to embark on. I hope that it takes its role as an educator of the people very seriously, indeed.
I would like to see a time when this Territory transfers into a state with all of the incumbent and inherent rights in that state, and that it is done so and supported and applauded by all. We stand around a flagpole on the day that we become a state and have a premier of the state of the Northern Territory or Territoria or whatever it might be called - Clare’s Land perhaps. Who knows? I look forward to a time when we all stand around the flagpole and watch that flag run up the pole again and we can all, shoulder to shoulder, stand happy and proud of what we have achieved and what we will achieve as state.
Motion agreed to.
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I table the four bills that were discussed by the Youth Parliament held on 20 and 21 March 2005. For members’ interest, I also advise that the Chief Minister and the Leader of the Opposition have been sent a copy, but you may be interested in the four bills that the Youth Parliament discussed this year.
Mr AH KIT (Community Development): Madam Speaker, I move that the Assembly do now adjourn.
I speak tonight about the highly successful Katherine Country Music Muster, which was held last weekend, the May Day long weekend. It is the 6th muster organised by the people of Katherine and a wonderful committee - and I will come to that shortly.
As a former Katherine boy, it was great to get down there and mix with people from town, bush and, indeed, visitors from far and wide. The muster was established after the 1998 floods by Shirley Canning and others as a way of bringing people together and cheering them up after the devastation of that terrible time. The concept to create community camaraderie has worked and, might I add, continues to work extremely well. It has gone from strength to strength and, arguably, plays a much broader and a more important role. It unites the region around country music and was identified by the Katherine Regional Development Board in the Katherine Economic Development Plan as a key event in the region’s economic and cultural development.
Thanks must be given to this year’s organising committee: President Shirley Canning, Kerry Diehn, Sharon Fullarton, Gayle Colvin, Toni Tapp Coutts, Simone Fishlock, Lionel Cole, Sandy Taylor, Sue Moran, Sandy Talbot, Kate Oliver, Keith Jamieson, Merv Webster, and Rob Phillips. I also add that Shirley Canning has now resigned and needs to have a spell. I thank her for all the great work that she has done in organising the annual muster from its inception.
The importance of this kind of voluntary team work for great community events such as the muster cannot be underestimated. They really deserve the thanks of everyone in Katherine, and they certainly get mine. To this, I must add the Mayor Anne Shepherd, Katherine Regional Development Board Chair, Julie Newton, and Sharon Hillen who were all critical in getting government support to the muster doubled for this year to $30 000.
It was a terrific weekend at the great venue of the Outback Heritage Museum on Gorge Road. It had plenty of shady trees, good facilities, stage and lighting. It was a great combination of professionalism tempered with a relax atmosphere. Of course, there was a nice bar to serve cool drinks.
There was more than the one venue with Friday’s Aussie Pub Crawl taking in the Katherine Country Club, the Crossways Hotel, Katherine Hotel Motel, which known as Kirby’s to the old hands, and the Katherine Sport and Recreation Club. That was a great day on which I caught up with some fantastic country and western music in various venues.
Saturday was a real highlight from the time of the street parade up to the official opening by His Honour the Administrator. Naturally, as Patron of the muster, Hon Ted Egan got to sing the first song of the day. There were some really terrific acts on the day and the evening, such as the Toe Sucking Cowgirls, Grant Luhrs and the Chook Raffle Band, Rob Luckey and the Lucky Bastards, and the Red Hot Pokers.
Community events such as the muster do more than encourage a bit of a party; they build the region through tourism, with economic social and cultural benefits to the community. They attract people from throughout the region and the Territory as well as interstate and international visitors. They provide skills development for emerging talent, encourage original work by Territory artists, create live performance opportunities, and promote the wealth of Territory talent.
An important part of that, and what really impressed me, was the growing level of local business support which, again, highlights the great community support for the country music muster. Those sponsors include Territory ABC, the Katherine Town Council, St Andrews Serviced Apartments, Channel 9, Travel North, Carlton United Brewery, Imparja TV, Downes Graderways, Mac’s Hire Service, IBW Crane Hire, Allan King and Sons Constructions, Canning Industries, and Don and Anne Walsh.
Bronze sponsors include: The Auction Centre, Katherine Hotel Motel, the Cutting Edge, Sandy Taylor, Katherine Crash Repairs; Katherine Sport and Recreational Club; On Site Refrigeration and Airconditioning; Pandion Haulage; Parker Signs; Braycol Appliances; Nighthawk Couriers; Bundaberg Rum; Trash and Treasure Market; Prime Industrial Rentals; Katherine Community Radio; Radio Larrakia; Smorgon Steel; TIO; Norplumb; Jalyn Ford; Crossways Hotel Motel; Katherine Country Club and Web Page NT.
I spoke to Toni Tapp Coutts this evening and she told me that over 2000 people attended the muster, which is a great result for that weekend. The muster committee has plans for the future, through to firmly establishing it as a premier event in the Territory calendar. Positioned as it is on the May Day weekend, it is an event that helps extend the tourist season. Indeed, I ran into some New Zealanders who come to Katherine on an annual pilgrimage to visit the Territory and the muster, and I will certainly make the same pilgrimage next year.
Whilst I have a few minutes, I also want to pay respects and pay tribute to Susan Murray, who passed away recently. I have been given permission to use her name for this adjournment speech by her sister and senior elder of the Bulman region, Annette Miller.
I first met Susan in 1978 when she was a young leader of the Bulman region; a great spokesperson and very well educated. Susan was originally from Bulman, but lived in Darwin for the last 20 years working with the Larrakia Nation as a cultural educator and arts and crafts teacher. She was well known and very respected by Larrakia people and the wider community, visiting schools and the Bullocky Point museum regularly to pass on her knowledge of culture and history. Her language group was Maranagu and her clan was Rembarrnga.
I knew her for a long time, in our ways, as my sister. She had been very sick and returned to Bulman for the last three weeks of her life to be in her own country with family and friends. She died of a heart attack on 7 April, with her funeral on 22 April held at Bagetti outstation north of the Bulman community. My sincere condolences go to her brothers and sisters: Kenneth, Rowland, Lazarus, Kirsten and Cynthia Murray, and Annette Miller, her children Rhonda, Sharon, Randall, Gilbert and Gillian Campion and her 10 grandchildren. Rest in peace, sister.
Mr ELFERINK (Macdonnell): Madam Acting Deputy Speaker, I raise an issue coming out of debates during the day and tidy up some loose ends. Today, we had a debate on the Ombudsman’s report for the Northern Territory: An investigation into the adequacy of administrative actions taken by certain government authorities in relation to the granting and acceptance of a ‘Special Purpose Grant’. First, this is the annual report to which the minister referred. There is no list of vehicles granted by the department in it, so why did he refer me to it when I asked specifically for that list? Why? Because he knew I would not find it. What his other instruction? Wait for estimates. Estimates ain’t going to happen. They are going to be calling an election. This minister retires, and will never be held accountable for what has happened and outlined in this report.
The other thing that concerns me is that this report makes a recommendation, amongst other recommendations, that there be a reference to the Auditor-General so that the Auditor-General can go and chase the money - do the money trail and the money chasing thing. Well, guess what? The Auditor-General, we were told by the Chief Minister repeatedly on radio, in public and in other places, has received a reference. I wonder if the Chief Minister, in her contemplation when she was saying that publicly, that we as a public would think that the Auditor-General had a section 14 reference under the Auditor-General’s Act? If the Auditor-General did not receive a section 14 reference, his powers, at the first instance, to investigate any shortcoming by government, would be somewhat limited.
Imagine my confusion when, after I had just finished speaking here today and whilst the minister was on his feet, I went into the room back there and rang up the Auditor-General for the second time in two days. Yesterday, I said to the Auditor-General: ‘Mate, can you tell me what is going on so I know what is happening, so I can give a speech in parliament tomorrow?’ He said: ‘I cannot really, because I am still waiting for the coppers to get back to me about what they are doing with the complaint that they have, because I am not going to touch this whilst the coppers are investigating’. ‘Gee whiz’, I say, ‘All right, well, I will give you a call tomorrow’.
At about 3 pm this afternoon I still had not heard from the Auditor-General, so I took it upon myself to go into the lobby and telephone him. Guess what the Auditor-General told me? The Auditor-General said: ‘The Police Commissioner is still travelling back from Katherine and, until such time as he can indicate to me, I cannot begin to investigate the issues raised by the Ombudsman’. He then qualified it in one way, and told me that yes, he had started to do some basic preliminary inquiries in relation to this matter, which involved a quick contact with the department and with the community of Belyuen.
You can well understand my confusion when the Chief Minister then stood up not 10 minutes later in this House and said things like, and I quote:
The quotes go on:
Further:
This is a very curious thing for the Chief Minister to be saying. I would be led to believe, having all of those quotes being fired at me, that the Chief Minister had received an Auditor-General’s report. Why, then, would the Auditor-General be telling me over the telephone, not 20 minutes or half-an-hour prior to these comments being made by the Chief Minister, that he is still waiting for the police to come back to him before he can start his investigation? This is where we start to understand the shroud that this government tries to pull across the eyes of people.
I believe that this is what has occurred: the Auditor-General, upon receiving a note from the Department of the Chief Minister or the Chief Minister, engaged in a very preliminary investigation. The very moment he ran into the police investigating exactly the same thing, he took one step back, which is quite proper. Why would he not proceed beyond that point? Well, the first thing that he has to determine is whether the police are going to pursue a criminal charge or not. That is what the Auditor-General must determine. If it is under investigation, it is going to end up in front of the courts. Well, the courts and the police will effectively do the Auditor-General’s job for him, so he is going to sit back and not going to make any comment, or in any way get involved in an investigation which is on foot or a matter before the courts - quite right!
If the police had not replied to him this afternoon, and yet 20 minutes or half-an-hour later the Chief Minister was on her feet in this place saying the Auditor-General has reported back to her, the only thing that she can be relying on is a very cursory, initial report which was handed to the Department of the Chief Minister, edited and then brought into Cabinet. If that is the case, then this Chief Minister has been involved in a dreadful skulduggery and misleading of the people of the Northern Territory, because he does not clear the minister at all. He just says, I presume in his initial report on the initial look-see: ‘I had pressed my nose up to the glass and I could not see anything wrong. I have not been in there, I have not had a look, I have not gone into detail. I have not even had the reference which empowers me to go into the full detail of this. I have only pressed my nose up to the glass and, immediately, I could not see anything wrong’. She came in here and said that has cleared the minister. That is just downright deceptive.
This is the hallmark of the way that this government has operated in relation to this issue. On 18 March they received this report; it did not hit the Table until 24th at the close of business. They brought the matter on here today on the budget reply day, knowing full well it would get buried under other issues from the public domain, and then they claim the Auditor-General has cleared this minister. Well, I dare say that the Auditor-General has not cleared this minister and that the reference to the Auditor-General is nothing more than the Chief Minister verballing the Auditor-General in the most unreasonable way. This Chief Minister needs to stand up and now say to this House she will make a section 14 reference to the Auditor-General. She must apologise to the Auditor-General for, in my opinion, effectively verballing him.
Dr TOYNE (Stuart): Madam Acting Deputy Speaker, I pay tribute tonight to Margaret Swan, who died on 15 February this year in Alice Springs. I am indebted to Margaret’s niece, Heather Kamarra Shearer and former colleagues Russell Goldflam and John Henderson for much of the information.
Kwementyaye was a respected elder and leader amongst Arrernte people and, for many years, was one of the best-educated traditional Arrernte speakers of her time. She was born in Alice Springs on 15 May 1941, the eldest child of Bruce and Susannah Fly; one of seven children, all deceased except for a younger sister, Helen Stuart. She was brought up at the Finke River Mission’s mission block and, later, lived at Morris Soak, Henbury Station and other stations. She then moved to Gosse Street on the East Side and then to Ilparpa Camp for the final 30 years of her life.
Kwementyaye attended Hartley Street School and was later trained and then worked as a nurse at the Alice Springs Hospital. She was married to the late stockman, Kwementyaye Swan, and moved to Henbury Station, where she had four children. Of her four children only Robyn, Absalom and Eunice survive; Bruce is deceased.
Kwementyaye also spent time at Palmer Valley, Renner’s Rock and other stations. When she returned to Alice Springs in the 1970s, she worked at Heenan’s Farm south of The Gap.
She was a wonderfully kind, happy person, even tempered, loved and respected by all who knew her, black and white. In the 1970s she became prominent in the struggle for justice, rights and services for Aboriginal people in Central Australia. She was a founding member of the Tangentyere Council and continued to have a very active involvement as an executive member on the Tangentyere Council’s governing committee from 1977 for almost 20 years until her health began to fail.
Kwementyaye made an enormous contribution to both Tangentyere and Congress, where she was also a long-term board member, and also to the Institute for Aboriginal Development and Yipirinya School. She was a strong ally for Aboriginal leaders such as Geoff Shaw, Wenton Rabuntja and Johnnie Little in their battles for justice and services. She often travelled in this role to Canberra and other places on behalf of these organisations. Tangentyere produced a statement following her death saying, in part:
Kwementyaye Swan was also a talented linguist, having studied several languages at Finke River Mission in her youth. These languages included ancient Greek, Latin, German and Italian. In the early 1980s, she studied Arrente and Luritja literacy and undertook language worker training at the School of Australian Linguistics at the Institute for Aboriginal Development under the tutelage of Gavin Breen. She held the position of interpreter and interpreter trainer at IAD for a number of years in the 1980s. She later went to work at Yipirinya School for a long period in the late 1980s and early 1990s. She was also in constant demand as an interpreter and translator for government departments, courts and police, as well as Aboriginal organisations.
One of the many interpreting jobs she did was to be flown to Uluru with Sergeant Charlwood in 1981 to interview Nipper Winmarti about his work as a tracker for the investigation into the death of Azaria Chamberlain.
Kwementyaye often worked training Arrernte and Luritja interpreters at IAD, and she assisted in the establishment and development of the IAD language department. IAD stated after her passing that, through her work as an interpreter and translator in the language and culture centre, she made an invaluable contribution to language maintenance in Central Australia.
She was a uniquely talented and helpful person during the period of tumultuous change amongst her people and in the Northern Territory generally. She managed to raise and care for a large family and contribute greatly to the transfer of language skills and Arrernte culture into the new era. She also helped pioneer a path for her kinfolk to participate in and contribute to the new bicultural society that is developing in Central Australia. She battled serious illness for nine years before her recent passing.
The Northern Territory benefited much from the life and work of Kwementyaye Swan, and we honour her memory.
I also pay tribute tonight to Peter Jonathan Gunner, an Alyawarra man born on 9 September 1948 who died on 2 April this year. I will read a eulogy by Pat Miller, the Deputy of the Administrator, at the funeral for Kwementyay Gunner:
I will go on to what I said about Kwementyay Gunner, whom I worked very closely with in my time in Utopia working for the Urapunga Council. He was all of what Pat Miller has stated in his eulogy and more. He was one of the formative parts of my life, who taught me a lot of the bush skills that he has taught others, including lawyers, over the time that he has been working out bush. He was always an enormously supportive companion in the work we were doing; often away for many days in the bush setting up new outstations and other facilities around the Utopia area. I said at his funeral - and it bears repeating here - that as a member of the Stolen Generation that I was very close to, I was very comfortable repeating my sorrow of what happened to the Stolen Generation as we did in a motion in this very House. I also said, equally, that I was very sorry at what had happened to Kwementyay Gunner in that test case in our courts. I stated that, without compassion, you simply cannot have justice, and I believe that there is still work to be done to resolve the issues and the situation of the Stolen Generation.
Mr WOOD (Nelson): Madam Acting Deputy Speaker, I would like to talk about two events that occurred recently in the Litchfield Shire. The first was the Anzac Day cricket match recently held on the World War II cricket pitch down near the corner of the Cox Peninsula Road and the Stuart Highway, which we call the SCG or the Strauss Cricket Ground. This year was a special day because we had a special visitor, a man called Vic Borowicki who is the man who actually built the cricket pitch in 1942. It was the second time he has been back since that time, but the first time he had actually attended a cricket match. Not long after he built it, they were shipped out of the Territory and he never saw any games played on that cricket pitch. He was there to toss the coin.
They had the Litchfield President’s XI, which is made up mainly of the Southern District’s cricket team, versus the Army - in this case, it was the Second Cavalry, led by Andrew O’Donnell from that battalion. Brigadier John Cantwell also attended. He popped in for a moment as he had a very busy day. We did try and get him to go out and bat, but I gather he hates cricket; he played too much of it when he went to boarding school and he has never recovered since.
It was a great day, a great community day. People from around the district came and helped. We had the Thompson family at Bradley Road, which is just opposite where the cricket pitch is. They mow the ground and keep the place looking attractive, and it is a beautiful little setting for a cricket match. I need to thank Rotary Club of Litchfield/Palmerston, St John, Geoff Akers who, with his wife, Kerry, helped pay to get Vic Borowicki and his wife, Mary, to Darwin for the cricket match. Geoff, in combination with Ostojics, who are doing the road around the new duplication of the Stuart Highway around the Strauss Airstrip, was able to use some of the excess soil to level off a piece of the oval which had been dug out many years ago. Also to the Southern Districts Cricket Club. We had Jack Hamilton from Legacy who was helping out as well.
Overall, we raised nearly $1800 through bribery and corruption, plus the selling of beer, soft drinks, hamburgers etcetera. The score was: Second Cavalry, 17 for 219, versus the Litchfield Presidents XI who scored 13 for 220. It probably does not tell the true tale; there was a lot of money paid to Legacy in the last couple of overs, which reduced the score and eventually Litchfield Presidents XI won. That is the sort of great day it is.
The other event we had recently was the Firies Games. This is the games held each year between the volunteers under the Northern Territory Fire Service which is held at Freds Pass. The competition was between the combined team of Virginia/Bees Creek, Humpty Doo, Howard Springs, Koolpinyah, Batchelor and, this year, Alice Springs arrived and participated.
They have six events where they have to roll out hoses, turn on valves, shoot targets with a jet of water, roll up the hoses and all that sort of thing. They even have a bucket brigade where they have to climb up a ladder and pass water up the ladder and into a barrel, where they are timed to see who was the quickest to fill the barrel. It was a very close race to see who would win. In fact, they got down to the last event between Howard Springs and Alice Springs - the two springs. Believe it or not, Alice Springs, who came all the way up for the event, won the event and took home many trophies. We had a volunteer fire brigade team from Alice Springs which came all the way up to the Top End to take away the trophies. I congratulate the Alice Springs team and the organisers.
I would also like to talk about something to do with water. We have been discussing water today. I have been approached by a gentlemen who is involved in water skiing - but not just water skiing, but something called show skiing. Show skiing involves a ski which you sit on, which has a type of hydrofoil or fins underneath it. When that is dragged behind a speedboat, you can actually get right into the air and do twists, somersaults and all sorts of things. You are actually sitting down while you are doing it. It is like a ski board with a chair on it. It is very spectacular.
This gentleman came to see me, and he certainly had some great ideas. Of the two ideas that he was putting forward, one was the use of the waterfront pool. I know we were talking about that today and people probably were getting a little excited. One of the reasons I was concerned when I heard the pool was going to be cut back by 20% - I intended to speak today on this particular issue; I did not know anything about reducing the pool size – was because this gentleman thought that here is a great opportunity to use that pool for things like water ski day and night shows. In fact, he sent some material. Jack Ellison H20 Entertainment, water ski show day and night. This goes around the world, I believe, and has been to Seoul, World Expo, and Darling Harbour. It has a whole range of things such as barefoot skiing, freestyle jumping, comedy, clowns, professional ski riders, sky skiing which is show skiing, and wakeboard jumping. They can conduct it in the day and also at night with fireworks and all that sort of things.
You need to have enough room for spectators to be seated on temporary grandstands, and also in that water body for the boats and the skiers to turn. Therefore, I was a little concerned when I heard that they were going to cut that size down by 20% and, also, that they were not going to take as much of the materials out. I advise the government that this gentleman is saying to them that the pool is sufficient size and depth, and here is a great opportunity to have these types of events in Darwin. He is also talking about having boat shows on the water. What he is saying, and I support him, is that here is an opportunity to develop something that, perhaps, we have never seen in Darwin, such as these water skiing events.
In relation to that, he actually did not come to see me about that, but some problems he had with water skiing on Manton Dam, which is our only freshwater lake in the Top End where we can do that. He is concerned about lack of control in that area. He says there are some practices there that are dangerous where people do not have observers, and they going around while other boats are speeding around. However, whilst that is an issue that the government needs to look at, I thought one of these great ideas was that, maybe, this is an opportunity to develop Manton Dam into an international skiing facility - or at least Australia-wide.
We could attract a lot of people from down south who do not go skiing in the middle of winter; it is too cold. We could put facilities at Manton Dam - and I think this has been spoken about before – such as good caravan-type facilities with, maybe, even some permanent facilities so that people can store their boats, and good kiosk facilities. We are not talking about a permanent residents - we do not want that type of caravan park – but a place where even people from Darwin could hire a shed all year round where they could leave their boat and trailer so they do not have to carts things backwards and forward to Darwin all the time.
He thinks there is a great opportunity for the Territory to become a centre of water skiing competitions in the off season down south when it is too cold. I believe there is an opportunity for government to look at the development of Manton Dam. There is a fair bit of country around there. We would need to make sure the locals still have their use of the lake, but there would be times when there will be competitions where it would be only open for the competition.
I am quite happy to table some of this documentation this gentleman gave me. He gave me pictures of himself about 5 m off the ground being towed by a boat. He was down south with another friend of his from Humpty Doo. I am not sure whether you can see that, but they get up to a fair height just tied to the back of the boat – there are no sails there; they are just attached to a board. This is a fairly new type of water skiing that is taking off in various parts of Australia.
Whilst I might have had some concerns about the pool, I am really concerned to make sure that we are not taking short cuts to save money on the pool that is developed there. I would much rather have a bigger pool that could be used for this type of a show. It would give people in Darwin a great opportunity to see things that they have not seen before, and it would use the pool that the government is putting forward as part of its convention centre. That would be a great way to go.
Madam Acting Deputy Speaker, I seek leave to table those documents and, if people are interested in that, there are some web sites cited as well. I believe that would be a great thing for the Territory.
Leave granted.
Ms MARTIN (Fannie Bay): Madam Acting Deputy Speaker, tonight I want to pay tribute to Rudi Heymann, former Regional Director in Central, Southern and Eastern Europe for the Northern Territory Tourist Commission. Rudi died on 28 April in Germany, just a few short months after retiring from the position in which he represented the Territory in the European markets for 20 years.
Rudi was born in Berlin in 1939 and started his career in the aviation industry in reservation and ticket sales for British Airlines and later Qantas, as well as other international carriers. In the early 1980s, Rudi became involved in tourism wholesaling and, in 1984, he commenced employment with the Tourist Commission, heralding the start of his endearing enthusiasm for Australia’s Northern Territory. Rudi became ‘the face’ of Northern Territory tourism in the European marketplace, where he contributed to the Territory’s presence and positioning in Europe in a number of ways.
Whilst skilfully managing his regular duties, Rudi was never afraid to go the extra mile to ensure that unusual opportunities were not lost. For example, following the reunification of Germany, Rudi brought the notorious East German Trabi cars to Australia on a promotional from ITB Berlin to ATEC Melbourne tour, resulting in media coverage for Australia far beyond anyone’s expectations.
Needless to say, Rudi was famous for his great sense of humour. He was also highly regarded by his colleagues around the world as a fair man who adapted well to change and loved a challenge.
Rudi’s strong support of the Territory’s tourism industry was instrumental in many operators successfully expanding into the European market. Holiday AKT, Outback NT Air Safaris, Seven Spirit Bay, Davidson’s Arnhem Land Safaris, Bond Springs Station, Glen Helen Resort, Longitude 131, Alice Springs Holidays, Travel North, VIP Travel Australia, Rod Steinert Tours and Sahara Outback Tours are just a few of the examples of Northern Territory operators who have been promoted by European wholesalers, thanks to Rudi’s persistent efforts.
Rudi’s contribution to the Northern Territory tourism industry extended well beyond his paid position with the commission. He is credited with successfully putting the Northern Territory, particularly its regional locations and unique products, on the map for both wholesale and retail customers.
Rudi officially retired from his position in June 2004, and I had the great pleasure of hosting a special reception here at Parliament House for Rudi and his wife, Dorothee, together with local industry partners. Maree Tetlow, the boss of the Tourist Commission, said of Rudi:
On behalf of all of us, I say: farewell Rudi. It was not fair; you retired and were looking forward to a most interesting retirement with Dorothee. It is just not fair that you died so soon. The Territory has lost a true friend and, certainly, a passionate supporter.
I would like to talk tonight about the Palmerston Regional Business Association. It was with much pleasure that the Minister for Business and Industry, Paul Henderson, and I recently accepted an invitation to attend a special dinner meeting with members of the Palmerston Regional Business Association.
The dinner was held on 7 April at Angel’s Bistro within the Palmerston Sports Club, and was very well attended by local business people. I regularly have the opportunity to be involved in discussions with business people across all sectors of the community, and was encouraged to hear first-hand some of the success stories of local business. The dinner also gave me the opportunity to hear about some of the concerns from local business leaders, which we are working to address.
I extend particular thanks to Ray Walton and Wayne Zerbe from PRBA for coordinating the evening. The association offers a great service to its more than 400 members in Palmerston, Darwin and the rural areas.
Those attending the dinner included: Glen Phillips from Connected Solutions Group; Mary-Lou Cann and Susie Scott from Airnorth; from Dick’s Pumping Service, Julie Harris; Janis Mitchell from Didgeridoo Hut and Art Gallery; Gaye Brown from Brown Accountants; Geoff Goodrich of Great Business Solutions; Ian Donaldson from Mailfast NT; Dave O’Meara from Markham Development; Mary Cuttler from Mary Cuttler Accountant; Melva Williams of Melva’s Conveyancing; Paul Wyatt from the Northern Territory News; Paul Jones from Money Advisors; Brett Ordner of Northern Cement; Andrew Hay from Palmerston Sports Club; Rikki Saltmarsh from Palmerston High School; Dallas Frakking from the Palmerson Sun - Dallas is doing very well for himself; Ray Walton from the PRBA; Diane Davis of Raine and Horne Palmerston; Grant Craker of Regional and Northern Maintenance Services; Doug Gamble from Redco Investments - and Gina was there as well; Alison Burke from Retireinvest; Teresa Chang of the Spirit of the Territory; Jamie De Belin of The Mediterranean restaurant; Vita Gustafson from Vita Gustafson Accountant; and Wayne Zerbe from Wayne Zerbe Publications.
I look forward to my next meeting with the Palmerston Regional Business Association.
On the same night in Palmerston was another of the Chief Minister’s Round Table meetings with businesses in the Palmerston region. My government works with business in a ‘can do’ way to help build a better Territory, and Business Round Tables are an opportunity to engage with representatives of all kinds of businesses right across the Territory.
Ten times each year, we invite local business people to meet with us to discuss what is happening in the Territory’s business sector, and to provide feedback on key business and industry initiatives. The third Business Round Table for this year was held at the Karawa Training Restaurant on the Palmerston Campus of Charles Darwin University.
We discussed a range of topics with a focus on local issues and opportunities. Those present noted that current economic predictions are positive, and government is committed to further boosting the Territory’s population and building our skills base. I have to say – and I have said many times – the biggest issue at Business Round Tables now and over the last 12 months is just that: building our skills base, training locals, and getting the skills businesses need to grow their businesses.
Several action items from this meeting are currently being followed up, and a complete record of proceedings will be posted to the round table web site at www.businessroundtable@nt.gov.au. I would like to thank everyone who took the time – and it is valuable time for business people – to attend the round table and for the contributions they made. They include: Gerry Goodhand from the Top End Division of General Practitioners; Adam Gordon who was representing the Chamber of Commerce; from the union, Simon Hall; Stephen Hedge from Nearline Imaging Solutions; Diana Jarvis of Charles Darwin University; Kristy Joyce of Krianda Park Riding Academy, a very innovative young woman who is running a riding academy and told me quite confidently that she was managing her public liability insurance very well - great to hear that riding academies can do that; Sonia Kinna from Hair Art Studio; Lyle Mackay Senior and Junior and Dallas Mackay from Driver and Gray Supermarkets; Judy Minogue from JAM Training and Management Service; Greg Constantine from the Larrakia Development Corporation - and it is always good to have Greg along to the round tables and I think he has been to about three of them now; Aaron Murphy representing the Motor Traders Association; Wendy Oldham from NT Gas; the ubiquitous Wayne Zerbe was there, which I appreciated; and we always have a police presence, and that was Superintendent Greg Dowd.
On 9 April, was the Young Achiever’s Award, which was also the launch of National Youth Week. It is one of those nights that you look forward to because it is young Territorians who have been nominated to be recognised for the amazing work that they do and, in many cases, it is really amazing work. Their contribution to the community is something that you would not expect from such young people. However, when you go through those who have been nominated, who become finalists and, then, the overall award winner, you feel humbled by the fact that those so young are spending so much time achieving in their fields, their chosen profession, or also achieving in contributing to the community.
There are eight categories in the Young Achiever Awards with three finalists nominated by the executive judging panel for each category. The Woodside Energy Sports Award finalists were Corey Heath and Julie Woerner and the winner was Richard Tambling. It is hard to beat Richard at the moment - an AFL superstar and going well even though he was rather critical of his last performance. The ConocoPhillips Environment Award finalist was George Philbey and the winner was Janelle Fisher. The Sommerville Community Services Award finalists were David Janmaat and Nathan Turner, and Jacinta Thorbjornsen was the winner. The Minister for Young Territorians Excellence in Youth Leadership Award finalists were Drew Carroll and Vicki Schultz - great to have Vicki there, she works for my department - and the winner was Daniel Bourchier from Tennant Creek.
For the Power and Water Science and Technology Award, Janelle Fisher and Paula Fong were finalists and the winner George Philbey from Palmerston. George is only young but what he is doing is scientific work with the museum, auspiced by the museum, which is terrific; they really are mentoring him well. He is doing assessment of all of the kind of greeblies that you find in Lake Alexander and has done some excellent work for someone so young. I believe George is about 18. The Perkins Shipping Regional Initiative Award finalists were Daniel Bourchier and Katrina Mitchell and the winner was David Janmaat. For the Drake International Career Achievement Award, Tracey Clapp and Rocky Smith were finalists and Judith Trezise was the winner. The Charles Darwin University Arts Award finalists were Katharina Fehringer and Kristy Rickert, and Jessica Mauboy was the winner. Again, a wonderful young Territory talent and a young woman who certainly is going places.
The overall winner for the Young Achiever of the Year 2005 for the NT was a young man who has so much charm and character that I did not think that he needed to do anything to win it. David Janmaat is just one of those young people who has contributed enormously to the community in a variety of ways and has a sense of fun about doing it. He gave the best speech of the night - and the funniest one. He certainly has done some extraordinary things like a bike ride from Darwin to Alice to raise money. He works with refugee families. He does an amazing amount of things, and is an unpretentious, funny young man who is a most deserving winner of the Young Achiever of the Year.
I congratulate all these fine young Territorians and thank the talented young people who provided the entertainment: the Darwin Youth Choir, Jessica Mauboy sang, Rince na Eireann - I cannot pronounce them, but they are the Irish Dancing School; Musically Brilliant; and Jigsaw. Jonathan Uptin from Channel 9 did a splendid job as the Master of Ceremonies.
I also thank the event organisers, Awards Australia, particularly Jeffrey Hopp, Amber Somers and Teesha Straney who were supported by Channel 9, Imparja Television, Darwin Sun and Palmerston Sun, TIO and the Holiday Inn The Esplanade. Of course, my thanks to the staff in the Office of Youth Affairs for their work in supporting this event and coordinating the Minister for Young Territorians Excellence in Youth Leadership Award.
Finally tonight, one of my favourite local organisations, the Parap Residents Association. The Parap residents are a proactive and successful residents group in my electorate of Fannie Bay, and much of the credit is due to the efforts of the association’s executive. Now, after a combined 33 years at the helm of the association, four key members of the executive are stepping down from the leadership: Monica van den Nieuwenhof has been president for nine years; Wendy Macdonald, secretary for six years; Chris Brownjohn has been vice-president for nine years; and Jean Vickery has been on the committee for nine years, the last two as treasurer.
Ensuring that residents have their say on local developments and are involved in community events has been a time-consuming and demanding role for Monica, Chris, Wendy and Jean. The Parap Residents Association was involved in the consultations on the new Planning Act, and have had a number of successes in the electorate. One example is the development of the old Arafura Bowling Club site as a Year of the Built Environment project which has ensured a portion of the site will be retained for public use as a park. The association has also been proactive in supporting responsible development such as the Hastings over Mindil development, so its members are not just ‘anti’ any development or any change. In fact, they have a most balanced view of development; doing it well.
Currently, the association is working with Telstra to determine the best use of the old OTC site in Gregory Street. There are many significant projects and accomplishments with which the outgoing executive has been involved, that they can reflect upon and feel proud of. Thank you to Monica, Wendy, Chris and Jean. I look forward to working together with the incoming executive in the interests of residents in Parap and around the area. I will be assisting the association in generating community interest for a new executive before their annual general meeting, which is happening later this month.
Mr DUNHAM (Drysdale): Madam Acting Deputy Speaker, this morning I tabled a petition relating to a detention facility in the Marlow Lagoon area in Palmerston. Interestingly, we also had a bill last night which talked about secrecy provisions for petrol sniffers. The two are linked, because it is my sorry duty tonight to talk to the House about what I consider to be a serious breach of the Community Welfare Act.
The Community Welfare Act is an act that has a number of ambitions, but it is paramount in the protection of our children. It is paramount in the devices that are used by government to protect our children; to take our children into care and to make sure that these young people have their anonymity protected in their own best interests. It is for that reason that there are a couple of sections in the Community Welfare Act that are very important. One is section 97 which is headed ‘Secrecy to be observed’ and I will quote from that, particularly section 97(2):
That would seem to be a fairly normal sort of a thing to have in an act like that where we are talking about people’s private and domestic affairs. A similar provision was put into the act about petrol sniffing last night.
Section 97A is titled ‘Disclosing information from which child can be identified’, and I will quote from that in part:
I was, therefore, very disappointed to hear the head of the department responsible for the Community Welfare Act, a fellow called Robert Griew, not only speak in the NT News of Friday, 8 April, about an 11-year-old girl - and quote some of the details of this child’s case history which is troublesome and, obviously, a concern to anybody who would be in this parliament. However, he then divulged the address of that child. That is pretty bad because, to me, they were identifying factors. He does not have to mention the child’s name, she could be ‘X’ for all concerned. However, he has divulged details of the child’s very sad case history including abuse, and the address of that child.
On that basis, I wrote to Hon Marion Scrymgour MLA, who is the minister responsible, on 14 April. I had made two previous phone calls to the minister’s office on this issue and I have yet to hear anything. In the two or three weeks that have elapsed, I have put this matter to the minister as an issue of concern.
It concerns me because it appears that the case history of this child has been politicised to the effect that, if you have difficulty with the building of a detention facility to restrain human beings in the suburb of Marlow Lagoon, therefore, you do not care about the circumstances of a 11-year-old child. I find this debate entirely offensive. I am very uncomfortable even standing here talking about it. However, it must be put on the public record.
The government, through the Department of Health, the Minister of Family and Community Services, has built a detention facility in Marlow Lagoon at 8 Horseshoe Court. That facility is designed to restrain humans, so one assumes that the house will accommodate people who are either a danger to themselves or others. It is a matter of deep concern to the people in this electorate; the people in this neighbourhood have not been consulted about it. My two phone calls and letter to the minister have gone unanswered.
What concerns me more than that is that a gentleman called Ted Warren, who claims to be the Labor candidate for Goyder, has sent a letter to people in the area. This letter has been authorised by a gentleman called Brett Walker, from 38 Wood Street, Darwin. This letter divulges the fact - and I can quote from it where it says:
This man should not know the circumstances of that child: her address or any of those divulging details. For him to know can only mean that that has been divulged to him by either a case worker or an intermediary between a case worker and himself. I know that some of the circumstances have been published in the media; that does not make it right.
I am in the sorry position where I have written to the minister once; I have rung her office twice. There is a letter circulating from the Labor candidate for Goyder that talks about the circumstances of a child in want of care who will be incarcerated in a compound in a residential suburb. This is a pretty serious issue. I do not want to talk about the case issues of the child. However, I will say one thing: I am very, very surprised if this 11-year-old child is to be restrained in this facility, and that that is the case option that is most appropriate. I am more than surprised; I am quite horrified. I would have thought that there would have been other solutions to integrate this child back into society - if that were the case. I stress again, I do not know if that is the case.
I have now written to the Commissioner for Police attaching the letter from Ted Warren, Labor candidate for Goyder. I have asked him to investigate this matter to ascertain how both Mr Warren and Brett Walker who authorised the letter, came upon this advice; who divulged it to them; and the basis on which it was divulged. This is a very serious offence. The act that I read out carries penalties. The penalties, for instance, for disclosing information from which a child can be identified carries 400 penalty units or imprisonment for two years. I consider it to be significant. Certainly, if I was a Health Minister and I found out that people divulged details beyond the circle of people with an immediate need to know, I would consider that to be a sacking offence.
I would like this to be taken on board by government. My unanswered letters to the minister I consider to be arrogant. My letter to the Police Commissioner, I will be chasing up because I believe he should interview at least Mr Warren and Mr Walker who authorised the letter, about who divulged this identifying detail to him.
It may seem that I am overreacting to this, but I can recall the Labor Party in high lather when the candidate for the federal seat, a Mr Nick Dondas, wrote to people of a certain age. It was alleged that that information came from the Health minister’s office and the police were summonsed and I was interviewed. They came to my office and interviewed me as to where this terrible identifying detail about people’s age was made. I thought that was fair enough. That information is obtainable; the Labor Party has it on their database and it is commonly available now. Nonetheless, it was seen as so important that the police should investigate. I participated in that investigation and it turned out that the Labor complaint was unfounded.
This is much more serious. I expect the Commissioner of Police to be strongly involved in pursuing this matter to find out how this has occurred.
As Health minister, probably my saddest duty was to have so many children in the care of the minister. It is a tragic thing that, in our society, there are so many young children whose parents cannot or will not look after them. It is sad that we are going to Aboriginal communities and feeding children. It is sad that His Honour the Administrator suggested that this is a remedy to some of the social problems that we have; that we should be setting up what used to be called soup kitchens to feed young children who are suffering from malnourishment in Australia today.
Therefore, issues relating to child abuse and children in need are serious matters for this parliament. They should be debated seriously and level-headedly. If anyone is so foolish as to introduce this dimension as a political issue, they will take the full wrath of not only myself, but others who find this immensely offensive. I will be pursuing this with the Police Commissioner to ask him what he is going to do about it. I hope that Ted Warren, Labor candidate for Goyder, is acting mainly out of ignorance. However, it does not diminish the fact that the people who divulged the information to him must have been aware of their professional duties; they must have been aware of their delegations under this substantial legislation; they must have been trained in matters relating to children in want of care. I ask that the matter be pursued. People who offended the act in such a terrible way should be at least investigated to make sure that this does not happen again.
It could well be that this matter features in the next election, and that would be sad. I can say on the public record right now that this is a matter I have tried to resolve by approaching the minister’s office on three occasions, with absolutely no answer. It is a matter that goes to good casework but, better than that, it goes to good judgment by the minister. If acts are going to be put through in this place, like the act we saw last night that had secrecy provisions in it, it is important that people have confidence in that legislation. It is important that people have confidence that, if sanctions are approved and passed by this parliament, that those sanctions are powerful and those sanctions, if they carry penalties such as these ones, are applied.
It is with a sense of melancholy that I report this in adjournment tonight because I find it difficult to talk about matters relating to child abuse. I find it difficult to understand how the issues relating to this 11-year-old child, if that is the case - and, as I said, all I have worked from are the reports of the chief executive, Mr Robert Griew - have been put in to public realm for purposes other than that which is to advance the interests of this child.
With those few words, Madam Acting Deputy Speaker, I will report to parliament at some later date as to the Police Commissioner’s response when he gets back to me.
Mr VATSKALIS (Casuarina): Madam Acting Deputy Speaker, first I was very proud to attend the Anzac Day commemorations as a member of 13 Squadron, City of Darwin, the unit that currently serves as special reservists.
The moving Dawn Service was dedicated to the women who took part in two world wars, especially the women who served as nurses. We heard some very moving extracts from letters of nurses who served in World War I. For me, it is a special occasion because we commemorate Gallipoli which, coincidentally, is opposite the island of Lymnos. While many Australian soldiers died or were injured in Gallipoli, most of the injured people were treated at the Greek island of Lymnos just across the coast. You can actually see Gallipoli from the island, Lymnos is so close.
I was very pleased to see a significant number of people. I was very impressed by the number of people, especially young people, who attended the Dawn Service then the breakfast at the RSL, followed by the service at St Mary’s Catholic Cathedral and then parading, marching through the streets of Darwin. I was very impressed and pleased to see my colleague, the member for Sanderson, who was proudly wearing his grandfather’s medals - his grandfather served in France - and also his own service medal, because he served in Malaysia.
I dressed in my uniform, which still fits me, and was very pleased and proud to march with my colleagues and my comrades from the 13th Squadron, City of Darwin, which was the squadron that was based in Darwin and fought in Australia and other places around the region. The squadron suffered many losses during World War II. Most people who served in this squadron did not come back from the mission because they were very difficult missions. Some of the symbols of the squadron were very curious, such as the three matches and the devil. The name of the people who served in this squadron were the ‘Brothers of the Devil’ because you had to have the devil’s luck to come back alive to Australia.
I also met with my friend, Brendan McKeon, who served with me in the 13th Squadron. It was a very moving day, and it makes you very proud to be part of the Royal Australian Air Force and the Defence Force fraternity and march in Darwin, to see all these people attending the services, and also watching the march of the soldiers, the Navy and the RAAF parading through the main street of Darwin.
Last week was Orthodox Easter. This year, the Orthodox Easter occurred six weeks after the Catholic Easter. It happens that the Catholic and Orthodox Easter coincide once every four years. I would like to wish all the Orthodox constituents and Territorians a very Happy Easter, because the Orthodox Easter covers the Greek Orthodox Church, the Serbian Orthodox Church, the Bulgarian Orthodox Church and also the Russian Orthodox Church. We have some communities in Darwin from these nationalities - of course, many Greeks, but a few Russians and quite a few Serbians - who attend the mass at the Greek Church during the Holy Week which starts on Monday and concludes midnight Saturday.
Of course, on Saturday morning, together with my family and about 3000 or 4000 other Greeks, we went to East Point and celebrated Easter the old Greek traditional way. Many people had lamb on the spit, lots of drink, lots of food, and certainly a lot of loud, traditional Greek music. We left about 5 pm, but the party was still going on and quite a few of these people left the morning after, because the day after was a public holiday. It was a great weekend. The Chief Minister attended and we went around together and greeted all the people who were celebrating Greek Easter. About two-and-a-half hours later, the Chief Minister left with her hands full of goodies and food, and the traditional beer that she had to drink to wish everybody a Happy Easter and happy health.
Coming back to my electorate in Casuarina, I would like to mention the suburb of Lyons that rose into reality with DHA and the Canberra Investment Corporation. We had the briefing, together with my colleague, the member for Wanguri and the advisor of CIC, of the new suburb of Lyons that is going to be built at Lee Point. DHA and Canberra Investment Corporation advises that 80% of the contracts are going to go to local firms. They have already been discussing the construction of houses with PTM Homes, Cavalier Homes and Overlander Homes, and they are going to utilise people like Steve Bennett, a well-known local architect, for the design of these houses. The first stage is going to be started in the next few months.
The installation of essential services is going to cost about $45m and will be followed by the construction of the houses, approximately 650 units, at a total cost of about $150m to $170m. They are working very quickly, already mapping the significant trees and cycads in the area. I was very surprised to hear that they were using GPS to locate the cycads and trees, so none of them are going to disappear or be accidentally knocked down, because they do not want empty land when they starting putting in the services and cutting the blocks. They want something that will have significant vegetation in place that will enhance the appearance of the suburb.
Talking about construction, another project which came into reality in my area is the Trower Road realignment near the entrance of the Casuarina Coastal Reserve. The realignment of Trower Road takes the road away from the houses. In the past four years, I have been doorknocking the area and many people talked to me about the problems they have with cars coming out of the Casuarina Coastal Reserve and their lights shining in their bedrooms or their lounge rooms, and also the noise of the traffic. About 750 000 people visit the Casuarina Coastal Reserve every year and all these cars have to pass close to the houses. Therefore, the road is now being realigned away from those houses close to the reserve. People told me that this realignment was promised 18 years ago and they are very pleased to see it happening now. Our government provided a grant of $850 000 to the Darwin City Council, which awarded the contract to a local company. I am very pleased to say that, in the next few weeks, it is going to be completed.
Another project in my area was the trial laneway closure. Laneways in Darwin have become a problem because they are not illuminated. The Darwin City Council has about 160 different laneways that, sometimes, become the focus for antisocial behaviour. One particular laneway between Bradshaw Terrace and Kilfoyle Crescent in Casuarina was one of these with antisocial behaviour focus, and the police made valiant efforts to solve the problems, especially with young kids on bicycles who use the laneways as an escape route. I lobbied the Darwin City Council. It took me about a year but, finally, the Darwin City Council was persuaded to close the laneway temporarily, and the Casuarina Shopping Square management promised to provide their own security officers to lock the laneway at 7 pm and open it up again at 7 am.
The information that I had from the local residents and the police after I visited the area, was that after the closure of the laneway, the problem with antisocial behaviour with young kids has completely collapsed. Where they had incidences every night, they now do not have these incidences, for the simple reason that the kids cannot escape through the laneway and disappear, so the police have a better opportunity to police and patrol the area. Also, if they did something naughty, which they usually did, it is easier to capture them, control them, and trap them, because the police are now using bicycles, motorcycles and, of course, foot patrols in the areas. The Casuarina Police Station now has 35 extra police. I have been advised that there are about eight patrols every day, something that four years ago did not happen for the simple reason there were not enough police to have patrols in place with two police officers.
I would like to mention the Total Water Safety, a very significant initiative of the Royal Lifesaving Society of the Northern Territory and the Territory government. This provides free water safety lessons for children under five years old. The reality is we can put a fence around swimming pools but, if children - especially young children – do not know how to swim, there will always be accidents. From my experience as an Environmental Health Officer working in Western Australia and having to supervise the erection and installation of swimming pool fences, even with the hardest standards – the Australian standards – there were always children who were able, believe it or not, to climb a swimming pool fence, and find their way over to the other side. The worst part was kids climbing on the top of the fence and then falling down, hurting themselves and then rolling into the swimming pool.
I have had my own experience with my own son. It was in Port Hedland during a party. He was standing next to me at the council swimming pool and fell into the water. He did not make any noise and I just looked around and saw him at the bottom of the pool. He was very good with swimming; he would dive from the edge of the pool. However, because he fell in the water suddenly, he was surprised and did not make any noise – did not cry at all. Teaching kids to swim as early as five years old is very important.
To date, 2500 families have taken up these lessons, which is a terrific outcome. The lessons include practical water sessions and emergency care sessions. If anybody wants more information they can call the NT Branch of the Royal Life Saving Society of Australia, Natasha Fyles, the executive officer, on 8981 2758.
Back to the community again: Neighbourhood Watch. Recently, I had a meeting with Senior Sergeant Jeff Mosel and Sergeant Geoff Pickering to welcome the new Casuarina Neighbourhood Watch coordinator, Ms Pat King, who took over from Bill Rainbird, a Casuarina resident who had to retire because of ill health. Bill was a very strong supporter of Neighbourhood Watch, a very hard worker, but age and ill health forced him to stop working with Neighbourhood Watch. It is a good thing to be involved in crime prevention. In the old times, neighbourhoods used to look after neighbours’ property, houses and kids. Of course, now, with neighbourhoods in the morning being empty because both parents in the family work, there are some people who can keep an eye on the neighbourhood, and these people are doing a very good job. They are not busy bodies, but they actually can see who is coming and going and what is happening and, if they see anything suspicious, they can report it to the police. If people want to join the Neighbourhood Watch the phone number is 8922 3604 or there is a new web site www.nhwnt.com.au.
School news: I am always supporting my schools and I always attend assemblies and present awards to children who achieve significant improvement at Nakara Primary School and Alawa Primary School. I was very impressed recently to go to Dripstone High School to open the Year 10 art exhibition. Everything in that art exhibition was produced by children in Year 10. I was very impressed by the work done by Brody Webb and Keisha Patterson. They both made sculptures modelled on their fathers, who were there and very impressed. Keisha’s father said that the statue actually reminded him of himself after a few drinks at a party when he was really much younger. The quality of the art work was absolutely impressive. I congratulate Margot Bailey, the art teacher at the high school who is doing a great job there and, of course, the children who took part and produced beautiful pieces of art work.
Dripstone High School held its achievers assembly on Wednesday, 27 April, and I presented a number of students with my achiever’s certificates and $100 worth of vouchers. The students were Francesca Pramnok from Year 8, Christine Quinn from Year 9, Karla Karpenko from Year 10, Roxanne Lee, Year 11 and Tim Connell, Year 12.
It is good to look after children at school, but I have a special interest, as a family person, in child-care centres. Child-care centres are vital for young families, some of whom are struggling to find quality child-care centres. On some occasions, they have to book the children before they are even conceived; it is extremely difficult. However, we have a number of very good quality child-care centres in Casuarina: Territory Kidz Childcare Centre, the Dripstone Children’s Centre, the Casuarina Childcare Centre, the City Childcare Centre and Top End Early Learning Centre.
I visited Territory Kidz at Casuarina, and its manager, Sue Longstaff. It is always great to get to these centres and see the kids playing so happily. It brings back memories of my own kids at that age. Of course, they are now much older.
The Top End Early Learning Centre is the only child-care facility in Casuarina which also offers preschool at the centre. I met with the director, Denise Horvath, and many mums and dads dropping the kids in the child-care centre. I always laugh when I see the parents trying to escape, leaving the kids behind. Sometimes, the kid wants to go and play but the parent does not want the kid to go.
The Charles Darwin University child-care centre recently received a grant from our government of $3500 to buy a shed in order to store some of the playground and play equipment.
What is really impressive in Casuarina is that, at most of the child-care centres - because Casuarina is a microcosm of Darwin and the Territory - there are number of kids who come from different backgrounds, and you can see African kids, Chinese kids, Timorese kids, and Australian kids all playing together. They do not notice differences, colour, or language; they sit together playing or sharing food, sometimes with very interesting results.
I would like to finish with Casuarina Coastal Reserve Land Care Group which, under Jeff Gaskill, Deborah Hall and many others, conducts work along the Casuarina Beach and the Tiwi creek side. It has been very difficult to go to some of these working bee afternoons. I have been very busy lately, but I always make sure that there are enough cold drinks for them to enjoy after they finish their work.
Mr BURKE (Brennan): Madam Acting Deputy Speaker, I note that the minister has a bad cold. I hope it improves. I certainly hope it is not the flu that I had in Alice Springs because it is a real killer.
Tomorrow may be the last day of parliament before we go to an election. I was asked tonight again by the media when I thought the election was. I said: ‘I do not know. Certainly, the CLP will be ready from the first day of May’ - and we are. That is entirely in the hands of the Chief Minister, but some are actually suggesting that the election could be called tomorrow. This could be the last day of parliament. Who could know?
If I reflect on this government over the last four years, one point that does come to mind is the fact that it came to government on a mantra of open, honest and accountable government. Now we know that is not the case. We certainly know it is an incompetent government. We certainly know that it has stumbled daily further into the mire, particularly when we look at the incompetence of the budget that has just been brought down. We know of its incompetence and its failure to meet growth targets, budgetary targets, population targets and to stimulate business.
We know it also as a government of misinformation and misrepresentation. If ever misinformation and misrepresentation hit dizzy new heights regularly, today it hit new heights with the comments by the Chief Minister in response to her ignorance of what was happening with the waterfront development proposals in front of the Development Consent Authority. It was further followed on by the Chief Minister who then, in response to her defence of the Minister for Community Services in relation to the Ombudsman’s report and the gifting of a taxpayer funded vehicle, made comments regarding the Auditor-General which were nothing less than verballing him, are questionable, and need to be explored further.
I say this in the context that we have many questions to ask. A government that is proud of its record in government over the last four years should not have this uncertainty as to whether it would face public scrutiny. If tomorrow is the last day of parliament, this government has much to answer for, and we will be using tomorrow to take the government to task on a range of issues, some of which I will detail shortly.
With regards to the waterfront development, it was stunning to see the Chief Minister have no idea - the Chief Minister who has heralded her charge of this development, the only infrastructure development that the Labor government has produced, in theory, since it came to government because nothing has actually happened. It was stunning to see a Chief Minister have no knowledge in parliament as to what her partners were saying at the Development Consent Authority. No matter how she tried to recover in parliament today, the simple fact was that the Chief Minister did not know the changes that were being proposed by the partners in her development to the Development Consent Authority on this important development.
Worse than that, those proposals were being made in the face of undertakings to the media, recorded by one media columnist who said that the Secretary of the Chief Minister’s Department visited him and sat with him for more than an hour trying to explain the benefits of the waterfront development and the integrity of the model that the government had, going as far as to say that he was so certain of the integrity of that model - this is the most senior public servant in the Northern Territory, directly responsible to the Chief Minister, acting on her direction, one would assume - that he would be prepared to encapsulate that model in its entirety in legislation. That is the model that is being paraded, at taxpayers’ expense, in Casuarina Shopping Square and other parts of Darwin, to show Territorians what, supposedly, this development is going to look like.
It is a development that shows a marina, boats in that marina anchored at pontoons, and boats sailing past the convention centre. One would expect one would have to have a real marina with a lock, yet we find today at the Development Consent Authority that the proponents of the development are saying that there will be no lock in that development when financial close occurs and, if a lock is discussed and agreed upon sometime in the future, maybe they will look at it then, after financial close and maybe make some arrangements as to how they can block off part of that sea wall in order to accommodate such a lock.
This is a developer that has - certainly in its application today to the Development Consent Authority - no intention of developing a marina. It intends to develop a pond that you cannot get boats in or out of. The Chief Minister was not aware of it. The person who is supposed to be in charge of this development was not aware of it. I believe that is an indictment of the way that this development has currently progressed, and on a Chief Minister who would expect Territorians to accept financial close when there has been no cost benefit or risk analysis done on this particular proposal - certainly such that has been taken to the public so that they could have some sense of agreement.
What we did hear from the developers today was that, when it came to water quality, they could not even guarantee what water quality would be in this new pond; they would look at those environmental issues after financial close. I cannot believe the Chief Minister would go to the public after financial close and try to con them that, when it comes to environmental issues surrounding this project, simple undertakings that have been made in models have simply been abandoned without the public’s knowledge. It is absolutely scandalous! However, worse than that, it seems to be occurring oblivious to the direct knowledge of the Chief Minister who gave undertakings in this House that a lock would be there.
If one looks at the comments made by the proposers, they have no intention of creating a marina or a lock. Any thought of that may possibly come later but, certainly, after financial close. Therefore, the model that is being paraded out to the public, that shows high-rise apartments with pontoons and boats being able to exit and enter that marina, is wrong. It is simply a charade. It certainly is not there and it is quite different to the actual proposal and plans that were laid in this Chamber at lunchtime today. That was one issue that we have many more questions to ask the Chief Minister about.
The second one was the Chief Minister, in response to the closing debate on the Ombudsman’s report into the Minister for Community Development’s involvement in the gifting of the Land Rover, stood up in this Chamber and started quoting from a report from the Auditor-General. She said in part: ‘I am quoting with his permission’. ‘I am quoting with his permission’ was said on two occasions. She said that, from the Auditor-General’s point of view, there was not a breach of financial management and that she had a lot of confidence in the Auditor-General, who found no evidence of any systemic failure on the part of the department. This is a Chief Minister who went to the public and said that she had referred this issue to the Auditor-General. One would expect that the Chief Minister, in saying that, would have been fulsome and honest in the fact that, when you refer something to the Auditor-General, you give him a direction in accordance with the Audit Act.
I have had discussions with the Auditor-General, who listened to the comments by the Chief Minister today. Being a good public servant, he certainly did not comment to me on whether he agreed with what the Chief Minister had said, or in relation to the degree of anger that he probably felt. However, I can say that he told me this: there was no reference to him under section 14 of the Audit Act and, because there was no reference to him under that section of the act, his ability to investigate was quite limited.
What the Chief Minister, essentially, did was ask him to give her a brief. If the Auditor-General is asked to give a brief, that is quite different to being given a reference under section 14 of the Audit Act, because that section of the act requires a direction to be given by the Chief Minister or a minister to the Auditor-General. It requires a legal obligation on his part to conduct a full and thorough investigation, and to report to the parliament on his investigation and findings. No such reference was given.
What did happen, though, was that the Auditor-General conducted a very brief investigation, interviewed some officers from the department, and was part way through his investigation when he was apprised of the fact that the police were also conducting an investigation. He held his investigation, and is still holding it, until such time as he hears what the police Fraud Squad have told the Assistant Police Commissioner how far they are going on it. From that point, he will decide where he will recommence and how far he will recommence his own investigation. The only comment he has given to the Chief Minister has been in a brief to the Cabinet - not by him directly, but by the Secretary of the Chief Minister’s Department. That brief in Cabinet simply said that, to the point that he had reached in the few interviews that he had conducted at the point, he had not found any systemic failure. That is the truth of it.
What he had found was that the minister went to a pub and met with individuals, agreed to give a Land Rover to those individuals, and asked the CEO of the department to sort out how it could be done. The department looked for a way to get around the gifting of that vehicle, and found a way to give it to the council. That is as far as he has reached in his investigations. Therefore, for the Chief Minister to come in and say that the Auditor-General has completed his investigation and has made findings and is simply verballing an unfinished report, is quite wrong. The Chief Minister cannot be allowed to get away with it.
Chief Minister, I put you on notice that, tomorrow, we will be pursuing you to task you to come to account on the issue on the waterfront and on the issue of the Auditor-General’s comments that you have made, supposedly, on an investigation that he made. We will be taking you to task for refusing to guarantee Territorians that you will open your budget books to full, thorough and honest investigation at the parliamentary estimates before you call the next election. We will be questioning you on why you presented a budget that fails in basic test of accuracy, omissions of government commitments, and the capacity to meet budget targets; for misleading Territorians and corruptly engaging in cover-ups; for deceiving this House and Territorians regarding the spending of taxpayers’ funds on special purpose grants - and in that regard we are interested in Mr Big Pants and Mistress Natasha; for presiding over the loss of a 100 000 tourists to the Northern Territory at an estimated cost of $80m to the Territory economy; for refusing to divulge to Territorians the cost of giving away the Territory park’s estate; for the misuse of public funds for wasteful, gratuitous political advertising; for the inappropriate use of public funds to promote profitability in the sex industry and condoning drug use; for mismanagement and refusal to reveal full costs of the remediation works on the Alice Springs Hospital; for allowing medical services at Tennant Creek to deteriorate to life-threatening levels; for the costly misuse of taxpayers’ funds for destructive campaigning against Territory’s teachers; for failing to maintain basic standards of honesty and appropriate parliamentary behaviour; for allowing nepotism and cronyism to flourish through government political interference with senior management appointments in the public service; for supporting the case to hide the identity of a prominent Territorian facing numerous child sex abuse charges; and refusing to apologise to people negatively affected by your actions - and I include the member for Macdonnell as one of those victims.
Many of these answers can be given during the estimates process. A government that is open, honest, and accountable with Territorians, and holds that as its mantra, should have given by now a clear and unequivocal commitment to Territorians that, like any public company, they will undergo the scrutiny of the public process which is in the estimates process in the committee stages of the Appropriation Bill. The Chief Minister refuses to do that. I will be insisting tomorrow that she does, and to fail to do that will fail their basic test of open, honest and accountable government.
Ms LAWRIE (Karama): Madam Acting Deputy Speaker, this evening I discuss the fantastic news delivered to the residents of Karama and Malak by Telstra that, after some three years of badgering on my behalf – I have written e-mails and letters, attended meetings, had numerous discussions with senior levels of Telstra including the General Manager, Danny Honan - finally, we have received the good news that broadband is being rolled out to Karama and Malak. Some of the residents will have access to broadband by no later than June of this year. The other residents will come on-line by August of this year.
I want to thank Julii Tyson and Sharon and Peter Krause, residents of Karama who went to great efforts to get petition signatures, to put more pressure on Telstra to deliver broadband that we have been so anxiously awaiting for about three years now. I held a public meeting to put the final pressure on Telstra on Tuesday, 12 April, at the Karama Tavern. It was well attended. Some 40-odd residents were there and we heard the good news, the confirmation from Telstra, at that meeting that we would, indeed, finally get broadband. I want to thank Danny Honan and Libby Beath from Telstra for attending that meeting and giving that unequivocal commitment to the residents of Karama and Malak.
I thank the member for Solomon who also attended the meeting. I was advised that he has had some efforts in the broadband discussions, so that is good. It is good to see both federal and Territory politicians working in the same direction for a change, even though we are different parties. It really shows me that, when there is a groundswell of need and a call driven by residents, facilitated by their politicians at both levels, that you can achieve success. It was a joint effort. I am not claiming to have done all the work on my own. I know I have put in a lot of work over three years, but I am really delighted with the effort of the residents in rallying to the petition.
The signatures we have were only obtained over a few days. If we bothered to go for a few weeks, I am sure that we would have doubled or tripled that figure. I seek leave to table this evening the petition of some 150-odd residents of Karama and Malak.
Leave granted.
Ms LAWRIE: Thank you. Another matter I want to raise this evening is that on Saturday, 30 April, I had the pleasure of hosting a party at Malak. The party was to celebrate the beautification of Malak Shopping Centre. The government has spent some $325 000 to upgrade that old, run down, dilapidated shopping complex. Again, it was very much a partnership effort. The government has undertaken the urban renewal in partnership with Darwin City Council and with the shopping centre owners.
I congratulate the Malak shopping complex owner, Henry Yap and the Yap family. They are a wonderful Chinese/Timorese, upstanding family in the Darwin community who have come here and succeeded tremendously through sheer hard work and determination in our community. When I approached Henry about the idea of celebrating the refurbishment and the beautification of the shopping centre, he was delighted. He said: ‘That is a lovely idea; yes, you can do it’. I have worked with Henry for the past three-and-a-half years to encourage organisations to come into the Malak Shopping Centre, to fill it up, to bring it back to life. There has been a fair amount of success in doing that. The Multicultural Association is there, the multilingual broadcasters are there, CARU have moved in, NT Shelter have moved in, and Larrakia Nation has some outsource work they are doing there. The comments from residents are that you can actually really see the difference in Malak. It has come back into a lovely area where people feel happy to go back to visit their local supermarket, and they are pleased to see so many services going into that area which are very useful for the community that they are sitting in because, as members of this Chamber would know from previous debates that I have discussed in this Chamber, Karama and Malak have Darwin’s highest multicultural demographic. It makes so much sense to create a multicultural service delivery hub at Malak.
The party on Saturday was an enormous event. It attracted an estimated couple of hundred residents. We had a jumping castle and a fantastic performance throughout the day from Chantal the Fairy who did face painting. I want to thank the young DJ who was there; he was very popular with the older kids. Holy Family attended and they had a display about Holy Family School. Mr John Gawa, the Indonesian teacher, a highly respected member of the Indonesian community, had the Onklong Choir perform. I confess I was roped into performing with the Onklong Choir and was really pleased that I remembered Onklong playing from when I was an Indonesian student in Darwin. I believe I did not embarrass myself, although there were some people in the crowd who were very amused to see me standing amongst the kids, participating in the Onklong Choir.
The Principal of Holy Family, Margaret Hughes, played piano to accompany the choir and it was really a very lovely performance, with great rounds of applause from all the parents, friends and community there. That was followed by Year 2/3 from Holy Family singing a beautiful rainbow song. Malak Primary also attended and had a stall. They were selling Mother’s Day raffle tickets as a fundraiser. One of the parents at Malak School, Tammy Tartaglia, very kindly donated the use of the shaved iced van that she has as a small business. All the proceeds from the shaved ice are going back to Malak School as a fundraising effort. Hearty congratulations to Tammy Tartaglia for that great generosity.
When I asked Malak School how they would want to participate, they said they would love to have a tree planted to mark the school’s place in the Malak community. I thank Mike Butler and Tom Rees from DPIE who did the hard work to organise that tree planting for us. It went off absolutely swimmingly. There was a pack of Malak Primary kids surrounding that tree and they all took turns having a bit of a dig to get some soil out for the hole, then planting the tree successfully. It was a very moving and poignant moment during the festivities to see the excitement of the children to be planting a tree that really marks their role in their community at their own local shops. It was just so lovely.
I thank Darwin City Council for the stall they had there. Three aldermen were present: Allan Mitchell, Joanne Sangster and Dorothy Fox. Youth Beat came along and NT Shelter had a stall there to explain their role in the community regarding advocacy for public and affordable housing in the Territory.
Neighbourhood Watch, again, have a very positive presence in Malak with the Malak Neighbourhood Watch formed while I have been the member. I have put a lot of effort into working and re-establishing Neighbourhood Watch both in Karama and Malak. Senior Sergeant Jeff Mosel and Sergeant Geoff Pickering were both there staffing the Neighbourhood Watch stall with the Neighbourhood Watch Malak Area Coordinator, Leigh Kariko, who is a tremendously hard worker in the community.
I thank the team of helpers I had. We cooked up probably somewhere of the vicinity of 400-odd sausages, a couple of hundred steaks and bags and bags of onions. The food went down a treat. We provided it to the community free and people were very grateful for that. I again thank the Yap family for providing free drinks for the community. It was a very affordable, fun event.
Feedback I received was incredibly positive. People were saying that it was the first celebration in Malak that they can recall since about 1983. I have promised them that I am prepared to put it on once a year. It was such a lovely event that we will be doing it annually. That is a commitment that I have given the community of Malak. I have invited parents to form a subcommittee with me to plan it each year so that we can have different aspects each year. We are looking forward to being able to do that together.
In my role as member for Karama, I was able to present funding to Malak Family Centre on Wednesday, 20 April. I hosted a morning tea at Malak Family Centre, which is a lovely community-based child-care centre. I gave them in excess of $6000 to put towards playground equipment, which they sorely need. I said to them: ‘I am happy to put on morning tea as a treat for the staff and the kids’. They sent back an e-mail saying: ‘Not a problem: 53 kids and 20 staff’. I spent all morning chopping fruit. It was quite a task trying to cater for that number of kids. However, the feedback we have is that the kids were rapt. In fact, when we arrived, there were 53 very quiet and well-behaved kids sitting round their little tables, ready for the food which, as I said, we had pre-chopped and pre-organised, so we were able to just roll it out and feed all of the kids and give them little popper juices. They absolutely loved it. It was such a nice thing to do as a local member, to work at that level with the community and not walk in and present them with a cheque, smile for a camera and walk out again, but really get stuck in and have a morning tea and enjoy the time with the parents and the kids.
Wednesday, 20 April, was a big day for me. Sometimes I think I must be going into the catering business because I fronted up for an afternoon tea at Rainbows Holy Family Early Learning Centre. Because I provided the morning tea at Malak Family Centre, of course, I had to provide afternoon tea at Rainbows when I presented them with a cheque for around $6000 for a covered walkway area. The little kids at Rainbows were very excited. It was a lovely event there, with Principal Marg Hughes and Father Luis from Holy Family parish and the President of the Holy Family Board, Neil Bain, who is a very hardworking parent, and the staff. The kids were just delightful.
I know there is an obsessive resident in my community who says that I have been just spending money on Holy Family School. I am looking forward to letting the principal there know that is what they think, because nothing could be further from the truth. It sometimes saddens me that it is difficult at territory and state level to get the dollars you need into the non-government schools. It is easier, obviously, to go into bat for your public schools. I have been fortunate in getting very small grant dollars through various grant programs into Holy Family to establish Rainbow Centre, because there they started from scratch with nothing. It was good to be able to provide a sandpit and, now, a covered walkway.
It is stuff that we should be doing as local members, supporting all of our schools, and I will proudly stand by my record. In the time I have been member for Karama, I have supported every single school in my electorate in terms of funding. I am very proud that the public schools have benefited enormously, with $120 000 going to Manunda Terrace Primary to shade the basketball courts. This budget brings fantastic news. We are going to get shade for the basketball courts at Malak Primary School - and terrific news - we are getting an all-weather, safe, drop-off zone at the rear of Karama Primary in the new minor new works budget which gives you a top ceiling of about $300 000. It is any guess, at this stage, how much those works will cost, but they will be significant. I would say they would take up a fair chunk of the upper limit of $300 000. The local primary schools in the area have benefited hugely from government support in infrastructure - absolutely necessarily so.
There is no shame in shading basketball courts in the school communities because, in this day and age, we know we need to be sun smart, taking care of our young kids who are out there trying to do the physical activity that we all recommend they do. They are out in the scorching sun, if you do not have shade over those courts. Therefore, it really is fantastic to be delivering shade for the basketball courts area of the local primary schools. If anyone has been to the rear drop-off area of Karama School, they would see that that sorely needs a huge overhaul to make it a lovely, safe, all-weather access drop-off zone for the school. I thank the minister for Education for the enormous support he has given me in funding for schools in the Karama electorate. It has been a wonderful thing to do.
In closing, I thank the owners of the Karama Shopping Centre, the La Pira family, who are otherwise known as Joondana Investments. They are working collaboratively with me this coming Friday to host a fundraiser for Dragons Abreast. They are a very good family; they believe very strongly in supporting the community through philanthropic actions. The funding and support they are giving to this Dragons Abreast fundraiser is terrific. It is lovely to be able to work with business at that level in the local community and benefit very worthy causes such as Dragons Abreast, which supports the survivors of breast cancer. They are, indeed, a very worthy cause.
Delightedly, I will be looking forward to seeing the vast improvements that I know are coming in the direction of Karama Shopping Centre and the surrounds. It is an exciting time out there at the moment. We have so much happening in community projects; the feel around the community is very positive. People have noticed that, through the increased police presence and the activity of the Neighbourhood Watches at Karama and Malak, the Community Harmony patrol working effectively, and the collaboration of the partnerships we have had through crime prevention committees at Karama, that we have a safe suburb. The statistics are showing that.
We are down to an average of four break and enters a month. You wish there would be a society where we did not have crime. The reality is we need to minimise any crime that occurs and work with the victims of crime, which this government proudly does. I thank the minister for Police and the Minister for Justice for those initiatives, which have really made Karama and Malak wonderful safe communities to live in. They have gone ahead in leaps and bounds and it is really enjoyable to be a part of such a lovely community.
Mr HENDERSON (Wanguri): Madam Acting Deputy Speaker, first of all tonight I congratulate the new Principal of Wanguri Primary School, Jenny Robinson, on her appointment just a few weeks ago. It is fantastic that Jenny has been appointed as principal of a great school in my electorate. I know her appointment has been very well received by staff, students and parents. Jenny, well done!
Recently, I had the pleasure of presenting the 2005 House Captains their badges at Wanguri School in an induction ceremony to officially welcome the new members of the Student Representative Council and the House Captains and Vice Captains. It is always good to go to the school to make presentations and look at future leaders in our community. I congratulate all members of the Student Representative Council and House Captains and Vice Captains. I seek leave to incorporate a list of SRC members, House Captains and Vice Captains into the Parliamentary Record.
Leave granted.
Mr HENDERSON: Thank you, colleagues. St Andrew’s Lutheran Primary School also inducted their SRC and School Captains recently, and I was very pleased to be there to address the students and present them with their badges. That was done at a special ceremony in the school’s chapel last Friday. It was a very pleasant way to spend Friday morning. The students read a pledge to be responsible and reliable members of their school community and role models for their peers. I was very pleased to be able to talk to the students, present them with their badges, and Pastor Vitale said a prayer for the school’s new leaders. Congratulations to the following students; I am sure that you will do your school proud. There are not so many here, so I will read them quickly into the record: School Captains and Year 7 SRC members - Stephanie Alm and Rohan Leach; Year 7 SRC member – Misha Warmington; Year 6 SRC members - Amy Fisher, Christopher Cooke and Alexander Mitson; and Year 5 SRC members - Grace Lum and Brodie Peek.
I also take the opportunity to get around the schools in my electorate and put on morning teas for the principal and the teachers. A couple of weeks ago, I was pleased to host a morning tea at St Andrew’s for principal, Tom Leach, Pastor John Vitali and the teachers. It was great to meet the new teachers and talk to the staff about a great Lutheran school in the electorate of Wanguri. They are certainly going from strength to strength and it is always a pleasure to get there.
Ninety years has passed since the first Anzac Day but, again, it is good to see children throughout the Territory and throughout Australia turning up in numbers at Anzac Day parades. Certainly, in the schools, there is an increasing level of interest in the students about learning of the history of the first Anzacs. Both Wanguri and Leanyer Primary Schools held special commemorative days at their schools where the children get an opportunity to learn and understand first-hand that vital history and heritage of Australia. I attended Leanyer for the early childhood session. It was great to see 5-, 6-, 7-year-old kids listening and trying to understand the enormous events of 90 years ago and their relevance for today. Wanguri Primary School held a special assembly for students that I attended with Captain Brenton Wynen to talk to the children. It is really good to see that our school communities, and the leaders of those communities, are giving our children the opportunity to understand such an important part of our history and heritage.
There is shade canvas going up at schools in my electorate, the same as for the member for Karama. Wanguri Primary School will soon be able to have the kids play out in the shade of the basketball court. It is being constructed as we speak. It has been a long wait for the school for the shade cloth to become a reality. Thanks to the government, $98 000 has been allocated to fund the cover, which will go over the outdoor basketball courts. I was also very pleased to hear that the contract went to a local business, Jong’s Upholstery and Canvas. This will be the first of many improvements for the school this year. As the main feeder school for the new Lyons development, I am looking forward to working with the school, the school council and the Education minister to ensure that our school can accommodate additional enrolments as that suburb comes on line.
I would like to congratulate the NT Buddhist Society. The Buddhist Temple in my electorate held one of its regular international food fairs the other day – a very big success. It was great to have the fair in the new community hall. That was the completion of an election commitment that we made prior to the last election, and it is great to see the community hall is getting such great use. Congratulations to the Buddhist Society on another successful fundraising event.
Dr BURNS (Johnston): Madam Acting Deputy Speaker, last Thursday I attended the meeting of the Wagaman Residents Committee in Amsterdam Park, Wagaman. As you would all be aware, there is concern in the community about antisocial behaviour. I regularly attend meetings of the Wagaman Residents Committee and the Borella Park Residents Committee. Both groups are made up of residents in the area who are taking a proactive role in confronting antisocial behaviour in their suburbs. They felt it was time to join forces and combat this sort of behaviour and to exchange information. Of course, the Wagaman Residents Group has been going for some years and Borella Park has been recently formed in the last year or two. These are two groups with good ideas, a lot of energy and, certainly, they have had a lot of achievements thus far, being the recipients of a number of grants from government. I will return to that soon.
The meeting on 28 April saw the Wagaman residents chaired by George Lambrinidis and Trevor Edwards, chairman of Borella Park residents, together with Acting Sergeant Geoff Pickering, and Acting Sergeant Jeff Mosel of the Crime Prevention Division agree to combine forces and form a Neighbourhood Watch committee encompassing Wagaman, Jingili and Moil. It is proposed that, initially, there will be a meeting of the combined groups every two months with the smaller groups meeting monthly to feed into the larger combined group. This is a very exciting point in this area’s fight against crime, and all members of the committee, the supporting police officers, the Crime Prevention Unit of the Justice Department represented by Marcia Russell, who does such a fantastic job, and the Darwin City Council represented by Garry Lambert, are to be applauded for their continuing efforts to ensure safety and security in the neighbourhood.
One of the issues the Wagaman Residents Group has been working through is that they received a $15 000 grant from the Justice Department to install lighting in one of the laneways that leads from Amsterdam Park into Trower Road. Unfortunately, the council has put a number of obstacles in the way of them doing this. In short, the council has said because it is a walkway it has to be lit to Australian Standards, and that they should employ the grant elsewhere. The group is not happy about this, and I suppose in a word that they want to fight this and get the lights installed. They have asked me, as local member, to try to assist them. The Justice minister, through his office, has already agreed that the grant should be held in abeyance, if you like, until the issue is worked through with council - and I sincerely hope it will be. Garry Lambert, a very active alderman on council, has given an undertaking that he will try to work through the issue with council. This is an issue where I hope commonsense prevails. The residents are firmly of the view that lighting the laneways will discourage antisocial behaviour and the perpetrators of that behaviour moving through those laneways at night time.
Turning to more pleasant things, I went to local primary schools for Anzac Day celebrations - actually prior to Anzac Day. I commend the schools for their celebrations that were carried out on Friday, 22 April. I attended Wagaman, Jingili and Moil Primary Schools’ ceremonies. Each ceremony had its own Anzac theme and it was great to see the students being so involved with this amazing story in Australia’s history.
Firstly, I attended Wagaman Primary School where the commemoration of Anzac Day was done at assembly. Year 4, 5 and 6 children organised the program and set the stage with memorabilia and visual displays of Defence Force artefacts. The choir set the sombre tone of the proceedings with a moving rendition of the hymn Lest We Forget, which was capably conducted by Judy Weepers. Most members and many people in Darwin know Mrs Weepers. She has made a fantastic commitment over many years to teaching children to sing and nurturing talent. Judy Weepers is such a fantastic person who has a great spirit and is greatly valued by the community. Judy, of course, is with the School of Music NT.
The sounding of The Last Post on a bugle signalled the minute’s silence, and you could hear a pin drop amongst the assembled mass of children. Children relayed points of significance regarding the Anzac commemoration, and read narratives of how it relates to their generation. Each class placed a hand-made wreath on stage in readiness for placement under the Australian flag at the front of the school. It was an emotive and purposeful presentation.
I moved onto Jingili Primary School where Class 5/6 Pope – that is Mrs Pope - told the story of Simpson and his donkey. Sasha Lai of Class 5/6 Pope wrote:
Who is on the school council:
Finally, I attended the flag raising ceremony at the Moil Primary School. The school recently requested a Northern Territory flag and an Australian flag, which I was very pleased to donate. It was fitting that the flag was raised to commemorate our Anzacs, as the flags were new. I must commend Ian Butler, the Deputy Principal of Moil Primary School. Ian is such an active person and it was he who requested the flags. He has worked at Moil Primary School for many years and is a great educator.
This was also a very moving ceremony, organised, conducted and hosted by the Student Representative Council comprising Douglas Mansell, Jo Newbury, Cameron McKenzie, Adrienne Turner, Andrew Hair, Rachel Quong, Surya Agung and Jaime Lang. The kids did a fantastic job and the ceremony was done the traditional way with hymns, odes, wreath laying and The Last Post and Rouse being played by trumpeter Zac Anderson. Zac did a fantastic job and played the trumpet beautifully. He is a phenomenal young talent and his playing is exceptional. I certainly appreciated it.
On another issue, the main electorate commitment I made prior to the last election was establishing the Rapid Creek corridor. There has been some comment about that today. The Rapid Creek corridor has been established on the Jingili side of the creek. It did take some time; there were protracted negotiations with a number of landowners. As Lands minister, coming in late in the piece, I was careful to ensure that the landowners were treated fairly and equitably. There were some sticking points along the way, but I am glad to say that the corridor has been acquired and established. In the budget, $300 000 has been allocated for further works along the corridor. This will have to be done in conjunction with Darwin City Council, of course, but proposed works include things like walkways, cycle ways, revegetation, the rehabilitation and beautification of that great patch along Rapid Creek. It is the fulfilment of a commitment.
It was very interesting that the member for Daly, when I first came into this place, shook his head and told me I would never do it, that it was too hard, too complicated and would fall in a heap. Member for Daly, it has been done. It was not easy, but it has been achieved and I know residents in the area are very pleased. The people who use that Rapid Creek corridor are very pleased, and it will be a real asset to the electorate of Johnston and to the Darwin community generally. It is good to work hard and get a win on something that has been a goal.
To conclude, on May Day on Monday, it was my honour and pleasure to participate in the May Day march. This year saw a great roll-up. There were many people marching. There was a lot of life and vitality in the parade, led by a drum group. We marched down the road and the chant was ‘Howard’s way, no way’. There is a very strong feeling amongst unionists and workers about what will happen when John Howard takes over the Senate; there is a sense of foreboding about that. However, I should also say, there is a sense of solidarity. As a member of the Labor Party, I am proud that our great party grew out of the workers’ movement and has very close connections with that movement. I have said many times in this place that I am proud to be a unionist. I come from a family of unionists. I have said in this place before that my grandmother was a very strong unionist.
I spoke earlier about Anzac Day and the commemorations at Anzac Day. My maternal grandfather was there on that first day at Gallipoli. He also went on to fight in France and, unfortunately, died a couple of years after the end of the war from injuries that were sustained in the war. My grandmother had to raise her two daughters, my mother and my aunty, and she went out to work as a seamstress. Basically, she was a strong unionist because she was protected by the union. I learned those values at her knee and those are things that I value.
It was great to show solidarity on May Day, and Joe Gallagher gave a very impassioned speech about the need for solidarity, particularly amongst workers in the current environment, and a very spirited speech, I might say, by our Deputy Chief Minister, Syd Stirling, the member for Nhulunbuy. There was a great feeling after the march at the concert; it certainly lifted my spirits.
Madam Acting Deputy Speaker, I conclude my remarks on my electorate and things beyond that and thank you for listening.
Motion agreed to; the Assembly adjourned.
MOTION
Routine of Business
Routine of Business
Mr HENDERSON (Leader of Government Business): Madam Speaker, I move that the routine of business be rearranged or suspended if a question or debate is before the Chair so as to permit the opposition response to the Budget 2005-06 to be taken at 11 am on this day.
Motion agreed to.
STATEMENT BY SPEAKER
Media Arrangements
Media Arrangements
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I have given permission for various media to broadcast live or re-broadcast with sound and vision the opposition’s budget reply; 8TOP FM radio to broadcast live the opposition’s budget reply; and the Northern Territory News to take photographs.
VISITORS
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I advise of the presence in the gallery of Millner Primary School Year 6 and 7 students accompanied by their teacher Cathy Deans. On behalf of all honourable members, I extend a warm welcome.
Members: Hear, hear!
Madam SPEAKER: I advise members that, in Alice Springs when you said ‘Hear, hear!’ to some of the students, it really pleased them. They said: ‘Did you hear what they said? They said “Welcome”; they are pleased we are here’. Therefore, when you say ‘Hear, hear!’ automatically you are probably not realising that students appreciate your response. I thought that was rather lovely.
PETITIONS
Funding for Oncology Unit
at Royal Darwin Hospital
Funding for Oncology Unit
at Royal Darwin Hospital
Mr BURKE (Opposition Leader)(by leave): Madam Speaker, I present a petition not conforming with standing orders from 640 petitioners relating to funding and resources to build an oncology facility at Royal Darwin Hospital. Madam Speaker, I move that the petition be read.
Motion agreed to; petition read:
- To the honourable Speaker and members of the Legislative Assembly of the Northern Territory, we the
undersigned respectfully showeth that the Martin Labor government make good their election promise
and establish without delay an oncology facility at Royal Darwin Hospital, so that suffering patients no
longer have to travel south for treatment. Your petitioners, therefore, humbly pray that the Northern
Territory government commit the necessary funds and resources to build an oncology facility at Royal
Darwin Hospital as a matter of urgency and your petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray.
Review of Location of
Detention Facility at Marlow Lagoon
Detention Facility at Marlow Lagoon
Mr DUNHAM (Drysdale): Madam Speaker, I present a petition from 140 petitioners praying that there be a review of the location of the detention facility at Marlow Lagoon. The petition bears the Clerk’s certificate that it conforms with the requirements of standing orders. Madam Speaker, I move that the petition be read.
Motion agreed to; petition read:
- To the honourable Speaker and members of the Legislative Assembly of the Northern Territory. Objection to the
detention facility 8 Horseshoe Court, Marlow Lagoon. The humble petition of citizens of the Northern Territory,
electors of the Northern Territory, respectfully object to the government constructing a detention facility at
8 Horseshoe Court, Marlow Lagoon, Northern Territory. We, the residents listed below, were not informed or
consulted at all prior to the erection of the facility. We urge that the minister reconsider this decision and
relocate the facility to a more appropriate area. Your petitioners, therefore, humbly pray that a review of
these restrictions be given due consideration and your petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray.
STATEMENT BY SPEAKER
Death of Australian Military
Personnel in Indonesia
Death of Australian Military
Personnel in Indonesia
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, it is with deep regret that I advise you of the deaths of nine service men and women on 2 April 2005 while on a humanitarian mission following the earthquake damage on the Indonesian island of Nias. I ask honourable members on completion of debate to stand in silence as a mark of respect.
CONDOLENCE MOTION
Australian Military Personnel in Indonesia
Australian Military Personnel in Indonesia
Ms MARTIN (Chief Minister)(by leave): Madam Speaker, I move that this Assembly express its deep regret of the deaths on 2 April 2005 of nine Australian military personnel on the island of Nias in Indonesia, and place on record its appreciation of the humanitarian mission provided by these officers following the earthquake damage on Nias:
- From the Navy, Lieutenant Mathew Davey from the ACT, Lieutenant Matthew Goodall from New South Wales, Lieutenant Paul Kimlin from the ACT, Lieutenant Jonathan King from Queensland, Petty Officer Stephen Slattery from New South Wales, also from New South Wales Leading Seaman Scott Bennett; and from the Air Force, Squadron Leader Paul McCarthy from Western Australia and Flight Lieutenant Lynne Rowbottom from Queensland, and also from Queensland, Sergeant Wendy Jones.
On 2 April this year, whilst providing medical and other humanitarian support following an earthquake, a Royal Australian Navy Sea King helicopter from HMAS Kanimbla crashed, killing nine service men and women on board. Two other ADF members survived the crash. On behalf of all Territorians I extend our heartfelt condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of those killed.
Defence Force Chief Peter Cosgrove said of the nine who died:
- These men and women died in the service of their country helping others in a time of dire need. Their
contribution cannot be understated. Our thoughts are with the families, friends and colleagues of the
men and women whose lives have so tragically been cut short. They have made an extraordinary
commitment and the ultimate sacrifice to their country and their professional and dedicated service in
the ADF is something for which we are all proud.
Over a number of conflicts and wars, Australians have earned a formidable reputation as fighting soldiers, sailors and airmen. This has been appropriately acknowledged during the recent Anzac Day activities. This reputation has been exhibited in actions such as those at Gallipoli, on the Kokoda Track during World War II, at Kapyong in Korea and Vietnam at Long Tan. However, the reputation of Australian service men and women extends well beyond these battlefront situations. It includes other operations such as peacekeeping in East Timor and, in more recent times, during major humanitarian relief operations.
We all recall the devastating Boxing Day tsunami which affected so many countries and people in our region and the magnificent response from Australia, including the Defence Force. All reports on the Defence Force’s extensive involvement in Operation Sumatra Assist indicate that the same approach that is typical in all operations was evident: professionalism and just getting on doing the job with good humour. What Australia and the Defence Force were doing on Nias was helping out a mate who needed them. As the operations following the tsunami were winding down and the Indonesian authorities were assuming responsibility for the tasks which had been performed by the ADF, an earthquake devastated islands off the coast of Sumatra.
Australia again responded rapidly and HMAS Kanimbla was redeployed to assist. It was during this phase of Operation Sumatra Assist that the tragic accident involving the Sea King occurred. By 2 April, Kanimbla, complete with fresh medical teams, was moored in Gunung Sitoli harbour, off the tiny island of Nias where it was to act as a floating command and coordinating centre and a hospital. Late in the afternoon of the 2nd, the Sea King was transporting an emergency medical team to the remote village of Aman Draya when the accident occurred, causing the death of six Navy and three Air Force personnel.
The Prime Minister paid tribute to the nine victims at a memorial service at Parliament House in Canberra, reflecting on meeting some of them during a trip to Aceh earlier this year after the tsunami. John Howard told the hundreds of family, friends and colleagues gathered there that the nine who were killed embodied the Australian spirit. He said:
- They epitomised everything about our way of life that we believe in and we treasure. Their commitment,
their decency, their love, their compassion, their cheekiness, their cheerfulness; all of those things that are
so beautifully Australian.
Madam Speaker, the Territory government supports these sentiments and acknowledges the inherent danger our Defence personnel are in on all operations. We are aware of the closeness of the Defence family and, although none of those killed were from the Territory, we appreciate the heartbreaking sadness being felt by our Defence Territorians. We offer them assurances that we are thinking of them. Nothing can replace the loss suffered by husbands, wives, partners, children or parents of those killed. Unless you are in the situation of suddenly losing a loved one, it is difficult to appreciate the grief that must be felt. They can never be replaced. Again to family, friends and colleagues of those who died in the accident at Nias, I offer our sincere sympathy and condolences.
Mr BURKE (Opposition Leader): Madam Speaker, the Country Liberal Party joins with the government in passing on our sincere condolences to the families and friends of all those who died in the tragic Sea King helicopter crash on Nias Island off the north-western Sumatra coast on 2 April 2005.
Much has been said about the sacrifice that these young Australians made, and it is pleasing to see a condolence motion of this type in the House today. The Chief Minister mentioned what was said by General Cosgrove and our Prime Minister, John Howard, but what also needs to be underscored are the remarks that were made by the President of Indonesia about that crash. When he was in Australia, speaking on behalf of all Indonesians, he said:
- They died in glory: the glory of the ultimate sacrifice, the glory of a selfless act to help the suffering of those
in need. There is no greater honour than that.
I hope that we do not have to have further condolence motions before this House but, practically and sadly, the nature of the work and the nature of the world we live in tells us that is a forlorn hope. However, if tragic events like this do occur in the future, as I expect they will, I hope that Australians, through their governments - as the Chief Minister has done today - recognise through such a condolence motion the contribution that those service men and women make. They do not ask for much; they serve their country selflessly and often give their lives.
It is worth reminding us, when we pay the highest tribute to these Australians today, what we have overlooked having done in the past. Recently, I marched with 900 armoured personnel from Vietnam in the Anzac Day March in Melbourne. Of those 900, the ranks are thinning; many are not there any more. Sadly, young Australians who were at the height of physical fitness when I last saw them - many I have not seen for 30-odd years - are now in wheelchairs and some on walking sticks.
Tragically, also, for some at the functions that I attended, they had not seen each other since Vietnam. Worse, for many of them who were National Servicemen and completed a tour of Vietnam after 12 months of training and were discharged from the Army four days after they arrived back in Australia, there was no farewell from Australians; no thanks for what they did; no opportunity to be debriefed; and no opportunity to even talk with their comrades. To see those men, nowadays, grasping each other, renewing friendships and acquaintances, and telling stories that are almost forgotten by some, is pleasing in one way but sad in another when we think about how we Australians treated those personnel at that time and how, for many of them, those deep wounds are such that they will never recover from them.
I hope that, through the politics of Australia, we never, ever find ourselves in that situation again and we do, as we are doing today, recognise - wherever Australians serve, whether we agree with what they do or not - their contribution. In the case of these particular nine who were killed so tragically on humanitarian work, we should also recognise the enormous contribution they did not realise they had made.
If we think back only a few short years to the confrontation over East Timor we had with Indonesia, many Australians thought that relationship was in deep trouble and would not recover for many years. It has been through the efforts of our current government, spearheaded by the enormous and selfless effort of our Defence Forces in helping Indonesia deal with the tsunami disaster and the Nias earthquake, to name two, that more than ever relationships with Indonesia are probably on the strongest footing than Australians could ever remember. Therefore, they did not die in vain. They died in glory, and that glory has been underscored by the President of Indonesia. Their parents, friends, and families should be enormously proud of what they have done. We will always remember them.
Members: Hear, hear!
Mr WOOD (Nelson): Madam Speaker, I join with the opposition and the government in expressing my condolences to the families and friends of all those who died in the Sea King helicopter crash on Nias. Only a relatively short time before the crash, I watched as HMAS Kanimbla loaded up with supplies and equipment and sailed out of Darwin Harbour for Aceh; the Defence personnel crew lined up along the ship as they waved goodbye to family and friends, and the two Sea King helicopters parked at the rear.
Little did we know or expect that a trip which was to start as a humanitarian voyage to the tsunami victims in Aceh and then, by a strange twist of fate, extended due to the earthquake in Nias, would turn into a tragedy. We know that it is tragic when lives are lost in conflict; however, conflict, as we know, has an inherent risk. It feels even more tragic when lives are lost helping others who are suffering from a natural disaster such as in Aceh and Nias.
Our Defence Forces do a fine job and make one proud to be an Australian. I recently saw a photo in the Army magazine which I felt epitomised the role of our men and women who are doing their best in bringing peace and friendship to this part of the world. It was a picture of an Australian Army medical officer holding a newborn baby whilst the baby’s Indonesian mother, with a beaming smile, looked on from her hospital bed. Recently, when young children stood next to Brigadier John Cantwell and pinned yellow ribbons to a wall at Howard Springs shops to remember our forces overseas, they showed their support for the fine work of our Defence men and women; they recognised and remembered.
Those service men and women who died on 2 April this year were also assisting our neighbours in times of need. They reflected a compassionate and generous Australia in a region where relationships have not always been good. In doing their part, they gave the ultimate sacrifice. I also will use the words of General Cosgrove:
Our thoughts are with the families, friends, and colleagues of the men and women whose lives have so
tragically been cut short. They have made an extraordinary commitment to the ultimate sacrifice to
their country and their professional and dedicated service in the ADF is something for which we are
all proud.
Members rose and observed one minute’s silence.
Motion agreed to.
MINISTERIAL REPORTS
Arafura Games 2005
Arafura Games 2005
Mr AH KIT (Sport and Recreation): Madam Speaker, today I report on the progress and highlights of the forthcoming 2005 Arafura Games, which begin in only 10 days time. As members know, this will be the eighth games to be held in Darwin, and plans for this year’s games are on track with full support from all our member countries.
As discussed in the media today, the Arafura flame will arrive on 13 May at the beach at Bullocky Point. This will be celebrated by a traditional welcome by the Larrakia people. It will then travel to Marrara Oval and form an integral part of the opening ceremony the following day. This ceremony will be, as I have stated in this House previously, the biggest production spectacle Darwin has ever witnessed.
Registrations of athletes for this year are possibly the most diverse of any previous event witnessed in the Territory. Entries have been received from as far away as Brazil, United Kingdom, India, Italy and even Mongolia. We welcome back representatives of the United States of America. It will be fantastic to witness Australians competing against these countries, as well as our Asian neighbours. For the first time, we will have participants from each populous continent in the world. A focal point for these games will be the Marrara Hub which will be a veritable hive of daily activity including visits from our games mascot, Rocky. There will be food stalls, trade displays, medal presentations, celebrity beach volley ball and cultural themed entertainment.
Importantly, business matching opportunities have been made available through the games to participants, primarily targeting national and international visitors. I acknowledge the hard work of my department, the Department of Business, Industry and Resource Development and the Chamber of Commerce which have been actively pursuing expressions of interest.
I would also like to highlight the International Sport Conference which will be run concurrently with the games. To date, there are 150 registered participants for the conference which will be held at the Charles Darwin University. This conference, which has been entitled ‘Celebrating Sport and Culture’ has attracted more international participants than ever before, and will be supported by 37 presenters, and a display of sporting organisations’ products and services, in addition to a Year of Sport and Physical Education gala dinner. This conference will certainly put the Territory on the map regarding our ability to organise such high profile events.
Also important to these games is the schedule that has been put in place for drug testing. Random tests will be conducted during the games to ensure that the credibility of the games is upheld. All participants have been made aware of the need to adhere to worldwide anti-doping policies which will be enforced during the events.
I take this early opportunity to thank those agencies and groups which are working tirelessly to bring these games together. These include the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Department of Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs, the Charles Darwin University, the Northern Territory Police, Risk Management Services, the Department of Health and Community Services including the Royal Darwin Hospital, our sporting coordinators, our ambassadors, our volunteers and last, but most certainly not the least, my staff at the Events Branch and our valued sponsors.
Madam Speaker, without the skill and dedication of all these partners, the Arafura Games would simply not be possible. This Arafura Games will, no doubt, be the best to date and continue to contribute to our great Territory lifestyle.
Mr ELFERINK (Macdonnell): Madam Speaker, who could stand up and do anything but applaud the Arafura Games – a wonderful institution which was started many years ago by the former CLP government? The Country Liberal Party is happy and pleased that the government realises the importance of these games and has gone to great lengths to promote it, even as far as Ulan Batur. The games stand as a wonderful institution that is a beacon to the whole of the South-East Asian region. Across the vast Pacific Ocean people now see that beacon shining and come to it to compete under its light.
However, not all is sweetness and light in the Department of Sport and Recreation, sadly. One of the areas that causes me great concern, as the minister so correctly pointed out, is the importance of properly funding sport and recreation in our community. There is actually a $4m cut out of this year’s budget to what was expended on sport and recreation last year. This is a major concern to the members on this side of the House and the reason is that the health of our community, as expressed through their sporting activities, is something that is vitally important to prevent blow-outs in things like the Health budget that we have seen.
I am also concerned by the absence in the budget papers - and I hope that I can be corrected on this by the minister - for funding in the infrastructure works so that the Traeger Park promise can be maintained. I ask the minister in his reply here today to point out to me where in the budget books the Traeger Park promise will be upheld in terms of the money that is going to be spent there to bring Traeger Park football stadium up to speed. If it is there, well and good, but I am having trouble finding it in the infrastructure stuff. Perhaps the minister can guide us to the Traeger Park promise.
Mr AH KIT (Sport and Recreation): Madam Speaker, might I add, once again, that if the shadow spokesman for sport and recreation would like a briefing, I am quite happy to provide one. However, he seems to be reluctant to do that. What he obviously does not understand when he looks at the budget papers - and he has not been a minister in the past so it is hard for him - in the Cabinet process additional dollars are sought, and I have been successful, which adds to what is in the budget books …
A member interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr AH KIT: … in the past. You really have no idea and no understanding …
Members interjecting.
Mr AH KIT: … and it would be interesting to see the commitment to Traeger Park. There has been additional monies put in for the grandstand, and it will be built.
Charter Flights from Japan
to Central Australia
to Central Australia
Ms MARTIN (Tourism): Madam Speaker, I would like to inform the House of the successful negotiations that have been undertaken by the Tourist Commission with two of the oldest and most respected Japanese wholesalers, Nippon Travel Agency and Kintetsu International.
Increasing numbers of Japanese holidaymakers are falling in love with Alice Springs and Central Australia. Just last week, we saw the first Japan Airlines’ Jumbo arrive in Alice Springs carrying 364 passengers from Osaka and, on Monday, a further 382 passengers arrived in Alice Springs from Tokyo. In fact, the passengers were met on arrival in Alice Springs by Vice President and Regional Manager for Australia, Mr Hashimoto of Japan Airlines, and President and Chief Executive Officer, Mr Sato, of Nippon Travel Agency Australia.
Significantly, Alice Springs, Central Australia, is their only Australian destination as part of their 100th Anniversary global charter program. Two further charters have now been confirmed to arrive in Alice Springs in August, taking the tally of Japanese charter visitors to over 1500. In total, these visitors are expected to inject an additional $1m into the Central Australian economy.
Confirmed dates of arrival of the additional Japanese charters are 8 August and 11 August, with bookings for the third charter from Nagoya to open on 16 May. This means three charters established through Nippon Travel Agency and the fourth charter organised through Kintetsu International. The Tourist Commission has worked with Kintetsu for many years, and it was Kintetsu who pioneered the first direct charter flights to Alice in 2003 which were, you will probably remember, Madam Speaker, an outstanding success.
Central Australia was the only Australian destination to be chosen for these charter flights. It is a tribute to the people of Alice Springs and local tourism operators that they have clearly captured the hearts of the Japanese traveller.
The recent flights are part of a worldwide charter program for 2005 to be operated by Nippon Travel Agency and Japan Airlines, and are part of those 100-year anniversary celebrations. Strong consumer demand has prompted the additional services. The charters that arrived in the past week had sold out in only four weeks. The marketing and advertising in Japan was supported by government with a contribution of close to $200 000 in marketing for all four charters. The charters follow on from successful charters in the past and indicate a growing interest among the Japanese in exploring our iconic attractions and their natural and cultural surrounds.
The most popular itinerary includes a three-night stay in Central Australia that involves one night at Uluru, one night at Kings Canyon and one night in Alice Springs. One of the new highlights included was a farewell dinner at Ooraminna Homestead, showcasing the real Australian outback under an incredible canopy of stars. By all accounts, this has been a unique experience for the travellers. Jan Hayes of Ooraminna has told us that the first night was very successful and that our Japanese visitors enjoyed the Australian food and beautiful stars, particularly when the lights were turned off. Jan said: ‘As this was our largest Japanese group, all our visitors were saying “happy” and taking many photographs, with me in them’.
Part of the group also enjoyed the hike through Kings Canyon. It is a four-hour walk that takes you up into the massive sandstone rim and down into a lush oasis-like environment, complete with a sparkling freshwater spring. There is nothing like Kings Canyon.
There are encouraging signs of recovery in the Japanese market. Central Australia is well positioned to capitalise on this trend with the promotion of products such as these charter flights with Japanese travellers. The December international figures indicate that Japanese visitation into the Territory has grown by about 12% over the past 12 months compared with 2003, and Japan is the third-largest source of international visitors to the Territory.
Attracting new flights to the Territory is a high priority of my government. The Tourist Commission continues to work closely with the Japanese market to build a long-term business case to operate regular charter flights to both the Top End and Central Australia in the traditionally busy period for outbound travel from Japan. These continued developments send a clear message to the consumer - particularly to the Japanese consumer - that the Territory is open for business and our numbers are growing.
Mr MILLS (Blain): Madam Speaker, this is a most welcome report that has the attention of the Japanese tourist focussed on Central Australia. It is a great credit to the tourism industry in Central Australia for being able to carry this level of interest. However, I query the active role of this government in making this occur when it appears that it is the interest that has been evoked by a television program in Japan - which this government has had nothing to do with – and, as a result, the report today is simply a report on something that has occurred with little involvement of government.
I also noted in the report there was no comment with regards to the raising of the status of the Alice Springs Airport to cater for international flights on a consistent basis. I note, also, there was no reference to the fact that nearly half of the government’s Cabinet members, at some stage or other, have been Tourism Minister since you have been in government and that Central Australia has, in fact, seen 102 000 fewer visitors to Central Australia alone. In a single year, this economy has seen 91 000 fewer visitors to the Northern Territory. From your own figures, Chief Minister - and the Treasurer would be aware of these - when you calculate the cost or the benefit that tourism brings to the region, that is a significant loss to the Territory economy. I bear in mind that the tourism sector has had to bear the loss of approximately $70m of revenue, as has the wider economy, as a result of 91 000 fewer visitors. Bearing in mind our engagement with the region, there was a 51% drop in tourists visiting from our immediate region. Chief Minister, these are factors for which you must bear full responsibility.
Ms MARTIN (Tourism): Madam Speaker, it is very sad that the opposition spokesperson on tourism is so ignorant. It would have been good for him to go to the ATEC symposium last week in Alice Springs and hear the industry talk about how tough Australia’s international tourism market has been for the last three years. This is not just a Territory factor; it is right across our market. There has been negative growth …
Mr Mills: That is excuse-making.
Ms MARTIN: He said it is excuses; these are facts, Madam Speaker. It is the reality: negative growth for the last three years. I am proud to stand in here and say we are turning that around. It has been turned around, strategically, by this government. He said: ‘You did not mention what government did’. We have been working with the travel agencies in Japan; we put $200 000 in additional marketing money that we have put into tourism to make that happen. We are actively engaged in that and, to hear the opposition spokesperson just bag the whole procedure, shows more than anything else his absolute ignorance.
We are proud of the fact we have seen a 12% growth in tourist numbers from Japan into the Territory over the last 12 months. Is that a bad thing, is it? You make it sound like …
Members interjecting.
Ms MARTIN: We are growing the numbers. We have grown the domestic market …
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, your time has expired.
Ms MARTIN: We have grown the domestic market, and it is terrific for Alice Springs.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, thank you!
Traffic Lights on Strategic Roads
Dr BURNS (Infrastructure and Planning): Madam Speaker, last year, in response to a question asked by the member for Nelson, I advised that I wanted fewer traffic lights and that I would be looking to reduce the number of traffic lights along our strategic roads.
Indeed, over the last year, I have knocked back lobbying from the CLP to install an extra set of traffic lights at Duke Street on the Stuart Highway in Stuart Park. I have also rejected a proposal for another set of traffic lights to be installed at Berrimah Road that would have impacted, primarily, on the trucking industry and traffic to The Ghan. On the basis of discussions with the Australian Trucking Association NT, I have rejected that particular proposal.
I have requested the department to appoint an external consultant to review all the traffic lights on the Stuart Highway and Tiger Brennan Drive, between the Arnhem Highway and the Darwin CBD. I travelled both roads with the consultant and departmental officers. We inspected each of the 22 intersections controlled by traffic lights and discussed options - a very pleasant Saturday afternoon’s work, I might say.
The consultant’s report is under consideration by government. The report will also be released for public comment and input in the near future. While it presents some opportunities, the report also highlights the constraints that we face in constructing roundabouts on urban roads that are shared with road trains. These include financial considerations. The engineering and construction costs of a typical road train-compatible double lane roundabout is in the order of $2m. In many cases, the construction of a roundabout on the Stuart Highway will also require resumption of private land, adding to the cost - and that is not to even think about some of the services and electricity substations that are situated along there as well.
Clearly, the report requires both short-term and long-term responses. In the immediate year, this budget includes funding for the removal of the first traffic light on the Stuart Highway. Works will be undertaken at the intersection of the Stuart Highway and Tulagi Road, so that the through movement of inbound traffic on the Stuart Highway will no longer be delayed by traffic lights. Just down the road from Tulagi Road is the major intersection of the Stuart Highway and Roystonea Avenue. After several years of lobbying, the Commonwealth has now agreed to partly fund the extension of Tiger Brennan Drive to join the Stuart Highway at this intersection - and partly funding means a 50:50 contribution by the Commonwealth and Territory governments.
I have written to the Commonwealth minister for roads, Jim Lloyd, advising that the Martin Labor government is prepared to commit shared funding for the construction of a flyover at this intersection. This would eliminate a major set of traffic lights and free up the flow of traffic between the rural area and Darwin between Palmerston and Darwin. In short, the plans at present are for a level crossing there with the extension of Tiger Brennan Drive. What I am proposing is a flyover and great separation to cut out all the traffic lights there. This will require $10m extra capital, and I proposed to the Commonwealth that the Territory is prepared to commit $5m and we want to see an equal commitment by the Commonwealth of $5m.
Unfortunately, I have a letter here which I would like to table, a reply to a letter I wrote on this issue to Jim Lloyd. I was very disappointed to receive a letter from him saying they are not willing to contribute any funding for this project; that is, the great separation. Unfortunately, this is another battle for fair Commonwealth funding that I will need to take up.
Congestion and delays at the traffic lights at the intersection of the Stuart Highway and Deviney Road have been raised by the public. These were funded by the Commonwealth under the Black Spot program. Members will recall there have been a number of tragic accidents at that particular area. The consultant review states that traffic control at this site is warranted and that the land constraints preclude other solutions in the short term. To assist traffic lights in the area, I have instructed the department to prepare designs for the construction of additional lanes on the Stuart Highway in this area to increase road capacity and reduce traffic delays. Similarly, the department is preparing engineering designs for the construction of passing lanes on Tiger Brennan Drive. These passing lanes are planned for construction, coinciding with the extension of Tiger Brennan Drive out to the Stuart Highway.
The traffic consultant has completed a review of the timing phases of traffic lights on the Stuart Highway. The consultant has also been retained to review these lights’ sequencing arrangements on a six-monthly basis. Rather than entirely remove some traffic lights, it will be possible to carry out modifications to the operating hours that can be made to traffic lights at some intersections. I understand such modifications occur in some urban areas elsewhere in Australia, and I have requested the department to provide advice on such possibilities for the Territory.
Madam Speaker, it is a challenge for any Minister for Transport …
Madam SPEAKER: Your time has expired, minister.
Mr DUNHAM (Drysdale): Well, well, well. Before this bloke here entered politics, I remember him talking about ‘deadly Territory’ and how we had this terrible government that let people go fast on the roads. He has now realised that some of the stuff he is toying with, he has opened his big yap before he has worked out what it is about. Two minutes before an election, he is ‘gunna, gunna, gunna’ do all sorts of stuff. He is gunna have reports, gunna get on to Jim Lloyd, gunna take lights out - and it is too late, too late. No wonder the call him Dr DIPE.
This bloke here in charge of DIPE has gone out with a big promise and they have said: ‘Oh, it is a bit hard, minister, we are going to have to procure services and the rest of it’, so he has come in here with a big mob of excuses. Well, we do not want to hear them! We want to hear what you are going to do. You know what you are going to do? It has to be in this book that is called the budget. So, do not come in here three minutes before an election and run this great big mob of platitudes about how hard your job is. Get out of the way; let someone else do it! Let someone else have a go. I will speak to Jim Lloyd; I will talk to engineers. Heaven forbid! On a Saturday, I will even drive down the Stuart Highway.
So he went past the Berrimah lights. On a Saturday, he went down counting lights: ‘Oh, 22! Gee, that seems a lot’. Well, mate, that is your job. Seriously, if this is all too hard; if you have done what you did with Rapid Creek, opened the big yap and then get elected to government and have to fix it and realise: ‘Oh, gee, this is tricky. Pity we could not blame SARS or anything else like the Chief Minister does’. This is your job. Right? It is no good saying: ‘If the Commonwealth gave me a big mob of money I will fix it up, but I am not going to do it myself, and it is not in the budget’. Not good enough, mate - just not good enough! Two minutes before the election, you have given people ample demonstration why they should be voting differently in Johnston.
Mr WOOD (Nelson): Madam Speaker, the minister really should have taken a drive down the Stuart Highway at 7 am and 5 pm if he wants to get some idea of what traffic lights do to peoples’ frustrations.
It is good news and it is not good news because on the one hand, the minister is saying we are going to get a flyover over Tiger Brennan and, on the other, he says that we did not get enough money from the Commonwealth - which really means we are not getting it. The other thing is it is not an idea of this government to put a flyover; it was the idea of the previous government because – remember? - I held up a big book. There is a great big book with all the flyovers for the Stuart Highway from one end to the other, more or less, and none of them have been done except Bagot flyover. I would like to see a flyover over Tiger Brennan Drive. Whether it is done by this government or another government, I could not care; my job will be to lobby for better road communications in Darwin.
I believe the Tulagi Road intersection will be very interesting if they are going to make a straight through lane on it. Have they forgotten that the Army personnel comes out of there between about 3 pm and 5.30 pm every afternoon? Most of those people turn either left up to Temple Terrace or right and go up Yarrawonga Road. If they have to cut across a lane that is a through lane, I would be very interested to see how that works.
I do not know whether we are developing the same problem we have at the Girraween Road intersection at Coolalinga - which does not appear to be in the budget. We have - and I include the member for Goyder here - been lobbying for at least four years to change the alignment of Girraween Road to make it safer, and there does not appear to be one thing in the budget to do that. The government put this on the plans four years ago. We had meetings with all the owners of land at Coolalinga, they had big plans up for the public to look at - and what has happened four years later? Absolutely nothing! I ask the minister if he has a commitment in this budget to do something about Girraween Road intersection before more people are killed or injured, or are we going to have to wait for a change of government to get something done?
Mr Maley: Gerry Wood, go, you good thing!
Mr Dunham: Glad you brought this one on!
A member: Whoops, whoops!
Madam SPEAKER: Order, thank you. Order!
Dr BURNS: Madam Speaker, despite the mocking from members opposite, I believe I have outlined a very credible plan forward for the short term and the longer term. When the traffic light survey is made public, I will be interested to hear what the opposition has to say about their plans for the future.
In relation to Roystonia Avenue, it is a shared government project between the Commonwealth and the Territory government. It is quite reasonable for us to ask for a 50:50 contribution from the Commonwealth. We put our money on the table; Jim Lloyd has knocked it back. I have asked David Tollner and Nigel Scullion to lobby for this, and the members opposite should be doing the same because it is partly a Commonwealth responsibility.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, thank you! That was an entertaining debate, minister.
Mt Todd Gold Mine - Update
Mr VATSKALIS (Mines and Energy): Madam Speaker, I provide an update on the situation of the former Mt Todd gold mine. In 2000, the mine ceased operating and its owners went into receivership. It fell to this government to manage the site and ensure minimal environmental impact, particularly to the Edith River and downstream users.
In February this year, the government considered a range of submissions concerning Mt Todd which covered background information, current environmental and site management, tenure management, the Mt Todd agreement, and the Mt Todd Project Agreement Ratification Act, and the long-term rehabilitation study.
The government recognised that the site location has the potential to create significant environmental problems and took a number of decisions to deal with the issue. It was recognised that the clear direction for the long-term rehabilitation of the site must be determined if it is to be properly managed. A consultant was engaged to develop the terms of reference for the initial studies required for the Mt Todd mine site rehabilitation project, in order to provide the comprehensive understanding of the problems at the site. This is not a rash ad hoc approach, but a detailed scientific and engineered approach to arrive at a responsible solution. If this initial planning is not completed successfully, carefully, and accurately, such rehabilitation work might be wasted.
In the budget, the government has provided $374 000 for 2005-06 to fund the ongoing management of the site. The necessary resources will continue to be put into ensuring the integrity of the Edith River system, and that it is not compromised by water discharges or other activities on the site.
To provide stakeholders and the community input into management of the site, the Mt Todd Mine Site Rehabilitation Reference Group has been established. It includes representatives of the key stakeholders, including the Jawoyn Association, the Environment Centre of the Northern Territory, and AFANT. The group has met twice to date; on 9 March and 14 April 2005, and will continue to have input into the development of solutions for the site. I joined the reference group on its inspection of the site on 15 April 2005. The priorities of the group are input into the terms of reference for the major study of the site. Members of the group are also contributing to work options for the 2005 Dry Season to minimise environmental impacts in the next Wet Season.
The government is absolutely committed to sustainable development and the protection of the environment. We acknowledge the problems at Mt Todd - problems we inherited, and problems we are addressing. My department, in consultation with the community reference group, is maintaining the mine site to protect the Edith River and the interests of downstream users. It is considering the options for improving environmental management of the site in the coming Dry Season, and coordinating the work in the perspective of the long-term rehabilitation planning.
The deconstruction of tailings on the site is nearing completion. Constant monitoring is undertaken to ensure safety and the environment have not been compromised, and reasonable efforts are being made to remove all waste materials. Management of the mine site is a complex and difficult issue.
The resources allocated to managing this activity in the department have been strengthened. The government is committed to ensuring that the legacy of gold mining at Mt Todd does not create problems for future generations of Territorians.
Mrs MILLER (Katherine): Madam Speaker, I thank the minister for his report. I visited Mt Todd recently and spent several hours there. It certainly needed a reference group, which will be kept busy for some time. There are many major problems happening and the reference group is going to need a fair bit of money, and to put in a lot of work.
I was going through the budget papers last night and there is some interesting stuff in them about mining exploration. On page 76 of the budget paper he says the economy and mineral exploration expenditure has fallen by 13.3%, whilst the rest of the country has increased its spending by 8.2%. Minister, what is in the budget to increase the investment in exploration in the Northern Territory, and do you agree with page 77 of that same document which says: ‘Constraining factors on exploration expenditure continue to include the Native Title Act and the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act’? Would the minister answer those questions for me?
Mr VATSKALIS (Mines and Energy): Madam Speaker, I thank the member for her contribution. I appreciate the fact that she is interested in Mt Todd and acknowledges that it is a disaster; unfortunately, created by her own party. I call on her to apologise to all Territorians for the disaster they created, to all the people in Katherine for the inadequate environmental program they put in place, and about the amount of money that Territorians have to fork out to repair the disaster that you created.
As for who created the situation in Mt Todd, I had an e-mail from a person in Katherine who belongs to your party and who said that Mike Reed, the ex-member for Katherine, and Tim Baldwin, the member for Daly, should be hauled over hot coals for that disaster because ‘they came to Katherine and said to us: “Mt Todd is the best, environmentally friendly mine in the whole world”’. Well, I beg to differ.
As for adequate repatriation, Madam Speaker, I would like members to have a very good look at the budget to see where the variation is and how much more money we put in the mining budget.
Reports noted pursuant to Sessional Order.
SUSPENSION OF STANDING ORDERS
Take Three Bills Together
Take Three Bills Together
Mr STIRLING (Treasurer): Madam Speaker, I move that so much of standing orders be suspended as would prevent bills entitled Pay-roll Tax Amendment Bill 2005 (Serial 288), Taxation (Administration) Amendment Bill 2005 (Serial 289) and Stamp Duty Amendment Bill 2005 (Serial 290):
- (a) being presented and read a first time together and one motion being put in regard to, respectively, the
second readings, the committee’s report stage, and the third readings of the bills together; and
- (b) consideration of bills separately in the Committee of the Whole.
Motion agreed to.
PAY-ROLL TAX AMENDMENT BILL
(Serial 288)
TAXATION (ADMINISTRATION) AMENDMENT BILL
(Serial 289)
STAMP DUTY AMENDMENT BILL
(Serial 290)
(Serial 288)
TAXATION (ADMINISTRATION) AMENDMENT BILL
(Serial 289)
STAMP DUTY AMENDMENT BILL
(Serial 290)
Bills presented and read a first time.
Mr STIRLING (Treasurer): Madam Speaker, I move that the bills be now read a second time.
The bills seek to put in place a package of revenue measures announced as part of the 2005-06 Budget by proposing amendments to the Taxation (Administration) Act, the Stamp Duty Act and the Pay-roll Tax Act. The key proposals announced in the budget involved abolishing of electronic debit transaction duty from 1 July 2005 and increasing, from 3 May 2005, the stamp duty first home owner concession from the first $125 000 of a property’s value to the first $200 000 of a property’s value. These proposals are intended to complement initiatives announced in last year’s budget that increased the payroll tax threshold to $1m and abolish debits tax from 1 July 2005. In all, taxes will be cut by almost $15m in 2005-06, and bank accounts held in the Territory will be free from taxes for the first time in many years.
I will now address the changes proposed in the bills in more detail. As part of the Territory’s commitment to national tax reform, it is proposed to abolish electronic debit transaction duty for transactions that occur after 30 June 2005. This will save Territorians $2.7m in 2005-06. Importantly, electronic debit transaction duty will remain payable for transactions that occur before 1 July 2005 and the old rules, such as the requirement to keep records, will continue to apply to those transactions.
Increasing the stamp duty threshold for first home owner concession from the first $125 000 of a property’s value to the first $200 000 of a property’s value nearly doubles the stamp duty saving on the purchase of a first home. The maximum concession will increase from $3640 to $6800 and is expected to cost $450 000 in 2004-05, and $2.7m on a full-year basis in 2005-06. It is proposed that this change will apply to instruments entered into on or after 3 May 2005. The revenue will be safeguarded by ensuring that purchases secured prior to that date, either by contract or option, will not be eligible for the increased concession.
There are two other stamp duty initiatives which have arisen from submissions to government that set out sensible reasons why changes to the laws are desirable. The first seeks to extend the stamp duty exemption for motor vehicles registered in the name of a totally and permanently incapacitated war veteran to include extreme disabled adjustment war veterans. The fact that these war veterans were not eligible for the stamp duty exemption was brought to government’s attention by the Australian War Veterans EDA Society. These EDA veterans are the most disabled of all veteran pension recipients, and it is only appropriate the exemption be extended to cover them. It is proposed the exemption will be available for motor vehicle certificates of registration issued to these veterans on or after 1 July 2005.
The second seeks an extension to the so-called ‘family farm’ exemption. This exemption provides an incentive to encourage younger generations to continue to work the family farm and to increase the use of more modern and productive farming techniques by providing a stamp duty exemption on the transfer of the family farm to the younger generation of a family. The exemption has been limited to pastoral properties since it was introduced, due to the significant capital costs associated with that industry and the relatively low returns on that investment. However, this reasoning applies equally to other land-based primary producers and, accordingly, it is proposed to extend the ‘family farm’ stamp duty exemption to property used for other forms of land-based primary production.
In addition, the Territory’s current exemption is limited to transfers between natural person relatives and excludes land held in other structures such as companies and trusts. This does not address the commercial reality of how such property is generally held. For instance, primary production land may be held in a company or trust as a form of asset protection. To overcome this limitation, it is proposed to allow the exemption for transfers between family members and family companies in which all of the shareholders are family members and trusts, where the beneficiaries are all family members. It is proposed that the changes to the ‘family farm’ exemption apply to instruments executed on or after 3 May 2005.
Another stamp duty proposal relates to the power provided to the Commissioner of Taxes under the Taxation (Administration) Act to extend the time for taxpayers to undertake actions required under the act, such as lodging documents for assessment and paying tax. To exercise this power, the commissioner must serve an instrument on each individual taxpayer. A minor amendment to the act is proposed to operate from 3 May 2005 so that the commissioner can, by way of a published notice, grant general extensions of time to classes of people. The government has endorsed the commissioner utilising this power to issue a notice which will be effective from 3 May 2005, extending the time for lodging and paying duty on instruments that are conditional contracts. Previously, these instruments had to be lodged and paid within 60 days after execution. Where the conditions were not met a refund would be made. The new approach will only require the lodgement and payment of duty within 60 days after the contract becomes unconditional, subject to certain safeguards such as a maximum length of time before the instrument must be lodged, even if subject to unfulfilled conditions. This is a much more efficient and fairer manner of assessing such instruments.
Under stamp duty legislation, conveyances of dutiable property and marketable securities are assessed on the consideration or unencumbered value of the property conveyed, whichever is the higher. Where such a contract includes an amount of consideration that is only payable on the happening of a future event - that is, a contingent consideration - the consideration for the conveyance is taken to be the highest that could possibly be payable under the contract, irrespective of whether that consideration is ultimately paid. This treatment is long established under the common law and is applied consistently in all states and territories. However, this may result in purchasers paying more stamp duty than if duty had been assessed only on the amount of consideration that is actually paid. In addition, due to the way in which stamp duty laws operate, these purchasers would not normally be entitled to any refund of stamp duty in the event that an amount of contingent consideration is not paid. Accordingly, it is proposed to allow a refund where stamp duty has been assessed and paid on the basis of contingent consideration included in a contract executed on or after 1 July 2005, and the full amount of that consideration is not subsequently paid and will not be paid.
Finally, the payroll tax grouping provisions cause companies to be grouped where the same person or persons can control the businesses carried on by those companies because they hold the majority of the voting shares in the companies, or because they control the majority of votes at meetings of the directors of the companies. A recent New South Wales case has cast some doubt on whether those provisions apply to companies that are acting as a trustee of a trust. It was not intended that the grouping provisions be limited in this way. Accordingly, amendments are sought to restore the operation of the grouping provisions in relation to corporate trustees to the way in which they were applied prior to the court decision. It is proposed that this amendment apply from 1 July 2005. Madam Speaker, I commend the bills to honourable members.
Debate adjourned.
APPROPRIATION BILL 2005-06
(Serial 287)
(Serial 287)
Continued from 3 May 2005.
Mr BURKE (Opposition Leader): Madam Speaker, yesterday the Treasurer laid down Labor’s blueprint to take the Territory forward. Unfortunately for the Martin Labor government, it also records their track record. Sadly and worryingly, it is a litany of failure and lost opportunity from a government that has never had a vision for the Northern Territory. In a tragic irony, this lack of vision has been coupled with enormous financial opportunity that has been lost. This budget has demonstrated clearly why the Labor government has no understanding of how to stimulate and grow the economy, any grasp on how to manage money, and no idea of how to realise the vast potential of this great land to benefit the lives and prosperity of individual Territory families and businesses. It is a budget of failures and false promises; a blatant attempt to whitewash the facts and mislead Territorians.
Let us look at the facts from the government’s own budget papers. Population growth is projected to grow at a low level of just 1%; well below the average growth under successive CLP governments. Jobs growth, at 5.4% when the ALP took office, has declined rapidly and is now forecast to remain negative. The facts are that there are less people in employment now than when the ALP took office. State final demand in 2004-05 has grown by only 1.2%, which indicates a stalled economy.
This is not a budget, it is a whitewash - it is a con. Like all of its predecessors, it is built on a foundation of false hope and chicanery. Let us briefly look at some of the previous budgets and their claims before turning to the real issue at hand: how to make the Territory the thriving, robust economy it once was, with a lifestyle that was the envy of every other Australian.
In the November mini-budget of 2001, the Chief Minister, the member for Fannie Bay, said:
- … the mini-budget incorporates a deficit reduction strategy designed to get the budget in surplus by 2004-05.
Fact: Labor now says this will not now occur until 2011. That, in itself, is telling of Labor’s ability to manage the economy or, alternatively, it was just a barefaced con.
Further, the member for Fannie Bay forecast that the economy would grow by 5% in 2001-02. It did not; it grew by 2.3%. In 2002-03, it was forecast to grow by 3.7% and it grew by just 0.2%. In 2003-04, it was forecast to grow by 3.4% and it grew by 0.4%. In 2004-05, it was forecast to grow by 5.8% and, now, they are forecasting in this budget an implausible 7.3%. Really? After we have already had two quarters of zero growth, the question this raises is: why should we believe the Treasurer when he forecasts 6.2% in 2005-06? The answer is simple: we should not - not on past performances.
Let us turn to the government’s ability to control its spending. Every year, general government spending has blown out beyond forecast. In 2001-02, they overspent on their mini-budget by $34m. In 2002-03, they overspent by $64m. In 2003-04, it was $104m and, in 2004-05, it was $84m. That is $284m more than was budgeted for. If a government cannot control its expenditure, it clearly cannot manage the economy.
This government’s record on infrastructure is as damning as any other of its failed promises. Capital works spending is down in this budget. More than $131m has been rolled over from last year’s capital works budget unspent, and much of the mooted capital works spending announcements such as an upgrade to Ward 4 of Alice Springs Hospital with eight renal stations, will not even begin until next year. Also, what about Palmerston Senior College? Labor has promised this over three budgets with a targeted school opening in 2005, yet not a sod has been turned and there is now no committal date for construction of this college in this budget. More than $60m in the capital works budget is federal roads money, and Labor’s only major project, the waterfront, requires borrowing to fund the $73m government contribution from 2004 to 2006. The huge emphasis on the waterfront project is an attempt to boost the ALP image, yet Territorians have not been told the full story, and costs, before this major commitment was made.
Labor came to power on a promise to reduce debt, yet it plans to increase the Territory’s nett debt position on a project which Territorians have not yet been appraised of regarding its benefits or risks. This project binds Territorians for 16 years and should not be finalised behind closed doors. What is worse is that the government plans to borrow more despite the enormous additional revenue it has received from GST and Territory taxes.
This budget and its predecessors reveal, once again, a failure to accurately achieve forecast growth, to stimulate the economy, grow population, and to grow jobs, just to name a few. For the Treasurer and this government there is always an excuse when confronted by failure. It is either the Australian Bureau of Statistics at fault, the Commonwealth government dudding the Territory, or some sort of external force at work. The Treasurer’s response is the equivalent of a student’s excuse to his teacher: ‘The dog ate my homework’. Never is it the economic incompetence of this government. How can people have confidence in the future - the confidence to invest in and grow their businesses, to move to the Territory and bring up their families - when the government cons them with false assumptions in the most important document they produce each year?
I turn to a few of the specifics in this budget which give further rise to concern. Firstly, the Treasurer cannot do basic maths. Spending figures on business initiatives on page 26 of Budget Paper No 2 do not add up to the totals provided. This is not a trivial mistake; it is expected that the Treasurer will be accurate. The Treasurer has based his entire 2005-06 budget on a CPI figure of 1.6% when even his own budget papers forecast 2%. This will affect the accuracy of every figure in this budget, therefore, how can we believe it? According to this year’s budget papers, employment last year dropped by 1.3%, or roughly 1300 jobs, yet the Treasurer claimed last year that his budget would deliver more jobs, and even wrote to Territorians promising this.
What about the teacher’s pay increase? This is a $55m commitment over the next two years, yet there is no accounting for it in these budget papers. That will require an unaccounted for amount of around $27m in this budget period – yet, no mention in the budget. How can we believe anything the Treasurer says? This government’s own tax revenue has increased from an estimated average of $1326 for every man, woman and child last year, to a whopping $1466 for every person in this budget only 12 months later, yet the Treasurer would have us believe that his budget delivers less tax for Territorians. Overall, this government is reaping an extra $46m more in own state revenue than last year.
Minister Stirling claims that this government is the most tax reforming government in the Territory’s history. The truth is that the reforms were made by the Commonwealth, signed off by my CLP government, and fought against by the Labor Party. The fact is that this government must be judged on the outcomes and predictions of its predecessors and, by those standards, it will not stand any test of scrutiny. That is why the Territory is marking time whilst the rest of Australia powers ahead. It is a government at sea; a government which is drowning in incompetence.
After four years of inaction and with an election looming, the ALP is, predictably, attempting in this budget to get some focus on major economic boosters such as the waterfront. They have tried to have us believe they are leading the way in tax reform by making some limited concessions to business. This really is a case of too little, too late. They have had a dream run. Never before has a Territory government been so flush with money with a GST windfall of $249m since 2003-04, and a further windfall of $683m over the next five years. The sad thing is that they have done so little with it. The ALP has proved again it can spend, but it cannot manage. It has frittered away the cash without appreciable long-term economic benefit. It has not used the windfall GST to address the economic malaise from which the Territory suffers. The key economic drivers of population and jobs are well below where they need to be, and Territory business needs more support than indicated in this budget. It is just not good enough.
What the Territory desperately needs, and what only the County Liberal Party can provide, is sound economic management based on reality, not fantasy. The County Liberal Party is the party of the Territory. It is not a branch office of any other party, but a party solely dedicated to advancing the interests of the Territory and Territorians. We stand for a strong, dynamic Territory with a powerhouse economy; an economy that fuels our living standards. We stand for a Territory where business, both small and large, can flourish and prosper. We stand for a Territory where families can safely and, without intimidation, enjoy our unique lifestyle, where it is safe to go to a park or to stroll down the street, and our children can go to the corner store without being harassed.
As I and my colleagues regularly travel throughout the Territory, people from the remotest outposts, our towns and cities, are telling us the same thing. In Alice Springs, people are saying they cannot buy an affordable block of land, and telling us of the problems with itinerants. In Darwin, people have told us of the same problem and of the gangs that roam our streets and the ever-growing obstacles to business. In Tennant Creek, people want basic health care such as not having to travel to Alice Springs to have a baby, and want control of their streets from roving drunks at night. I believe that 140 people picked up in one night is inexcusable, and the member for Barkly would agree with me on this. In Katherine, people want their streets cleaned up. In Palmerston, they want their 24-hour health clinic restored.
Critically, everywhere we go the question on people’s lips is this: what has been done with all the money from the increases in stamp duty and the GST windfall? They are asking us: why isn’t the health system any better; why are people leaving the Territory; why isn’t more happening with infrastructure; why haven’t more schools been built - any schools, in fact; why haven’t our roads been fixed; why are tourism numbers falling; and why isn’t business getting the relief it needs? They are saying: ‘It is just not good enough’.
Throughout the Territory people are crying out for the same thing. They are demanding that government meets their priorities, their wants and needs, and not those of a set of social engineers - and no, they do not want to be just like every other state. They are demanding that government delivers.
I, and my colleagues in the Country Liberal Party, have heard those concerns. We have developed a comprehensive plan to make the Territory the great place it once was, and we are going to unleash the full potential of the Territory. We are going to reinvigorate the real engine and spirit of the Territory - the entrepreneurial and pioneering ‘go get ’em’ attitude that was once prevalent but is now suppressed by government.
Today, I am going to announce some elements of our plan for the Territory and for Territorians: a plan to ease the tax burden on our businesses to stimulate their growth and profit; a pledge to grow our shrinking population; a comprehensive plan for infrastructure that delivers, not promises; a plan to improve the quality of life for families; an action plan on law and order; and a commitment to end waste in government.
I believe that business is the backbone of the Territory. We want people to have the opportunity to start a business, be successful in it, and grow it. Successful enterprises benefit us all. For too long, business in the Territory has been shackled by a punitive tax regime that is designed to keep the government’s coffers full, not grow a business. Unless business has the capital and the freedom to use that capital, then it will not employ other Territorians. A strong business sector equals a strong Territory, and that means jobs and security for families and individuals. The Country Liberal Party has a business tax plan that will invigorate both small and large businesses. It will not only foster smaller businesses, but attract larger companies to the Territory and encourage them to invest in our resources, in our tourism industry, in our export industries, and in manufacturing.
I have already announced the first tranche of business tax cuts: stamp duty on non-residential conveyances; stamp duty on non-quotable marketable securities; stamp duty on leases; stamp duty on hiring arrangement duty; and electronic debits. Cutting these taxes will boost business, especially small business which, fortunately, is not burdened by payroll tax. On coming to government, the Country Liberal Party will immediately cut these taxes, not in a piecemeal way or grudgingly, but all of them in one hit. This will mean an immediate shot in the arm to the tune of $67.2m, and business will not have to wait until 2009 to get the full benefit.
However, our plan is not confined to small business. We know that, for the Territory to grow, we need new investment. We must create a climate where businesses actually find it to their competitive advantage to move to the Territory and invest in our future, and we must ensure that businesses which already do business in the Territory can do so on a competitive footing, not only with their interstate counterparts, but also with our northern neighbours. Currently, large businesses are burdened with the second highest level of payroll tax in the country at 6.2%; only the Australian Capital Territory has a higher rate. A Country Liberal Party government is committed to making our payroll tax regime the most competitive in the country, not the most punitive. Tinkering with thresholds will not attract business, but a wholesale cut in the rate will. Therefore, we will reduce the payroll tax rate by 27% to make the Territory the lowest payroll jurisdiction in Australia. That would cut the Territory’s rate to 4.5%, creating an investment stimulus that goes beyond any that a mere tinkering of the threshold will achieve.
Further, a Country Liberal Party government would maintain the thresholds as forecast in the budget, and it would also have a positive impact on the attitude to investment by businesses, not only here in the Territory, but also by those interstate and overseas. Investment is the lifeblood of the Territory and only the Country Liberal Party, the Territory’s own party, is prepared to foster that investment. We will also end the ambiguous definition of ‘a subcontractor’ in the Territory that is destroying those Territory businesses that built the Territory, and prevent more companies from being roped into the payroll tax net.
The Territory could once proudly boast that it had one of the strongest population growth rates in the country. Throughout the 1990s, our population grew by 1.8%, well above the national average. That population growth was a powerful tool in boosting our economic growth. Now we are growing at a miserable 0.7% according to the latest Australian Bureau of Statistics data, well below the national average of 1.2%. There is a serious problem confronting the Territory. Our birth rate is the highest in the country, well above the national average, but our population growth rate is below the national average. Any population growth we have is being offset by losses from nett interstate migration. Put simply, more people are leaving the Territory than are arriving. The latest ABS data reveals that 1500 more people left the Territory for interstate than arrived. Further, the budget papers show that school student numbers are down by around 1300. These figures have a dramatic impact on the economy and cannot be ignored.
The Country Liberal Party, as part of its plan to revitalise the Territory, will focus on population growth as an urgent priority. In government, we will have a medium-term goal of growing the population by 2.5% per year. On our revenue base, that will add, after allowing offsets for costs associated with growth, in excess of $60m per year in additional revenue, or $240m over a four-year term. We can grow our population and we will.
The first step will be to reverse the nett interstate migration, and our business tax plan is the first plank in that reversal. Creating the environment to grow business will grow the pool of jobs and the Territory’s economy along with it.
The second plank will be ongoing and major infrastructure programs. Traditionally, major projects and infrastructure works have driven the Territory’s economy. It has always been the Country Liberal Party which has won, and delivered, those projects, and supported the Territory with a comprehensive ongoing and deliverable program of government capital works. It was the Country Liberal Party which got the Alice to Darwin railway line up; that built East Arm Point; built a new school almost yearly; put the $60m extension to Royal Darwin Hospital; built the university, the Performing Arts Centre, Marrara sporting facilities; and also put health clinics, barge landings, schools and airstrips in remote communities.
The Labor government and the Territory’s economy have been the recipients of the major projects and initiatives that were won and commenced under the Country Liberal Party. Over the past four years, we have not seen one major project started or completed by Labor, and the Territory is the worse for it. What we have seen is government in paralysis, unable to get a major project commenced or completed - and the waterfront is a stark example of this failure - a government unable or unwilling to bite the bullet and force projects through, that prevaricates, constantly wrings its collective hands and, in endless consultation, is unable to reach a decision.
However, more importantly, Labor’s vacillation and policy confusion has impacted in a negative way on the public service. Quick decisions traditionally made by the public servants are now delayed in a bureaucratic maze ruled by ministers. The first step a Country Liberal Party will take is to free up the public service to make decisions and do their job; that is, serving the public. A Country Liberal government will set the direction and public servants will revert to their traditional role of providing best advice to the government of the day.
In government, the Country Liberal Party will have a Cabinet of nine ministers to ensure a greater access and direct responsibility to the public. I will guarantee that industry and business is a primary source of advice to government, and I will establish a business consultative council reporting directly to the Chief Minister to ensure bottlenecks such as those affecting procurement and infrastructure works are eliminated. Further, I want the business consultative council to bring forward ideas to government, to plan and coordinate with government, and to operate in partnership with government to get major infrastructure works happening. We have to make the government and the public service responsive to the business sector if infrastructure projects are not to be bogged down - and that is what we will do.
However, having the processes in place, we then need a program. Upon winning government, we will implement a 10-year program to weatherproof our major road network, and that includes bridges. We will provide the infrastructure to East Arm Port to allow it to achieve operational benchmarks to match those of other ports in our region. We will build a major water supply for Alice Springs, including using it for recreational facilities. We will guarantee that the waterfront project connects seamlessly and completely with the central Darwin business district. We will work with the Defence industry to provide the necessary infrastructure to establish Darwin as a major centre for Defence maintenance in Australia. We will put the excitement back into our tourism product by developing a number of major tourism infrastructure projects including further resort development.
These are just a few of the major infrastructure projects which will be undertaken by the Country Liberal Party. The Country Liberal Party will ensure speedy approval of projects and have a proactive, focussed approach that plans and executes projects and then delivers them on time and on budget. We will smooth the peaks and troughs that have characterised infrastructure development in the Territory and bring confidence and certainty to business to plan for the long term. We will build rise and fall provisions into our tendering processes.
Another fundamental for the Territory and its infrastructure development - in fact, the key driver of the future for the Territory - is power, particularly electricity. The Territory must have a reliable and expanding supply of electricity if it is to capture a greater share of the nation’s wealth and development. We must grow our manufacturing base, and cheaper energy is fundamental to this. Our current gas reserves are finite. We must ensure that we have more energy for the future. Labor bungled the final arrangements for the Bayu-Undan field by not reserving any gas from these enormous reserves for Territory consumption. A government with its eye on the ball would have negotiated so that our gas supplies would be guaranteed. A future Country Liberal government will secure a share of the enormous offshore gas fields to ensure our energy and electricity generating requirements into the future.
That leads me to the next element of the Country Liberal Party’s plan for the Territory.
I have outlined how we will stimulate business, grow our population through that and other initiatives, and manage the infrastructure requirements of the Territory. These coordinated plans mesh to produce a vibrant economy. However, a vibrant economy without an environment that encourages people to raise their families in the Territory, and to migrate to the Territory, is of little consequence. Also, we have to guarantee people that their quality of life will be assured, that the Territory is a great place to have and raise a family, with opportunities for their sons and daughters. Therefore, as part of our plan to re-energise the Territory, the Country Liberal Party will tackle the quality-of-life issues that face families everyday.
First, we are going to make the Territory a safer place for families, for kids and for our elderly. We unreservedly commit ourselves to a zero tolerance policy. We will not tolerate gangs and itinerants threatening and intimidating our way of life and its very quality. The Territory’s unique way of life is being undermined and that, in turn, threatens our tourism industry and our reputation as a safe place to bring up kids. It is one of the reasons people are packing up and leaving and why people from other states are not migrating north. You can understand it when there are riots in the streets and police have to draw their guns, when you daily read headlines such as ‘Attacked by Gangs at Shops’, ‘Bail Boy Mugs Woman’, ‘Harassed by Itinerants’ or ‘Cabbie Slashed After Beer Hassle’ and when you read them, you know that they are the norm, not an aberration. We will not tolerate this behaviour, and we will fix it.
The CLP will introduce a zero tolerance approach to itinerants and all antisocial behaviour: if you break the law, you will be facing the full extent of the law. At the same time, we will introduce programs to help build respect for the law and build self-esteem for chronic offenders. We will establish police kiosks in target areas known for high antisocial behaviours. There will be a three strikes policy for property offenders. Domestic violence will be treated the same as assault, and we will not tolerate child abuse or sexual offenders in any way. Fixing these problems is not just about more police - they are doing a great job - it is about an attitude that will not accept lawlessness, and that attitude must come from the top down. A Country Liberal Party government will not tolerate taxpayers’ money being paid directly to drug users, as this government is doing, to research party drug use in the Territory.
Addressing these problems will go a long way to addressing our declining population by shoring up our quality of life. Quality of life also goes to the delivery of services and bolstering our community. How can we expect to attract professionals, skilled workers and families to the Territory when we cannot offer a standard of hospital and specialist services that people expect to find in other capital cities in Australia? Therefore, a CLP government will provide increased specialist services, including a full cardiovascular service in our first term, with upgraded oncology facilities to follow. We will work with the federal government to establish Darwin as a regional specialist centre for north Australia and the near Asian region.
Despite Labor’s repeated promises, a CLP government will build a Palmerston Senior College as a matter of urgency. And understand this: to cater for our project population growth, a CLP government will build new schools designed to cater for 300 students in each school. No existing schools will be affected, as this policy is designed to give parents greater choice in their children’s education. It is disappointing to learn and see that the minister for Education, the Treasurer, has used a taxpayer-funded government flyer to peddle a deception on this matter. A CLP government will encourage parents and families to be genuine partners in their children’s education. We will strengthen and extend the Parents as Teachers program Territory-wide.
Sport is also the glue that binds our community at a grassroots level. The Country Liberal Party will ensure that community sporting groups have their funding restored to levels that will allow them to grow and develop.
For young Territorians, the Country Liberal Party government is committed to ensure that major musicians are supported by the government so that they can stage shows in the Territory. Distance should not create a cultural divide between Territory youth and their interstate peers.
One of the key ingredients of Territory lifestyle is our recreational fishing. The CLP will ensure that the Territory remains the pre-eminent recreational fishing destination in Australia. We will work with the Commonwealth, landowners and recreational fishermen to achieve greater access for recreational fishing in coastal waters and inland waterways.
These integrated quality-of-life plans will help deliver an environment where people can once again enjoy our unique lifestyle without threat or intimidation, and the surety of a health and education system that gives parents and their children the opportunities they deserve.
The Labor government has been spendthrift, particularly when it comes to self-promotion. Only the Country Liberal Party has the financial and economic management skills to control the budget processes and the right priorities when it comes to spending. As pointed out earlier, this government has overshot all its spending targets in each of its budgets. That is not management; that is mismanagement.
The Chief Minister gave an undertaking early in her term that heads of departments’ jobs would be in jeopardy if they overran their budgets. Further, this government has presided over an unprecedented growth in political staff. The Chief Minister’s office now has 30 more people on its payroll serving eight ministers than the CLP had serving nine. These people serve no purpose other than as propagandists for the failed policies of the Martin government. It is typical of this government that they are prepared to spend more money on spin than they are on the needs of everyday Territorians. I make this commitment: a CLP government will immediately cut staff numbers by 30 to save $2m, and redirect this money to worthwhile community groups.
There are unlimited opportunities available in order to reach our full potential, but the Territory needs a clear vision to get there. The government’s budget delivered yesterday does not deliver that vision. Our commitments laid out here today are just a taste of the exciting future ahead under a Country Liberal Party government. These commitments are squarely aimed at stimulating the Territory’s economy by fostering business and growing our population. Without a vibrant business sector the Territory languishes and that affects us all. Our initiatives, our plans, will stimulate investment and business growth. They are designed to capture the spirit that made the Territory the great place it once was and could be again. They mesh the requirements of a safe and secure environment for investment and growth, coupled with an equally safe and secure environment for families. You cannot look after one without the other. People are the Territory. It is people who are prepared to have a go, to take a chance, who want to enjoy our unique lifestyle, that these elements of our plan cater to.
As I said at the outset, the Country Liberal Party stands for a strong, dynamic Territory with a powerhouse economy. To do that, we will cut business taxes and boost jobs with a comprehensive and deliverable infrastructure program. We will strengthen our vital tourism, primary and secondary industries, and attract new investment with our business tax plan. We stand for a future of unbridled opportunity for all Territorians, and that is what this plan delivers. It is part of a comprehensive approach to reinvigorating the Territory and making it the great place it once was. It will stimulate business and create jobs. While the outline I have provided is focussed squarely on tax relief for business, I will be making further announcements to afford relief to families and individuals in the lead-up to the election.
Our plans for the Territory are fully costed. Our opponents will say this plan is unaffordable. I say we cannot afford not to implement this plan. Without it, the Territory will languish in a mire of mediocrity and I will not stand for that.
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, we will continue budget replies later in the day. We will return to government business. Media representatives should cease filming.
Debate adjourned.
MOTION
Note Paper - Ombudsman for the Northern Territory, Administrative Actions
of Government Authorities
Note Paper - Ombudsman for the Northern Territory, Administrative Actions
of Government Authorities
Continued from 24 March 2005.
Mr ELFERINK (Macdonnell): Madam Speaker, I continue the remarks I started to make on the last day of sittings in Alice Springs. I expressed concerned at that time that, at the very death knell of our parliamentary business in Alice Springs, the Chief Minister would walk into the Chamber and advise the House of the most singularly critical report I have ever heard or read from an Ombudsman into any government department. It is a report that she sat on for six days. She could have just as easily have delivered that report on the first day of sittings in Alice Springs. Although, technically, she is correct in that she has three sitting days to deliver the report, she waited until the very death knell of the third day before the report hit the Table. If this government was into being open, honest and accountable, as it so widely advertised it would be, it would have allowed a fulsome debate on that occasion and in the full glare of the Alice Springs parliamentary process, rather than the furtive exercise that was engaged in.
Already, the hysteria has started to be generated by government in relation to this. Even as short a time ago as yesterday, the Ombudsman’s comments were under attack from this government. I can quote what happened yesterday in this parliament, when I was talking about this particular report. I said:
- … what is the government going to do to recover the $35 000 which was given away illegally and
contrary to law …
Mr Henderson: Who says?
Mr ELFERINK: Says the Ombudsman.
Mr Henderson: ‘No, he does not.
Well, I will take the minister to the appropriate page - page 6 - and point out that the Ombudsman says that:
- … administrative actions were, amongst other things:
taken contrary to law;
In case the minister has missed it, I then go to page 8, where the Ombudsman says that:
- … the … subject of this report were at various times:
- contrary to law;
unreasonable;
based wholly or partly on a mistake of law or fact; or
wrong,
The Ombudsman has gone to great pains to point out on two occasions that what was happening here was contrary to law, against the law, illegal. The minister for Police can stand up in here and say, ‘No, he does not’ all he likes. The fact is that, clearly, the minister for Police, a minister for the Crown, has not read the report or is trying to mislead Territorians about it. I would suggest that the minister for Police …
Mr HENDERSON: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The honourable member knows that he cannot accuse any member of this House of misleading the parliament unless he does so by way of substantive motion. I ask him to withdraw the comments.
Madam SPEAKER: I do not think there is a point of order at this stage. If you feel you have been misquoted you can refute it by personal explanation or in your speech. Member for Macdonnell, I give you warning not to assume too much, though.
Mr ELFERINK: I hear your words, Madam Speaker, and I will show appropriate restraint.
Clearly, this minister does not have a clue what has happened in relation to this report. If it is clearly stated in the first eight pages twice by the Ombudsman then, clearly, this Ombudsman is trying to make a point. The point that he is trying to make is that somebody acted illegally, broke the law. That is the crux of this whole process.
It is worth visiting this Ombudsman’s report because, I can tell you, it makes for some pretty interesting reading. If members do not want to read the whole report, then I urge members to travel between pages 36 and 40 in this report. It makes your hair stand on end. I will quote the Ombudsman, because he says it more eloquently than I:
- Within this context, I have considered the following:
- intention to Mr G) …
Mr G being the Executive Director of the department:
… and 17 June 2002 (the minister’s final approval of the SPG …
… in question) the department had a reasonable opportunity to properly consider and advise
the minister’s proposed allocation of grant money to the LGC …
… Such action would have allowed the minister to make an informed and considered decision.
there does not appear to be any evidence to suggest that Mr G’s verbal advice to the minister on or
about 5 June 2002 had been based on any appropriate assessment of the proposal against any
relevant SPG …
Special purpose grant:
- … criteria/consideration. In this regard I note that Mr G …
This is the Executive Director of the department:
- … stated:
- He [the minister] thought that something should be provided to them and, at that point, I made the point
that it was possible in my view to provide that sort of money to a council, and that it was not all that normal
for councils to receive money to monitor sites and country, but that it fell within the functions of that
particular council.
This is an astonishing thing. This council did not ask for this vehicle; this is a $35 000 gift to a council which did not ask for it, and did not want it when it was given to them because it would have cost them too much to run. What happened? The minister received a phone all from somebody and, as a result of that conversation, he got onto a boat and went to Mandorah, and sat down in a pub and had a conversation with some people from that community. During that conversation, he promised the provision of a Toyota, probably to one of those individuals there, then went back to his office to find a mechanism by which a $35 000 motor vehicle could be granted to the community.
This is interesting, as the minister has insisted publicly on ABC radio that he was under the impression that he was meeting with members of the council in their responsibility as councillors. That is plainly wrong and misleading. Why do I know that? Because if I go to page 76 of this report - and it is worth quoting into the Parliamentary Record:
- Evidence provided by the CEO and members of the LGC …
… under oath or affirmation indicated that they and other council members were clearly aware that the SPG …
… offer to the council from the department to purchase a four-wheel drive vehicle, had been triggered by a
specific request from the ‘traditional landowners’ for a vehicle to monitor sacred sites within the area, as
opposed to a request by council.
These three people who met with the minister in the pub were aware that they were not representing the council. In actual fact, they were meeting as traditional landowners.
There was a press release issued around this time from the minister’s office saying that he had sorted something out at Kenbi. I wonder if this particular vehicle could have been part of that package? The point is, this is clearly – clearly - a step outside the minister’s area of responsibility. The minister has used a $35 000 vehicle as a gift to people living in that area under the guise of the local government authority. How do we know the minister was showing influence in what happens at the local government authority? I quote from page 78 when one of the people who sits on the council was asked by the Ombudsman: ‘Why did you accept a vehicle that you did not ask for?’. The person replied:
- … there would have been a lot of conflict in the community and we would have had probably the minister on to us
because as a council, we didn’t do our duty as a council to provide for our traditional owners. Probably that was
one of the reasons why we didn’t ...
Did not say no:
- … we passed this as a resolution of council at the meeting at the time.
Here was a councillor who felt intimidated by the minister: ‘… the minister would have been on to us …’. What was the conversation that happened in that council meeting at that time? That would be a very interesting thing. Was anybody present at that council meeting at the time also present at the conversation in the pub some time earlier? I would like to think there was and, in fact, it is almost certain that the people who met with the minister at the pub - or at least one or two of them - were present at the council meeting where this decision was made. The minister’s name, doubtlessly, was bandied about in an effort to convince the council to pass a resolution to take a car from the minister which had not been asked for, and was not wanted by the council itself. The vehicle was then gifted to the council by the minister and then, magically, the car is gifted onwards.
Here is the minister’s out, because the car was gifted on by a field officer. That field officer will remain nameless - although I think everybody in this room now knows that field officer’s name - because that field officer is a victim; a victim of this minister’s deliberate misuse of the funds available to him in an effort to achieve an outcome which is still not clear.
Ms MARTIN: A point of order, Madam Speaker! That should be withdrawn. It is a serious accusation he is making and, if he wants to make it, he should it by substantive motion …
Mr Elferink: I am happy to do that.
Ms MARTIN: … and there is no evidence within that report to substantiate what he is saying. It should be withdrawn.
Madam SPEAKER: I was listening in context to it and I thought it was an assumption the member was making. However, I realise the minister …
Ms Martin: It is pretty ugly.
Madam SPEAKER: … also has an opportunity …
Mr Elferink: I am prepared to go ahead with a censure motion.
Ms Martin: It is not substantiated in the Ombudsman’s report.
Madam SPEAKER: The minister has an opportunity to refute that argument. Again, I warn the member for Macdonnell.
Mr ELFERINK: Madam Speaker, this minister has the responsibility to stand up and say: ‘I have broad shoulders. I carry the responsibility of what my department says and does’. His first option was to stand up and say: ‘I have been a public administrator for 20 years, I know what is going on’. His second option, when he realised how much trouble he was in and what was actually in the report, was to publicly attack a public servant in the Darwin Airport, in front of a TV camera, and say that public servant has been chastised. This minister was meeting in pubs with people over a few drinks to try to find out what to do with $35 000 Toyotas, and has his hands all over this from the word go.
Let us have a look at the process which was involved in the transfer of this property. It is worth reading the fact that Mr G said this was not the normal process of doing things. It was not at all normal for a council to receive money to monitor sites and country. This minister had another reason for providing this Toyota and, although the Ombudsman says in his report there is no evidence to directly link the minister with that decision to gift the Toyota to a private individual, there is clearly evidence that the minister was involved in the transaction from its very inception to the delivery of the Toyota to the council and, then, there is the delivery of the Toyota from the council to one of the people the minister met with. I ask all people with a reasonable grasp of how things work in the world whether this is just an amazing coincidence or, in actual fact, there was something else in the minister’s plans. The point is that, if the minister was to be discovered doing this in actuality, he would be in deep trouble. However, he has built the firewall in and the firewall is a public servant.
In the last couple of days, I read a newspaper report, of which I have a copy here, in which this government sued a woman who had been bashed senseless, within an inch of her life. Why did they sue that woman? Because of a clerical departmental error. A dual application had been put in for a victim of crime application, one in Tennant Creek and one in Alice Springs. It was a clerical error; it was not the woman’s fault at all. As a consequence of it, she was harangued all the way to the Supreme Court of the Northern Territory to recover $3000 worth of costs.
I ask this question: if the Department of Justice is prepared to pursue an assault victim to the Supreme Court to extract $3000 from her for clerical errors, in costs, what steps has this minister taken to recover the $35 000 to the taxpayer for the erroneous delivery of a vehicle into taxpayers’ hands? Who will pay for this error? Is it you, minister? Is it the field officer you blame? Will the field officer pay, minister? Is it the council themselves? Will it be taken from their next budget? Will it be the CEO of the department? Who will it be? Who is going to pay? Is it going to be left to the taxpayer? It is a very inconsistent approach by this government when they are prepared to pursue assault victims for $3000 and, in another instance, 12 times that amount is supposed to go to the keeper. I would like to hear from this minister: who is going to pick up the bill for this decision?
Another problem is that the process the minister went through to get this vehicle approved has a very big question mark over it, and I take this from page 37 of the report, and I quote the Ombudsman:
- … there is no evidence that the minister’s proposal was assessed by the department, at any stage, against
any ‘special purpose criteria’ (or any other relevant considerations) or that the department explored its
viability with the councils before.
The minister may choose to follow that recommendation or not, but there is a series of criteria. I am starting to wonder what this government looks to in criteria when it comes to dishing out grants, because it is clear that the Treasurer seems to think that - what was it? - Mr Big Pants and Mistress Natasha were worthwhile recipients of a grant.
Incidentally, it is worth pointing out, as a small departure from this debate, that this Treasurer said that the Community Benefits Fund, which paid for Mr Big Pants and Mistress Natasha, was going to be done from arm’s length of government and it was all going to be squeaky clean. Yet, we hear on radio that this Treasurer still signed off on all of the grants that came before him. Therefore, the promise is that they would do it from arm’s length but, really, they sit up in their little offices and sign off on these things. However, I digress.
The fact is that this Toyota did not go to the department for any sort of assessment. Again, I quote from the Ombudsman:
- I would add that if the department had done so, it is highly likely that it might have ascertained that the request
for financial assistance was made by way of a personal submission by three members of the community who
were seeking a vehicle for monitoring sacred sites within the area.
I go on a little further:
- Put simply, the LGC had no plans, and had formulated no proposal, to carry out the function for which the
vehicle was provided to them.
- As a result, I am of the opinion that the department’s actions, or more correctly, its lack of action, in not
providing the minister with appropriate or considered advice in relation to the provision of funding to
the LGC for the purchase of the 4-wheel drive vehicle to monitor the country and sites, was unreasonable …
The fact is that the Ombudsman could not criticise the minister because his office did not respond to the minister, so he could only criticise the department. The minister shot himself in the foot when, a few days later, he climbed in front of a TV camera and said this:
- I have been a public administrator for 20 years. I know what is going on.
If that is true, then the one out clause that the minister was provided with to plead ignorance, because he was not properly advised by the department, has gone. The minister has said: ‘I know what is going on. I have been a public administrator for 20 years. I am not corrupt. I know how this stuff works’. If you know how it works, why didn’t you send it off to the department for an assessment? The reason is that the minister already knew that the department’s response would be: ‘You have to be kidding! Surely you can find better things to spend $35 000 on’.
Mr G, the Executive Director of the department, acknowledged:
- … the process in previous, in many years, has been sloppy in that [needs based funding] applications come
from councils. They float in at various points of the year …
What is of particular concern to me is Mr G’s assertion that:
- … it is not at all unusual for a submission to be made direct to the minister and for it not to hit the department
for analysis.
How many more, minister? How many more vehicles have been given away? I would like to see this minister lay on the Table in his response here today, in an exercise of openness, honesty and accountability, a full list of all vehicles given away since he has been minister under special purpose grants. It could not be that hard to rake up, and would not take that long to do. I would also like to know how many of those went to the department for assessment, because you would have a result that would not look well for the minister.
In fact, I have some evidence to make this assertion, and this evidence comes from the Ombudsman on page 39 of his report. The Ombudsman said:
Additionally, I was unable to find any documentary evidence to assist me to determine whether the department
had given any prior analysis to the $6000 provided to ‘S’ in June 2002 under the umbrella of a SPG. That said,
Mr G …
The Executive Director of the department:
- … stated that he had a, ‘fairly substantial discussion with the minister’ about that particular matter. I did not
explore the details surrounding this discussion as part of my general investigation.
- In so saying however, the fact that the responsible officer for the administration of the local government grants
program, Mr F, had stated that he, ‘was not aware or privy to the basis upon which the minister approved the grant’.
This is, to my mind, sufficient grounds to become concerned as to whether the department has adequate or
appropriate procedures in place to ensure that the minister is made aware of all relevant factors prior to making
his decision.
The person who runs the grant, the guy who signs the cheques - well actually no, he does not sign the cheques - administers the grant of this $1.2m fund - this guy is sitting there. It is his job to keep an eye on the money and he is, ‘not aware or privy to the basis upon which the minister appears this grant’. What does that mean? That means that the guy who is supposed to be running the special purpose grants account does not have a clue what the minister is spending the money on. He gets a cheque for $6000, and does not have a clue. He gets a cheque for $6000, pays it out, and the minister’s little scribble is on the bottom of it. How many more?
This is an investigation into one gifted vehicle and, during that investigation, the minister is discovered in other areas to have signed cheques off without even the grants controller, the guy who runs the account, having the vaguest idea what the minister is signing off on. I again quote:
- … it is not at all unusual for a submission to be made direct to the minister and for it not to hit the department
for analysis.
Not unusual. How many more, minister? How many more cheques have you signed, how many more vehicles have been given away which have not been scrutinised by the department underneath you?
Mr Ah Kit: None, none.
Mr ELFERINK: If you are such an expert on public administration, surely the minister would be asking himself: ‘Gee whiz, perhaps I should go and get some advice on this before I start scribbling out cheques’. The minister, by way of interjection, says ‘None’. Good! Put them all on the Table. Put every special purpose grant for the last three years on the Table, let us have a look. Let us have a look at how much you have given away. There is your credibility. You can test and demonstrate his credibility by putting down every grant given away in the last three years on the Table and we will have a look at it. We will go and talk to the people and see whether or not this is done through the appropriate process.
As I said at the outset, this is probably one of the most shocking indictments of a minister that has ever hit the Table in this place. It is a clear and unequivocal criticism of the minister. It is critical either because he (a) was involved in this process, which then does make the process corrupt; or (b) was not involved in the process and has absolutely no understanding of what is happening around him and in his department. It is up to the public of the Northern Territory to make a determination as to which.
Small wonder that the Ombudsman no longer has his job: ‘We have decided on a new act for the Ombudsman’, says the Chief Minister, ‘Bye Mr Boyce. Thanks for coming; we really thought you had done a great job, but you are on your way’. They have now executed the Ombudsman. Guess what else? They are now going to execute the minister. This is the minister who was pre-selected to stand for the seat of Arnhem in the next Territory election and, all of a sudden, the health conditions which he has had for the last three years – it has been no secret; he has discussed them in here and outside before – become too much for him. He sought pre-selection then, as the torpedoes start to head towards him, including the torpedo of Mr Warren Anderson who is still having a battle with him – by the way, I wonder how much of the $3m worth of legal costs added to the minister’s department goes to the defence against Warren Anderson? There is a torpedo for you. This minister has Mr Jeff Sher QC representing him who, as I understand it, will not get out of bed in the morning for $8000. This is the best litigation silk in the country representing this minister. That is another torpedo heading in his direction. You have this torpedo heading in his direction, and we have a minister who is ducking and weaving on several other issues.
This minister suddenly decided he has had enough and he wants to retire. I bet he does! But, gee whiz, I can tell you something else: I will not believe the story that he was not pushed until the police dust his back for fingerprints. It was all very well and good to see Clare giving him a big hug and saying: ‘Jack, thanks for coming, you have done a good job, mate, but we do not want you around this time’. Absolutely not! I can tell you why: this minister has become a millstone around the neck of this government going into the next election. True to form with the Labor Party, they will quite ruthlessly and happily execute all those around them for the purposes of making sure they look squeaky clean.
That fact is that there needs to be more inquiry into this. The Auditor-General has been given a reference to look into this, but the reference should be to the Public Accounts Committee. It should travel to Belyuen and speak to the players and public servants involved, and gain evidence from all those people and report before the next Territory election to advise what was actually said at that pub all those years ago. If the Public Accounts Committee was able to report on this and take evidence from these people, it would fill in the blanks that this Ombudsman’s report leaves behind - the questions which are unanswered.
What is not going to happen in this parliament today is any commitment from this government to have the Public Accounts Committee look at it. Also what is not going to happen is the special purpose grants signed off by this minister over the last three years are not going to get to this Table. That is the litmus test to the integrity of this minister: put the grants on the Table, let us have a look at them, and then we can make an assessment as to whether the integrity of your ministership has been up to standard.
Debate suspended until after Question Time.
MOTION
Note Paper - Ombudsman for the Northern Territory, Administrative Actions
of Government Authorities
Note Paper - Ombudsman for the Northern Territory, Administrative Actions
of Government Authorities
Continued from earlier this day.
Mr WOOD (Nelson): Madam Speaker, I would like to say a few things on this issue. The Ombudsman’s report is fairly lengthy and, at times, fairly complicated. I am not sure whether that is the Ombudsman’s style, but it certainly requires a bit to work through it. It does say some succinct things, and one is on page 8 under ‘Maladministration’, where the Ombudsman clearly states:
- I am of the opinion that the administrative actions of the Department of Community Development, Sport and
Cultural Affairs and the local government council subject of this report were at various times:
contrary to law;
based wholly or partly on a mistake of law or fact; or
within the meaning of sections 26(1)(a), 26(1)(b), 26(1)(f) and 26(1)(g) of the Ombudsman (Northern Territory) Act.
I am interested in hearing the minister’s response to the Ombudsman’s report, but I would like him, when he is giving his reply, to address the section of ‘Maladministration’.
I have a number of questions that, hopefully, the minister will be able to answer. The first relates to a footnote on page 27, which refers to this statement by the Ombudsman:
- On 17 June 2002, the Minister for Local Government made a decision to approve $39 000 to the LGC for the
purchase of a vehicle ‘to allow the council to monitor country and sites’3.
- This approval and instruction was handwritten by the minister on the bottom of page 3 of the memorandum
prepared by Mr F of 3 June 2002.
The question I ask, minister, is: is that an appropriate way to approve the sale of a vehicle - or the gifting of a vehicle, to be more accurate - or was there other documentation that backed up this notation to which the Ombudsman referred?
Another question that I would like the minister to answer relates to page 25 where the Ombudsman said:
- It appears that on or about 5 June 2002, Mr G stated that he met with the Minister for Local Government
to discuss the second round brief. In this regard, he stated that the minister ‘also mentioned that the [LGC]
had put in a bid for some money ...
I have other questions. Since the Ombudsman bought out this report, has the government been proactive in looking at the role of its own department in this particular affair? What has it done to, perhaps, improve the way it acts in these circumstances if it is at fault? What is the role of the department in educating, you might say, in the role of local government because, obviously, the role of local government in relation especially to conflict of interest takes up a large amount of this report. I, for one, have spoken about local government as distinct from traditional government in this parliament before. Local government deals with the provision of local government services although, if you read the documentation for the Belyuen Community Council, they actually have quite a few other responsibilities. Regardless of that, they need to act within the Local Government Act and, clearly, from the Ombudsman’s point of view, they may have acted illegally or contrary to law.
I believe there needs to be that continual reinforcement that local governments are bound by the Local Government Act. You can see this no more than when there are times when CEOs are put under pressure by some people on a council to act contrary to the law. Of course, sometimes there are threats of violence towards those people, and I know that makes it very hard for that person to stay within the law, or is required, basically, to leave for their own safety. I believe there needs to be a continual reinforcement that anyone on a local government, no matter where they are in the Territory, must act within the law. If they do not, then penalties must apply. And minister, I remember very early in parliament, you spoke about how unfortunate the state of affairs were in many of our regions. I am presuming that you were generally talking about the bad state of local government in those communities ...
Mr Elferink: Page 10 is what you are looking for, Gerry. The organisational bankruptcy of the vast majority of remote Aboriginal communities.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Thank you.
Mr WOOD: Thank you, member for Macdonnell. Yes, it is the organisational bankruptcy of the vast majority of remote Aboriginal communities. I believe part of that is that Aboriginal communities were given far too many things to do that they were not funded for, far outside what normal councils would be required to do. They started taking on banks, post office, health when, really, they should have been working on hygiene, rubbish, roads, keeping the place tidy, parks and gardens, that sort of thing. I believe we put too big a load on them. The other thing is, I do not think a lot of people understood that they were part of a government which had to act as a government and act within the law. We need to reinforce those, so that every time new councillors come on to a council, that happens. I am not saying there have not been educational programs, but you do wonder if those educational programs really worked if the minister says there is organisational bankruptcy in those communities.
I am interested in the response, minister, because I am concerned that, if the Ombudsman is raising this - and he is also hinting that it may occur elsewhere - I wonder what the Department of Local Government has done. After all, that is its job. I have had my issues with the Territory government, but local government is subservient to the Northern Territory government. The Northern Territory government makes its by-laws, or at least it approves them. The Northern Territory government is the owner of the Local Government Act, so you have to ask whether they have been enforcing their own Local Government Act to make sure the councillors are acting appropriately. The question is, in the case of this particular council, whether any action has been taken if the council has done something unlawful? Has there been any requirement within the department to find out if someone has done something unlawful or, not done something at least according to the public service act? I am interested in answers to questions like that.
The question is if the vehicle was not meant to be gifted, therefore, the process was illegal or incorrect or wrong - whatever spin you want to put on it - who is paying for that vehicle; and who is going to compensate the government for a vehicle that really should not have been there in the first place? I am interested in that as well.
The Ombudsman has also 14 I think – I will just check how many recommendations - on pages 9 and 10 as part of the Executive Summary. There is a whole series of recommendations there. I am wondering, in your reply, whether you would be able to address those recommendations and tell us how many of the recommendations you agree with. An Ombudsman’s report is an Ombudsman’s opinion. Even the council I have worked on has been, at times, subject to Ombudsman’s investigations. We have not always agreed with the Ombudsman. However, the Ombudsman here has brought out a fairly big document, so he was pretty serious about this particular matter. He has made 14 recommendations. Minister, I am interested for you to tell us how many of those recommendations you will put in place, and if you have any disagreements with those recommendations.
Lastly, I ask one other question, minister. It relates to the Ombudsman saying that he had sent a draft copy of his report to your department, your office. It appears as though there was no comment from your office about the draft report. Was there any reason for that, or did you feel that you would rather wait for the final report to come out and then comment on it?
Madam Speaker, it is a very interesting report. It highlights some very important issues. We have to be stricter with the way we run our councils. We also have to be stricter, from a government point of view, with how special purpose grants are given out. We have to make sure they are not just a nod of a head and a wink. I am not saying that this is, necessarily, the case; I am very interested to hear what the minister has to say about how this particular case occurred. However, the Ombudsman has raised it and, for him to write a report this long certainly must indicate he believes there have been problems either in the granting of the vehicle, the operation of the local government council that is involved, or the manner in which the department has operated. They are all issues that need to be addressed by the minister. I am certainly interested in hearing what he has to say.
Mr AH KIT (Community Development): Madam Speaker, I say at the outset that I will respond shortly to some of the questions asked by the member for Nelson and, no doubt, answer some of the concerns raised by the member for Macdonnell, even though what I am about to say will prove that, as I believe, he has it totally wrong.
The facts of this matter have been laid out in the Ombudsman’s report which was tabled in the last sittings in Alice Springs. They are quite clear, and I commend the Ombudsman for the work he carried out. Since then, the people on the opposite side have sought to embroider and distort those findings. The member for Brennan, indeed, has claimed an act of criminality by me. I am told that he has written a letter alleging this criminality to the Police Commissioner. I, in turn, wrote to the commissioner making myself available to assist police in the matter. I would like to table that, Madam Speaker, because I will come back to it very shortly. I will quickly read it:
- Mr Paul White
Commissioner of Police
NT Police
PO Box 39764
Winnellie
Dear Commissioner
In recent days the media has recorded the making of false allegations against me and statements that
correspondence may be sent to the NT Police seeking their involvement in this matter.
If this does come to pass and the police believe it may assist, I would be more than happy to talk to the
NT Police at any time regarding this matter.
Yours sincerely
John Ah Kit
2 April 2005.
That points out, quite clearly, that I have nothing to hide. However, despite repeated requests to the Leader of the Opposition by the media, he has not produced a single shred of evidence. He and the member for Macdonnell, along with various other CLP candidates, have indulged in attacks on me. And this, from the member for Macdonnell, who refused to speak to the police in their inquiries after the notorious camel killing episode reported in the media in recent times.
I would like to table a copy of that press release. However, before I do that, I would like to read that also …
Mr Dunham: You are innocent because somebody else has done something wrong? It is not going to work, mate. It has nothing to do with giving away motor cars.
Mr AH KIT: Well … On 19 April 2005, ‘MP camel shooting inquiries slammed’ …
Mr Dunham: That is not a motor car!
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr AH KIT: This is camels. So it is okay to shoot camels?
Members interjecting.
Mr AH KIT: Madam Speaker, I will try not to be interrupted by the members opposite. The story goes:
- A police investigation into allegations CLP politician John Elferink illegally entered Aboriginal land and
shot six camels was ‘inadequate and unreasonable’, the Ombudsman had found.
It goes on:
- The camels were found near Docker River, 250 km west of Alice Springs, February 2003. At the time,
Mr Elferink refused to comment.
- Mr Elferink, a keen hunter, who represents the mainly Aboriginal constituency of Macdonnell, later handed
his rifle to police for examination and again refused to comment.
- A few months later the politician denied ‘any knowledge of the incident’ or that he had ‘committed any offences’.
- He said if questioned, he would ‘exercise his right to silence’.
Mr Elferink again refused to comment.
I have written a letter to the Police Commissioner saying: ‘I have nothing to hide, talk to me if you have a problem’.
Mr Dunham interjecting.
Mr AH KIT: We are waiting …
Mr Dunham interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Drysdale, cease.
Mr AH KIT: We will await the outcome of the police inquiries. They will, no doubt, write back to the Leader of the Opposition providing advice on what they intend to do with it. I certainly hope that it is not going to be too long, because I am quite sure that nothing will be found and that I will be cleared, as I should be.
Anyway, I go on. I can only hope that - although I will not hold my breath - the member for Brennan and others will have the grace to apologise to me and the Territory electorate when the police find nothing to act on. Similarly, I can only hope - but, again, will not hold my breath - that an apology will come from those on the other side when the Auditor-General makes a similar determination.
Mr Elferink: Yes.
Mr AH KIT: You said yes? Good, I will wait for that public apology.
As anyone who has read the report would know, the matter relates to a $35 000 special purpose grant provided to the Belyuen Community Government Council in 2002 for the purchase of a vehicle to allow the council to monitor country and sites. This is a function that falls within the realm of the council’s responsibilities as stipulated in its constitution - a constitution endorsed by this parliament under a previous CLP government.
The relevant provision reads, under section 12(w) relating to functions of the Belyuen Community Government Council, that the council may perform the function of the maintenance and preservation of Aboriginal law and custom. There can be nothing clearer than that, and it was on that basis that the grant of $35 000 was made to the Belyuen Council and that I met, at Mandorah, with the CEO and president of the council and another member of the community. To suggest there is something mysterious …
Mr Elferink: They were not there in that capacity. You swore on oath that they were not.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Macdonnell, you have had your say. Let us listen to the minister.
Mr AH KIT: … or sinister about a local government minister meeting with the CEO and a president of a council says something about the peculiar mindset of those opposite. It was on the basis of that meeting with members of Belyuen Council, and a subsequent written request that I approved the grant.
Subsequent to that, as the Ombudsman’s report makes clear, things went pear-shaped. The council, not wishing to incur costs through the use of the vehicle, gifted it to three individuals who would carry out the task. In doing so, the council failed to seek the required ministerial approval for this action under section 129(4) of the Local Government Act, which requires a council to obtain ministerial approval to sell or exchange an asset. The department did not specifically advise the council that ministerial approval is required for the gifting of a resource provided with funds from the government.
Of his own motion, the Ombudsman inquired into the circumstances surrounding the gifting of the vehicle. The Ombudsman forwarded an interim report to the department and a detailed response was provided to the matters raised. In my view, the department was open and frank in its response to the Ombudsman, and the department acknowledged and, indeed, acted upon, suggestions in the Ombudsman’s preliminary report to improve procedures used to administer special purposes grants under the act. While he is not entitled to question the personal decisions of a minister in this case, in his final report, the Ombudsman stated:
- … I feel it is significant that there was no evidence to suggest that the minister has in any way directed …
Mr Dunham: Have you talked to him and made yourself available?
Mr AH KIT: I will start again, Madam Speaker:
- … I feel it is significant that there was no evidence to suggest that the minister has in any way directed that
funds be made available to members of the …
… community in their own right. There is also no evidence to suggest that the minister, or his office, was
involved in the LGC’s decision to ‘gift’ a council asset.
I recently endorsed a formal protocol for the processing of local government special purpose grants, as recommended by the Ombudsman. The department has met with the Belyuen Community Government Council, which has agreed to pay back the $35 000 provided to it as a special purpose grant and has also undertaken to take up recommendations made by the Ombudsman in relation to the management of conflicts of interest.
The Chief Minister has referred the matter to the Auditor-General for consideration and advice as to what action, if any, is deemed appropriate in the circumstances. The Auditor-General will report, if he has not already, to the Chief Minister. I believe she will be participating in this debate and can inform the House on the Auditor-General’s findings.
In the remaining time, I want to come to some of the points raised with regard to ‘Maladministration’ on page 8. I read page 8, which deals with the Ombudsman’s opinion:
- … that the administrative actions of the Department of Community Development, Sport and Cultural Affairs
and the local government council subject of this report were at various times:
contrary to law;
wrong …
You have to understand what I have just explained, and ask whether this is aimed at the minister or the department or a particular officer. Certainly, I do not see it being aimed at myself, given what else he has said in regards to his report on page 35. In fact, he said:
In the main, my concern was with the department’s involvement in the transaction which appeared, on the face
of it, to leave the Minister for Local Government, the LGC and itself exposed to allegations that government
monies were used for an inappropriate purpose.
I also go to one of the concerns raised by the member for Nelson about the bottom of page 27. I want to let him know what I believe the Ombudsman is referring to. From memory, in the briefing I received from the department, I noted in my handwriting that the vehicle was approved but it must go to the council and not to individuals. So that is spelt out quite clearly from me.
I also respond to a question asked by the member for Nelson in regards to waiting for the final report. Yes, I am waiting for the final report. I did not feel at that time, with the politics that was being played out, that I should respond to the Ombudsman. He had a job to do; he went out and talked to people. He talked to the CEO, obviously, and to people within the department. I felt that I had nothing to fear in regard to the inquiry, that I would be cleared - and that, I believe, is still going to be the case - and that I would wait for the final report. That was the choice I made.
In regard to this whole situation with the grant, I can say to the members opposite that it is not the first time I have had an attack on me and my reputation. I have worked in public office for some 25 years, and I have worked very hard to establish a very good name, I believe, in the Northern Territory and across this country. However, I come from a big family. I have had claims of nepotism. I have, on my father’s side, 250 immediate family members, and my mother’s side, similar. I have 500 very close relations. If you add to that extended family, I have something like 3000 relatives I am very proud of, and for whom I will not make any apologies. Many of them born here, grew up here, worked hard all their lives, will continue to work hard, and will continue to contribute to the Territory and to how we move forward. If they have won jobs on their own merit, good luck to them, whether in the public service or private sector. I refute any of these silly allegations of nepotism with regard to any of my family being appointed to any position with any department within the public service, the Commonwealth or local government as such.
As I said, I am somewhat concerned about the continuous attacks in regards to my reputation. I do not know whether members opposite can claim that they have been able to have a very hardworking career as mine, in regard to the battles that I have fought over the years and my contribution to the Territory. However, I certainly do not take kindly to having them go off on a wild goose hunt, accusing me of being corrupt. That is something that is not substantiated. I believe that when the Auditor-General reports to the Chief Minister, and when the report of the Commissioner of Police comes back, that there will be nothing found.
Madam Speaker, I will very keenly await the apology that has been promised and committed by the member for Macdonnell, and I certainly hope the Leader of the Opposition follows suit, because going on a wild goose chase or accusing me of shooting myself in the foot is nothing short of saying that I have conducted myself in a very corrupt manner. It is something that I have not done for 25 years. I have worked hard and I do not believe I deserve this type of cheap, political, gutter treatment from the members opposite.
Mr DUNHAM (Drysdale): From the start, Madam Speaker, it is not cheap; we are talking about $35 000 here which is quite an important amount of money. I believe the minister’s appeal to us to look to his credentials and his history degrades him. He should focus on this report. It has been evident that he has not read it that closely, by his contribution just then. I read it after parliament in Alice Springs. I have not revisited it to any great extent, but some of the things he said I knew to be different. It was gifted to one person, not to three.
The community government council may well have some powers that have been authorised through devices by this parliament, but it was outside the boundaries. My old reading of the Local Government Act meant that, if you wanted to do something outside of your boundaries and functions, there had to be an approval for it.
Regarding the business about ‘it is not him’; it has to be somebody. I guess that is the point that my colleague, the member for Macdonnell, was trying to make: that $35 000 has gone missing. The council has put its hand up and said: ‘Well, we will chuck that back into the pot!’ The councillors also said in this report: ‘What, you think we were going to upset the department and the minister by knocking this vehicle back? No way!’ That is probably one of the biggest concerns in here; that there appears to be a fear in the councils that they would have some sort of punitive response if they did not participate in this act of collusion. That is evident in there. For the council to be saying: ‘Well, we will be getting involved in this whole chain of things, even though we did not ask, we did not want it, we were worried about the procedure’, causes me concern, because I do know that this minister is anti-local government.
While he is quite happy to parade his credentials here, I remember his credentials. I worked in the Office of Local Government when the member for Arnhem was in the land council and fought against local government - strongly against local government. We got to the high farce stage where the permit for Don Dunstan, former Labor Premier of South Australia, to go to Ngukurr was knocked back. It was quite a guerrilla campaign that was waged by the land council against local government, which they saw as, somehow, diminishing their powers and potency as the great orator and spokesmen for Aboriginal people. So, I know his bona fides.
When you look at the Darwin City Council, it is not that long ago that I stood in this House and protected the Town Clerk of the Darwin City Council, Mr Alan McGill, whom I know to be a honourable and upstanding man, and the minister was affronted and offended. He said: ‘You have made this terrible attack on the officers of the Office of Local Government’. Well, I believe the Office of Local Government is as accountable as members of this parliament - as anybody else. It shows just how hollow the words were because the minister, as soon as there was a whiff about a problem with this, quickly came out and blamed - who? A field officer in the Office of Local Government. I know this gentleman. I have worked with the person who is unnamed - and I shall not be naming him here either - and I know him to be a field officer of longstanding. I know him to be a person of great honour and integrity. He has worked right throughout many communities in the Top End and his reputation, although anonymous in this report, has been impugned.
The minister said: ‘If you read the report you will see the car was gifted to Belyuen’. The report does not tell us that, and I guess that is my point. There are a few of us who have done the links. We have done our little check and we know who in the community it is. Some people even know where the vehicle is and what it is worth - $2500 I am told currently, because it has now been traded twice. The minister has to do a little more about defending the integrity of the system, not: ‘It is not me, I am a good and honest bloke and everybody knows me to be that, therefore, I do not have to say anymore. I wrote a letter to the Police Commissioner saying I will participate, and I am sure the Auditor-General will find me innocent’. Well, the Auditor-General has not commenced to look yet. It is my understanding he is waiting for the police report. Perhaps he knows something more than me. However, I would have thought the police investigation is still on foot. I would have thought that, after that, the Auditor-General will do what the Chief Minister has asked him to do; that is, to investigate this matter. I would have thought that he will report back to parliament.
This is a significant matter because it is a bit of a needle in a haystack when you are sitting in opposition looking for where the government might have mucked up particularly, as I said, where there could be elements of collusion; where communities could be so worried about their relationship with the minister and the department that they unwittingly get involved in it. It is in the report if you read it. I am very concerned, and I am happy to quote from page 30 of the Ombudsman’s Report:
- Of particular concern to me was Mr G’s assertion that ‘it is not at all unusual for a submission to be made direct
to the minister and for it not to hit the department for analysis’.
It would appear on the reading of this report that we are not talking about one car; we are talking about a process. The report talks about a couple of other grants, or monies, which found their way to people who do not have incorporation or whatever behind them. Therefore, one can only assume that they went to natural persons, and there are at least two such grants in this report.
This is a significant issue. This is not a cheap shot; it is an expensive shot. I suggest the current Minister for Local Government should have taken this as a most serious matter. It is no good to table a letter saying: ‘Dear Commissioner of Police, I am happy to cooperate’. He must have known about this. This report has been going on for some time; there would have been briefs to the minister. On at least one of the matters in here there were significant discussions between the CEO and the minister.
I point out that the CEO, in our Westminster tradition in relation to matters such as finance, is called the Accountable Officer. The reason for this is that he eventually is called to account for these monies and this type of thing. I will be most angry if the field officer concerned is, in some way, impugned or punished about this, as I know the person and his level of integrity. Albeit anonymously, I am happy to put on the Parliamentary Record my great support for this person. If, in any way, this person is punished as a result of this Ombudsman’s report, I will be making very strenuous representations in parliament, and also to the Ombudsman and Attorney-General, as I am sure he will be found to be an innocent bystander.
The same is not demonstrably true of the minister, nor the accountable officer. The minister’s contribution was very light on those matters. He definitely was in a pub talking to people who asked for something, and they definitely somehow got it. That trail between asking for a motor car and getting a motor car involved the minister. Whilst he might say the Ombudsman did not say he had his fingerprints all over it, the Ombudsman also said: ‘I was not able to ask’. The minister said it in his answer. He said: ‘…while the politics were being played out …’. Well, we did not know about it. We did not know until Alice Springs when this hit the ground. Therefore, the only politics being played out must have been internal to the Labor Party and to people involved in this, as we were totally unaware of it.
For him to want to wait for the report obviously puts a stern caveat on the Ombudsman on two counts: first, that he cannot look at the actions of a minister, and second, the minister did not participate in his investigation, or chose not to as he was waiting for the politics to be played out. This is not good enough, Chief Minister. If you think it is answered by the impending exit of the member for Arnhem, I can tell you it is not. It goes to a systemic failure; this is one motor car that got into the hands of private citizens which was funded by the taxpayer. It is entirely reasonable to ask whether that systemic failure replicated itself for other vehicles, on other occasions. It is entirely reasonable for the member for Arnhem be called to account, currently as a minister and maybe later on as a citizen of the Northern Territory. However, this is not a matter which should be trivialised in the way of ‘some CLP witch hunt’.
We were totally oblivious to this until the Chief Minister chose, in the dying moments of the Alice Springs sittings, to slap this matter on the Table and hope it would go away. It is curious it has been brought on again today, and I suspect it is some sort of government attempt at catharsis where they bring it on, we get the collective bile off our liver, and they can then go out and say: ‘This has been debated in parliament and it is all finished’. It is not finished; there is a police investigation on foot, as well as an Auditor-General investigation. This parliament records its concern over at least a couple of speakers that this matter has not reached any finality, and it should not be portrayed to anybody that that is the case.
I look with interest to further contributions from ministers. I was absolutely gobsmacked and appalled yesterday to read about the circumstances of that poor lady who was assaulted and, through clerical error, was overpaid an amount of $3000. The minister today talked about the teachers’ EBA and said: ‘Oh yes, $50m. That is within budget; that is pretty easy to find’. Well, $3000 is a pretty significant amount to find if you are out there as someone who has been the victim of an assault such as this.
I would suggest that this is treated seriously by this government. I suggest they tell us who is being pursued. If it is, indeed, the Belyuen Council that has chosen to repay the $35 000, I would like to know whether the minister’s comments that a field officer was responsible and had been slapped on the knuckles is something that he is prepared to withdraw because, obviously, he was wrong when he made that allegation against field staff.
I will leave it there, Madam Speaker, other than to say that I hope there will be an opportunity for this parliament to revisit this. If the intention of bringing this on today is that we get past it and, like the member for Johnston not being called to account for his actions and various other things that we have seen here, the Chief Minister says: ‘No, sorry, that is all behind us. We are not going back there and we are never going to discuss it’. If that is the intention of this, she has another think coming, because this is a matter that must be pursued to its finality. If what we have here is one example of a systemic failure, any auditor will tell you that the propensity for it to happen on more than one occasion is there.
What we have here is a hole that demonstrates risk, and that risk is something that could have provided several cars. The minister has not gone anywhere near that. His refusal to answer questions in Question Time was certainly something that rang alarm bells for me. I will be very pleased to revisit this on the future occasions that it comes before this parliament.
Ms MARTIN (Chief Minister): Madam Speaker, I want to thank the Ombudsman for his report into this particular circumstance; the special purpose grant. That is why we have an Ombudsman. If there are issues about administration, if there are things that do not follow proper process, then that is what we rely on the Ombudsman to do. Therefore, I thank him for his report.
What I find curious is that, even though the Ombudsman has been very clear in his findings, we have had members of the opposition say that somehow there was more to it. The Ombudsman made a very clear assessment of his investigation, which was substantial – this is not a lightweight document – and is very clear about the result. Yet, members of the opposition in a very clever - I will give them clever - and strangely slippery way are trying to imply that there was more to it.
We rely on the Ombudsman’s Office, the Ombudsman himself to make a report and, yet …
Mr Baldwin: You table these lists of motor cars. How about you table them?
Ms MARTIN: Madam Speaker, the member for Daly could have contributed to this debate had he wished.
Mr Baldwin: Yes, you could table the list; you are the Chief Minister.
Ms MARTIN: Madam Speaker, we are dealing with one particular circumstance that the proper processes through a department were not followed. This has been spelt out very clearly in the Ombudsman’s report. Yet, listening to members of the opposition, the Ombudsman must be incompetent because they tell a very different story. They take small pieces of information throughout this report, put it together in a way that suits their purposes, then say there is a conspiracy theory and call the minister corrupt. That is not a logical chain of events. I say thank you to the Ombudsman for his report. He has clarified where…
Mr Dunham: You stand fully behind him on this?
Ms MARTIN: The member for Drysdale had an opportunity to contribute to this debate …
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Drysdale, let us have silence.
Ms MARTIN: … and I thank him for that contribution. I do not necessarily respect that contribution because I do not think it was accurate, neither do I the member for Macdonnell’s contribution because, when you have a straightforward report into an incident that says there was incorrect advice given within the department and that that can be rectified and, as the minister says, it has been rectified, to me, that is the end of the matter. Yet, you have the opposition creating this wild and tangled conspiracy that has no evidence in this report - no evidence at all.
I thank the Ombudsman for his report, part of which said that we should refer the matter to the Auditor-General. This has been done. The Auditor-General has advised me that he has reviewed the Community Development files that are relevant to this matter, and discussed the circumstances surrounding the grant with officers in the department. The Auditor-General found no evidence of any systematic failure on the part of the department. I make that clear. Or are we going to have the opposition say that we have an idiot Ombudsman and an idiot Auditor-General? I just say this: the Auditor-General found no evidence of any systematic failure on the part of the department. End of conspiracy theory! Okay? End of conspiracy theory.
Mr Baldwin interjecting
Ms MARTIN: Okay, the Auditor-General is incompetent as well? Fine. We have these statutory positions, Madam Speaker …
Mr DUNHAM: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I cannot leave that on the Parliamentary Record because the assumption is that I insinuated the Auditor-General was incompetent.
Ms Martin: You did.
Mr DUNHAM: I would never do that, Madam Speaker.
Ms Martin: So did the member for Macdonnell.
Mr DUNHAM: So for her to pose a rhetorical question and answer it herself in the …
Mr BONSON: A point of order, Madam Speaker!
Mr DUNHAM: … pretence that was coming from me …
Mr BONSON: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Could we ask the member to return to his desk before he …
Ms Carney: Good point of order, Matty. Go, man!
Mr DUNHAM: A point of order, Madam Speaker!
Madam SPEAKER: No, there is no point of order, member for Drysdale. Chief Minister, continue. If we could have the Chief Minister continue in silence as we did for most of the speakers, we would not have this misunderstanding that seems to have eventuated.
Ms MARTIN: Madam Speaker, I will finish with what the Auditor-General said, because I have a lot of confidence in our Auditor-General. I also have a lot of confidence in our Ombudsman and the Ombudsman’s Office. Let me just put that on the record, unlike the views of the members of the opposition, who are basically saying you cannot trust their reports.
Mr Dunham: Not true.
Ms MARTIN: It is true. In the Auditor-General’s opinion …
Mr BURKE: A point of order, Madam Speaker!
Mr STIRLING: A point of order, Madam Speaker!
Madam SPEAKER: We seem to have points of order everywhere. Leader of the Opposition, you are first.
Mr BURKE: I was of the view and I understood that the Auditor-General reports to parliament. The Chief Minister, by her statement, is saying that the Auditor-General has reported to her but not to this parliament. If she is making comments of the Auditor-General, why does she not table his report or his preliminary briefing for the parliament to see?
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, you have been requested to …
Ms MARTIN: Madam Speaker, I referred the report to the Auditor-General. He has responded to me.
Madam SPEAKER: Are you going to table that report?
Mr Burke: Where does the Speaker and the parliament fit into this? Do we fit in or not?
Madam SPEAKER: Let me get some advice from the Clerk.
Mr Burke: You cannot verbal the Auditor-General in this parliament.
Ms MARTIN: I am not verballing. I am quoting with his permission.
Mr Burke: You are. Lay his report down if you have something to say about it.
Ms MARTIN: I am quoting with his permission, thank you. I am not verballing anyone, unlike the opposition.
Madam SPEAKER: The same as I could ask the Auditor-General something, you could, any member could. If they reply to that member …
A member interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Hang on. It is the Auditor-General’s decision whether he reports to the parliament.
Mr BURKE: I respect that, Madam Speaker, but I ask the Chief Minister to clarify her comments, because she is asserting in this parliament that the Auditor-General has made definitive comments with regard to his investigation. Will you now admit, Chief Minister, that is not the case at all because he has not reported it?
Madam SPEAKER: He has not reported to the parliament, he has responded to the Chief Minister, and she is quoting from his response to the Chief Minister.
Ms MARTIN: Thank you, Madam Speaker. If you want to say that I am lying in here, move a substantive motion.
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, I do not believe that is what the Leader of the Opposition said. Just get on with your response.
Ms MARTIN: He seems to be implying that I am misquoting the Auditor-General, and I am not.
In the Auditor-General’s opinion, there was no breach …
Mr Burke: How do we know that?
Ms MARTIN: I asked him for a report and was advised by the …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms MARTIN: In the Auditor-General’s opinion, there was no breach of the Financial Management Act or the Audit Act. There was, says the Auditor-General, a breach of the Local Government Act by the council, albeit in circumstances where the council was acting on advice from Community Development …
Mr BURKE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The Chief Minister is reading from a document. Could I ask it be tabled?
Ms MARTIN: They are notes, Madam Speaker, I am not going to table it. They are notes to me.
An NT Auditor-General’s Office internal working document has been prepared, summarising the results of the initial review and discussions, and that document, for the Auditor-General, will provide a point of reference when planning the Department of Community Development’s compliance audit for 2005-06. From the Auditor-General’s point of view there was not a breach of the Financial Management Act or the Audit Act, but he is very clear there was a breach of the Local Government Act …
Mr Dunham: Allegedly. We have not seen the report.
Ms MARTIN: I say again that what I have listened to from the opposition on this matter is simply a smear campaign. It is taking unrelated comments from an Ombudsman’s report, particularly in the case of the member for Macdonnell who created his own story from that and added conspiracy in it, implying that, when it is very clearly said by the Ombudsman that there had been a fault of process in the department, that somehow or other that the minister was involved. The Ombudsman made it very clear. Just because the opposition wants to find another story here and want to keep reiterating that there is another story, the facts are that there is not - there is not. We had the member for Drysdale saying we obviously have thousands of cars that have been gifted. On what basis are you talking about this? You could make that up on any particular circumstance. You have to actually have a few facts. We do have processes in this parliament, like estimates, where you can explore that. However, you cannot come in and make allegations, wild fantasies, based on no facts. Get your facts. That is what the Ombudsman has done here …
Mr Dunham: Where are your facts?
Ms MARTIN: If you do not believe the Ombudsman’s report, say so - be honest about it …
Mr Dunham: No, we believe him; that is the whole basis of our argument.
Ms MARTIN: But you do not believe the Ombudsman’s report …
Mr Dunham: Yes we do. Yes we do.
Ms MARTIN: The Ombudsman is very clear in his recommendations and the results of his report - very clear. I thank the minister for his very comprehensive response to the Ombudsman’s report. I thank the Auditor-General for his comments to me which I sought, quite appropriately. Madam Speaker, again, I thank our Ombudsman, Peter Boyce, for his time in the job and look forward to the appointment of the next Ombudsman.
Motion agreed to; paper noted
APPROPRIATION BILL 2005-06
(Serial 287)
(Serial 287)
Continued from earlier this day.
Ms MARTIN (Chief Minister): Madam Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to contribute to the appropriation debate for my government’s 2005-06 budget. As the Treasurer outlined yesterday, this budget confirms my government as the most tax reforming government in the Territory’s history. For the benefit of the opposition, that means taking taxes down, not putting them up. It delivers less tax, local jobs and better skills.
This budget supports and builds on what was achieved over the past three years, and will enable the Northern Territory government to deliver continued, outstanding economic growth rates for the Territory, create more jobs for Territorians, ensure we have the right skills in place for those jobs, and to make sure the Territory remains a fantastic place to live.
In addressing the areas of my portfolios and how they are reflected in this Budget 2005-06, first to tourism. As Minister for Tourism, I am pleased to say that, through this budget, the Territory government continues to recognise the tourism industry’s crucial role. The tourism sector is a significant component of the Territory’s healthy economy, both as the second largest contributor to our gross state product and as an employer.
In 2003, the Territory government allocated an extra $27.5m over three years for tourism marketing and industry development. This enabled the Tourist Commission to undertake the biggest overhaul of our marketing and communications strategies in decades. During 2005-06, $10m in additional funding will go towards international and domestic marketing activities, while $2.4m will be spent on tourism development with a priority on indigenous culture and nature-based tourism.
Tourism marketing activities include placing our innovative Share Our Story footage on pay TV and cinema, as well as investigating options to place the footage on global pay TV. The Share Our Story campaigns are being rolled out for each of the six priority regions: Darwin, Katherine, Kakadu, Tennant Creek/Barkly, Alice Springs and Uluru regions. A partial focus is on attracting key domestic and international media to the Territory who can help us share our message with potential visitors. The Destination Alice Springs campaign is the first cab off the rank in the Share Our Story campaign.
The Tourist Commission will continue working vigorously to maintain our strong marketing position in Europe, including Germany, Italy, France, Spain, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Scandinavia, Singapore, the Americas, New Zealand and Japan, as well as developing awareness of the Territory in Hong Kong, mainland China and Malaysia.
Funding of $1m has been allocated for aviation cooperative marketing activities with international airline partners as indicated with the latest Japanese charters that are in Alice Springs. An ongoing priority for the government is to expand the number of international and domestic airline services into the Territory, and discussions are continuing with a number of the airlines operating in Australia and Asia. Just in the past week, we have seen the arrival of two Japan Airlines charter flights in Alice Springs. The flights from Tokyo and Osaka are great news for the Central Australian tourism industry, carrying a total of 746 passengers. Alice Springs is their only Australian destination.
Exciting new international initiatives include focussing on the travellers throughout Europe and the United Kingdom identified by the marketing experts as self-challengers. These campaigns are being developed with Student Travel Association, and involve promotions through universities as well as cinema advertising, and print and poster advertising.
The budget enables us to continue to focus on Central Australia to seek further tourism developments and enhancements around the Mereenie Loop as it is sealed, the West MacDonnell Ranges and the Larapinta Trail. The Mereenie Tourist Loop project totals $43m, including an allocation of $8m in this year’s budget.
I was pleased to announce recently that the Territory government will invest $7.48m over the next three years to upgrade visitor facilities at Litchfield Park to make sure that the park can handle the increased visitor numbers we anticipate over the next five to 10 years. The funding includes $3.4m for an information centre at Wangi Falls, similar to the existing one at Kakadu.
This budget includes almost $2m worth of projects; for example: $850 000 to redevelop the Wangi Falls day use area and provide more parking; $700 000 to upgrade the camp ground at Florence Falls; closing and rehabilitating the camp ground at Buley Rockhole; landscaping along the creek between Florence Falls and Buley Rockhole – that is a wonderful walk; and formalising the entry to the park in the Walker Creek/Bamboo Creek area.
We have also committed $500 000 for infrastructure work associated with a luxury wilderness lodge at Wildman River, 150 km from Darwin. The resort, which is expected to be operational in 2007, is a project by Voyages Hotels and Resorts and General Property Trust, and will be a sister property to the multi-award winning Longitude 131 at Uluru.
In July, government will take part in the World Expo event in Japan. A World Expo brochure will be developed on the Territory complementing three new Drive Australia brochures that are being translated into Japanese.
The Territory’s representation overseas will continue. We will have a new public relations representative for Pan Asia in Singapore, Malaysia, China and Hong Kong, targeted media and trade familiarisation activity will be maintained, and a new motivational brochure in Chinese and English will be created. We will maintain our trade representation service in Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong.
We are entering a joint agreement for a publication between South Australian Tourist Commission, Western Australia’s Tourist Commission, our Tourist Commission and Lonely Planet Publications to be distributed in Europe and United Kingdom.
In April next year, Inbound to the Outback 2006 will be held at Kings Canyon with a familiarisation tour throughout the Northern Territory. About 50 inbound tour operator buyers and 50 Northern Territory suppliers will attend.
The commission will continue its tourism development focus with an emphasis on helping current business to continue to refine their products to suit the changing needs of travellers and developing new products. The commission will work closely with 10 businesses in the coming year to further develop their product and help them become more active in their national promotion. The commission will also continue to implement the Indigenous Tourism strategy. We want to see more indigenous Territorians employed in our tourism industry, to provide better marketing of the indigenous tourism product and encourage new, sustainable indigenous tourism experience.
Certainly, tourism is one of the very strong growth areas of our economy. The commitment from government through the budget process has really seen some of the difficulties we faced three years ago start to turn around. It was heartening to be complimented at ATEC in Alice Springs last week, along with Victoria, as two of the areas of Australia that are really out there marketing their product and seeing the results. It was complimenting to know that we are ahead of some of the other states in doing so.
As Minister for Arts and Museums, I am delighted to announce that the government has committed to $300 000 of minor new works for the Territory’s first ever coordinated Public Art strategy. The Public Art strategy will support the arts community and help to make sure that our public spaces are creative and vibrant places. The strategy will focus on economic and professional opportunities that contribute to enhancing and improving the quality of the built environment and the public facilities; provide economic and marketing opportunities for the construction sector to value-add to projects in a properly structured, professional way; and continue to develop active partnerships, formal and informal, with local government and the private sector. Of course, the public art at the waterfront will lead the way in this.
The Territory’s indigenous arts strategy, Building Strong Arts Business, which I launched last year, will continue with annual funding of $1.1m. This strategy supports sustainable indigenous arts development through showcasing export and employment opportunities, art centre development and sustainability, initiatives to develop indigenous performing arts, and cross-border partnerships.
I recently announced that the government had signed a new deal with Telstra, worth over $1m over five years, which will continue to build the profile of the Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Award. This is Australia’s richest indigenous art prize, and makes an immeasurable contribution to both tourism and creation of jobs in the bush.
Almost $400m will be provided in arts grants in 2005-06 to strengthen the capacity of the arts and culture sector in the Territory. This includes an additional $750 000 for festivals and showcasing Territory arts grants, which have been part of the last two budgets. There are 26 community arts and cultural festivals staged throughout the Territory each year. Apart from the ones in the main centres, the majority of them are in regional and remote communities. These festivals directly engage about 120 000 people, locals and tourists, in arts and cultural activities across the Territory. They also give Territorians the opportunities to showcase our culture and talent at a local, national and international level. Preparing for, managing and presenting these festivals provides direct employment for Territory artists and art workers, as well as bringing members of communities together to share a positive and creative experience.
Also in this budget - and I am very proud of this - is additional recurrent funding of $750 000 that has been provided to enable the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory to continue operating at the standard all visitors have come to expect and appreciate. We had record numbers of visitors at the Museum and Art Gallery last year – 210 000 – and the expectation is that we will seriously gazump that number this year.
There is a strong commitment to arts in this budget. It is not just art for art’s sake. Arts is an industry, which creates jobs, tourism opportunities and is part of underpinning our vibrant Territory lifestyle which, as I said in Question Time, the Seabreeze Festival at Nightcliff demonstrates only too well.
Moving on to the Department of Chief Minister, indigenous issues are a priority of my government, and the budget supports our key initiatives in this area. For example, the over-arching agreement on indigenous affairs between the Commonwealth of Australia and the Northern Territory was signed last month. The agreement sets the way forward in the post-ATSIC era and will ensure funding is better targeted. This is a major achievement for the Territory. We are the first to sign up and are leading the nation, and this was acknowledged by the Prime Minister.
The first schedules to flow from this new agreement are for housing, arts and regional government. For example, for housing, it will bring together existing Commonwealth and Territory indigenous housing programs into a single program to be delivered at the Territory level. One of the major benefits of a more coordinated effort is that any savings made through streamlining government services and reducing administration costs will go directly to programs on the ground and free up more money to build homes.
The Parks and Reserves Framework is another achievement of which we can be proud. It sets the framework for the Territory government, together with traditional owners, to establish a world-class system of parks and reserves throughout the Territory. The High Court decision in Ward presented the possibility of great uncertainty for the future of the Territory’s national park estate. This legislation turns that uncertainty into a great opportunity. We have reached a comprehensive arrangement that deals with land rights and native title issues without resorting to economically crippling litigation. The approach is critical to the economic future of the Territory given the comparative advantage the Territory enjoys with respect to our natural heritage and indigenous knowledge systems. I am very pleased that, in this budget, significant funds are going to parks – not only the Parks and Wildlife Service, but also to building the infrastructure in parks throughout the Territory.
The second Indigenous Economic Forum will be held later this month, on 25 and 26 May, to showcase indigenous economic development and highlight key issues, lessons learnt, and what is needed to create sustainable economic opportunities for indigenous people and communities.
The Community Harmony strategy will continue to address issues of homelessness, and the health, wellbeing and social behaviour of itinerant groups. The strategy will continue to assist itinerants return to their homelands, and provide access to housing, employment and health services. As part of the strategy, Larrakia Nation has worked with elders from across the Territory to develop protocols on respect for country but, also importantly, in complementing what I have just outlined: very strong activity from our police on our streets, dealing with breaking of the law and antisocial behaviour. I am sure the minister for Police will be talking about those initiatives in his response to the budget.
As the Minister responsible for Young Territorians, Minister for Women’s Policy and Minister for Senior Territorians, I am pleased that this budget includes funding of $4m to continue women’s, youth, multicultural and seniors’ advancement in our community. One initiative for seniors I announced recently gives older Territorians the option of using their travel concessions to fly their friends and families to the Territory. That means every four years, senior cardholders receive the value of one return economy air fare to travel themselves, or to fly their loved ones here. $140 000 for the Youth Grant Program will continue in this budget, to provide the Territory’s young people with access to personal development programs and activities, and events initiated by young people themselves.
My government is committed to engaging with the community and working with Territorians, and we have been able to hear first-hand about the issues that matter through our Community Cabinets and the Women’s Forums that are held in conjunction with Community Cabinets. I also add to that the very important Business Round Tables that are held right across the Territory. This is just one of the many ways in which my government engages with the community, and has enabled ministers to meet thousands of Territorians and hear what they have to say. For example, last month we visited communities around the West MacDonnells and held a Women’s Forum at Ntaria, Hermannsburg. The next Community Cabinet will be held in Alice Springs on 23 and 24 May, and it is my intention that Community Cabinets will continue to be held throughout the Territory. We committed to 30 Community Cabinets through the first three-and-a-half years, and we have actually made it to 33, so we are ahead of schedule.
The $3.3m in grants we give to support various community sectors will continue, including $1.8m to support Major Events in the coming year. Hidden Valley, home of the famous Darwin V8 Supercar race, will receive a major upgrade, with an investment of $900 000 for an additional eight pit garages to ensure this and future year’s events are run smoothly and safely. Further work worth $3m will be undertaken to upgrade and improve facilities for all motor sport enthusiasts at Hidden Valley over the next few years.
BassintheGrass in Darwin and BassintheDust in Alice Springs will again be concerts not to be missed this year. My government is committed to ensuring Territorians, especially younger Territorians, have the chance to enjoy events similar to the Big Day Outs held in other states. In fact, tickets go on sale this Friday for BassintheGrass, to be held on 4 June at the Amphitheatre. My only regret in going to the BassintheGrass is that I am probably one of the oldest people there, which certainly makes you feel your age just that small amount.
My government will continue to support events across the Territory, including Australian Rules football, international cricket matches, and a wide range of other events such as the growing and highly successful Finke Desert Race - which had an honourable mention in the Australian Tourism Awards this year, and there was an outrageous roar from the table at the ATA - and the Barkly May Day Muster. The list of events goes on.
We will also continue our allocation of $500 000 in grants to improve facilities for our diverse community under the Multicultural Community Facilities Development program. This allocation is part of the $1.5m over three years announced last year to help with renovation and upgrade of facilities managed by recognised multicultural community organisations, with the aim of promoting diversity in the Territory.
Some $740 000 has been allocated to support projects that promote cultural and linguistic diversity in the Territory through the Multicultural Affairs Sponsorship program. The program includes funding for cultural and linguistic awards, totalling up to $150 000 for individuals and community groups, to undertake research, further study or specialised training in languages or other cultural activity relating to their multicultural background.
Also, as part of my department, funding of $500 000 was allocated to support the Tsunami Relief Appeal in this financial year. This disaster affected many community groups in the Territory, and I was proud that we, as Territorians, could assist with kick-starting the appeals.
Last financial year, my government delivered on its promise to establish an independent Electoral Commission. Ongoing additional resources of $500 000 have now been provided to the commission to bolster electoral education and establish a permanent office in Alice Springs. This funding – I did not hear a ‘hear hear’ from the Minister from Central Australia …
Dr Toyne: Hear, hear!
Ms MARTIN: Good. This funding will help to ensure fair, independent, and professional electoral services continue to be provided to Territorians.
Additional funding of $150 000 has been provided towards the operation of the Palmerston Information Centre; a great initiative, and one that came from the first women’s forum we held in Palmerston. Located at the Palmerston Shopping Centre, Information NT provides a range of brochures, information sheets, and support material, with staff who can talk to people and show them how to access information on-line. In the next financial year, this centre will incorporate the Territory Business Centre activities.
I am also pleased to announce a new phase in the Territory government’s working relationship with the community sector. Community groups provide valuable social services throughout our Territory community and this government, importantly, recognises their work. Following extensive consultation with the community sector held across the Territory last year, my government will implement a charter to provide a framework for enhancing relationships between the government and community sector; establish a task force of community sector and government representatives to oversee the implementation of the charter to develop a three-year plan to build capacity in the community sector; and link funding for social service focussed community organisations to the consumer price index. This will provide more security year-on-year, and help these organisations to plan and deliver outcomes to the community with greater certainty. I am delighted that NTCOSS has been very complimentary about that initiative.
In this budget, resources of $1.5m have been allocated to continue interstate and overseas campaigns and other marketing efforts to position the Territory as a great place to live, work and invest. Our marketing efforts have included the very successful skilled workers campaign which, so far, has attracted 1700 inquiries from across Australia and New Zealand.
To strengthen Territory marketing efforts further, $330 000 has been allocated to help secure the television series The Alice which will, essentially, give us priceless publicity on free-to-air television for an hour every week for 22 weeks, providing a national and, potentially, international focus on the Red Centre. Hear, hear?
Members: Hear, hear!
Ms MARTIN: Come on, Minister for Central Australia.
Members interjecting.
Ms MARTIN: It is a great opportunity. The Alice will profile Alice Springs, and tell stories of the Centre for 22 weeks right around Australia and internationally. One of the important things about the company which is making The Alice is they have very strong connections into Germany, one of our key markets and one which has really struggled since the German economy’s downturn. I am confident that this strategic investment into the Alice will get us a great outcome in that important German market ...
Dr Toyne: Jawohl!
Ms MARTIN: Okay. I am pleased to note that our marketing efforts appear to be paying dividends with the Territory’s population passing the 200 000 mark for the first time recently. As the Treasurer said today, young Samuel was the 200 000th, and our population is now growing at three times the forecast rate.
As the Minister for Territory Development, I must say how exciting it is to see our vision for the Territory’s development becoming a reality. This budget includes allocation to support the continuing development and facilitation of major projects which are underpinning our outstanding economic growth; projects which create opportunities for Territory businesses and, importantly, jobs for Territorians.
Grant funding of $800 000 has been provided in this budget to support the operations of the Desert Knowledge Australia Corporation, and the Desert Knowledge Cooperative Research Centre. The Desert Knowledge Precinct will be an exciting national and international focal point for business, education and research activities to build social and economic opportunities in Desert Australia. The precinct will be the headquarters for Desert Knowledge Australia, the Desert People’s Centre, and the Desert Knowledge Cooperative Research Centre in which the Northern Territory government and Charles Darwin University are key players. The budget includes a new and continuing program of $22m for 2005-06 which will include buildings for the Desert People’s Centre, the Business and Innovation Centre, and continuing installation of headworks. Tenders for the first two Desert Peoples Centre buildings will be called next month in June.
The $1.16bn LNG plant at Wickham Point is now 60% complete, with total employment of 2100, including non-manual and craft workers; 1800 of those employed are tradespeople and 48% of the tradespeople are Territorians. More than 6200 purchase orders have been issued to over 280 Territory vendors and 18 major subcontracts have been awarded to Territory companies. The 504 km long $750m pipeline has been laid and is in the process of being tied into the offshore production facility at Bayu-Undan. The first LNG shipment is scheduled for early next year.
The $2bn expansion of the Alcan Gove facility, the biggest project in the Territory’s history, is well under way. Gas is expected to be delivered to Alcan in later 2007. In relation to the Blacktip gas field, we are confident that a final investment decision will be made before next month, June, to develop this field at an estimated cost of $500m. The gas will be piped through the $500m trans-Territory pipeline 940 km to the Alcan alumina refinery at Gove from Wadeye. Combined, the Alcan, Blacktip and trans-Territory pipeline projects are worth $3bn and will deliver significant benefits to Territory businesses, their workers and their suppliers.
At the same time, the Northern Territory government continues to work to secure long-term gas supplies for Darwin, attract downstream customers such as petrochemical and other gas-based manufacturing industries to the Territory, and seek the establishment of policies that will ensure the development of remote gas resources at prices that are competitive globally to attract these new industries.
This budget reflects our commitment to the waterfront project. Last year, we said that we would inject $100m and this money is now in the budget books. This is great news. The exciting $1.1bn Darwin City Waterfront will be home to Darwin’s convention and exhibition centre. Territory businesses have been lining up to work with the developer to help make it happen. Over the first three years of this project, an estimated $280m will be injected into the Territory’s economy and it will create about 1000 jobs. A commitment has been made that local content will exceed 85%, which will benefit Territory workers, contractors and subcontractors.
This coming year, we will continue to develop the AustralAsia Trade Route into a vibrant alternative trade route for the nation, one of the government’s key economic goals. We have already seen a number of tangible achievements for the new trade route and the AustralAsia Railway.
Last week, on 28 April 2005, saw the signing of a major contract between Bootu Creek Resources, the owner of the Bootu Creek manganese mine just north of Tennant Creek, and the AustralAsia Railway operator, FreightLink. The five-year contract is to carry 600 000 tonnes of manganese annually from the mine to Darwin. I point out that the Northern Territory government’s planned upgrade to the East Arm Port helped to secure that deal. The government will spend more than $11m on bulk handling facilities to offload minerals such as the Bootu Creek manganese. The mine and the bulk handling facilities are due to be operational in August, creating more than 80 jobs, and generating about $70m a year in export earnings for the Territory.
Other achievements related to the trade route include the introduction of the Swire Shipping Singapore/Darwin service; the Hai Win direct shipping service between Shanghai and Darwin, the first-ever service from China to Darwin and another trial in June, and the development of a major business park next to the domestic rail freight terminal. We will now focus on eight priorities highlighted under the Growing Our Trade Route strategy, including significantly growing Darwin’s international shipping and aviation connections; expediting the growth of the route as a viable alternative route; establishing Darwin as Australia’s northern trade centre for break-bulk consolidation and de-consolidation; expand Darwin’s position as Australia’s northern supply base centre for servicing the offshore oil and gas industry and mineral developments in our region; developing Darwin as the port of choice for bulk minerals exports for Central Australia to Asia; continuing to grow the Territory’s trade links using Darwin’s new international shipping connections and Australia’s new free trade agreements; promoting the Darwin Business Park as the location of choice for consolidation, distribution and value-adding activities; and expediting opportunities in the Territory’s regional communities to deliver ongoing economic activity and sustainable new employment.
The Office of Territory Development is worth every cent we spend on them. Their productive way of growing the Territory’s economy and focussing on those major projects has really seen many come to fruition - if we did not have the Office of Territory Development - long before they would happen. I pay tribute all those working throughout all departments I have responsibility for, but I note that OTD does a terrific job.
In summary, Budget 2005-06 will prove to be both responsible and effective, supporting sustainable economic development and social development for Territorians. This budget is about backing Territorians, and delivers less tax, more local jobs and better skills. At the same time, the initiatives funded will continue the trajectory of growth and opportunity for all Territorians. I commend the Treasurer for a terrific budget which will help to keep our wonderful Territory moving ahead.
Dr TOYNE (Health): Madam Acting Deputy Speaker, in February 2004, I and the Minister for Family and Community Services launched Building Healthier Communities: a framework for health and community services, 2004 to 2009. Building Healthier Communities is our vision for better health for all Territorians. It describes the progress we have made since the election of this government and charts our path for the future.
Budget 2005-06 represents a significant step forward in making this vision a reality. This government is putting more resources than ever before into our health system. Overall, the Department of Health and Community Services’ budget for 2005-06 is $687m. This is $207m, or 43%, more than the previous government’s last budget just four years ago. This means more services for the public, more and better paid staff, and that services we provide are top quality. It also means better support for our nurses.
We promised 75 new hospital-based nurses in our first term; we have delivered over 100 extra nurses across our health system. Today, our nurses are amongst the best paid in Australia. They have better professional development and training, and we have created the NT Nurses and Midwifery Awards to recognise the important role they play in the Territory community.
This government is also building better hospitals. Today, they are better resourced and employ more staff than ever before and, for the first time, all five are accredited as meeting national standards for quality of care, something the CLP was not able to achieve in 27 years in power.
Continuing this government’s record of increasing spending in health, Budget 2005-06 will provide $528.9m for health services and research for Territorians, a record amount for these important areas. This represents not just services that will be delivered in the next financial year, but it is also an investment in the future; in people, programs and infrastructure that will serve Territorians for many years to come.
In 2005-06, the government will provide $392m for acute care services across the Territory. This is primarily for in-patient and out-patient services at our hospitals, but also includes resources to enable people to get hospital services when they are not available locally, such as road and aero-retrieval transport services and the Patient Assisted Travel Scheme. It also includes specific acute care initiatives to improve the quality of health care in the Territory.
Hospitals are costly organisations to run and each year the costs increase with more expensive technology, higher demand and increasing expectations. In this environment, it is important that our hospitals work together to make sure that the maximum amount of resources are used to deliver health care services to the Territory public. I am pleased to report that the NT hospital network is now well established and provides a forum for our hospitals to work collaboratively on key areas such as medical recruitment.
This government has a strong record of supporting the Alice Springs Hospital with increasing funding and more staff. This year, the budget for the hospital rises to $81.2m. I am also pleased to announce that recurrent funding of $1.94m has been allocated in 2005-06 to further enhance medical staffing at the hospital, especially of the Intensive Care Unit and the Accident and Emergency Department. This will enable a second part-time intensive care specialist and senior registrar to be employed. Staffing in the Accident and Emergency unit will be consolidated, with nine nursing positions and the recruitment of a registrar and a part-time emergency consultant. This funding will also be used to recruit six junior medical officers to provide relief support for existing staff across the hospital.
Meanwhile, at the Royal Darwin Hospital, the budget for 2005-06 will be $156.4m. As well, a number of specific projects are becoming a reality. The 12-bed hospice is scheduled for completion this month. This will provide compassionate and appropriate services for those Territorians with life-limiting illnesses, and a $1.87m budget has been allocated to fund the first year of its operation. The new birthing centre at RDH is estimated to cost $2.5m and will provide family-friendly birthing rooms with deepwater baths for pain relief. In 2005-06, funding of $300 000 has been provided for the operation of the centre, including for staff training. I will return to the important issue of antenatal care and maternal and child health later in this speech.
I was pleased to announce last week that we will be calling for expressions of interest to set up and run a safe and sustainable radiation oncology unit for Territorians. This follows the recommendation of an expert medical report set up by the government to look at options for supporting Territorians needing radiotherapy. In the meantime, Budget 2005 includes $500 000 per year to improve care and support services for Territorians who will continue to have to travel interstate for radiotherapy treatment pending the creation of the unit. This money will be for better patient support and coordination, including care coordinators and counselling, and also for upgrading existing services including employing a specialist haematologist, better allied health services and resources to ensure Territorians access the most up-to-date treatments available.
The Territory has the highest prescription rate for Section 8 drugs in Australia, and many of these drugs can cause harm in the community. As part of our response to this problem, we have tightened up the way they are prescribed. In doing so, it is important that those who need to can get access to chronic pain services. For those people who live with chronic pain in the Northern Territory, Budget 2005 allocates $340 000 for services such as multi-disciplinary assessment and care planning, group treatment programs, and visiting medical pain specialists.
The Northern Territory has the highest incidence of kidney disease in Australia. A few years ago, people whose kidneys were failing had few choices regarding where they could receive dialysis, as services were limited to Alice Springs, Darwin and, eventually, Katherine. However, in the last three years, we have opened centres in Tennant Creek and Palmerston, and now have home haemodialysis occurring in Umbakumba, Galiwinku and, soon, in Maningrida. We also have partnership agreements with the Western Desert Nganampa Walytja Palyantjaku Tjutaku to support the innovative trial of respite dialysis in Kintore. In 2005-06, the NT Renal Service will receive $16.8m to continue to support clients in their homes and in community-based treatment throughout the Territory. We will also allocate an additional $2m to further support renal services closer to patients’ homes.
We have allocated $110m for Community Health Services, as well as $46m for Public Health Services in this financial year. These include services in our regional centres and in remote areas, and includes primary health care and public health services such as oral health. Access to responsive and effective health services in all areas of the Territory is an important issue and one that this government has worked hard to improve.
I would like to explain the variation of negative $5.5m for Community Health Services in 2005-06 compared to 2004-05. This variation is due to three factors: first, there has been a reallocation across output groups of corporate overheads; second, some services previously apportioned to Community Health Services, such as the Gove Medical Unit and the Medical Retrievals from Alice Springs Hospital, have been more appropriately apportioned to Acute Care Services; and lastly, some Commonwealth grants to Community Health Services finished in 2004-05 and have not yet been renewed or placed with other grants. They are highly likely to continue but, as they have not yet been formalised, we are unable to count them in the budget.
There are numerous important initiatives we are supporting in Community Health Services and public health. I previously mentioned the important issue of maternal and child health. The birthing centre is just one component of this government’s commitment to improve maternal and child health and wellbeing. Budget 2005 contains a commitment for an additional $203 000 to fully subsidise training costs for NT nurses to study locally as midwives. Growing our own midwives makes good sense; it ensures they have a good understanding of issues which impact on the health and wellbeing of Territory mothers and babies. If we can increase the pool of local potential recruits, this will decrease our reliance on recruiting midwives interstate and internationally, something that has been becoming increasingly difficult with the national and international shortage.
We have also allocated $500 000 to implement a Territory-wide strategy to improve maternal and early childhood outcomes, building on the success of the Child Health Initiative which has already created a 25-strong multi-disciplinary team of child health workers. The new funds will be used to employ two additional remote outreach midwives, one for the Top End and one for Central Australia; two extra allied health professionals such as speech pathologists or audiologists …
A member: Path-ol-og-ist, audi-ol-o-gist!
Dr TOYNE: Yes, that one. The Minister for Family and Community Services started the rot in here today, so we will try to pull out of the dive.
Audiologist was the word - and three extra community child health workers.
We are also carrying out our promise to eliminate single nurse posts across the Territory. This has now been completed at Kings Canyon, Titjakala, and Minjilang. There has been strong support for this reform from the remote health work force and communities. Fourteen single nurse posts remain, and work necessary for the upgrading of Robinson River, Bonya, Canteen Creek, Ikuntji and Laramba is nearing completion.
We need to adequately support all remote health staff to do their jobs efficiently and effectively. As part of our commitment, Budget 2005 includes $0.9m to provide desktop computers and equipment at remote health centres. Using technology to link our remote staff will make a huge difference to them and to the services they provide in the community.
In the important public health areas of oral health and infectious diseases, we will allocate an additional $0.6m to continue the dentist recruitment drive, to upgrade equipment, to employ an additional oral health promotion officer, and a prosthes - here we go, I am sure Hansard will work it out –prosthetist, and to establish an electronic client management system. An additional $0.5m has also been provided for the HIV/STI treatment and prevention program enhancement. This will bring NT government funding to this program to $2.5m.
Finally, this government has a commitment to innovation and making sure we get value for money and real health gains from the resources we put into our health system. New service models are explored and evaluated for the benefit they bring and, where there is good evidence, they are implemented. Last month, we launched such a service, NT HealthDirect. This new service will provide Northern Territory residents and visitors with access to free confidential and reliable health advice 24 hours a day, seven days a week. $500 000 has been allocated for the first full year of operation of this innovative service. Budget 2005 builds on the successes of this government in health. It delivers more money for more health services for Territorians, it supports our hospitals and our nurses, and it continues our commitment to building healthier communities in the Territory.
This government is also committed to making our community safer as well as healthier. Budget 2005 represents a significant step forward in the government’s program of Building Safer Communities: $5.2m will be invested in modernising the NT’s correction system, a part of this government’s four-year $26.4m program of investment in the Territory’s prisons. Implementation of recommendations of the Review of Adult Custodial Services: A Path to Good Corrections, will continue full steam ahead, building on the significant progress to date. Budget 2005 will support recruitment of additional prison officers, additional psychiatrists, and additional case managers in both Darwin and Alice Springs. Improved offender management systems will be introduced and prison treatment, education and rehabilitation programs expanded with a focus on the prevention of re-offending.
Budget 2005 will also fund the final stage of construction of the low security area at Darwin’s Correctional Centre to deal with prisoner numbers and longer gaol sentences. The construction of living units will also be financed under Budget 2005.
This government is also building better courts. Courts right across the Territory will be upgraded as part of this budget: $100 000 has been provided to upgrade and expand the Tennant Creek Court House; $60 000 for improvements in Darwin Supreme Court; and $50 000 for the Nhulunbuy Court House.
Budget 2005 will also give Territorians greater access to justice than ever before. It will make the Community Justice Centre a permanent part of the Northern Territory’s justice system. Following a successful 12-month trial, the centre has been allocated $326 000 to continue providing quick and easy access to mediation and dispute resolution outside the traditional court structures. Territorians have been using the centre to assist with resolution of tenancy disputes, neighbourhood disputes, small claims, motor vehicle collisions, and civil and family disputes. Access to effective dispute resolution has never been easier. To improve access to legal representation, this year’s budget further boosts the Legal Aid Commission by $720 000. Legal aid services will be also extended into the Tennant Creek region. This means more Territorians will have access to free legal services.
Domestic violence advocacy services have received an extra $100 000 to extend services delivered by Central Australian Women’s Legal Service in Alice Springs and services in Darwin.
Tackling petrol sniffing and volatile substance abuse is another key area, with landmark reforms currently going through parliament. Budget 2005 will provide additional funding to increase the capacity of Department of Justice to provide assessments and advice on volatile substance abuse to the court, in the same manner as through the drug court program, CREDIT NT.
This government has been tough on crime and the causes of crime. Crime across the Territory has fallen and property crime has been cut in half. We established the Office of Crime Prevention to lead whole-of-government crime prevention policies and work in partnership with police and communities on community-led strategies. This year, the Office of Crime Prevention will have a budget of $3.5m, giving them extra capacity to continue their successful work. Community-based crime prevention will also receive a boost with $350 000 being set aside each year to assist regional and indigenous crime prevention councils to implement their community safety plans and develop local solutions to crime. This money is additional to the $400 000 already available each year to community organisations for crime prevention projects.
Consumer and Business Affairs will also receive a boost of $300 000 each year to build continued important reforms and extend investigations, compliance and dispute work.
In closing, Budget 2005 builds on the success of this government in Building Safer Communities right across the Territory. It will strengthen crime prevention activities, particularly community-based crime prevention. It will improve our courts. It will deliver more staff and extra capacity to our gaols. It will make Community Justice Centres an ongoing part of our justice framework, giving Territorians easy access to dispute resolution. It will extend the availability of free community legal services and specialist legal services for victims of domestic violence. It will assist in tackling volatile substance abuse.
Madam Acting Deputy Speaker, Budget 2005 is an excellent budget for the ongoing future of the Northern Territory. I commend both the Treasurer and our government for this fine outcome.
Mr AH KIT (Community Development): Madam Acting Deputy Speaker, the key message of the budget is backing Territorians and there is a simple reason for this: the Martin Labor government believes in a strong, vibrant future, inclusive of all Territorians from the deserts of the Centre to the wetlands and islands of the north. By backing Territorians in this budget, we will consolidate our achievements of the last three-and-a-half years and move the Territory ahead to create the kinds of opportunities for us all that will make the Territory the envy of the nation. We already have the best lifestyle in the nation. This budget ensures that we will maintain it and, in backing Territorians, the Treasurer is not having an each-way bet. He is backing Territorians straight-up; he is backing the Territory to win. He and our government are confident that all Territorians share our vision for a community that values the way we live, and in the capacity of Territorians to work together to protect and maintain those values.
As you will have noted from my recent announcement, this will be my last budget speech. There is a certain sadness about that, of course, but there is a certain pleasure in the fact that I will be handing over to my successor the task of working with my colleagues to determine the shape of a budget. As you would know yourself, Madam Acting Deputy Speaker, Budget Cabinet is not for the faint-hearted, and it is a lot of work. I take this opportunity to thank my colleagues for the huge effort they have put into the document we are debating today.
My Department of Community Development, Sport and Cultural Affairs has, yet again, seen an increased allocation of resources. Between the budget estimates of 2004-05 to 2005-06, this has amounted to an increase of approximately $13m or 6%. Over the last year, of course, the 2004-05 budget saw an estimated increase in allocation of $26.8m. Importantly, this reflects the flexibility and policy responsiveness that has been hallmark of the Martin Labor government, and reflects the forward estimates model used in other Australian jurisdictions, as outlined on page 7 of Budget Paper No 3.
In the last year, the process of estimates being augmented by policy decisions produced one-off expenditures including, but not limited to: $3m establishment grants to our emerging regional authorities; $4.98m in additional Aboriginal rental housing program funds; $3.5m additional power generation costs for indigenous essential services; $3m in capital grants for Traeger Park, Hockey NT, Northern Territory Rugby Union and the Alice Springs swimming pool; and $3.97m for the gifting of sporting facilities to communities and councils constructed by government prior to the introduction of accrual accounting.
In looking at these global figures for the department, it is worth noting the fact that the highly successful Arafura and Alice Springs Masters Games always occur within a single financial year - in this case, 2004-05, which accounts for a two-year cycle of increases and decreases in sports funding to the tune of $1.5m. I am sure all members of this House will applaud the organisers of last year’s Masters Games and look forward to this year’s Arafura Games in 11 days time. Both events form an integral part of the Territory’s sporting calendar, as well as being invaluable components of the Territory’s $150m per annum sport and recreation sector.
I now turn to the details of Budget 2005-06 with respect to the portfolios with which I have the privilege of being charged. In governance, local government in the Territory holds a unique position in our political landscape, something that has been recognised by both sides of politics over many years. As I outlined in this place last year, as part of the Stronger Regions, Stronger Futures policy our focus has been on strengthening and expanding the capacity of local governance, especially in our towns in remote regions. Consistent with this in 2004-05, we allocated $3m to the developing regional authorities at Thamarrurr, Nyirranggulung Mardrulk Ngadberre and the Tiwi Islands Local Government. In the coming year, this support will be continued as other regional authorities develop as voluntary associations of towns and communities. This quiet revolution in the bush offers enormous hope for regional development in the Territory, and our continued financial support will maximise the potential for success for the towns and communities that our emerging regional authorities will represent.
Flowing directly from this is our commitment to sustainable communities and regional development. Later this month, we will be launching the Territory’s first Indigenous Economic Development strategy at a special forum in Darwin. Indeed, it will be the nation’s first such effort in creating a comprehensive approach to building on existing successes while mapping a sustained approach to lifting our remote towns and communities out of their impoverishment. In tandem with this, in 2005-06 we will be maintaining the work of the Territory’s five regional development boards, including annual funding of $500 000 to the regional development funding process. These boards go well beyond providing advice to me; they play a critical role in harnessing the ideas and energies of their respective regions in the development of planning processes that provide real ownership of their futures to the regions. Only last weekend, I had the pleasure of attending one of the ventures backed by this fund, the Katherine Country Music Muster, which the people of Katherine see as one of the linchpins for the development of sustainable tourism and cultural activities for the region.
In regards to Community Harmony, I spoke earlier about the capacity of Territorians to work together to achieve social goals. This is very much the case with regard to the scores of organisations and individuals from the private, public and community sectors who are working together on the Community Harmony program. In 2005-06, we shall continue to fund this important program at the level of $1.79m to address health, wellbeing and social behaviour issues in our major towns and cities. It is designed to provide opportunities and pathways for those who find themselves in our urban centres, to move away from destructive lifestyles to return to their home towns and communities, or to move to a more productive lifestyle in our major centres. I would, however, point out here, the lessons we have learnt through Community Harmony in the Territory are being taken up in other states.
In regards to indigenous housing services, during the current financial year the department and IHANT have resolved that the department would take up an enhanced role in the provision of housing management and regional construction support, with an increase in the administration fees paid to the department to reflect increased costs of service delivery as well as the expansion of the program. In 2005-06, thanks to the Commonwealth/Northern Territory overarching agreement the Chief Minister outlined in this place yesterday, we will see far greater integration and reduced duplication between the various housing funding streams of the two governments. While there is an obvious objective of increasing the efficiencies of existing indigenous housing programs, we will continue to put the very strong case for increased Commonwealth allocations to indigenous housing in remote towns and communities of the Territory.
With indigenous essential services, for many years these communities have experienced a progressive deterioration in essential services infrastructure to the point where, in many cases, the cost of repairs and maintenance has exceeded that of replacement and renewal. On an ongoing basis, a base $46m has been allocated to this program, with $52m in 2005-06. Only two weeks ago, for example, I was privileged to attend the opening of one of the fruits of this program, the new powerhouse for the Daly River area. As well as providing a safe, environmentally friendly, flood-free power source to the Nauiyu township, power will be extended to many non-indigenous customers in the area, including horticultural and tourism enterprises.
With respect to the Aboriginal Interpreter Service, the government is set to continue its support for the service. Not noted in Budget Paper No 3 is a variation in funding to 2005-06. $336 000 of this variation is related to a one-off Commonwealth grant in 2004-05 for training, and is carried over from 2003-04. The remainder of the variation is due to the Aboriginal Interpreter Services’ reduction in corporate overheads, productivity gains and reallocation of costs shared across a number of output areas in the department.
The Northern Territory government recently renamed the Library and Information Service the Northern Territory Library, recognising it as a single identity and contact point for access to library services in the Northern Territory. In the coming year, allocations to local government for library services will be maintained at current levels.
As I have often noted, sport and recreation is very much a cornerstone of our Territory identity and our lifestyle. What is less often recognised is the importance of the sport and recreation sector to the Northern Territory economy. With something in the order of 2000 employees in the sector, or 2% of the work force, the sector is worth something in the order of $150m to the economy. Furthermore, there is an increasing strategic value for the role of the sector for the economy as major sporting events become integrated into tourism.
As I have already mentioned, we will shortly be seeing the start of the Arafura Games following the highly successful Masters Games of last year. In both cases, these games have significant economic impacts in their own right. To this we must add the growing number of other events that this government has actively pursued.
One of the principal foundations of our approach has been to adopt a planned program of facility development across the Territory, with an average of $8.4m a year spent on capital and major repairs and maintenance outlays between calendar years 2002 to 2006. While this has obvious benefits to the building and construction sector, it has direct spin-offs to the quality and competitiveness of our athletes. The fact that, for example, both this government and previous governments have maintained internationally quality synthetic turf pitches for hockey has been directly reflected in the Territory being able to punch way above their weight in the code. It certainly is no accident that more Territory hockey players have been honoured in the Northern Territory Sports Awards than any other code.
In 2005-06, our strategy of building and consolidating sporting facilities across the Territory will continue: $5m will be allocated to Stage 1 of the construction of the Palmerston Recreation Centre, with $4.5m to follow; $5.8m to a home for the Football Federation of the Northern Territory - otherwise known as soccer - at Marrara is going to happen; $1.9m will go to continue remedial works at Hidden Valley, as well as expending facilities at the Black Top; and $800 000 to the construction of a new drag strip in Alice Springs.
With shifting patterns in recreational and sporting pursuits, as well as changing social activities, a number of our sporting groups face continuing difficulties in management. This is especially the case with those groups that depend heavily on volunteer labour which is, after all, the most common characteristic of our sporting groups. For this reason, there will be a further allocation of $150 000 in the coming year towards Sportsbiz, which is aimed at strengthening the management and governance capacity of sporting organisations in the Territory.
In the coming year, there will be increased funding of some $300 000 to the Northern Territory Institute of Sports, with funding enabling improved direct financial assistance to athletes, and the number of introductory level squad programs will be increased. The additional commitment to the NTIS would ensure a high quality of operation assisting the development of elite athletes.
Along with many other Central Australians who have enjoyed the second Wizard Cup challenge match played at Traeger Park earlier this year, the introduction of high-quality events such as this to the Territory is an important part of boosting the aspirations of our younger athletes, as well as providing coaching for these kids, and train-the-trainer opportunities for our officials. In Australian Rules alone, around 45 000 people have attended national games played in the Territory. The program of events we have actively pursued will continue in 2005 and 2006 with Australian Rules, national basketball, national netball and international cricket.
Territory Housing has three principal functions: the provision of social housing; the provision and maintenance of government employee housing; and the provision and access to low and middle income Territorians to private home ownership. In the coming year, we will see the further development and implementation of Home Territory 2010 to provide a sustainable housing policy for the Territory. Key features of this include continuing renewal programs, with a special focus on housing complexes. We anticipate a spend of a further $1.8m dedicated to the continuation of renovation projects to address amenity of public housing stock to meet housing provision standards, and improve neighbourhood appeal.
In the area of government housing, there will be continued emphasis on capital works and renovations to bring government employee housing up to core amenity and design standards. A special feature of this year’s allocations will be the construction of six teachers’ houses at Wadeye at a cost of $2.4m, underlining our commitment to the COAG progress, not to mention the town of Wadeye’s efforts to boost school attendances.
The Northern Territory, historically, has by far the lowest level of home ownership in the nation, around 42% compared to an average of 66%. It is critical to the future sustainability that we turn this around. Not only is there a demonstrated link between personal and social health and wellbeing and private home ownership, but this government sees home ownership as an important element of our population strategy. Put simply, people who buy their own patch of the Territory are far more likely to stay here, build businesses and families here, and commit to moving the Territory ahead. It is particularly important that home ownership is picked up by younger Territorians.
I am pleased to inform the Assembly, as I have done periodically since July last year when we revamped HomeNorth, of its continued success. As of last week, some 506 Territorian households have been funded, approved, and approved in principal by HomeNorth to the value of $87.5m. This is an extradionary result. Combined with the highest level of home affordability in Australia, HomeNorth has become the nation’s most accessible and successful home ownership program. Since the revamp of HomeNorth last July, 22% of the people taking up the HomeNorth loans have been less than 25 years old and 37% are less than 30 years old, demonstrating our success in targeting younger Territorians to make a long-term commitment to the place where they have grown up.
Madam Acting Deputy Speaker, in finishing my last budget speech, I would like to thank the Treasurer for the fine job he has carried out in developing Budget 2005. It is a responsible document and one that carries forward the kind of programs Territorians need.
I do not agree with this morning’s NT News in which the Treasurer was described as ‘old’. Your passion and commitment and enormous capacity for hard work are legendary, and you are a long way from needing to dye your hair.
I also take this opportunity to thank the public servants across the Department of Community Development, Sport and Cultural Affairs for the incredible work they have put into the development of Budget 2005-06. There is a tendency for many people to take a single look at documents such as Budget Paper No 3, for example, and pretty much switch off. It is hardly bedside reading, and wading your way through outputs and performance tables is not all that riveting. Nevertheless, Budget 2005 represents countless hours of dedicated work from Territorians across the whole-of-government who show the kind of commitment I mentioned at the beginning of these remarks to moving the Territory ahead. Without those people, Budget 2005 would not be possible.
Ms CARNEY (Araluen): Madam Acting Deputy Speaker, obviously, the CLP is in an interesting position. If we lose the election, we will all be seeing each other in estimates and, if we do not lose the next election, I am not quite sure what happens to the estimates process. However, in the event that the CLP is unsuccessful at the next election, I very much look forward to estimates. Although the process is, on occasion, frustrating, it does provide us with the opportunity to drill down. Even members on the other side will appreciate that the budget, having been presented yesterday, does not really provide us with much time to go through it. Having made those comments, I propose my contribution tonight to be fairly broad-brush. However, in the event that we do need to go to estimates, I can assure all members that my contribution will be far from broad-brush.
In any event, I propose to deal with Health first and then Justice. This is my first budget where I speak as the shadow Health minister, and a person who, possibly, after the next election could be the Health Minister. Therefore, it is important that, over the next few weeks, I talk to many people around the Territory, as I usually do, and get their observations on the budget.
I have had the opportunity of speaking to some people - mostly nurses - and they tell me that they are under-whelmed for a few reasons. They tell me that the budget, to the extent that they understand it, does nothing to alleviate their concerns, nor does it do anything towards alleviating the concerns of Territorians needing to go to the hospitals in the Territory. I remind members that there are, in Alice Springs, 1600 people still waiting for elective surgery, some of whom have been waiting an inordinate amount of time. Indeed, as evidenced by the Minister for Family and Community Services’ recent experience at Royal Darwin, patients are waiting for up to 24 hours in Accident and Emergency to be seen.
There does not appear to be anything - or at least anything significant - in the budget that is directly targeted at addressing those very significant problems in those areas. There is mention of funding in Budget Paper No 3 at page 119 about recruitment to nursing positions. I will be asking at estimates whether that allocation is part of previous announcements. Only a couple of months ago, prior to the Alice Springs sittings, the Minister for Health announced yet another recruitment drive to get nurses to the Territory. I would like to know whether the allocation for recruitment to the nine nursing positions in Alice Springs is part of that campaign or whether it is a new one.
I note, and of course I have taken the liberty of looking at the member for Port Darwin’s reply to the budget last year, and she talked at length about the increasing blow-outs in health. The Leader of the Opposition talked this morning in his budget reply about the fact that every budget under the Australian Labor Party in the Northern Territory has blown out - every singly budget from the mid-year report - and in Health it has blown out constantly. In fact, it has even blown out since the mid-year report, which was only published in November. It blew out then to $644m. Government estimates that, for this year, it will continue to blow out to $660m. Where is the money going? Where has it gone, and are Territorians seeing bang for their buck? We do not think so because they do not tell us, they tell us that they do not.
The Chief Minister told everybody that she would sack CEOs who blew their budgets. The CEO of Health has presided over a constant blowing out of budgets, yet he is still employed. Perhaps that says more about the Chief Minister than that CEO; in other words, it is difficult to take anything the Chief Minister says seriously and we certainly cannot regard her as a person of her word.
In any event, the budget is now up to $686m. Labor crows about - and I notice that the minister did in his contribution earlier - the fact that funding continues to go up, that health funding is at an unprecedented level. Well, the Australian Labor Party can thank John Howard and Peter Costello for that. We have an inordinate amount of money, $600m, a third of which I think, if memory serves, was not event predicted - an extra $600m. It is just as well the health budget has gone up but, of course, as this government constantly reminds us, and is evidenced by the budget documents themselves, they are all about outputs - outputs and outcomes.
We ask: where are the outcomes for this additional funding? It is not too much to ask for a woman with a sore hip in Alice Springs to get it fixed in 2005. It is not too much to ask for a young footballer to have his knee fixed and not have to wait 18 months for any surgery to be undertaken. It is a disgrace. That is the indictment of this Labor government. Whilst they are spending and have put additional money into health, we say that they have not directed that funding anywhere near properly. At very least, where are the results? I wonder what the Minister for Health would say to people with sore hips and knees and so on, everyone waiting for elective surgery? I wonder whether the minister would say, as he may have said to the Minister for Family and Community Services after she waited 24 hours at Royal Darwin Hospital - and, of course, that is just at Accident and Emergency at Royal Darwin as opposed to elective surgery – ‘But we are spending $686m in health’. If he did say that, she probably would have replied by saying: ‘Well, why did I have to wait 24 hours to be seen?’ Darwin is a capital city in 2005. We have a relatively small population and, yet, we just are not seeing the results.
In acute services, namely hospitals, we have seen yet again that blow-out by about $14m from last year’s budget with, really, no explanation as to why. This budget has provided an extra $21m on top of that estimate, but I say again, there are no initiatives specifically targeted at addressing waiting lists, waiting times or nurse shortages. There is some additional funding that goes towards things such as the hospice and the birthing centre. While those things were announced last year, they are hardly new. Thank God those things have been referred to by the Minister for Health and, indeed, have some sort of inclusion in this budget because, if it was not for the hospice and the birthing centre, Royal Darwin Hospital does not get much of a mention. I will come to that and some of the other issues that are plaguing patients and nursing staff in particular at the hospital later.
In relation to the hospice, I will be asking at estimates, on behalf of many interested parties, whether that funding will include the curtains, the cutlery, the crockery and the television sets because members involved tell us that they have received no assurance that government - notwithstanding that it said it would build a facility - would, in fact, furnish it.
What else do we have? We have nothing targeted at improving services at our hospitals. I would have thought that prior to an election, given that health is a top-of-mind issue for so many Territorians, the government would have done better. I agree with some of the sentiments contained in the Northern Territory News this morning; it was a conservative budget. I feel sad for those Territorians who need to go into our hospital systems because I do not think they will be seeing the results. They may, indeed, be asking, notwithstanding the $686m for health: where are the services?
We have seen another blow-out in acute services and yet, nothing directed to getting more nurses on the wards; something that nursing staff, particularly in Alice Springs and Darwin, tell me is critical. Members may recall that, in March of this year, a nurse from Royal Darwin wrote a letter to the Chief Minister to highlight what she described as her extreme concerns about the emergency department. She made the comment that what was needed was urgent funding for the entire hospital. She also said that bed numbers needed to be increased, and that that was a priority. I am not a nurse, but I would have thought that a nurse at the hospital who takes the time to write to the Chief Minister probably would know what she was talking about. Yet, as we see with so many instances, government has elected to ignore that and not deal with the problems that have been very genuinely and sincerely raised.
These are the people at the coalface, who ministers get up and thank and pay tribute to. I am always willing to participate in that, because they do work very hard; they are a very dedicated bunch. However, they are finding it tough under this government. Nurses are concerned that an unavoidable death may occur unless action is taken to fix things up at the Royal Darwin Hospital. Neither the nurses, nor Territorians, will be comforted by this budget.
The Minister for Health, of course, does not have great form when it comes to listening to nurses. This was the man who needed to be dragged, kicking and screaming, to meet with them in Alice Springs after they asked him to do so, after many, many weeks of industrial action. It was only when we said that we would meet with them at the 11th hour that the minister elected to do so. Let us remind ourselves of why the nurses at Alice Springs went on strike. They put an advertisement in the Centralian Advocate in February, I think, which referred to the excessive workloads arising out of continuing staff shortages:
- Nurses are exhausted and now recognise their own goodwill is not going to solve the long-term staffing problems
at the Alice Springs Hospital.
The ad went on the say:
- We have voted in large numbers to impose the bans because nurses are now desperate.
It did not seem to me, from my perusal of the budget papers, that there was anything in there to give nurses any comfort. I know that the nurses have lifted their industrial action, but those problems have not been cured. I would have liked to have seen, as I am sure they would have, something in the budget to make them feel that there was some light on the horizon.
While I am talking about nurses at the Alice Springs Hospital, I should enlighten members as to what it is they continue to do. Whilst many people think that the industrial action per se has finished at the hospital, the nurses have - and it was confirmed again recently - moved a vote of no confidence in executive management – a vote of no confidence in executive management.
I agreed, absolutely, with everything the Leader of the Opposition said today. In particular, in the context of this unprecedented - I would have thought - action by nurses in Alice Springs, I agreed with his comments regarding not having a public service employed or working on the basis of their political beliefs. I cannot remember his exact words and I do not have his speech with me; however, in essence, he was saying that there is a perception, certainly by many of the public servants I talked to, that senior bureaucrats have been appointed on the basis of their political beliefs. That will not happen under the CLP. So, the nurses in Alice Springs continue a vote of no confidence in the executive management. I have seen nothing from the minister over the last month to indicate that he is even remotely concerned about that. Well, we are and we will take action accordingly.
In relation to Royal Darwin Hospital, I remind members of something else that happened in March this year. The minister said in a number of interviews and press releases that there were 345 beds at the hospital. In March, nursing staff undertook their own count and came up with only 279. They undertook their count because they told me that they are at the end of their tether. There is nothing that I can see, at least in this budget, that is directed to fixing the problems or to assisting the nurses - $686m but not enough beds. To say that I am concerned about that is something of an understatement.
I also note in relation to the Alice Springs Hospital, there is no mention of the extra $8m - which brings us to a total of $10m - for the building rectification works that are required at the Alice Springs Hospital. No doubt, I can pursue this further at estimates. However, the minister was talking, I think about February, about how the Alice Springs Hospital needed additional funds for the rectification works. I cannot see any in this budget. Whilst I am on the topic of the rectification works, the member for Drysdale and I had a briefing last week with public servants, one of whom was a solicitor from the Department of Justice. We received some specific information; we are awaiting more.
The Minister for Health, who is also the Attorney-General, gave an interview, on or about 16 February, in which he suggested that former government ministers - present and former members of this Assembly in the CLP - were somehow responsible for the building rectification bungle. From the briefing, that is not the case. The minister and Attorney-General on radio named these people and said they were in the frame. I note that the member for Arnhem, this afternoon when we were talking about the Ombudsman’s report, became somewhat indignant that people had suggested any impropriety on his part and he was looking forward to an apology.
Well, it cuts both ways. The minister, who is the Territory’s first law officer as well, prides himself on having a bit of integrity for which I admire him, but we will see how serious he is on this occasion. I would have thought it is appropriate to issue an apology to the people he named because it is abundantly clear, from the briefing we had, that there is no legal action anticipated in relation to former CLP members. There never was! Counsel was never instructed in relation to it. The suggestion that this minister perpetrates on radio to every Territorian listening is that the CLP and some of its members where in the gun. Nothing could be further from the truth. It is unfortunate that the Minister for Health and the Territory’s first law officer seems to be becoming a bit more creative with his language, and that he is resorting to these very low blows and making comments that are completely and utterly without foundation.
I note that there is an allocation to the upgrade of Ward 4 at Alice Springs Hospital. What government has been shy about telling Territorians and, certainly, the people of Central Australia is when that work will commence. It is next year; that is hardly good enough. I should make mention in the course of this contribution of some relatively recent information that was provided to me in relation to a library at the Alice Springs Hospital.
The Alice Springs Hospital is a teaching hospital and has a close relationship with Flinders University. Flinders University offered, some time ago, $100 000 towards improving the library, which was to move out of its present location to somewhere else on the hospital grounds. People involved calculated that, for an improved library which would serve as a cutting edge library for a health precinct that could be used by general practitioners, people at Congress, other health services, almost anyone in the health and allied health professions and be very complementary to the aims of the hospital, and also complement Flinders University’s role, it would take a figure of $187 000. They were told, I am told, to go back and cut their estimate. They went back with another figure, I believe somewhere in the order of $110 000 or $120 000, and were told to cut it again. Eventually, it came down to $97 000. Given that Flinders University was offering $100 000, it is a mean and stingy government that elects not to put its hands in its own pockets to make a contribution to a library that could be the envy of so many other hospitals and health precincts anywhere else in this country. That is a cause of great concern and I could not help but note there was nothing in the budget about upgrading the library in Alice Springs.
I am also told that the nurses cannot use word processors in the Alice Springs library. There is a reference in the budget to getting some computers on desktops, but it is not at the Alice Springs Hospital; it is not at the library. I do not know why it is that the nurses, I am told, cannot use the four or five computers at the library for word processing purposes - but there you go. That is what I am told.
I am also told that nurses who are studying in Alice Springs and who are enrolled at Charles Darwin University last year received a great deal of support from the Centre for Remote Health. I understand that nursing students are no longer able to use the library at the Alice Springs Hospital, and they were told this without any explanation, either from the hospital or Charles Darwin University.
In his contribution, the minister touched upon, and has tried to make much of in other forums, recruiting more nurses and seeing if we can keep people local and so on. Yet, we have what I can only describe as a bizarre situation – and I do wish the minister would step in and fix it - where nursing students in Alice Springs are not being supported. It does not matter what your job is; everyone needs support, particularly as a student, and particularly when we have a shortage of nurses. It is unfair that they are not permitted to use the hospital library. I know that there a number of other issues that student nurses have, but they can wait for another day.
I notice that Tennant Creek did not get much of a guernsey. I believe the minister said today that Tennant Creek Hospital got another $8m. I will be asking where that can be found in the budget. I would have thought that there would be some initiatives in the budget specifically aimed at addressing the crisis which is the health system in Tennant Creek, despite the best efforts of the member for Barkly, whom I know is committed to this. I would have thought he would be very disappointed by this budget, as I am sure the people of Tennant Creek will be. Perhaps members of the Tennant Creek Town Council will be disappointed because they are the ones who have started to put their shoulders to the wheel in the absence of this government doing so.
Moving, in the time I have remaining, to community health services; this is a cut. This budget clearly demonstrates that area has been cut by nearly $6m. Community health services are aimed at improving health through education, development, prevention, early intervention and so on. The outcome for these sorts of services is described in Budget Paper No 3 at page 125 as follows:
- … the burden of ill health in the community and the need for hospitalisation are reduced.
The difficulty is that, when one looks at the measurement used - the standard measurement, Weis, the measure for admitted patients in our hospitals - it clearly shows that this government expects more people to be admitted in 2005-06 than there were in 2004-05. My point is that, if we are striving to do what we can to ensure that people do not go to hospitals, therefore, they are healthier Territorians, why would government be expecting to see more people admitted to hospitals and why, in those circumstances, would there be a cut?
I also refer to the community events reference on page 125 of Budget Paper No 3. There is an extradionary revelation here. We know that, from the annual report last year, there were 125 000 people who availed themselves of what is called in the budget papers ‘Community Health Events Urban’. In other words, people who went to community health centres for some sort of treatment - 125 000 people. According to this budget, the estimate is 98 000 people will avail themselves of those services. Well, this must explain why it is that government has decided to cut it. Either they know something we do not, or they have just taken the view that we will cut it, therefore, it follows that fewer people will use these services. Not good enough, minister, and in estimates we will certainly be pursuing that.
So much to talk about, so little time. I note that health research has been cut and that the minister talked about the valuable contributions made by Menzies School of Health Research, CRC for Aboriginal Health, and the Health Gains Unit in his speech last year. I wonder whether they have stopped making such valuable contributions; if not, why has funding to our research been cut? The oncology announcement was a disgraceful attempt to back pedal from a breach of an election promise. Clearly polling - well, I would have thought that polling in the northern suburbs - suggested that some people were seriously peeved about this broken promise, and yet only weeks, presumably, from an election, the minister comes out and says: ‘No, no, no, we are going to do something’. Well, it seems like a cobbled together proposal, and that is very unfortunate and, in my view at least, really quite disrespectful to those people involved, many of whom are doing it very tough indeed.
Health, generally, is unhealthy. I was looking forward to the Health budget. I thought there would be some great things in there. Whilst there are some - and I am happy to congratulate the Treasurer on some initiatives, some are good, there is no doubt about that - the nature of this business is that often, unfortunately, I guess, we tend to concentrate on what is not there. However, because there are so many things that we expected to be there and are not there, it is only appropriate that I refer to them.
The Justice portfolio was somewhat disappointing as well. I noticed the minister’s rhetoric about making communities healthier and safer and all that sort of stuff. That is not what the people tell us. I once again refer to the contribution made by the Leader of the Opposition earlier today. People are telling us from Darwin to Alice Springs that they do not feel safe or happy, and they are not buying this government’s spin. I am sure the member for Macdonnell, as a former police officer, will go through the parts of the budget that deal with police. In the context of the Justice budget per se it was pretty ordinary, nothing innovative or new. I notice the minister was talking about the Integrated Offender Management System, otherwise known as IOMS. That has been included in the last two or three budgets; he has been talking about IOMS for a very long time. In fact, he has probably long forgotten the trip he took to New Zealand to look at the Integrated Offender Management System. Prison officers tell me that it is not fully operational, but the Attorney-General is becoming increasingly predictable, and there is always going to be reference to IOMS in budgets, it seems.
He did refer to some upgrading at some court houses - I am not sure off the top of my head, but I do not think in his reply he talked about upgrades to the Alice Springs Court House. I will be looking at that. Certainly, it was my understanding that there would be some upgrading. I will be pursuing that at estimates. It may well have been an inadvertent omission the minister made.
I see that there is provision for two new sexual assault prosecutors. We promised three only a week or so ago and government has come up with two. It is better than nothing, given that domestic violence and violence against the person has increased markedly under this government. At least it is pleasing to see that they are starting to use the words ‘sexual assault’ and so on. We wish those two prosecutors well. The DPP budget has blown. There are all sorts of reasons for that.
Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, my time is running out. I look forward to estimates in the event that we are unsuccessful at the election. It is unfortunate that there is really not much new either for Health or Justice in the budget.
Mr Kiely: You are assuming you will be back?
Ms CARNEY: Did you open your mouth? I thought they had told you to shut it. Did you say something, member for Sanderson?
Mr KIELY: A point of order, Mr Acting Deputy Speaker! I do not think we have to stand in this place and be told to ‘shut your mouth’ by people. There should be at least some level of decorum.
Ms Carney: You will not have to stay here for long.
Mr ACTING DEPUTY SPEAKER: Sorry, member for Sanderson?
Mr KIELY: I ask the member to withdraw that comment, please.
Ms CARNEY: Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, speaking to the point of order, I did not say ‘shut your mouth’ to the member for Sanderson and, accordingly, there is nothing to withdraw.
Mr ACTING DEPUTY SPEAKER: All right. Members for Araluen and Sanderson, I did not hear the exchange, so I cannot rule on it.
Mr VATSKALIS (Mines and Energy): Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, Budget 2005 is about backing Territorians, as the Treasurer said in his opening address, and it certainly delivers less tax, local jobs and better skills. Local jobs and better skills is exactly what my portfolios of Primary Industry and Fisheries and Mines and Energy within my department are out there to do: provide jobs and skills for Territorians. Of course, mines and primary industries provide many job opportunities for Territorians.
The department’s responsibilities include the achievement of important government objectives that are vital to the future of the Territory. Those that impact particularly strongly on my industry portfolios are supporting sustainable economic development in partnership with industry and business; stimulating indigenous economic development; supporting regional economic development; and promoting innovation, technological development and commercialisation. I am very happy to report that this budget enables the department to work with industry and communities to achieve economic growth and wealth creation in the Territory, across all regions.
I will now outline the initiatives and programs that are supported by this budget, and provide information of the direct funding. However, I will exclude corporate overheads and DCIS notional charges.
First, let us have a look at the Fisheries portfolio. The department works closely with stakeholders to facilitate the ecologically sustainable development and management of the Northern Territory aquaculture industry, fisheries and aquatic resources. This government recognises that aquaculture and fishing have grown in recent years, increasing the value of most fisheries. This includes an increase of $3.8m for barramundi aquaculture; an increase of $2.5m in the pearling sector; an increase of $3.4m for the shark fishery; and an increase of $700 000 for the offshore snapper fisheries.
This government recognises the significant economic development potential of the Territory’s aquatic resources and the resulting social benefits and wealth creation possibilities, particularly for indigenous Territorians. In this budget, a total of $6.9m has been allocated to the department to assist all sectors of the fishing industry, including aquaculture, recreational, commercial fishing, tour operators, and indigenous activities. This is split into $3m for fishery management; $2.1m for fishery research; and $1.8m for fishery development.
This government is also carrying out an extensive review of the Fisheries Act and a budget of $100 000 has been earmarked for this purpose. It is anticipated that a consultation phase of the review of the Fisheries Act will be completed during 2005. Also, under the Commonwealth’s Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act, Fisheries must achieve export accreditation from the Commonwealth Department of the Environment and Heritage if they are to continue to operate. The Northern Territory was successful in 2004-05 in achieving export accreditation for the trawl, demersal and shark fisheries. The remaining export fisheries are on track to meet the Commonwealth deadlines.
It would be no surprise to the House that this government regards indigenous economic development as vital to the Territory’s future growth and continues to fund indigenous programs. It can be very well for the opposition to complain about itinerant problems, about all sorts of problems in these communities, but the reality is we are not going to address these issues unless we provide jobs to indigenous Territorians - jobs in the places, the towns and the small cities where they live. This is exactly what my department is doing. Many coastal towns do not have a fishing licence to go commercial fishing or a net licence to do some netting and provide fresh seafood to the Territorians who happen to live in those areas.
This budget contains $700 000 for indigenous fisheries activity similar to a commitment last year. Under the indigenous fisheries programs, departmental staff work closely with indigenous people to identify, research and develop commercial fishing opportunities for indigenous communities. Indigenous people have been involved on-site in the training of their communities to maximise opportunities for local employment. The programs have included the development of appropriate activity models, business cases and policies and include projects aimed at:
- the development of sustainable mud crab and aquaculture businesses such as those at Maningrida and the
Gwalwa Daraniki Association. These projects rely on the supply of crablets from the Darwin Aquaculture
Centre to those indigenous regional communities; and
fishing tourism-related projects in East Arnhem Land.
Another indigenous economic development activity is the successful Indigenous Community Marine Rangers Program that, to date, has employed 37 rangers. The program has led to the establishment of two steering committees which assist the five current consultative committees to provide an avenue for effective communication between the Northern Territory government and the traditional owners on matters relating to both sea management and economic development opportunities. As well as additional ranger groups, a new consultative committee was established that is based in Maningrida. Let me remind you, the indigenous marine rangers discovered the illegal Indonesian boat that was moored in one of the rivers outside Maningrida.
Another example of the department working successfully with the communities is Riverwatch, a joint community and departmental initiative. Riverwatch has grown with the establishment of new information centres on the Victoria, Roper and Mary River systems. The information centres have been well received and act as a conduit back to the department on issues of local significance while providing information on fisheries and the aquatic environment relevant to the region. The comments received from tourists are that they can find all the information at their fingertips through the Riverwatch system and it is incredible. People who have not seen anything like that in other states want to copy this program for other states. This program also provides vital information to us about illegal activities, and about possible environmental problems in the rivers.
The Land Access Working Group works with relevant land councils and pastoral lease holders to increase recreational fishing access opportunities in the Northern Territory.
The department is working closely with the barramundi industry and other stakeholders to revise the current management arrangements for the commercial barramundi fishery. Resource allocation, gear types for each fishing area, closures and ecologically sustainable development principles would be discussed during the review of the Barramundi Management Plan. In addition, the Aquatic Resource User Group Forum has commenced the development of a five-year strategic plan/10-year outlook for the barramundi fishery.
A total of $1.8m will be used to developed aquaculture opportunities in the Northern Territory, in addition to supporting the Darwin Aquaculture Centre’s commercial marine fin-fish hatchery. The aquaculture program has substantially supported the ongoing development of barramundi, prawn and pearl farming in the Northern Territory, and the department is working with industry on the commercialisation of mud crab aquaculture. Within the next financial year, there will be specific focus on working with industry to expand the commercialisation of existing farmed species. Significant improvements continue to be made to the quality and quantity of juvenile barramundi from the Darwin Aquaculture Centre. As you are no doubt aware, the Darwin Aquaculture Centre spawns and rears barramundi fingerlings for commercial fish farms, often with a surplus of fish between 50 mm and 100 mm. Many of these surplus fish have been stocked in Manton Dam, Lake Bennett, Lake Todd, and Darwin Harbour. The department continues to lead the way in Australia with Fisheries Aquatic Pest Management. Other jurisdictions are now adopting a similar monitoring, risk-based assessment and response approach to that developed in the Territory.
The Northern Territory government continues its support of the Northern Territory Seafood Council with a grant of $175 000 which has been derived from fishing licence revenue. The department and the Northern Territory Seafood Council will continue to work actively on the co-management of commercial fishing resources, and further develop local fisheries.
Recreational fishing is a significant part of the Territory’s lifestyle, and $2m has been allocated for new recreation infrastructure by this government to be spent over four years to develop recreational fishing in the Northern Territory. I did not hear anything in the Leader of the Opposition’s response about the allocation of any funds from his party for infrastructure for recreational fishing. The only thing he discussed was improved access to inland waters, something we have already addressed.
Some $40 000 has been committed to assist the fishing tour operator industry, to start a representative organisation and to develop self-funding mechanisms. $900 000 has been allocated for the recreation fishing program in 2005-06. This covers general management, research and policy development, and promotion of recreational fishing in the Northern Territory.
The department’s central budget for the Industry Development Support Program also contains $170 000 to support the Amateur Fishermen’s Association of the Northern Territory, which includes $10 000 for fishing club grants. AFANT represents Northern Territory anglers and conveys their issues and concerns to government and other parties through a range of consultative and informative mechanisms. I am pleased to say that AFANT works very closely with the department and the government. We are negotiating a series of outcomes as part of AFANT’s budget preparation for 2005-06. Recreational fishers at the AFANT AGM were pleased when I was able to inform them of this government’s promise in securing access opportunities adjacent to the Peron Islands and at Point Stuart.
I now turn to the Primary Industry portfolio. The Northern Territory government has committed over $23.4m to be spent in support of Northern Territory primary industry programs during 2005-06. The amount includes $1.8m from other sources for specific research and development projects and targeted animal and plant disease programs.
The department’s staff will continue working with, revising and implementing the plans for each primary industry sector under the government’s Economic Development Strategy. Northern Territory primary industry includes cattle and other livestock including buffalo, crocodiles, poultry, pigs and camels; horticulture including fruit, vegetables, nursery and cut flowers; and cropping including field crops, forestry, hay and seed.
Based on information currently available, the department is estimating gross value of production of these industries for 2003-04 in the NT was $359m. This includes $245m for the cattle industry, $11m for other animal industries, $15m for mixed cropping, and horticulture at $88m. Northern Territory primary industries, including fisheries, employed an estimated 2300 people during 2003-04.
Northern Territory government programs for primary industries have a strong regional delivery focus. The agriculture mixed farming program is focussed in the Katherine, Douglas Daly and Darwin areas. Horticulture is mostly in the Top End including Katherine, with some at Ti Tree and Alice Springs.
Pastoral programs provide support in all regions, with turn-off directed to the live export trade and interstate markets. Statistics for the industry highlight its significance. The cattle population is estimated at 1.9m head. Annual turn-off is in excess of 500 000. The value of turn-off cattle is approximately $245m per annum, and there are large multiplier effects in the rest of the economy. The most recent survey by the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics reveals a capital structure of the industry in the Northern Territory of around $1.6bn. Resource protection services are located throughout the Territory, with laboratory support provided from Darwin.
I now turn to some of the specific budget allocations for primary industry. The department’s central budget for the Industry Development Support Program contains approximately $1.1m for primary industry organisations that work with government to grow their industry sectors. Importantly, this joint effort between government and industry bodies also helps support Territory enterprises in marketing their produce, goods and service, not only nationally, but internationally.
The Northern Territory government recognises the importance of increasing employment opportunities among indigenous people, especially in remote communities and outstations, as outlined in the Indigenous Economic Development Plan. I am pleased to say that this budget contains $408 000 for the delivery of programs that will help expand the indigenous pastoral and horticultural enterprises on indigenous-owned land; restore and expand employment opportunities for indigenous people in rural and remote areas by identifying training needs and coordinating delivery of training; and support the practical application of skills.
I am pleased to announce that traditional staff are recent additions to the Indigenous Pastoral Program, with a dedicated officer now working from the Alice Springs Arid Zone Research Institute and one from the Katherine Research Station. These are two of the three departmental officers working on the Indigenous Pastoral Program, and their mission is to get cattle established on indigenous land and young indigenous people into the pastoral work force. A few years back, in the 1950s and 1960s, Aboriginal people were the backbone of the pastoral industry. They were very good stockman and, from Port Hedland, Western Australia, the Northern Territory and Queensland, they were living on the stations to work on the stations. Unfortunately, that does not happen anymore. We would like to bring these people back to the stations, to the pastoral industry, and also make sure that their land is back into production and they can they be productive Territorians and provide jobs for young Territorians.
The Horticulture Indigenous Program will be employing one additional staff member who will be located at the Arid Zone Research Institute and who will be focussing on commercial enterprise development, employment and training and the community garden program. The funding provided to the Horticulture Indigenous Program has allowed one of the existing horticulture staff from Darwin to work full-time with Top End indigenous communities to develop and update community gardens and assist with appropriate horticulture information delivery.
In addition to the sectoral plans I mentioned earlier, staff working with the horticultural industry are continuing to work to a strategic plan that encourages development through the management of knowledge, improved industry skills and land, water and infrastructure availability.
As I mentioned previously, the value of horticultural production in the Northern Territory, including nursery and cut flowers, for 2003-04, was estimated at $88m. In this budget, $2.9m has been earmarked for research, extension and development programs across our horticultural industry. These programs will focus on continuing work on our research stations and creating effective partnerships with the horticultural industry and organisations; developing new products and varieties; developing and testing production technologies; and packaging and distributing horticultural information. Work will also continue with the mango industry on improving management of the supply chain from the farm gate to the retailer.
Maintaining the disease-free status of our horticultural industries under the umbrella term of bio-security is vital to ensuring continued market access and economic viability. As such, $3m will be used to maintain the programs of grower accreditation and certification assurance, the management and/or eradication of plant pests and diseases, and the provision of laboratory services. Inspection, certification and registration services that allow local growers access to interstate and overseas markets for Territory horticultural produce will continue.
There is $820 000 to be used to support public health and environmentally related-water quality monitoring for urban and remote communities.
To ensure livestock health and to maintain national and international market access for the Territory, this budget contains $4.6m to support ready access to all available domestic and export markets of Territory livestock, including cattle, camels and buffalo. These services include veterinary laboratory services; animal disease control and emergency response programs; inspection, treatment and certification services to facilitate the sale of animals and animal products; and the continuation of collaborative programs with the Charles Darwin University. A further $5m will be used for targeted research, development and extension services to the pastoral industry. These programs include collaborative projects with major pastoral companies, increasing breeding herd efficiencies, utilising native pastures, and joint initiatives with the Indigenous Land Corporation, Northern Land Council and Central Land Council. $2.8m will go towards agricultural development programs to ensure continued research, development and extension services.
I now turn to the Mines and Energy portfolio, the powerhouse of the Northern Territory economy. Total funding for the department’s Minerals and Energy Group is $22.4m in 2005-06, reflecting the fact that mining and petroleum industries combined make the greatest single contribution to the Northern Territory’s gross state product. The group works to support development of these industries and also regulates them to ensure best practice in health, safety and environmental management. Its funding includes $6.8m in Commonwealth grants under the Renewable Remote Power Generation Program.
There have been significant changes to the structure of the Minerals and Energy Group over the past financial year which will have a positive impact on how it will operate in 2005-06. These changes resulted from a review of the former Mines and Petroleum Management function by Network Australia Consulting Pty Ltd, with the aim of ensuring the department has the capability and flexibility to deliver effective regulatory services. As a result, the various functions formerly undertaken by the Mines and Petroleum Management Division have been separated into individual divisions: the Mining and Petroleum Authorisation Division, the Mining and Petroleum Compliance Division and the Mining Evaluation Division. In addition, the stand-alone position of Chief Investigator has been created to coordinate investigation of accidents, whilst the stand-alone position of Manager Mt Todd has been created to coordinate issues related to the management and rehabilitation of the Mt Todd mine site. The Energy Policy and Renewable Energy Division was also created to focus on the strategic issues in this area, and Mining Development Division was established to clearly separate development activities from regulatory functions. The existing Mineral and Energy Titles Division and the Northern Territory Geological Survey Division continue in their existing forms.
The Mining and Petroleum Authorisations Division has been allocated $890 000 in this year’s budget. The division is the initial coordination point for guiding mining and petroleum operators in adopting recognised best practice and due diligence in an environmental management, workplace safety, occupational health, and radiation safety. The Mining and Petroleum Compliance Division has been allocated $2.1m in the next financial year. The division is responsible for inspecting and auditing mining and petroleum operations to ensure they comply with Territory and Commonwealth legislation and operating approvals.
A key government initiative in this budget is funding of $200 000 for a team of two mining officers to inspect and audit Alcan’s activities during the G3 expansion of the Gove bauxite and alumina operation. The funding is for two years and will ensure the project is properly monitored during construction and commissioning.
The Territory government is committed to protect the safety and health of those in the mining industry, and to ensure the industry plays its part in protection of the environment under new legislation which was introduced in January 2002, the Mining Management Act.
The Mining Evaluation Division has been allocated $1.12m in 2005-06. The division has a critical regulatory role to play in dealing with the long-term environmental issues relating to mine closures and legacy mine sites. Issues such as the acid rock drainage, such as at Mt Todd, are very difficult technically and very costly to rehabilitate. Staff will be focussing on understanding the reasons for the development of such major long-term issues, and developing action plans to meet some of the challenges. The Mining Evaluation Division will also be assisting the Manager of Mt Todd mine site, who has responsibility for managing the water on-site to minimise impacts from discharge, while also coordinating the necessary studies required to develop long-term rehabilitation options for consideration by the government.
The terms of reference are being finalised to establish cost estimates for the initial studies for government consideration. Further funds will be allocated by government to actual rehabilitation works, depending on the outcome of the study. In addition, options for immediate remedial work that is compatible with the longer-term planning work which can be done this Dry Season are being costed for separate submission to government. Some $370 000 has been allocated from the Executive Services Division to resource activities at Mt Todd in the coming year to undertake basic site management and maintenance.
The position of Chief Inspector has been allocated nearly $130 000. This funding, essentially, comprises the salary cost for the Chief Investigator. When required, the Chief Investigator will be able to draw additional resources from the group in order to meet statutory requirements. The Chief Investigator will independently coordinate or conduct investigations of all incidents and complaints on mining and petroleum leases to ensure appropriate remedial actions are implemented by both industry and the department.
The Mining Development Division will receive $570 000 in the next financial year to undertake a range of activities to promote, attract and facilitate accelerated exploration and sustainable development of the Territory’s mineral and onshore petroleum resources.
The Northern Territory Geological Survey Division has been allocated $6.92m in 2005-06, including $3.1m allocated by the government for the third year of a four-year Building the Territory’s Resource Base Program. The division is responsible for collecting, interpreting and disseminating geoscientific data, with the aim of attracting mineral and petroleum exploration.
The Energy Policy and Renewable Energy Division has been allocated $7m this financial year, the bulk of which is Commonwealth grants under the Renewable Energy Rebate Program. The program provides remote power users with cash rebates of 50% to replace expensive diesel generation with renewable energy.
The Mineral and Energy Titles Division has been allocated $2.38m to continue its critical role of granting and maintaining mineral and petroleum titles in the Territory. This includes $250 000 from the Building the Territory’s Resource Base initiative. The division facilitates valid legal access to mineral and petroleum resources through processing applications for mineral and petroleum titles. It is working to build productive partnerships between government, the mining and petroleum industries and the Northern Territory land councils, with the aim of facilitating access to land for exploration and mining.
The Executive Services Division has been allocated $1.25m next financial year. This division contains a range of strategic services including the allocation for the Mt Todd program.
This government’s economic performance has been excellent and this budget will ensure the Territory’s continued growth. In our Territory, we have a stable government, industries that are competitive on a national and world scale, strong and developing trade and relationship links with Asia, world-class natural resources, strong infrastructure foundations, and proximity to major oil and gas reserves. In addition to this, the Northern Territory economy is in a period of strong growth in the resource sector as a result of major projects such as the expansion of Alcan Gove.
The Leader of the Opposition said: ‘Show me a project that this government has started’. Well, I can cite two, or three probably, very soon. One is the LNG plant across the harbour, the second is the expansion of Alcan and third the trans-Territory pipeline that is about to start construction pending successful negotiation. Hopefully, with the successful outcome of the Sunrise negotiations we might see some bigger programs that this government is going to start. Of course, these projects will not finish in one year or two; they will finish in more than three, four or five years - they are long-term programs. It is very mischievous of the Leader of the Opposition to say: ‘Show me a project you have started and finished in this four years of government’. I cannot show him any that we have finished; I can show him many that we have started and they will finish in the next few years.
I now turn to the government’s continuing commitment to the multicultural community in the Northern Territory, a very strong commitment. We support the multicultural community. We appreciate their contribution to the Territory and we stand by the different communities because they have made a significant contribution, not only to the economy and the wealth of the Territory, but also to the development of a unique culture of the Territory, which has elements of the Chinese, Asian, indigenous, Greek and many other cultures. I was very impressed to find out that one of the most multicultural cities in the Northern Territory is Alice Springs, when I attended, during the last couple of months, the Harmony Day celebrations. I was astounded by the number of different ethnic community groups that reside in Alice Springs, and the presentations that took place there.
Through my Multicultural Affairs portfolio, the Northern Territory government will provide $740 000 to support projects that promote cultural and linguistic diversity in the Territory through the Multicultural Affairs Sponsorship Program. This includes cultural and linguistic awards totalling up to $150 000 for individuals and ethnic community groups to undertake research, further study, specialised training in language, or other cultural activities related to their ethnic origin, with special focus on relating and sharing these experiences and activities with the general community.
We provide an interpreter and translation service to assist agencies to communicate and deliver their services. We provide cross-cultural awareness training and assistance to overseas trained professionals, para-professionals, technical, trade and other skilled workers, in obtaining recognition of their qualifications and skills. We provide operational assistance to migrant and ethnic community organisations, including the Multicultural Council of the Northern Territory and the Multicultural Community Services of Central Australia. We provide awards like the Charles See Kee Awards to recognise and celebrate people, organisations and initiatives that have made an outstanding contribution towards advancing multiculturalism and counteract racism in the Territory. A further $500 000 will be allocated to the three-year $1.5m Multicultural Communities Facility Development Program – a new initiative announced last year.
Government, industry and communities are working closely and effectively in moving the Territory ahead and ensuring our great Territory lifestyle continues. Together, we are capitalising on these opportunities to build an even stronger, more diverse and more sustainable economy.
This is exactly what this budget is doing. I have many interstate friends who are very well aware that we are heading towards an election. They were expecting a very different budget – a lot of hand-outs. Certainly, governments tend to give hand-outs just before an election, but the electorate has become very cynical. You cannot pull the wool over their eyes. They are very well aware that when governments go to an election and give a lot of money out, they are obviously trying to buy their votes. I recall a cartoon today in a newspaper – I believe it was in the Centralian Advocate – a Territorian pushing home an empty wheel barrow, saying to his wife: ‘They did not buy my vote’. That is exactly what this budget does - we are not buying votes. Instead, we are providing jobs, skills for Territorians, and tax cuts for Territory business.
It is not an extravagant budget, but a very balanced budget that sets the foundation for further development of the Territory. It is a budget that will provide families in the Territory with opportunities: to buy their first home; to educate their kids; to send their kids to VET schools to learn a trade; if they run a small business, to pay less tax; to save the 10% on our key cards, every time we use it to pay for groceries, which will save some money - not an enormous amount, but some. I can find better uses for $2000 per year than giving it to Mr Costello or the Territory Treasury.
Madam Speaker, this is a balanced budget, and I congratulate the Treasurer on what is a logical budget. It is not extravagant. It does not attempt to buy votes. It is, instead, a budget for Territory families, for local jobs, better skills and less tax.
Dr BURNS (Transport and Infrastructure): Madam Speaker, Budget 2005 builds on the Martin government’s strong record in delivering less tax, creating local jobs, and building the skills of the Territory’s work force.
This year’s budget again demonstrates the Martin government’s commitment to developing new infrastructure across all regions and sectors of the Territory, creating more jobs and developing government services. The total budget commitment for infrastructure spending in 2005-06 is $476m. This follows on from three years of record infrastructure spending. The infrastructure budget has been sustained at record levels and has grown from $405m in 2001, to $427m in 2002, $438m in 2003, and projected total expenditure of $479m by the end of the current financial year.
Significantly, this budget increases the cash allocation to minor new works by some 40%, taking minor new works to a total of $28.6m. Most importantly, this year’s budget maintains the Martin government’s record in delivering a high cash allocation to the capital works program. This contrasts starkly with the CLP’s dismal record in government. In the last Burke CLP budget, the value of re-voted works - that is, work continuing works - exceeded the cash allocation.
I have shown this graph before, but I will show it again because it is significant. It shows cash represented by blue lines and the re-vote is represented by yellow blocks. It can be clearly seen that, in the last Burke budget, the re-vote exceeded the cash. By contrast, it can be seen that cash is rising at a great rate under the Martin Labor government, which is something of which we are proud. This really exposes the Opposition Leader and his term in government. With all the promises he has made about infrastructure spending and building things, he plunged the Territory exactly where the re-vote exceeded the cash. That meant that there was not enough money to pay for works that had been announced, let alone provide any new cash for new work.
In the last Burke CLP budget, the cost of re-voted capital works - those projects already under way or committed - was valued at a massive $208m. However, the Burke CLP government allocated just $192m cash to both the re-voted program and the new program announced in the CLP budget. This was clearly an unsustainable situation. It is a CLP legacy that is very well remembered by the construction industry, building subcontractors and associated small businesses.
I turn to capital works and infrastructure development. Budget 2005-06 is crammed with infrastructure initiatives to keep the Territory moving ahead and further enhance the Territory lifestyle.
Budget highlights include an additional $7.3m to advance the Darwin City Waterfront project and the Darwin convention and exhibition centre. This year’s funding for the city waterfront project will allow the power, water and sewerage and access headworks to be installed along the waterfront’s precinct boundary.
The 2005-06 budget reflects the critical need to build and upgrade the Northern Territory’s vast road network, including major tourist highways, arterial roads and strategic outback roads that support the rural industry and remote communities. Key spending highlights for roads in this year’s budget include $15m to commence upgrading flood prone sections of the Victoria Highway and construct four new bridges on this highway. This upgrade is included in the AusLink network funding, and follows three years of lobbying to have the Commonwealth fund this necessary upgrade of the national highway network. A further $11m is approved for the West MacDonnell Range and Litchfield National Park tourist loop roads. Cash is also provided to continue the government’s $10m beef roads program, which is over two years.
Other infrastructure spending highlights in this year’s budget include $2.7m for Stage 2 headworks at Central Australia’s Desert Knowledge Precinct. This work includes complete power, water and sewerage for the first of the precinct buildings, including augmentation of the town water supply to accommodate the precinct’s water demand. These works complement the $16m program for the construction of the Business and Innovation Centre and the administration and teaching buildings at the Desert People’s Centre.
Territory national parks and reserves are major catalysts for the Territory’s tourism industry and they will receive a substantial boost in this year’s budget, both in capital works and operational expenditure. Among the key infrastructure initiatives are as follows:
- $1.5m is allocated to Stage 1 of the Litchfield National Park development to rationalise visitor and
commercial facilities, including redevelopment of Wangi Falls, Florence Falls, Buley Rockhole
camping upgrades, and formalise the park’s southern entrance;
West MacDonnell’s National Park. These works will include additional shade shelters, presentation areas,
water treatment areas and ablutions, expansion of car parks and camp grounds, and provision of emergency
call devices;
will be used to construct new weirs within the vast river system and to upgrade existing submerged weirs at
Sampan and Tommy Cut creeks; and
Channel Point recreational reserve.
Other significant capital works commitment this year include $450 000 to provide roads, water, electrical and sewerage services to six new blocks to be used by community organisations along Batten Road at Marrara; $5.8m provided for the completion of the home of soccer in Darwin; and $1.9m provided for upgrades to Hidden Valley raceway. As can be seen, this is a mighty budget for supporting Territory lifestyle and sport within the Northern Territory.
In regional land development, the release of land for residential development in Alice Springs is, under this government, now taking place. We intend to further release land in anticipation of demand as Alice Springs continues to grow. Flowing on from the signing of the indigenous land use agreement with Lhere Artepe Aboriginal Corporation in April 2004, 40 house blocks have been created in the first phase of land development at Larapinta. Completion of the Stirling Heights subdivision and granting of freehold title on land formerly subject to native title is expected to occur later this month. Government provided $1.95m for headworks to service Larapinta in 2004-05 to enable two developments to proceed. The second development lease will be sold by public auction on 20 May. This will create a further 45 lots, including lots to be made available to first home buyers. These are expected to be available early in 2006.
Also under negotiation with native title owners is the release of residential land at Mt John Valley, and around 120 lots expected from a Stage 1 development. Capital works funding of $1m is being provided to headworks in this first stage at Mt John Valley, with tenders expected to be advertised shortly.
In Darwin, $1.5m has been committed to extend the sewerage headworks at the Darwin Business Park, which will include the provision of a new sewer pump station and 700 m of sewer main. Works by the Land Development Corporation on behalf of DIPE to provide the sewerage headworks at the Darwin Business Park will greatly enhance the estate’s capacity to accommodate new businesses. Among potential future inclusions are fish processing and similar industry, which require land close to the waterfront. The corporation will also receive $400 000 in minor new works funding this year to meet the land servicing requirements of industries coming into the estate. A further $390 000 is provided for marketing the Darwin Business Park and investigating the land development opportunities, focussing on trade development and oil- and gas-based industries.
I now turn to DIPE minor new works. This year’s budget sees a major boost of almost 40% in the minor new works program across government. This will take the value of the program to almost $29m. This program is of vital importance to small contractors in business. The doubling of the minor new works threshold from $150 000 to $300 000 is another important initiative that will assist small business in this year’s budget.
If I could just digress from my written notes for a minute, coming into this budget, the very strong feedback I had from the construction industry and contractors within the construction industry is that the construction economy, if you like, is running very hot at present; there is probably more than enough work and costs are escalating. Therefore, it was very important for government to get the mix right in this budget of our infrastructure spend, and this is exactly what we have done. We have the major projects going on, both government and outside this government in the private sector, and we have also been careful to ensure that there is quite a lot of works in the minor new works budget to ensure that those smaller businesses and subcontractors have plenty of work to carry on with.
DIPE will account for almost $10m of the government’s minor new works program in 2005-06. It is pleasing to note that Territory-based businesses account for some 93% of the number, and 95% of the value of DIPE’s contracting for infrastructure works. The government’s expenditure on infrastructure will generate more than 4000 full-time jobs in the construction and related industries; a vital component of the Territory’s economy.
I turn now to AusLink. The Commonwealth government has announced its intention to no longer fully fund the construction and maintenance of our national highways. This proposal, which contains a number of potentially adverse consequences for the Territory, is now being implemented. I have raised these concerns directly with Jim Lloyd, who is the Commonwealth minister for roads, and I will continue to argue for fair funding for Territory roads. Budget funding for the AusLink program in the Northern Territory this year includes $15m to construct four new bridges at Victoria River, Joe Creek, Lost Creek and Sandy Creek on the Victoria Highway, and to lift and strengthen sections of road pavement through the Victoria River floodplain. This will commence upgrading the flood immunity of the Victoria Highway, something that the Martin government has been lobbying for over the course of the last three years. $4m will be provided through the Australian Roads to Recovery Program to upgrade local roads, and $700 000 through the National Black Spot Program for projects, subject to federal approval, that will improve the safety of targeted NT government and local government roads. $2m is provided to enhance the safety and efficiency of the road network by strengthening and widening selected sections of the Stuart, Barkly and Victoria Highways.
The Commonwealth minister has recently written to me rejecting the unanimous motion passed by this Assembly last year which called on the Commonwealth to restore the $20m of underfunding that the Territory suffered over the last four years of the Commonwealth’s Roads to Recovery Program. I believe this represents inequitable treatment of Territorians by the Commonwealth and, effectively, treats Territorians as second-class citizens compared to Australians residing in other states. I do not intend to let the matter rest, and I trust that the government will continue to have the unanimous support of all members of the Legislative Assembly.
I now turn to Territory roads. This year’s budget contains a boost of 50% more cash for capital works on NT roads compared to the 2004 budget. A major contributor to this was the injection of an additional $10m program throughout the 2004-05 and 2005-06 years to upgrade Territory beef roads. This program, of course, continues in the 2005 budget. Repairs and maintenance for Territory roads also gets an 8% boost in cash, and the total cash for the roads budget works program has increased from $80m in last years’ budget to over $95m in this year’s budget. That represents a 19% boost in this year’s budget. When you compare this year’s budget to the last Burke CLP budget, the cash allocated to capital works on Territory roads has more than doubled.
Once again, I have a graph to illustrate this particular point. Here you can see, in 2001-02, the blue line and the escalating cash funding that this government has been putting in Territory roads is absolutely outstanding. Members would agree with me that this is fantastic result in 2005-06. The CLP allocated just over $15m in the 2001-02 budget. This rises to well over something like $33m in this year, 2005-06. The CLP made some grandiose promises today about waterproofing our roads. I am not sure whether that means putting raincoats over them, or sealing all of our roads. No doubt, the Leader of the Opposition will be called upon to clarify exactly what he means and what sort of money is involved, and I will be watching that very carefully.
Returning to our budget, our budget means better roads and more jobs for locals both in construction and through the stimulation of the economy. An $8m program is provided for the West MacDonnell Range Tourist Loop Road to promote tourism and regional development. The work will include reconstruction and sealing of selected sections of Namatjira Drive between Glen Helen and Larapinta Drive, and Larapinta Drive between Hermannsburg and Kings Canyon. A $4.5m contract for works on this road was recently awarded to Works Infrastructure, a Territory business. Tenders have recently been called for the sealing of 14 km of the loop running north from the Watarrka National Park; these tenders close next week. Also, $3m is allocated for reconstruction and sealing of the Litchfield National Park Road. This is Stage 2 of the project which will greatly enhance access to these tourist draw cards.
Last year, the government announced a $10m program to rebuild and improve strategic beef roads. This program includes $1.6m to extend the seal on the Point Stuart Road, to improve access for pastoralists, fishing enthusiasts and tourists. Upgrading the Maryvale Road is included in this year’s program at a value of $800 000. This will provide pastoral industry access, and also improved access for remote communities.
A further $800 000 is allocated under the Rural Arterials Program to improve road safety by strengthening the pavement of, and widening, the Arnhem Highway; $500 000 is provided to improve access to the remote Arnhem Land communities of Ngukurr and Numbulwar by constructing a causeway at Rose River and other upgrades of the road; $500 000 is allocated to upgrading river crossings along the Central Arnhem Highway from Beswick to Gove including upgrade of the Wilton River crossings; and $500 000 is allocated to upgrade sections of the Sandover Highway including re-sheeting and drainage upgrades. Funding of $1.14m will support the Safer Territory Communities Road Safety Programs and initiatives.
I now turn to urban enhancement. The 2005 Budget continues funding for the government’s popular program to revitalise suburban shopping centres and other urban enhancement programs. Projects throughout the length and breadth of the Territory will be funded under this program in 2005-06. I recently announced the government’s commitment of $350 000 to further progress the Todd and Charles River master plan. Of particular interest to residents in electorate of Johnston is the provision of $300 000 in this year’s budget to upgrade the Rapid Creek Corridor.
Turning now to public transport, the coming year will see an increase of peak hour bus services, new services introduced into unserviced areas and the expansion of services in the Darwin rural area. I plan to make further announcements about these services in the near future. In addition, $144 000 is included in this year’s budget to introduce special bus services for tenants of Darwin and Palmerston public housing seniors villages.
I now turn to Parks and Wildlife. The department’s Parks and Wildlife Service will receive an increase of $1.2m to baseline operational funding to manage the Northern Territory parks estate. That is an increase of 13% in operational funding. This increase will be ongoing in subsequent years.
As well as the increase in general operational funding, the Parks and Wildlife Service will receive an addition $650 000 this year specifically for implementing joint management arrangements in 27 Territory parks. Joint management will enhance the capacity of regional communities to realise the potential of parks as catalyst for regional economic development and employment.
The Alice Springs region will deploy more resources into its fire management program, which has become a high priority following the relatively low rainfall experienced in the Centre over the past 12 months.
Programs for the control of feral animals such as camels, horses, donkeys and cattle will be expanded, involving more frequent patrols by helicopters.
The Top End region’s weed control program will include more concentrated efforts in eradicating gamba grass within Charles Darwin National Park. The weeds program in Shoal Bay Coastal Reserve, Berry Springs Nature Park, and Litchfield National Park will be expanded.
With the increase of the number of people visiting major Territory parks like Litchfield, Nitmiluk and Watarrka, the Parks and Wildlife Service will be able to allocate resources and develop these high visitation areas to reduce pressure on existing infrastructure.
This year’s budget recognises the critical importance of protecting the Territory’s natural resources from introduced weeds and animal pests, fire erosion, and other elements. One of the most serious environmental blights to impact on the Territory environment is the notorious cane toad, which has now colonised widely across the Top End and is on the verge of invading Darwin, Palmerston and the Litchfield Shire. Significant support funding has already been committed to counteract this potentially devastating exotic pest, and this year’s budget includes a further $1.1m to help provide immediate and long-term controls. Specifically, this year, $480 000 has been allocated to assist the proactive Frog Watch community campaign, which includes Toad Busters and extensive trapping. At the same time, the Martin government’s initiatives will continue in providing the secretariat for the National Task Force on Cane Toads, supporting long-term biological control research within the CSIRO, and the continuation of the Island Ark Program to protect threatened species.
I recently met with the West Australian Minister for Agriculture and Forestry, Hon Kim Chance, to discuss the looming invasion of cane toads into Western Australia. At that meeting, it was agreed in principle that the two states would collaborate in fighting the spread of this pest. This may involve significant expenditure of Western Australian funds in the Territory, on Territory soil, to try to halt the spread of the pest into WA. That should have been done a long time ago. When the cane toads were coming across from Queensland into the Territory, that is the sort of activity that the CLP should have been trying to do.
Other budget initiatives include $1.5m to provide information on the groundwater resources that sustain communities and the horticultural, pastoral and mining industries across the Northern Territory. There is $900 000 to collect data on water flows and levels in Territory rivers and groundwater systems that are required for the sustainable use of water resources. There is $1m for a project to collect, collate and distribute information on soil, vegetation and land capability to reduce risk and achieve sustainable development of land for rural production, industrial use and urban expansion.
Budget 2005-06 provides increased funding for the multiple award winning Territory Wildlife Park and the Alice Springs Desert Park. Visitor numbers at the Alice Springs Desert Park have increased due to recent marketing focussed on international and domestic tourists. Visitors to the Desert Park are expected to reach a record 85 000 during the 2005-06 year, as more tour operators come on board. Visitor numbers to the Territory Wildlife Park are expected to rise to around 75 000 in 2005-06 as new experiences targeted towards domestic and international visitors are developed, and marketing is specifically focussed towards these groups.
Alice Springs Desert Park will receive $80 000 this year to introduce 200 visitor audio guides in three languages; to work with traditional owners to further develop indigenous interpretation, visitor experiences; and to promote Central Australia’s Desert Park to The Ghan’s Red Kangaroo passengers.
The 2005-06 Budget further supports the Darwin Harbour Regional Plan of Management, with $300 000 allocated to this important government initiative. This amount includes $91 000 to employ a research officer; $80 000 to develop indigenous community participation in managing the Darwin Harbour area; $80 000 for a public information campaign; and $101 000 as the first of three annual allocations to identify significant Darwin Harbour environments and prevent their degradation.
Budget allocations have been provided this year for the express purpose of streamlining government services to the business sector and the general public. $120 000 will go to further developing and enhancing electronic service delivery options for the Motor Vehicle Registry’s commercial customers and the community. During the 2005-06 year, the MVR e-Government project will see the implementation of an on-line system (Dealer On-line, as it is known) to enable licensed motor vehicle dealers, or LMVDs, to transfer their registered owner details and disposal advice for second-hand registered vehicles that they sell. Dealer-On-line will be an enhancement of the dealer franchise system for electronic registration of factory new vehicles that is due for implementation in June 2005.
Since the introduction of MVR Quick Pay in late 2004, there has been a steady upward trend on Internet transactions. In December 2004, the first month of introduction, 10 transactions were recorded. This increased to 1207 transactions in March 2005. MVR will go to tender in 2005-06 for a telephone interactive voice response system that will enable Quick Pay renewals to be conducted over the telephone 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Promotion of these improved services for customers will continue throughout the year.
Additional funding of $650 000 has been allocated this year to implement changes to the Planning Act and Building Act, including education, promotion, enhanced appeal processes and related construction industry reform initiatives. The Martin Labor government has embarked on a comprehensive package of reform for the construction industry. This includes measures to protect consumers and workers and further increase the level of professionalism in the industry. A key element of this was the amendment of the Building Act to provide for the registration of home builders and the introduction of compulsory home warranty insurance. The budget allocation for the coming financial year will cover set-up and administrative costs for the residential builders registration component of this reform and an enhanced Building Practitioners Board. This will include additional administrative and technical staff to undertake the audits and investigations, and establishment and maintenance of the appropriate database.
In summary, the 2005-06 Budget puts the Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Environment in a strong position to enhance services it provides to Territorians across the board.
I turn now to the Power and Water Corporation. The Power and Water Corporation’s capital investment program for 2005-06 will total $66m. This is some $28m, or 70%, greater than the corporation’s investment program in the CLP’s last budget. Substantial progress has already been made on the undergrounding of electricity distribution infrastructure in the Darwin suburbs, particularly in Nightcliff, with Stage 1 of the Nightcliff project completed during 2004-05. In contrast, the CLP opposition have repeatedly gone on the record opposing this program and vowing to scrap it. The government will continue to fund this highly popular initiative, although I note earlier in this session that the opposition has done a backflip on this particular issue, so it will be interesting to see what sort of costing and time frame they come out with regarding what they want to do. The government’s funding to this project is in addition to the $1m contribution directly provided by the Power and Water Corporation.
A government commitment to provide electricity supply to residents of Dundee Beach continues, with projected expenditure of $3m in 2005-06. Planning for the next phase of this project will commence in the first half of the 2005-06 financial year.
Work will commence on the selection and purchase of additional generating capacity for Alice Springs. This will ensure that the residents of Alice Springs are provided with an increasingly reliable electricity supply well into the future. I also foreshadow that the Power and Water Corporation Board is looking at a study and ways to augment power supply within Darwin, so I compliment Power and Water and its board on their investment in infrastructure within the Territory.
Construction of the Frances Bay zone substation will continue in 2005-06 and will provide increased reliability and security of supply for the growing demand in the Darwin CBD. This is an estimated $12.5m investment in the future of the development of Darwin city ...
Mrs AAGAARD: Madam Speaker, I move that an extension of time for the minister to conclude his remarks.
Motion agreed to.
Dr BURNS: I thank the member for Nightcliff. During 2005-06, a new water pumping station will be installed at Tennant Creek to improve the reliability of water services to the Tennant Creek community. Drinking water quality remains a high priority issue throughout the Territory, with Power and Water continually monitoring all supplies. During 2005-06, a range of activities will commence to upgrade drinking water supplies. These include: investigation of a new water source at Mataranka; development of a replacement bore for Newcastle Waters; an upgrade of disinfection facilities and improvement of security for current water sources at Pine Creek; development of new water sources at Ti Tree; investigation of improved water treatment options for Borroloola and Kings Canyon; and an upgrade to the primary chlorination facility at Katherine.
Approximately $3m will be spent in 2005-06 on relining sewers throughout the Territory. It is anticipated that this is level of investment will be ongoing to continually improve Territory-wide sewerage services.
The government continues its priority commitment to the provision of essential services to remote communities. Through fee-for-service arrangements between the Department of Community Development, Sports and Cultural Affairs and the Power and Water Corporation, some $47m will be government funded in 2005-06 to improve and maintain power, water and sewerage services to remote communities.
I now turn to the Darwin Port Corporation. The Darwin Port Corporation’s budget for 2005-06 illustrates the ongoing business progress of the port in establishing commercial operations in East Arm, addressing the facilitation of new trades and trade routes, and increasing port security compliance requirements. The coming financial year is an exciting one for the Port of Darwin: LNG ships will commence operations in the harbour; bulk loading of manganese will commence from Bootu Creek, doubling the tonnages carried on the north-south rail link; bulk liquid operations will transfer to East Arm associated with the Darwin industry fuel terminal; and further bulk liquid proposals are being considered for establishment in the Darwin Business Park. In addition, new freight linkages between Darwin and our northern neighbours are actively being explored.
It is planned that the following infrastructure projects will be undertaken during the coming year: completion of the 110 m wharf extension; completion of the bulk liquid’s berth; commissioning of new oil pipelines connecting the bulk liquids berth and the Darwin industrial fuel terminal; bulk materials handling facilities for the Bootu Creek manganese ore export project; a new incinerator to meet Quarantine disposal requirements; and further port security infrastructure.
There are many more initiatives in this year’s budget which will become evident throughout the year that I am sure other members from this side of the House will be speaking about. It is a fantastic budget, moving the Territory ahead. It is exciting to be minister with the infrastructure spend and the investment in the future of the Territory, in Territory business. This is a budget that is sensible, balanced, and will certainly move the Territory ahead. Voters in the upcoming election will judge this budget; they will certainly judge the alternative put forward by the opposition today and, I suppose, more policies as time progresses. People will see in this budget sensible fiscal management, investment where it counts: in infrastructure, in upskilling Territorians, and creating jobs for Territorians.
This is away ahead, Madam Speaker. The Territory is going through a very exciting phase and people recognise that. I commend this budget and the Treasurer in the way that he has delivered the budget. I also commend the very hard work that has been done by officers of Treasury; it is a mammoth task to pull the budget together. People can quibble over a few typos and a few mistakes in it but, overall, the NT Treasury does a fantastic job. I would also like to thank John Tobin in my office for helping to compile this very extensive overview of the infrastructure spend, and what is happening in Power and Water and the port. In short, this is a fantastic budget. I commend it to this House and to Territorians.
Mr KIELY (Sanderson): Madam Speaker, I thank the Treasurer and the Martin government on behalf of the electorate of Sanderson for developing a budget that is good for families, seniors, first time jobseekers, those in employment, business and, overall, for the Territory.
Budget 2005 backs Territorians. It delivers less tax, local jobs and better skills. Budget 2005 provides a significant boost to the task of skilling Territorians. Budget 2005 will help us achieve a healthier Territory. Budget 2005 will help us, as a community, achieve better education outcomes. Budget 2005 helps make our community an even safer place by addressing the core services of education, health and police. Budget 2005 is about community; family; good government; and delivering to the people of Sanderson and every other Territorian a financial framework that they can depend on to deliver a quality lifestyle that is so highly valued by all of us.
The Wednesday’s edition of the NT News carried the headline ‘Steady Old Syd’, an observation that Budget 2005 was conservative, modest or neutral. I take this as an affirmation that Budget 2005 has been developed from a strong foundation of fiscal responsibility, and not from a cynical base of pork-barrelling or trying to schmooze the electorate in an election year. Well do I, my colleagues, and the community remember the last budget brought down by the last CLP Burke government and its complete manipulation and distortion of the true financial picture. The promises made in that budget, and the motivation for those promises, stand in stark contrast to the no-nonsense, strategically-focussed and well-balanced budget developed under the steady hand of the member for Nhulunbuy.
The horizons of the people of Sanderson go beyond the boundary of Lee Point Road, Vanderlin Drive, Matthews Road, and McMillans Road. I, therefore, look to the entire scope of the budget and what it means to those I represent. From what I see, I can stand here and comfortably say that, overall, this is a good budget for Sanderson.
I know, because people have made mention to me of their delight that the new initiative of NT HealthDirect is funded to the tune of $0.5m; it is a much appreciated initiative in this year’s budget. NT HealthDirect is a 24-hour free and confidential telephone health triage and information service available to all Territorians and visitors. In line with the government’s five-year framework Building Healthier Communities, NT HealthDirect’s telephone triage and information service is designed to contribute to the range of health services available in the Territory and to complement the work of health and community services professionals. The value of this initiative, a Martin Labor government initiative, one which I doubt the CLP opposition would have even considered - well, they certainly had not in the 27 years they were in government - to the families of young children is well beyond the financial costs. NT HealthDirect is an investment and peace of mind for worried parents who have a sick child and are not sure what to do. I would have loved to have had such a service when my kids were young. It is a wonderful initiative for our more senior members of the community who might not otherwise bother with checking what might be, to them, a minor ailment that might pass without any knowledgeable person being able to provide advice as to whether the complaint is a passing one or the early warnings of something more serious.
NT HealthDirect is just one of the many new initiatives in this record funding budget allocation of $687m, a sum which, since 2001, is an increase in health spending by some 43%. This figure alone demonstrates the massive shortfalls that have been a feature of our Territory health system for so many wasted years of neglect of the previous government. Yet, we hear the constant chant from the opposition that the health budget is blowing out. They do not offer any alternative; only constant negative carping designed to talk down confidence in our health system for their own political advantage. They demonstrate by their attitude that they do not care about the real health condition of our community ...
Ms Carter: What about the member for Arafura? What does she have to say?
Mr KIELY: I will just read that again: they demonstrate by their attitude that they do not care about the real health condition of our community.
Unfortunately, not everyone in our community is able to share or fully participate in the great lifestyle that we stridently aim for. As a community, we do have an obligation toward assisting others who, though life’s chances, suffer disadvantage. I, therefore, congratulate the Minister for Health and the Minister for Family and Community Services for the good work they must have done to have included in this budget a significant boost to funding for our non-government organisations. These organisations will receive grant indexation to meet the real costs of providing these important services to our community.
This is not my view alone. I take the liberty of reading from a radio interview transcript of Ms Jane Alley from the Northern Territory Council of Social Services and Mr Daryl Manzie on Territory Talk on 8TOP FM this morning:
- Mr Manzie: Now, the budget. Of course, we’ve talked to business, but what about people in the - I guess people
who are a little bit worse off than others, and who best to talk but the Northern Territory Council of Social Services
and find out just how the budget impacts on, you know, the social issues in the Territory. We are joined by
Jane Alley, Executive Director of the Northern Territory Council of Social Services. Good morning to you, Jane.
Ms Alley: Good morning, Daryl.
Mr Manzie: Now, listen, the budget itself, there’s been very little mention of, I guess, anything to improve
the lot of disadvantaged people. How do you sort of see the budget?
Ms Alley: Well, there was, indirectly, there was something in the budget that, for us, will help disadvantaged
people, and that was the major commitment the government made to give non-government community service
organisations adequate indexation each year, so to actually give increased operating costs that will keep, you
know, funding, keeping pace with the operating costs. That will mean there will be an ability for services to not
have to cut back on services to stay in budget. So it should mean that services would be able to maintain their
level of services.
Mr Manzie: Now that’s actually – that wasn’t something that got much air play at all, but that certainly is a big
change because one of the major problems for non-government organisations that are funded to provide service
has been this, you know, gradual sort of dilution of their grants. What about the indexation figure? I suppose
that would be the next step, trying to sort of get a figure which is closer to the real indexation figure.
Ms Alley: Well, I suppose one of the real wins out of this one was that we actually put up a proposal and the
proposal was actually adopted almost in full, and what the proposal does is tie the indexation primarily to
wages, which is higher than to CPI and is also linked to the public sector award.
Mr Manzie: Excellent, Jane! So that’s a real boost, because I guess there’s a bit of argle-bargle now just trying
to get some of the base figures up a little bit because, as you pointed out, there has been erosion over time.
That certainly gives certainty, doesn’t it, to so many organisations?
Ms Alley: And it’s a long-term gain, too, which is really good.
Mr Manzie: No, in fact, that really – for some of the bigger – because you’ve got some of the organisations
supplying services on contract, are quite big employers, aren’t they?
Ms Alley: Yes, they are, and what you’re looking at is most organisations have around 80% of their budget as
wages. So, if you don’t get an increase in your funding at the same level as wages, then you are always behind,
so this is really significant.
Mr Manzie: Yes, because that means a drop-off in service and that affects people, so that is a good move. Is there
anything else in the budget that you saw as a plus or that you would like to have seen but didn’t come up to scratch?
Ms Alley: Okay, I suppose the other things we thought were pretty positive in the budget was around some of the
initiatives for creating employment opportunities which will support young people and people that might be
more disadvantaged in getting a job.
We introduced paid maternity leave. We pay for it each year in the budget. There is money for families, and we all know what a boost that is to a family with a newborn. We allow people to take family leave as sick leave and pay that in the budget. The government is spending nearly $1m to employ trainees, which works for young people and support families. We will spend around $420m on preschools, primary schools and secondary schools - there is more money for families. We run the Darwin Bus Service to transport families around; that is nearly $7m. We have just announced an increase of $140 000 to bring services to the seniors villages.
I am particularly pleased with the allocation of 19 additional high school counsellors above formula for our schools. I know the principal, school council, parents and students of Sanderson High are very pleased because they have wanted a dedicated school counsellor for many years. They realised the need for a person with these skills ages ago, and have funded the employment of the existing school counsellor from within formula. Now this resource will be freed up and they will be able to offer a more varied curriculum to the students. What a great result for Sanderson High community that has been delivered in Budget 2005.
I was elected on a promise of making jobs creation a priority. Budget 2005, building on our budgets of 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004, is helping me to keep my promise to the community of Sanderson. Initiatives such as HomeNorth loans and the home owners stamp duty concession, which has been increased over the term of the Martin Labor government from around $2000 in 2002 to $6800 today, not only benefits families but also our building industry. The flow-on into the economy from these types of initiatives, particularly in the form of jobs, is a great joy to me and to those I represent.
Infrastructure spending in Budget 2005 has been set at $476m. Since 2001, this government has committed $2.2bn in cash, of which 80% of the total value of all contracts over $50 000 has gone to local business. This year, we will see continuing work on the Litchfield Loop and the Mereenie Loop Roads. We will see the commencement of upgrades totalling $7.5m over three years at Litchfield Park. There is $3m for urban renewal; $2m for fishing infrastructure; $5m for the completion of the substation at Marrara; and $3.6m for a new fire station at Marrara. The list goes on and on. What it all means is more jobs - more job opportunities for the mums and dads and for school leavers.
This is a good solid budget; it is not full of empty promises. It is a budget of which I am proud and which stands strong due to its integrity. Ours is a budget for 2005-2006 which builds on the work we have solidly undertaken over the term of our government.
We heard today the alternative budget outlined by the opposition. I am not going to slam the opposition budget; I believe Territorians are astute enough to know which is achievable and which is smoke and mirrors. I know Territorians have not forgotten what the CLP Burke government budgets were like, and the true state of our community when he was the Chief Minister in the final two-and-as-half years of the CLP’s management of the Territory economy. I trust in their memory, I trust in the Martin government, and I fully trust the integrity and foresight of Treasurer Stirling.
Madam Speaker, on behalf of the Sanderson community, I thank all those who have assisted in the formulation and presentation of Budget 2005.
Debate adjourned.
TABLED PAPERS
Northern Territory Statehood Steering Committee Membership and
Speaker’s Determination No 5 for Sitting Fees and Allowances
Northern Territory Statehood Steering Committee Membership and
Speaker’s Determination No 5 for Sitting Fees and Allowances
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, pursuant to the terms of reference of the Northern Territory’s Statehood Steering Committee adopted by the Assembly on 17 August 2004, I table an extract of minutes of the proceedings of the Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee dated 3 March 2005 and 21 April 2005 respectively, appointing membership and co-Chair of the Northern Territory Statehood Committee; and a copy of my determination in respect of sitting fees and travel allowances for members of the Northern Territory Statehood Steering Committee.
MOTION
Adopt - Statehood Steering Committee Membership and
Speaker’s Determination No 5 of 2005 for Sitting Fees and Allowances
Adopt - Statehood Steering Committee Membership and
Speaker’s Determination No 5 of 2005 for Sitting Fees and Allowances
Mr McADAM (Barkly)(by leave): Madam Speaker, I move that the Assembly, pursuant to resolution of 17 August 2004, adopt:
- (1) the membership and co-Chair of the Northern Territory Statehood Steering Committee as appointed by the
Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee; minutes respectively of 3 March 2005 and 21 April 2005; and
Northern Territory Statehood Steering Committee.
It gives me great pleasure to welcome the formation of the Statehood Steering Committee and support the adoption of the membership of that committee. I take this opportunity to briefly inform the Assembly of the issues discussed at the inaugural meeting of the Northern Territory Statehood Steering Committee held in Alice Springs on 21 and 22 April.
The committee came together for the very first time to consider a very full agenda and conduct a public forum. The level of dedication by the members was very clear. We have a balance of community members from industry, indigenous communities, private citizens, and young people. Amongst some of the things that the committee discussed was the role of the newly-appointed co-chair, Sue Bradley, who we should all congratulate on taking on what is going to be an important role as the community face of statehood and as the committee spokesperson. The members also declared the committee and its secretariat are to have an open door policy to ensure all Territorians have a voice on the issues related to statehood.
Initial interest in the committee has seen national media coverage on ABC radio and morning TV, as well as a lot of local coverage. I am confident that the committee will be in a position to consolidate that over the coming year or two, in respect to community education and consultation. The committee discussed engagement in some detail, and will be devising strategies to ensure statehood is understood in schools, remote communities, and across the urban centres. Different ways to deliver the message was identified as a top priority for the committee, and the diversity of the membership will assist in delivering the right message across the Territory. The committee plans to go out to shows in July this year to talk to Territorians about what they need to know about statehood.
The committee will be looking in depth at the well-known Kalkaringi and Batchelor Statements, examining issues such as indigenous governance and customary law, as well as the other details of those statements. They will be ensuring that, when the time comes, those matters identified at Kalkaringi and Batchelor will be considered as part of the constitutional development process.
The steering committee will lay the groundwork that leads up to a truly participatory process of constitutional development, leading into a summit or convention when members will be fully-elected representatives.
One important thing the Statehood Steering Committee resolved in Alice Springs is that the first stage is to get the community onside about the process and comfortable with talking about statehood. The public forum was an important first step. The forum attracted a small group of people. There were about 20 who turned up and met the committee. The participants spoke at length about the way people want to see the issues discussed openly and publicly over time. To achieve that, the committee will be building relationships with the community and conducting more forums as time goes on.
I welcome the formation of the committee and thank my colleagues on the Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs for their hard work and dedication in putting together a Statehood Steering Committee, which will work constructively with this Assembly to advance statehood on terms that are acceptable to the majority of Territorians.
Madam Speaker, in conclusion, I would like to thank very much, as I mentioned previously, my colleagues. I refer to the members for Millner, Macdonnell, Goyder, Sanderson and, of course, you, Madam Speaker. Also, to the member for Blain, who played a very important role regarding arriving at where we are today, and to the member for Arafura who played an equally important role. I thank Mr Michael Tatham, the secretary, and Sharon McAlear, the administrative executive assistant to that Statehood Steering Committee. They did a wonderful job in organising that meeting. I pay tribute to Mr David Horton, secretary to the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee who played an important role as a link between the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee and the formation of the Statehood Steering Committee. Thanks also to Maria Viegas, the research officer. Maria has done a lot of work, so we thank her for her contribution. Also to Liz McFarlane who is the administration support to the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee. To all of those people, thank you very much, and the process is under way.
Mr ELFERINK (Macdonnell): Madam Speaker, I very briefly endorse everything that the chairman of the committee and member for Barkly has said today. Of course, members always have their differences inside the committee, but one of the great joys of this committee - now that I have been the longest serving member on this particular committee - is that, even prior to the 2001 election - basically since 1997 - nothing ever went to a vote inside the committee. The committee is quite unusual, inasmuch as it is seeking to project itself as a bipartisan committee which tries, or wants, to keep an open as possible feel for the future constitutional development of the Northern Territory.
I hope, expect and anticipate that the members of the subcommittee which is now assisting the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee headed by Sue Bradley, does what they do in the same sprit without loading any particular expectation on any statement or expression of values per se, but looks at things like the original committee’s green document which I still think is worth revisiting as an options paper. Also subsequent work done by the Constitutional Convention, although criticised, produced some very good documents - the Kalkaringi Statement and other such statements. All of these statements will eventually go into the melting pot which will, hopefully, develop a constitution for the state of the Northern Territory, whatever that might be called. I hope that constitution is palatable to not only the majority, but to the vast majority - most people who live under its care.
It will lead to disagreements - passionate disagreements. There will be passionate people involved in this. However, I do not know of any constitution that has been developed anywhere - even a constitution such as the one of the United Kingdom which is, basically, a series of unwritten conventions - that has not been developed as a result of passion and, in many instances, the spilling of blood. Hopefully, we will not have to go to that degree. Nevertheless, it is an important role that this committee is going to embark on. I hope that it takes its role as an educator of the people very seriously, indeed.
I would like to see a time when this Territory transfers into a state with all of the incumbent and inherent rights in that state, and that it is done so and supported and applauded by all. We stand around a flagpole on the day that we become a state and have a premier of the state of the Northern Territory or Territoria or whatever it might be called - Clare’s Land perhaps. Who knows? I look forward to a time when we all stand around the flagpole and watch that flag run up the pole again and we can all, shoulder to shoulder, stand happy and proud of what we have achieved and what we will achieve as state.
Motion agreed to.
STATEMENT BY SPEAKER
Youth Parliament Bills
Youth Parliament Bills
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I table the four bills that were discussed by the Youth Parliament held on 20 and 21 March 2005. For members’ interest, I also advise that the Chief Minister and the Leader of the Opposition have been sent a copy, but you may be interested in the four bills that the Youth Parliament discussed this year.
ADJOURNMENT
Mr AH KIT (Community Development): Madam Speaker, I move that the Assembly do now adjourn.
I speak tonight about the highly successful Katherine Country Music Muster, which was held last weekend, the May Day long weekend. It is the 6th muster organised by the people of Katherine and a wonderful committee - and I will come to that shortly.
As a former Katherine boy, it was great to get down there and mix with people from town, bush and, indeed, visitors from far and wide. The muster was established after the 1998 floods by Shirley Canning and others as a way of bringing people together and cheering them up after the devastation of that terrible time. The concept to create community camaraderie has worked and, might I add, continues to work extremely well. It has gone from strength to strength and, arguably, plays a much broader and a more important role. It unites the region around country music and was identified by the Katherine Regional Development Board in the Katherine Economic Development Plan as a key event in the region’s economic and cultural development.
Thanks must be given to this year’s organising committee: President Shirley Canning, Kerry Diehn, Sharon Fullarton, Gayle Colvin, Toni Tapp Coutts, Simone Fishlock, Lionel Cole, Sandy Taylor, Sue Moran, Sandy Talbot, Kate Oliver, Keith Jamieson, Merv Webster, and Rob Phillips. I also add that Shirley Canning has now resigned and needs to have a spell. I thank her for all the great work that she has done in organising the annual muster from its inception.
The importance of this kind of voluntary team work for great community events such as the muster cannot be underestimated. They really deserve the thanks of everyone in Katherine, and they certainly get mine. To this, I must add the Mayor Anne Shepherd, Katherine Regional Development Board Chair, Julie Newton, and Sharon Hillen who were all critical in getting government support to the muster doubled for this year to $30 000.
It was a terrific weekend at the great venue of the Outback Heritage Museum on Gorge Road. It had plenty of shady trees, good facilities, stage and lighting. It was a great combination of professionalism tempered with a relax atmosphere. Of course, there was a nice bar to serve cool drinks.
There was more than the one venue with Friday’s Aussie Pub Crawl taking in the Katherine Country Club, the Crossways Hotel, Katherine Hotel Motel, which known as Kirby’s to the old hands, and the Katherine Sport and Recreation Club. That was a great day on which I caught up with some fantastic country and western music in various venues.
Saturday was a real highlight from the time of the street parade up to the official opening by His Honour the Administrator. Naturally, as Patron of the muster, Hon Ted Egan got to sing the first song of the day. There were some really terrific acts on the day and the evening, such as the Toe Sucking Cowgirls, Grant Luhrs and the Chook Raffle Band, Rob Luckey and the Lucky Bastards, and the Red Hot Pokers.
Community events such as the muster do more than encourage a bit of a party; they build the region through tourism, with economic social and cultural benefits to the community. They attract people from throughout the region and the Territory as well as interstate and international visitors. They provide skills development for emerging talent, encourage original work by Territory artists, create live performance opportunities, and promote the wealth of Territory talent.
An important part of that, and what really impressed me, was the growing level of local business support which, again, highlights the great community support for the country music muster. Those sponsors include Territory ABC, the Katherine Town Council, St Andrews Serviced Apartments, Channel 9, Travel North, Carlton United Brewery, Imparja TV, Downes Graderways, Mac’s Hire Service, IBW Crane Hire, Allan King and Sons Constructions, Canning Industries, and Don and Anne Walsh.
Bronze sponsors include: The Auction Centre, Katherine Hotel Motel, the Cutting Edge, Sandy Taylor, Katherine Crash Repairs; Katherine Sport and Recreational Club; On Site Refrigeration and Airconditioning; Pandion Haulage; Parker Signs; Braycol Appliances; Nighthawk Couriers; Bundaberg Rum; Trash and Treasure Market; Prime Industrial Rentals; Katherine Community Radio; Radio Larrakia; Smorgon Steel; TIO; Norplumb; Jalyn Ford; Crossways Hotel Motel; Katherine Country Club and Web Page NT.
I spoke to Toni Tapp Coutts this evening and she told me that over 2000 people attended the muster, which is a great result for that weekend. The muster committee has plans for the future, through to firmly establishing it as a premier event in the Territory calendar. Positioned as it is on the May Day weekend, it is an event that helps extend the tourist season. Indeed, I ran into some New Zealanders who come to Katherine on an annual pilgrimage to visit the Territory and the muster, and I will certainly make the same pilgrimage next year.
Whilst I have a few minutes, I also want to pay respects and pay tribute to Susan Murray, who passed away recently. I have been given permission to use her name for this adjournment speech by her sister and senior elder of the Bulman region, Annette Miller.
I first met Susan in 1978 when she was a young leader of the Bulman region; a great spokesperson and very well educated. Susan was originally from Bulman, but lived in Darwin for the last 20 years working with the Larrakia Nation as a cultural educator and arts and crafts teacher. She was well known and very respected by Larrakia people and the wider community, visiting schools and the Bullocky Point museum regularly to pass on her knowledge of culture and history. Her language group was Maranagu and her clan was Rembarrnga.
I knew her for a long time, in our ways, as my sister. She had been very sick and returned to Bulman for the last three weeks of her life to be in her own country with family and friends. She died of a heart attack on 7 April, with her funeral on 22 April held at Bagetti outstation north of the Bulman community. My sincere condolences go to her brothers and sisters: Kenneth, Rowland, Lazarus, Kirsten and Cynthia Murray, and Annette Miller, her children Rhonda, Sharon, Randall, Gilbert and Gillian Campion and her 10 grandchildren. Rest in peace, sister.
Mr ELFERINK (Macdonnell): Madam Acting Deputy Speaker, I raise an issue coming out of debates during the day and tidy up some loose ends. Today, we had a debate on the Ombudsman’s report for the Northern Territory: An investigation into the adequacy of administrative actions taken by certain government authorities in relation to the granting and acceptance of a ‘Special Purpose Grant’. First, this is the annual report to which the minister referred. There is no list of vehicles granted by the department in it, so why did he refer me to it when I asked specifically for that list? Why? Because he knew I would not find it. What his other instruction? Wait for estimates. Estimates ain’t going to happen. They are going to be calling an election. This minister retires, and will never be held accountable for what has happened and outlined in this report.
The other thing that concerns me is that this report makes a recommendation, amongst other recommendations, that there be a reference to the Auditor-General so that the Auditor-General can go and chase the money - do the money trail and the money chasing thing. Well, guess what? The Auditor-General, we were told by the Chief Minister repeatedly on radio, in public and in other places, has received a reference. I wonder if the Chief Minister, in her contemplation when she was saying that publicly, that we as a public would think that the Auditor-General had a section 14 reference under the Auditor-General’s Act? If the Auditor-General did not receive a section 14 reference, his powers, at the first instance, to investigate any shortcoming by government, would be somewhat limited.
Imagine my confusion when, after I had just finished speaking here today and whilst the minister was on his feet, I went into the room back there and rang up the Auditor-General for the second time in two days. Yesterday, I said to the Auditor-General: ‘Mate, can you tell me what is going on so I know what is happening, so I can give a speech in parliament tomorrow?’ He said: ‘I cannot really, because I am still waiting for the coppers to get back to me about what they are doing with the complaint that they have, because I am not going to touch this whilst the coppers are investigating’. ‘Gee whiz’, I say, ‘All right, well, I will give you a call tomorrow’.
At about 3 pm this afternoon I still had not heard from the Auditor-General, so I took it upon myself to go into the lobby and telephone him. Guess what the Auditor-General told me? The Auditor-General said: ‘The Police Commissioner is still travelling back from Katherine and, until such time as he can indicate to me, I cannot begin to investigate the issues raised by the Ombudsman’. He then qualified it in one way, and told me that yes, he had started to do some basic preliminary inquiries in relation to this matter, which involved a quick contact with the department and with the community of Belyuen.
You can well understand my confusion when the Chief Minister then stood up not 10 minutes later in this House and said things like, and I quote:
- This has been done. The Auditor-General has advised me that he has reviewed the Community Development
files that are relevant to this matter, and discussed the circumstances surrounding the grant with officers in
the department. The Auditor-General found no evidence of any systematic failure on the part of the department.
The quotes go on:
- … the Auditor-General found no evidence of any systematic failure on the part of the department.
Further:
- … I will finish with what the Auditor-General said, because I have a lot of confidence in our Auditor-General.
- Madam Speaker, I referred the report to the Auditor-General and he has responded to me.
I am quoting with his permission.
I am quoting with his permission, thank you.
From the Auditor-General’s point of view there was not a breach of the Financial Management Act or the Audit Act,
but he is very clear that there was a breach of the Local Government Act …
This is a very curious thing for the Chief Minister to be saying. I would be led to believe, having all of those quotes being fired at me, that the Chief Minister had received an Auditor-General’s report. Why, then, would the Auditor-General be telling me over the telephone, not 20 minutes or half-an-hour prior to these comments being made by the Chief Minister, that he is still waiting for the police to come back to him before he can start his investigation? This is where we start to understand the shroud that this government tries to pull across the eyes of people.
I believe that this is what has occurred: the Auditor-General, upon receiving a note from the Department of the Chief Minister or the Chief Minister, engaged in a very preliminary investigation. The very moment he ran into the police investigating exactly the same thing, he took one step back, which is quite proper. Why would he not proceed beyond that point? Well, the first thing that he has to determine is whether the police are going to pursue a criminal charge or not. That is what the Auditor-General must determine. If it is under investigation, it is going to end up in front of the courts. Well, the courts and the police will effectively do the Auditor-General’s job for him, so he is going to sit back and not going to make any comment, or in any way get involved in an investigation which is on foot or a matter before the courts - quite right!
If the police had not replied to him this afternoon, and yet 20 minutes or half-an-hour later the Chief Minister was on her feet in this place saying the Auditor-General has reported back to her, the only thing that she can be relying on is a very cursory, initial report which was handed to the Department of the Chief Minister, edited and then brought into Cabinet. If that is the case, then this Chief Minister has been involved in a dreadful skulduggery and misleading of the people of the Northern Territory, because he does not clear the minister at all. He just says, I presume in his initial report on the initial look-see: ‘I had pressed my nose up to the glass and I could not see anything wrong. I have not been in there, I have not had a look, I have not gone into detail. I have not even had the reference which empowers me to go into the full detail of this. I have only pressed my nose up to the glass and, immediately, I could not see anything wrong’. She came in here and said that has cleared the minister. That is just downright deceptive.
This is the hallmark of the way that this government has operated in relation to this issue. On 18 March they received this report; it did not hit the Table until 24th at the close of business. They brought the matter on here today on the budget reply day, knowing full well it would get buried under other issues from the public domain, and then they claim the Auditor-General has cleared this minister. Well, I dare say that the Auditor-General has not cleared this minister and that the reference to the Auditor-General is nothing more than the Chief Minister verballing the Auditor-General in the most unreasonable way. This Chief Minister needs to stand up and now say to this House she will make a section 14 reference to the Auditor-General. She must apologise to the Auditor-General for, in my opinion, effectively verballing him.
Dr TOYNE (Stuart): Madam Acting Deputy Speaker, I pay tribute tonight to Margaret Swan, who died on 15 February this year in Alice Springs. I am indebted to Margaret’s niece, Heather Kamarra Shearer and former colleagues Russell Goldflam and John Henderson for much of the information.
Kwementyaye was a respected elder and leader amongst Arrernte people and, for many years, was one of the best-educated traditional Arrernte speakers of her time. She was born in Alice Springs on 15 May 1941, the eldest child of Bruce and Susannah Fly; one of seven children, all deceased except for a younger sister, Helen Stuart. She was brought up at the Finke River Mission’s mission block and, later, lived at Morris Soak, Henbury Station and other stations. She then moved to Gosse Street on the East Side and then to Ilparpa Camp for the final 30 years of her life.
Kwementyaye attended Hartley Street School and was later trained and then worked as a nurse at the Alice Springs Hospital. She was married to the late stockman, Kwementyaye Swan, and moved to Henbury Station, where she had four children. Of her four children only Robyn, Absalom and Eunice survive; Bruce is deceased.
Kwementyaye also spent time at Palmer Valley, Renner’s Rock and other stations. When she returned to Alice Springs in the 1970s, she worked at Heenan’s Farm south of The Gap.
She was a wonderfully kind, happy person, even tempered, loved and respected by all who knew her, black and white. In the 1970s she became prominent in the struggle for justice, rights and services for Aboriginal people in Central Australia. She was a founding member of the Tangentyere Council and continued to have a very active involvement as an executive member on the Tangentyere Council’s governing committee from 1977 for almost 20 years until her health began to fail.
Kwementyaye made an enormous contribution to both Tangentyere and Congress, where she was also a long-term board member, and also to the Institute for Aboriginal Development and Yipirinya School. She was a strong ally for Aboriginal leaders such as Geoff Shaw, Wenton Rabuntja and Johnnie Little in their battles for justice and services. She often travelled in this role to Canberra and other places on behalf of these organisations. Tangentyere produced a statement following her death saying, in part:
- It was her passion that had the Tangentyere Women’s Council founded. She was a dedicated and devoted advocate
for town camp women. Kwementyaye Swan was a respected elder and affected everyone in a special way.
Kwementyaye Swan was also a talented linguist, having studied several languages at Finke River Mission in her youth. These languages included ancient Greek, Latin, German and Italian. In the early 1980s, she studied Arrente and Luritja literacy and undertook language worker training at the School of Australian Linguistics at the Institute for Aboriginal Development under the tutelage of Gavin Breen. She held the position of interpreter and interpreter trainer at IAD for a number of years in the 1980s. She later went to work at Yipirinya School for a long period in the late 1980s and early 1990s. She was also in constant demand as an interpreter and translator for government departments, courts and police, as well as Aboriginal organisations.
One of the many interpreting jobs she did was to be flown to Uluru with Sergeant Charlwood in 1981 to interview Nipper Winmarti about his work as a tracker for the investigation into the death of Azaria Chamberlain.
Kwementyaye often worked training Arrernte and Luritja interpreters at IAD, and she assisted in the establishment and development of the IAD language department. IAD stated after her passing that, through her work as an interpreter and translator in the language and culture centre, she made an invaluable contribution to language maintenance in Central Australia.
She was a uniquely talented and helpful person during the period of tumultuous change amongst her people and in the Northern Territory generally. She managed to raise and care for a large family and contribute greatly to the transfer of language skills and Arrernte culture into the new era. She also helped pioneer a path for her kinfolk to participate in and contribute to the new bicultural society that is developing in Central Australia. She battled serious illness for nine years before her recent passing.
The Northern Territory benefited much from the life and work of Kwementyaye Swan, and we honour her memory.
I also pay tribute tonight to Peter Jonathan Gunner, an Alyawarra man born on 9 September 1948 who died on 2 April this year. I will read a eulogy by Pat Miller, the Deputy of the Administrator, at the funeral for Kwementyay Gunner:
- Kwementyay was born at Delmore Downs Station in 1948 where he stayed with his mother, grandparents, aunties,
uncles and extended family. He was removed and placed at St Mary’s Hostel in 1955 where he formed a bond with
all the children living there, taken under similar circumstances and backgrounds by the Native Welfare officers
and, sometimes, assisted by the police.
Kwementyay was baptised and confirmed at St Mary’s Chapel …
Where his funeral is being held.
Kwementyay went to school at Hartley Street and Ross Park. Education of life skills began when he was employed
at Angus Downs Station. From there, he went to Mt Ebenezer, and then to Palmer Valley Station where, under the
firm, loving guidance of the late Jack Briscoe, Kwementyay was taught many skills of becoming a very good bushman.
He later went to work for the Bullen family at Derwent Station and, after a couple of years there, went on to work in
the Kimberley and the Top End, and then over to Queensland.
On his return, he met up with his late wife, and together they helped, along with others, to start Mt Liebig Outstation
on her country. He then worked for Central Australian Aboriginal Legal Aid Service from the early 1980s to the early
1990s
Whilst employed at Legal Aid, he soon became a face that everyone knew and respected. His gift of speaking six
languages fluently was greatly appreciated by clients and lawyers who worked alongside him. He shared his
knowledge and culture with the lawyers to assist them in understanding their clients and the circumstances in
which they found themselves facing the courts. He also showed many lawyers over the years the bush skills and
survival skills on the large area the legal service attends on bush court circuits.
When Kwementyay left to go back to Utopia after being away for many years, he formed a relationship with his
mum Topsy and all his extended family. He had the legal knowledge and experience after being at the legal service
for many years. He got right in and started to speak for equality, better health and housing, and social justice for
all his people from that region.
Kwementyay later became an executive member and Chairman of the Urapanga Council at Utopia, a position he held
until his untimely passing. He was also a member of the Central Land Council, the Stolen Generation, and assisted
many other community-based organisations over the years.
Kwementyay made national and international news with the High Court challenge, along with Mrs Cubillo in 1996,
when they sought compensation from the federal government in a test case over the Stolen Generation. He told his
story to help ease the pain of others and to have some closure about what had happened to him and many others.
We all know the legal outcome but, in our eyes, he won the case on moral grounds and opened many eyes and hearts
to the fact that this really happened to him and to others.
I, like many others here today, have always been in Kwementyay’s life ...
I will go on to what I said about Kwementyay Gunner, whom I worked very closely with in my time in Utopia working for the Urapunga Council. He was all of what Pat Miller has stated in his eulogy and more. He was one of the formative parts of my life, who taught me a lot of the bush skills that he has taught others, including lawyers, over the time that he has been working out bush. He was always an enormously supportive companion in the work we were doing; often away for many days in the bush setting up new outstations and other facilities around the Utopia area. I said at his funeral - and it bears repeating here - that as a member of the Stolen Generation that I was very close to, I was very comfortable repeating my sorrow of what happened to the Stolen Generation as we did in a motion in this very House. I also said, equally, that I was very sorry at what had happened to Kwementyay Gunner in that test case in our courts. I stated that, without compassion, you simply cannot have justice, and I believe that there is still work to be done to resolve the issues and the situation of the Stolen Generation.
Mr WOOD (Nelson): Madam Acting Deputy Speaker, I would like to talk about two events that occurred recently in the Litchfield Shire. The first was the Anzac Day cricket match recently held on the World War II cricket pitch down near the corner of the Cox Peninsula Road and the Stuart Highway, which we call the SCG or the Strauss Cricket Ground. This year was a special day because we had a special visitor, a man called Vic Borowicki who is the man who actually built the cricket pitch in 1942. It was the second time he has been back since that time, but the first time he had actually attended a cricket match. Not long after he built it, they were shipped out of the Territory and he never saw any games played on that cricket pitch. He was there to toss the coin.
They had the Litchfield President’s XI, which is made up mainly of the Southern District’s cricket team, versus the Army - in this case, it was the Second Cavalry, led by Andrew O’Donnell from that battalion. Brigadier John Cantwell also attended. He popped in for a moment as he had a very busy day. We did try and get him to go out and bat, but I gather he hates cricket; he played too much of it when he went to boarding school and he has never recovered since.
It was a great day, a great community day. People from around the district came and helped. We had the Thompson family at Bradley Road, which is just opposite where the cricket pitch is. They mow the ground and keep the place looking attractive, and it is a beautiful little setting for a cricket match. I need to thank Rotary Club of Litchfield/Palmerston, St John, Geoff Akers who, with his wife, Kerry, helped pay to get Vic Borowicki and his wife, Mary, to Darwin for the cricket match. Geoff, in combination with Ostojics, who are doing the road around the new duplication of the Stuart Highway around the Strauss Airstrip, was able to use some of the excess soil to level off a piece of the oval which had been dug out many years ago. Also to the Southern Districts Cricket Club. We had Jack Hamilton from Legacy who was helping out as well.
Overall, we raised nearly $1800 through bribery and corruption, plus the selling of beer, soft drinks, hamburgers etcetera. The score was: Second Cavalry, 17 for 219, versus the Litchfield Presidents XI who scored 13 for 220. It probably does not tell the true tale; there was a lot of money paid to Legacy in the last couple of overs, which reduced the score and eventually Litchfield Presidents XI won. That is the sort of great day it is.
The other event we had recently was the Firies Games. This is the games held each year between the volunteers under the Northern Territory Fire Service which is held at Freds Pass. The competition was between the combined team of Virginia/Bees Creek, Humpty Doo, Howard Springs, Koolpinyah, Batchelor and, this year, Alice Springs arrived and participated.
They have six events where they have to roll out hoses, turn on valves, shoot targets with a jet of water, roll up the hoses and all that sort of thing. They even have a bucket brigade where they have to climb up a ladder and pass water up the ladder and into a barrel, where they are timed to see who was the quickest to fill the barrel. It was a very close race to see who would win. In fact, they got down to the last event between Howard Springs and Alice Springs - the two springs. Believe it or not, Alice Springs, who came all the way up for the event, won the event and took home many trophies. We had a volunteer fire brigade team from Alice Springs which came all the way up to the Top End to take away the trophies. I congratulate the Alice Springs team and the organisers.
I would also like to talk about something to do with water. We have been discussing water today. I have been approached by a gentlemen who is involved in water skiing - but not just water skiing, but something called show skiing. Show skiing involves a ski which you sit on, which has a type of hydrofoil or fins underneath it. When that is dragged behind a speedboat, you can actually get right into the air and do twists, somersaults and all sorts of things. You are actually sitting down while you are doing it. It is like a ski board with a chair on it. It is very spectacular.
This gentleman came to see me, and he certainly had some great ideas. Of the two ideas that he was putting forward, one was the use of the waterfront pool. I know we were talking about that today and people probably were getting a little excited. One of the reasons I was concerned when I heard the pool was going to be cut back by 20% - I intended to speak today on this particular issue; I did not know anything about reducing the pool size – was because this gentleman thought that here is a great opportunity to use that pool for things like water ski day and night shows. In fact, he sent some material. Jack Ellison H20 Entertainment, water ski show day and night. This goes around the world, I believe, and has been to Seoul, World Expo, and Darling Harbour. It has a whole range of things such as barefoot skiing, freestyle jumping, comedy, clowns, professional ski riders, sky skiing which is show skiing, and wakeboard jumping. They can conduct it in the day and also at night with fireworks and all that sort of things.
You need to have enough room for spectators to be seated on temporary grandstands, and also in that water body for the boats and the skiers to turn. Therefore, I was a little concerned when I heard that they were going to cut that size down by 20% and, also, that they were not going to take as much of the materials out. I advise the government that this gentleman is saying to them that the pool is sufficient size and depth, and here is a great opportunity to have these types of events in Darwin. He is also talking about having boat shows on the water. What he is saying, and I support him, is that here is an opportunity to develop something that, perhaps, we have never seen in Darwin, such as these water skiing events.
In relation to that, he actually did not come to see me about that, but some problems he had with water skiing on Manton Dam, which is our only freshwater lake in the Top End where we can do that. He is concerned about lack of control in that area. He says there are some practices there that are dangerous where people do not have observers, and they going around while other boats are speeding around. However, whilst that is an issue that the government needs to look at, I thought one of these great ideas was that, maybe, this is an opportunity to develop Manton Dam into an international skiing facility - or at least Australia-wide.
We could attract a lot of people from down south who do not go skiing in the middle of winter; it is too cold. We could put facilities at Manton Dam - and I think this has been spoken about before – such as good caravan-type facilities with, maybe, even some permanent facilities so that people can store their boats, and good kiosk facilities. We are not talking about a permanent residents - we do not want that type of caravan park – but a place where even people from Darwin could hire a shed all year round where they could leave their boat and trailer so they do not have to carts things backwards and forward to Darwin all the time.
He thinks there is a great opportunity for the Territory to become a centre of water skiing competitions in the off season down south when it is too cold. I believe there is an opportunity for government to look at the development of Manton Dam. There is a fair bit of country around there. We would need to make sure the locals still have their use of the lake, but there would be times when there will be competitions where it would be only open for the competition.
I am quite happy to table some of this documentation this gentleman gave me. He gave me pictures of himself about 5 m off the ground being towed by a boat. He was down south with another friend of his from Humpty Doo. I am not sure whether you can see that, but they get up to a fair height just tied to the back of the boat – there are no sails there; they are just attached to a board. This is a fairly new type of water skiing that is taking off in various parts of Australia.
Whilst I might have had some concerns about the pool, I am really concerned to make sure that we are not taking short cuts to save money on the pool that is developed there. I would much rather have a bigger pool that could be used for this type of a show. It would give people in Darwin a great opportunity to see things that they have not seen before, and it would use the pool that the government is putting forward as part of its convention centre. That would be a great way to go.
Madam Acting Deputy Speaker, I seek leave to table those documents and, if people are interested in that, there are some web sites cited as well. I believe that would be a great thing for the Territory.
Leave granted.
Ms MARTIN (Fannie Bay): Madam Acting Deputy Speaker, tonight I want to pay tribute to Rudi Heymann, former Regional Director in Central, Southern and Eastern Europe for the Northern Territory Tourist Commission. Rudi died on 28 April in Germany, just a few short months after retiring from the position in which he represented the Territory in the European markets for 20 years.
Rudi was born in Berlin in 1939 and started his career in the aviation industry in reservation and ticket sales for British Airlines and later Qantas, as well as other international carriers. In the early 1980s, Rudi became involved in tourism wholesaling and, in 1984, he commenced employment with the Tourist Commission, heralding the start of his endearing enthusiasm for Australia’s Northern Territory. Rudi became ‘the face’ of Northern Territory tourism in the European marketplace, where he contributed to the Territory’s presence and positioning in Europe in a number of ways.
Whilst skilfully managing his regular duties, Rudi was never afraid to go the extra mile to ensure that unusual opportunities were not lost. For example, following the reunification of Germany, Rudi brought the notorious East German Trabi cars to Australia on a promotional from ITB Berlin to ATEC Melbourne tour, resulting in media coverage for Australia far beyond anyone’s expectations.
Needless to say, Rudi was famous for his great sense of humour. He was also highly regarded by his colleagues around the world as a fair man who adapted well to change and loved a challenge.
Rudi’s strong support of the Territory’s tourism industry was instrumental in many operators successfully expanding into the European market. Holiday AKT, Outback NT Air Safaris, Seven Spirit Bay, Davidson’s Arnhem Land Safaris, Bond Springs Station, Glen Helen Resort, Longitude 131, Alice Springs Holidays, Travel North, VIP Travel Australia, Rod Steinert Tours and Sahara Outback Tours are just a few of the examples of Northern Territory operators who have been promoted by European wholesalers, thanks to Rudi’s persistent efforts.
Rudi’s contribution to the Northern Territory tourism industry extended well beyond his paid position with the commission. He is credited with successfully putting the Northern Territory, particularly its regional locations and unique products, on the map for both wholesale and retail customers.
Rudi officially retired from his position in June 2004, and I had the great pleasure of hosting a special reception here at Parliament House for Rudi and his wife, Dorothee, together with local industry partners. Maree Tetlow, the boss of the Tourist Commission, said of Rudi:
- His passion and enthusiasm have been a major factor in the growth of some of our important German-speaking
markets and in the development of new markets like Italy and France. His efforts have clearly delivered for the
Territory. Over the last five years alone, around 40% of all German visitors to Australia have come to the Territory.
On behalf of all of us, I say: farewell Rudi. It was not fair; you retired and were looking forward to a most interesting retirement with Dorothee. It is just not fair that you died so soon. The Territory has lost a true friend and, certainly, a passionate supporter.
I would like to talk tonight about the Palmerston Regional Business Association. It was with much pleasure that the Minister for Business and Industry, Paul Henderson, and I recently accepted an invitation to attend a special dinner meeting with members of the Palmerston Regional Business Association.
The dinner was held on 7 April at Angel’s Bistro within the Palmerston Sports Club, and was very well attended by local business people. I regularly have the opportunity to be involved in discussions with business people across all sectors of the community, and was encouraged to hear first-hand some of the success stories of local business. The dinner also gave me the opportunity to hear about some of the concerns from local business leaders, which we are working to address.
I extend particular thanks to Ray Walton and Wayne Zerbe from PRBA for coordinating the evening. The association offers a great service to its more than 400 members in Palmerston, Darwin and the rural areas.
Those attending the dinner included: Glen Phillips from Connected Solutions Group; Mary-Lou Cann and Susie Scott from Airnorth; from Dick’s Pumping Service, Julie Harris; Janis Mitchell from Didgeridoo Hut and Art Gallery; Gaye Brown from Brown Accountants; Geoff Goodrich of Great Business Solutions; Ian Donaldson from Mailfast NT; Dave O’Meara from Markham Development; Mary Cuttler from Mary Cuttler Accountant; Melva Williams of Melva’s Conveyancing; Paul Wyatt from the Northern Territory News; Paul Jones from Money Advisors; Brett Ordner of Northern Cement; Andrew Hay from Palmerston Sports Club; Rikki Saltmarsh from Palmerston High School; Dallas Frakking from the Palmerson Sun - Dallas is doing very well for himself; Ray Walton from the PRBA; Diane Davis of Raine and Horne Palmerston; Grant Craker of Regional and Northern Maintenance Services; Doug Gamble from Redco Investments - and Gina was there as well; Alison Burke from Retireinvest; Teresa Chang of the Spirit of the Territory; Jamie De Belin of The Mediterranean restaurant; Vita Gustafson from Vita Gustafson Accountant; and Wayne Zerbe from Wayne Zerbe Publications.
I look forward to my next meeting with the Palmerston Regional Business Association.
On the same night in Palmerston was another of the Chief Minister’s Round Table meetings with businesses in the Palmerston region. My government works with business in a ‘can do’ way to help build a better Territory, and Business Round Tables are an opportunity to engage with representatives of all kinds of businesses right across the Territory.
Ten times each year, we invite local business people to meet with us to discuss what is happening in the Territory’s business sector, and to provide feedback on key business and industry initiatives. The third Business Round Table for this year was held at the Karawa Training Restaurant on the Palmerston Campus of Charles Darwin University.
We discussed a range of topics with a focus on local issues and opportunities. Those present noted that current economic predictions are positive, and government is committed to further boosting the Territory’s population and building our skills base. I have to say – and I have said many times – the biggest issue at Business Round Tables now and over the last 12 months is just that: building our skills base, training locals, and getting the skills businesses need to grow their businesses.
Several action items from this meeting are currently being followed up, and a complete record of proceedings will be posted to the round table web site at www.businessroundtable@nt.gov.au. I would like to thank everyone who took the time – and it is valuable time for business people – to attend the round table and for the contributions they made. They include: Gerry Goodhand from the Top End Division of General Practitioners; Adam Gordon who was representing the Chamber of Commerce; from the union, Simon Hall; Stephen Hedge from Nearline Imaging Solutions; Diana Jarvis of Charles Darwin University; Kristy Joyce of Krianda Park Riding Academy, a very innovative young woman who is running a riding academy and told me quite confidently that she was managing her public liability insurance very well - great to hear that riding academies can do that; Sonia Kinna from Hair Art Studio; Lyle Mackay Senior and Junior and Dallas Mackay from Driver and Gray Supermarkets; Judy Minogue from JAM Training and Management Service; Greg Constantine from the Larrakia Development Corporation - and it is always good to have Greg along to the round tables and I think he has been to about three of them now; Aaron Murphy representing the Motor Traders Association; Wendy Oldham from NT Gas; the ubiquitous Wayne Zerbe was there, which I appreciated; and we always have a police presence, and that was Superintendent Greg Dowd.
On 9 April, was the Young Achiever’s Award, which was also the launch of National Youth Week. It is one of those nights that you look forward to because it is young Territorians who have been nominated to be recognised for the amazing work that they do and, in many cases, it is really amazing work. Their contribution to the community is something that you would not expect from such young people. However, when you go through those who have been nominated, who become finalists and, then, the overall award winner, you feel humbled by the fact that those so young are spending so much time achieving in their fields, their chosen profession, or also achieving in contributing to the community.
There are eight categories in the Young Achiever Awards with three finalists nominated by the executive judging panel for each category. The Woodside Energy Sports Award finalists were Corey Heath and Julie Woerner and the winner was Richard Tambling. It is hard to beat Richard at the moment - an AFL superstar and going well even though he was rather critical of his last performance. The ConocoPhillips Environment Award finalist was George Philbey and the winner was Janelle Fisher. The Sommerville Community Services Award finalists were David Janmaat and Nathan Turner, and Jacinta Thorbjornsen was the winner. The Minister for Young Territorians Excellence in Youth Leadership Award finalists were Drew Carroll and Vicki Schultz - great to have Vicki there, she works for my department - and the winner was Daniel Bourchier from Tennant Creek.
For the Power and Water Science and Technology Award, Janelle Fisher and Paula Fong were finalists and the winner George Philbey from Palmerston. George is only young but what he is doing is scientific work with the museum, auspiced by the museum, which is terrific; they really are mentoring him well. He is doing assessment of all of the kind of greeblies that you find in Lake Alexander and has done some excellent work for someone so young. I believe George is about 18. The Perkins Shipping Regional Initiative Award finalists were Daniel Bourchier and Katrina Mitchell and the winner was David Janmaat. For the Drake International Career Achievement Award, Tracey Clapp and Rocky Smith were finalists and Judith Trezise was the winner. The Charles Darwin University Arts Award finalists were Katharina Fehringer and Kristy Rickert, and Jessica Mauboy was the winner. Again, a wonderful young Territory talent and a young woman who certainly is going places.
The overall winner for the Young Achiever of the Year 2005 for the NT was a young man who has so much charm and character that I did not think that he needed to do anything to win it. David Janmaat is just one of those young people who has contributed enormously to the community in a variety of ways and has a sense of fun about doing it. He gave the best speech of the night - and the funniest one. He certainly has done some extraordinary things like a bike ride from Darwin to Alice to raise money. He works with refugee families. He does an amazing amount of things, and is an unpretentious, funny young man who is a most deserving winner of the Young Achiever of the Year.
I congratulate all these fine young Territorians and thank the talented young people who provided the entertainment: the Darwin Youth Choir, Jessica Mauboy sang, Rince na Eireann - I cannot pronounce them, but they are the Irish Dancing School; Musically Brilliant; and Jigsaw. Jonathan Uptin from Channel 9 did a splendid job as the Master of Ceremonies.
I also thank the event organisers, Awards Australia, particularly Jeffrey Hopp, Amber Somers and Teesha Straney who were supported by Channel 9, Imparja Television, Darwin Sun and Palmerston Sun, TIO and the Holiday Inn The Esplanade. Of course, my thanks to the staff in the Office of Youth Affairs for their work in supporting this event and coordinating the Minister for Young Territorians Excellence in Youth Leadership Award.
Finally tonight, one of my favourite local organisations, the Parap Residents Association. The Parap residents are a proactive and successful residents group in my electorate of Fannie Bay, and much of the credit is due to the efforts of the association’s executive. Now, after a combined 33 years at the helm of the association, four key members of the executive are stepping down from the leadership: Monica van den Nieuwenhof has been president for nine years; Wendy Macdonald, secretary for six years; Chris Brownjohn has been vice-president for nine years; and Jean Vickery has been on the committee for nine years, the last two as treasurer.
Ensuring that residents have their say on local developments and are involved in community events has been a time-consuming and demanding role for Monica, Chris, Wendy and Jean. The Parap Residents Association was involved in the consultations on the new Planning Act, and have had a number of successes in the electorate. One example is the development of the old Arafura Bowling Club site as a Year of the Built Environment project which has ensured a portion of the site will be retained for public use as a park. The association has also been proactive in supporting responsible development such as the Hastings over Mindil development, so its members are not just ‘anti’ any development or any change. In fact, they have a most balanced view of development; doing it well.
Currently, the association is working with Telstra to determine the best use of the old OTC site in Gregory Street. There are many significant projects and accomplishments with which the outgoing executive has been involved, that they can reflect upon and feel proud of. Thank you to Monica, Wendy, Chris and Jean. I look forward to working together with the incoming executive in the interests of residents in Parap and around the area. I will be assisting the association in generating community interest for a new executive before their annual general meeting, which is happening later this month.
Mr DUNHAM (Drysdale): Madam Acting Deputy Speaker, this morning I tabled a petition relating to a detention facility in the Marlow Lagoon area in Palmerston. Interestingly, we also had a bill last night which talked about secrecy provisions for petrol sniffers. The two are linked, because it is my sorry duty tonight to talk to the House about what I consider to be a serious breach of the Community Welfare Act.
The Community Welfare Act is an act that has a number of ambitions, but it is paramount in the protection of our children. It is paramount in the devices that are used by government to protect our children; to take our children into care and to make sure that these young people have their anonymity protected in their own best interests. It is for that reason that there are a couple of sections in the Community Welfare Act that are very important. One is section 97 which is headed ‘Secrecy to be observed’ and I will quote from that, particularly section 97(2):
- A person shall not … disclose or communicate to any person, information, in respect to the affairs of another
person, acquired by him or her in the performance of their duties …
That would seem to be a fairly normal sort of a thing to have in an act like that where we are talking about people’s private and domestic affairs. A similar provision was put into the act about petrol sniffing last night.
Section 97A is titled ‘Disclosing information from which child can be identified’, and I will quote from that in part:
- … a person shall not … publish any material which may identify a child in respect of whom action under Part IV
or Part V has been or is intended to be taken …
I was, therefore, very disappointed to hear the head of the department responsible for the Community Welfare Act, a fellow called Robert Griew, not only speak in the NT News of Friday, 8 April, about an 11-year-old girl - and quote some of the details of this child’s case history which is troublesome and, obviously, a concern to anybody who would be in this parliament. However, he then divulged the address of that child. That is pretty bad because, to me, they were identifying factors. He does not have to mention the child’s name, she could be ‘X’ for all concerned. However, he has divulged details of the child’s very sad case history including abuse, and the address of that child.
On that basis, I wrote to Hon Marion Scrymgour MLA, who is the minister responsible, on 14 April. I had made two previous phone calls to the minister’s office on this issue and I have yet to hear anything. In the two or three weeks that have elapsed, I have put this matter to the minister as an issue of concern.
It concerns me because it appears that the case history of this child has been politicised to the effect that, if you have difficulty with the building of a detention facility to restrain human beings in the suburb of Marlow Lagoon, therefore, you do not care about the circumstances of a 11-year-old child. I find this debate entirely offensive. I am very uncomfortable even standing here talking about it. However, it must be put on the public record.
The government, through the Department of Health, the Minister of Family and Community Services, has built a detention facility in Marlow Lagoon at 8 Horseshoe Court. That facility is designed to restrain humans, so one assumes that the house will accommodate people who are either a danger to themselves or others. It is a matter of deep concern to the people in this electorate; the people in this neighbourhood have not been consulted about it. My two phone calls and letter to the minister have gone unanswered.
What concerns me more than that is that a gentleman called Ted Warren, who claims to be the Labor candidate for Goyder, has sent a letter to people in the area. This letter has been authorised by a gentleman called Brett Walker, from 38 Wood Street, Darwin. This letter divulges the fact - and I can quote from it where it says:
- I know that there are some concerns regarding an 11-year-old girl who will shortly be staying with carers
in Horseshoe Crescent.
This man should not know the circumstances of that child: her address or any of those divulging details. For him to know can only mean that that has been divulged to him by either a case worker or an intermediary between a case worker and himself. I know that some of the circumstances have been published in the media; that does not make it right.
I am in the sorry position where I have written to the minister once; I have rung her office twice. There is a letter circulating from the Labor candidate for Goyder that talks about the circumstances of a child in want of care who will be incarcerated in a compound in a residential suburb. This is a pretty serious issue. I do not want to talk about the case issues of the child. However, I will say one thing: I am very, very surprised if this 11-year-old child is to be restrained in this facility, and that that is the case option that is most appropriate. I am more than surprised; I am quite horrified. I would have thought that there would have been other solutions to integrate this child back into society - if that were the case. I stress again, I do not know if that is the case.
I have now written to the Commissioner for Police attaching the letter from Ted Warren, Labor candidate for Goyder. I have asked him to investigate this matter to ascertain how both Mr Warren and Brett Walker who authorised the letter, came upon this advice; who divulged it to them; and the basis on which it was divulged. This is a very serious offence. The act that I read out carries penalties. The penalties, for instance, for disclosing information from which a child can be identified carries 400 penalty units or imprisonment for two years. I consider it to be significant. Certainly, if I was a Health Minister and I found out that people divulged details beyond the circle of people with an immediate need to know, I would consider that to be a sacking offence.
I would like this to be taken on board by government. My unanswered letters to the minister I consider to be arrogant. My letter to the Police Commissioner, I will be chasing up because I believe he should interview at least Mr Warren and Mr Walker who authorised the letter, about who divulged this identifying detail to him.
It may seem that I am overreacting to this, but I can recall the Labor Party in high lather when the candidate for the federal seat, a Mr Nick Dondas, wrote to people of a certain age. It was alleged that that information came from the Health minister’s office and the police were summonsed and I was interviewed. They came to my office and interviewed me as to where this terrible identifying detail about people’s age was made. I thought that was fair enough. That information is obtainable; the Labor Party has it on their database and it is commonly available now. Nonetheless, it was seen as so important that the police should investigate. I participated in that investigation and it turned out that the Labor complaint was unfounded.
This is much more serious. I expect the Commissioner of Police to be strongly involved in pursuing this matter to find out how this has occurred.
As Health minister, probably my saddest duty was to have so many children in the care of the minister. It is a tragic thing that, in our society, there are so many young children whose parents cannot or will not look after them. It is sad that we are going to Aboriginal communities and feeding children. It is sad that His Honour the Administrator suggested that this is a remedy to some of the social problems that we have; that we should be setting up what used to be called soup kitchens to feed young children who are suffering from malnourishment in Australia today.
Therefore, issues relating to child abuse and children in need are serious matters for this parliament. They should be debated seriously and level-headedly. If anyone is so foolish as to introduce this dimension as a political issue, they will take the full wrath of not only myself, but others who find this immensely offensive. I will be pursuing this with the Police Commissioner to ask him what he is going to do about it. I hope that Ted Warren, Labor candidate for Goyder, is acting mainly out of ignorance. However, it does not diminish the fact that the people who divulged the information to him must have been aware of their professional duties; they must have been aware of their delegations under this substantial legislation; they must have been trained in matters relating to children in want of care. I ask that the matter be pursued. People who offended the act in such a terrible way should be at least investigated to make sure that this does not happen again.
It could well be that this matter features in the next election, and that would be sad. I can say on the public record right now that this is a matter I have tried to resolve by approaching the minister’s office on three occasions, with absolutely no answer. It is a matter that goes to good casework but, better than that, it goes to good judgment by the minister. If acts are going to be put through in this place, like the act we saw last night that had secrecy provisions in it, it is important that people have confidence in that legislation. It is important that people have confidence that, if sanctions are approved and passed by this parliament, that those sanctions are powerful and those sanctions, if they carry penalties such as these ones, are applied.
It is with a sense of melancholy that I report this in adjournment tonight because I find it difficult to talk about matters relating to child abuse. I find it difficult to understand how the issues relating to this 11-year-old child, if that is the case - and, as I said, all I have worked from are the reports of the chief executive, Mr Robert Griew - have been put in to public realm for purposes other than that which is to advance the interests of this child.
With those few words, Madam Acting Deputy Speaker, I will report to parliament at some later date as to the Police Commissioner’s response when he gets back to me.
Mr VATSKALIS (Casuarina): Madam Acting Deputy Speaker, first I was very proud to attend the Anzac Day commemorations as a member of 13 Squadron, City of Darwin, the unit that currently serves as special reservists.
The moving Dawn Service was dedicated to the women who took part in two world wars, especially the women who served as nurses. We heard some very moving extracts from letters of nurses who served in World War I. For me, it is a special occasion because we commemorate Gallipoli which, coincidentally, is opposite the island of Lymnos. While many Australian soldiers died or were injured in Gallipoli, most of the injured people were treated at the Greek island of Lymnos just across the coast. You can actually see Gallipoli from the island, Lymnos is so close.
I was very pleased to see a significant number of people. I was very impressed by the number of people, especially young people, who attended the Dawn Service then the breakfast at the RSL, followed by the service at St Mary’s Catholic Cathedral and then parading, marching through the streets of Darwin. I was very impressed and pleased to see my colleague, the member for Sanderson, who was proudly wearing his grandfather’s medals - his grandfather served in France - and also his own service medal, because he served in Malaysia.
I dressed in my uniform, which still fits me, and was very pleased and proud to march with my colleagues and my comrades from the 13th Squadron, City of Darwin, which was the squadron that was based in Darwin and fought in Australia and other places around the region. The squadron suffered many losses during World War II. Most people who served in this squadron did not come back from the mission because they were very difficult missions. Some of the symbols of the squadron were very curious, such as the three matches and the devil. The name of the people who served in this squadron were the ‘Brothers of the Devil’ because you had to have the devil’s luck to come back alive to Australia.
I also met with my friend, Brendan McKeon, who served with me in the 13th Squadron. It was a very moving day, and it makes you very proud to be part of the Royal Australian Air Force and the Defence Force fraternity and march in Darwin, to see all these people attending the services, and also watching the march of the soldiers, the Navy and the RAAF parading through the main street of Darwin.
Last week was Orthodox Easter. This year, the Orthodox Easter occurred six weeks after the Catholic Easter. It happens that the Catholic and Orthodox Easter coincide once every four years. I would like to wish all the Orthodox constituents and Territorians a very Happy Easter, because the Orthodox Easter covers the Greek Orthodox Church, the Serbian Orthodox Church, the Bulgarian Orthodox Church and also the Russian Orthodox Church. We have some communities in Darwin from these nationalities - of course, many Greeks, but a few Russians and quite a few Serbians - who attend the mass at the Greek Church during the Holy Week which starts on Monday and concludes midnight Saturday.
Of course, on Saturday morning, together with my family and about 3000 or 4000 other Greeks, we went to East Point and celebrated Easter the old Greek traditional way. Many people had lamb on the spit, lots of drink, lots of food, and certainly a lot of loud, traditional Greek music. We left about 5 pm, but the party was still going on and quite a few of these people left the morning after, because the day after was a public holiday. It was a great weekend. The Chief Minister attended and we went around together and greeted all the people who were celebrating Greek Easter. About two-and-a-half hours later, the Chief Minister left with her hands full of goodies and food, and the traditional beer that she had to drink to wish everybody a Happy Easter and happy health.
Coming back to my electorate in Casuarina, I would like to mention the suburb of Lyons that rose into reality with DHA and the Canberra Investment Corporation. We had the briefing, together with my colleague, the member for Wanguri and the advisor of CIC, of the new suburb of Lyons that is going to be built at Lee Point. DHA and Canberra Investment Corporation advises that 80% of the contracts are going to go to local firms. They have already been discussing the construction of houses with PTM Homes, Cavalier Homes and Overlander Homes, and they are going to utilise people like Steve Bennett, a well-known local architect, for the design of these houses. The first stage is going to be started in the next few months.
The installation of essential services is going to cost about $45m and will be followed by the construction of the houses, approximately 650 units, at a total cost of about $150m to $170m. They are working very quickly, already mapping the significant trees and cycads in the area. I was very surprised to hear that they were using GPS to locate the cycads and trees, so none of them are going to disappear or be accidentally knocked down, because they do not want empty land when they starting putting in the services and cutting the blocks. They want something that will have significant vegetation in place that will enhance the appearance of the suburb.
Talking about construction, another project which came into reality in my area is the Trower Road realignment near the entrance of the Casuarina Coastal Reserve. The realignment of Trower Road takes the road away from the houses. In the past four years, I have been doorknocking the area and many people talked to me about the problems they have with cars coming out of the Casuarina Coastal Reserve and their lights shining in their bedrooms or their lounge rooms, and also the noise of the traffic. About 750 000 people visit the Casuarina Coastal Reserve every year and all these cars have to pass close to the houses. Therefore, the road is now being realigned away from those houses close to the reserve. People told me that this realignment was promised 18 years ago and they are very pleased to see it happening now. Our government provided a grant of $850 000 to the Darwin City Council, which awarded the contract to a local company. I am very pleased to say that, in the next few weeks, it is going to be completed.
Another project in my area was the trial laneway closure. Laneways in Darwin have become a problem because they are not illuminated. The Darwin City Council has about 160 different laneways that, sometimes, become the focus for antisocial behaviour. One particular laneway between Bradshaw Terrace and Kilfoyle Crescent in Casuarina was one of these with antisocial behaviour focus, and the police made valiant efforts to solve the problems, especially with young kids on bicycles who use the laneways as an escape route. I lobbied the Darwin City Council. It took me about a year but, finally, the Darwin City Council was persuaded to close the laneway temporarily, and the Casuarina Shopping Square management promised to provide their own security officers to lock the laneway at 7 pm and open it up again at 7 am.
The information that I had from the local residents and the police after I visited the area, was that after the closure of the laneway, the problem with antisocial behaviour with young kids has completely collapsed. Where they had incidences every night, they now do not have these incidences, for the simple reason that the kids cannot escape through the laneway and disappear, so the police have a better opportunity to police and patrol the area. Also, if they did something naughty, which they usually did, it is easier to capture them, control them, and trap them, because the police are now using bicycles, motorcycles and, of course, foot patrols in the areas. The Casuarina Police Station now has 35 extra police. I have been advised that there are about eight patrols every day, something that four years ago did not happen for the simple reason there were not enough police to have patrols in place with two police officers.
I would like to mention the Total Water Safety, a very significant initiative of the Royal Lifesaving Society of the Northern Territory and the Territory government. This provides free water safety lessons for children under five years old. The reality is we can put a fence around swimming pools but, if children - especially young children – do not know how to swim, there will always be accidents. From my experience as an Environmental Health Officer working in Western Australia and having to supervise the erection and installation of swimming pool fences, even with the hardest standards – the Australian standards – there were always children who were able, believe it or not, to climb a swimming pool fence, and find their way over to the other side. The worst part was kids climbing on the top of the fence and then falling down, hurting themselves and then rolling into the swimming pool.
I have had my own experience with my own son. It was in Port Hedland during a party. He was standing next to me at the council swimming pool and fell into the water. He did not make any noise and I just looked around and saw him at the bottom of the pool. He was very good with swimming; he would dive from the edge of the pool. However, because he fell in the water suddenly, he was surprised and did not make any noise – did not cry at all. Teaching kids to swim as early as five years old is very important.
To date, 2500 families have taken up these lessons, which is a terrific outcome. The lessons include practical water sessions and emergency care sessions. If anybody wants more information they can call the NT Branch of the Royal Life Saving Society of Australia, Natasha Fyles, the executive officer, on 8981 2758.
Back to the community again: Neighbourhood Watch. Recently, I had a meeting with Senior Sergeant Jeff Mosel and Sergeant Geoff Pickering to welcome the new Casuarina Neighbourhood Watch coordinator, Ms Pat King, who took over from Bill Rainbird, a Casuarina resident who had to retire because of ill health. Bill was a very strong supporter of Neighbourhood Watch, a very hard worker, but age and ill health forced him to stop working with Neighbourhood Watch. It is a good thing to be involved in crime prevention. In the old times, neighbourhoods used to look after neighbours’ property, houses and kids. Of course, now, with neighbourhoods in the morning being empty because both parents in the family work, there are some people who can keep an eye on the neighbourhood, and these people are doing a very good job. They are not busy bodies, but they actually can see who is coming and going and what is happening and, if they see anything suspicious, they can report it to the police. If people want to join the Neighbourhood Watch the phone number is 8922 3604 or there is a new web site www.nhwnt.com.au.
School news: I am always supporting my schools and I always attend assemblies and present awards to children who achieve significant improvement at Nakara Primary School and Alawa Primary School. I was very impressed recently to go to Dripstone High School to open the Year 10 art exhibition. Everything in that art exhibition was produced by children in Year 10. I was very impressed by the work done by Brody Webb and Keisha Patterson. They both made sculptures modelled on their fathers, who were there and very impressed. Keisha’s father said that the statue actually reminded him of himself after a few drinks at a party when he was really much younger. The quality of the art work was absolutely impressive. I congratulate Margot Bailey, the art teacher at the high school who is doing a great job there and, of course, the children who took part and produced beautiful pieces of art work.
Dripstone High School held its achievers assembly on Wednesday, 27 April, and I presented a number of students with my achiever’s certificates and $100 worth of vouchers. The students were Francesca Pramnok from Year 8, Christine Quinn from Year 9, Karla Karpenko from Year 10, Roxanne Lee, Year 11 and Tim Connell, Year 12.
It is good to look after children at school, but I have a special interest, as a family person, in child-care centres. Child-care centres are vital for young families, some of whom are struggling to find quality child-care centres. On some occasions, they have to book the children before they are even conceived; it is extremely difficult. However, we have a number of very good quality child-care centres in Casuarina: Territory Kidz Childcare Centre, the Dripstone Children’s Centre, the Casuarina Childcare Centre, the City Childcare Centre and Top End Early Learning Centre.
I visited Territory Kidz at Casuarina, and its manager, Sue Longstaff. It is always great to get to these centres and see the kids playing so happily. It brings back memories of my own kids at that age. Of course, they are now much older.
The Top End Early Learning Centre is the only child-care facility in Casuarina which also offers preschool at the centre. I met with the director, Denise Horvath, and many mums and dads dropping the kids in the child-care centre. I always laugh when I see the parents trying to escape, leaving the kids behind. Sometimes, the kid wants to go and play but the parent does not want the kid to go.
The Charles Darwin University child-care centre recently received a grant from our government of $3500 to buy a shed in order to store some of the playground and play equipment.
What is really impressive in Casuarina is that, at most of the child-care centres - because Casuarina is a microcosm of Darwin and the Territory - there are number of kids who come from different backgrounds, and you can see African kids, Chinese kids, Timorese kids, and Australian kids all playing together. They do not notice differences, colour, or language; they sit together playing or sharing food, sometimes with very interesting results.
I would like to finish with Casuarina Coastal Reserve Land Care Group which, under Jeff Gaskill, Deborah Hall and many others, conducts work along the Casuarina Beach and the Tiwi creek side. It has been very difficult to go to some of these working bee afternoons. I have been very busy lately, but I always make sure that there are enough cold drinks for them to enjoy after they finish their work.
Mr BURKE (Brennan): Madam Acting Deputy Speaker, I note that the minister has a bad cold. I hope it improves. I certainly hope it is not the flu that I had in Alice Springs because it is a real killer.
Tomorrow may be the last day of parliament before we go to an election. I was asked tonight again by the media when I thought the election was. I said: ‘I do not know. Certainly, the CLP will be ready from the first day of May’ - and we are. That is entirely in the hands of the Chief Minister, but some are actually suggesting that the election could be called tomorrow. This could be the last day of parliament. Who could know?
If I reflect on this government over the last four years, one point that does come to mind is the fact that it came to government on a mantra of open, honest and accountable government. Now we know that is not the case. We certainly know it is an incompetent government. We certainly know that it has stumbled daily further into the mire, particularly when we look at the incompetence of the budget that has just been brought down. We know of its incompetence and its failure to meet growth targets, budgetary targets, population targets and to stimulate business.
We know it also as a government of misinformation and misrepresentation. If ever misinformation and misrepresentation hit dizzy new heights regularly, today it hit new heights with the comments by the Chief Minister in response to her ignorance of what was happening with the waterfront development proposals in front of the Development Consent Authority. It was further followed on by the Chief Minister who then, in response to her defence of the Minister for Community Services in relation to the Ombudsman’s report and the gifting of a taxpayer funded vehicle, made comments regarding the Auditor-General which were nothing less than verballing him, are questionable, and need to be explored further.
I say this in the context that we have many questions to ask. A government that is proud of its record in government over the last four years should not have this uncertainty as to whether it would face public scrutiny. If tomorrow is the last day of parliament, this government has much to answer for, and we will be using tomorrow to take the government to task on a range of issues, some of which I will detail shortly.
With regards to the waterfront development, it was stunning to see the Chief Minister have no idea - the Chief Minister who has heralded her charge of this development, the only infrastructure development that the Labor government has produced, in theory, since it came to government because nothing has actually happened. It was stunning to see a Chief Minister have no knowledge in parliament as to what her partners were saying at the Development Consent Authority. No matter how she tried to recover in parliament today, the simple fact was that the Chief Minister did not know the changes that were being proposed by the partners in her development to the Development Consent Authority on this important development.
Worse than that, those proposals were being made in the face of undertakings to the media, recorded by one media columnist who said that the Secretary of the Chief Minister’s Department visited him and sat with him for more than an hour trying to explain the benefits of the waterfront development and the integrity of the model that the government had, going as far as to say that he was so certain of the integrity of that model - this is the most senior public servant in the Northern Territory, directly responsible to the Chief Minister, acting on her direction, one would assume - that he would be prepared to encapsulate that model in its entirety in legislation. That is the model that is being paraded, at taxpayers’ expense, in Casuarina Shopping Square and other parts of Darwin, to show Territorians what, supposedly, this development is going to look like.
It is a development that shows a marina, boats in that marina anchored at pontoons, and boats sailing past the convention centre. One would expect one would have to have a real marina with a lock, yet we find today at the Development Consent Authority that the proponents of the development are saying that there will be no lock in that development when financial close occurs and, if a lock is discussed and agreed upon sometime in the future, maybe they will look at it then, after financial close and maybe make some arrangements as to how they can block off part of that sea wall in order to accommodate such a lock.
This is a developer that has - certainly in its application today to the Development Consent Authority - no intention of developing a marina. It intends to develop a pond that you cannot get boats in or out of. The Chief Minister was not aware of it. The person who is supposed to be in charge of this development was not aware of it. I believe that is an indictment of the way that this development has currently progressed, and on a Chief Minister who would expect Territorians to accept financial close when there has been no cost benefit or risk analysis done on this particular proposal - certainly such that has been taken to the public so that they could have some sense of agreement.
What we did hear from the developers today was that, when it came to water quality, they could not even guarantee what water quality would be in this new pond; they would look at those environmental issues after financial close. I cannot believe the Chief Minister would go to the public after financial close and try to con them that, when it comes to environmental issues surrounding this project, simple undertakings that have been made in models have simply been abandoned without the public’s knowledge. It is absolutely scandalous! However, worse than that, it seems to be occurring oblivious to the direct knowledge of the Chief Minister who gave undertakings in this House that a lock would be there.
If one looks at the comments made by the proposers, they have no intention of creating a marina or a lock. Any thought of that may possibly come later but, certainly, after financial close. Therefore, the model that is being paraded out to the public, that shows high-rise apartments with pontoons and boats being able to exit and enter that marina, is wrong. It is simply a charade. It certainly is not there and it is quite different to the actual proposal and plans that were laid in this Chamber at lunchtime today. That was one issue that we have many more questions to ask the Chief Minister about.
The second one was the Chief Minister, in response to the closing debate on the Ombudsman’s report into the Minister for Community Development’s involvement in the gifting of the Land Rover, stood up in this Chamber and started quoting from a report from the Auditor-General. She said in part: ‘I am quoting with his permission’. ‘I am quoting with his permission’ was said on two occasions. She said that, from the Auditor-General’s point of view, there was not a breach of financial management and that she had a lot of confidence in the Auditor-General, who found no evidence of any systemic failure on the part of the department. This is a Chief Minister who went to the public and said that she had referred this issue to the Auditor-General. One would expect that the Chief Minister, in saying that, would have been fulsome and honest in the fact that, when you refer something to the Auditor-General, you give him a direction in accordance with the Audit Act.
I have had discussions with the Auditor-General, who listened to the comments by the Chief Minister today. Being a good public servant, he certainly did not comment to me on whether he agreed with what the Chief Minister had said, or in relation to the degree of anger that he probably felt. However, I can say that he told me this: there was no reference to him under section 14 of the Audit Act and, because there was no reference to him under that section of the act, his ability to investigate was quite limited.
What the Chief Minister, essentially, did was ask him to give her a brief. If the Auditor-General is asked to give a brief, that is quite different to being given a reference under section 14 of the Audit Act, because that section of the act requires a direction to be given by the Chief Minister or a minister to the Auditor-General. It requires a legal obligation on his part to conduct a full and thorough investigation, and to report to the parliament on his investigation and findings. No such reference was given.
What did happen, though, was that the Auditor-General conducted a very brief investigation, interviewed some officers from the department, and was part way through his investigation when he was apprised of the fact that the police were also conducting an investigation. He held his investigation, and is still holding it, until such time as he hears what the police Fraud Squad have told the Assistant Police Commissioner how far they are going on it. From that point, he will decide where he will recommence and how far he will recommence his own investigation. The only comment he has given to the Chief Minister has been in a brief to the Cabinet - not by him directly, but by the Secretary of the Chief Minister’s Department. That brief in Cabinet simply said that, to the point that he had reached in the few interviews that he had conducted at the point, he had not found any systemic failure. That is the truth of it.
What he had found was that the minister went to a pub and met with individuals, agreed to give a Land Rover to those individuals, and asked the CEO of the department to sort out how it could be done. The department looked for a way to get around the gifting of that vehicle, and found a way to give it to the council. That is as far as he has reached in his investigations. Therefore, for the Chief Minister to come in and say that the Auditor-General has completed his investigation and has made findings and is simply verballing an unfinished report, is quite wrong. The Chief Minister cannot be allowed to get away with it.
Chief Minister, I put you on notice that, tomorrow, we will be pursuing you to task you to come to account on the issue on the waterfront and on the issue of the Auditor-General’s comments that you have made, supposedly, on an investigation that he made. We will be taking you to task for refusing to guarantee Territorians that you will open your budget books to full, thorough and honest investigation at the parliamentary estimates before you call the next election. We will be questioning you on why you presented a budget that fails in basic test of accuracy, omissions of government commitments, and the capacity to meet budget targets; for misleading Territorians and corruptly engaging in cover-ups; for deceiving this House and Territorians regarding the spending of taxpayers’ funds on special purpose grants - and in that regard we are interested in Mr Big Pants and Mistress Natasha; for presiding over the loss of a 100 000 tourists to the Northern Territory at an estimated cost of $80m to the Territory economy; for refusing to divulge to Territorians the cost of giving away the Territory park’s estate; for the misuse of public funds for wasteful, gratuitous political advertising; for the inappropriate use of public funds to promote profitability in the sex industry and condoning drug use; for mismanagement and refusal to reveal full costs of the remediation works on the Alice Springs Hospital; for allowing medical services at Tennant Creek to deteriorate to life-threatening levels; for the costly misuse of taxpayers’ funds for destructive campaigning against Territory’s teachers; for failing to maintain basic standards of honesty and appropriate parliamentary behaviour; for allowing nepotism and cronyism to flourish through government political interference with senior management appointments in the public service; for supporting the case to hide the identity of a prominent Territorian facing numerous child sex abuse charges; and refusing to apologise to people negatively affected by your actions - and I include the member for Macdonnell as one of those victims.
Many of these answers can be given during the estimates process. A government that is open, honest, and accountable with Territorians, and holds that as its mantra, should have given by now a clear and unequivocal commitment to Territorians that, like any public company, they will undergo the scrutiny of the public process which is in the estimates process in the committee stages of the Appropriation Bill. The Chief Minister refuses to do that. I will be insisting tomorrow that she does, and to fail to do that will fail their basic test of open, honest and accountable government.
Ms LAWRIE (Karama): Madam Acting Deputy Speaker, this evening I discuss the fantastic news delivered to the residents of Karama and Malak by Telstra that, after some three years of badgering on my behalf – I have written e-mails and letters, attended meetings, had numerous discussions with senior levels of Telstra including the General Manager, Danny Honan - finally, we have received the good news that broadband is being rolled out to Karama and Malak. Some of the residents will have access to broadband by no later than June of this year. The other residents will come on-line by August of this year.
I want to thank Julii Tyson and Sharon and Peter Krause, residents of Karama who went to great efforts to get petition signatures, to put more pressure on Telstra to deliver broadband that we have been so anxiously awaiting for about three years now. I held a public meeting to put the final pressure on Telstra on Tuesday, 12 April, at the Karama Tavern. It was well attended. Some 40-odd residents were there and we heard the good news, the confirmation from Telstra, at that meeting that we would, indeed, finally get broadband. I want to thank Danny Honan and Libby Beath from Telstra for attending that meeting and giving that unequivocal commitment to the residents of Karama and Malak.
I thank the member for Solomon who also attended the meeting. I was advised that he has had some efforts in the broadband discussions, so that is good. It is good to see both federal and Territory politicians working in the same direction for a change, even though we are different parties. It really shows me that, when there is a groundswell of need and a call driven by residents, facilitated by their politicians at both levels, that you can achieve success. It was a joint effort. I am not claiming to have done all the work on my own. I know I have put in a lot of work over three years, but I am really delighted with the effort of the residents in rallying to the petition.
The signatures we have were only obtained over a few days. If we bothered to go for a few weeks, I am sure that we would have doubled or tripled that figure. I seek leave to table this evening the petition of some 150-odd residents of Karama and Malak.
Leave granted.
Ms LAWRIE: Thank you. Another matter I want to raise this evening is that on Saturday, 30 April, I had the pleasure of hosting a party at Malak. The party was to celebrate the beautification of Malak Shopping Centre. The government has spent some $325 000 to upgrade that old, run down, dilapidated shopping complex. Again, it was very much a partnership effort. The government has undertaken the urban renewal in partnership with Darwin City Council and with the shopping centre owners.
I congratulate the Malak shopping complex owner, Henry Yap and the Yap family. They are a wonderful Chinese/Timorese, upstanding family in the Darwin community who have come here and succeeded tremendously through sheer hard work and determination in our community. When I approached Henry about the idea of celebrating the refurbishment and the beautification of the shopping centre, he was delighted. He said: ‘That is a lovely idea; yes, you can do it’. I have worked with Henry for the past three-and-a-half years to encourage organisations to come into the Malak Shopping Centre, to fill it up, to bring it back to life. There has been a fair amount of success in doing that. The Multicultural Association is there, the multilingual broadcasters are there, CARU have moved in, NT Shelter have moved in, and Larrakia Nation has some outsource work they are doing there. The comments from residents are that you can actually really see the difference in Malak. It has come back into a lovely area where people feel happy to go back to visit their local supermarket, and they are pleased to see so many services going into that area which are very useful for the community that they are sitting in because, as members of this Chamber would know from previous debates that I have discussed in this Chamber, Karama and Malak have Darwin’s highest multicultural demographic. It makes so much sense to create a multicultural service delivery hub at Malak.
The party on Saturday was an enormous event. It attracted an estimated couple of hundred residents. We had a jumping castle and a fantastic performance throughout the day from Chantal the Fairy who did face painting. I want to thank the young DJ who was there; he was very popular with the older kids. Holy Family attended and they had a display about Holy Family School. Mr John Gawa, the Indonesian teacher, a highly respected member of the Indonesian community, had the Onklong Choir perform. I confess I was roped into performing with the Onklong Choir and was really pleased that I remembered Onklong playing from when I was an Indonesian student in Darwin. I believe I did not embarrass myself, although there were some people in the crowd who were very amused to see me standing amongst the kids, participating in the Onklong Choir.
The Principal of Holy Family, Margaret Hughes, played piano to accompany the choir and it was really a very lovely performance, with great rounds of applause from all the parents, friends and community there. That was followed by Year 2/3 from Holy Family singing a beautiful rainbow song. Malak Primary also attended and had a stall. They were selling Mother’s Day raffle tickets as a fundraiser. One of the parents at Malak School, Tammy Tartaglia, very kindly donated the use of the shaved iced van that she has as a small business. All the proceeds from the shaved ice are going back to Malak School as a fundraising effort. Hearty congratulations to Tammy Tartaglia for that great generosity.
When I asked Malak School how they would want to participate, they said they would love to have a tree planted to mark the school’s place in the Malak community. I thank Mike Butler and Tom Rees from DPIE who did the hard work to organise that tree planting for us. It went off absolutely swimmingly. There was a pack of Malak Primary kids surrounding that tree and they all took turns having a bit of a dig to get some soil out for the hole, then planting the tree successfully. It was a very moving and poignant moment during the festivities to see the excitement of the children to be planting a tree that really marks their role in their community at their own local shops. It was just so lovely.
I thank Darwin City Council for the stall they had there. Three aldermen were present: Allan Mitchell, Joanne Sangster and Dorothy Fox. Youth Beat came along and NT Shelter had a stall there to explain their role in the community regarding advocacy for public and affordable housing in the Territory.
Neighbourhood Watch, again, have a very positive presence in Malak with the Malak Neighbourhood Watch formed while I have been the member. I have put a lot of effort into working and re-establishing Neighbourhood Watch both in Karama and Malak. Senior Sergeant Jeff Mosel and Sergeant Geoff Pickering were both there staffing the Neighbourhood Watch stall with the Neighbourhood Watch Malak Area Coordinator, Leigh Kariko, who is a tremendously hard worker in the community.
I thank the team of helpers I had. We cooked up probably somewhere of the vicinity of 400-odd sausages, a couple of hundred steaks and bags and bags of onions. The food went down a treat. We provided it to the community free and people were very grateful for that. I again thank the Yap family for providing free drinks for the community. It was a very affordable, fun event.
Feedback I received was incredibly positive. People were saying that it was the first celebration in Malak that they can recall since about 1983. I have promised them that I am prepared to put it on once a year. It was such a lovely event that we will be doing it annually. That is a commitment that I have given the community of Malak. I have invited parents to form a subcommittee with me to plan it each year so that we can have different aspects each year. We are looking forward to being able to do that together.
In my role as member for Karama, I was able to present funding to Malak Family Centre on Wednesday, 20 April. I hosted a morning tea at Malak Family Centre, which is a lovely community-based child-care centre. I gave them in excess of $6000 to put towards playground equipment, which they sorely need. I said to them: ‘I am happy to put on morning tea as a treat for the staff and the kids’. They sent back an e-mail saying: ‘Not a problem: 53 kids and 20 staff’. I spent all morning chopping fruit. It was quite a task trying to cater for that number of kids. However, the feedback we have is that the kids were rapt. In fact, when we arrived, there were 53 very quiet and well-behaved kids sitting round their little tables, ready for the food which, as I said, we had pre-chopped and pre-organised, so we were able to just roll it out and feed all of the kids and give them little popper juices. They absolutely loved it. It was such a nice thing to do as a local member, to work at that level with the community and not walk in and present them with a cheque, smile for a camera and walk out again, but really get stuck in and have a morning tea and enjoy the time with the parents and the kids.
Wednesday, 20 April, was a big day for me. Sometimes I think I must be going into the catering business because I fronted up for an afternoon tea at Rainbows Holy Family Early Learning Centre. Because I provided the morning tea at Malak Family Centre, of course, I had to provide afternoon tea at Rainbows when I presented them with a cheque for around $6000 for a covered walkway area. The little kids at Rainbows were very excited. It was a lovely event there, with Principal Marg Hughes and Father Luis from Holy Family parish and the President of the Holy Family Board, Neil Bain, who is a very hardworking parent, and the staff. The kids were just delightful.
I know there is an obsessive resident in my community who says that I have been just spending money on Holy Family School. I am looking forward to letting the principal there know that is what they think, because nothing could be further from the truth. It sometimes saddens me that it is difficult at territory and state level to get the dollars you need into the non-government schools. It is easier, obviously, to go into bat for your public schools. I have been fortunate in getting very small grant dollars through various grant programs into Holy Family to establish Rainbow Centre, because there they started from scratch with nothing. It was good to be able to provide a sandpit and, now, a covered walkway.
It is stuff that we should be doing as local members, supporting all of our schools, and I will proudly stand by my record. In the time I have been member for Karama, I have supported every single school in my electorate in terms of funding. I am very proud that the public schools have benefited enormously, with $120 000 going to Manunda Terrace Primary to shade the basketball courts. This budget brings fantastic news. We are going to get shade for the basketball courts at Malak Primary School - and terrific news - we are getting an all-weather, safe, drop-off zone at the rear of Karama Primary in the new minor new works budget which gives you a top ceiling of about $300 000. It is any guess, at this stage, how much those works will cost, but they will be significant. I would say they would take up a fair chunk of the upper limit of $300 000. The local primary schools in the area have benefited hugely from government support in infrastructure - absolutely necessarily so.
There is no shame in shading basketball courts in the school communities because, in this day and age, we know we need to be sun smart, taking care of our young kids who are out there trying to do the physical activity that we all recommend they do. They are out in the scorching sun, if you do not have shade over those courts. Therefore, it really is fantastic to be delivering shade for the basketball courts area of the local primary schools. If anyone has been to the rear drop-off area of Karama School, they would see that that sorely needs a huge overhaul to make it a lovely, safe, all-weather access drop-off zone for the school. I thank the minister for Education for the enormous support he has given me in funding for schools in the Karama electorate. It has been a wonderful thing to do.
In closing, I thank the owners of the Karama Shopping Centre, the La Pira family, who are otherwise known as Joondana Investments. They are working collaboratively with me this coming Friday to host a fundraiser for Dragons Abreast. They are a very good family; they believe very strongly in supporting the community through philanthropic actions. The funding and support they are giving to this Dragons Abreast fundraiser is terrific. It is lovely to be able to work with business at that level in the local community and benefit very worthy causes such as Dragons Abreast, which supports the survivors of breast cancer. They are, indeed, a very worthy cause.
Delightedly, I will be looking forward to seeing the vast improvements that I know are coming in the direction of Karama Shopping Centre and the surrounds. It is an exciting time out there at the moment. We have so much happening in community projects; the feel around the community is very positive. People have noticed that, through the increased police presence and the activity of the Neighbourhood Watches at Karama and Malak, the Community Harmony patrol working effectively, and the collaboration of the partnerships we have had through crime prevention committees at Karama, that we have a safe suburb. The statistics are showing that.
We are down to an average of four break and enters a month. You wish there would be a society where we did not have crime. The reality is we need to minimise any crime that occurs and work with the victims of crime, which this government proudly does. I thank the minister for Police and the Minister for Justice for those initiatives, which have really made Karama and Malak wonderful safe communities to live in. They have gone ahead in leaps and bounds and it is really enjoyable to be a part of such a lovely community.
Mr HENDERSON (Wanguri): Madam Acting Deputy Speaker, first of all tonight I congratulate the new Principal of Wanguri Primary School, Jenny Robinson, on her appointment just a few weeks ago. It is fantastic that Jenny has been appointed as principal of a great school in my electorate. I know her appointment has been very well received by staff, students and parents. Jenny, well done!
Recently, I had the pleasure of presenting the 2005 House Captains their badges at Wanguri School in an induction ceremony to officially welcome the new members of the Student Representative Council and the House Captains and Vice Captains. It is always good to go to the school to make presentations and look at future leaders in our community. I congratulate all members of the Student Representative Council and House Captains and Vice Captains. I seek leave to incorporate a list of SRC members, House Captains and Vice Captains into the Parliamentary Record.
Leave granted.
- 2005 SRC members:
The Dream team - Morgan Lee, Shanice Calma, Corrine McMaster, and Chad Tomes. The Zone – Elysha Nheu,
Maria Anasis, Nikitas Trikilis, and Jennifer Da Silva.
2005 House Captains and Vice Captains:
Dundas: Captains - John Kahu Leedie and Peejay Goodrem; Vice Captains - Dan East and Iimika Kahu Leedie.
Victoria: Captains - Peter Burnett and Tiarra Parriman; Vice Captains - Emir Osmanovic and Jessica Cox.
Palmerston: Captains - Lyall Egglestone and Sarah Hagan; Vice Captains - Ben Rogers and Carly Donohue.
Wellington: Captains - Liam Blakeley and Erin Tunney; Vice Captains - Monica Mu and Dakota Stokes
Mr HENDERSON: Thank you, colleagues. St Andrew’s Lutheran Primary School also inducted their SRC and School Captains recently, and I was very pleased to be there to address the students and present them with their badges. That was done at a special ceremony in the school’s chapel last Friday. It was a very pleasant way to spend Friday morning. The students read a pledge to be responsible and reliable members of their school community and role models for their peers. I was very pleased to be able to talk to the students, present them with their badges, and Pastor Vitale said a prayer for the school’s new leaders. Congratulations to the following students; I am sure that you will do your school proud. There are not so many here, so I will read them quickly into the record: School Captains and Year 7 SRC members - Stephanie Alm and Rohan Leach; Year 7 SRC member – Misha Warmington; Year 6 SRC members - Amy Fisher, Christopher Cooke and Alexander Mitson; and Year 5 SRC members - Grace Lum and Brodie Peek.
I also take the opportunity to get around the schools in my electorate and put on morning teas for the principal and the teachers. A couple of weeks ago, I was pleased to host a morning tea at St Andrew’s for principal, Tom Leach, Pastor John Vitali and the teachers. It was great to meet the new teachers and talk to the staff about a great Lutheran school in the electorate of Wanguri. They are certainly going from strength to strength and it is always a pleasure to get there.
Ninety years has passed since the first Anzac Day but, again, it is good to see children throughout the Territory and throughout Australia turning up in numbers at Anzac Day parades. Certainly, in the schools, there is an increasing level of interest in the students about learning of the history of the first Anzacs. Both Wanguri and Leanyer Primary Schools held special commemorative days at their schools where the children get an opportunity to learn and understand first-hand that vital history and heritage of Australia. I attended Leanyer for the early childhood session. It was great to see 5-, 6-, 7-year-old kids listening and trying to understand the enormous events of 90 years ago and their relevance for today. Wanguri Primary School held a special assembly for students that I attended with Captain Brenton Wynen to talk to the children. It is really good to see that our school communities, and the leaders of those communities, are giving our children the opportunity to understand such an important part of our history and heritage.
There is shade canvas going up at schools in my electorate, the same as for the member for Karama. Wanguri Primary School will soon be able to have the kids play out in the shade of the basketball court. It is being constructed as we speak. It has been a long wait for the school for the shade cloth to become a reality. Thanks to the government, $98 000 has been allocated to fund the cover, which will go over the outdoor basketball courts. I was also very pleased to hear that the contract went to a local business, Jong’s Upholstery and Canvas. This will be the first of many improvements for the school this year. As the main feeder school for the new Lyons development, I am looking forward to working with the school, the school council and the Education minister to ensure that our school can accommodate additional enrolments as that suburb comes on line.
I would like to congratulate the NT Buddhist Society. The Buddhist Temple in my electorate held one of its regular international food fairs the other day – a very big success. It was great to have the fair in the new community hall. That was the completion of an election commitment that we made prior to the last election, and it is great to see the community hall is getting such great use. Congratulations to the Buddhist Society on another successful fundraising event.
Dr BURNS (Johnston): Madam Acting Deputy Speaker, last Thursday I attended the meeting of the Wagaman Residents Committee in Amsterdam Park, Wagaman. As you would all be aware, there is concern in the community about antisocial behaviour. I regularly attend meetings of the Wagaman Residents Committee and the Borella Park Residents Committee. Both groups are made up of residents in the area who are taking a proactive role in confronting antisocial behaviour in their suburbs. They felt it was time to join forces and combat this sort of behaviour and to exchange information. Of course, the Wagaman Residents Group has been going for some years and Borella Park has been recently formed in the last year or two. These are two groups with good ideas, a lot of energy and, certainly, they have had a lot of achievements thus far, being the recipients of a number of grants from government. I will return to that soon.
The meeting on 28 April saw the Wagaman residents chaired by George Lambrinidis and Trevor Edwards, chairman of Borella Park residents, together with Acting Sergeant Geoff Pickering, and Acting Sergeant Jeff Mosel of the Crime Prevention Division agree to combine forces and form a Neighbourhood Watch committee encompassing Wagaman, Jingili and Moil. It is proposed that, initially, there will be a meeting of the combined groups every two months with the smaller groups meeting monthly to feed into the larger combined group. This is a very exciting point in this area’s fight against crime, and all members of the committee, the supporting police officers, the Crime Prevention Unit of the Justice Department represented by Marcia Russell, who does such a fantastic job, and the Darwin City Council represented by Garry Lambert, are to be applauded for their continuing efforts to ensure safety and security in the neighbourhood.
One of the issues the Wagaman Residents Group has been working through is that they received a $15 000 grant from the Justice Department to install lighting in one of the laneways that leads from Amsterdam Park into Trower Road. Unfortunately, the council has put a number of obstacles in the way of them doing this. In short, the council has said because it is a walkway it has to be lit to Australian Standards, and that they should employ the grant elsewhere. The group is not happy about this, and I suppose in a word that they want to fight this and get the lights installed. They have asked me, as local member, to try to assist them. The Justice minister, through his office, has already agreed that the grant should be held in abeyance, if you like, until the issue is worked through with council - and I sincerely hope it will be. Garry Lambert, a very active alderman on council, has given an undertaking that he will try to work through the issue with council. This is an issue where I hope commonsense prevails. The residents are firmly of the view that lighting the laneways will discourage antisocial behaviour and the perpetrators of that behaviour moving through those laneways at night time.
Turning to more pleasant things, I went to local primary schools for Anzac Day celebrations - actually prior to Anzac Day. I commend the schools for their celebrations that were carried out on Friday, 22 April. I attended Wagaman, Jingili and Moil Primary Schools’ ceremonies. Each ceremony had its own Anzac theme and it was great to see the students being so involved with this amazing story in Australia’s history.
Firstly, I attended Wagaman Primary School where the commemoration of Anzac Day was done at assembly. Year 4, 5 and 6 children organised the program and set the stage with memorabilia and visual displays of Defence Force artefacts. The choir set the sombre tone of the proceedings with a moving rendition of the hymn Lest We Forget, which was capably conducted by Judy Weepers. Most members and many people in Darwin know Mrs Weepers. She has made a fantastic commitment over many years to teaching children to sing and nurturing talent. Judy Weepers is such a fantastic person who has a great spirit and is greatly valued by the community. Judy, of course, is with the School of Music NT.
The sounding of The Last Post on a bugle signalled the minute’s silence, and you could hear a pin drop amongst the assembled mass of children. Children relayed points of significance regarding the Anzac commemoration, and read narratives of how it relates to their generation. Each class placed a hand-made wreath on stage in readiness for placement under the Australian flag at the front of the school. It was an emotive and purposeful presentation.
I moved onto Jingili Primary School where Class 5/6 Pope – that is Mrs Pope - told the story of Simpson and his donkey. Sasha Lai of Class 5/6 Pope wrote:
- We also displayed scenes from Simpson and his donkey. After that, Corporal Matthew Sullivan …
Who is on the school council:
- … made a speech on the ANZACs and showed our school a slide show. During our Assembly, we laid our wreath.
The SRCs, House and Vice Captains placed poppies around the wreath. After Assembly, all the people who had
poppies could place them near the wreath. Our school remembered the ANZACs during The Last Post, one minute’s
silence and Reveille.
Finally, I attended the flag raising ceremony at the Moil Primary School. The school recently requested a Northern Territory flag and an Australian flag, which I was very pleased to donate. It was fitting that the flag was raised to commemorate our Anzacs, as the flags were new. I must commend Ian Butler, the Deputy Principal of Moil Primary School. Ian is such an active person and it was he who requested the flags. He has worked at Moil Primary School for many years and is a great educator.
This was also a very moving ceremony, organised, conducted and hosted by the Student Representative Council comprising Douglas Mansell, Jo Newbury, Cameron McKenzie, Adrienne Turner, Andrew Hair, Rachel Quong, Surya Agung and Jaime Lang. The kids did a fantastic job and the ceremony was done the traditional way with hymns, odes, wreath laying and The Last Post and Rouse being played by trumpeter Zac Anderson. Zac did a fantastic job and played the trumpet beautifully. He is a phenomenal young talent and his playing is exceptional. I certainly appreciated it.
On another issue, the main electorate commitment I made prior to the last election was establishing the Rapid Creek corridor. There has been some comment about that today. The Rapid Creek corridor has been established on the Jingili side of the creek. It did take some time; there were protracted negotiations with a number of landowners. As Lands minister, coming in late in the piece, I was careful to ensure that the landowners were treated fairly and equitably. There were some sticking points along the way, but I am glad to say that the corridor has been acquired and established. In the budget, $300 000 has been allocated for further works along the corridor. This will have to be done in conjunction with Darwin City Council, of course, but proposed works include things like walkways, cycle ways, revegetation, the rehabilitation and beautification of that great patch along Rapid Creek. It is the fulfilment of a commitment.
It was very interesting that the member for Daly, when I first came into this place, shook his head and told me I would never do it, that it was too hard, too complicated and would fall in a heap. Member for Daly, it has been done. It was not easy, but it has been achieved and I know residents in the area are very pleased. The people who use that Rapid Creek corridor are very pleased, and it will be a real asset to the electorate of Johnston and to the Darwin community generally. It is good to work hard and get a win on something that has been a goal.
To conclude, on May Day on Monday, it was my honour and pleasure to participate in the May Day march. This year saw a great roll-up. There were many people marching. There was a lot of life and vitality in the parade, led by a drum group. We marched down the road and the chant was ‘Howard’s way, no way’. There is a very strong feeling amongst unionists and workers about what will happen when John Howard takes over the Senate; there is a sense of foreboding about that. However, I should also say, there is a sense of solidarity. As a member of the Labor Party, I am proud that our great party grew out of the workers’ movement and has very close connections with that movement. I have said many times in this place that I am proud to be a unionist. I come from a family of unionists. I have said in this place before that my grandmother was a very strong unionist.
I spoke earlier about Anzac Day and the commemorations at Anzac Day. My maternal grandfather was there on that first day at Gallipoli. He also went on to fight in France and, unfortunately, died a couple of years after the end of the war from injuries that were sustained in the war. My grandmother had to raise her two daughters, my mother and my aunty, and she went out to work as a seamstress. Basically, she was a strong unionist because she was protected by the union. I learned those values at her knee and those are things that I value.
It was great to show solidarity on May Day, and Joe Gallagher gave a very impassioned speech about the need for solidarity, particularly amongst workers in the current environment, and a very spirited speech, I might say, by our Deputy Chief Minister, Syd Stirling, the member for Nhulunbuy. There was a great feeling after the march at the concert; it certainly lifted my spirits.
Madam Acting Deputy Speaker, I conclude my remarks on my electorate and things beyond that and thank you for listening.
Motion agreed to; the Assembly adjourned.
Last updated: 04 Aug 2016