2008-09-16
Madam Speaker Aagaard took the Chair at 10 am.
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I advise you that it is my intention to present the Address-In-Reply to His Honour the Administrator at Government House, and I request all honourable members to assemble on the verandah of Government House at 11 am and accompany me to present the Address-in-Reply. A program has been distributed to all honourable members outlining the order of proceedings, and I will suspend the sittings at 10.45 am.
Ms LAWRIE (Planning and Lands): Madam Speaker, I report on the Territory government’s land release initiatives. Our economy is booming and the Territory is experiencing a period of unprecedented growth. This economic prosperity and strong growth creates demand for housing – a demand which this government is committed to addressing with an appropriate and responsible land release strategy. It is important to get the balance right. We must balance affordability with protecting the investment that home-owning families have made, often the biggest investment of their lives.
A significant drop in the property market in the Northern Territory could lead to financial ruin for many Territory families, as we have seen in southern markets. We also need to get the mix right. Some people prefer CBD apartments, while others prefer the rural lifestyle. The supply of land does not need to be limited by the availability of new or greenfield areas for urbanisation. It should also include infill sites in existing urban areas, brownfield sites such as the conversion of former industrial sites, increasing density in existing residential areas, and the development of rural residential. It is only with a balanced supply from these various sources that we can responsibly address land release and affordability. In this way, we also provide the community with a choice of housing options.
Many of the mobile young professionals who are moving to Darwin to benefit from our economic strength want to live in CBD apartments. More than 1100 new units have been approved in the Darwin CBD since January 2006. A further 300 units in three developments will be considered by the DCA. Demand is high in the city and the government is responding. These 1400 new CBD apartments are equivalent to more than a whole new suburb in the numbers of people they can accommodate.
In 2007, over 600 new blocks of land were approved in the Darwin, Palmerston and rural area. Development of Lyons is expected to be completed by the end of 2009. In total, there will be 350 blocks available for sale to the public; 146 blocks have already been sold, with 20 lots currently available for sale. Next door to Lyons, the DHA and the Northern Territory government are working together on planning for the suburb of Muirhead - a possibility of up to 1000 lots with half available to the public.
As all members would be aware, Palmerston is the most significant growth area in the Territory, and it will continue to grow, with four new Palmerston suburbs set to increase the population in Palmerston by about 50% over the coming years. The first suburb yielding about 700 new homes in Bellamack will, hopefully, commence sales in 2009. In addition to Bellamack, the Henderson government will be fast-tracking the development of the Territory’s three newest suburbs, Johnston, Zuccoli and Mitchell in Palmerston East. In total, these four suburbs will provide approximately 3700 new residential lots, which will include 15% affordable and social housing. That is more than 550 lots of affordable housing for Territorians, making home ownership more accessible.
The development of Bellamack in Palmerston East is an important part of the Territory government’s land release strategy, and we are investing in new schools, roads and recreational areas such as the Palmerston Water Park to cater for the new residents. The area between Palmerston and Darwin contains large sections of undeveloped land. Large sections of this land are reserved for light industrial development to support the port, but there is also plenty of land suitable for residential development. The government has already outlined that the Berrimah Farm and the prison site will, ultimately, become residential, and we are working with the Commonwealth to pursue the potential development of the decommissioned aerial farm site.
I turn now to rural residential opportunities. Since 2003, some 700 lots have been approved for subdivision within the boundaries of Litchfield Shire. This represents a significant contribution to the housing market, again extending choice to the consumer. A recent estimation of the potential lot yield within land currently zoned for rural living suggests that we could yield an additional 5247 lots.
There a number of developments also under way in Central Australia, with Stage 2 of Larapinta with 39 blocks currently being developed, including six set aside for first homebuyers and one multiple dwelling block for senior public housing. Mt John Valley has potential to yield 700 lots, and we are very close to an agreement with the Lhere Artepe traditional owners.
In Katherine, we have an area of land in Katherine East which will be auctioned later this year providing approximately 40 residential lots. In Tennant Creek ...
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, your time has expired.
Ms PURICK (Goyder): Madam Speaker, I thank the minister for her report. There are a few issues in it that probably need addressing. There are some - I guess you could call them flaws. Yes, Bellamack has been promised by the government. The first statement by the minister was that it was going to be in early 2009. Last week, we heard that it was going to be just in 2009. Now we have just heard that it is ‘hopefully’ in 2009 that this subdivision may be coming online.
From discussions I have had with industry people and developers, I advise that the average block of land in Bellamack is going to be a minimum of about $250 000. That is just to buy the block of land - and that is a minimum. Then, there will be the cost of the house that has to go on the block of land. The way the cost of housing is at the moment in the Northern Territory you could be looking at anything from $300 00 to $400 000 per house. We have seen in the newspaper recently the full-page advertisements from house developers and builders saying that they are incurring costs under the new regulations of the work safety act and other requirements they are not pleased with. They say that it is going to be putting an extra cost of about $30 000 to $40 000 per house. That is not affordable housing or land for new homeowners.
The minister did not touch on at all, with these new suburbs that are coming online – such as Bellamack and Muirhead - whether there is going to be enough power, particularly in the Wet Season, to service these suburbs. I have been hearing to the contrary. What is the planning in regard to water for these suburbs, given that we do not want to end up like the southern states regarding their water planning and infrastructure? Our infrastructure is getting old; there is no apparent planning for how it is going to be serviced in the future. Regarding sewerage, we know there is still a huge amount of sewage being pumped into our harbour. Where is the sewage from these new estates and subdivisions going to be going? What is the planning for that?
We have heard that there is little planning for new schools in these subdivisions. If we are talking about a couple of thousand blocks, that is going to be families and children, and there does not appear to be any planning for primary schools, or even high schools for that matter.
We know health facilities are sadly lacking in the Palmerston and the rural area. We are talking about another couple of thousand people, which will be good for the Northern Territory’s growth and our development, but they are going to want health services - and they are poor services at the moment into the rural and Palmerston areas.
In regard to planning, yes, the minister has mentioned about Berrimah Farm. What the minister is not telling the public and not …
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Goyder, your time has expired.
Mr WOOD (Nelson): Madam Speaker, I thank the minister for her report. Two minutes is nowhere near enough to respond to it. However, I will start from the bottom end of her report, regarding the issue of 5000 blocks of land being available in the rural area. My understanding is that the government has decided that, unless you can actually prove that you have water that is renewable, you are not going to get approval for a large subdivision. Unless infrastructure is put into the rural area to service, for instance, one hectare blocks, then I imagine the chances of more rural subdivisions occurring are quite slim at the present time.
In relation to affordability, I still think we have to be a bit radical. Land is expensive in Palmerston not only because of the infrastructure costs, but because of this system where the government says that it will provide affordable housing on affordable land, and the developer has to recover his profit or cost of purchasing the land. I say again: why does the government have to sell its own land? Why doesn’t the government retain that land which, in theory, is nil cost and, then pay for the infrastructure that the developer puts past that land? The government could then sell that land to people who fit within the category of genuine first homeowners, battlers, or low-income people, and put covenants on those blocks so that the process is not abused. Minister, there are ways.
The other thing is - and I have seen it written in some articles - we have to look at the cost of infrastructure spread over a lot longer time frame – 100 years. At the moment, the first person who buys a block pays for the total amount of infrastructure going past their place. Once they have sold their property, the cost of infrastructure is not added into the cost of the purchase price of the building. I wonder whether we should have a system which spreads the cost of infrastructure over decades rather than instantly.
Ms LAWRIE (Planning and Lands): Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nelson for his contribution. Yes, the innovation that he talked about of government not selling Crown land is the example of Bellamack. We did not put an asking price on the land at Bellamack for a specific reason; that is, we want to ensure we can deliver affordable housing and social housing into the suburb of Bellamack. We have become quite innovative in the way we deal with that. That was a new policy; it had not been done before in the Territory, and it took a Labor government to do it.
Regarding the sustainability design within new suburbs, member for Goyder, Bellamack, as part of what we were doing, was looking for sustainability in water design. That is why the winning bidders have a third pipe in their design so that we can look at future grey water use, for example, in that suburb. Archer Substation will provide the power requirements to the Bellamack area and within the headworks cost we have a whole lot of Power and Water headworks funding for the new three suburbs of Palmerston East.
We have land set aside for education in Palmerston East. We are building two new schools in Rosebery, which will take in Bellamack ...
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, your time has expired.
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I draw your attention to the presence in the gallery of the Mayor of Palmerston, Mr Robert Macleod. On behalf of honourable members, I extend to you a very warm welcome.
Members: Hear, hear!
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I draw your attention to the presence in the gallery of Year 5/6 Kalkaringi Community Education Centre students, accompanied by Mr David Young. On behalf of honourable members, I extend to you a very warm welcome.
Members: Hear, hear!
Mr VATSKALIS (Tourism): Madam Speaker, the Henderson government is committed to tackling climate change, and I am pleased to report that tourism is leading the way. As part of an overall tourism sustainability strategy, Tourism NT and members of the touring sector in Central Australia have developed a pilot carbon offset program.
Climate change is a significant issue for our tourism industry, particularly given the Territory’s reliance on nature-based tourism experiences. Forecast changes to the Territory’s physical environment are of serious concern, as are changing consumer perceptions and travel behaviour.
Global warming started getting high media exposure from early 2007 in the UK, France, Germany, Switzerland and Austria, with environmentalist groups actively discouraging long-haul travel, quoting daunting statistics such as: ‘A one-way economy flight London to Sydney contributes 2.5 sustainable carbon years to global warming’. Although the high level of consumer concern about climate change is yet to translate into significant reductions in demand for long-haul travel, research undertaken by Tourism Australia indicates about 40% of travellers have the potential to change their behaviour.
The Territory’s ideal visitor is very much part of that changing dynamic, and action was needed to maintain our market position. As an initial step, we decided to trial a carbon offset program for potential application to the wider Northern Territory tourism industry. To ensure an expedient and manageable pilot, we chose to test with the touring sector in Central Australia, as carbon emission avoidance and reduction is a difficult task for the sector given the high reliance on fossil fuels for transport.
To shape the elements of the pilot and gain a greater understanding of how environmental issues impacted the holiday choices of Europeans, Tourism NT conducted focus groups in England, Sweden and the Netherlands. Key findings were these travellers are: more likely to choose accommodation, touring and other providers that are protecting the environment while still showcasing to visitors; very sensitive to green wash and want to be assured organisations have a real commitment to improving the environment rather than just improving tourism numbers; and more likely to choose a carbon offset program that is transparent, credible and shows how the money earned from offsets is spent.
The aim of the carbon offset pilot project is to ensure operators of participating businesses are carbon neutral for 2008-09. Participating operators are Adventure Tours Australia; Connections, Connections (part of the APT Group); and Wayoutback Desert Safaris, collectively representing around 40% of the touring sector in Central Australia. These operators have dedicated substantial resources to this project, as extensive work is involved in collecting data to measure carbon footprints.
Ultimately, the pilot carbon offset program aims to give us the edge over competing destinations in attracting environmentally aware travellers from the Northern Territory’s long-haul markets.
The practical strategy adopted by Tourism NT is rigorous, transparent and independently verifiable, and modelled on the Eurostar Tread Lightly program. Tourism NT is supporting this project financially for the first year of operation. After that, depending on the success of the pilot, it is anticipated industry participants will take responsibility for running the program, including financial costs. Tourism NT will consider how it can provide an umbrella arrangement for the wider Northern Territory tourism industry and collective promotion of the program.
Tourism NT has negotiated a strategic alliance with World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), one of the largest non-profit environmental organisations in the world that most members would know from its panda logo. WWF is renowned for its global Earth Hour initiative, in which the Northern Territory’s major towns participate. WWF support of the offset program aims to assure international travels of its rigour and integrity.
Carbon credits to offset touring emissions have been sought from the Shoal Bay landfill gas generation project in Darwin. This facility produces electricity from methane gas harvested from waste and is the first of its kind in the Northern Territory. Operated by LMS Generation Pty Ltd, it is the only Australian government approved Greenhouse Friendly abatement provider in the Northern Territory.
Many other Northern Territory tourism operators are proactively working to adapt their business processes and adopt new technologies in order to ensure environmental sustainability. Those who have already highlighted their activities to my agency will feature in a new green promotion section of Tourism NT’s corporate website, and include Alice Springs Desert Park, Alice Springs Helicopters, Darwin Central Hotel, Bamurru Plains Wilderness Lodge, Europcar, Hertz and Budget Rent-a-car. I look forward to many more companies being added to the list over the next few years.
Mr TOLLNER (Fong Lim): Madam Speaker, I welcome the minister’s statement ...
Dr Burns: Are you shadow Tourism Minister?
Mr TOLLNER: Yes, that is correct, minister, and …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr TOLLNER: One word of advice for the minister: he may well become a bit more understandable if he were to slow down a little because it was very difficult understanding that statement. I did get an impression that he was talking about carbon outputs of the tourism industry. There was no mention as to what the carbon outputs are of the tourism industry currently. They are talking about running a carbon offset program. That is very difficult if you do not even know what the output of the industry is.
There is no mention of what this program will cost or who will be paying for it at the end of the day. Is this going to be just another impost on the Territory tourism industry, or will it have a significant benefit in the long term? It is also interesting to note that government has missed its own climate change targets for the past two years. For two years running, this government has failed to meet its own targets. Why would it meet targets that it has not even determined yet in the area of tourism?
This is nothing but window dressing. It is a complete sham and it should be thrown out until we get some decent information put before us.
Mr WOOD (Nelson): Madam Speaker, I thank the minister for his report. It reminds me of a cartoon in The Australian recently where Mr Rudd was talking about the carbons emission tax, I think – or it might have been Senator Wong – and everyone was falling asleep in front of him because they were not sure whether he was speaking in Mandarin. They could not understand what it was all about, and most people in the public, including me, really do not know what this is all about.
We do not know what it is going to cost us. I know you are highlighting the effects on the tourism industry. On average, Territorians are the most travelled people in Australia largely due to the distances they have to travel. I would like to know what this is going to cost Territorians - not only the tourism industry, but for the little plane that goes back and forwards each day out to an Aboriginal community, the mining industry, the cattle industry, and the local communications by road between Aboriginal communities? What effect is this going to have on everyone in the Northern Territory?
I would rather see the government get serious about alternative forms of energy for vehicles. We know hydrogen can run vehicles. We know buses in Perth run on hydrogen. The difficulty is producing hydrogen from a renewable source. We should be spending some time looking at that as an alternative.
I have said to the Chief Minister if we get INPEX we should be retaining some of the LNG. Already, Wesfarmers have a distribution centre in Perth to distribute LNG. The Chairman of Wesfarmers said that is one of the future sources of energy for transport, heavy industry and for power in Western Australia. We should be looking at alternatives so that we are not dependent on diesel and petrol.
Yes, we will have to reduce the amount of those fuels we use to reduce our carbon offsets, and we all want to reduce the amount of carbon that is going into the atmosphere. However, we have to be working outside the square here. We have to be a little more experimental, a little more prepared to look at other forms of energy instead of asking whether we can fix we what we have. We need to look at new ways of doing things.
Mr VATSKALIS (Tourism): Madam Speaker, I specifically refer to the carbon offsets for the tourism program because the majority of overseas tourists to the Territory are coming from across the continents – United Kingdom, America, Switzerland - and they are extremely concerned about the effect their travel may have on the environment.
Buying carbon credits from Shoal Bay and providing them to the operators in Central Australia will offset some of the carbon emissions they produce because, as the member for Nelson said quite rightly, we travel a lot, we fly a lot, and we produce significant emissions.
Thank you very much for your comments. The issue about alternative fuel for cars is beyond the report I presented today. I am not really surprised by the member for Fong Lim’s opposition to climate change. I have here the dissenting report he co-authored, Between a rock and a hard place The science of geosequestration,by the Standing Committee on Science and Innovation. He explained …
Members interjecting.
Mr VATSKALIS: This is the problem here, Madam Speaker. I can understand …
Mr Tollner: We still cannot understand a word you say.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr VATSKALIS: … it would be very difficult to change his position. But the Liberal Party just said ‘Deliver’, so he did. He may change his mind ...
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, your time has expired.
Ms SCRYMGOUR (Arts and Museums): Madam Speaker, the Darwin Festival is the Territory’s flagship cultural event and showcases the best and brightest of our artists, craftspeople, performers and writers, as well as bringing terrific material from down south and overseas for Territory audiences to enjoy and be challenged by.
However, it goes further than that. All of us here would remember the days when the tourism market in the Top End pretty well collapsed each year after the Darwin Cup at the beginning of August. There are horses for different courses, however, and culture has taken over to extend the Top End season until at least the end of August. This is almost entirely due to the Darwin Festival and related cultural events such as the Garma Festival and the Telstra Art Awards, as well as the Indigenous Music Awards. Indeed, it is almost impossible to get a hotel room in Darwin throughout August, so it is great to see the private sector investing in additional accommodation capacity with some 1133 rooms to be put in place by June 2010.
An economic impact study carried out by the festival last year in conjunction with CDU and NT Treasury demonstrated that, conservatively, the Darwin Festival added $1.2m to the Darwin economy each year. In addition, it has also been estimated that at least $0.5m in promotion to the Territory comes through the festival. This year we saw features praising the festival from senior writers from The Australian, the Australian Financial Review, the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, as well as features in in-flight magazines.
The Darwin Festival is also a great example of self-diplomacy, with Territory artists and audiences linking up and learning from artists in our regions - Indonesia, Timor-Leste, Cambodia, China and Korea. There were exciting collaborations between Aboriginal musicians and musicians from Timor-Leste and Indonesia - the sort of thing that happens nowhere else in Australia. In addition, we saw collaborations between Darwin-based artists and artists from West Timor. The value of these links to our regions should not be underestimated and will help build those friendships and enduring connections across South-East Asia.
Therefore, when our government supports events such as the Darwin Festival and, indeed, this month, Alice Desert Festival, we see great artistic and cultural outcomes, as well as significant economic, tourism and other benefits.
I take the opportunity, Madam Speaker - and I am sure this view will be reflected from both sides of the House - to thank Festival Artistic Director, Malcolm Blaylock, who, over six years, has done much to put our flagship cultural event on the national calendar. We look forward to working with the incoming Artistic Director, Jo Duffy, who will work on the next three years of the festivals.
Mr BOHLIN (Drysdale): Madam Speaker, I thank the Minister for Arts and Museums. I was very lucky to go to some of those Darwin Festival events, and they were truly fantastic. Persona Indonesia was a great night out for the family, where we could all relax and enjoy the music and the foods. I saw the Liberty Songs, which I thought were truly inspirational, by a group of seriously affected people who showed great bravery in the way they sang their songs to the people.
We talked about hotel rooms, availability and bookings. It is a concern to the public that, at the times we have these fantastic festivals, there is limited availability of hotel rooms for the general public. It is a great concern and we need to continue to look planning to address these issues. If we are to continue to deliver fantastic festivals and fantastic conferences for all sorts of businesses within the Northern Territory, we need to ensure that we plan that future.
Mr WOOD (Nelson): Madam Speaker, I thank the minister for her statement. I was suffering post-election trauma, so I did not get to as much as I would have liked. However, I make special note of Lipstick and Ochre. I gather it was sold out every night; it was fantastic. I went with a group of friends and took my wife and she loved it. All the other people I know who went to it thought it was fantastic. It was a great recognition of senior women in our society, both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal, with the Grey Panthers and the Lajamanu women and a mix of young people as well. Some grandsons of some of the Lajamanu women were doing a bit of hip hop as well. It was a great event that allowed people who do not go past the Berrimah Line, to see another side of people they probably do not get the opportunity to see; that is, traditional dancing, which is not often seen in Darwin these days.
I take up the point that we need to look at more places for people who are coming to Darwin. Anyone who has seen the lack of caravan sites at the moment would be concerned that we are not releasing land for more caravan sites. The greyhound area at Winnellie is full of caravans, Robbie Robbins Reserve has caravans on it, and there are some caravans at Freds Pass. The caravan parks are full at the present time. There is an opportunity for government to look at releasing some land for that purpose, even if it is only for a Dry Season tourist purposes, not for permanent caravan park sites, so that we can ensure people who come to Darwin can enjoy the great things that are on, including the Darwin Cup, the Darwin show and the Darwin Festival. It is a fantastic time and we do not want to turn people away when those events are on, simply because they cannot find a place to stay.
Ms SCRYMGOUR (Arts and Museums): Madam Speaker, I thank both members for their contribution. I did say that it is great to see the private sector, with the arts industry, recognising that accommodation is a major issue and are building on that capacity to ensure that issue is going to be resolved.
I thank my colleagues, the members for Karama, Macdonnell, and Arnhem - all of my colleagues who opened a lot of the events. Unfortunately, I had some time off. I thank those colleagues because they got to do what I normally enjoy having to do - particularly the member for Macdonnell who opened the NT Music Awards.
I pay tribute and acknowledge a fantastic ambassador, Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu - and I am sure the member for Nhulunbuy would join me. He has four nominations for the upcoming Aria Awards and is the only musician from the Territory. He is a fantastic ambassador for the Northern Territory.
Reports noted pursuant to standing orders.
Mr HENDERSON (Chief Minister): Madam Speaker, during the course of the 2008 election, I repeatedly pledged that my government, if returned, would continue to work hard to build a strong economy for Territorians. A strong economy has been the centrepiece of the Labor commitment to the Territory since 2001. We believe that the economic pie must be grown; that economic growth and expansion is the key to improving the lives of all Territorians. Since coming to office, our government has focused on delivering this commitment.
In 2001, the economy was on life support and the fiscal position of the Territory was in dire straits. Economic growth was zero, population growth was 0.1%, the deficit was $130m, and the nett debt and employee liability ratio was 134% - in other words, out of control. Cabinet after Cabinet made every effort to ensure that we kept debt and deficit under control while doing what we could to pump prime the economic. We actively hunted out major projects such as oil and gas. We established a Major Projects Unit to bring these to the Territory.
We ensured that, as funds became available, we directed them to infrastructure projects. We ensured the government became involved in major infrastructure developments such as the waterfront, our school expansion program, and our overall record infrastructure budgets. We cut taxes where we could and when we could, and we focused those tax cuts on job creation and measures designed to develop the economy.
We also spent funds strategically on economy-building measures. For example, we put more than $30m into tourism and then continued that measure recurrently. We increased subsidies to Power and Water to keep downward pressure on prices. We dramatically increased road funding, targeting beef roads and roads to agricultural projects, and we maintained a rigid fiscal discipline of weighing up each option, one at a time, ensuring they would have the economic effect we desired without breaking the budget.
The benefits of those actions are evident today. Two weeks ago, the Australian Bureau of Statistics reported that our state final demand was running at 7.8%; gross Territory product is set to be around 6.6%; retail sales figures show a 9.2% growth rate in the year to June; new motor vehicle sales, a sure sign of a confident economy, are up 15.2%, the highest in the nation; and our population growth today is 2.4%. Most remarkably, last week, unemployment fell to 2.6%, the lowest in our history, and that is also recognising we have a huge amount to do in getting Indigenous Territorians into the workforce.
The job of growing the economy today is very different from the task we faced in 2001, and even from what we faced in 2005. The task we face today requires fresh ideas and a new approach. It requires us to build on what has been achieved, but also forge a new direction for the Territory economy.
Today, I wish to outline the broad approach the Labor government will take over the next four years in delivering on our commitment to grow and develop the Territory economy. I commit the government to the following actions. We will:
1. expand the economic base of the Territory;
We will deliver these objectives within a strong framework of environmental protection.
For too long, the Territory’s economy has been dependent upon a few pillars. Until 1999, Territory governments thought that we were immune from economic recession. Growth had been strong, but a failure to broaden the economy meant the Territory relied on a few key economic drivers to maintain its expansion. As the Territory recession of 1999 to 2003 showed, those pillars could be affected all at once, and the economic house of the Territory could easily come tumbling down.
To secure the Territory’s future, the government must not repeat those mistakes. To ensure that our economic underpinnings are stronger and more expansive, my government will work to attract major projects to the Territory, attract new business to the Territory, modernise and expand our transport links internally and to the outside world, and ensure that existing businesses are given every opportunity to expand and grow.
As members are very aware, I am determined to deliver major projects to the Territory. We recently delivered on a major international airline hub through Jetstar. My government’s commitment to bring that project here was $5m in funds to assist training and establishment of the hub, and $3m in joint marketing programs. I believe it is money well spent and we will see a once-in-a lifetime expansion of flight options for Territorians to new destinations, particularly in South-East Asia, with a promise of return tourism from them to us.
We remain committed to working hard to deliver INPEX to the Territory. I believe this is a transformational project which will take our economy to a new level. The government commissioned ACIL Tasman to identify the economic impact of this proposal to the Territory. The report identified that this project would inject $50bn into our economy over the next 20 years. It will provide up to 4000 jobs over the next three years. Its impact will be felt throughout all levels of our economy, from small business to medium and large businesses. We will continue to work with ConocoPhillips to expand the existing LNG plant into a second train.
My government has worked well with ENI to deliver gas to shore from Blacktip, and we will continue to work with this company and other oil and gas companies to ensure the full potential of fields close to the Territory are exploited. We will continue to use the Major Projects Unit, established in the Department of Chief Minister, as the focus point for our major project facilitation. This approach has proved successful in attracting projects to date and we will use it more assertively over the next four years.
My government will also work to attract new businesses to the Territory. We will use our land and transport assets in particular to promote new businesses. The work done by the Land Development Corporation, conceived and set into place by this government, will be of particular importance to this objective. Work such as the Darwin Business Park and the Defence Park will continue to play its role in the program.
Beyond land assets and proximity to transport links, the government will also play an active role in business attraction. This role will not be at the expense of local business, and will be focused on attracting new business to the Territory. The government is committed to the modernisation and upgrading of the Territory’s transport links. We commend the vision of those who fought for 90 years to get the railway in place and then delivered a modern rail system. We will continue that vision.
Our focus will now be on the development and expansion of the Port of Darwin. We will spend $100m on port expansion from Territory resources, and we have applied directly to the Commonwealth’s Infrastructure Australia Fund to contribute to this expansion. The port’s minister and I will be prosecuting our case in Canberra.
We will also continue our record expenditure on upgrading roads throughout the Territory. This year alone, we and the Commonwealth government will spend $271m. Roads underpin our primary industry, resource industries and tourism industries across the Territory. To ensure that our economy is expanding in new directions, the government will continue its outward-looking export support programs.
Since coming to office, the government has spent around $3.5bn in cash on infrastructure. During the election campaign, I pledged that we would spend $3.5bn more over four years, beginning with our contribution of $870m this financial year. Over the next four years, we will use our infrastructure expenditure to achieve the following objectives: build the Territory and secure its future growth; ensure the regions are growing; provide a strong base for employment throughout the Territory; and support businesses from small to large throughout the Territory.
This shift in emphasis comes about because there is no doubt that successful economic growth is bringing growing pains to the Territory. The announcement last week of a Territory Growth Planning Unit, which will act as a coordinating body across government, is designed to improve planning for that growth. This body will be staffed by demographers, economists and planners and will be both the generator of new ideas in planning for the Territory’s growth and the coordinator of actions to implement those ideas.
The government will back this unit with extensive ongoing infrastructure budgets. It is infrastructure that keeps our economic expansion on track. Planning is already under way for the establishment of a 10-year infrastructure plan. Consultants are in place and discussions with industry have commenced. We expect that the infrastructure focus over the next three years will be on a number of fronts.
Significant funds are required to put in place the headworks needed to back our land release program. Already, we have brought forward around $40m for Palmerston East. We will work with developers in Katherine and Tennant Creek on headworks infrastructure needed in those two communities, and we have already spent $1.2m getting the infrastructure right at Mt John Valley in Alice Springs.
We will also be upgrading existing power infrastructure. $1bn is being spent by Power and Water to make the existing essential services infrastructure work for an expanding population, and to provide new infrastructure across the Territory. On a per capita basis this would have to rank as one of the largest essential service infrastructure programs in the nation today.
We also expect to increase housing infrastructure significantly. Combined with the federal government, we expect around $1bn will be spent on housing infrastructure over the next five years. This includes almost $700m for the Strategic Indigenous Housing Infrastructure Project that will see 750 new houses on new blocks, 250 houses replacing existing damaged stock and 2500 upgrades to housing across the Territory. In addition to the SIHIP program, we will be continuing the government employee housing, the public housing program and the refurbishment program that we undertake on a regular basis. After that $1bn is spent, we know more will need to be done.
As I explained earlier, the government expects that infrastructure on essential transport needs will be a major focus as well.
Over the next term the government will also expand the Territory’s education infrastructure. $246m will be spent on upgrading and repairing our schools with significant upgrades happening to 85 of them. New schools will be built at Palmerston and new schools or major upgrades will occur across the bush as part of our Closing the Gap program.
The government has used the infrastructure budget as a means of increasing economic development in the bush and will continue to do so. We will also continue to ensure the projects that are available for the full range of business from small to large, and to ensure that opportunities are in place for businesses right across the whole of the Territory.
A constraint on economic expansion is the availability of labour. It is not limited to skilled labour, it is all labour. It is also not limited to the Territory. This problem exists across the country. To overcome this broader problem the government is investing in a Workforce Growth Unit based in the Department of Business and Employment coordinating the actions of the government as a whole. We will employ three additional staff to support those already in place. One of the officers will be based in Katherine; one is already based in Alice Springs. This body will be expected to take every possible opportunity to promote living and working in the Territory at forums across Australia and across South-East Asia and beyond that into Europe and America. They will coordinate the forums we hold interstate, and which have received the unequivocal praise of the business community.
In addition to bringing people from outside, we will also undertake an aggressive policy of growing our own. During the election, I committed to an additional $10m over four years to provide 10 000 new commencements for trainees and apprentices, as well as doubling the Build Skills and Work Ready programs. We are justly proud of our efforts to date, which see the Territory outstrip any other part of the country on training expenditure per capita. We will do more.
We will undertake a particularly active program in growing our Indigenous workforce. I have already made it clear to those involved in planning the roll-out of the strategic Indigenous housing program that Indigenous employment must be an important element of this program. Major projects will also include a focus on this employment. We will work with our tertiary education institutions such as Charles Darwin University and Batchelor College to get more Indigenous teachers, nurses and other staff. We will also undertake improved Indigenous training in the public sector. The police force is leading the way with efforts now focused on increasing the number of Indigenous police officers.
This Labor government has been the most tax-reforming government in the Territory’s history. We have reduced taxes accumulatively by $231m since 2001. We have reduced payroll tax, eliminated many stamp duties, reduced stamp duty on conveyancing and generally ensured that businesses and Territorians are not burdened with tax. We have made the Territory the lowest-taxing jurisdiction in the nation for businesses with up to 100 staff. During the course of the election, the government announced that during this term there would be further reductions in payroll tax, reducing the rate to 5.5%. I further undertake that the government will review taxes and the application of taxes every year to ensure that we are not creating a development bottleneck or placing unnecessary burden on individuals or industry.
In addition to maintaining our efforts to reduce tax, the government will maintain its strong efforts to reduce the cost of living of Territorians by placing downward pressure on costs. We will: continue to subsidise Power and Water by many millions a year to keep downward pressure on the prices of water and power for Territorians; increase the Back to School payments - a payment introduced by the Labor government - to $75 a year per student enrolled, up from $50; implement our commitment to introduce free bus travel for seniors and students; increase the subsidy for motor vehicle registration payments to pensioners and carers from $104 to $150; provide free driving licences to pensioners and carers; and maintain the nation’s leading childcare subsidies. We will also be releasing a Territory housing plan which will have a strong focus on affordable housing.
We will deliver all of our economic plans within the context of strong fiscal discipline. One of the greatest mistakes made by CLP governments in the 1990s was their failure to maintain fiscal discipline. That meant that when hard times hit they were unable to respond to it. We have established fiscal targets and we will stick to them. We will constantly monitor them to ensure they remain relevant to our growth needs, but we will ensure that debt remains under control. We will not waiver in our conviction that government must have the right fiscal settings to keep the Territory strong for future generations. We will not mortgage our children’s future.
A strong and growing Territory economy is the vehicle for delivering an improved lifestyle for all Territorians. I am proud of the efforts we have made over the last seven years to build this economy but, over the next four years, we will energetically drive this economy to the benefit of all Territorians. We will shift the focus on to building an expanded economy and preparing the Territory for that expansion. We will increase our workforce and we will reduce taxes. We will do all of this with fiscal discipline and within environmental guidelines. I believe we can have both economic growth and strong environmental protection. I commend the statement to the House.
Madam Speaker, I move that the Assembly take note of the statement.
Debate suspended.
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I request all members to assemble on the veranda of Government House at 11 am and accompany me to present the Address-in-Reply. Honourable members are also reminded that, following the presentation, a group photograph of all members will be taken for historical records.
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I advise that, accompanied by honourable members, I attended upon His Honour the Administrator and presented to him the Address-in-Reply to the speech His Honour delivered on the occasion of the opening of the Eleventh Assembly, and that His Honour had been pleased to make the following reply:
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I advise that His Excellency, President Dr Jose Ramos-Horta, the President of Timor-Leste, has accepted an invitation to address our parliament on Thursday, 30 October 2008. Full details of the event will be provided to members after arrangements have been completed.
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, before I call questions, during the sittings I have had, on several occasions, to ask members to withdraw comments that have been unparliamentary, offensive or inappropriate, to repeatedly ask members to cease interjecting and, generally, to call order for disorderly and sometimes disrespectful behaviour.
I have received complaints from listeners to the Internet broadcast, guests to this Chamber, and also from Hansard who are struggling to hear the member who has the call.
Whilst robust debate is an important part of the democratic process, rude and unparliamentary behaviour is not. As a result, I will be enforcing Standing Orders 51, 62 and 63, and asking members to withdraw from the Chamber, if necessary, under Standing Order 240A.
Members will receive a single warning. Thank you, honourable members.
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I table the Auditor-General’s August 2008 Report to the Legislative Assembly.
Mr HENDERSON (Chief Minister): Madam Speaker, I move that the report be printed.
Motion agreed to.
Mr HENDERSON (Chief Minister): Madam Speaker, I move that the Assembly take note of the report and that I have leave to continue my remarks at a later hour.
Leave granted.
Debate adjourned.
Continued from earlier this day.
Mr MILLS (Opposition Leader): Madam Speaker, in responding to this statement, I make my comments in the presence of those who have made many representations to me as the member for Blain, to other members on this side of the Chamber and, undoubtedly, to members on the other side; they being young people wondering if they have a place in the Northern Territory. Do they have the possibility of a house, a flat or a unit? It is those people we need to think about as we are speaking about the economic direction of the Northern Territory. If we talk about the economy in isolation, it will be an empty discussion. As the Chief Minister well knows - and I have heard him use this phrase before - we do not live in an economy, we live in a community or society.
To draw out the economy and to elevate it into a place all by itself, as though it is the essence of all there is in the way we operate, is to be greatly mistaken, because the economy is but a part. We, in fact, do not live in an economy, we live in a community.
The issue is if you think you live in an economy, you will speak of quantities all the time. You will speak of big numbers and percentage increases. You will boast of the amount of money you spend as though that is an achievement. Because you live in an economy, you think in economic terms. You will think about the spending and quantity, and you will talk of the economy. However, what people want to hear about is community; quality rather than quantity, and results for expenditure. That is what a government needs to focus on.
In this statement, the Chief Minister, once again - in spite of saying as a result of 9 August and what the Territory community, which had enough of quantities and not enough of quality, said to this government - said he would listen. We have almost the same statement that has been delivered over two previous terms. This is the economic direction of a third Labor government and, I have to say, there is no change. Once again, he is talking about quantities and spending, as though that, of itself, is an achievement. It is not.
I started my comments with a reference to those young people who tell their story of how difficult it is to get into the marketplace in the most basic terms: ‘How do I get enough money to buy a unit, let alone a house?’ If you cannot attend to that in a discussion like this, and cannot consider that in your plans for the future, we will not have a future. You can have statements, all the right terminology, and the slogans, but you will not have a darned thing if you cannot meet the needs of those young people.
I specifically remember one young lady who came to speak to me at the Palmerston markets a month ago. This young lady is 30 years old. She was born and has studied in the Northern Territory. She is a teacher; she has taught since she graduated. She is a single lady and when she came to speak to me, said: ‘At 30 years of age, I am almost embarrassed to say that on my income as a teacher I cannot get enough money together to get a deposit to buy a unit’ - a single unit. This young lady was so moved at her vulnerable position that she had to consider, for the first time in her life, leaving the Territory - something that cut against her very core. She was born in the Territory and comes from a long-standing Territory family. She has studied in the Territory and has served at a local school in Palmerston for many years. She stood before me and said that she does not know what to do, that she cannot, for the life of her, find any way of getting into the market - and she was not making it up. This is a young lady that many people in this Chamber would know, and she represents so many. This lady has dedicated herself to the service of education; she has done work above and beyond the call of duty.
I will not go any further, it may draw attention to who this is, and I do not have her consent to use her story in this account. However, the point is, if we are going to talk about the economic direction, we must have a genuine buy-in so that we recognise these young people.
Then, on the other side of town, only last week, I spoke to one of our senior business leaders - a senior business leader often referred to by the Chief Minister. This senior business person, who is very interested in economic development, described it specifically: ‘If we cannot find a place for young professionals, middle management, to find a place in our community, then we will not be able to progress economically’.
That is a very serious problem. It is as serious as not putting in a reservoir so that water comes out of a tap, as the population expands. If you do not have middle management, if you do not have dedicated young teachers, young professionals who cannot find their place in this community because it is simply too difficult to gather together just enough to get in, you cannot service the economy.
The Treasurer made reference to how important social indictors are when you are considering employment. She is quite right about the social implications, the social indicators of employment. Let us talk about the social indicators of being able to have a unit, a buy-in, a place to call your own, in the Northern Territory of all places. What sort of social indicator is private or personal ownership? That is a powerful indicator. It indicates that you are making a commitment to this community. You have buy-in, you have investment. This young lady that I have spoken to, I imagine if she were to have children that they would grow up in the Territory. She represents many others and, if they were to leave, they take away not only their dreams, but the possibility of others accessing and being involved in the great possibility that the Territory holds.
I recognise that as a core issue to start with. That is a part of economic development. I am afraid that I have heard the same story told again and again. That is three times by this Labor government. They are talking about quantities again; quantities and not qualities. I was pleased to hear the ‘new direction’ phrase being used. I am serious about this phrase ‘new direction’, because we do need a new direction and a new approach in the Territory if we are going to unlock the possibilities that we have here. It goes down to something deeper than just talking about quantities - the amounts of money and the record spend - when you are talking about a hospital in crisis. You skite about the amount of money you spent in education and police, but the qualities are the outcomes that you get through education - the improvement, the turnaround, the change that you see.
If it is a spend in policing, the spend is not the achievement; it is the improvement in law and order. That is where we spend our attention. That is where we are obligated to work to ensure that people who go from their home to the shop can go feeling a little differently than they do now. They are not going to go there, thinking, ‘Oh, do not worry, the government has spent a lot of money’. That is not going to do a darn thing. They want to feel secure as a result of the expenditure of money. That is the change. That is the new direction.
It is the same with health. It is almost a chilling message that is coming through regarding the approach that appears to have been taken by this government. There has been this little message coming out that this was, in fact, about meeting budgetary requirements; that there were those who were told they need to meet certain obligations. There were, obviously, those in the system who were diligent to achieve budgetary outcomes. Those budgetary outcomes were, perhaps, achieved, but at a dreadful cost. The matter has been shrouded in secrecy. There has been misinformation. There has been a misleading message sent to the community. The community has had enough -- they have heard, they know it. They talk to each other. This is a small community and they know that things are not right. You cannot spin, you cannot run messages and send misguided messages to create impressions for ever and a day – not in the Territory. It will not happen. You cannot keep going this way.
That is why I am concerned that this is the economic direction of the third Labour government, and I am hearing the same message again. I thought the Labor Party was really interested in social stuff, but members seem to be more interested in sloganeering and talking about quantities rather than qualities. Qualities are the things that we need to attend to.
For example, Question Time. Once again, we have the grand achievement of the amount of commencements in training. That is well and good, but it is only half of the story, and that half of the story makes the headline. However, the full story is there are those who do not complete their training. It is not just the opposition scoring a point there. The whole story is that we are making some achievements, but there are many who do not make the full distance. Whatever that story is, let us tell the whole story so that we can then respond to the real issue and strengthen those results, not just cut the story in half and tell the people half of it, such as the money spent.
Anyone will know that if you are going to make any progress as identified in the statement- and there are some outlines of the plan forward and the commitments that are being made - that there are three simple stages. First is the vision. I do not think we have heard vision from this government. Vision is not something that you develop as a result of endless committee work and forums, or fly in people who have butcher’s paper and textas and stuff like that who get everyone involved until they come up with a ‘vision’. That is a helpful way of understanding where people are at. Ultimately, leadership is required when a leader grabs a vision and says: ‘This is the direction we must go, like it or not. If you do not like it at the end of four years, vote me out, but I believe we have to go somewhere’. That approach has seen magnificent things happen across this country.
As a former Western Australian, the water pipeline from Mundaring Weir to Kalgoorlie with CY O’Connor was vision. That is real vision; that is courage. It is things such as the Sydney Harbour Bridge, where there was real vision, foresight, where they had opponents but stuck with it and pushed through with it. That is real vision.
A counterfeit vision is where you try to get a common denominator on what everyone thinks and feels, you do a bit of focus group work, and come up with something a bit warm and fuzzy that no one really disagrees with. Then you head in that general direction, singing songs of how wonderful things are and it is all good to stick together. That is no real vision; that is like community building.
Vision is something that cuts through; that starts to work out what our problems are, then cuts through. I do not see the cut-through here, I see focus group work and slogans and nice terms that make people feel good. After the third time round, this Labor government needs to change its tack. We are hearing the same message: people desperately want to cut-through. That young lady who stood in front of me at the markets, she will see a cut-through. She will see a sense of hope that there is going to be a solution to some very complex problems. There are people concerned about law and order who are going to see a cut-through. They are going to find solutions with some of the problems that seem to be increasing. There will be a cut-through in the health. That is what vision is; it makes a difference, it changes, it recognises it, calls it for what it is, does not spin any more, cuts through and cuts a new direction, a new path. People want that kind of hope and leadership.
We do not see it here. We heard that there was going to now be a change of direction, a change of heart because we had heard the electorate. We still need to hear it. First is vision, and vision is cut-through.
The next one is a plan - a plan that you agree on to implement that vision. There will be people who oppose the vision. There is not much to oppose here – it is amorphus, nice, general, and it is vague. We need something very specific that is courageous to deal with the complex problems that we have in the remote areas and in our urban communities. We need something with cut-through. You need a plan to do that. We do not have a plan that is connected to a really cutting vision. Then, ultimately, you need that real, sustained action - vision, plan and action.
We have reference in here to the major developments that have occurred under the two administrations of a Labor government, going into their eighth year. The key project is the waterfront development. That is a nice development. However, we need to see evidence of the real cut-through in the potential that the Territory has. After eight years, contrast a waterfront development as your major achievement with things like the building of railways, the building of ports, the establishment of the cornerstones of our tourism industry like the Territory Wildlife Park, the Desert Wildlife Park, and Yulara, and the development of Charles Darwin University, or the Northern Territory University as it then was. The creation of these cornerstones for the community was real achievement. By contrast, all of those that I have just mentioned did not come from the Labor government; they came from the Country Liberals - a different administration over a number of years. There are many of them: real cornerstones to real development.
By contrast, we have in eight years a waterfront development. That is not to take away from the waterfront development, but we need to hear more of the progressive plan to unlock land, the plan to build reservoirs for the water needs of the population to come, where schools are going to be, where the power generation is over the horizon. Where is the new hospital going to be built? Is there going to be a hospital built or are you going to wait until pressure builds so great on a political scale you will then respond and make an announcement? Or do you have a genuine plan to cut through that and recognise it needs to be put there and work towards that plan? That represents a vision, a plan and follow-through action.
These sorts of cornerstones are real developments; the sorts of things our community expects. Anyone planning wants to look ahead. A family that plans wants to look ahead and make provisions. A government has to look ahead and make provisions. They are those cornerstones. Where is the school? There has not been a school built in Palmerston, though you talk about the population increase, for eight years. That is a result …
A member: It will happen.
Mr MILLS: It will happen.
Mr Tollner: Tell us when.
Mr MILLS: Yes, there you go.
Ms Scrymgour: Wrong. The middle school is there.
Mr MILLS: Oh, there you go. It will happen. It will not happen overnight, but it will happen ...
Ms Scrymgour: It is happening. It has happened. When was the last time you went to Palmerston High?
Mr MILLS: It is happening! We have had announcements since 2002 on that. We have had media statements. We have had announcements. We have the Treasurer saying in a few Dry Seasons we might have Tiger Brennan Drive. A few Dry Seasons! Who knows if there is a real cutting plan, the opportunity to seize hold of this chance that you have now you are in government and do something - not fluff around and wait until you have focus groups that say: ‘Oh, you have to do something about this’. ‘Okay, what we will do, comrades? We will put out a media release’.
In this statement, I do not hear the description of that new direction. It is the same. You stated the obvious things such as you are going to work to attract major projects. Hey, that is your job. That is what you are meant to be doing. If you are going to attract major projects - going back to that senior business person I spoke about - that person is pleased that the government has acted - as they should, for goodness sake - in attracting major projects.
However, where will middle management folk live? If they are attached to INPEX, they will not have any problem because, in talking to Mantra and those other big developers around the place, there are whole floors being booked out by major project participants. Money is not the issue here. But, their inclusion in our market is having a direct effect upon those young people - those young professionals, those middle management, those young newly-married couples – regarding their place. Will they be able to raise kids here and be a part of the exciting next chapter of the Northern Territory? Unless you attend to that, it is a lop-sided story; a half story.
To summarise, what we hear is a description of how you are going to win a battle - probably a political or immediate battle - but you are going to lose the war unless you attend to some of the underlying issues required of government to provide real leadership through a cutting vision of a plan, and one you are going to act on. Do not just fight to win a battle which is an immediate, political battle that is fought out in the polls and the NT News on a daily basis. We need more than that. We need to win the war, but the war is being lost in the planning front, right through health and education, law and order. That war is being lost. You are winning the little battles along the way. However, Territorians will not put up with it much longer if you continue to fluff around and talk about the economy as though we live in an economy, and not a community – if you continue to talk about quantities and numbers rather than the qualities that need to be advanced in our community; if you continue to speak about spending of money as though that, of itself, is an achievement, rather than the results.
The education results have been released, and we do not see any encouraging news there in improvements. However, I am sure we are going to hear plenty of statements about the amount of money being spent.
We have to go to the next stage, and be a bit more sophisticated and talk about how we are going to get in there and fix it. It is only a new direction whereas, if you take the Labor government’s approach it is: ‘If we are spending this much money and we are getting these results consistently, the only answer is to spend more money’. No. You need to take a different approach, not spend more money. It is time to have some personal buy-in and sort it out, and try to find a way to cut through some of these very complex issues. I do not think we are going to get very far if we continue with these types of statements; we have to go to a new level.
Mr KNIGHT (Local Government): Madam Speaker, I am pleased to speak in support of the Chief Minister’s strong statement setting out the government’s commitment to the continued economic growth in the Northern Territory.
I offer to the Leader of the Opposition, if he would like to provide me with the name or the contact details of the young lady he was speaking to, we have a very good scheme, the HomeNorth Extra Scheme. I believe, with the level of salary that she would be on at the moment, she would be entitled to use that scheme. If you are unaware of that scheme, or she is unaware of that scheme, I can provide the details to you and you can provide them to her, or you can provide me with her name and I will get the department to speak to her. That offer is there …
Mr Mills: Thank you. I will take you up on it.
Mr KNIGHT: … Leader of the Opposition, because we have an excellent HomeNorth Extra Scheme. I believe that, given that she is a teacher, she would be in a good income bracket to actually achieve …
Mr Bohlin: With a ceiling cap of $350 000 she cannot buy a new home.
Mr KNIGHT: There are plenty of houses on the market for $350 000, member for Drysdale …
Mr Bohlin: Not many.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr KNIGHT: Madam Speaker, I recall in 2001 the Northern Territory economy was in a stagnant state. Since that time, the Labor government has, through responsible economic management and a focus on creating business opportunities, moved the Territory forward. The Chief Minister has outlined our record in that regard, and the results speak for themselves - new investment, new infrastructure and our kids being able to find work in the Territory. We have enabled the private sector to generate business and investment through levering off the government’s investment.
The critical issue is planning for continued growth, but ensuring at the same time that our continued growth is in harmony with our wonderful environment and our great lifestyle. Most importantly of all, we have a critical obligation - one that we are absolutely committed to - that all Territorians, regardless of where they live, participate in the benefits from the continued economic growth; also ensuring that these outcomes will require a plan, a real commitment to delivering that plan and strong, effective leadership. The Chief Minister’s statement demonstrates a sound understanding of issues we need to confront. It sets out a strong, clear plan, and Chief Minister Henderson has totally committed himself to providing the leadership to deliver that plan.
I now turn to how my portfolio responsibilities will support his plan. Honourable members, you would have noted the key objectives of the local government reform have been to modernise the local government legislation, improve local government networks, and improve local government services to Territorians living out bush. While these are our key local government objectives, my predecessors, Jack Ah Kit and Elliot McAdam, also had in mind other key outcomes. They knew the importance of strong local government as a critical ingredient for strong regional development. Strong local government will help deliver and maintain physical and social infrastructure needed to support regional development and economic growth. It will help attract investment to local communities, help provide the local leadership to facilitate planning, and engender community participation and necessary formation of strong, sustainable economic growth.
I look forward to working with my colleague, the Minister for Regional Development, in supporting his work in the area of regional development. With clear and appropriate governance structures in place, the regions will be better placed to attract investment from government and the private sector.
One approach to promoting business opportunities in the bush was our $500 000 Local Opportunities Business Assistance Program. The funding was provided to assist communities in developing local business opportunities through the dedicated funding program. The funds have now been distributed to assist the transitioning of current businesses and the development of potential businesses independent of councils. The funding facilitated proposals by local groups to provide a local service, transfer an enterprise out of existing councils, or provide a subcontracting service to the council.
A highlight of the Chief Minister’s plan is the commitment to grow the Territory’s workforce. Our great challenge out bush is to develop and grow Indigenous participation in the workforce. Our government’s Closing the Gap initiative, in partnership with the Australian government, has already delivered results. Today, I mentioned that over 400 full-time positions in local government have been created for local Indigenous employees.
As well as creating real jobs for local people, this program will also play a key role in creating entry level positions for local people and supporting personal skills development in the workplace. These positions will also work as an employment incubator, building confidence and skills, and leading local people to career and job paths in all sorts of employment. This is an employment program that will help create a skilled regional workforce participating over time in all sorts of industries.
A necessary requirement for strong economic development and a stable, local workforce is that workers have somewhere safe and comfortable to live, work and raise a family. Most of us here did not have to share a house with scores of other people and accommodate a range of people who might change from week to week.
As Minister for Housing, I focus on working hard to ensure that government housing programs across the Territory align with and support our economic development plan. I am especially focused on ensuring the successful implementation of the Strategic Indigenous Housing Infrastructure Program. Members might recall that, last week, I outlined how the SIHIP program will deliver serviced land, 1000 new homes and around 2500 refurbishments existing homes in our regional communities. This investment will reduce overcrowding in homes, provide for ongoing maintenance to protect our huge investment, and promote wellbeing in our communities. It is my intent that this investment be backed by an education and communication plan that promotes home/life skills, home ownership and pride in the upkeep of the homes.
I am asked from time to time, what stops some of our young kids and young adults in our bush communities, such as those in my own electorate, from going to school and working. One obvious answer is that most of us attended school regularly, studied hard and planned a career, and had a stable base to work from.
Our focus of building appropriate housing and infrastructure in the bush creates the base from which our regions can grow. Most importantly, we are also ensuring that we maximise opportunities to train and employ local people. These programs will develop a skilled workforce which can continue working in the local community or travel where the work might be. The critical outcome is to build our local workforce skills and participation, build self-esteem and self-worth among the current unemployed to create a desire for more work, and to foster local development and businesses creating more jobs.
The other obvious answer to the question posed before us is that there are jobs for the young people to aspire to. I will be working with my colleagues, in line with our economic development plan, to ensure programs and partnerships with businesses to create all sorts of employment in our bush communities.
I welcome the Chief Minister’s election commitment for an additional $10m over four years to provide a 10 000 new commencements for trainees and apprentices, and the doubling of the Build Skills and Work Ready programs. For those looking to new opportunities away from home, I will be encouraging the development of incentives and support for employees who want to move to this work.
Economic development and the continued growth of our workforce, whether it be in the city or the bush, requires well planned and reliable essential services infrastructure. I am committed to making sure that we have the plan in place, properly sequenced, to support the growth envisaged in the Chief Minister’s economic development plan. I will also be very conscious of our greenhouse challenges and how we can encourage innovation and creativity in responding to these issues.
There will be other challenges such as the remoteness of many of our communities and development projects, climatic extremes, and rising costs. I am impressed by the quality of our technical staff and their capacity to respond to any challenges thrown their way. We will provide the technical knowledge and innovation that the Territory is renowned for, providing necessary capacity to support the economic development of the Territory. We will also ensure our proposals and solutions are cost-effective and that in any partnerships with private developers taxpayers are not carrying any unreasonable share of the cost of infrastructure.
The Henderson government is investing in essential services to support the growth of our economy. The Power and Water Corporation has infrastructure investment programs valued at $1bn for the next five years, starting in the 2007-08 year. Investment is a continued strategic focus on improving supply reliability and increasing capacity. Major capital projects in this program include new power stations at Weddell and Owen Springs, the Archer Zone power substation for Palmerston, and power upgrades in the Katherine, Tennant Creek and Yulara centres.
We have committed to the Darwin Sewerage Strategy, including the new Larrakeyah outfall and the upgrade of the Ludmilla Waste Treatment Plant. For water security we are raising the Darwin River Dam wall, we are building the Palmerston rising main, and upgrading the Roe Creek bore field in Alice Springs. The Territory is open for business and we are investing in water, sewerage and power infrastructure in readiness for this future.
As Minister for Public Employment, I will be ensuring we maintain an effective professional public sector, ensuring a sound platform to support the economic growth we envisage; a public sector which has appropriate levels of staffing and delegations in the areas where the decisions will be realised. We will support the planning effort and help deliver the expert advice and good governance expected by the community. We need to maintain a high professional public sector, ensuring our assets continue to be developed and that long-term community interests are properly considered in respect of all development proposals. We will ensure that we recruit and retain staff we need, and will continue providing appropriate public sector traineeships and apprenticeships that will help build our own skill base.
As our economy grows, so will this workforce. I will be ever vigilant to ensure that any growth in the public sector is squarely aimed at improving outcomes and getting traction on the ground. I will also be working with my ministerial colleagues to ensure that our regional development initiatives are reflected in the placement of public sector staff and the allocation of government traineeships.
As with many plans, the plan itself is only as good as the arrangements in place to ensure the plan is delivered, and to quickly identify what is working and what is not and amend the plan accordingly. Last week, the Chief Minister indicated very firmly his intention to deliver on election commitments and his arrangements to ensure that this takes place. I know the Chief Minister will be applying the same strong expectation in respect to economic growth. We have enjoyed exceptional growth in the Territory in recent years. Growth needs to be nurtured and supported by good planning, good policies and a responsive, but responsible, government.
This makes the difference between our government and the opposition. We have delivered and we will continue to deliver. We know what needs to be done. We know how to get on with it. We know how to work in partnership with business and other tiers of government. We have established and will continue to build on our productive working relationship with the Rudd government. Let us work to ensure the continued growth we all want for the Territory, and that this growth provides benefits for all Territorians, no matter where they live and who they vote for.
Mr ELFERINK (Port Darwin): Madam Speaker, I thank the minister for his statement in relation to the importance of the economy to the Northern Territory and the people who live here. I also note that he said that economic growth and expansion is the key to improving the lives of all Territorians. I could not agree more. The need to expand the Northern Territory economy to provide work, to provide incomes, and a future for Territorians is vitally important. Which is why I return to the old hoary chestnut that used to get me to my feet as the member for Macdonnell in times gone by: I urge this government to support all systems and principles that would see the same economic growth introduced to all areas of the Northern Territory, as we have seen in the area of Darwin.
One of the great tragedies of being the former member for Macdonnell - and I note that the current member for Macdonnell is in this place - is that the economic outcomes in many of these remote communities are just awful. I heard the Minister for Local Government, during Question Time today, talk about 408 real jobs being created, and I am grateful for that. The truth is, however, these are still service jobs based on some sort of public purse arrangement, because they are working for council.
One of the great sadnesses in the Northern Territory is that there is this monumental disparity between the wealth generated on land outside of land trusts and inside land trusts. I am continually frustrated - and have been for as long as I can remember - looking at those land trusts and wishing and hoping they could provide an income for Aboriginal people according to the same principle that, before the arrival of Europeans, the land provided an income for Aboriginal people. They were not dependent on some external source of wealth. Although their wealth was measured in calories - the amount of calories they were able to collect in a given period of time - the land used to economically support the people who lived here.
I am not arguing for a second that we return to the old days of hunting and gathering for the people who live in these remote communities. That would be absurd. What I am arguing is that we should turn to that land, or ask the owners of that land to turn to that land as a source of their economic salvation and, I argue, their salvation in so many other areas. It is, to me, a continuing source of dismay that you can literally step one step from one system of land use and ownership - for argument sake, a pastoral lease - over the boundary into a land trust, and be stepping from the first to the third world in how that land produces wealth for the people who live on those respective properties. There is no difference in the land on either side of that fence line, but there is a fundamental difference in the systems of ownership and the capacity to raise capital and interest from the investment sector on either side of that boundary.
I am concerned when I see, at the international level, the times that we live in. I see things like Lehmans Bank, which has now filed a bankruptcy claim in the United States. This is on the tail end of a whole bunch of other bail-outs and failures because of the credit crisis. I am not going to go into all of those issues. If that were to lead to a major recession - or perish the thought the ‘d’ word gets used - what happens to Aboriginal people living in these remote communities? If the money really starts drying up, what capacity is there in Yuendumu or Papunya for these people to generate their own wealth? Land ownership is important, and I would never support the removal of land from people who own that land without proper compensation.
In fact, so much so, the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act captures the thought that that land cannot be removed from the ownership of the traditional people who own it, even if they wanted it. However, the problem is that the trust system that exists at the moment; the lock-down mentality which still exists – and I have to say that it has been getting better, things are not as locked-down as they used to be; but it still exists to a large degree - is actually hindering Aboriginal people from advancing. We say education is the answer for Aboriginal people. Yes, that is true, but it is only part of the answer. If there is no job to go to, you could produce, in Mt Liebig, 15 doctors of philosophy and they would have the same income outcomes – pardon the expression; I will try to rephrase that - they will have the same outcomes in what they earn as the person sitting next to them who is still sitting there on Centrelink payments. There has to be some sort of environment in which traditional people living on their own lands can generate wealth.
I pause briefly to note the area of Titjikala - I think it is only a few square kilometres of land - which was granted to the Titjikala Football Club, if my memory serves me, in about 1976. It was not granted as trust land and it still does not reside under the control or command of the Central Land Council. I am not going to bash up on the Central Land Council. I have issues with the way they do their job. I also have issues with the way they are responsible to do their job under the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act. However, this is the one patch of land, only a handful of square kilometres - I think about 5 km2 or 10 km2 - that actually rests with Aboriginal ownership in a system of land ownership which is different to land trust ownership in the rest of Central Australia under the Central Land Council’s control.
When it was discovered that this freehold title - and it is normal freehold title - was in the possession of a long since defunct sports association, Harry Scott, the then CEO out there - I believe, he has moved on, I am not sure - figured out that none of the rules of the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act applied. So, he saw the traditional people out there, led by Philip Willuka, and suggested to them that they were not bound by the operations of the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act and all of the inherent duties and responsibilities that are encumbered upon land councils to manage land under the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act.
Before too long, there was an investment project happening at Titjikala. No one was deprived of their land but, because the land was available for the investment dollar, investment money was able to come there very quickly without having to jump through all of the hurdles that necessarily have to be jumped through if you try to bring some form of investment into the collective ownership - which is, essentially, what a land trust is. If you operate inside a land trust, you have to organise meetings, those meetings have to be paid for, there are questions that come out of those meetings, and they have to go back to the proponent of any particular investment. You then have to go back to the traditional owners and have another meeting. That process can take six to 12 months or perhaps even longer.
How does that become attractive to the investment dollar? If I have $10m in my back pocket and I want to invest in the Northern Territory but I want a return at some reasonable time, how does creating that environment of negotiation - come back, talk to people about this, that and the other, then go back into a negotiation process - keep the investment dollar interested? Frankly, it does not. One of the problems of the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act is that, where it was designed to hand land back to the traditional owners - which it has achieved in the absence of any form of native title - the fact is that those walls of protection have become, in many instances, a wall of imprisonment around the people who own that land. That is a matter of great concern to me.
Should we, on this side of the House, form government in the Northern Territory, I will be talking to land councils, as well as the federal government, to find ways to get past these hurdles to make investment in Aboriginal and traditional lands attractive to the investment dollar. For that reason then, you can give them this extra environment for education, and you can give Aboriginal people a reason to be healthy. If your outcomes for being healthy are no better than for the outcomes for somebody being unhealthy, why be healthy? That really is the question that many Aboriginal people ask themselves on a daily basis: if there is no advantage in being educated, if there is no advantage in being healthy, then why bother?
This is one area I am deeply concerned about, because if you think that we generate a lot of wealth out of the Northern Territory at the moment - and we do - then we are only doing it from half of the Northern Territory in many instances. I know that there are mines on Aboriginal land which have been the product of patient and long-sought-after negotiations by mining companies, but I look forward with some passion to the day that Aboriginal land stands economically independent, not only of the Northern Territory, but of the national government as well. That will be the day that true and full self-determination will have found its way to Aboriginal people in the Northern Territory.
The reason I know that is because that philosophy does not only hold true for Aboriginal people, it holds true for all people. Those people who are economically independent are truly self-determining, and I look forward with passion to that day.
I also want to visit the comments on the first page of the statement made by the minister, where he described the economic situation in the Northern Territory in 2001 as being some sort of a wasteland - economic growth was zero, population growth was 0.1%. One could be forgiven for thinking that, from that world view, that snapshot of history, prior to that time the Northern Territory was governed by people who had no idea what they were doing. Yet, if you look between the years 1978 and 2001, the Northern Territory actually developed quite substantially in that period. This blame game - this argument that under the CLP we lived in this economic wasteland and nothing ever happened, and all was destitution and desperation - is simply an attempt to build a point of comparison with what is happening now and what was happening in 2001.
I understand why you have to do it for political reason, but the fact is that the Territory did well under the Country Liberals administration during the years 1978 through 2001, and it grew enormously. Labor members, during that period, often used to engage in critiques, which, if made from this side of the House in the current arrangement, would be described as running down the Northern Territory and talking down the Territory. We all recall the comments made by the former Chief Minister, long before she even entered parliament, I believe, that the railway, for argument’s sake, was some form of faded dream.
We have a boom and bust economy in the Northern Territory. It has, sadly, for a long time been that way. Since 2001, for various reasons, we have had extended boom. It is easy to sit on the crest of that wave and look backwards at 2001 and say that things are so much better. I grant you, things have improved, but I am not entirely sure how much that is down to government and how much is the wave that has been generated in other places like China, India, Europe, and in the United States. I will be curious to see, should the economic downturn that seems to be looming for the whole world come to reality, how well this government will be able to argue these cases into the future.
I now want to get down into a little more detail. The government talked about the great successes it has had, but it is also worth visiting some of the earliest documents that they created upon coming to government. I bring members’ attention to Budget Paper No 3 of the 2001-02 mini-budget. This particular Budget Paper was produced after the government called a fellow by the name of Percy Allan to come to the Northern Territory to review the budget of the Northern Territory. Percy Allan made some suggestions and the government made some decisions on the back of those suggestions. I point out a comment made on page 13 of the mini-budget, Inclusion of government initiatives:
I dwell again on those last four words ‘reduced capital works expenditure’. I remember the former member for Stuart, Dr Peter Toyne, standing in this place -- and I cannot lay my hands immediately on the quote, but he said it was a policy of the new ALP government to spend less on infrastructure and more on social outcomes. No complaints with that because they have a mandate to do so. That is exactly what they did. They started engaging in what you would call social outcomes.
You can see a chart in that budget paper where this extra expenditure is drawn from. You will notice that, in health, there was an increase of $32m, education $7m, and law and order $9m. There were some carryover items. Also in that chart, you can see that there was a comment about the ‘removal of NT Fleet asset sale’. When a government produces a budget or a mini-budget, they take control of the fiscal arrangements in any particular jurisdiction. I note from the minister’s statement that he accused the former Country Liberal administration, saying that there was a deficit of $130m and nett debt in employee liability ratio was 134%.
I presume that he is referring to the $126m not $130m, listed on the bottom of page 11 in Chapter 2, Financial Projections. That $126m deficit was a product of this budget which was the ALP’s first budget, the mini-budget. The decision to have a deficit of $126m was the government’s decision, not the Country Liberals’ decision. Part of that particular blowout was the ALP government keeping its promise of removing the NT Fleet asset sale. There was a plan under the original budget for the 2001-02 financial year to sell assets to help keep the deficit down - the projected deficit was $12m. That asset sale was going to be the NT Fleet and it was going to reduce the overall deficit which was projected in that year.
It was also the government’s decision to spend $32m more in health, education and law and order. So, the deficit for that year was a product, not of the Country Liberals making, but of the new ALP government’s mini-budget. If they had stuck to the original 2001-02 budget then they could have legitimately argued that there was a large deficit at the end of that period; that it was the Country Liberals’ fault. You cannot come into a place and say: ‘That budget is no good, we are going to create a new budget. Here is our new budget, this is what we are going to spend’ and, at the end of that process say it is the Country Liberal Party’s fault that the budget blew out.
This is the $100m black hole that they fabricated, because this …
Ms Lawrie: Did not fabricate.
Mr ELFERINK: You fabricated it. You made it up. Part of that was the direct result of your decision not to sell NT Fleet ...
Ms Lawrie: How are you going to fund the cars?
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr ELFERINK: It was part of your decision not to sell NT Fleet. This was your mini-budget.
It is also interesting to note that on, I think page 25 – no I will go to the next year’s budget, Budget Paper No 2 for the year 2002-03. It was the first year that they set themselves their fiscal strategy. I urge members to have a look at the fiscal strategy from that year, because it makes …
Mr CONLAN: Madam Speaker, I move an extension of time for the member for Port Darwin to finish his remarks, pursuant to Standing Order 77.
Motion agreed to.
Mr ELFERINK: I thank honourable members for their indulgence, Madam Speaker.
It is interesting to note that, under Fiscal Objectives, which can be found on page 25 of the 2002-03 Budget Paper No 2, it said:
‘Curbing the growth of nett debt’ - now there is an ambitious target. ‘We are not going to try to cap it there. We are actually going to just let it grow more slowly’ or something. If you go to later Budget Papers, you can see nett debt has come down slightly. That is not really a remarkable achievement seeing that the goods and services tax revenue poured into Territory coffers far beyond budget estimates and expectations. One would hope you would be able to not only curb the growth, but actually reduce nett debt quite substantially.
As well as ‘curbing the growth of nett debt’ unfunded liabilities is the other aspect of this. Let us talk about what unfunded liabilities really are. They are superannuation liabilities. Compare the Uniform Presentation Framework in the General Government Sector Balance Sheet, page 64 of Budget Paper No 2, 2002-03. The superannuation liability projected out to 2005-06, at that time, was $1.445bn. Bearing in mind that curbing the growth of unfunded liabilities was the fiscal objective of this government, let us see how they went. I do not have the 2005-06 Budget Paper No 2, but what I will have a look at is the General Government Sector Balance Sheet for the year after 2005-06, is the year 2007-08 …
Ms Lawrie: Are you going to mention the actuarial assessment?
Mr ELFERINK: Look, you made it clear you do not understand superannuation by backing the Chief Minister …
Ms Lawrie: Go on then. Mention the actuarial assessments …
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr ELFERINK: These are the people who think that because the superannuation schemes have been closed off to new members that there is no effect on superannuation …
Ms Lawrie: Because it is taken into the actuarial assessments.
Mr ELFERINK: This is the Treasurer …
Ms Lawrie: Because it is taken into account …
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr ELFERINK: … who - can you believe it? - thinks that the Commonwealth coffers are filling up with GST revenue. For goodness sake, I am astonished.
Anyway, getting back to what I was talking about: superannuation liability, bearing in mind that - what was the last figure I gave? Was it $1.4bn? Yes, $1.4bn. What was curbing the growth in unfunded liabilities at 2007-08? $2.3bn - give or take $800m more than projected a few years earlier. Is it being curbed? Is the unfunded liability being curbed? Let me look at superannuation projected out to …
Members interjecting.
Mr ELFERINK: … $2.5bn. Yes, okay. See where we were going. Fiscal Objective No 1 was curbing the growth in nett debt and unfunded liabilities. Cross, wrong.
The second was:
Know how they are achieving that? I asked them questions during my briefing. I asked if the Conditions of Service Reserve was counted against nett debt, bearing in mind the Conditions of Service Reserve is the money we put aside so retirees relying on their superannuation schemes can get some money into their kick when they do retire. It is an attempt to offset the future superannuation liabilities the Northern Territory government carries. The answer was ‘yes’, it does have the effect.
Like many superannuation schemes, with the exception of last year, they performed very well. I think the value of those schemes is now in the order of about $450m. I could be mistaken on the exact figure. That has a profound effect on the nett debt situation in the Northern Territory. You are, basically, saying: ‘We are going to cover our current borrowings with other people’s superannuation funds’.
If you remove that particular amount from the nett debt sums on the general government sector balance sheet, then you will find that the nett debt reduction has not been quite half as sexy as the Treasurer would have us believe.
It is also interesting to note that there is an anticipation that nett debt will go up, not on the general government sector balance sheet but on the non-financial sector balance sheet. Why would that occur? It is because the government is currently borrowing to do infrastructure work. They make a great deal of hoo-hah about the infrastructure that they are bringing to the Northern Territory because they say: ‘We need to do all this infrastructure work’. I point members’ attention out to page 13 of the mini-budget where they actually started creating that problem for themselves in 2001. Why? Because on page 13 they committed themselves to reduced capital works expenditure.
So they create the problem and, then, they come and fix it. ‘It is the cavalry – the cavalry has come to save the day! We are going to reduce expenditure on infrastructure only so that down the track when everybody is whingeing about infrastructure and planning in the Northern Territory, we can come, like knights in shining armour, and save the day’. That is not what you would call honest government.
Here is the last fiscal objective to which the fiscal strategy of a few years applies:
Add the two up and it is a big cross. Therefore, curbing growth - cross; commitment for continuation of the deficit reduction strategy - cross; resultant decline in nett debt and total liabilities – cross. They have done a wonderful job. They have done a splendid job serving the people of the Northern Territory.
Madam Speaker, I can only hope that the people of the Northern Territory wake up before they do mortgage, as the Chief Minister said, the future of Territorians and their children.
Ms LAWRIE (Treasurer): Madam Speaker, I congratulate the Chief Minister on his statement. I pick up on what the Leader of the Opposition had to say regarding looking at what we do through the prism of the community. However, without strong economic growth, the community struggles - it struggles to have the opportunities for a vibrant lifestyle here in the Territory. We have seen that the CLP is keen to bury its head in the sand and ignore the fact that we have the strongest economic growth in the nation. Not only do we have it now but Access Economics predicts that we will have sustained, strong economic growth of an average of around 5% through the next five years.
That does not happen by accident. The member for Port Darwin, in his response, clearly omitted to talk around the 2001-02 and 2002-03 budget periods and the fiscal regimes there. Clearly, he did not want to deal with the reality of the circumstance which the government was dealing with, which was that, when we came to government there simply was not the cash to fund the capital works requirements. The government embarked on a very tight fiscal regime to drive down any unnecessary expenditure to ensure that we were able to direct services to the most critical areas of need. They were directed to health, education, and law and order because, of course, we recall then that, at the time, the CLP had a freeze in place for the recruitment of police.
Yes, we need a community, we need a strong community. That is delivered by applying the resources to the areas of need and priority which means that the community can be strong and vibrant. Important also, is that it is not just in key major urban areas of Darwin and Alice Springs, but that that opportunity extends across the Territory.
In stark contrast, the Chief Minister’s comprehensive statement in the Chamber today outlines just how strong our economy is, how it became so strong, and how we are going to keep it so strong. It is a statement that lays out comprehensive, fresh, new plans for our future - plans that we believe will deliver real results across a range of areas that all contribute to our economic growth and, indeed, our economic future.
The statement outlines how this government will deliver on our election commitments to grow the Territory, create jobs and improve the income streams of Territory families, giving them the opportunity to enjoy living in their communities. Supporting business will be a key focus, and that will include building on our main existing industries, but developing new ones. Diversity can be a strength.
Our economic indicators are very strong. Since 2001, we have turned the Territory’s economy around. Compared to 2001, we live in a very different economic reality in the Northern Territory today. In 2001, economic growth was zero, population growth was almost zero, and unemployment was over 7%. Try living in your community without a job. Responsible financial management had been abandoned by the previous CLP government. We inherited a $130m budget black hole that emerged, and the nett debt and liability ratio had spiralled up to 134%.
As a new government in 2001, Labor had to act. It addressed tax cuts; we now have the lowest business taxes in the country for businesses of 100 or fewer employees. We introduced the first ever Jobs Plan for the Territory - it simply did not exist previously. We went into the 2005 election with a commitment for 10 000 trainees and apprentices to be trained. In August this year, we delivered some 9600 trainees, and we went into the 2008 election with another promise of 10 000 more to come. We have the highest level of people participating in training in our nation.
We have spent $3.5bn in investment in infrastructure. We are continually improving our roads infrastructure budgets and our broader infrastructure budgets. We have hit a record infrastructure budget this year of $870m. Building infrastructure creates the jobs and it also develops the Territory. We are a government that adheres to strong financial management by delivering surplus budgets and by continuing to have strong debt management. We are driving the surplus up and we are driving the debt down. It is ensuring that we continue to see all independent forecasts pointed to growth continuing at strong levels. These are not just statistics; this means jobs and income streams for our Territory families.
We have enormous confidence out there in our community. We have the best retail trade figures in the nation - 9.2% growth in the last year alone. That means more Territory families have the capacity and the confidence to spend more money on their retail needs. Strong employment growth and low unemployment, clearly, is good news for those individuals who have found jobs. It is also good news for everyone. Low unemployment is a key social inclusion policy. Low unemployment leads to better outcomes for our entire community. We have achieved this strong growth while, at the same time, keeping a rein on inflation.
We recognise that the strength in our economy is bringing with it growing pains, because a growing economy and a growing population brings with it those pressures. Challenges are presented with the growth. We face, in those challenges, a shortage of workers, both skilled and unskilled. Our growing population means we have to release more housing into the marketplace to relieve pressure on demand and, with more housing, we need more roads, more schools and more health services. We are working hard to deliver these essential infrastructure requirements for the Territory.
The opposition would have us believe that we have not been building schools. Middle schools have been the largest education infrastructure project in the Territory’s history. We are committed to some $286m still to come on school upgrades right across the Territory.
Central to our economic strength is our port. We are spending some $59m this financial year on infrastructure at the port, with a $100m commitment to our port for essential infrastructure, but we know that we require about $200m more and we are seeking that from Infrastructure Australia. We have put a bid in to Infrastructure Australia.
We are spending about $1bn in Power and Water infrastructure right across the Territory to really feed that growing demand.
The biggest ever remote housing program in the nation’s history is occurring in the Northern Territory, to deliver remote housing right across the Territory. We also have a comprehensive land release program in our CBD of Darwin, four new suburbs for Palmerston, Lyons and Muirhead, and rural subdivisions. We have urban infill along the Berrimah corridor. We have land release occurring in the Alice Springs, Tennant Creek and Katherine.
In roads, we will be spending approximately $270m this year - a record roads budget. That stretches from the Tiger Brennan Driver extension right down through to the Tanami.
Transport is also important and this government is going to invest $13.4m for new buses, new routes and, for the rural area, the new park and ride facilities, which means people will be able to get in and commute via the public transport service.
While we recognise that industrial development is a critical part of the Territory’s growth and our future, we will become a northern gas hub, which has been the vision of this Labor Territory government. We understand we do need a sensible approach to that development and the development that will occur in Middle Arm. We recognise that we can provide both for the development and also robust environmental processes in and around the development to ensure that we do protect our magnificent harbour. With all of this growth, it is critical that we are planning for further growth. For that we have the Territory Workforce Unit that comes under our minister for Business, and also the new Planning for Growth Unit which will be located in the Department of the Chief Minister under Dave Malone. I look forward, as Minister for Lands and Planning, and Treasurer, to working closely with that unit.
We are bringing in new planning controls and approaches that ensure that we grow responsibly. I welcome debate about some of those new planning processes.
We have done all of this with strong financial management. With successive budget surpluses, with debt and liabilities to revenue ratio down to 106% from the 134% we inherited, we have a good track record. The endorsement of Moody’s Investor Services with an AA1 credit rating is critically important to our future.
Strong financial management ensures that businesses will have the confidence to invest. We are undertaking an infrastructure 10-year plan where we are engaging with the private sector in where they see infrastructure in the private capacity occurring, so that we give a decade period of confidence to the private sector to work with government and put their investment into building the Territory as well. Government, on its own, cannot complete this picture. It is private investment that significantly builds the Territory. Obviously, government working with the private sector means we have the capacity to do much more than we would otherwise be able to do.
Our record speaks for itself. We have comprehensive plans for the future. However, there are some stark comparisons for the CLP. The CLP members talk about housing affordability and housing land release but, when it came to the crunch, during the recent election campaign, what was the CLP’s land release policy? All they came up with was releasing the land at Sports House in Fannie Bay. That amounts to about 15 lots. At the time, they said that they would scrap the relocation of the prison, removing that from the land release picture, which will be yielding around about 500 lots. The nett result of the CLP’s election commitments to land release is to reduce land availability under the current strategy by about 485 lots ...
Members interjecting.
Ms LAWRIE: Going backwards. I pick up on the interjection. They talked earlier in the election about bringing on Weddell. Then they backflipped and removed it from their costings. They talked about HomeNorth and stamp duty, but not once did they announce any single policy for HomeNorth or stamp duty in their election commitments - not one. Nor did they have anything to say on transport.
Earlier this year, members may recall that the Leader of the Opposition spent a considerable amount of his time talking about buses. He was getting up early and heading down to the Palmerston bus interchange and hearing people’s concerns and their ideas, and he was putting together the CLP public transport policy. Then, the election came around. He announced nothing - not one single public transport initiative anywhere in the Territory. Not one new bus, not one new route service, no extra school buses and not even one new bus stop.
Interestingly, on radio, just four days before the election, the member for Port Darwin was asked about his party’s plans for public transport, and here is what he said:
Last week, we saw the member for Port Darwin complain that government had not built a new school in inner Darwin. I find that remarkable for a couple of reasons: (1) the CLP did not announce any commitment to build one; did not mention it during the election at all; and (2) the new Darwin Middle School, which caters for the electorate of Port Darwin, opened only this year. This is a state-of-the art education facility catering to Port Darwin. The CLP opposed that facility. The member for Port Darwin would have us believe that it is not a new school. He needs to have a look at the Darwin Middle School. It is a fantastic new school.
In the lead-up to the election, the CLP produced costings that, sadly, again would have led us back into budget black-hole country to the tune of about $100m. They put no money towards reducing debt; they were just going to create this black hole. Rather, the CLP debt management was just to blow the budget again. After years of supporting Middle Arm for development, the CLP have turned their back on it. The CLP said they would contribute $30m in future years to develop Glyde Point. Well, that leaves it hundreds of millions of dollars short for the approximately $500m-plus price tag that industry would need for its development. You either develop it or you do not. The CLP’s plan to develop Glyde Point does not even allow enough money for a road to get out to Glyde Point.
The government has protected Glyde Point much to the delight, I have to say, of the environmentalists and the recreational fishermen. Under the Territory government, we recognise that you can have development and environmental protection. The differences are stark. The government has the runs on the board. We have built our economy to be the strongest in the nation. We have the strongest population growth in the nation. We have the nation’s lowest unemployment rate. We have the nation’s highest workforce participation rate. We are bucking national and international trends here in the Territory ...
Mr Chandler: You go on believing in it – go on.
Ms LAWRIE: I pick up on the interjection of the member for Brennan: ‘You go on believing it’. Member for Brennan, economic indicators speak for themselves and are published independently of government. They exist. We recognise that we have a strong and vibrant economy. We recognise that with that strength it provides us with challenges. We have fresh ideas to tackle those challenges and to deliver improved infrastructure and services right across the Territory, providing opportunities for Territorians irrespective of where they live.
Fundamental to society’s wellbeing is ensuring the people have the opportunity for shelter. We are releasing land and working across our regions to release land, to provide land on which to build the houses. However, we recognise with that comes the need for a range of accommodation, not just your single family house blocks ...
Mr Tollner: You are spending lots of money, but what do you have to show for it? Zero. Health system in crisis.
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order, thank you!
Ms LAWRIE: In housing, you need a variety of housing. Transitional housing management models have only been entering into the Territory discussion under a Labor government. I welcome the Prime Minister’s commitment to addressing homelessness. I welcome the Prime Minister’s commitment to housing affordability. We have a real opportunity here to work …
Mr Tollner: Remember Bob Hawke’s commitment? Bob Hawke made a commitment: no child will be in poverty by then. Priceless!
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! Cease interjecting.
Ms LAWRIE: We have a real opportunity here to work with the Commonwealth to deliver initiatives such as affordable housing, and to address homelessness in the Territory. We are at a very important juncture in the funding arrangements for the Territory. We have a COAG process that is occurring regarding all of our SPP reforms. Those negotiations are occurring between Treasurers prior to COAG in October. It is a critical juncture for the Territory.
I am committed, as Treasurer, to ensuring that the Territory gets its fair share. We have a very good argument to put in where the spending needs to occur and how the spending could occur, where we are committed to our own expenditure and what we have done in our own expenditure because, for a small jurisdiction, we are actually punching above our weight at the national level. We will continue to punch above our weight …
Members interjecting.
Ms LAWRIE: Despite the depressive nay sayings of the CLP, we will continue to drive our economy from strength to strength, with fiscal responsibility underpinning the role of government so that we can ensure that we have the capacity to meet increasing demand for improved services across the Territory. I was doing a media interview before, and I reminded the media that when Labor came to government in 2001, secondary education did not exist in the bush …
Mr Tollner: We hear this story again!
Ms LAWRIE: I pick up on the interjection from the member for Fong Lim: ‘We hear this story again’. Yes, there is a reason for the education story being told. You cannot deliver a skilled workforce, which is essential ...
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Minister, your time has expired.
Ms SCRYMGOUR: Madam Deputy Speaker, I move an extension of the member’s time to allow her to finish her remarks, pursuant to Standing Order 77.
Members interjecting.
Mr Conlan: Her time has expired.
Ms Carney: Her time has expired, you cannot do that.
Ms Lawrie: Fine. They do not want to hear it; that is fine.
Mr TOLLNER (Fong Lim): Madam Deputy Speaker, I would have been quite happy to listen to the Treasurer rattle on and on and on. It breaks the afternoon up.
I welcome the Chief Minister’s ministerial statement because, without it, we would not actually have much to talk about unless my good friend, the member for Drysdale, did not bring on an MPI. Goodness me, we would not have had this statement to talk about, we would not have the MPI to talk about. I am sure the adjournments would have been over, and half the members across the other side would be across the road at the pub by now having a cool drink. This gives us something to have a bit of a yarn about, doesn’t it? It is a fantastic thing.
I had this thing stuck under my door this morning, I think along with every other member in this place. I had a look at it and I thought ‘Goodness me, the Economic Direction of the Third Labor Government’. I showed it to a friend of mine, and he said: ‘That reads wrong, it should be the economic direction of the Third Reich government of the Northern Territory’. Upon reading it, I thought that is true. It was delivered by the Fuhrer this morning, and it is a …
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker! The member for Fong Lim, talking about the Third Reich and referring to the Chief Minister as the Fuhrer, is completely offensive. I am the only Jew in this Chamber, and I find his comments offensive.
Mr TOLLNER: There are reasons that it was referred to me as the Third Reich and the Chief Minister as the Fuhrer because this document, this speech, is well practiced in …
Ms Lawrie: Your comments will be put around.
Mr TOLLNER: It shows a person well practiced and steeped in the dark art of message manipulation. This is just a fantastic piece of propaganda that Nazi Germany would have been proud of ...
Mr VATSKALIS: A point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker! I believe the terms the member is using are highly offensive. Standing Order 62 says:
I take great offence to hear that one of my colleagues, or any member of this parliament, be called a member of Nazi Germany, or Fuhrer, or Third Reich.
Mr TOLLNER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I never referred to any person in this parliament …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Fong Lim, I ask you to withdraw all the comments relating to the Fuhrer. I was listening in. I understand that what you said was, in fact, that you are comparing the Chief Minister to the Fuhrer. I ask you to withdraw those comments and the reflections on the government in relation to the Third Reich.
Mr TOLLNER: Madam Speaker, I will gladly withdraw my comments if they caused any offence …
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Fong Lim, just withdraw unreservedly!
Mr TOLLNER: I withdraw.
Madam SPEAKER: Unreservedly.
Mr TOLLNER: Unreservedly.
Madam SPEAKER: Thank you very much, member for Fong Lim. You may continue.
Mr TOLLNER: My pleasure, Madam Speaker. This speech is a speech that was delivered by a person well practised in the dark art of message manipulation and propaganda, similar to those messages that were delivered by another administration at another time in a part of Europe. It is extraordinary in the way it tends to twist a message and put a glean on a government that has done absolutely nothing in the development of the Northern Territory.
On page 5 of the copy of the speech I have, the Chief Minister mentioned that he committed the government to the following actions:
This document is not so much about what it says, it is about what it does not say. The foundation pillar of any society, of any economic platform, must be the assertion of law and order – the rule of law must apply. Nowhere in this Chief Minister’s wide-ranging speech has he made one mention of the rule of law and how this government seeks to apply that across the Northern Territory.
This is a Labor Party government that copped a severe – severe – boot in the pants in the Northern Territory election. Our Chief Minister said he is committed to listening to Territorians. The central theme, as I recall, of the last Territory election was the concern of the breakdown of law and order in the community: the fact that people are concerned about going to use their local parks for fear of being assaulted; the fact that they cannot walk to their local shops anytime after dark for fear of being assaulted; the fact that shops and businesses are being broken into right across the Territory; the fact that violent assaults are up …
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Fong Lim, please pause. I have just been informed that Hansard are unable to hear you. Apparently, their sound system is dropping out. …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Fong Lim, you may continue.
Mr TOLLNER: Madam Speaker, as I was saying, the Territory election gave a fairly clear message to this government that the issues that concern them are of a law and order nature: the fact that they are scared to go out of their homes at night; the fact that there are many people in our community who are scared just being in their homes at night sends a clear message to this parliament. It should send a clear message to the Chief Minister so that, in his first ministerial statement, he would not only say what he is going to do for the economy, but how he is going to underpin that with strong principles of law and order.
The rule of law must apply in the Territory. This is clearly something that this government is not hearing, otherwise you would expect that it would appear in the Chief Minister’s first major ministerial statement to the parliament. Alas, I flicked through the 20-odd pages of this that was shoved under my door this morning - and not one single word at all about the crisis that Territorians feel that they are suffering under this government in relation to the rule of law.
I go through this and I pick up some aspects of it. I note the member for Daly was talking about Indigenous workers before and how they created 400 new jobs - or 405, something like that; somewhere around 400 new jobs. These jobs were not created, of course; they already existed. These jobs already existed; those people were already doing that work. All you have done is replace CDEP and top-up with real wages …
A member: Full-time jobs.
Mr TOLLNER: Full-time jobs. They were not full-time before, they were CDEP workers now, in for the first time ever, properly paid jobs.
I note the Chief Minister said he is going to focus on Indigenous employment; that he is going to undertake improved Indigenous training in the public sector such as the police force. He also talked about nursing, teaching and other staff-type roles. Well, the fact is many of these positions currently are being filled in remote communities by people on CDEP wages with top-up. This is a form of cost shifting that this Territory government has undertaken here. The fact is that these people are doing real jobs already and they should be paid real wages. They should be getting every other single benefit that they get out of a real job.
I also pick up on the reference made to how this government delivered a major international airline hub through Jetstar. I did not realise it was this government that actually did it. It is not about what is in the speech, it is what is not in the speech. There is no mention that they have let a major international airline slip through their fingers. Tiger Airways recently announced that they were pulling out. At one stage - probably not much more than 12 months ago - Tiger Airways was talking about hubbing out of Darwin. Does anybody else remember that?
Members: Hear, hear!
Mr TOLLNER: They were talking about hubbing out of Darwin, and nothing came of it. They left. I know a little about Tiger Airways. I was actually involved in introducing them to the Northern Territory, and I know what some of their plans were. Tiger Airways wanted to partner up with government. They were not interested so much in getting a grant or a subsidy or the like, they actually wanted to partner up with the Territory government.
It was mentioned to me by Tony Davis, the Chief Executive Officer, at my initial meeting with him in Singapore in 2005, that they were very interested in doing things that were imaginative, such as painting the aircraft. They said it was a major cost to them painting the aircraft, but they would consider allowing, maybe Tourism NT or another Territory organisation, to paint their aircraft however they wanted – with crocodiles, saying ‘Come to Australia’s Northern Territory, it is the best place for a holiday’. This is an airline that had jets going into major centres all over South-East Asia that were looking at reducing their costs but, at the same time, giving advantage to some of their support groups. I did not see an aircraft painted with crocodiles or buffaloes for heaven’s sake, or anything else like that - or even an Northern Territory government logo. No. I am not aware of what form of support the Territory government gave to Tiger Airways. I am aware that Tiger Airways pulled out of the Northern Territory only very recently.
Now we have the announcement that Jetstar is coming here. Jetstar coming here is a great thing. I welcome that. I am sure all members on my side of the House welcome it, and I am sure all members on that side of the House welcome it, too. It is great that Jetstar want to have a hub out of here.
However, what are we going to do with these 250 000-odd passengers who will be coming through? You can guess that a half or a third might determine they want to stay and have a bit of a look around in the Territory on their transit through the place. Let us say 80 000 of our tourists a year decide that they want to stay and have a little look at Darwin. Where do we put them? We know that the convention centre has been built, but they cannot book conventions because there is a lack of accommodation for people who want to go a convention. We now have an airline coming here which is going to be bringing 80 000 tourists into the place, but where do they stay?
Somebody asked me the other day: ‘These government departments; are their policies somehow linked?’ I said: ‘Yes, of course, they are - with a stapler’. That is how they are linked. There is no planning at all that occurs with this government. In fact, the hallmark of this government is the complete lack of planning in practically every single area you can nominate. There is no planning, there is no vision, and there is no forward direction.
There is a lack of planning and it comes back to this nonsense here again - this dark art of message manipulation. That is what they are good at. That is what they are extraordinarily good at; that is what they sell. They are champions at this: the dark art of message manipulation.
Regarding the Territory Growth Planning Unit, I know it sounds great. We need a Territory Growth Planning Unit. It is going to be a coordinating body across all government and ‘designed to include planning for growth’. You can imagine a whole bunch of people with staplers, stapling policies together, linking them.
I am just looking through the presentation here. It says that, additionally, they are going to engage in relation to workers. They are going to engage with the rest of Australia and run these forums around the country. And not just around the country, they are going to run these forums in South-East Asia. They are going to run the forums in Europe and America in an effort to attract workers to the Northern Territory. However, I see nowhere in here for such a large scale marketing campaign where a dollar has been attached - not a single dollar. I have not seen a budget paper where there is a single dollar attached to any of this stuff. We have all of these wonderful words constantly through this document, but there is actually nothing of any substance to back it up:
Let us just keep giving Power and Water more money to provide the same service they provided to us for years. We still pay more than anybody else in the country for power and water, but there is no effort at all made to look at intelligent new ways of generating power, of creating electricity. We have 8 m tides in our harbour. Has any study been done about tidal power? We have more sun and solar options and opportunities here than most parts of the world. What is going on there? We have wind opportunities. There is a whole range of things that this government is not even contemplating looking at, but we are going to continue to subsidise Power and Water - again, with our money; with the taxpayers’ money. We are going to give the taxpayers’ money back to the taxpayer to pay for something that they are paying for anyhow. How ridiculous is this scenario!
This government has no plans for the future - it has no plans at all for the future. It puts out documents like this and makes speeches like this, designed for one reason and one reason only - to obfuscate, to cover up, to hide the true reality of what is going on out there. This is a government of smoke and mirrors. This is a government tuned in to sending out misinformation, propaganda - as I was saying earlier - very similar to a party that existed in the 1930s and 1940s in Europe which was very steeped in the dark art of propaganda, and which made a reputation for themselves in producing that sort of propaganda. This is the sort of government we have here.
Ms SCRYMGOUR (Education and Training): Madam Speaker, I tell you, the level of intelligence sometimes - the member for Fong Lim should stop looking at himself in the mirror.
Madam Speaker, I support the Chief Minister’s statement on the economy. In the months and, perhaps years ahead, we in the Territory, like everyone else in the world, will be watching, tense and anxious, as the world economy struggles to maintain equilibrium in the face of a global debt crisis. The crisis appears to have its origins in the irresponsible lending practices that were accepted, for too long, in the US sub-prime mortgage market, resulting in a situation where borrowers found themselves overextended, and lenders realised that their security was illusionary or inadequate.
But, there is a more subtle and profound story to be learnt. It is one that has some indirect application to our own circumstances in this remote and, in some respects, economically favoured little portion of the planet. That story is the one of how great expanses of what was once industrial heartland of America have fallen on hard times. With the factory and associated service industries’ jobs gone the concept ‘safe as houses’ lost its validity, except in those areas where the population and its economic drivers were able to reinvent themselves and reengage in the economy which would otherwise have passed them by.
With its harsh climate, remote locations, and comparatively small population, the Northern Territory has been bypassed by the heavy manufacturing stage of the industrial revolution that transformed other countries, including the south-eastern part of this country. There are some who would regret that fact and others who would be of the view that we have been spared. Regardless of which view you take, the reality is that, for many years now, the prosperity and the continuing economic wellbeing of this place has been inextricably linked to the resources boom. That is, perhaps, the one thing that the member for Goyder and I could agree upon: the financial trickle down from large mining and related projects help pay for our schools, hospitals and roads.
Like Western Australia, we have been lucky and we will probably be lucky for a little longer. Like those in Western Australia, we need to be sceptical and careful about how we use the borrowed time we have been given, and we need to work towards skilling our population in such a way that citizens will be able to adapt to survive in a post-resources boom economic landscape.
There are many Aboriginal Territorians who live in remote places that are nowhere near any mine. In some of those places, innovative community organisations with an entrepreneurial bent have managed to create economic opportunities out of almost nothing - usually on a foundation of combined CDEP and top-up wages. This kind of subsidisation is similar to the subsidisation that the former premier of Victoria, Premier Bracks, has recently reported should be continued to be allocated to the Australian car manufacturing industry.
Everyone would like to see CDEP phased out on the basis that the embryonic enterprises that it is being used to support can survive independently without subsidy. All of us on this side - and I believe many of us who have seen communities and how CDEP works – would be working towards looking at how full-time jobs and CDEP are being fully phased out. The brutal reality is that, in many remote locations, the prospect of private sector employment is virtually nil other than in a local service industry context. Such opportunities as may exist will be in conjunction with the operations undertaken by government agencies, including local government in the form of the new shire councils.
When considering economically ill-favoured communities like that, it is, of course, all the more important that education and training be made available and is effective. Only through better education and training will local people take control of the ancillary service industry jobs, or jobs with government agencies or related non-government community service organisations.
As for those Aboriginal communities that are located close to current or pending mining operations, it is a definite priority of this government to work together with the mining companies concerned to try to increase the numbers of Indigenous trainees and employees. I, of all people, know very well that the starting point, both for the current generation of teenagers and for many of their younger siblings who will, hopefully, have the option of moving into the workforce in years to come, is basic literacy and numeracy. If we can clear that hurdle, young Indigenous people with self-discipline and commitment can avail themselves of the traineeships and apprenticeships that I referred to earlier in my speech.
Everyone in this government would be pleased to see more Indigenous people employed in the mining industry in the Territory, and I believe that we are moving steadily towards that goal, despite the problems raised by educational underachievement. However, it also needs to be recognised that there are some Indigenous people who do not support mining on their land and who will probably never wish to involve themselves in the employment that it might offer, and their rights and views need to be respected.
Turning to my responsibility as Minister for Education and Training, I want to talk about how important the strength of our economy is to increasing the range of work and training opportunities for all Territorians to participate and reap the economic benefits that come with our current economic outlook. It is critical that a strong economy provides as many training opportunities as possible. Through Jobs Plan 1, 2 and 3, we have established a policy framework upon which our targeted training strategies stand up and are able to kick some goals. These strategies are focused around: strengthening partnerships with business and industry, the community, training organisations and government agencies; the important one of providing jobs in the bush; building better pathways in their community to business and industry; schools and training organisations; and ensuring that government has the best information about the local market and economy.
As government, we are aware of the range of opportunities and impediments to employment. I say opportunities and impediments because, whilst our remote regions of the Territory might bring their employment challenges, they also bring possibilities for new business ventures and innovative, region specific economic activity. It is clear that a regional approach to training, with job specific outcomes - that is, identify the work opportunities and tailor those opportunities to the specific training needs of that region and its economy - is a great way to achieve increased local employment.
We know we have a largely untapped Indigenous workforce in regional and remote communities, and the Department of Education and Training is working closely with DEWR, industry, communities, and individuals to identify and provide sustainable employment in areas such as education, health and the land management sectors. Of course, these opportunities all require solid and targeted training to ensure they are successful.
The Chief Minister talked about the need for infrastructure to support and continue our economic growth. We also need the people to put up and operate this infrastructure. Training Territorians to do these activities is so important, particularly at a time when there are skill shortages nationwide.
This last weekend, I was privileged to attend the Northern Territory Training Awards, where some of our best trainees and apprentices were recognised for their achievements. Whilst we were there to celebrate the achievements of just a few, I was left with a feeling that anyone who undertakes training to gain skills, upskill or just improve their job prospects is a winner. Last year, we had no less than 22 000 Territorians studying within our VET sector alone, making the Territory the strongest performing state or territory in this area. These Territorians are all winners. They are all making the most of the opportunities being presented by a strong economy.
We also have a record number of apprentices and trainees with, as I said in parliament last week, 49% of these students studying in the trade shortage occupations. In recognition of this, we announced during the election that we will be more than doubling the WorkReady Program, taking the funding from $400 000 to $900 000, to expand the number of students getting work experience, better preparing them for school-based apprenticeships and traineeships. We also announced further support for the BuildSkills Program, taking the annual commitment from $500 000 to $1m, recognising the importance of raising the skills or upskilling the Territory workforce.
It is not only about people looking for work or training, but also giving those people already engaged in the workforce the opportunity to enhance their current skills base. We know the Territory has the second highest labour force participation rate in the country, with more than a 110 000 participants. So, it is important that we value those people in training our current workforce and, very importantly, our employers.
Within our current training strategy we offer some strong incentives to employers and those in training to ensure we make trade shortage areas attractive to prospective workers, and encourage employers to employ our more disadvantaged Territorians. My department provides $16m for training support, which does not include our $45m annual support to Charles Darwin University or the additional $10m to Batchelor Institute for VET training. This figure reflects our $1.25m annual commitment to the Workwear/Workgear Bonus Program, which encourages and supports our trainees and apprentices to continue their training. At the end of last month, more than 1800 bonuses for skill shortage apprentices worth $1000 each have been claimed under this program, in addition to more than 3100 bonuses of $300 each for other apprentices and trainees.
We also provide $7.5m in conjunction with the Australian government for programs which support Indigenous employment and training. The focus here is to address specific training for Indigenous adults in regional and remote areas, and this includes looking at innovative ways to engage local people.
I will focus momentarily on our regions. Last week in this House, I spoke about our target of 10 000 apprentices and trainee commencements, a target we can proudly attest to achieving within our time frame of four years. We are now boldly setting an additional target, starting from 2009, of 10 000 more commencements. If we look briefly back at the number of apprentices and trainees in 2001, in places like Alice Springs and East Arnhem, and compare them to 2008, we can get a very good picture of how our training is benefiting more and more Territorians.
In 2001, there were just over 400 Alice Springs-based apprentices and trainees. In 2008, there are more than 750. In East Arnhem in 2001, there were just over 100 apprentices and trainees, and today we have more than 200. Other areas such as Katherine and West Arnhem have also experienced considerable growth in these training areas. Importantly, in every region, the number of women in training has substantially increased with a similar story reflected in Indigenous participation numbers.
The biggest growth story in all our data is in the area of traditional trades, such as hairdressing, carpentry and construction. Most people will remember when it was not the most popular thing to do: leave school and get an apprenticeship. Now, it is a strongly admired career path and one that the broader community respects for the vital skills that graduates bring to the table. Since 2001, the number of apprentices and trainees taking up training opportunities in these areas has more than doubled; an achievement we can all be proud of and be thankful for when we next need to call a plumber, carpenter or mechanic to help fix our homes or keep our cars on the road. I am pleased to say every year, more and more Territorians are looking at specific training as a worthwhile way in which to enter the workforce. More than 2200 people alone last year chose this path.
Our efforts are firmly focused on making sure Territorians can move smoothly from school into the workforce for further training and that every person who is unemployed can be provided a range of opportunities through which to connect and remain in the workplace.
We are the land of many opportunities and I believe all members in this House can attest to that. The greatest challenge - as I often say - is to stimulate our regions to get that growth and ensure Aboriginal people in those remote regions can benefit from a strong economy and participate in it; that we turn around what we see as a backward or worsening trend in the statistics for literacy and numeracy outcomes with young Aboriginal kids in these communities. That is one of the biggest challenges this government faces. I, as the Education minister, take full responsibility to work with those communities. I have gone to many communities. I have said to them we will make sure that schools are ready and the infrastructure will be in place. We will make sure teaching staff are on the ground.
At the end of the day, we also need parents to take responsibility for making sure our young people can go to school every single day. It is a shared responsibility. This does relate to the economy because, unless we turn around the levels of literacy and numeracy in our remote communities, you can put whatever infrastructure out on the ground in communities, you can put a 99-year lease in place in Aboriginal communities, you can lift whatever regulations needs to happen in remote communities but, if we do not change or make an impact on the education system and turn around that disadvantage amongst those young Aboriginal kids, as I said last week in this House, we will still be standing here in 10 years time looking at the same problem.
To ensure Aboriginal people and kids, that next generation, can benefit from a growing economy, we must - and it is with a sense of urgency - turn around what is happening in our remote communities. Part of that is the biggest housing project, the biggest investment in housing in our remote communities, which we will be rolling out. We will be making sure every community gets the benefits of that; that we can put houses in place so that people can get a job and Aboriginal people can wake up every morning and feel they are a citizen of this country.
When I talk to some of my own constituents, they say it is hard for them to wake up in the morning and look at themselves and to feel that they are part of Australia because, for them, not much has changed. However, we do have to make sure that we can turn that around. That challenge is there. We, as a government, are very much committed to meeting that challenge. It will not happen overnight, but we have gone some way down the road in putting in place the policy and the framework that will ensure that we get some of the outcomes that we want; that is, that Aboriginal people in those remote communities can participate in the economy of the Northern Territory.
Mr WOOD (Nelson): Madam Speaker, whilst the member for Fong Lim put some good points across, some of his initial statements were not in good taste and were inappropriate. Much as we might try to get a bit of publicity and probably get a laugh occasionally, we have to be a little careful, in doing that, that we do take notice of other people’s sensitivities. I do not share the member for Fong Lim’s statements at the beginning of his speech today.
Be that as it may, he raised some interesting topics regarding the statement from the Chief Minister. Unfortunately, I find it hard to get excited because I have seen many of these documents come past me in my time in parliament. They might have had slightly different headings - the economic direction of the second Labor government, or how the Northern Territory is booming under the Labor government, etcetera. Economic statements are fairly normal statements that are put before the House on a regular basis, especially in quiet periods of legislation.
I have said before there is no doubt that we have a booming economy, and we should not forget that much of that booming economy is based on the GST. Something like 80% of our money for the Territory comes from the GST. We also should remember that, except for mining and a little agriculture, one of the biggest employers in the Northern Territory is the public service and Defence. We are an administrative centre in this part of Australia, and we also are a major Defence part of Australia. Neither of those two industries actually makes money; they spend it. Naturally, there are some offshoots from that spending in the form of housing and services - all those sorts of things.
However, the Territory is still quite a baby in making its own way in Australia economically. That is where we should be aiming so that we stand up on own feet and we do not have to expect the rest of Australia to, basically, subsidise us with GST funding. I am not saying, at this stage, that we do not deserve that, but we should not be relying on it and sitting back all very comfortably saying: ‘Oh well, that means we do not have to try too hard about doing things ourselves and improving our lot’.
The other thing that comes with one of the economic statements is the belief - and the government is trying to put that forward to the masses - that everything is terrific: we are all enjoying a greatly improved lifestyle; we have terrific services; and we have lovely houses. Everything is actually booming, but the reality is we sometimes forget that that is not the case.
I am going to raise a couple of areas that the government certainly did not mention in this statement, but the Minister for Planning and Lands did say something about when she mentioned that her government was about giving people shelter. She was referring to land affordability.
The reality is there are many people out there who cannot afford to buy a house. Their only other option is either emergency housing from non-government organisations or public housing.
You might want to get a house in the Territory - in Palmerston, for instance - and you are a single pensioner who may have lived in the Territory a long time and you do not have much money. It is a fairly standard life, if you are on a pension. You might have lived on a rural block and had to leave simply because you cannot look after it any more, or you have lived out bush, or lived in the suburbs and the family is gone and you would like to move to something smaller. You should put your name down 3 years before you start thinking about it, because the waiting list for a one-bedroom pensioner home in Palmerston is now 43 weeks.
If you think things have improved under the government, I will quote from the NT Shelter Newsletter. It has a list of the changes of the waiting period for all the major centres in the Territory. It shows that in Palmerston, for a single-bed pensioner unit, in November 2005 there was a waiting list of 21 weeks; in July 2006, there was a waiting list of 23 weeks; and, in March 2008, it was 33 weeks. According to the latest wait list I took off the computer yesterday, it is now 43 weeks. That, to me, is a sign of where the government has dropped the ball.
It can bring out this wonderful statement, but the reality is we have a group of underclass now that we keep forgetting. We have a group of people who cannot afford the so-called affordable housing. No matter what the government says, unless we produce housing and land at a very cheap price, most people, unless they have two well paid jobs and probably have no children, are struggling to buy a house. Knock on the door of Somerville Community Homes and ask them how many people are on the waiting list for urgent accommodation. They do not have enough urgent accommodation to find homes for these people.
Someone was on the radio the other day asking another person: ‘Where do these people live?’ They said: ‘In some cases probably in a car’. It is easy for people to say that we have these programs going, we have a fantastic economy, but I really believe that all those people in the rural area who now have children living in the back shed, or are building granny flats, are doing so because their children cannot afford to buy a house here in the Territory unless they are very well paid and know that their job will last a long time.
The waiting list is just one area. You have also sold off the public housing. The NT Shelter Newsletter said that stock numbers of public housing were: in 2004-05, 5542; 2005-06, 5392 - going down – and 2006-07, 5361. We have an increasing population. I presume we have an increasing demand for public housing, but our housing is going in the opposite direction. Why is the government thinking this way? We are covered by rose-coloured glasses; we see the economy doing well. With all the GST we are getting, with all the boom that the government is talking about, we should be reducing taxes. Fantastic, but I would rather see in the end, if it means retaining taxes at higher rates, we built public housing. I can live with that and most people would.
Let us not brag about the economy without looking at the downside. I have said before, I hope we do not have a society where there are the haves and have nots, but I feel we do have that situation. I saw that when Sundowner Caravan Park was closed. Some people here may not know what happened with Sundowner Caravan Park. It was a caravan park that had existed since 1974 and, pretty well overnight, the owner decided he would close it down. I had been to Sundowner and left a few newsletters at the office and walked out most of the time. When I heard it was closing down, I thought I would make the effort and walk around to say hello to all these people in these caravans. When you first see them you think: ‘Oh, a bit of a dump’. Then, you find out they are ordinary Territorians; some people had lived there 15 years. It was actually their home.
Some people like caravan parks, some people wanted it for the company, but many people lived there because that is all they could afford. I believe more of us might have to get around and have a look at these places and see the conditions people live in.
I believe the government really needs to make a big effort to increase the amount of public housing stock. I know out there in the big wide world people say: ‘Oh, Housing Commission tenants - they only cause trouble’. I know it does happen in places. The previous member for Braitling used to talk about the problems they had with violence and disruptive neighbours. In Palmerston and the Bagot area, public housing causes some problems.
The government has to do two things: build public housing and maintain, with strict vigilance, that the people who live there do what they are supposed to do and keep them in proper order and look after their house, look after their neighbours, and be good neighbours. If they do not want to stick to the rules, then, sorry, my heart does not bleed for them anymore.
Society, I believe, does have to provide some people in our community with a roof over their heads. But, with that comes a responsibility to look after that roof over their heads. If they do not want to do it they should not be there. If they are bringing too many people into houses, our Territory Housing people need to say: ‘You are out’. They need to do it on a regular basis, or do it all the time, so other people in the area can live peacefully. It does not then give other Housing communities a bad name.
I remember Housing Commission houses in Rapid Creek. I thought they were great; they were not …
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Excuse me, member for Nelson. I ask you to pause, and sit. There are problems with Hansard.
Ms LAWRIE: Madam Deputy Speaker, I move a five-minute suspension of the Assembly to allow Hansard to deal with the audio issue.
Motion agreed to.
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, at least you can hear me. As there is no sound at all throughout Parliament House with a significant IT problem, I am going to suspend the sittings and we are going to have an early dinner break. I am happy to say that there is a meal in my office.
I suspend the Assembly for the dinner break until the ringing of the bells. We will have about 45 minutes or until the IT problem is sorted.
Debate suspended.
Continued from earlier this day.
Madam SPEAKER: Thank you, honourable members. I apologise for the inconvenience with the sound system. I have been assured that it is working very well now. The member for Nelson was part way through his speech. You have seven minutes to go, member for Nelson.
Mr WOOD (Nelson): They told me eight minutes at dinner time, Madam Speaker. You have not taken a minute off me, have you?
Madam SPEAKER: Seven minutes, I am being advised, member for Nelson.
Mr WOOD: Every minute is precious, Madam Speaker, for an Independent.
Madam SPEAKER: Indeed, to all of us.
Mr Knight: We will never live these minutes again. They are gone forever.
Mr WOOD: That is right. I will not say any more on the public housing. It speaks for itself.
The other area that highlights the disparities between the wealth of different sections of our community is no more highlighted than when you look at the rate of Indigenous unemployment. There have been a couple of things said today, but both the Chief Minister and the Minister for Lands and Planning put forward a great story that we have a very low unemployment rate in the Northern Territory. We do and it is great that we do have a low unemployment figure. However, for many of the vast number of people out there in the bush whom we spoke about today, there are no great employment opportunities and they are either unemployed or work for CDEP. In fact, according to the budget paper this year, referring back to 2006, it said that in 2006, the unemployment rate for Indigenous Territorians was reported at 15.7% compared to 4.6% for the Territory as a whole. That is what I wish to highlight. In reality, we really have not improved the chances of many Aboriginal people getting full-time employment.
The Minister for Local Government spoke about how these super shires were going to create new opportunities. He mentioned that 450 jobs have been created since these came into being. I query that, not because the jobs do not exist, but they did not come from local government. It is an important point which I raised in the Estimates Committee. To some extent, it is spin. It is not saying the jobs do not exist, but they do not come because of local government. Local government is picking up these jobs that already exist.
If you just picked up the Victoria Daly Shire service delivery plan – this is the second draft – it talks about the Post Office agency. The people who pay for the Post Office agency, I presume, are Australia Post. They are not the council. You need to be clear what I am trying to get at here; that those jobs that the local governments are picking up are coming from other agencies ...
Mr Knight: No, they are not.
Mr WOOD: Well, the money that is supplied for Night Patrol is from a Commonwealth grant. The role of local government is for basic things, road reserves and rubbish. It is not the Post Office. If it wants to take up the Post Office as a fully-funded agency - which there was a complaint years ago about taking up these agencies - it can. However, it is not creating employment from a local government perspective; it is purely acting as an agent.
You will also notice in the Victoria River service delivery plan, it talks about community stores and retail. That is not a local government function. For sure, they might employ people. It is not a local government function. It is stretching the spin too much to say that these changes will increase the opportunities. You have so many roads and parks you can maintain and rubbish collections you have to do. That is the core function of local government. You are not going to create any more jobs out of that because it is simply a service requirement of council to do those sorts of things. To create real jobs is to develop other industries which are not local government. I have a real concern that, with these changes to local government, if they take on more issues than are not purely in their domain, the local government functions we were concerned about that were not operating properly, will not have been fixed.
One of the reasons people said local government was dysfunctional was because, in some cases, the economics of that council had fallen into disrepair. The other was that those councils were not doing their basic functions. I would have thought the first thing that would happen in new shires would be to simply ensure every council does exactly what it is meant to do: pick up the rubbish, fix up the ovals, plant some trees, fix the potholes, and those sorts of things. Until you do that properly, you should not be taking on other things.
They should not be taking on the community stores or horticulture. I do not honestly believe, even though that is my background in the Territory, that that is a function of councils. Horticulture should be run as a commercial operation. If it cannot be run as a commercial operation then I am not sure that, as a ratepayer, I am going to be too happy about subsidising a farm. I believe that is something the community should have a say in: whether they want to have their rates put into operating a farm. They may or may not, but it is not a local government function. I would rather the government came clean in a sense and said: ‘Look, we are now employing this many people in local government. We are also employing people through agencies and they are being funded by outside bodies’. I would say, fair enough, that is good.
To say it is all coming because of the changes the government has put forward in the super shires, I feel is a bit rich. It may help it in the sense that the Commonwealth government can focus more on an area and use the council as a focus. However, local government itself is not creating those jobs. I consider we have to do a lot more work if you really believe in fixing employment.
I remember when I was at Bathurst Island when they had the boys school there. Each year, they put out about 20 young blokes who had a chance and knew how to do welding. That was great, but I wondered where I was going to find 20 welding jobs per year on Bathurst Island. There were none. When it comes to the crunch, you have to be real here. There is a certain limitation in many of these communities about what employment can be found. To go past that, some very hard questions will have to be asked. Do people have to leave if other industries do not come to us – like mining, tourism, whatever? If they do not come …
Madam SPEAKER: Please pause, member for Nelson.
Mr ELFERINK: Madam Speaker, I move that the member be given an extension of time pursuant to Standing Order 77.
Motion agreed to.
Mr WOOD: Thank you, member for Port Darwin. All I am saying is we should keep our feet on the ground when it comes to employment in Aboriginal communities. I have said before that there should not be any unemployment on communities; that if the federal government decides to ensure there is sufficient capital with the right managers, you could employ at least every male on some of these communities. I would rather see our taxpayers’ money ensuring everyone had the chance to work. If you do not want to work, then you do not get paid and, then, we advance from there.
We have night schools and we try to improve people’s interest in literacy. People get used to coming to work. People advance themselves because they can go from being a lawnmower driver to, maybe, the backhoe driver; from the backhoe driver to the grader driver - and we improve those skills. In the end, you can probably only have one or two grader drivers. What happens when you have another bunch of kids coming through school? Where are they going to go? They are important questions. I do not necessarily have the answers for that. Where are these kids going to find employment? If there are 20 kids each year from one small community finishing school, where do they go for work? They stay there and work under some scheme, and the Commonwealth says it will find labouring-type work for them.
Communities are going to have make some hard decisions and people there realise the only place they are going to get work is to leave and find work in the big cities. I am not necessarily saying that is what I would like. I know most Aboriginal people love their country. If you have been to Bathurst Island, you know the history of many Bathurst Islanders who went to Downlands in Toowoomba. Even up to the 1970s, they were sent there. They did not have any money and they found their way back home all the way from Queensland because they were so homesick. I understand this; there is a great passion, a longing for, and belonging to one’s home country. It is not that simple for me to stand up here and say people should leave home and find another job. I am not trying to be simplistic, but that is the reality of it. On the other hand, if we want employment and people to improve their lot in life, they may have to leave their country and find jobs elsewhere.
The whole issue of Aboriginal employment is not as simple as people sometimes make it out to be. I think we could do a lot more to help Aboriginal people. Simply ensuring there is enough money, and enough capital equipment on these communities at least gives people a chance to get out of bed and say: ‘I am going to work for the local council to make my community something I am proud of’.
When I first went to Bathurst Island, the people used to tell me what a wonderful place it was. I had come from Daly River, and that was probably one of the most modern missions in those days. It was even partly sponsored by the United Nations. It had block houses which were unknown in the Top End; in most places there were just tin huts. I went to Bathurst Island and they told me how wonderful it was. I said: ‘You have not been to Daly River, it is much better’. There were many houses built on Bathurst Island. We created a nursery and sold plants to the community every Saturday morning; people worked in the nursery. We made sure the lawns were mowed; there were trees planted up and down the roads. We put street signs up named after all the different groups on Bathurst Island. If you ever wondered why Kerinauia Highway is called that, it is because Walter Kerinauia is a traditional owner so he had the main road straight out of town named after him. The concept and the idea was that people worked, not only for themselves, but for their community to make their community something they were proud of.
I have been to many communities and said: ‘This is just woeful’. I saw rubbish, grass not cut, and houses not painted, and I thought surely someone can get in there and make people enthusiastic and say: ‘I love this place and we are going to make it so that when people come here we can be proud to show it off’. You have to get that back into people. We had that at Bathurst Island. I know there are many other issues about alcohol and gambling and all that to muck it up, but still, it is no excuse for not finding enough work for people to make these places look much better. Getting pride back into people about their community is a good start, and we have lost that. We do not even have a garden on any community.
When I ran the garden at Bathurst Island it was a commercial garden. It was run by the Nguiu Ullintjinni Association; it did not have anything to do with the council. That is why I say the council should stick to its job. If you want to connect the store and garden together as a commercial enterprise, and the store wants to subsidise the garden - fair enough. However, we should not get things too complicated with local government. Keep local government doing its job. People want to see their town look nice; they want to see trees planted; they want to see the oval so they can play a game of footy on the oval - especially after being down to Canteen Creek, where they have the Canteen Creek Blues at the moment. Canteen Creek Blues have the blues because they did not win the footy match recently. However, their oval was just gravel. That is a great place if you could get that oval nice and grassed. It would help the kids and make people proud of their community.
We can talk about how great our economy is, and there is doubt that you see buildings going up everywhere. Some people are certainly enjoying the riches of our economy. However, there are lots of other parts to the Territory. When I drive on some roads I have to scratch my head. I went to Gunn Point on the weekend. I went three days before the election just to say hello to the people there. My car nearly fell apart. Yet, it is only just 40 km from Darwin. You would never believe how corrugated it is. There were people coming down, driving right up on the edge of the road with their beaut boat, hoping it would not fall apart. We cannot even maintain a couple of dirt roads close to Darwin. On one hand, we are bragging about how great things are and, on the other hand, there are many things that certainly need fixing.
I should say one other thing about people who are missing out. Perhaps our seniors are missing out. There has not been a seniors village built in the rural area and it is high time we did build one. There is a private one that is going to get off the ground soon, but we should be doing much more for our seniors. Our seniors are becoming a larger proportion of our population. If you have to wait 3 years to get a one-bedroom flat in Palmerston, the government should be making a bigger effort to help seniors because, if we lose our seniors, we lose our community. If we lose our old people, we just end up with a young society. We need a whole society with young, middle-aged and seniors to ensure our community is something where we get that right mix. We need that in our society. We need to do more work in helping seniors with, not high-priced accommodation, but with medium-priced accommodation so they can live comfortably. Many of them are on a limited wage or pension.
Madam Speaker, I say to the government: by all means talk about how wonderful the Territory is, but do not lose sight of or gloss over the fact that there are a number of people out there who need help, who we should not leave behind. I also ask them to look at, especially, increasing the number of government houses so that the waiting lists are shortened; to look at better, more sensible ways of helping employment in Indigenous communities; and by giving the seniors a chance to live in the Territory without having to go south, so that they can also be part of our community.
Debate adjourned.
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I have received the following letter from the member for Drysdale:
Honourable members, is the proposed discussion supported? The proposal is supported.
Mr BOHLIN (Drysdale): Madam Speaker, I wish to address the failure of the Northern Territory government to address the housing land shortage.
I start on a strange point: midges in the house and your support by the home builder. Midges are, without doubt, a significant part of our northern shores. We all know that they come and go, mainly around sunset, and tend to be thicker during certain times of the month. I will read from the Northern Territory Disease Control Bulletin Volume 10, No 3, September 2003:
This is surely enough to make you scratch, so what can we do to help deal with this little insect? I will read Point 10 from the same report:
recognize and avoid areas of biting insect breeding or harborage
avoid costly and environmentally undesirable rectification methods
avoid costly and ongoing biting insect control programs.
I will read from a report by the Department of Health and Community Services, Palmerston Eastern Suburbs Biting Insect Assessment April 2008, Section 6 - Conclusions, which is lengthy, however, it deals with significant points and we need to understand the habitats and the problems associated with these issues:
The mangrove biting midge Culicoides ornatus was the only biting midge species collected in significant numbers at the Palmerston Eastern Suburbs.
This biting midge species is the principal pest biting midge in coastal areas of Northern Australia.
middle reaches of Mitchell and Brooking Creek, and the Elizabeth River adjacent to Archer Dump. Seasonally high numbers will also be encountered
within 1.5 km from these breeding sites.
The middle portion of Bellamack will be subject to seasonally moderate to high pest problems, while the northern portion is only likely to experience
seasonally minor to low pest problems.
The lower reaches of Zuccoli will be subject to high to very high populations of C. ornatus. The middle reaches will be subject to moderate populations,
while the northern reaches near Lambrick Ave will only experience minor to low levels of C. ornatus.
levels than in the August to October period. Pest problems from January to March, and June and July should be minimal for those areas greater than 1 km
from tidal mangrove areas.
around half that of full moon problems.
mangrove breeding sites.
spring tide level, will remove these creeks as C. ornatus breeding sites. Filling the numerous Elizabeth River tidal tributaries adjacent to Archer Landfill will
remove these mangrove areas as C. ornatus breeding sites. Such rectification could be challenging from an engineering perspective and is likely to be opposed
by many people, but will allow all of Mitchell to be developed as urban living, and remove the need for rural buffers and wind buffers at Bellamack.
Exposure to C. ornatus bites can be reduced by personal protection, avoidance mechanisms including, distance buffers and barriers and insecticidal sprays.
I will now read Section 7 – Recommendations, from this report because it is really important to know this information for the people of Palmerston.
on the south or north side of Roystonea Avenue. If rural residential lots are proposed to be built in the adjacent suburb of Mitchell between Mitchell Creek
and Bellamack, then a rural biting insect buffer and wind buffer would not be required.
notification on titles stating there will be seasonal biting midge pest problems.
Rural lots of 2 ha are recommended facing the mangrove margin of Mitchell Creek and the Elizabeth River, while 0.4 ha lots can be utilised further away from
the landward mangrove margin.
then would exclude all of this portion of Mitchell to urban development. Rural lots of 2 ha are recommended facing the mangrove margin of Mitchell and Brooking
Creek and the Elizabeth River, while 0.4 ha lots can be utilised inland of the 2 ha lots.
acceptable for the remaining areas of Zuccoli. The community hub, if it is to contain sporting ovals, should be located as close to Lambrick Ave as practical,
to minimise the potential for the community hub to be affected by biting midges.
pest problems.
scale outdoor community facilities.
This is fantastic news for Johnston. There is a map which shows the zonings of seriously affected midge biting zones. It is in a common government document …
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Drysdale, if you wish to, you can seek leave to table the document. Just say: ‘I seek leave to table the document’.
Mr BOHLIN: Given the information in these reports, how is it reasonable for the families of the Northern Territory to pay between $250 000 and $300 000 for infested and affected sites of such high numbers of biting insects? Surely this land would not be worth the exorbitant prices and worth no more than waste land. For those families who can somehow afford a house and land package in the vicinity of $580 000 - which is well beyond the $350 000 ceiling of the HomeNorth Extra shared equity loans - I have a biting midge pest calendar so at least on some nights they can be outside the house for quality of life.
Madam Speaker, I seek leave to table the biting midge pest calendar for all the people.
Leave granted.
Mr BOHLIN: I ask, why the land has cost $29m for the developer to secure the development contract - given that Rosebery Downs cost $1.2m and Rosebery cost $3m - and $20m to do headworks, why is it so costly - $250 000 to $300 000?
I will read an open letter from the NT News dated Saturday 30 August 2008:
I will now read a media release by the Chamber of Commerce Northern Territory dated 22 August 2007:
Madam Speaker, these simple facts point out that the land will be (1) very undesirable to many people; and (2) excessively expensive to the average homebuyer and no homebuyer accessing the first homeowner scheme will be able to afford one of these homes in Palmerston.
Ms LAWRIE (Planning and Lands): Madam Speaker, a bold statement by the member that no one would be able to afford to buy this land in Palmerston. You have to be careful of your words in this Chamber, because they will come back to bite you, just as the midges bite Territorians in the Top End. I look forward to the debate when people do begin purchasing homes in these important Palmerston suburbs. It has a very bright future as a place to live.
This is an important debate and I welcome the MPI from the opposition because the issues of housing land shortage, housing affordability and planning for future housing needs is important to the Territory, particularly given the strength of our growth. However it is not just an issue for Darwin and Palmerston. It is an issue for our rural residents, as we have heard from the member for Nelson, and our major regional centres, as reported by members elsewhere in the Territory. Why? Because we are experiencing growth; I welcome the growing pains.
Members will be aware that I gave a Ministerial Report earlier which covered some land release initiatives and I will be going back over some of that because I believe it is important to the debate. I have a dual role to play regarding land release, as both Treasurer and Planning and Lands and Infrastructure and Transport minister. I believe this duality of roles is critically important in being able to fast-track land release because it is the high cost of headworks that often makes it difficult to bring on land release. However, with strong financial management we have been able to ensure that we have the financial capacity to bring forward and fast-track the headworks required to turn-off land because significant headworks, particularly in the essential services area, are required for land release.
In framing my first budget I was particularly aware of the tightening of the housing market and the impact on potential homeowners of interest rate rises and I wanted to provide some incentives to stimulate the property market when we saw it moderating.. That moderation is continuing; it is a trend around Australia and there is a sub prime crisis in the US. These are not issues that only the Territory is dealing with. However, government’s ability to adjust stamp duty rates can see some stimulation in the marketplace.
We were the first jurisdiction, with my first budget, to adjust the stamp duty rates across the board. This was designed to not only provide incentives for first homeowners and for principal place of residence, but also to stimulate opportunity for people who were doing well out of the strong economic growth and Territorians who were benefiting in their small to medium business enterprises. The design of these incentives was to stimulate the private investment market so that people who currently own a home and are doing well in their family finances could invest in further properties in the marketplace wherever they live in the Territory.
These incentives were widely applauded and accepted by all the business groups at the time, including the Chamber of Commerce. They saw that the government was listening and responding. Those tax cuts and the First Home Owner Concession make the first $125 000 of a property’s value stamp duty free and provides a $1500 rebate for Principal Place of Residence.
We have incrementally increased our First Home Owner Concessions and these are now at a level where the first $330 000 of a property’s value is stamp duty free. The Principal Place of Residence Rebate has risen to $2500. How does this deliver into the marketplace? The First Home Owner Concession has assisted approximately 7500 Territorians into their first homes with savings of approximately $46m and the average first homeowner saving just over $6000. The Principal Place of Residence Rebate has assisted approximately 11 000 Territorians with more than $22m in savings and the average rebate almost $2000.
In Budget 2008-09 we raised that threshold from $350 000 to $385 000 and I will be looking at how that stimulus moves into the marketplace, having given you those figures on the threshold at $350 000.
We have been continually revamping and improving our HomeNorth Scheme. The member for Drysdale mentioned HomeNorth with some disparaging comments however I believe that it has proven its worth. In Budget 2008-09 we increased the maximum amount of government ownership to $75 000 which was warmly welcomed. We also introduced as quarterly evaluations of 85% of price caps in each region, understanding and recognising the regions have very different property markets. In meeting the demand side there are new initiatives such as stamp duty cuts and the HomeNorth package. However in meeting the supply side, land release is critically important.
I will discuss the issue of the mangrove biting midges which, quite appropriately, the member for Drysdale has raised. The Department of Planning and Infrastructure, when it is looking at land release, does work closely and across government agencies to ensure proper planning attention is paid to things such as constraints on land. One of the constraints is the mangrove biting midges and where they are prevalent. We rely on the expert advice of the entomologists, who do a fine job in the department of Health.
When I released the Palmerston East Proposal for Mitchell it marked very clearly on the plans what we call, the biting midges line. It is in plans that have been released and we have recognised it in planning. On the western edges of Bellamack, we have also recognised the biting midges line. How do you deal with that in a planning sense? You deal with it exactly as the member for Drysdale has read out from documents provided by government agencies. Biting midges can be dealt with by using natural barriers, open space and recreation areas, and rural residential buffer zones which have been designed into the plans. Increasingly we are finding entomologists working on some innovative barrier style proposals which will be trialled in residential subdivisions in the Top End. They are fairly low barriers and early discussions and indications are there is a fair amount of anticipation about them being effective. I have been discussing with developers trials of those biting midges barriers for residential areas of the Top End.
It is probably going to be good news to people who live in Fannie Bay. I used to say to my brother who lives in Parap: ‘Gee, you should come out to Karama because I do not have biting midges problems in Karama.’ I used to watch my nephews being eaten by the biting midges because they lived close to the Fannie Bay racecourse. You can compare your land value at Fannie Bay to Karama, but I was not living with biting midges in my back yard. You could also talk to the good folk of Leanyer about the impact of biting midges and mosquitoes.
It is an intrinsic aspect of being surrounded by mangroves. It is incorporated into our planning, we do not hide it, we are up-front with developers, and we can include advice about tidals. We will ensure that we test these innovative barriers to assess their workability. If they are successful they will change quite dramatically where you put open space and rural residential barriers into those subdivisions.
Taking into account the biting midges lines and where you put recreation hubs and school hubs and ensure all of that is incorporated into the Palmerston East and Bellamack plans, there is still a significant lot yield. Bellamack will yield 700 residential lots. We are talking lots and not dwellings because there is an increase in yield in dwellings with medium density.
I have been saying for housing affordability to be effective it has to come in a range of housing models. There has to be flats, units, and house lots because there is a range of people needing affordability. We are the first government in the history of the Territory, in a policy setting, to enshrine housing affordability into Crown land release at the level of 15% for affordable and social housing.
I use the words ‘affordable’ and ‘social housing’ to pick up on the debate, the very important debate the member for Nelson has discussed in this Chamber on the economic statement, that it is public housing; social housing is public housing. We are enshrining and locking into our policy that any turn-off provides for those two forms of housing: the affordable housing for people who are not in the public housing stock waiting list catchment but who need a leg up into the marketplace; and the public housing stock that we will be increasing. We will be building in the suburbs of Bellamack, Johnston, Zuccoli and Mitchell.
I have not stopped there. As Planning minister I have been pursuing the opportunity of affordable and social housing in Lyons and Muirhead. I do not have a final result, but I can say I have had lengthy, considered and fruitful discussions with Defence Housing, the relevant federal minister, and the joint venture partners: Canberra Investment Corporation, at Lyons. We could look at the government alliance at Lyons, where we will get more premium land turn-off and provide affordable and social housing opportunities there. For example, we have a significant waiting list for senior’s public housing, so there could be a mix of senior’s public housing in the later stages of Lyons.
I am active in looking at affordable housing and public housing for the large potential yield of 1000 lots at Muirhead. We do want to mix in a good policy setting - affordable and social housing across suburban areas - and the mix is ideal; salt and pepper is ideal. This was enshrined in the expression of interest for Bellamack. Any future release by government will, at a minimum, have 15% affordable and social housing combined.
We did undertake a public consultation process in the Palmerston East suburbs of Johnston, Zuccoli and Mitchell. The area plans were distributed, completed last year, and then incorporated into the planning scheme. We fast-tracked the land release because we are listening, watching the marketplace - the marketplace has tightened and contracted due to strong population growth of 2.4% and we know there are many people wanting to buy in - and opening up those opportunities and giving diversity in the marketplace is important. In 2009, while we are aiming to turn-off in Bellamack, we will also be aiming to turn-off in Johnston. Lambrick Avenue has some existing headworks that could yield approximately 150 lots in Johnston, and some just south of Lambrick Avenue in Zuccoli.
This government has made a significant commitment of $50m for the provision of headworks to allow those suburbs to turn-off. It is a commitment we deem necessary to provide the options in the marketplace for Territory families and those looking to come and work and live in the Territory.
We will see approximately 3700 new houses and flats with the 15% reserve for first homebuyers and public housing in the Bellamack and Palmerston East catchment. This means approximately 550 new houses and blocks for affordable housing entering the marketplace. This is innovative and the first time in the history of the Territory the government has enshrined that in policy. There will be 550 opportunities for people who otherwise could not have entered the marketplace. That is a combination of using HomeNorth and HomeNorth Extra and continuing to turn up the opportunities within HomeNorth Extra, as we are committed to doing - following the market as HomeNorth Extra is designed to do - but also dealing at the front end with developers, as we have done with Bellamack, enshrining that into any development agreement.
Palmerston currently has a population of approximately 25 000 and with the addition of these four new suburbs, we will be expecting the population to increase by about 15 000. The government is focusing on Palmerston because it is our high growth area, but there are opportunities across the Territory. I have spoken briefly about Lyons. Muirhead will yield around 1000 lots and my department and the Defence Housing Authority are working closely on the nature of that development. We hope new lots in Muirhead will be in the marketplace as early as 2010. I have impressed on the Defence Housing Authority the importance of affordability within the mix so we can bring those low- to-moderate income earners into the pristine subdivision of Muirhead.
Unit developments provide a significant contribution to the housing stock and we can never underestimate their importance. People want that alternative when they come into the marketplace. Many people’s first entry into home ownership is through a unit. I confess that was how I became a first homeowner; I bought my first flat when I was in my early 20s. Many people enter the marketplace by purchasing an established home or a new house and land package, but there are a significant number of people who come into the marketplace by purchasing a flat or a unit.
There have been over 1770 residential units approved since 2003 in the CBD of Darwin, with 1555 completed or under construction. There are a further four projects with about 360 units being considered by the Development Consent Authority. There are the units in the CBD, the suburbs out at Palmerston and our government is committed to the corridor of Berrimah - Berrimah Farm, the Berrimah gaol site and the 11 Mile aerial farm - to yield 1500 residential lots and some light industrial lots.
We are working on a broader strategic land use plan for the entire Darwin region which will go beyond 10 years and cover issues surrounding Weddell and Cox Peninsula. I look forward to an inclusive process in those important considerations and I do not want to lock them in without an inclusive stakeholder process. However, we do have enough yield coming through due to the headworks commitments of government and the work of the DHA to give us the capacity for consideration of Weddell or Cox Peninsula.
The rural area is a passion of the member for Nelson, and I share his passion to provide opportunities for people in the rural area, particularly first homeowners. There have been approximately 700 lots approved for subdivision in the Litchfield Shire since 2003 and, while this is a significant addition to the marketplace, I believe there is capacity for more subdivisions in the Litchfield Shire. I look forward to working with the member for Nelson on that. There are some zoning issues in Litchfield relating to the minimum size. They are tough issues but I am confident with considered debate and discussion, we can get somewhere
.
We will soon be releasing additional land in Katherine for residential development. There will be a further 38 lots made available in the vicinity of Casuarina Street and Katherine East later this year, and the balance of the area will be identified for urban development. Katherine East has the potential to provide another 900 lots.
My colleague might give me an extension of time.
Madam SPEAKER: There are no extensions in Matters of Public Importance.
Ms LAWRIE: We auctioned four lots in Tennant Creek last month and there will be five more shortly; this is great news for Tennant Creek. The government is committed to ensuring any future land release is done strategically. We need to be aware of what is happening in the marketplace and we want to see a good mix. We are paying particular attention to housing affordability and enshrining this in policy, as well as providing more public housing stock which is important for the Territory.
Mr TOLLNER (Fong Lim): Madam Speaker, where I grew up in country Queensland we had a dreadful sandfly problem. The solution we used was Milo tins turned into billies with holes punched in them. We put dry cow dung in and then lit the tops of them …
A member: You did not drink it, did you?
Mr TOLLNER: No. We would go to school with these tins swinging around and they would be emitting smoke all over the place. The whole school was covered with cans of smouldering cow dung to keep the sandflies away. The member for Karama might want to bear that in mind when she is releasing blocks for subdivision in these sandfly zones. In 10 or 20 years time, when these blocks finally come out for release - and if we still have a Labor government - I can see them issuing families and houses with Milo tins with holes punched in the bottom and schools with smouldering cow dung all over the place.
One thing I have learnt in the short time I have been in this place, when it comes to the Northern Territory Labor government is: do not listen to what they say, rather look at what they do, because the reality is completely different.
I made reference to this in my response to the Chief Minister’s statement; this government is expert at spinning messages and managing misinformation. I considered this debate we are having about the critical lack of land, housing, and other accommodation in the Territory and thought I would quickly try to get a picture of what is going on. A real estate agent in Alice Springs told me that there is zero: no accommodation or housing available in Alice Springs. When a house or unit is placed on the market, it is lucky to last a week. They are in absolute crisis there and whilst we hear all the good news coming out of the government, the reality is completely different.
Ms Lawrie: Alice was land-locked under the CLP.
Mr TOLLNER: In relation to – well, here we go. We go back seven – how long have you been in government now, Madam Treasurer?
Ms Lawrie: Since then we have turned on two subdivisions and we have an agreement for a third.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr TOLLNER: We are talking seven years since the CLP was in government. You are still blaming a government from seven years ago.
Ms Lawrie: Larapinta Stage 1, Larapinta Stage 2.
Mr TOLLNER: We know how long it takes you to get a block of land onto the market. We are told Berrimah Farm is earmarked for development, yet we have heard nothing at all about any environmental impact assessment. I have heard scuttlebutt about contamination …
Mr Wood: Hear, hear!
Mr TOLLNER: Cyanide, DDT, and goodness knows what other toxic chemicals could be in the area. We have not heard any utterings from the Planning minister about how this government is going to get that block of land developed and ready for the market. Similarly with Berrimah gaol we have heard many hundreds of millions of dollars will be spent moving it and we have no idea where. You refuse to tell the people who work at the prison where they are going to be moved. You will not do that prior to an election.
Ms Lawrie: Well, it will not be Katherine or Tennant.
Mr TOLLNER: We know you have absolutely no plans at all about where that is going to go and the Chief Minister said that today.
Ms Lawrie: Not true.
Mr TOLLNER: He said Cabinet has not received any information about where the gaol will go. No one can tell us where it will go. The member for Drysdale outlined the problems at Bellamack, Mitchell and Zuccoli, and certain areas of sandfly infestations. Again we see a lack of foresight and planning. I hear the government constantly skiting about Lyons and Muirhead. Did the Northern Territory government develop Lyons and Muirhead? As I recall, it was Defence land and the first bite of that land was offered to the Northern Territory government at a concessional amount of $8m for the whole of Lyons. What did the Northern Territory government do? Did they say: ‘Thank you, there is nowhere in Australia where you can buy a block of land cheaper than that?’ No, they rejected it.
Then what happened? The same offer was made to the Defence Housing Association who snaffled it and then developed Lyons and Muirhead. Who is claiming credit for it? The masters of spin are claiming the credit.
Ms Lawrie: No, we are not, you fool.
Mr TOLLNER: Absolutely. I listened to Question Time, the Chief Minister’s statement, and you, and heard about how many blocks of land you are releasing at Lyons and Muirhead. However, it is the DHA who are releasing that land and it has nothing to do with the Northern Territory government. You make claims for things you had absolutely no involvement in and which you have turned your back on previously.
I heard the Treasurer talking about building public housing stock and I thought, fantastic, great message to get out there. Tell everyone: ‘Let us build some public housing stock’. Why is this important in a debate like this? Because if there is a shortage of public housing stock that cascades down into the market, and if people cannot get into public housing they have to try to access private housing stock, which then puts pressure on the private housing market.
The government is saying they are going to build more public housing stock. I did some research on this and I looked at the Commonwealth State Housing Agreement. The most recent figures I could find for this government that is building so many public houses, were for the years 2001-02 through to 2005-06: five years. During that time the Northern Territory government received $193 710m from the Commonwealth government. In order to receive this money, the Territory government had to make a contribution and over that period the Northern Territory government put in $32 376m; a substantial amount. This means there was approximately $220m for public housing in the Northern Territory during 2001-02 to 2005-06. What do you think we received for our money? Remember, we are not listening to what they say now, we are looking at what they do. What did we receive for that $220m? In 2001-02 there were 6062 public housing places, and in 2005-06 there were 5392!
Mr Mills: We have lost some!
Mr TOLLNER: Absolutely right, member for Blain. That is 670 less places than when we started: after we have spent $220m. Therefore, when this Treasurer stands up and says they are going to put money into public housing, why would you believe them?
Mr Knight: Come in, spinner.
Mr TOLLNER: Exactly, come in spinner. The member for Daly has got it right. I have seen the submission made by NT Shelter to the Senate Select Committee on Affordable Housing, dated 28 April 2008. What did NT Shelter say about the state of public housing in the Northern Territory? I quote:
Mr Wood: What about the housing being knocked down in Parap?
Mr TOLLNER: Nothing has been built! That is exactly right. We decide to pork barrel the constituency of Fannie Bay and now we are going to knock down public housing accommodation there. Where are the plans for new public housing? This is completely relevant to this debate, because when you have such a crisis in that particular area it feeds into the rest of your property market. We are told that this government is planning. I can tell you what this government has been planning to do: it has been planning for a very long time now to have less public housing. The facts speak for themselves: $220m between 2001 and 2006, and 670 less places to live.
They like to compare themselves to other Labor ‘mis-administrations’ around the country; they do that constantly. They say: ‘Oh, we are doing this against the states’. Let us do it in this instance. The Territory leads the way by a country mile for being the worst jurisdiction in Australia for selling off public housing, and a public housing crisis is occurring. This is not about being a bleeding heart; this ripples through the whole of our housing economy. These people stand up and rattle on about how good things are and how well they are planning. I have gone over some of the issues: Alice Springs, zero availability; Berrimah Farm, no plans whatsoever and no EIS has been done; there are no plans where they will put Berrimah gaol; and the member for Drysdale has outlined that Bellamack, Mitchell and Zuccoli have sandfly problems, for a start - there is no mention of where these people are going to send their kids to school, how they are going to sort out the sewerage, water or power - there are massive problems.
They claim credit when they have not done anything; at Lyons and Muirhead for example. The absolute hide and audacity of these people to claim credit for something they originally turned their back on. It is a scandal. The poor Health minister thinks he is being singled out for what is happening to him, but it applies across the whole government. What an appalling situation we are in.
Members, I ask you, from the bottom of my heart: investigate some of the claims they make. Do not listen to what they say, look at what they do.
Mr KNIGHT (Housing): Madam Speaker, owning a family home is one of the largest single financial commitments we make in our lives. In a place like the Northern Territory, where we have such a transient population, it is also a commitment to our community; by putting down roots.
The Territory has the strongest economy in the country and one of the fastest growing populations. While these strong economic times have opened the doors to home ownership for many Territorians, for others it is making it even harder to get into the property market. These housing affordability challenges are not confined to the Territory; they are being felt around the country.
Housing affordability is a complex issue the Henderson government is committed to addressing on a broad front with strategies and initiatives including: strategic land release, infrastructure investment, flexible home purchase options, reduced regulation, and building our workforce to meet skill shortages through apprenticeships, traineeships, and skills training. This will require a long-term policy approach from all levels of government in partnership with private industry. As Housing Minister, I believe it is essential the issue of housing affordability is addressed and I am aware it is not simply a matter of flooding the land market which will drive down the value of existing homes. Careful planning is not a one-off event, but an ongoing process requiring flexibility to take into account the challenging nature of urban and rural landscapes and the varying needs of all the Territory’s residents.
When they came to office, the Rudd government identified housing affordability as a priority for the Council of Australian Governments. COAG identified the decline in housing affordability as a pressing issue for Australians and recognised improving affordability was critical to addressing financial stress and disadvantage, including for Indigenous communities.
During discussions at the Housing Minister’s Conference held in Canberra earlier this month it was noted that from 1995 the Howard government under funded public housing across the states and territories by $425m. The member for Fong Lim was part of that government for six years …
Mr Tollner interjecting.
Mr KNIGHT: Obviously, he did not bring that up when he was down there. Standing up - I do not know where he was standing up. That is roughly $9m which did not come into the Territory. We are working with the Commonwealth Rudd government to get this money back into our housing system, and we will ensure the Territory gets its fair share.
Yesterday, the Commonwealth government announced the establishment of the Housing Affordability Fund, or HAF. This five-year, $0.5bn program is aimed at bringing down the cost of building new houses by reducing planning and infrastructure costs. The fund aims to improve the supply of new housing, and make housing more affordable for homebuyers entering the market. It will address two significant barriers to the supply of housing: holding costs incurred by developers as a result of long planning and approval waiting times; and infrastructure costs, such as water, sewerage, transport, and open space. The fund will target green field and infill developments where high dwelling demand currently exists, or is forecast. The Territory was part of the HAF consultation process and had input into the design of HAF’s first expression of interest. I welcome this first phase of expressions of interest and will be working hard with the appropriate agencies to ensure the Northern Territory maximises its opportunities under this program.
At the Housing Minister’s Conference I raised the unique challenges of delivering social housing in the Territory. One of my key priorities is to ensure the Territory gets the most out of the new National Affordable Housing Agreement with the Commonwealth. We have listened to Territorians and this government knows housing affordability is an issue that needs priority action. The Henderson government has increased investment in Territory Housing by 61% since 2001. We have also introduced a number of programs to assist Territorians most in need to secure safe and affordable housing. We want to ensure that every Territorian has access to safe, secure, and affordable housing.
In Budget 2008-09 the government revamped the successful HomeNorth scheme which has assisted more than 1000 Territory families since 2004 to purchase their own home. That is approximately five NT families a week since 2004. The new HomeNorth Extra threshold limits were introduced to increase the uptake of HomeNorth, with a particular focus on families with dependants. These arrangements ensure that HomeNorth remains the most generous and effective scheme of its type in Australia.
The member for Drysdale said people could not get into the market for under $350 000. I have had a look on the Internet and, for your reference, there are a dozen or so properties available in Palmerston under the $350 000 cap. I have listed some around the $340 000 to $335 000 price tag: 21 Manson Crescent; 71 Emery Avenue, Gray; 37 Kafcaloudes Crescent; 55 Moulden Terrace; a property at Bees Creek; and there are more properties in Moulden. There are units for around $270 000 to $280 000 in Palmerston. If people want to live in the city, there are units available. There are also properties in Coconut Grove, Northlakes, Alawa, Wagaman, and Larrakeyah.
Mr Wood: For a family or a single bloke?
Mr KNIGHT: If you want to start with a unit, member for Nelson, there are a significant number of properties available for under $350 000. All you have to do is look, member for Drysdale.
Mr Bohlin: I have the figures and there are not many.
Mr KNIGHT: The Territory government has increased the equity share to $75 000 so people can actually get into the market and do not have to pay the mortgage insurance. Also, public housing tenants who want to buy their house will face no property value cap if they have lived in the house for more than five years.
We all know that meeting mortgage demands is not easy. Earlier this month the Reserve Bank decreased the cash rate by 0.25%. This was the first decrease we have seen in seven years. There is finally some relief for homeowners. In line with this interest rate cut by the RBA, this government moved quickly to pass on the 0.25% rate cut to HomeNorth participants. What does this mean for those Territory families? It means over 600 HomeNorth customers across the Northern Territory will save an average of $30 a month. This will be a real boost for low and middle income earners. We will continue to monitor and assess the outcomes of the HomeNorth Extra Scheme to ensure it continues to deliver real outcomes for Territory families.
This government is committed to delivering a strategic land release program that meets the future needs of our growing population without flooding the market. Earlier this month the Planning minister announced the next phase of the government’s land release program: fast-tracking the release of Mitchell, Zuccoli, and Johnston in Palmerston east. This decision will put an extra 3000 blocks into the market and is in addition to the release of Bellamack, Lyons, and plans for Berrimah Farm. Most significantly these new suburb developments in Palmerston East, as with all future government land releases, will mandate a minimum of 15% of the lots for affordable and social housing. This is great news not only for young Territorians wanting to invest in their first home, but also the many public housing tenants who may want to move into their own houses. It enables a greater level of home ownership and also eases pressure on the public housing stock.
For example, over the last six years 580 Territory Housing properties have been sold to the tenants who reside in them; 33 of these in the last year. This program is all about the government’s commitment to making affordable housing accessible to all Territorians and supporting low income Territorians to purchase their own home. It is also indicative of the importance this government ascribes to low income families moving into their own homes and our willingness to support this.
This government’s approach aims to integrate public housing through existing and new suburbs. The so called ‘salt and pepper’ approach makes public housing a more attractive place to live. One benefit of taking such an approach is to encourage those public housing tenants to eventually buy the homes they live in. While this government’s primary focus is on filling the corridor between Darwin and Palmerston, we will also provide greater options for people wanting to live in the rural area.
Since 2003, 700 lots have been approved for subdivision within the boundaries of the Litchfield Shire. The planning maps indicate plenty of capacity to continue that trend. We will also see more land release in rural areas such as Katherine, where much of the land is already zoned for rural living. I am pleased the Planning minister will be engaging directly with the Katherine residents through a local planning forum, following the success of the forum held in Alice Springs.
Housing availability is not simply a matter of throwing up a house on a vacant lot. Essential services need to be provided and waste needs taken care of. I have already informed the House about the Power and Water Corporation’s $1bn investment program to improve the capacity and reliability of power, water, and sewer infrastructure over the coming term.
The amenity values of new and existing suburbs also need to be given very careful consideration. This involves the development of parks and gardens and recreational areas. It is also important to consider the demographics of the new suburbs, including the changing age structure and the specific needs of those who will live there. New housing in terms of infill intensification, brown fields redevelopment, and new green fields development must be considered in the wider planning context. These all form part of the housing strategy for the future.
The Strategic Indigenous Housing and Infrastructure Program or SIHIP, which I have already spoken extensively about, is a joint Australian and Territory government commitment of $647m over the next five years, which shows our commitment to improving Indigenous housing.
I will pick up on a couple of points the member for Fong Lim made - a man who does his own research so he says - about public housing stock sell offs. Since 2001 this government has invested an extra 61% into public housing. The CLP have very short memories. They need to acknowledge that during their reign between 1995 and 2001, there was $248m worth of assets sold with the reinvestment of only $87m back into housing. In contrast, this government has sold $154m worth of assets since 2001 but have reinvested $225m back into the system.
During the CLP’s last two years of government, they sold off 686 dwellings in a two year period, an average of 343 a year. This government has sold an average of 130 houses a year and 66% of these have been sold to public housing tenants. This year 88% of houses were sold to the tenants. The well-informed member for Fong Lim talked about Alice Springs. I went on the Internet and there are 120 houses for sale today - he said there were none. I do not know what the member for Fong Lim did in Canberra for six years but it was not research. This government has many strategies to assist Territory families into affordable housing. One of these strategies is the release of land so more Territorians can own and live in their own houses.
Members: Hear, hear!
Mr WOOD (Nelson): Madam Speaker, the member for Drysdale has raised three main points: land shortage, housing affordability, and lack of planning. They are to some extent intertwined. There is no land shortage in the Northern Territory. We have one-fifth of the continent of Australia in the Northern Territory and if there is a land shortage then I must be living on another planet. There is plenty of land. The problem is the government mainly owns the land we need for housing and it strategically holds back the sale of land because it thinks the market will be affected.
I believe the reason the market is so high is the government slipped - and dropped the ball. When prices started to rise, instead of increasing the amount of land released to make sure there was only a moderate increase in the price, it hung on and now we have an inflated, artificial value of land. This needs to be investigated because the price of land is out of proportion to what it costs to develop.
The government owns the land and its value is whatever the government would like to put on it. It could be worth one dollar. It then sells the land to a company for around $29m; I believe the member for Drysdale mentioned this figure. These sound like Southern companies to me because some of the discussions I heard on the radio claimed that a 400 m2 block was not high density living. For Territorians that is high density living but maybe for down south it is just normal. There are companies that, I do not believe understand the Northern Territory, are buying into and putting in architectural designs that have no relation to the Territory and who also have to recover their $29m.
In addition, there are housing companies buying slabs of a new subdivision who put their mark-up on the land as well as sell the houses, which inflates the price of the land. We should be asking the following questions: how much does this land cost to develop in the first place? What part of the costs have been put on by government? There are extra charges the government has put onto the development of this land.
I believe the government has said there will be grey water pipes in these new suburbs. In other words, grey water will be recycled. I have nothing against that. It is a good idea. The point is: should the first people to buy a house there have to pay for that infrastructure? I imagine the cost of water infrastructure in these new suburbs is quite large. Why does the first person to buy a house in that subdivision have to pay the full tote odds for all that infrastructure? Why does not the government put in some money towards that infrastructure? Why does it not spread out some of the costs over 10, 20, 30, 40 or 50 years? Presently people pay full tote odds which inflates the price of the land. In this case, the company has to get a return on its $29m and I bet it gets more than that.
That is why there is a prevalence of 300 m2 blocks in Palmerston because these companies want to make the maximum profit. Is that maximum profit coming at a cost, a social cost? Look at old Palmerston suburbs, the northern suburbs, and the old places in Nightcliff. We have gone from having places where you feel you could raise a family, where you could grow a few trees - I had a look at Lyons the other day, I was there for the softball championships, and Lord knows where you are going to grow a tree - to places, like Lyons, where the house next door is right there, the house nearly comes to the front nature strip and takes up nearly all the back yard. The suburbs on the other side of Lyons have mahogany trees and many other trees – it is green - you can see it from the hospital.
We are losing the tropical feel of our city, as well as some of the social interaction - the tradition of living in the north. We lived outside much of the time and we could get out and enjoy ourselves because of the climate. Now we live in airconditioned houses that take up 90% of the block of land. The government makes the planning policies and it says you can have a house that fills the entire block, you can put your house within about 3 m of your neighbour’s block, and put a 1.8 m fence between two houses. If you visit the subdivision - I believe it is Parap Village between Parap Road and Bagot Road - you will see how close people’s houses are to one another. The airconditioners are all down one side, there is hardly any room to move, and the only place you can move is out into the main street.
We have done things that not only make land unaffordable, but also changed the whole context of our suburbs. They have become little blocks like those down south, whereas one of the good things about living in Darwin was the space. We were able to enjoy the space; that is what made this a tropical city. The developers have convinced the government that a 300 m2 block is fine. That might be all a single person needs to live on, but I ask: ‘Why do you not, if you have a 300 m2 block, combine them to make a 1200 m2 block and put four units on top of one another? At least then you get space, breeze, and privacy. No, we jam four 300 m2 blocks side by side and think it is a wonderful way to live. We need not only to look at why land is so expensive, but also how much of what is happening is due to the government not looking at other ways of developing our land?
I am yet to be told by the government why it cannot sell its own land at its own price. It now says that 15% of the blocks at Bellamack will be for sale for public housing and first homeowners. When the gentleman whose company has bought this land was asked how much it was going to cost, he could not give us an answer. He thought the figure for a block of land would be somewhere over $200 000, but he was not sure. Even 85% of $250 000 is still a very expensive block of land. If the government had held onto that land and just paid for the infrastructure, it could have made an agreement with first homeowners and provided the land at a much cheaper price. Buying a block of land does not help the economy; however, building a house does. It provides employment for builders, the purchase of whitegoods, plants and many other items and services. A parcel of land on its own does not actually do anything for the economy. The more people we have buying their own block of land and building, the more our economy grows.
The other issue that needs looking at is planning. I really cringe when I hear about infill. Weddell, Cox Peninsula, and other developments on the Cox Peninsula have been around since 1990, yet no one has drawn up any serious plans. I believe plans have now been done for an adjusted Weddell. The member for Drysdale raised the issue of midges and the reason the Elizabeth River dam was going ahead was to stop the midges. I am not sure that would have controlled them, but it would have had a major effect on a major river into the harbour.
There was a new design done for Weddell, I believe by Graham Bailey when he worked at the Planning Authority, which would have taken into account there was no dam there. In other words, the city would have been set back from Elizabeth River and you would have had a city of around 65 000 to 75 000 people. I would have expected the government to put forward a competition for architects or planners to design a three-dimensional plan for the development of Weddell - 10 years ago - but nothing has been done. Now the government says: ‘We are looking at Cox Peninsula’. At least we could have had plans done for Weddell.
The top part of Weddell, near Noonamah, is approximately 25% private land. I am sure the owners of that land, if some plans were done that overlap their land, would be quite happy to start developing their land privately. I do not believe the government wants to release that, because they would see it as competition to their own plans.
It is disappointing the government had plenty of chances to put in some basic planning for cities like Weddell, yet it has not happened. Unfortunately, we are now seeing more people who cannot afford to buy their own home. I know the Minister for Local Government and the Minister for Planning and Lands will tell you things are rosy, but it is what you do not see that counts. I know, living in the rural area, that rural area land is practically unaffordable for first homeowners. It costs between $270 000 and $340 000 for a five-acre block. For young people it is out of the question today. There are many people who come to see me and say: ‘Can we build a granny flat?’ I say: Yes, that is fine, the Planning Authority allows a granny flat.’ Why do they want to build a granny flat? Because their kids have no place to live. If someone has a girlfriend or wants to get married, they simply cannot afford to buy.
The government’s answer might be: ‘Let us subdivide the rural area’. The rural area is not going to be a sacrificial offering to fixing up land affordability and land shortages because the government has not planned to open up Weddell. The rural area is the rural area, and that is where the division is. The rural area separates Palmerston from Weddell. That does not mean I do not support 1 ha blocks or some small blocks around our district centres. When did the government last release land around Humpty Doo? Not for ages. It has been sitting there for donkey’s ages. I do not know why they do not release more housing at Humpty Doo. There are services there; there are people there, especially older people, who enjoy living there because they are still in the community and they still have services there.
There is some land which could be developed in a denser way in the rural area. However, I am saying to the government: ’If you want a fight, start trying to cut up the rural area into small blocks‘. Palmerston finishes at Lambrick Avenue and the Stuart Highway - end of story. Weddell is the next town. That is the way the plan is. There is nothing worse than governments getting rid of a plan for expediency. If you look at the 1990 Darwin Regional Land Use Structure Plan map it shows the future of the Darwin area. What does it show for Berrimah Farm and Berrimah prison area? It is shown as future industrial land for the port. That is the plan.
We are now going to infill, because we have not planned for Weddell and the Cox Peninsula. There is nothing worse than infill. Infill is a nice word for saying – we have lost the plan. We are not following the plan any more. This is an easy way to get out of our problem of land affordability. As the member for Fong Lim said, there has been no environmental impact statement or an economic statement.
Let us look at what the future of industrial development will be for Darwin Port. If we find later there is not enough land, are all the people living at Berrimah Farm going to complain about: the lights from BHP at 5 am in the morning while reloading their oil rig equipment; someone sand blasting on Tivendale Road; the Motor Sports Complex; or the midges? Peter Whelan has said the midges are terrible at the bottom of the Hidden Valley section, where these houses are to be built.
We have not done an Environmental Impact Statement or even had a decent debate about it. We have just made a decision. We cannot think of anything else - let us build at Berrimah. We do not even know where the new prison will go. Why are we moving it? You cannot sell the houses next to a prison - that is the real reason. There is plenty of room; there are 100 acres at Berrimah Farm. I would rather have the prison in the industrial area because it gives opportunities to prisoners who may be able to go out and work in the industrial area. I saw it in America. Prisoners were working at the pizza shop on day release and then come back themselves. We should be able to use those areas as opportunity for employment. What is wrong with that? Put it in Katherine. We should have some prison farms throughout the Territory.
We have not done the planning. Unfortunately, we have been left behind. The government is holding on to strategic releases of land to make sure we have an artificially inflated price. The problem with this approach is young people cannot afford housing in the Northern Territory. If you are rich, have two jobs, if this is your second house and you have sold one and you have the money to buy these, well and good. However, many of our young families, our young Territorians, cannot afford to buy a house in the Territory, and that is a shame. We have to do something about it quickly. I do not know how we are going to do it with this government, but it really needs to get a move on otherwise we will have more people trying to get into public housing.
Discussion concluded.
Dr BURNS (Justice and Attorney-General): Madam Speaker, I move that the Assembly do now adjourn.
Mr KNIGHT (Daly): Madam Speaker, I would like to place on the record a very happy 21st birthday to the Nganmarriyanga School which is in my electorate, approximately 375 km south west of Darwin via the Daly River and Palumpa Station.
The school caters for preschoolers through to Year 6 and now middle Years 7 to 10. Sue McAvoy is the teaching principal at the school and is part of a great team of teachers: Alison Ruediger in Preschool; Ruth Rawnsley in Transition/Grade 1; Cathie Menzies in Grade 2-3; Mick Santi in Grades 4-6; and Denis Ruediger and Christine Vydiniotis in Years 7-10. I would also like to mention the good work done by Roslyn Santi who looks after the office and administration of the school and is a quiet achiever in the background ensuring things are running smoothly.
The original enrolment in 1987 was 20 students and has now grown to 120 students. This might not sound like a lot of growth but for a small remote school is fantastic and their daily attendance is 70% to 100% of students.
4 September 2008 marked the 21st anniversary of the school and as a strong community they celebrated in fine form. A large percentage of the community attended the activities and events which were held during the week, including a ’Twilight School’, where parents and other family members were invited to observe the accelerated literacy lessons in their children’s classrooms. Twilight School is becoming very popular in schools and is a time when the students become the teachers and the family members become their students.
The week of celebrations was a time for the children to have fun and they participated in a variety of learning games. Each class decorated a birthday cake, lit the candles, and sang ‘Happy Birthday’.
Former students and teachers enjoyed the pictorial history slide show of the school and a range of speeches. One of the former teachers, Brother Vince, spoke about how he had brought the first truck load of materials to start building the school. Eighty percent of the attendees were given a bag of books and goodies.
Unfortunately I was not able to attend the school celebrations but I was pleased to send a donation to support them. Congratulations to the teachers, staff, and families at Nganmarriyanga School.
There will be another celebration in my electorate next week when Adelaide River Primary School celebrates its 50th birthday. I will speak about this at a later date.
I recently attended the Lingalonga Festival at Batchelor. It was a fantastic day amongst the trees with craft stalls, kids activities, buskers, dancing, and competitions. Our famous icon, Ned Kelly, made an appearance as a scarecrow along with other brightly coloured characters made by locals. They were all works of art and the scarecrows were not so scary, although I did not see any crows around so they must have done their trick to scare them all away. I would like to thank Myra Skinner who judged the scarecrow competition. The winners for the Family Entry - Rush Williams and Aoke; for the Individual Entry - Sharna Phillips; and the Group Entry – Ms Lucinda’s and Jan Thompson’s classes. The sandcastle competition was won by Tyla Bilston and Layla Coonan for the best turtle; Darcy Webb, Curtis McGinness and O’Shea Calma-Hart for the best castle and town; and Ryan Gordon’s best dragon looked like it was from the Great Wall of China. Congratulations to everyone.
The Life Be In It crew spent the morning keeping the kids entertained with lots of fun activities. As the day became warmer Belinda’s waterslide castle from ‘jumping j-jays’ was a very popular event for the kids to keep cool, however there was some damage to the grass.
The grand parade wound its way through the crowd and stalls to a makeshift dance floor on the oval. It was a breathtaking event of colour, costumes, and many dancers who went on to perform. The parade showcased the true multicultural society we have in the Territory: a didgeridoo player; drum players that led the group; shimmering belly dancers; Indian and Cambodian dancers in traditional dress; smiling, painted faces of children; and the Chinese lion dancers who led the way to the town oval. It was great to see a whole range of ethnic groups there and the lion dancers put on a great show.
The One Mob Different Country dancers took us through some traditional Aboriginal dances and although the 10 performers came from different areas across the NT they performed as one dance group. They encouraged the crowd to join in and one of the dances became a battle of the sexes which I am sure the male dancers would have won. There were a few problems with the sound equipment but that did not deter the great singers who performed for the crowds.
The Taminmin High School choir performed and were conducted by Ms Tanya Ham. There are about 30 students in the choir and we were lucky to have about half of them make their way to Batchelor. Tips on basket weaving were shared and skydivers dropped in later in the afternoon.
The official festival finished at 6pm, however the celebrations continued at the Rum Jungle Tavern. Putting an event together of this calibre is extremely time consuming and the coordinator, Marilyn Reeves, and her team deserve recognition for bringing it all together. Every time I saw Marilyn through the day she was smiling and even though there were ups and downs she always kept a positive view on things. Congratulations to Marilyn. The Batchelor community put on a great festival and I look forward to the festival being there in 2009.
I will now acknowledge some achievements in my area of local government. In May this year the Australian Local Government Manager’s Association held its annual congress. At that meeting, local government managers from across Australia were invited to nominate individuals or teams for recognition for their high achievement. Rex Mooney, the CEO of the Alice Springs Town Council, took the opportunity to nominate his council’s Ranger Unit for this award. I am very pleased to note that in the latest edition of the industry newspaper, Local Government Focus, there is a great article outlining the work of the Alice Springs Ranger Unit, giving them national recognition as ‘high achievers’ in local government. In particular they have been recognised for their achievement of working with the residents of the Alice Springs community, and specifically community education about the council’s by-laws. The award also recognises their work with residents of the town camps in relation to dog control. I pass on my congratulations to the Ranger Unit team of the Alice Springs Town Council whose members are: Paul Cato, Troy McNeill, John Bennett, Paul Gardner, Alan Bartlett, and the team leader, Kevin Everett. It is a difficult job in that community given recent events in certain town camps. I congratulate them; keep up the good work!
Mr ELFERINK (Port Darwin): Madam Deputy Speaker, the first issue I will turn my attention to is the impact of development on parts of the CBD, which are of some concern to me.
The areas of concern to me are Houston Street, Dinah Court, Packard Street, and the crossing on Mitchell Street outside the childcare centre. Before I go any further I have to confess an interest in that childcare centre as I am the vice president and my two girls go there. This is part of the reason I am on my feet tonight. One of the great privileges as a member of parliament is that you get to talk about the things you want to, even if they are of a personal interest to you.
The area in front the Mitchell Street Childcare Centre has a couple of drop off lanes on the other side of the street. Many parents, on a daily basis, have to cross the street with their kids. There is a pedestrian island halfway across the street and there are 40 km/h zones signposted. The 40 km/h zone is observed more in the breach than in adherence and it is not unusual to see what I suspect are soldiers - only because I see them as young men coming out of Packard Street - who occasionally seem to think that the 40 km/h zone is a zone designed to see if you can set a land speed record.
There have been a couple of occasions - and I believe that most people coming out of Packard Street try to do the right thing - when someone gets a moment of passion or the ‘blood up’ and they come out of Packard Street with their tyres spinning and tear through that area. Clearly, as it is a childcare centre, I am concerned. It is an area that deserves a pedestrian crossing. Whilst I realise this is a council street and therefore a council duty, I urge this government to talk to council about putting a pedestrian crossing in that area before somebody is injured or worse.
The Northern Territory government and the police – my commendations to Superintendent Bob Rennie - have set up a speed camera there on a couple of occasions at our request and they discovered that my theory of people speeding through there above the normal 4% offence rate is correct. Many people speed through there and, although I have not seen the exact statistics, I understand that on two particular days 9% and 14% of drivers driving through that particular zone were speeding. Clearly this has to be attended to. Considering the number of toddlers and babes in arms who are walked or carried across that road, I strongly recommend that something be done about it, either by council or the Northern Territory government; I do not care which.
I raised the issue of Dinah Court in the adjournment debate previously and I will now speak specifically about off-street parking. While many units have the two car parks required, whenever people are visiting there is almost no off-street parking in Dinah Court and it becomes a traffic nightmare. I hope future planning accommodates this in other places around the CBD. I also urge government to look at the area on the other side, where the units are, near the stormwater drain as a particularly good area to put some overflow parking. There is a substantial slice of land there. That land belongs to the government, as I understand it, and some overflow parking in that area would go a long way to alleviating the problem of traffic congestion caused by parked vehicles in Dinah Court.
The planning scheme, which we spoke about earlier, does have a flow-on effect into what happens in the council domain of parking regulations. A classic example of this is Houston Street which was scoped out and designed for a handful of houses. Most of those houses are now gone and have been replaced by units and flats. I challenge anyone to drive down Houston Street and negotiate with a car coming in the other direction. Clearly, the street is not wide enough to take parking on both sides of the street. I do not know if there is a great deal that can be done because you cannot make that street much wider than it is now. Perhaps the issue of parking arrangements in that street should be looked at by the council, and maybe there is a role for government as well. I will be campaigning on behalf of the residents who live there for better parking arrangements and better policing of them.
I also wish to deal with Packard Street, which is between the Larrakeyah Defence base and Mitchell Street. The base is expanding, more people are living there, and there are now naval interests in the area. I believe there is going to be a large increase in the number of single men’s quarters; I understand 1000 units have been identified, both there and at Robertson Barracks. I am deeply concerned that those soldiers and sailors who live there tend to use Packard Street in a way that conflicts with the requirements of a small urban or residential street. I urge everyone to drive safely along those streets and observe the 50 km/h zone. Clearly, the volume of traffic on that street and sometimes the people who use it speed - I am not saying that it is exclusively the military as there are obviously non-military personnel who use the street - which creates safety issues that local residents are concerned about.
I note that the Commander of Larrakeyah Barracks has put up a flashing road sign on the side of the road, just before you go through the guard office, warning that those people using the street should drive safely and I commend the military for that endeavour. However it is time for an examination of traffic issues in that area together with appropriate action, not necessarily speed control devices because they tend to have people accelerating out of them at a great rate of knots, which is a great noise if you happen to own a V8.
I will now discuss the waterfront which is in my electorate. I was going to mention this during my reply to the Economic Direction of the Third Labor government statement, but unfortunately, even with an extension of time, my critique took the whole half hour and I was unable to get past page 1 of the statement, so I will now move on to page 2 where the waterfront gets a mention.
The waterfront has been, in many respects, a great disappointment to me because of the promises that were made by this government in the road show they put together. There were going to be children’s playgrounds, a sound shell, an amphitheatre, and a cultural and heritage centre. In fact, there was whole list of freebies that were going to be granted to the people of the Northern Territory for their close to $144m investment.
Sadly, as building costs went up as the commercial demands of the environment started to percolate through the system, these freebies or free to use areas have slowly been dropping off the waterfront and its availability to Territorians. That is a great shame, because many of those things would have been really good. The beach volleyball court area was quite substantial. There were going to be three free for use swimming pools in the area in the original plan, as well as art markets and artistic walks. They have all dropped away but the one thing that has gotten bigger is the wave lagoon, as it is called now. I notice it was integrity tested the other day for leaks, so clearly it is not that far away.
The question I have been asking repeatedly is: what is going to be the cost to Territorians to use this wonderful wave pool? A little birdie has dropped a message into my lap that the cost is going to be $5 for half a day and $8 for a full day. Eminently reasonable I think, but I would just like to know where the subsidy is going to come from? I suspect the subsidy is going to come from anyone else who goes to the waterfront to use the facilities, perhaps the general lagoon, who will not be allowed to take their own surfboards, windsurfers, or canoes, or those sorts of things that I like to do with my kids. We go out to Lake Alexander and put them in little plastic kayaks to have a paddle around. I suspect you will not be allowed to do that at the waterfront.
I suspect there will be a concession holder with a licence from whom you can rent these products, so even if you are not using the wave pool - you are just going into the lagoon area inside the marina wall - you will have to pay for any of the equipment that you use. I hope that is not the case, because the taxpayer was encouraged with certain promises to put its money into this particular project and I would hate to think that the taxpayer has been the one who has missed out on some of the benefits of this project flowing to them in the form of free access to the area. I suspect that if the entry fee is going to be $5 for half a day and $8 for a full day it will have to be subsidised from as many different sources as possible.
I look forward to the minister advising me whether those are the actual amounts and what the subsidy arrangements are going to be. I suspect that if those are the prices then the cost of running the wave pool will have to go elsewhere.
I will finish with one observation for the ‘clanger of the week newsletter’ - the other day we heard one from the Treasurer about the GST going into the federal government coffers. But this is a little beauty: ‘Record unemployment is clearly good news’, from today’s Question Time. What I suspect the Treasurer was trying to say was that record low unemployment was clearly good news. In her defence I am sure that is what she was trying to say, yet once again we find that the Treasurer is loose with her language. I am sure the clangers will probably revisit me at some point in this Chamber. You have to be a little careful with what you say as a minister of the crown because people actually listen to and read what you have to say and comments like ‘record unemployment is clearly good news’ is unfortunate from the lips of the Treasurer.
Ms PURICK (Goyder): Deputy Madam Speaker, I will speak this evening about what I believe is a very sad affair for one of my constituent families. They live in Humpty Doo and their adult daughter, who is married with two young children aged 7 and 8, has had to travel to Adelaide for six months to receive treatment for cancer. She received a letter from the minister regarding the construction of the new oncology unit. It struck a raw nerve with her and her family because she believes it is possibly a little too late for her daughter, given that she has been in Adelaide since May this year. If that was not bad enough, the family has had to support her there and the children have had to relocate to be close to their mother and be moved to a new school.
The husband’s business has suffered as a consequence of having to be in Adelaide caring for his wife. To add insult to their suffering, they are only paid $30 a night by the NT government to cover the cost of accommodation. There is no covering of costs for any meals or sundries from the patient travel scheme. Obviously that is ridiculously low and $30 a night would not even pay a cab fare from the airport. The woman is staying at the Cancer Council house and pays $400 a week for accommodation which does not cover any meals or sundry items.
If the oncology unit had been committed to and constructed earlier by this government, with funding and the assistance of the Commonwealth, this family would not have had to suffer as much as they have. She is still undergoing chemotherapy and radiation therapy and will do so until Christmas time. It is probably going to be a pretty traumatic Christmas for them, given that they are going to be separated from their grandparents and not at their home in Humpty Doo. I urge the Minister for Health to maintain a very close eye on the construction program for the oncology unit, so that it can be built under budget and also under time, to ensure that no other family, particularly from my electorate in the rural area, has to go through what this family has gone through.
I place on the record their preparedness and willingness to allow me to talk about their personal dilemma. I wish them well and for their daughter to have a speedy and full recovery.
Members: Hear, hear!
Ms McCARTHY (Arnhem): Madam Deputy Speaker, I pay tribute to the organisers of the Ngukurr Festival which was held at the end of August in conjunction with the 100 years centenary since the establishment of the Ngukurr community. I also acknowledge some of the many people who have come from or been associated with the Ngukurr community and who have gone on to make significant contributions to Australian society.
I also celebrate the publication of what I believe is a significant contribution to Australia’s historical record: We are Aboriginal - Our 100 Years: from Arnhem Land’s first mission to Ngukurr today. It has been published to mark the occasion and is available at a cost of $25 from the Scripture Union and Bible Society Resource Centre in Casuarina. I know this is a blatant plug for the book and DVD set because all profits are going towards literacy programs at the Ngukurr Community Education Centre, which is a cause very close to my heart.
The Ngukurr Festival and 100 years celebration was a resounding success due to the support of many people, including: Owen Turner, who organised the many sporting events, is a fantastic local person who contributes greatly to encouraging the people of Ngukurr to get involved in many events, in particular, the Ngukurr Bulldogs; Karl Sibley, who arranged all the community meals; Bobby Nunggumajbar, who was the chair of the organising committee; Kevin Rogers, who was on the committee and took on many roles; Troy Heathwood, the CDEP Coordinator; Rick Eide, the School Principal; Cynthia Last, the Deputy School Principal, who also organised the centenary cake; Alan and Lucy Rogers and Spud Murphy who provided all the sound and lighting equipment at minimal cost; Roper Bar Store, which donated a complete drum set to the sport and recreation program so it could be used on Saturday night at the Battle of the Bands; Ngukurr General Store, which provided all the food for the barbeques; Phil Zamageus, who is known as ‘the Flying Bible Man’, brought the children’s presents which included a Kriol colouring book and pencils, a Colin Buchanan CD, and a wristband.
These packs were provided by the Bible Society and were given to the kids on Wednesday night which was a great success with everyone in party mode enjoying dinner and the centenary cake. Many of the kids thought it was their birthday which it was in a way.
Bishop Greg Thompson, the Anglican Bishop of the Northern Territory, travelled to Ngukurr for the occasion with the Federal Secretary of the Church Missionary Society, the organisation which originally sent three white missionaries from Melbourne to join with three Aboriginal missionaries from Yarrabah Mission in Queensland to set up the Roper Bar Mission 100 years ago.
One of the people who has come from or been associated with the Ngukurr community since its establishment and gone on to make a significant contribution to Australian society was Neighbour, who is one of only 27 Australians to be awarded the Albert Medal in 1912 for saving the life of a policeman caught in the flooded Wilton River. This feat was made even more remarkable because Neighbour was a prisoner of the police officer at the time and shackled in chains, yet still managed to rescue the police officer from the swollen waters.
Many other Ngukurr identities have received high honour including: Constance (Connie) Bush, Order of the British Empire; Allison Bush, Order of Australia, who is Connie Bush’s daughter and the only Australian midwife to be made an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Australian College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists; Phillip Roberts, Order of the British Empire, who worked for the Commonwealth Health Department as an advisor on Aboriginal affairs and was also invited by President Tom Mboya to attend Kenya’s independence celebrations; Silas Roberts, the Order of Australia; Dexter Daniels, a union organiser and land rights activist who, along with Vincent Lingiari, was the face of the land rights movement in the 1960s, touring the country giving speeches and urging Australians to support the land rights struggle; Bill Dempsey, Member of the British Empire, whose mother came from Ngukurr, was a recipient of the Australian Sports Medal in 2000 and is in the AFL and Western Australian Hall of Fame for football; Reverend Michael Gumbali, one of the first Aboriginal ordained Anglican ministers in the Northern Territory; famous artists such as the late Ginger Riley who developed a unique style, Gertie Huddleston and Angelina George; and Kevin Rogers, who I previously mentioned as one of the festivals’ main organisers and a strong leader at Ngukurr over the years, was the first Aboriginal teacher to be appointed to the position of School Principal in the Northern Territory in 1977 at Ngukurr School and was followed by other local Aboriginal teachers to hold that position through to the mid-1990s; and John Joshua, Holly Daniels, Cherry Daniels, and Gwen Lansen.
Ngukurr is also renowned for its musicians, both traditional and contemporary. Bands like the Yugul Band and Broken English are legendary and their musical heritage was on display at the Battle of the Bands on the Saturday night of the festival.
I congratulate each and every one of these people who are outstanding role models, even to this day. All these people made a major contribution to the Northern Territory and Australian society.
The publication, We are Aboriginal: Our 100 years: from Arnhem Land’s first mission to Ngukurr today, celebrates the rich history of Arnhem Land’s first mission. It describes how Ngukurr, on the Roper River in southern Arnhem Land, was started in response to one of the darkest and most brutal periods of our Australian history. The Roper River Mission was established in 1908 as a refuge for Aboriginal people from the genocide of the land wars at the time and holds within its pages the true account of how many of my ancestors were shot on sight so that the pastoralists and their cattle could take over the land.
It is not a history that is recounted to hold the present generation of European Australians responsible, and nor is it to exact some sort of retribution, but simply to correct the historical record and tell the truth. Only by telling the truth can we honour the victims of that brutality; a time in history that my people called ‘the killing time’. The book corrects the historical record written by the perpetrators of these crimes and, at long last, we now have a history told by those with no motive to embellish or diminish; simply to tell the truth. I recommend it as compulsory reading and would love to see it in our school curriculum.
Ngukurr is a close-knit community with a strong and rich cultural heritage and I congratulate everyone involved in reaching this special milestone and all those who have been connected to its history over the past century.
Mr WESTRA van HOLTHE (Katherine): Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, I place on the Parliamentary Record an event that my wife, Jennie, and I attended shortly after I was elected to the seat of Katherine.
The Katherine Debutante Ball 2008 was held on Saturday, 16 August, in the grounds of the Katherine Museum and Historical Society. It was decorated with hundreds of outdoor lights which created quite a magical atmosphere. This wonderful occasion was very special for the 15 debutantes and their partners who had been practicing their dance routines for weeks prior to the ball and who were all dressed magnificently; the young ladies in their long evening gowns, and their partners in black evening attire.
Alderman Jodie Locke, who was the Acting Mayor at the time, had been responsible for organising the whole function and was absolutely delighted with its success. The former member for Katherine, Fay Miller, and her husband, Mike, were honoured to receive the debutantes and presented them with their sashes and scrolls to commemorate the evening.
The junior flower girls were Annabelle South, Shayla Brown, and Tynnai Brown. The Maids were Zoe Walker and Yasmin Daw. Joint MCs for the evening were Graham Newhouse and John Jansen.
The debutantes and their partners were: Stephanie Bird and Jack Armstrong; Amy Dobell and Kane Flynn; Chloe Gower and Simon Barrington; Nicola Scattini and Jack Alexander; Bridie Duggan and David Cox; Michelle Duggan and Jake Dawson; Jessica Capes and Cody Williams; Rachael Barritt and Jackson Durbridge; Melissa Von Sendon and Robert Mackie; Kiara-Lee Grills and Lindsay O’Hea; Coralie Howard and Wason Heyworth; Elizabeth McLelland and Keegan Davies; Tessina Stiler and Zak Houseman; and Tamika Foster and Alex Heyworth.
Following the presentation, the debutantes and their partners performed the dances they had been practising, which were the Carousel; Neon Moon; Rumba; Disco Barn Dance, including one with a family member; the Lucille Waltz; and the Madison.
The delicious dinner was provided by Steve Laurie and his very capable staff of Kumbidgee Lodge.
As is usual with such a significant function in a small town there are many people who contribute to ensure its success and the debutante ball had many helpers. They included Jodie Locke; Graham and Sue Newhouse; Pauline Gage; Fay Miller; Greg and Vicki Bird; Katherine Museum; Rhads Security; Katherine Country Music Muster; Jenny Duggan; Jana McLellan; Jo Bird; Lisa Alexander; Katherine Hospital laundry staff; Peter Duncan; Travel North; Kumbidgee Tea Rooms; and many other people who assisted.
Following the official part of the evening, the lively band kept the dancers on the floor for several hours. It was a very successful 2008 Debutante Ball.
The Katherine Prize is incorporated in the Flying Fox Festival events each year, and the 2008 Katherine Prize attracted, as usual, high quality entrants in both the Art and Craft. The exhibition was held at the Civic Centre, with Mr Peter Farnden as the MC for the evening.
This year saw the following winners announced on the evening.
The Brian and Jeannette Lambert Art Acquisition Award was won by Andy Morgan Smith with his oil enamel landscape piece titled Around the Kimberley.
The Dr Peter and Kathleen Short Craft Acquisition was won by Nicky Schonkala from Alice Springs with her beautiful hand dyed, hand woven 100% rayon throw titled Sunshine on the Waterhole;
The Art and Craft Highly Commended Certificates were awarded to Gillian Ellett Banks; Joan Johansen; Kerryn Taylor; Rosemary Aiken; Kathleen Donald; Carolyn Whitting; and Jan Milner.
The Sommerville Art and Craft Youth Award winners were: the 13 to 14 years age group by Chiedza Muzhingi with a watercolour and coloured pencil creation portraying issues of global warming, conservation, and pollution with a message to help clean our environment and to use better energy levels; the 15 to 16 years age group by Linzi Hamlyn with Brass Trio using lead on board, comprising three A3 pages drawn with lead grid enlargement and music pages in the background; the 17 to 18 year age group by Tamika Foster with The King, using paint and pen on card and a painted picture of Martin Luther King with parts of his speech.
The Youth Art Highly Commended certificates were awarded to Nutyi Wiratanapruk and Jessica Grillz.
The Katherine Prize Logo Competition was won by Jodie Bilskie, whose symbolic logo will be used in the future to signify art originating from the Katherine region.
The People’s Choice Award, which was judged by viewers over a period of the exhibition, was awarded to Jan Milner for a great painting of the Katherine Gorge titled Still but Noisy Sunset Activity. It was a very popular entry and one I would be very happy to have hanging on my wall. Jan Milner, who is well known for her success in the Seniors Art Award - sponsored by Madam Speaker - has an upcoming exhibition of her work at the Art Warehouse in Darwin, which I encourage you all to take the opportunity to view.
Well done to all the exhibitors for entering the prize and showing us what fabulous artistic talent we have in the Katherine region and throughout the Northern Territory.
Dr BURNS (Johnston): Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, I had great pleasure in attending the Northern Territory Timor-Chinese Association celebration of the Moon Festival last Saturday night at the Timorese-Chinese hall in Boulter Road.
The NT Timor-Chinese Association is a cultural and social awareness organisation which celebrates special dates and sporting events. Last Saturday night there was an extravaganza of talent, to celebrate the Moon Festival, which fell on Sunday, 14 September.
The Moon Festival, also known as the Mid-Autumn Festival, is a popular East Asian tradition, probably of Chinese origin, dating back over 3000 years to moon worship. It is a traditional Chinese holiday for family reunion, good harvest, and eating ‘moon cakes’. Moon cakes, which have outlasted dynasties and regimes in China, are a special treat made for the Moon Festival. The moon cakes are a rich concoction made with a variety of fillings, including bean paste and salted duck eggs.
Traditionally farmers celebrate the end of the summer harvesting season on this date and Chinese family members and friends gather to admire the bright mid-autumn harvest moon. Wikipedia reports that, and I quote:
There is a love story attached to why Chang’e lives in the moon and there are at least six variations to this story. In the end of the most popular legend, Chang’e, who now lives in the moon due to swallowing a pill that enabled her to fly, and her immortal husband, Houyi, meet once a year on the 15th day of the full moon, when Houyi is able to visit his wife. This is why on that night the moon is full and beautiful.
At the celebrations on Sunday night I was impressed by the quality of the performers who entertained a big crowd celebrating the Moon Festival. In particular, I listened to young NT maestro, Kae Jenn Tchia, who was lauded in the NT News last month following his selection to represent the Northern Territory at the Yamaha Showcase Recital in Adelaide in October. Kae Jenn has only been playing piano seriously for about a year and on Saturday evening he played with outstanding passion. I wish him all the best as he competes in the recital.
Kae Jenn also supplied keyboard accompaniment to the young dancers who performed the Drop the Hanky dance which was delightful to watch. The dancers, Sau Ching Leung, Alison Lee, Joyce Yeum, Callista Yeum, Angelina Yeum, and Dami were enthusiastically received by the audience. They were little girls going up in size, and were absolutely beautiful; they stole everyone’s heart. The same girls, together with Monica Mu, Livia Lay, Elysha Nheu, Misha Lay, and Michaela Chin, performed the traditional Harvest Dance which thanks Mother Earth for the agricultural bounty of the year.
Another very impressive performer was Kae’s sister, Josephine, who performed a Chinese folk dance from the region of Xing Jang which she choreographed herself. Josephine gave a fantastic effort and performed this traditional dance beautifully. I am sure she will be entertaining us for many years to come.
There were several other performances including two Chinese folk songs sung by Ms Shu Qin Li, Ms Guiyu Hao, Ms Lannie Zhang, Ms Lily Zhong, Dr Xiao Hua Zhang, Ms Zongmen Chen, and Ms Chunrong Xiao. The first song was Hong Hu Sui, or Lake Hong, which is a famous traditional song well known through the Chinese community about the beautiful natural environment in China and the beautiful life near Lake Hong. The second song was Xiao Cheng Gu Shi Due, which is about a beautiful, pictorial small town in China and the lovely and friendly people who live there.
The evening was made even more fantastic by the delicious food available which was cooked by members of the community and was very exotic and delicious. There was also a competition for the sweets with three judges having the honour of tasting them all.
On 21 August this year the Jingili Primary School Year 5/6 students headed to Canberra for a much anticipated trip around the national capital and the snowfields. The kids spent many hours fundraising for this trip and I have been watching them online as they report their activities. You can imagine the excitement these young people were experiencing, as by day four they had visited Parliament House and the War Memorial; been to the movies; the fun park; Zone 3; Government House; the National Library; the Archives; and Questacon, where Jordyn reports: ‘The Jingili mob went … to have a look around and play on equipment’. He was the first person to try out the free fall. Jarrah said: ‘That is mad the free fall’. Ah to be young again!
Mr Marty Heysen and Larelle Gilbert organised this fantastic trip for about 28 kids and managed to get the students to ring their parents and post blogs on their website so everyone could keep up to date with their children’s activities. Marty assured parents on day four that their children were so well behaved that: ‘You can be proud of them’.
On 26 August, the kids headed up to the snow. Breanna said: ‘It was awesome. We got to ski. Skiing was hard at first but was lots of fun. Aulia fell over … like 10 times’. ‘I really loved skiing’, reports Jeremy. Amber wrote: ‘Skiing was hard, I crashed heaps and almost broke my arm (it felt like it). It was hard to get up when you crashed.’
On their return home the kids summed up their fantastic experience on their website. Damianna said: ‘We all went to many places and we had fun. Also the class learnt lots of stuff about many places that we went to’. Mietta said: ‘I am having so much fun but I can’t wait to go home’. Bree said: ‘The worst thing was probably when we go to a place and there is always at least once where someone will talk forever’. I wonder if that was parliament? Jaz loved the snow and enjoyed going to Government House; Georgia just didn’t want to leave, especially the snow, and Jay said she enjoyed the snow the most and the zoo but reports: ‘… the thing I didn’t like most was the Archives, that was really boring’. This was a fantastic trip for these kids and I compliment Marty and Larelle for making it such a success.
In an adjournment speech on 10 September 2008, the member for Port Darwin invited me to explain a comment I made in this House earlier that day on executive numbers within the Health department. I quote what I said in Hansard:
That is what I said. Despite this clear statement regarding 2001 and 2008, the member for Port Darwin, and people can see in the Hansard record, started talking about 2002-03 and 2006-07 and extrapolated vastly different figures using these annual reports.
The explanation is relatively simple: the percentages and total FTEs shown in the annual reports are rounded to the next whole number, therefore it is unwise to extrapolate from those percentages. For example: in 2001, there were a total of 62.01 executive FTEs, or full-time equivalents, which represents 1.67% of the total departmental workforce of 3716.9 FTEs on the payroll at the end of June 2001. This was rounded up to 2% - so 1.67% becomes 2%. Similarly, the FTEs which I said were 62.01 were rounded down to the next whole number which was 62 FTEs.
The 2008 annual report, which is yet to be published, will show that 1% of the departmental workforce on the payroll at the end of June 2008 is executive employees. The total workforce was 5022.9 FTEs, and 64.49 FTEs were executives. These executives are rounded down to 64 FTEs, which is the nearest whole number. The actual percentage was 1.28% and is rounded down to 1%. This percentage does not include medical specialists on executive contracts who are categorised in the medical classification as they are performing medical duties. Furthermore, this medical category does not include doctors who carry out management functions at executive level. To make this clear, those doctors on executive contracts who are performing medical duties in the 2008 report are classified in the medical classification and those who are carrying out management functions at an executive level are included in the executive category.
The member for Port Darwin also queried the Northern Territory Public Service employee classification system for executive contact officers and executive officers. This is sometimes confusing, and I suppose the word ‘executive’ is tossed around a fair bit. To quote the member for Port Darwin:
I am advised that in the Northern Territory Public Service employee classification system all executive officers carrying out management functions, whether they are on contract or as permanent officers, are counted on the payroll report as executives. I am advised that there is no distinction between them in the payroll report.
Mr McCARTHY (Barkly): Madam Deputy Speaker, I acknowledge the Winanjjikari Music Centre as an innovative and creative arts initiative in Tennant Creek and the Barkly region. In recognising the Winanjjikari Music Centre, I also acknowledge Barkly Regional Arts and the Commonwealth government, through the Australia Council, for its funding assistance to Barkly Regional Arts, and the generous support of the Northern Territory government for its fostering of the arts in the Barkly region.
The Winanjjikari Music Centre was established as a music training and recording centre on 9 September 2006. It is one of Australia’s first and most successful Shared Responsibility Agreements, or SRA, designed to teach and assist Barkly musicians in developing their skills in musicianship and music production. The SRA was a signed agreement between the Aboriginal community of Tennant Creek, the Australian and Northern Territory governments, Papulu Apparr-Kari Aboriginal Corporation, Julalikari Council Aboriginal Corporation, and the Tennant Creek Town Council.
The music centre is governed by a committee of respected Aboriginal people and employs a music project officer, Mr Jeffrey McLaughlin who, like so many other adventurous young Australians, left his comfort zone on the east coast to discover the ‘golden heart’ of the Territory - Tennant Creek and the Barkly region.
In cooperation with Barkly Regional Arts, the Winanjjikari Music Centre has 10 permanent part-time employees who are advancing their skills as both musicians and production technicians. The staff are involved at every level, from playing instruments to recording, mixing, and mastering. This unique project provides the musicians with hands-on learning experience that reflects a performing arts community at every stage of the process, from youth trainees to Elder mentor positions.
In another innovative expansion, the music centre has commenced the Winanjjikari Outreach Program to service eight remote Barkly communities with the generous support of the Christensen Foundation in the United States. The Outreach Program will help develop musician networks, promote the services and accessibility of the music centre, establish important community contacts, and assist with putting touring circuits in place for bands and music productions in the future. In particular, it will provide focused activity for remotely located young people who will work with experienced Aboriginal musicians as role models and mentors.
In a collaborative and professional culture, all the experienced musicians currently working at the centre have stated that one of their primary goals is to pass on skills to the young people so they can express their culture in their own way and use music as a tool for a performing arts pathway in addition to supporting traditional Indigenous language retention. The music centre has evolved into a CD production plant, capable of fully producing audio CDs and DVDs. From the original idea and concept development to writing the music, filming the video, recording and mastering the final product, all the stages of production are organised in-house with a state of the art Pro-Tools recording studio mentored by a trained sound engineer and producer.
I assure the House that this cutting edge performing arts initiative allows Tennant Creek and the Barkly to be literally heard on a national and international stage. The music centre has commenced a corporate arm of operations, with its own public address sound company which supports local rock and roll performances, festivals, corporate sound jobs, lighting, and event management. The Winanjjikari staff have gained valuable experience in commercial contracts, working with local, Territory and federal government agencies, and the business sector.
In addition to this development, the Winanjjikari Music Centre has also liaised with Tourism NT in marketing the music centre as a wonderful opportunity for visitors to engage and experience ancient and authentic traditional Aboriginal culture. The music centre presents a unique experience and a rare opportunity for visitors to listen to live music, experience contemporary Aboriginal music in the making, and speak to the musicians themselves about their culture and history. CDs are available for sale from the music centre and selected outlets, providing a wonderful snapshot of different Aboriginal languages from across the Barkly region, their diverse stories in the form of original music representing the history and culture of the people, and a homegrown product that travels across the globe promoting positive community arts and culture.
I will share a special anecdote about my experiences with the Winanjjikari Music Centre. The Winanjjikari Music Centre represents a real and live launching pad into industry training and employment outside of the traditional white and blue collar music sectors. The Winanjjikari Music Centre presents as a future for Indigenous men who, in terms of contemporary young males and older men living in a regional remote environment, face enormous challenges and lifestyle choices that can often lead to self-destruction. The Winanjjikari Music Centre program offers many things to many people and, at the end of the day, for some has represented a positive, healthy lifestyle choice focusing on the arts, artistic expression, employment opportunities, self-esteem, a sense of healing, and the experience of a space in time free from the destructive influences of unemployment, vagrancy, negative peer pressure and substance abuse.
Jeffrey McLaughlin, as founding Music Project Officer, professional musician and sound engineer, has over the past three years taken a core group of neophyte Indigenous staff and a highly creative concept and together created ‘a little ray of sunshine’ for Indigenous men across the Barkly so that a real choice for self improvement is on offer.
Madam Deputy Speaker, I encourage all members to applaud the initiative of these young men and older Australians, and join the Music Centre ‘bandwagon’ on their pod-cast site: www.winanjjikari.podomatic.com.
Motion agreed to; the Assembly adjourned.
PRESENTATION OF ADDRESS-IN-REPLY
TO HIS HONOUR THE ADMINISTRATOR
TO HIS HONOUR THE ADMINISTRATOR
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I advise you that it is my intention to present the Address-In-Reply to His Honour the Administrator at Government House, and I request all honourable members to assemble on the verandah of Government House at 11 am and accompany me to present the Address-in-Reply. A program has been distributed to all honourable members outlining the order of proceedings, and I will suspend the sittings at 10.45 am.
MINISTERIAL REPORTS
Land Release Initiatives
Land Release Initiatives
Ms LAWRIE (Planning and Lands): Madam Speaker, I report on the Territory government’s land release initiatives. Our economy is booming and the Territory is experiencing a period of unprecedented growth. This economic prosperity and strong growth creates demand for housing – a demand which this government is committed to addressing with an appropriate and responsible land release strategy. It is important to get the balance right. We must balance affordability with protecting the investment that home-owning families have made, often the biggest investment of their lives.
A significant drop in the property market in the Northern Territory could lead to financial ruin for many Territory families, as we have seen in southern markets. We also need to get the mix right. Some people prefer CBD apartments, while others prefer the rural lifestyle. The supply of land does not need to be limited by the availability of new or greenfield areas for urbanisation. It should also include infill sites in existing urban areas, brownfield sites such as the conversion of former industrial sites, increasing density in existing residential areas, and the development of rural residential. It is only with a balanced supply from these various sources that we can responsibly address land release and affordability. In this way, we also provide the community with a choice of housing options.
Many of the mobile young professionals who are moving to Darwin to benefit from our economic strength want to live in CBD apartments. More than 1100 new units have been approved in the Darwin CBD since January 2006. A further 300 units in three developments will be considered by the DCA. Demand is high in the city and the government is responding. These 1400 new CBD apartments are equivalent to more than a whole new suburb in the numbers of people they can accommodate.
In 2007, over 600 new blocks of land were approved in the Darwin, Palmerston and rural area. Development of Lyons is expected to be completed by the end of 2009. In total, there will be 350 blocks available for sale to the public; 146 blocks have already been sold, with 20 lots currently available for sale. Next door to Lyons, the DHA and the Northern Territory government are working together on planning for the suburb of Muirhead - a possibility of up to 1000 lots with half available to the public.
As all members would be aware, Palmerston is the most significant growth area in the Territory, and it will continue to grow, with four new Palmerston suburbs set to increase the population in Palmerston by about 50% over the coming years. The first suburb yielding about 700 new homes in Bellamack will, hopefully, commence sales in 2009. In addition to Bellamack, the Henderson government will be fast-tracking the development of the Territory’s three newest suburbs, Johnston, Zuccoli and Mitchell in Palmerston East. In total, these four suburbs will provide approximately 3700 new residential lots, which will include 15% affordable and social housing. That is more than 550 lots of affordable housing for Territorians, making home ownership more accessible.
The development of Bellamack in Palmerston East is an important part of the Territory government’s land release strategy, and we are investing in new schools, roads and recreational areas such as the Palmerston Water Park to cater for the new residents. The area between Palmerston and Darwin contains large sections of undeveloped land. Large sections of this land are reserved for light industrial development to support the port, but there is also plenty of land suitable for residential development. The government has already outlined that the Berrimah Farm and the prison site will, ultimately, become residential, and we are working with the Commonwealth to pursue the potential development of the decommissioned aerial farm site.
I turn now to rural residential opportunities. Since 2003, some 700 lots have been approved for subdivision within the boundaries of Litchfield Shire. This represents a significant contribution to the housing market, again extending choice to the consumer. A recent estimation of the potential lot yield within land currently zoned for rural living suggests that we could yield an additional 5247 lots.
There a number of developments also under way in Central Australia, with Stage 2 of Larapinta with 39 blocks currently being developed, including six set aside for first homebuyers and one multiple dwelling block for senior public housing. Mt John Valley has potential to yield 700 lots, and we are very close to an agreement with the Lhere Artepe traditional owners.
In Katherine, we have an area of land in Katherine East which will be auctioned later this year providing approximately 40 residential lots. In Tennant Creek ...
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, your time has expired.
Ms PURICK (Goyder): Madam Speaker, I thank the minister for her report. There are a few issues in it that probably need addressing. There are some - I guess you could call them flaws. Yes, Bellamack has been promised by the government. The first statement by the minister was that it was going to be in early 2009. Last week, we heard that it was going to be just in 2009. Now we have just heard that it is ‘hopefully’ in 2009 that this subdivision may be coming online.
From discussions I have had with industry people and developers, I advise that the average block of land in Bellamack is going to be a minimum of about $250 000. That is just to buy the block of land - and that is a minimum. Then, there will be the cost of the house that has to go on the block of land. The way the cost of housing is at the moment in the Northern Territory you could be looking at anything from $300 00 to $400 000 per house. We have seen in the newspaper recently the full-page advertisements from house developers and builders saying that they are incurring costs under the new regulations of the work safety act and other requirements they are not pleased with. They say that it is going to be putting an extra cost of about $30 000 to $40 000 per house. That is not affordable housing or land for new homeowners.
The minister did not touch on at all, with these new suburbs that are coming online – such as Bellamack and Muirhead - whether there is going to be enough power, particularly in the Wet Season, to service these suburbs. I have been hearing to the contrary. What is the planning in regard to water for these suburbs, given that we do not want to end up like the southern states regarding their water planning and infrastructure? Our infrastructure is getting old; there is no apparent planning for how it is going to be serviced in the future. Regarding sewerage, we know there is still a huge amount of sewage being pumped into our harbour. Where is the sewage from these new estates and subdivisions going to be going? What is the planning for that?
We have heard that there is little planning for new schools in these subdivisions. If we are talking about a couple of thousand blocks, that is going to be families and children, and there does not appear to be any planning for primary schools, or even high schools for that matter.
We know health facilities are sadly lacking in the Palmerston and the rural area. We are talking about another couple of thousand people, which will be good for the Northern Territory’s growth and our development, but they are going to want health services - and they are poor services at the moment into the rural and Palmerston areas.
In regard to planning, yes, the minister has mentioned about Berrimah Farm. What the minister is not telling the public and not …
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Goyder, your time has expired.
Mr WOOD (Nelson): Madam Speaker, I thank the minister for her report. Two minutes is nowhere near enough to respond to it. However, I will start from the bottom end of her report, regarding the issue of 5000 blocks of land being available in the rural area. My understanding is that the government has decided that, unless you can actually prove that you have water that is renewable, you are not going to get approval for a large subdivision. Unless infrastructure is put into the rural area to service, for instance, one hectare blocks, then I imagine the chances of more rural subdivisions occurring are quite slim at the present time.
In relation to affordability, I still think we have to be a bit radical. Land is expensive in Palmerston not only because of the infrastructure costs, but because of this system where the government says that it will provide affordable housing on affordable land, and the developer has to recover his profit or cost of purchasing the land. I say again: why does the government have to sell its own land? Why doesn’t the government retain that land which, in theory, is nil cost and, then pay for the infrastructure that the developer puts past that land? The government could then sell that land to people who fit within the category of genuine first homeowners, battlers, or low-income people, and put covenants on those blocks so that the process is not abused. Minister, there are ways.
The other thing is - and I have seen it written in some articles - we have to look at the cost of infrastructure spread over a lot longer time frame – 100 years. At the moment, the first person who buys a block pays for the total amount of infrastructure going past their place. Once they have sold their property, the cost of infrastructure is not added into the cost of the purchase price of the building. I wonder whether we should have a system which spreads the cost of infrastructure over decades rather than instantly.
Ms LAWRIE (Planning and Lands): Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nelson for his contribution. Yes, the innovation that he talked about of government not selling Crown land is the example of Bellamack. We did not put an asking price on the land at Bellamack for a specific reason; that is, we want to ensure we can deliver affordable housing and social housing into the suburb of Bellamack. We have become quite innovative in the way we deal with that. That was a new policy; it had not been done before in the Territory, and it took a Labor government to do it.
Regarding the sustainability design within new suburbs, member for Goyder, Bellamack, as part of what we were doing, was looking for sustainability in water design. That is why the winning bidders have a third pipe in their design so that we can look at future grey water use, for example, in that suburb. Archer Substation will provide the power requirements to the Bellamack area and within the headworks cost we have a whole lot of Power and Water headworks funding for the new three suburbs of Palmerston East.
We have land set aside for education in Palmerston East. We are building two new schools in Rosebery, which will take in Bellamack ...
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, your time has expired.
____________________
Visitors
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I draw your attention to the presence in the gallery of the Mayor of Palmerston, Mr Robert Macleod. On behalf of honourable members, I extend to you a very warm welcome.
Members: Hear, hear!
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I draw your attention to the presence in the gallery of Year 5/6 Kalkaringi Community Education Centre students, accompanied by Mr David Young. On behalf of honourable members, I extend to you a very warm welcome.
Members: Hear, hear!
____________________
Tourism Pilot Carbon Offset Program
Tourism Pilot Carbon Offset Program
Mr VATSKALIS (Tourism): Madam Speaker, the Henderson government is committed to tackling climate change, and I am pleased to report that tourism is leading the way. As part of an overall tourism sustainability strategy, Tourism NT and members of the touring sector in Central Australia have developed a pilot carbon offset program.
Climate change is a significant issue for our tourism industry, particularly given the Territory’s reliance on nature-based tourism experiences. Forecast changes to the Territory’s physical environment are of serious concern, as are changing consumer perceptions and travel behaviour.
Global warming started getting high media exposure from early 2007 in the UK, France, Germany, Switzerland and Austria, with environmentalist groups actively discouraging long-haul travel, quoting daunting statistics such as: ‘A one-way economy flight London to Sydney contributes 2.5 sustainable carbon years to global warming’. Although the high level of consumer concern about climate change is yet to translate into significant reductions in demand for long-haul travel, research undertaken by Tourism Australia indicates about 40% of travellers have the potential to change their behaviour.
The Territory’s ideal visitor is very much part of that changing dynamic, and action was needed to maintain our market position. As an initial step, we decided to trial a carbon offset program for potential application to the wider Northern Territory tourism industry. To ensure an expedient and manageable pilot, we chose to test with the touring sector in Central Australia, as carbon emission avoidance and reduction is a difficult task for the sector given the high reliance on fossil fuels for transport.
To shape the elements of the pilot and gain a greater understanding of how environmental issues impacted the holiday choices of Europeans, Tourism NT conducted focus groups in England, Sweden and the Netherlands. Key findings were these travellers are: more likely to choose accommodation, touring and other providers that are protecting the environment while still showcasing to visitors; very sensitive to green wash and want to be assured organisations have a real commitment to improving the environment rather than just improving tourism numbers; and more likely to choose a carbon offset program that is transparent, credible and shows how the money earned from offsets is spent.
The aim of the carbon offset pilot project is to ensure operators of participating businesses are carbon neutral for 2008-09. Participating operators are Adventure Tours Australia; Connections, Connections (part of the APT Group); and Wayoutback Desert Safaris, collectively representing around 40% of the touring sector in Central Australia. These operators have dedicated substantial resources to this project, as extensive work is involved in collecting data to measure carbon footprints.
Ultimately, the pilot carbon offset program aims to give us the edge over competing destinations in attracting environmentally aware travellers from the Northern Territory’s long-haul markets.
The practical strategy adopted by Tourism NT is rigorous, transparent and independently verifiable, and modelled on the Eurostar Tread Lightly program. Tourism NT is supporting this project financially for the first year of operation. After that, depending on the success of the pilot, it is anticipated industry participants will take responsibility for running the program, including financial costs. Tourism NT will consider how it can provide an umbrella arrangement for the wider Northern Territory tourism industry and collective promotion of the program.
Tourism NT has negotiated a strategic alliance with World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), one of the largest non-profit environmental organisations in the world that most members would know from its panda logo. WWF is renowned for its global Earth Hour initiative, in which the Northern Territory’s major towns participate. WWF support of the offset program aims to assure international travels of its rigour and integrity.
Carbon credits to offset touring emissions have been sought from the Shoal Bay landfill gas generation project in Darwin. This facility produces electricity from methane gas harvested from waste and is the first of its kind in the Northern Territory. Operated by LMS Generation Pty Ltd, it is the only Australian government approved Greenhouse Friendly abatement provider in the Northern Territory.
Many other Northern Territory tourism operators are proactively working to adapt their business processes and adopt new technologies in order to ensure environmental sustainability. Those who have already highlighted their activities to my agency will feature in a new green promotion section of Tourism NT’s corporate website, and include Alice Springs Desert Park, Alice Springs Helicopters, Darwin Central Hotel, Bamurru Plains Wilderness Lodge, Europcar, Hertz and Budget Rent-a-car. I look forward to many more companies being added to the list over the next few years.
Mr TOLLNER (Fong Lim): Madam Speaker, I welcome the minister’s statement ...
Dr Burns: Are you shadow Tourism Minister?
Mr TOLLNER: Yes, that is correct, minister, and …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr TOLLNER: One word of advice for the minister: he may well become a bit more understandable if he were to slow down a little because it was very difficult understanding that statement. I did get an impression that he was talking about carbon outputs of the tourism industry. There was no mention as to what the carbon outputs are of the tourism industry currently. They are talking about running a carbon offset program. That is very difficult if you do not even know what the output of the industry is.
There is no mention of what this program will cost or who will be paying for it at the end of the day. Is this going to be just another impost on the Territory tourism industry, or will it have a significant benefit in the long term? It is also interesting to note that government has missed its own climate change targets for the past two years. For two years running, this government has failed to meet its own targets. Why would it meet targets that it has not even determined yet in the area of tourism?
This is nothing but window dressing. It is a complete sham and it should be thrown out until we get some decent information put before us.
Mr WOOD (Nelson): Madam Speaker, I thank the minister for his report. It reminds me of a cartoon in The Australian recently where Mr Rudd was talking about the carbons emission tax, I think – or it might have been Senator Wong – and everyone was falling asleep in front of him because they were not sure whether he was speaking in Mandarin. They could not understand what it was all about, and most people in the public, including me, really do not know what this is all about.
We do not know what it is going to cost us. I know you are highlighting the effects on the tourism industry. On average, Territorians are the most travelled people in Australia largely due to the distances they have to travel. I would like to know what this is going to cost Territorians - not only the tourism industry, but for the little plane that goes back and forwards each day out to an Aboriginal community, the mining industry, the cattle industry, and the local communications by road between Aboriginal communities? What effect is this going to have on everyone in the Northern Territory?
I would rather see the government get serious about alternative forms of energy for vehicles. We know hydrogen can run vehicles. We know buses in Perth run on hydrogen. The difficulty is producing hydrogen from a renewable source. We should be spending some time looking at that as an alternative.
I have said to the Chief Minister if we get INPEX we should be retaining some of the LNG. Already, Wesfarmers have a distribution centre in Perth to distribute LNG. The Chairman of Wesfarmers said that is one of the future sources of energy for transport, heavy industry and for power in Western Australia. We should be looking at alternatives so that we are not dependent on diesel and petrol.
Yes, we will have to reduce the amount of those fuels we use to reduce our carbon offsets, and we all want to reduce the amount of carbon that is going into the atmosphere. However, we have to be working outside the square here. We have to be a little more experimental, a little more prepared to look at other forms of energy instead of asking whether we can fix we what we have. We need to look at new ways of doing things.
Mr VATSKALIS (Tourism): Madam Speaker, I specifically refer to the carbon offsets for the tourism program because the majority of overseas tourists to the Territory are coming from across the continents – United Kingdom, America, Switzerland - and they are extremely concerned about the effect their travel may have on the environment.
Buying carbon credits from Shoal Bay and providing them to the operators in Central Australia will offset some of the carbon emissions they produce because, as the member for Nelson said quite rightly, we travel a lot, we fly a lot, and we produce significant emissions.
Thank you very much for your comments. The issue about alternative fuel for cars is beyond the report I presented today. I am not really surprised by the member for Fong Lim’s opposition to climate change. I have here the dissenting report he co-authored, Between a rock and a hard place The science of geosequestration,by the Standing Committee on Science and Innovation. He explained …
Members interjecting.
Mr VATSKALIS: This is the problem here, Madam Speaker. I can understand …
Mr Tollner: We still cannot understand a word you say.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr VATSKALIS: … it would be very difficult to change his position. But the Liberal Party just said ‘Deliver’, so he did. He may change his mind ...
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, your time has expired.
Darwin Festival
Ms SCRYMGOUR (Arts and Museums): Madam Speaker, the Darwin Festival is the Territory’s flagship cultural event and showcases the best and brightest of our artists, craftspeople, performers and writers, as well as bringing terrific material from down south and overseas for Territory audiences to enjoy and be challenged by.
However, it goes further than that. All of us here would remember the days when the tourism market in the Top End pretty well collapsed each year after the Darwin Cup at the beginning of August. There are horses for different courses, however, and culture has taken over to extend the Top End season until at least the end of August. This is almost entirely due to the Darwin Festival and related cultural events such as the Garma Festival and the Telstra Art Awards, as well as the Indigenous Music Awards. Indeed, it is almost impossible to get a hotel room in Darwin throughout August, so it is great to see the private sector investing in additional accommodation capacity with some 1133 rooms to be put in place by June 2010.
An economic impact study carried out by the festival last year in conjunction with CDU and NT Treasury demonstrated that, conservatively, the Darwin Festival added $1.2m to the Darwin economy each year. In addition, it has also been estimated that at least $0.5m in promotion to the Territory comes through the festival. This year we saw features praising the festival from senior writers from The Australian, the Australian Financial Review, the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, as well as features in in-flight magazines.
The Darwin Festival is also a great example of self-diplomacy, with Territory artists and audiences linking up and learning from artists in our regions - Indonesia, Timor-Leste, Cambodia, China and Korea. There were exciting collaborations between Aboriginal musicians and musicians from Timor-Leste and Indonesia - the sort of thing that happens nowhere else in Australia. In addition, we saw collaborations between Darwin-based artists and artists from West Timor. The value of these links to our regions should not be underestimated and will help build those friendships and enduring connections across South-East Asia.
Therefore, when our government supports events such as the Darwin Festival and, indeed, this month, Alice Desert Festival, we see great artistic and cultural outcomes, as well as significant economic, tourism and other benefits.
I take the opportunity, Madam Speaker - and I am sure this view will be reflected from both sides of the House - to thank Festival Artistic Director, Malcolm Blaylock, who, over six years, has done much to put our flagship cultural event on the national calendar. We look forward to working with the incoming Artistic Director, Jo Duffy, who will work on the next three years of the festivals.
Mr BOHLIN (Drysdale): Madam Speaker, I thank the Minister for Arts and Museums. I was very lucky to go to some of those Darwin Festival events, and they were truly fantastic. Persona Indonesia was a great night out for the family, where we could all relax and enjoy the music and the foods. I saw the Liberty Songs, which I thought were truly inspirational, by a group of seriously affected people who showed great bravery in the way they sang their songs to the people.
We talked about hotel rooms, availability and bookings. It is a concern to the public that, at the times we have these fantastic festivals, there is limited availability of hotel rooms for the general public. It is a great concern and we need to continue to look planning to address these issues. If we are to continue to deliver fantastic festivals and fantastic conferences for all sorts of businesses within the Northern Territory, we need to ensure that we plan that future.
Mr WOOD (Nelson): Madam Speaker, I thank the minister for her statement. I was suffering post-election trauma, so I did not get to as much as I would have liked. However, I make special note of Lipstick and Ochre. I gather it was sold out every night; it was fantastic. I went with a group of friends and took my wife and she loved it. All the other people I know who went to it thought it was fantastic. It was a great recognition of senior women in our society, both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal, with the Grey Panthers and the Lajamanu women and a mix of young people as well. Some grandsons of some of the Lajamanu women were doing a bit of hip hop as well. It was a great event that allowed people who do not go past the Berrimah Line, to see another side of people they probably do not get the opportunity to see; that is, traditional dancing, which is not often seen in Darwin these days.
I take up the point that we need to look at more places for people who are coming to Darwin. Anyone who has seen the lack of caravan sites at the moment would be concerned that we are not releasing land for more caravan sites. The greyhound area at Winnellie is full of caravans, Robbie Robbins Reserve has caravans on it, and there are some caravans at Freds Pass. The caravan parks are full at the present time. There is an opportunity for government to look at releasing some land for that purpose, even if it is only for a Dry Season tourist purposes, not for permanent caravan park sites, so that we can ensure people who come to Darwin can enjoy the great things that are on, including the Darwin Cup, the Darwin show and the Darwin Festival. It is a fantastic time and we do not want to turn people away when those events are on, simply because they cannot find a place to stay.
Ms SCRYMGOUR (Arts and Museums): Madam Speaker, I thank both members for their contribution. I did say that it is great to see the private sector, with the arts industry, recognising that accommodation is a major issue and are building on that capacity to ensure that issue is going to be resolved.
I thank my colleagues, the members for Karama, Macdonnell, and Arnhem - all of my colleagues who opened a lot of the events. Unfortunately, I had some time off. I thank those colleagues because they got to do what I normally enjoy having to do - particularly the member for Macdonnell who opened the NT Music Awards.
I pay tribute and acknowledge a fantastic ambassador, Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu - and I am sure the member for Nhulunbuy would join me. He has four nominations for the upcoming Aria Awards and is the only musician from the Territory. He is a fantastic ambassador for the Northern Territory.
Reports noted pursuant to standing orders.
MINISTERIAL STATEMENT
Economic Direction of the Third Labor Government
Economic Direction of the Third Labor Government
Mr HENDERSON (Chief Minister): Madam Speaker, during the course of the 2008 election, I repeatedly pledged that my government, if returned, would continue to work hard to build a strong economy for Territorians. A strong economy has been the centrepiece of the Labor commitment to the Territory since 2001. We believe that the economic pie must be grown; that economic growth and expansion is the key to improving the lives of all Territorians. Since coming to office, our government has focused on delivering this commitment.
In 2001, the economy was on life support and the fiscal position of the Territory was in dire straits. Economic growth was zero, population growth was 0.1%, the deficit was $130m, and the nett debt and employee liability ratio was 134% - in other words, out of control. Cabinet after Cabinet made every effort to ensure that we kept debt and deficit under control while doing what we could to pump prime the economic. We actively hunted out major projects such as oil and gas. We established a Major Projects Unit to bring these to the Territory.
We ensured that, as funds became available, we directed them to infrastructure projects. We ensured the government became involved in major infrastructure developments such as the waterfront, our school expansion program, and our overall record infrastructure budgets. We cut taxes where we could and when we could, and we focused those tax cuts on job creation and measures designed to develop the economy.
We also spent funds strategically on economy-building measures. For example, we put more than $30m into tourism and then continued that measure recurrently. We increased subsidies to Power and Water to keep downward pressure on prices. We dramatically increased road funding, targeting beef roads and roads to agricultural projects, and we maintained a rigid fiscal discipline of weighing up each option, one at a time, ensuring they would have the economic effect we desired without breaking the budget.
The benefits of those actions are evident today. Two weeks ago, the Australian Bureau of Statistics reported that our state final demand was running at 7.8%; gross Territory product is set to be around 6.6%; retail sales figures show a 9.2% growth rate in the year to June; new motor vehicle sales, a sure sign of a confident economy, are up 15.2%, the highest in the nation; and our population growth today is 2.4%. Most remarkably, last week, unemployment fell to 2.6%, the lowest in our history, and that is also recognising we have a huge amount to do in getting Indigenous Territorians into the workforce.
The job of growing the economy today is very different from the task we faced in 2001, and even from what we faced in 2005. The task we face today requires fresh ideas and a new approach. It requires us to build on what has been achieved, but also forge a new direction for the Territory economy.
Today, I wish to outline the broad approach the Labor government will take over the next four years in delivering on our commitment to grow and develop the Territory economy. I commit the government to the following actions. We will:
1. expand the economic base of the Territory;
We will deliver these objectives within a strong framework of environmental protection.
For too long, the Territory’s economy has been dependent upon a few pillars. Until 1999, Territory governments thought that we were immune from economic recession. Growth had been strong, but a failure to broaden the economy meant the Territory relied on a few key economic drivers to maintain its expansion. As the Territory recession of 1999 to 2003 showed, those pillars could be affected all at once, and the economic house of the Territory could easily come tumbling down.
To secure the Territory’s future, the government must not repeat those mistakes. To ensure that our economic underpinnings are stronger and more expansive, my government will work to attract major projects to the Territory, attract new business to the Territory, modernise and expand our transport links internally and to the outside world, and ensure that existing businesses are given every opportunity to expand and grow.
As members are very aware, I am determined to deliver major projects to the Territory. We recently delivered on a major international airline hub through Jetstar. My government’s commitment to bring that project here was $5m in funds to assist training and establishment of the hub, and $3m in joint marketing programs. I believe it is money well spent and we will see a once-in-a lifetime expansion of flight options for Territorians to new destinations, particularly in South-East Asia, with a promise of return tourism from them to us.
We remain committed to working hard to deliver INPEX to the Territory. I believe this is a transformational project which will take our economy to a new level. The government commissioned ACIL Tasman to identify the economic impact of this proposal to the Territory. The report identified that this project would inject $50bn into our economy over the next 20 years. It will provide up to 4000 jobs over the next three years. Its impact will be felt throughout all levels of our economy, from small business to medium and large businesses. We will continue to work with ConocoPhillips to expand the existing LNG plant into a second train.
My government has worked well with ENI to deliver gas to shore from Blacktip, and we will continue to work with this company and other oil and gas companies to ensure the full potential of fields close to the Territory are exploited. We will continue to use the Major Projects Unit, established in the Department of Chief Minister, as the focus point for our major project facilitation. This approach has proved successful in attracting projects to date and we will use it more assertively over the next four years.
My government will also work to attract new businesses to the Territory. We will use our land and transport assets in particular to promote new businesses. The work done by the Land Development Corporation, conceived and set into place by this government, will be of particular importance to this objective. Work such as the Darwin Business Park and the Defence Park will continue to play its role in the program.
Beyond land assets and proximity to transport links, the government will also play an active role in business attraction. This role will not be at the expense of local business, and will be focused on attracting new business to the Territory. The government is committed to the modernisation and upgrading of the Territory’s transport links. We commend the vision of those who fought for 90 years to get the railway in place and then delivered a modern rail system. We will continue that vision.
Our focus will now be on the development and expansion of the Port of Darwin. We will spend $100m on port expansion from Territory resources, and we have applied directly to the Commonwealth’s Infrastructure Australia Fund to contribute to this expansion. The port’s minister and I will be prosecuting our case in Canberra.
We will also continue our record expenditure on upgrading roads throughout the Territory. This year alone, we and the Commonwealth government will spend $271m. Roads underpin our primary industry, resource industries and tourism industries across the Territory. To ensure that our economy is expanding in new directions, the government will continue its outward-looking export support programs.
Since coming to office, the government has spent around $3.5bn in cash on infrastructure. During the election campaign, I pledged that we would spend $3.5bn more over four years, beginning with our contribution of $870m this financial year. Over the next four years, we will use our infrastructure expenditure to achieve the following objectives: build the Territory and secure its future growth; ensure the regions are growing; provide a strong base for employment throughout the Territory; and support businesses from small to large throughout the Territory.
This shift in emphasis comes about because there is no doubt that successful economic growth is bringing growing pains to the Territory. The announcement last week of a Territory Growth Planning Unit, which will act as a coordinating body across government, is designed to improve planning for that growth. This body will be staffed by demographers, economists and planners and will be both the generator of new ideas in planning for the Territory’s growth and the coordinator of actions to implement those ideas.
The government will back this unit with extensive ongoing infrastructure budgets. It is infrastructure that keeps our economic expansion on track. Planning is already under way for the establishment of a 10-year infrastructure plan. Consultants are in place and discussions with industry have commenced. We expect that the infrastructure focus over the next three years will be on a number of fronts.
Significant funds are required to put in place the headworks needed to back our land release program. Already, we have brought forward around $40m for Palmerston East. We will work with developers in Katherine and Tennant Creek on headworks infrastructure needed in those two communities, and we have already spent $1.2m getting the infrastructure right at Mt John Valley in Alice Springs.
We will also be upgrading existing power infrastructure. $1bn is being spent by Power and Water to make the existing essential services infrastructure work for an expanding population, and to provide new infrastructure across the Territory. On a per capita basis this would have to rank as one of the largest essential service infrastructure programs in the nation today.
We also expect to increase housing infrastructure significantly. Combined with the federal government, we expect around $1bn will be spent on housing infrastructure over the next five years. This includes almost $700m for the Strategic Indigenous Housing Infrastructure Project that will see 750 new houses on new blocks, 250 houses replacing existing damaged stock and 2500 upgrades to housing across the Territory. In addition to the SIHIP program, we will be continuing the government employee housing, the public housing program and the refurbishment program that we undertake on a regular basis. After that $1bn is spent, we know more will need to be done.
As I explained earlier, the government expects that infrastructure on essential transport needs will be a major focus as well.
Over the next term the government will also expand the Territory’s education infrastructure. $246m will be spent on upgrading and repairing our schools with significant upgrades happening to 85 of them. New schools will be built at Palmerston and new schools or major upgrades will occur across the bush as part of our Closing the Gap program.
The government has used the infrastructure budget as a means of increasing economic development in the bush and will continue to do so. We will also continue to ensure the projects that are available for the full range of business from small to large, and to ensure that opportunities are in place for businesses right across the whole of the Territory.
A constraint on economic expansion is the availability of labour. It is not limited to skilled labour, it is all labour. It is also not limited to the Territory. This problem exists across the country. To overcome this broader problem the government is investing in a Workforce Growth Unit based in the Department of Business and Employment coordinating the actions of the government as a whole. We will employ three additional staff to support those already in place. One of the officers will be based in Katherine; one is already based in Alice Springs. This body will be expected to take every possible opportunity to promote living and working in the Territory at forums across Australia and across South-East Asia and beyond that into Europe and America. They will coordinate the forums we hold interstate, and which have received the unequivocal praise of the business community.
In addition to bringing people from outside, we will also undertake an aggressive policy of growing our own. During the election, I committed to an additional $10m over four years to provide 10 000 new commencements for trainees and apprentices, as well as doubling the Build Skills and Work Ready programs. We are justly proud of our efforts to date, which see the Territory outstrip any other part of the country on training expenditure per capita. We will do more.
We will undertake a particularly active program in growing our Indigenous workforce. I have already made it clear to those involved in planning the roll-out of the strategic Indigenous housing program that Indigenous employment must be an important element of this program. Major projects will also include a focus on this employment. We will work with our tertiary education institutions such as Charles Darwin University and Batchelor College to get more Indigenous teachers, nurses and other staff. We will also undertake improved Indigenous training in the public sector. The police force is leading the way with efforts now focused on increasing the number of Indigenous police officers.
This Labor government has been the most tax-reforming government in the Territory’s history. We have reduced taxes accumulatively by $231m since 2001. We have reduced payroll tax, eliminated many stamp duties, reduced stamp duty on conveyancing and generally ensured that businesses and Territorians are not burdened with tax. We have made the Territory the lowest-taxing jurisdiction in the nation for businesses with up to 100 staff. During the course of the election, the government announced that during this term there would be further reductions in payroll tax, reducing the rate to 5.5%. I further undertake that the government will review taxes and the application of taxes every year to ensure that we are not creating a development bottleneck or placing unnecessary burden on individuals or industry.
In addition to maintaining our efforts to reduce tax, the government will maintain its strong efforts to reduce the cost of living of Territorians by placing downward pressure on costs. We will: continue to subsidise Power and Water by many millions a year to keep downward pressure on the prices of water and power for Territorians; increase the Back to School payments - a payment introduced by the Labor government - to $75 a year per student enrolled, up from $50; implement our commitment to introduce free bus travel for seniors and students; increase the subsidy for motor vehicle registration payments to pensioners and carers from $104 to $150; provide free driving licences to pensioners and carers; and maintain the nation’s leading childcare subsidies. We will also be releasing a Territory housing plan which will have a strong focus on affordable housing.
We will deliver all of our economic plans within the context of strong fiscal discipline. One of the greatest mistakes made by CLP governments in the 1990s was their failure to maintain fiscal discipline. That meant that when hard times hit they were unable to respond to it. We have established fiscal targets and we will stick to them. We will constantly monitor them to ensure they remain relevant to our growth needs, but we will ensure that debt remains under control. We will not waiver in our conviction that government must have the right fiscal settings to keep the Territory strong for future generations. We will not mortgage our children’s future.
A strong and growing Territory economy is the vehicle for delivering an improved lifestyle for all Territorians. I am proud of the efforts we have made over the last seven years to build this economy but, over the next four years, we will energetically drive this economy to the benefit of all Territorians. We will shift the focus on to building an expanded economy and preparing the Territory for that expansion. We will increase our workforce and we will reduce taxes. We will do all of this with fiscal discipline and within environmental guidelines. I believe we can have both economic growth and strong environmental protection. I commend the statement to the House.
Madam Speaker, I move that the Assembly take note of the statement.
Debate suspended.
STATEMENT BY SPEAKER
Presentation of Address-In-Reply to His Honour the Administrator
Presentation of Address-In-Reply to His Honour the Administrator
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I request all members to assemble on the veranda of Government House at 11 am and accompany me to present the Address-in-Reply. Honourable members are also reminded that, following the presentation, a group photograph of all members will be taken for historical records.
___________________
The sitting suspended.
___________________
STATEMENT BY SPEAKER
Presentation of Address-in-Reply to His Honour the Administrator
___________________
STATEMENT BY SPEAKER
Presentation of Address-in-Reply to His Honour the Administrator
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I advise that, accompanied by honourable members, I attended upon His Honour the Administrator and presented to him the Address-in-Reply to the speech His Honour delivered on the occasion of the opening of the Eleventh Assembly, and that His Honour had been pleased to make the following reply:
- Madam Speaker, thank you for your Address-in-Reply which you have presented to me.
It will afford me great pleasure to convey to Her Most Gracious Majesty the Queen, through the Governor-General, the message of loyalty of the Legislative Assembly of the Northern Territory of Australia to which the Address gives expression.
STATEMENT BY SPEAKER
Dr Jose Ramos-Horta, President of Timor-Leste – Address to the Legislative Assembly of the Northern Territory
Dr Jose Ramos-Horta, President of Timor-Leste – Address to the Legislative Assembly of the Northern Territory
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I advise that His Excellency, President Dr Jose Ramos-Horta, the President of Timor-Leste, has accepted an invitation to address our parliament on Thursday, 30 October 2008. Full details of the event will be provided to members after arrangements have been completed.
STATEMENT BY SPEAKER
Conduct of Members
Conduct of Members
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, before I call questions, during the sittings I have had, on several occasions, to ask members to withdraw comments that have been unparliamentary, offensive or inappropriate, to repeatedly ask members to cease interjecting and, generally, to call order for disorderly and sometimes disrespectful behaviour.
I have received complaints from listeners to the Internet broadcast, guests to this Chamber, and also from Hansard who are struggling to hear the member who has the call.
Whilst robust debate is an important part of the democratic process, rude and unparliamentary behaviour is not. As a result, I will be enforcing Standing Orders 51, 62 and 63, and asking members to withdraw from the Chamber, if necessary, under Standing Order 240A.
Members will receive a single warning. Thank you, honourable members.
TABLED PAPER
Auditor-General’s August 2008 Report to the Legislative Assembly
Auditor-General’s August 2008 Report to the Legislative Assembly
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I table the Auditor-General’s August 2008 Report to the Legislative Assembly.
MOTION
Print paper – Auditor-General’s August 2008 Report to the Legislative Assembly
Print paper – Auditor-General’s August 2008 Report to the Legislative Assembly
Mr HENDERSON (Chief Minister): Madam Speaker, I move that the report be printed.
Motion agreed to.
MOTION
Note paper – Auditor-General’s August 2008 Report to the Legislative Assembly
Note paper – Auditor-General’s August 2008 Report to the Legislative Assembly
Mr HENDERSON (Chief Minister): Madam Speaker, I move that the Assembly take note of the report and that I have leave to continue my remarks at a later hour.
Leave granted.
Debate adjourned.
MOTION
Note Statement - Economic Direction of the Third Labor Government
Note Statement - Economic Direction of the Third Labor Government
Continued from earlier this day.
Mr MILLS (Opposition Leader): Madam Speaker, in responding to this statement, I make my comments in the presence of those who have made many representations to me as the member for Blain, to other members on this side of the Chamber and, undoubtedly, to members on the other side; they being young people wondering if they have a place in the Northern Territory. Do they have the possibility of a house, a flat or a unit? It is those people we need to think about as we are speaking about the economic direction of the Northern Territory. If we talk about the economy in isolation, it will be an empty discussion. As the Chief Minister well knows - and I have heard him use this phrase before - we do not live in an economy, we live in a community or society.
To draw out the economy and to elevate it into a place all by itself, as though it is the essence of all there is in the way we operate, is to be greatly mistaken, because the economy is but a part. We, in fact, do not live in an economy, we live in a community.
The issue is if you think you live in an economy, you will speak of quantities all the time. You will speak of big numbers and percentage increases. You will boast of the amount of money you spend as though that is an achievement. Because you live in an economy, you think in economic terms. You will think about the spending and quantity, and you will talk of the economy. However, what people want to hear about is community; quality rather than quantity, and results for expenditure. That is what a government needs to focus on.
In this statement, the Chief Minister, once again - in spite of saying as a result of 9 August and what the Territory community, which had enough of quantities and not enough of quality, said to this government - said he would listen. We have almost the same statement that has been delivered over two previous terms. This is the economic direction of a third Labor government and, I have to say, there is no change. Once again, he is talking about quantities and spending, as though that, of itself, is an achievement. It is not.
I started my comments with a reference to those young people who tell their story of how difficult it is to get into the marketplace in the most basic terms: ‘How do I get enough money to buy a unit, let alone a house?’ If you cannot attend to that in a discussion like this, and cannot consider that in your plans for the future, we will not have a future. You can have statements, all the right terminology, and the slogans, but you will not have a darned thing if you cannot meet the needs of those young people.
I specifically remember one young lady who came to speak to me at the Palmerston markets a month ago. This young lady is 30 years old. She was born and has studied in the Northern Territory. She is a teacher; she has taught since she graduated. She is a single lady and when she came to speak to me, said: ‘At 30 years of age, I am almost embarrassed to say that on my income as a teacher I cannot get enough money together to get a deposit to buy a unit’ - a single unit. This young lady was so moved at her vulnerable position that she had to consider, for the first time in her life, leaving the Territory - something that cut against her very core. She was born in the Territory and comes from a long-standing Territory family. She has studied in the Territory and has served at a local school in Palmerston for many years. She stood before me and said that she does not know what to do, that she cannot, for the life of her, find any way of getting into the market - and she was not making it up. This is a young lady that many people in this Chamber would know, and she represents so many. This lady has dedicated herself to the service of education; she has done work above and beyond the call of duty.
I will not go any further, it may draw attention to who this is, and I do not have her consent to use her story in this account. However, the point is, if we are going to talk about the economic direction, we must have a genuine buy-in so that we recognise these young people.
Then, on the other side of town, only last week, I spoke to one of our senior business leaders - a senior business leader often referred to by the Chief Minister. This senior business person, who is very interested in economic development, described it specifically: ‘If we cannot find a place for young professionals, middle management, to find a place in our community, then we will not be able to progress economically’.
That is a very serious problem. It is as serious as not putting in a reservoir so that water comes out of a tap, as the population expands. If you do not have middle management, if you do not have dedicated young teachers, young professionals who cannot find their place in this community because it is simply too difficult to gather together just enough to get in, you cannot service the economy.
The Treasurer made reference to how important social indictors are when you are considering employment. She is quite right about the social implications, the social indicators of employment. Let us talk about the social indicators of being able to have a unit, a buy-in, a place to call your own, in the Northern Territory of all places. What sort of social indicator is private or personal ownership? That is a powerful indicator. It indicates that you are making a commitment to this community. You have buy-in, you have investment. This young lady that I have spoken to, I imagine if she were to have children that they would grow up in the Territory. She represents many others and, if they were to leave, they take away not only their dreams, but the possibility of others accessing and being involved in the great possibility that the Territory holds.
I recognise that as a core issue to start with. That is a part of economic development. I am afraid that I have heard the same story told again and again. That is three times by this Labor government. They are talking about quantities again; quantities and not qualities. I was pleased to hear the ‘new direction’ phrase being used. I am serious about this phrase ‘new direction’, because we do need a new direction and a new approach in the Territory if we are going to unlock the possibilities that we have here. It goes down to something deeper than just talking about quantities - the amounts of money and the record spend - when you are talking about a hospital in crisis. You skite about the amount of money you spent in education and police, but the qualities are the outcomes that you get through education - the improvement, the turnaround, the change that you see.
If it is a spend in policing, the spend is not the achievement; it is the improvement in law and order. That is where we spend our attention. That is where we are obligated to work to ensure that people who go from their home to the shop can go feeling a little differently than they do now. They are not going to go there, thinking, ‘Oh, do not worry, the government has spent a lot of money’. That is not going to do a darn thing. They want to feel secure as a result of the expenditure of money. That is the change. That is the new direction.
It is the same with health. It is almost a chilling message that is coming through regarding the approach that appears to have been taken by this government. There has been this little message coming out that this was, in fact, about meeting budgetary requirements; that there were those who were told they need to meet certain obligations. There were, obviously, those in the system who were diligent to achieve budgetary outcomes. Those budgetary outcomes were, perhaps, achieved, but at a dreadful cost. The matter has been shrouded in secrecy. There has been misinformation. There has been a misleading message sent to the community. The community has had enough -- they have heard, they know it. They talk to each other. This is a small community and they know that things are not right. You cannot spin, you cannot run messages and send misguided messages to create impressions for ever and a day – not in the Territory. It will not happen. You cannot keep going this way.
That is why I am concerned that this is the economic direction of the third Labour government, and I am hearing the same message again. I thought the Labor Party was really interested in social stuff, but members seem to be more interested in sloganeering and talking about quantities rather than qualities. Qualities are the things that we need to attend to.
For example, Question Time. Once again, we have the grand achievement of the amount of commencements in training. That is well and good, but it is only half of the story, and that half of the story makes the headline. However, the full story is there are those who do not complete their training. It is not just the opposition scoring a point there. The whole story is that we are making some achievements, but there are many who do not make the full distance. Whatever that story is, let us tell the whole story so that we can then respond to the real issue and strengthen those results, not just cut the story in half and tell the people half of it, such as the money spent.
Anyone will know that if you are going to make any progress as identified in the statement- and there are some outlines of the plan forward and the commitments that are being made - that there are three simple stages. First is the vision. I do not think we have heard vision from this government. Vision is not something that you develop as a result of endless committee work and forums, or fly in people who have butcher’s paper and textas and stuff like that who get everyone involved until they come up with a ‘vision’. That is a helpful way of understanding where people are at. Ultimately, leadership is required when a leader grabs a vision and says: ‘This is the direction we must go, like it or not. If you do not like it at the end of four years, vote me out, but I believe we have to go somewhere’. That approach has seen magnificent things happen across this country.
As a former Western Australian, the water pipeline from Mundaring Weir to Kalgoorlie with CY O’Connor was vision. That is real vision; that is courage. It is things such as the Sydney Harbour Bridge, where there was real vision, foresight, where they had opponents but stuck with it and pushed through with it. That is real vision.
A counterfeit vision is where you try to get a common denominator on what everyone thinks and feels, you do a bit of focus group work, and come up with something a bit warm and fuzzy that no one really disagrees with. Then you head in that general direction, singing songs of how wonderful things are and it is all good to stick together. That is no real vision; that is like community building.
Vision is something that cuts through; that starts to work out what our problems are, then cuts through. I do not see the cut-through here, I see focus group work and slogans and nice terms that make people feel good. After the third time round, this Labor government needs to change its tack. We are hearing the same message: people desperately want to cut-through. That young lady who stood in front of me at the markets, she will see a cut-through. She will see a sense of hope that there is going to be a solution to some very complex problems. There are people concerned about law and order who are going to see a cut-through. They are going to find solutions with some of the problems that seem to be increasing. There will be a cut-through in the health. That is what vision is; it makes a difference, it changes, it recognises it, calls it for what it is, does not spin any more, cuts through and cuts a new direction, a new path. People want that kind of hope and leadership.
We do not see it here. We heard that there was going to now be a change of direction, a change of heart because we had heard the electorate. We still need to hear it. First is vision, and vision is cut-through.
The next one is a plan - a plan that you agree on to implement that vision. There will be people who oppose the vision. There is not much to oppose here – it is amorphus, nice, general, and it is vague. We need something very specific that is courageous to deal with the complex problems that we have in the remote areas and in our urban communities. We need something with cut-through. You need a plan to do that. We do not have a plan that is connected to a really cutting vision. Then, ultimately, you need that real, sustained action - vision, plan and action.
We have reference in here to the major developments that have occurred under the two administrations of a Labor government, going into their eighth year. The key project is the waterfront development. That is a nice development. However, we need to see evidence of the real cut-through in the potential that the Territory has. After eight years, contrast a waterfront development as your major achievement with things like the building of railways, the building of ports, the establishment of the cornerstones of our tourism industry like the Territory Wildlife Park, the Desert Wildlife Park, and Yulara, and the development of Charles Darwin University, or the Northern Territory University as it then was. The creation of these cornerstones for the community was real achievement. By contrast, all of those that I have just mentioned did not come from the Labor government; they came from the Country Liberals - a different administration over a number of years. There are many of them: real cornerstones to real development.
By contrast, we have in eight years a waterfront development. That is not to take away from the waterfront development, but we need to hear more of the progressive plan to unlock land, the plan to build reservoirs for the water needs of the population to come, where schools are going to be, where the power generation is over the horizon. Where is the new hospital going to be built? Is there going to be a hospital built or are you going to wait until pressure builds so great on a political scale you will then respond and make an announcement? Or do you have a genuine plan to cut through that and recognise it needs to be put there and work towards that plan? That represents a vision, a plan and follow-through action.
These sorts of cornerstones are real developments; the sorts of things our community expects. Anyone planning wants to look ahead. A family that plans wants to look ahead and make provisions. A government has to look ahead and make provisions. They are those cornerstones. Where is the school? There has not been a school built in Palmerston, though you talk about the population increase, for eight years. That is a result …
A member: It will happen.
Mr MILLS: It will happen.
Mr Tollner: Tell us when.
Mr MILLS: Yes, there you go.
Ms Scrymgour: Wrong. The middle school is there.
Mr MILLS: Oh, there you go. It will happen. It will not happen overnight, but it will happen ...
Ms Scrymgour: It is happening. It has happened. When was the last time you went to Palmerston High?
Mr MILLS: It is happening! We have had announcements since 2002 on that. We have had media statements. We have had announcements. We have the Treasurer saying in a few Dry Seasons we might have Tiger Brennan Drive. A few Dry Seasons! Who knows if there is a real cutting plan, the opportunity to seize hold of this chance that you have now you are in government and do something - not fluff around and wait until you have focus groups that say: ‘Oh, you have to do something about this’. ‘Okay, what we will do, comrades? We will put out a media release’.
In this statement, I do not hear the description of that new direction. It is the same. You stated the obvious things such as you are going to work to attract major projects. Hey, that is your job. That is what you are meant to be doing. If you are going to attract major projects - going back to that senior business person I spoke about - that person is pleased that the government has acted - as they should, for goodness sake - in attracting major projects.
However, where will middle management folk live? If they are attached to INPEX, they will not have any problem because, in talking to Mantra and those other big developers around the place, there are whole floors being booked out by major project participants. Money is not the issue here. But, their inclusion in our market is having a direct effect upon those young people - those young professionals, those middle management, those young newly-married couples – regarding their place. Will they be able to raise kids here and be a part of the exciting next chapter of the Northern Territory? Unless you attend to that, it is a lop-sided story; a half story.
To summarise, what we hear is a description of how you are going to win a battle - probably a political or immediate battle - but you are going to lose the war unless you attend to some of the underlying issues required of government to provide real leadership through a cutting vision of a plan, and one you are going to act on. Do not just fight to win a battle which is an immediate, political battle that is fought out in the polls and the NT News on a daily basis. We need more than that. We need to win the war, but the war is being lost in the planning front, right through health and education, law and order. That war is being lost. You are winning the little battles along the way. However, Territorians will not put up with it much longer if you continue to fluff around and talk about the economy as though we live in an economy, and not a community – if you continue to talk about quantities and numbers rather than the qualities that need to be advanced in our community; if you continue to speak about spending of money as though that, of itself, is an achievement, rather than the results.
The education results have been released, and we do not see any encouraging news there in improvements. However, I am sure we are going to hear plenty of statements about the amount of money being spent.
We have to go to the next stage, and be a bit more sophisticated and talk about how we are going to get in there and fix it. It is only a new direction whereas, if you take the Labor government’s approach it is: ‘If we are spending this much money and we are getting these results consistently, the only answer is to spend more money’. No. You need to take a different approach, not spend more money. It is time to have some personal buy-in and sort it out, and try to find a way to cut through some of these very complex issues. I do not think we are going to get very far if we continue with these types of statements; we have to go to a new level.
Mr KNIGHT (Local Government): Madam Speaker, I am pleased to speak in support of the Chief Minister’s strong statement setting out the government’s commitment to the continued economic growth in the Northern Territory.
I offer to the Leader of the Opposition, if he would like to provide me with the name or the contact details of the young lady he was speaking to, we have a very good scheme, the HomeNorth Extra Scheme. I believe, with the level of salary that she would be on at the moment, she would be entitled to use that scheme. If you are unaware of that scheme, or she is unaware of that scheme, I can provide the details to you and you can provide them to her, or you can provide me with her name and I will get the department to speak to her. That offer is there …
Mr Mills: Thank you. I will take you up on it.
Mr KNIGHT: … Leader of the Opposition, because we have an excellent HomeNorth Extra Scheme. I believe that, given that she is a teacher, she would be in a good income bracket to actually achieve …
Mr Bohlin: With a ceiling cap of $350 000 she cannot buy a new home.
Mr KNIGHT: There are plenty of houses on the market for $350 000, member for Drysdale …
Mr Bohlin: Not many.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr KNIGHT: Madam Speaker, I recall in 2001 the Northern Territory economy was in a stagnant state. Since that time, the Labor government has, through responsible economic management and a focus on creating business opportunities, moved the Territory forward. The Chief Minister has outlined our record in that regard, and the results speak for themselves - new investment, new infrastructure and our kids being able to find work in the Territory. We have enabled the private sector to generate business and investment through levering off the government’s investment.
The critical issue is planning for continued growth, but ensuring at the same time that our continued growth is in harmony with our wonderful environment and our great lifestyle. Most importantly of all, we have a critical obligation - one that we are absolutely committed to - that all Territorians, regardless of where they live, participate in the benefits from the continued economic growth; also ensuring that these outcomes will require a plan, a real commitment to delivering that plan and strong, effective leadership. The Chief Minister’s statement demonstrates a sound understanding of issues we need to confront. It sets out a strong, clear plan, and Chief Minister Henderson has totally committed himself to providing the leadership to deliver that plan.
I now turn to how my portfolio responsibilities will support his plan. Honourable members, you would have noted the key objectives of the local government reform have been to modernise the local government legislation, improve local government networks, and improve local government services to Territorians living out bush. While these are our key local government objectives, my predecessors, Jack Ah Kit and Elliot McAdam, also had in mind other key outcomes. They knew the importance of strong local government as a critical ingredient for strong regional development. Strong local government will help deliver and maintain physical and social infrastructure needed to support regional development and economic growth. It will help attract investment to local communities, help provide the local leadership to facilitate planning, and engender community participation and necessary formation of strong, sustainable economic growth.
I look forward to working with my colleague, the Minister for Regional Development, in supporting his work in the area of regional development. With clear and appropriate governance structures in place, the regions will be better placed to attract investment from government and the private sector.
One approach to promoting business opportunities in the bush was our $500 000 Local Opportunities Business Assistance Program. The funding was provided to assist communities in developing local business opportunities through the dedicated funding program. The funds have now been distributed to assist the transitioning of current businesses and the development of potential businesses independent of councils. The funding facilitated proposals by local groups to provide a local service, transfer an enterprise out of existing councils, or provide a subcontracting service to the council.
A highlight of the Chief Minister’s plan is the commitment to grow the Territory’s workforce. Our great challenge out bush is to develop and grow Indigenous participation in the workforce. Our government’s Closing the Gap initiative, in partnership with the Australian government, has already delivered results. Today, I mentioned that over 400 full-time positions in local government have been created for local Indigenous employees.
As well as creating real jobs for local people, this program will also play a key role in creating entry level positions for local people and supporting personal skills development in the workplace. These positions will also work as an employment incubator, building confidence and skills, and leading local people to career and job paths in all sorts of employment. This is an employment program that will help create a skilled regional workforce participating over time in all sorts of industries.
A necessary requirement for strong economic development and a stable, local workforce is that workers have somewhere safe and comfortable to live, work and raise a family. Most of us here did not have to share a house with scores of other people and accommodate a range of people who might change from week to week.
As Minister for Housing, I focus on working hard to ensure that government housing programs across the Territory align with and support our economic development plan. I am especially focused on ensuring the successful implementation of the Strategic Indigenous Housing Infrastructure Program. Members might recall that, last week, I outlined how the SIHIP program will deliver serviced land, 1000 new homes and around 2500 refurbishments existing homes in our regional communities. This investment will reduce overcrowding in homes, provide for ongoing maintenance to protect our huge investment, and promote wellbeing in our communities. It is my intent that this investment be backed by an education and communication plan that promotes home/life skills, home ownership and pride in the upkeep of the homes.
I am asked from time to time, what stops some of our young kids and young adults in our bush communities, such as those in my own electorate, from going to school and working. One obvious answer is that most of us attended school regularly, studied hard and planned a career, and had a stable base to work from.
Our focus of building appropriate housing and infrastructure in the bush creates the base from which our regions can grow. Most importantly, we are also ensuring that we maximise opportunities to train and employ local people. These programs will develop a skilled workforce which can continue working in the local community or travel where the work might be. The critical outcome is to build our local workforce skills and participation, build self-esteem and self-worth among the current unemployed to create a desire for more work, and to foster local development and businesses creating more jobs.
The other obvious answer to the question posed before us is that there are jobs for the young people to aspire to. I will be working with my colleagues, in line with our economic development plan, to ensure programs and partnerships with businesses to create all sorts of employment in our bush communities.
I welcome the Chief Minister’s election commitment for an additional $10m over four years to provide a 10 000 new commencements for trainees and apprentices, and the doubling of the Build Skills and Work Ready programs. For those looking to new opportunities away from home, I will be encouraging the development of incentives and support for employees who want to move to this work.
Economic development and the continued growth of our workforce, whether it be in the city or the bush, requires well planned and reliable essential services infrastructure. I am committed to making sure that we have the plan in place, properly sequenced, to support the growth envisaged in the Chief Minister’s economic development plan. I will also be very conscious of our greenhouse challenges and how we can encourage innovation and creativity in responding to these issues.
There will be other challenges such as the remoteness of many of our communities and development projects, climatic extremes, and rising costs. I am impressed by the quality of our technical staff and their capacity to respond to any challenges thrown their way. We will provide the technical knowledge and innovation that the Territory is renowned for, providing necessary capacity to support the economic development of the Territory. We will also ensure our proposals and solutions are cost-effective and that in any partnerships with private developers taxpayers are not carrying any unreasonable share of the cost of infrastructure.
The Henderson government is investing in essential services to support the growth of our economy. The Power and Water Corporation has infrastructure investment programs valued at $1bn for the next five years, starting in the 2007-08 year. Investment is a continued strategic focus on improving supply reliability and increasing capacity. Major capital projects in this program include new power stations at Weddell and Owen Springs, the Archer Zone power substation for Palmerston, and power upgrades in the Katherine, Tennant Creek and Yulara centres.
We have committed to the Darwin Sewerage Strategy, including the new Larrakeyah outfall and the upgrade of the Ludmilla Waste Treatment Plant. For water security we are raising the Darwin River Dam wall, we are building the Palmerston rising main, and upgrading the Roe Creek bore field in Alice Springs. The Territory is open for business and we are investing in water, sewerage and power infrastructure in readiness for this future.
As Minister for Public Employment, I will be ensuring we maintain an effective professional public sector, ensuring a sound platform to support the economic growth we envisage; a public sector which has appropriate levels of staffing and delegations in the areas where the decisions will be realised. We will support the planning effort and help deliver the expert advice and good governance expected by the community. We need to maintain a high professional public sector, ensuring our assets continue to be developed and that long-term community interests are properly considered in respect of all development proposals. We will ensure that we recruit and retain staff we need, and will continue providing appropriate public sector traineeships and apprenticeships that will help build our own skill base.
As our economy grows, so will this workforce. I will be ever vigilant to ensure that any growth in the public sector is squarely aimed at improving outcomes and getting traction on the ground. I will also be working with my ministerial colleagues to ensure that our regional development initiatives are reflected in the placement of public sector staff and the allocation of government traineeships.
As with many plans, the plan itself is only as good as the arrangements in place to ensure the plan is delivered, and to quickly identify what is working and what is not and amend the plan accordingly. Last week, the Chief Minister indicated very firmly his intention to deliver on election commitments and his arrangements to ensure that this takes place. I know the Chief Minister will be applying the same strong expectation in respect to economic growth. We have enjoyed exceptional growth in the Territory in recent years. Growth needs to be nurtured and supported by good planning, good policies and a responsive, but responsible, government.
This makes the difference between our government and the opposition. We have delivered and we will continue to deliver. We know what needs to be done. We know how to get on with it. We know how to work in partnership with business and other tiers of government. We have established and will continue to build on our productive working relationship with the Rudd government. Let us work to ensure the continued growth we all want for the Territory, and that this growth provides benefits for all Territorians, no matter where they live and who they vote for.
Mr ELFERINK (Port Darwin): Madam Speaker, I thank the minister for his statement in relation to the importance of the economy to the Northern Territory and the people who live here. I also note that he said that economic growth and expansion is the key to improving the lives of all Territorians. I could not agree more. The need to expand the Northern Territory economy to provide work, to provide incomes, and a future for Territorians is vitally important. Which is why I return to the old hoary chestnut that used to get me to my feet as the member for Macdonnell in times gone by: I urge this government to support all systems and principles that would see the same economic growth introduced to all areas of the Northern Territory, as we have seen in the area of Darwin.
One of the great tragedies of being the former member for Macdonnell - and I note that the current member for Macdonnell is in this place - is that the economic outcomes in many of these remote communities are just awful. I heard the Minister for Local Government, during Question Time today, talk about 408 real jobs being created, and I am grateful for that. The truth is, however, these are still service jobs based on some sort of public purse arrangement, because they are working for council.
One of the great sadnesses in the Northern Territory is that there is this monumental disparity between the wealth generated on land outside of land trusts and inside land trusts. I am continually frustrated - and have been for as long as I can remember - looking at those land trusts and wishing and hoping they could provide an income for Aboriginal people according to the same principle that, before the arrival of Europeans, the land provided an income for Aboriginal people. They were not dependent on some external source of wealth. Although their wealth was measured in calories - the amount of calories they were able to collect in a given period of time - the land used to economically support the people who lived here.
I am not arguing for a second that we return to the old days of hunting and gathering for the people who live in these remote communities. That would be absurd. What I am arguing is that we should turn to that land, or ask the owners of that land to turn to that land as a source of their economic salvation and, I argue, their salvation in so many other areas. It is, to me, a continuing source of dismay that you can literally step one step from one system of land use and ownership - for argument sake, a pastoral lease - over the boundary into a land trust, and be stepping from the first to the third world in how that land produces wealth for the people who live on those respective properties. There is no difference in the land on either side of that fence line, but there is a fundamental difference in the systems of ownership and the capacity to raise capital and interest from the investment sector on either side of that boundary.
I am concerned when I see, at the international level, the times that we live in. I see things like Lehmans Bank, which has now filed a bankruptcy claim in the United States. This is on the tail end of a whole bunch of other bail-outs and failures because of the credit crisis. I am not going to go into all of those issues. If that were to lead to a major recession - or perish the thought the ‘d’ word gets used - what happens to Aboriginal people living in these remote communities? If the money really starts drying up, what capacity is there in Yuendumu or Papunya for these people to generate their own wealth? Land ownership is important, and I would never support the removal of land from people who own that land without proper compensation.
In fact, so much so, the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act captures the thought that that land cannot be removed from the ownership of the traditional people who own it, even if they wanted it. However, the problem is that the trust system that exists at the moment; the lock-down mentality which still exists – and I have to say that it has been getting better, things are not as locked-down as they used to be; but it still exists to a large degree - is actually hindering Aboriginal people from advancing. We say education is the answer for Aboriginal people. Yes, that is true, but it is only part of the answer. If there is no job to go to, you could produce, in Mt Liebig, 15 doctors of philosophy and they would have the same income outcomes – pardon the expression; I will try to rephrase that - they will have the same outcomes in what they earn as the person sitting next to them who is still sitting there on Centrelink payments. There has to be some sort of environment in which traditional people living on their own lands can generate wealth.
I pause briefly to note the area of Titjikala - I think it is only a few square kilometres of land - which was granted to the Titjikala Football Club, if my memory serves me, in about 1976. It was not granted as trust land and it still does not reside under the control or command of the Central Land Council. I am not going to bash up on the Central Land Council. I have issues with the way they do their job. I also have issues with the way they are responsible to do their job under the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act. However, this is the one patch of land, only a handful of square kilometres - I think about 5 km2 or 10 km2 - that actually rests with Aboriginal ownership in a system of land ownership which is different to land trust ownership in the rest of Central Australia under the Central Land Council’s control.
When it was discovered that this freehold title - and it is normal freehold title - was in the possession of a long since defunct sports association, Harry Scott, the then CEO out there - I believe, he has moved on, I am not sure - figured out that none of the rules of the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act applied. So, he saw the traditional people out there, led by Philip Willuka, and suggested to them that they were not bound by the operations of the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act and all of the inherent duties and responsibilities that are encumbered upon land councils to manage land under the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act.
Before too long, there was an investment project happening at Titjikala. No one was deprived of their land but, because the land was available for the investment dollar, investment money was able to come there very quickly without having to jump through all of the hurdles that necessarily have to be jumped through if you try to bring some form of investment into the collective ownership - which is, essentially, what a land trust is. If you operate inside a land trust, you have to organise meetings, those meetings have to be paid for, there are questions that come out of those meetings, and they have to go back to the proponent of any particular investment. You then have to go back to the traditional owners and have another meeting. That process can take six to 12 months or perhaps even longer.
How does that become attractive to the investment dollar? If I have $10m in my back pocket and I want to invest in the Northern Territory but I want a return at some reasonable time, how does creating that environment of negotiation - come back, talk to people about this, that and the other, then go back into a negotiation process - keep the investment dollar interested? Frankly, it does not. One of the problems of the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act is that, where it was designed to hand land back to the traditional owners - which it has achieved in the absence of any form of native title - the fact is that those walls of protection have become, in many instances, a wall of imprisonment around the people who own that land. That is a matter of great concern to me.
Should we, on this side of the House, form government in the Northern Territory, I will be talking to land councils, as well as the federal government, to find ways to get past these hurdles to make investment in Aboriginal and traditional lands attractive to the investment dollar. For that reason then, you can give them this extra environment for education, and you can give Aboriginal people a reason to be healthy. If your outcomes for being healthy are no better than for the outcomes for somebody being unhealthy, why be healthy? That really is the question that many Aboriginal people ask themselves on a daily basis: if there is no advantage in being educated, if there is no advantage in being healthy, then why bother?
This is one area I am deeply concerned about, because if you think that we generate a lot of wealth out of the Northern Territory at the moment - and we do - then we are only doing it from half of the Northern Territory in many instances. I know that there are mines on Aboriginal land which have been the product of patient and long-sought-after negotiations by mining companies, but I look forward with some passion to the day that Aboriginal land stands economically independent, not only of the Northern Territory, but of the national government as well. That will be the day that true and full self-determination will have found its way to Aboriginal people in the Northern Territory.
The reason I know that is because that philosophy does not only hold true for Aboriginal people, it holds true for all people. Those people who are economically independent are truly self-determining, and I look forward with passion to that day.
I also want to visit the comments on the first page of the statement made by the minister, where he described the economic situation in the Northern Territory in 2001 as being some sort of a wasteland - economic growth was zero, population growth was 0.1%. One could be forgiven for thinking that, from that world view, that snapshot of history, prior to that time the Northern Territory was governed by people who had no idea what they were doing. Yet, if you look between the years 1978 and 2001, the Northern Territory actually developed quite substantially in that period. This blame game - this argument that under the CLP we lived in this economic wasteland and nothing ever happened, and all was destitution and desperation - is simply an attempt to build a point of comparison with what is happening now and what was happening in 2001.
I understand why you have to do it for political reason, but the fact is that the Territory did well under the Country Liberals administration during the years 1978 through 2001, and it grew enormously. Labor members, during that period, often used to engage in critiques, which, if made from this side of the House in the current arrangement, would be described as running down the Northern Territory and talking down the Territory. We all recall the comments made by the former Chief Minister, long before she even entered parliament, I believe, that the railway, for argument’s sake, was some form of faded dream.
We have a boom and bust economy in the Northern Territory. It has, sadly, for a long time been that way. Since 2001, for various reasons, we have had extended boom. It is easy to sit on the crest of that wave and look backwards at 2001 and say that things are so much better. I grant you, things have improved, but I am not entirely sure how much that is down to government and how much is the wave that has been generated in other places like China, India, Europe, and in the United States. I will be curious to see, should the economic downturn that seems to be looming for the whole world come to reality, how well this government will be able to argue these cases into the future.
I now want to get down into a little more detail. The government talked about the great successes it has had, but it is also worth visiting some of the earliest documents that they created upon coming to government. I bring members’ attention to Budget Paper No 3 of the 2001-02 mini-budget. This particular Budget Paper was produced after the government called a fellow by the name of Percy Allan to come to the Northern Territory to review the budget of the Northern Territory. Percy Allan made some suggestions and the government made some decisions on the back of those suggestions. I point out a comment made on page 13 of the mini-budget, Inclusion of government initiatives:
Labor’s election platform was premised on introducing a number of initiatives across a range of functional areas to be funded by a range of savings measures and reduced capital works expenditure.
I dwell again on those last four words ‘reduced capital works expenditure’. I remember the former member for Stuart, Dr Peter Toyne, standing in this place -- and I cannot lay my hands immediately on the quote, but he said it was a policy of the new ALP government to spend less on infrastructure and more on social outcomes. No complaints with that because they have a mandate to do so. That is exactly what they did. They started engaging in what you would call social outcomes.
You can see a chart in that budget paper where this extra expenditure is drawn from. You will notice that, in health, there was an increase of $32m, education $7m, and law and order $9m. There were some carryover items. Also in that chart, you can see that there was a comment about the ‘removal of NT Fleet asset sale’. When a government produces a budget or a mini-budget, they take control of the fiscal arrangements in any particular jurisdiction. I note from the minister’s statement that he accused the former Country Liberal administration, saying that there was a deficit of $130m and nett debt in employee liability ratio was 134%.
I presume that he is referring to the $126m not $130m, listed on the bottom of page 11 in Chapter 2, Financial Projections. That $126m deficit was a product of this budget which was the ALP’s first budget, the mini-budget. The decision to have a deficit of $126m was the government’s decision, not the Country Liberals’ decision. Part of that particular blowout was the ALP government keeping its promise of removing the NT Fleet asset sale. There was a plan under the original budget for the 2001-02 financial year to sell assets to help keep the deficit down - the projected deficit was $12m. That asset sale was going to be the NT Fleet and it was going to reduce the overall deficit which was projected in that year.
It was also the government’s decision to spend $32m more in health, education and law and order. So, the deficit for that year was a product, not of the Country Liberals making, but of the new ALP government’s mini-budget. If they had stuck to the original 2001-02 budget then they could have legitimately argued that there was a large deficit at the end of that period; that it was the Country Liberals’ fault. You cannot come into a place and say: ‘That budget is no good, we are going to create a new budget. Here is our new budget, this is what we are going to spend’ and, at the end of that process say it is the Country Liberal Party’s fault that the budget blew out.
This is the $100m black hole that they fabricated, because this …
Ms Lawrie: Did not fabricate.
Mr ELFERINK: You fabricated it. You made it up. Part of that was the direct result of your decision not to sell NT Fleet ...
Ms Lawrie: How are you going to fund the cars?
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr ELFERINK: It was part of your decision not to sell NT Fleet. This was your mini-budget.
It is also interesting to note that on, I think page 25 – no I will go to the next year’s budget, Budget Paper No 2 for the year 2002-03. It was the first year that they set themselves their fiscal strategy. I urge members to have a look at the fiscal strategy from that year, because it makes …
Mr CONLAN: Madam Speaker, I move an extension of time for the member for Port Darwin to finish his remarks, pursuant to Standing Order 77.
Motion agreed to.
Mr ELFERINK: I thank honourable members for their indulgence, Madam Speaker.
It is interesting to note that, under Fiscal Objectives, which can be found on page 25 of the 2002-03 Budget Paper No 2, it said:
- … curbing the growth in nett debt and unfunded liabilities, while continuing to provide adequate levels of service to the community;
‘Curbing the growth of nett debt’ - now there is an ambitious target. ‘We are not going to try to cap it there. We are actually going to just let it grow more slowly’ or something. If you go to later Budget Papers, you can see nett debt has come down slightly. That is not really a remarkable achievement seeing that the goods and services tax revenue poured into Territory coffers far beyond budget estimates and expectations. One would hope you would be able to not only curb the growth, but actually reduce nett debt quite substantially.
As well as ‘curbing the growth of nett debt’ unfunded liabilities is the other aspect of this. Let us talk about what unfunded liabilities really are. They are superannuation liabilities. Compare the Uniform Presentation Framework in the General Government Sector Balance Sheet, page 64 of Budget Paper No 2, 2002-03. The superannuation liability projected out to 2005-06, at that time, was $1.445bn. Bearing in mind that curbing the growth of unfunded liabilities was the fiscal objective of this government, let us see how they went. I do not have the 2005-06 Budget Paper No 2, but what I will have a look at is the General Government Sector Balance Sheet for the year after 2005-06, is the year 2007-08 …
Ms Lawrie: Are you going to mention the actuarial assessment?
Mr ELFERINK: Look, you made it clear you do not understand superannuation by backing the Chief Minister …
Ms Lawrie: Go on then. Mention the actuarial assessments …
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr ELFERINK: These are the people who think that because the superannuation schemes have been closed off to new members that there is no effect on superannuation …
Ms Lawrie: Because it is taken into the actuarial assessments.
Mr ELFERINK: This is the Treasurer …
Ms Lawrie: Because it is taken into account …
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr ELFERINK: … who - can you believe it? - thinks that the Commonwealth coffers are filling up with GST revenue. For goodness sake, I am astonished.
Anyway, getting back to what I was talking about: superannuation liability, bearing in mind that - what was the last figure I gave? Was it $1.4bn? Yes, $1.4bn. What was curbing the growth in unfunded liabilities at 2007-08? $2.3bn - give or take $800m more than projected a few years earlier. Is it being curbed? Is the unfunded liability being curbed? Let me look at superannuation projected out to …
Members interjecting.
Mr ELFERINK: … $2.5bn. Yes, okay. See where we were going. Fiscal Objective No 1 was curbing the growth in nett debt and unfunded liabilities. Cross, wrong.
The second was:
- … a commitment to, and continuation of, a deficit reduction strategy ...
Know how they are achieving that? I asked them questions during my briefing. I asked if the Conditions of Service Reserve was counted against nett debt, bearing in mind the Conditions of Service Reserve is the money we put aside so retirees relying on their superannuation schemes can get some money into their kick when they do retire. It is an attempt to offset the future superannuation liabilities the Northern Territory government carries. The answer was ‘yes’, it does have the effect.
Like many superannuation schemes, with the exception of last year, they performed very well. I think the value of those schemes is now in the order of about $450m. I could be mistaken on the exact figure. That has a profound effect on the nett debt situation in the Northern Territory. You are, basically, saying: ‘We are going to cover our current borrowings with other people’s superannuation funds’.
If you remove that particular amount from the nett debt sums on the general government sector balance sheet, then you will find that the nett debt reduction has not been quite half as sexy as the Treasurer would have us believe.
It is also interesting to note that there is an anticipation that nett debt will go up, not on the general government sector balance sheet but on the non-financial sector balance sheet. Why would that occur? It is because the government is currently borrowing to do infrastructure work. They make a great deal of hoo-hah about the infrastructure that they are bringing to the Northern Territory because they say: ‘We need to do all this infrastructure work’. I point members’ attention out to page 13 of the mini-budget where they actually started creating that problem for themselves in 2001. Why? Because on page 13 they committed themselves to reduced capital works expenditure.
So they create the problem and, then, they come and fix it. ‘It is the cavalry – the cavalry has come to save the day! We are going to reduce expenditure on infrastructure only so that down the track when everybody is whingeing about infrastructure and planning in the Northern Territory, we can come, like knights in shining armour, and save the day’. That is not what you would call honest government.
Here is the last fiscal objective to which the fiscal strategy of a few years applies:
- … a resultant decline in nett debt and total liabilities.
Add the two up and it is a big cross. Therefore, curbing growth - cross; commitment for continuation of the deficit reduction strategy - cross; resultant decline in nett debt and total liabilities – cross. They have done a wonderful job. They have done a splendid job serving the people of the Northern Territory.
Madam Speaker, I can only hope that the people of the Northern Territory wake up before they do mortgage, as the Chief Minister said, the future of Territorians and their children.
Ms LAWRIE (Treasurer): Madam Speaker, I congratulate the Chief Minister on his statement. I pick up on what the Leader of the Opposition had to say regarding looking at what we do through the prism of the community. However, without strong economic growth, the community struggles - it struggles to have the opportunities for a vibrant lifestyle here in the Territory. We have seen that the CLP is keen to bury its head in the sand and ignore the fact that we have the strongest economic growth in the nation. Not only do we have it now but Access Economics predicts that we will have sustained, strong economic growth of an average of around 5% through the next five years.
That does not happen by accident. The member for Port Darwin, in his response, clearly omitted to talk around the 2001-02 and 2002-03 budget periods and the fiscal regimes there. Clearly, he did not want to deal with the reality of the circumstance which the government was dealing with, which was that, when we came to government there simply was not the cash to fund the capital works requirements. The government embarked on a very tight fiscal regime to drive down any unnecessary expenditure to ensure that we were able to direct services to the most critical areas of need. They were directed to health, education, and law and order because, of course, we recall then that, at the time, the CLP had a freeze in place for the recruitment of police.
Yes, we need a community, we need a strong community. That is delivered by applying the resources to the areas of need and priority which means that the community can be strong and vibrant. Important also, is that it is not just in key major urban areas of Darwin and Alice Springs, but that that opportunity extends across the Territory.
In stark contrast, the Chief Minister’s comprehensive statement in the Chamber today outlines just how strong our economy is, how it became so strong, and how we are going to keep it so strong. It is a statement that lays out comprehensive, fresh, new plans for our future - plans that we believe will deliver real results across a range of areas that all contribute to our economic growth and, indeed, our economic future.
The statement outlines how this government will deliver on our election commitments to grow the Territory, create jobs and improve the income streams of Territory families, giving them the opportunity to enjoy living in their communities. Supporting business will be a key focus, and that will include building on our main existing industries, but developing new ones. Diversity can be a strength.
Our economic indicators are very strong. Since 2001, we have turned the Territory’s economy around. Compared to 2001, we live in a very different economic reality in the Northern Territory today. In 2001, economic growth was zero, population growth was almost zero, and unemployment was over 7%. Try living in your community without a job. Responsible financial management had been abandoned by the previous CLP government. We inherited a $130m budget black hole that emerged, and the nett debt and liability ratio had spiralled up to 134%.
As a new government in 2001, Labor had to act. It addressed tax cuts; we now have the lowest business taxes in the country for businesses of 100 or fewer employees. We introduced the first ever Jobs Plan for the Territory - it simply did not exist previously. We went into the 2005 election with a commitment for 10 000 trainees and apprentices to be trained. In August this year, we delivered some 9600 trainees, and we went into the 2008 election with another promise of 10 000 more to come. We have the highest level of people participating in training in our nation.
We have spent $3.5bn in investment in infrastructure. We are continually improving our roads infrastructure budgets and our broader infrastructure budgets. We have hit a record infrastructure budget this year of $870m. Building infrastructure creates the jobs and it also develops the Territory. We are a government that adheres to strong financial management by delivering surplus budgets and by continuing to have strong debt management. We are driving the surplus up and we are driving the debt down. It is ensuring that we continue to see all independent forecasts pointed to growth continuing at strong levels. These are not just statistics; this means jobs and income streams for our Territory families.
We have enormous confidence out there in our community. We have the best retail trade figures in the nation - 9.2% growth in the last year alone. That means more Territory families have the capacity and the confidence to spend more money on their retail needs. Strong employment growth and low unemployment, clearly, is good news for those individuals who have found jobs. It is also good news for everyone. Low unemployment is a key social inclusion policy. Low unemployment leads to better outcomes for our entire community. We have achieved this strong growth while, at the same time, keeping a rein on inflation.
We recognise that the strength in our economy is bringing with it growing pains, because a growing economy and a growing population brings with it those pressures. Challenges are presented with the growth. We face, in those challenges, a shortage of workers, both skilled and unskilled. Our growing population means we have to release more housing into the marketplace to relieve pressure on demand and, with more housing, we need more roads, more schools and more health services. We are working hard to deliver these essential infrastructure requirements for the Territory.
The opposition would have us believe that we have not been building schools. Middle schools have been the largest education infrastructure project in the Territory’s history. We are committed to some $286m still to come on school upgrades right across the Territory.
Central to our economic strength is our port. We are spending some $59m this financial year on infrastructure at the port, with a $100m commitment to our port for essential infrastructure, but we know that we require about $200m more and we are seeking that from Infrastructure Australia. We have put a bid in to Infrastructure Australia.
We are spending about $1bn in Power and Water infrastructure right across the Territory to really feed that growing demand.
The biggest ever remote housing program in the nation’s history is occurring in the Northern Territory, to deliver remote housing right across the Territory. We also have a comprehensive land release program in our CBD of Darwin, four new suburbs for Palmerston, Lyons and Muirhead, and rural subdivisions. We have urban infill along the Berrimah corridor. We have land release occurring in the Alice Springs, Tennant Creek and Katherine.
In roads, we will be spending approximately $270m this year - a record roads budget. That stretches from the Tiger Brennan Driver extension right down through to the Tanami.
Transport is also important and this government is going to invest $13.4m for new buses, new routes and, for the rural area, the new park and ride facilities, which means people will be able to get in and commute via the public transport service.
While we recognise that industrial development is a critical part of the Territory’s growth and our future, we will become a northern gas hub, which has been the vision of this Labor Territory government. We understand we do need a sensible approach to that development and the development that will occur in Middle Arm. We recognise that we can provide both for the development and also robust environmental processes in and around the development to ensure that we do protect our magnificent harbour. With all of this growth, it is critical that we are planning for further growth. For that we have the Territory Workforce Unit that comes under our minister for Business, and also the new Planning for Growth Unit which will be located in the Department of the Chief Minister under Dave Malone. I look forward, as Minister for Lands and Planning, and Treasurer, to working closely with that unit.
We are bringing in new planning controls and approaches that ensure that we grow responsibly. I welcome debate about some of those new planning processes.
We have done all of this with strong financial management. With successive budget surpluses, with debt and liabilities to revenue ratio down to 106% from the 134% we inherited, we have a good track record. The endorsement of Moody’s Investor Services with an AA1 credit rating is critically important to our future.
Strong financial management ensures that businesses will have the confidence to invest. We are undertaking an infrastructure 10-year plan where we are engaging with the private sector in where they see infrastructure in the private capacity occurring, so that we give a decade period of confidence to the private sector to work with government and put their investment into building the Territory as well. Government, on its own, cannot complete this picture. It is private investment that significantly builds the Territory. Obviously, government working with the private sector means we have the capacity to do much more than we would otherwise be able to do.
Our record speaks for itself. We have comprehensive plans for the future. However, there are some stark comparisons for the CLP. The CLP members talk about housing affordability and housing land release but, when it came to the crunch, during the recent election campaign, what was the CLP’s land release policy? All they came up with was releasing the land at Sports House in Fannie Bay. That amounts to about 15 lots. At the time, they said that they would scrap the relocation of the prison, removing that from the land release picture, which will be yielding around about 500 lots. The nett result of the CLP’s election commitments to land release is to reduce land availability under the current strategy by about 485 lots ...
Members interjecting.
Ms LAWRIE: Going backwards. I pick up on the interjection. They talked earlier in the election about bringing on Weddell. Then they backflipped and removed it from their costings. They talked about HomeNorth and stamp duty, but not once did they announce any single policy for HomeNorth or stamp duty in their election commitments - not one. Nor did they have anything to say on transport.
Earlier this year, members may recall that the Leader of the Opposition spent a considerable amount of his time talking about buses. He was getting up early and heading down to the Palmerston bus interchange and hearing people’s concerns and their ideas, and he was putting together the CLP public transport policy. Then, the election came around. He announced nothing - not one single public transport initiative anywhere in the Territory. Not one new bus, not one new route service, no extra school buses and not even one new bus stop.
Interestingly, on radio, just four days before the election, the member for Port Darwin was asked about his party’s plans for public transport, and here is what he said:
- … the fact of the matter is, that we will be attending to this particular issue and we have several policy announcements yet to be made, I think, in relation to transport out of Palmerston and bus services particularly, but also a couple of other ideas, but I am certainly not going to gazump Terry Mills on this.
Last week, we saw the member for Port Darwin complain that government had not built a new school in inner Darwin. I find that remarkable for a couple of reasons: (1) the CLP did not announce any commitment to build one; did not mention it during the election at all; and (2) the new Darwin Middle School, which caters for the electorate of Port Darwin, opened only this year. This is a state-of-the art education facility catering to Port Darwin. The CLP opposed that facility. The member for Port Darwin would have us believe that it is not a new school. He needs to have a look at the Darwin Middle School. It is a fantastic new school.
In the lead-up to the election, the CLP produced costings that, sadly, again would have led us back into budget black-hole country to the tune of about $100m. They put no money towards reducing debt; they were just going to create this black hole. Rather, the CLP debt management was just to blow the budget again. After years of supporting Middle Arm for development, the CLP have turned their back on it. The CLP said they would contribute $30m in future years to develop Glyde Point. Well, that leaves it hundreds of millions of dollars short for the approximately $500m-plus price tag that industry would need for its development. You either develop it or you do not. The CLP’s plan to develop Glyde Point does not even allow enough money for a road to get out to Glyde Point.
The government has protected Glyde Point much to the delight, I have to say, of the environmentalists and the recreational fishermen. Under the Territory government, we recognise that you can have development and environmental protection. The differences are stark. The government has the runs on the board. We have built our economy to be the strongest in the nation. We have the strongest population growth in the nation. We have the nation’s lowest unemployment rate. We have the nation’s highest workforce participation rate. We are bucking national and international trends here in the Territory ...
Mr Chandler: You go on believing in it – go on.
Ms LAWRIE: I pick up on the interjection of the member for Brennan: ‘You go on believing it’. Member for Brennan, economic indicators speak for themselves and are published independently of government. They exist. We recognise that we have a strong and vibrant economy. We recognise that with that strength it provides us with challenges. We have fresh ideas to tackle those challenges and to deliver improved infrastructure and services right across the Territory, providing opportunities for Territorians irrespective of where they live.
Fundamental to society’s wellbeing is ensuring the people have the opportunity for shelter. We are releasing land and working across our regions to release land, to provide land on which to build the houses. However, we recognise with that comes the need for a range of accommodation, not just your single family house blocks ...
Mr Tollner: You are spending lots of money, but what do you have to show for it? Zero. Health system in crisis.
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order, thank you!
Ms LAWRIE: In housing, you need a variety of housing. Transitional housing management models have only been entering into the Territory discussion under a Labor government. I welcome the Prime Minister’s commitment to addressing homelessness. I welcome the Prime Minister’s commitment to housing affordability. We have a real opportunity here to work …
Mr Tollner: Remember Bob Hawke’s commitment? Bob Hawke made a commitment: no child will be in poverty by then. Priceless!
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! Cease interjecting.
Ms LAWRIE: We have a real opportunity here to work with the Commonwealth to deliver initiatives such as affordable housing, and to address homelessness in the Territory. We are at a very important juncture in the funding arrangements for the Territory. We have a COAG process that is occurring regarding all of our SPP reforms. Those negotiations are occurring between Treasurers prior to COAG in October. It is a critical juncture for the Territory.
I am committed, as Treasurer, to ensuring that the Territory gets its fair share. We have a very good argument to put in where the spending needs to occur and how the spending could occur, where we are committed to our own expenditure and what we have done in our own expenditure because, for a small jurisdiction, we are actually punching above our weight at the national level. We will continue to punch above our weight …
Members interjecting.
Ms LAWRIE: Despite the depressive nay sayings of the CLP, we will continue to drive our economy from strength to strength, with fiscal responsibility underpinning the role of government so that we can ensure that we have the capacity to meet increasing demand for improved services across the Territory. I was doing a media interview before, and I reminded the media that when Labor came to government in 2001, secondary education did not exist in the bush …
Mr Tollner: We hear this story again!
Ms LAWRIE: I pick up on the interjection from the member for Fong Lim: ‘We hear this story again’. Yes, there is a reason for the education story being told. You cannot deliver a skilled workforce, which is essential ...
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Minister, your time has expired.
Ms SCRYMGOUR: Madam Deputy Speaker, I move an extension of the member’s time to allow her to finish her remarks, pursuant to Standing Order 77.
Members interjecting.
Mr Conlan: Her time has expired.
Ms Carney: Her time has expired, you cannot do that.
Ms Lawrie: Fine. They do not want to hear it; that is fine.
Mr TOLLNER (Fong Lim): Madam Deputy Speaker, I would have been quite happy to listen to the Treasurer rattle on and on and on. It breaks the afternoon up.
I welcome the Chief Minister’s ministerial statement because, without it, we would not actually have much to talk about unless my good friend, the member for Drysdale, did not bring on an MPI. Goodness me, we would not have had this statement to talk about, we would not have the MPI to talk about. I am sure the adjournments would have been over, and half the members across the other side would be across the road at the pub by now having a cool drink. This gives us something to have a bit of a yarn about, doesn’t it? It is a fantastic thing.
I had this thing stuck under my door this morning, I think along with every other member in this place. I had a look at it and I thought ‘Goodness me, the Economic Direction of the Third Labor Government’. I showed it to a friend of mine, and he said: ‘That reads wrong, it should be the economic direction of the Third Reich government of the Northern Territory’. Upon reading it, I thought that is true. It was delivered by the Fuhrer this morning, and it is a …
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker! The member for Fong Lim, talking about the Third Reich and referring to the Chief Minister as the Fuhrer, is completely offensive. I am the only Jew in this Chamber, and I find his comments offensive.
Mr TOLLNER: There are reasons that it was referred to me as the Third Reich and the Chief Minister as the Fuhrer because this document, this speech, is well practiced in …
Ms Lawrie: Your comments will be put around.
Mr TOLLNER: It shows a person well practiced and steeped in the dark art of message manipulation. This is just a fantastic piece of propaganda that Nazi Germany would have been proud of ...
Mr VATSKALIS: A point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker! I believe the terms the member is using are highly offensive. Standing Order 62 says:
- No member shall use offensive or unbecoming words against the Assembly or any Member of the Assembly.
I take great offence to hear that one of my colleagues, or any member of this parliament, be called a member of Nazi Germany, or Fuhrer, or Third Reich.
Mr TOLLNER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I never referred to any person in this parliament …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Fong Lim, I ask you to withdraw all the comments relating to the Fuhrer. I was listening in. I understand that what you said was, in fact, that you are comparing the Chief Minister to the Fuhrer. I ask you to withdraw those comments and the reflections on the government in relation to the Third Reich.
Mr TOLLNER: Madam Speaker, I will gladly withdraw my comments if they caused any offence …
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Fong Lim, just withdraw unreservedly!
Mr TOLLNER: I withdraw.
Madam SPEAKER: Unreservedly.
Mr TOLLNER: Unreservedly.
Madam SPEAKER: Thank you very much, member for Fong Lim. You may continue.
Mr TOLLNER: My pleasure, Madam Speaker. This speech is a speech that was delivered by a person well practised in the dark art of message manipulation and propaganda, similar to those messages that were delivered by another administration at another time in a part of Europe. It is extraordinary in the way it tends to twist a message and put a glean on a government that has done absolutely nothing in the development of the Northern Territory.
On page 5 of the copy of the speech I have, the Chief Minister mentioned that he committed the government to the following actions:
- We will:
This document is not so much about what it says, it is about what it does not say. The foundation pillar of any society, of any economic platform, must be the assertion of law and order – the rule of law must apply. Nowhere in this Chief Minister’s wide-ranging speech has he made one mention of the rule of law and how this government seeks to apply that across the Northern Territory.
This is a Labor Party government that copped a severe – severe – boot in the pants in the Northern Territory election. Our Chief Minister said he is committed to listening to Territorians. The central theme, as I recall, of the last Territory election was the concern of the breakdown of law and order in the community: the fact that people are concerned about going to use their local parks for fear of being assaulted; the fact that they cannot walk to their local shops anytime after dark for fear of being assaulted; the fact that shops and businesses are being broken into right across the Territory; the fact that violent assaults are up …
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Fong Lim, please pause. I have just been informed that Hansard are unable to hear you. Apparently, their sound system is dropping out. …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Fong Lim, you may continue.
Mr TOLLNER: Madam Speaker, as I was saying, the Territory election gave a fairly clear message to this government that the issues that concern them are of a law and order nature: the fact that they are scared to go out of their homes at night; the fact that there are many people in our community who are scared just being in their homes at night sends a clear message to this parliament. It should send a clear message to the Chief Minister so that, in his first ministerial statement, he would not only say what he is going to do for the economy, but how he is going to underpin that with strong principles of law and order.
The rule of law must apply in the Territory. This is clearly something that this government is not hearing, otherwise you would expect that it would appear in the Chief Minister’s first major ministerial statement to the parliament. Alas, I flicked through the 20-odd pages of this that was shoved under my door this morning - and not one single word at all about the crisis that Territorians feel that they are suffering under this government in relation to the rule of law.
I go through this and I pick up some aspects of it. I note the member for Daly was talking about Indigenous workers before and how they created 400 new jobs - or 405, something like that; somewhere around 400 new jobs. These jobs were not created, of course; they already existed. These jobs already existed; those people were already doing that work. All you have done is replace CDEP and top-up with real wages …
A member: Full-time jobs.
Mr TOLLNER: Full-time jobs. They were not full-time before, they were CDEP workers now, in for the first time ever, properly paid jobs.
I note the Chief Minister said he is going to focus on Indigenous employment; that he is going to undertake improved Indigenous training in the public sector such as the police force. He also talked about nursing, teaching and other staff-type roles. Well, the fact is many of these positions currently are being filled in remote communities by people on CDEP wages with top-up. This is a form of cost shifting that this Territory government has undertaken here. The fact is that these people are doing real jobs already and they should be paid real wages. They should be getting every other single benefit that they get out of a real job.
I also pick up on the reference made to how this government delivered a major international airline hub through Jetstar. I did not realise it was this government that actually did it. It is not about what is in the speech, it is what is not in the speech. There is no mention that they have let a major international airline slip through their fingers. Tiger Airways recently announced that they were pulling out. At one stage - probably not much more than 12 months ago - Tiger Airways was talking about hubbing out of Darwin. Does anybody else remember that?
Members: Hear, hear!
Mr TOLLNER: They were talking about hubbing out of Darwin, and nothing came of it. They left. I know a little about Tiger Airways. I was actually involved in introducing them to the Northern Territory, and I know what some of their plans were. Tiger Airways wanted to partner up with government. They were not interested so much in getting a grant or a subsidy or the like, they actually wanted to partner up with the Territory government.
It was mentioned to me by Tony Davis, the Chief Executive Officer, at my initial meeting with him in Singapore in 2005, that they were very interested in doing things that were imaginative, such as painting the aircraft. They said it was a major cost to them painting the aircraft, but they would consider allowing, maybe Tourism NT or another Territory organisation, to paint their aircraft however they wanted – with crocodiles, saying ‘Come to Australia’s Northern Territory, it is the best place for a holiday’. This is an airline that had jets going into major centres all over South-East Asia that were looking at reducing their costs but, at the same time, giving advantage to some of their support groups. I did not see an aircraft painted with crocodiles or buffaloes for heaven’s sake, or anything else like that - or even an Northern Territory government logo. No. I am not aware of what form of support the Territory government gave to Tiger Airways. I am aware that Tiger Airways pulled out of the Northern Territory only very recently.
Now we have the announcement that Jetstar is coming here. Jetstar coming here is a great thing. I welcome that. I am sure all members on my side of the House welcome it, and I am sure all members on that side of the House welcome it, too. It is great that Jetstar want to have a hub out of here.
However, what are we going to do with these 250 000-odd passengers who will be coming through? You can guess that a half or a third might determine they want to stay and have a bit of a look around in the Territory on their transit through the place. Let us say 80 000 of our tourists a year decide that they want to stay and have a little look at Darwin. Where do we put them? We know that the convention centre has been built, but they cannot book conventions because there is a lack of accommodation for people who want to go a convention. We now have an airline coming here which is going to be bringing 80 000 tourists into the place, but where do they stay?
Somebody asked me the other day: ‘These government departments; are their policies somehow linked?’ I said: ‘Yes, of course, they are - with a stapler’. That is how they are linked. There is no planning at all that occurs with this government. In fact, the hallmark of this government is the complete lack of planning in practically every single area you can nominate. There is no planning, there is no vision, and there is no forward direction.
There is a lack of planning and it comes back to this nonsense here again - this dark art of message manipulation. That is what they are good at. That is what they are extraordinarily good at; that is what they sell. They are champions at this: the dark art of message manipulation.
Regarding the Territory Growth Planning Unit, I know it sounds great. We need a Territory Growth Planning Unit. It is going to be a coordinating body across all government and ‘designed to include planning for growth’. You can imagine a whole bunch of people with staplers, stapling policies together, linking them.
- The body will be staffed with demographers, economists and planners and will be both the generator of new ideas in planning for the Territory’s growth and the coordinator of action to implement those ideas. The government will back this unit with extensive ongoing infrastructure budgets. It is infrastructure that keeps our economic expansion on track.
I am just looking through the presentation here. It says that, additionally, they are going to engage in relation to workers. They are going to engage with the rest of Australia and run these forums around the country. And not just around the country, they are going to run these forums in South-East Asia. They are going to run the forums in Europe and America in an effort to attract workers to the Northern Territory. However, I see nowhere in here for such a large scale marketing campaign where a dollar has been attached - not a single dollar. I have not seen a budget paper where there is a single dollar attached to any of this stuff. We have all of these wonderful words constantly through this document, but there is actually nothing of any substance to back it up:
- We will continue to subsidise Power and Water by many millions per year to keep downward pressure on the prices of water and power for Territorians.
Let us just keep giving Power and Water more money to provide the same service they provided to us for years. We still pay more than anybody else in the country for power and water, but there is no effort at all made to look at intelligent new ways of generating power, of creating electricity. We have 8 m tides in our harbour. Has any study been done about tidal power? We have more sun and solar options and opportunities here than most parts of the world. What is going on there? We have wind opportunities. There is a whole range of things that this government is not even contemplating looking at, but we are going to continue to subsidise Power and Water - again, with our money; with the taxpayers’ money. We are going to give the taxpayers’ money back to the taxpayer to pay for something that they are paying for anyhow. How ridiculous is this scenario!
This government has no plans for the future - it has no plans at all for the future. It puts out documents like this and makes speeches like this, designed for one reason and one reason only - to obfuscate, to cover up, to hide the true reality of what is going on out there. This is a government of smoke and mirrors. This is a government tuned in to sending out misinformation, propaganda - as I was saying earlier - very similar to a party that existed in the 1930s and 1940s in Europe which was very steeped in the dark art of propaganda, and which made a reputation for themselves in producing that sort of propaganda. This is the sort of government we have here.
Ms SCRYMGOUR (Education and Training): Madam Speaker, I tell you, the level of intelligence sometimes - the member for Fong Lim should stop looking at himself in the mirror.
Madam Speaker, I support the Chief Minister’s statement on the economy. In the months and, perhaps years ahead, we in the Territory, like everyone else in the world, will be watching, tense and anxious, as the world economy struggles to maintain equilibrium in the face of a global debt crisis. The crisis appears to have its origins in the irresponsible lending practices that were accepted, for too long, in the US sub-prime mortgage market, resulting in a situation where borrowers found themselves overextended, and lenders realised that their security was illusionary or inadequate.
But, there is a more subtle and profound story to be learnt. It is one that has some indirect application to our own circumstances in this remote and, in some respects, economically favoured little portion of the planet. That story is the one of how great expanses of what was once industrial heartland of America have fallen on hard times. With the factory and associated service industries’ jobs gone the concept ‘safe as houses’ lost its validity, except in those areas where the population and its economic drivers were able to reinvent themselves and reengage in the economy which would otherwise have passed them by.
With its harsh climate, remote locations, and comparatively small population, the Northern Territory has been bypassed by the heavy manufacturing stage of the industrial revolution that transformed other countries, including the south-eastern part of this country. There are some who would regret that fact and others who would be of the view that we have been spared. Regardless of which view you take, the reality is that, for many years now, the prosperity and the continuing economic wellbeing of this place has been inextricably linked to the resources boom. That is, perhaps, the one thing that the member for Goyder and I could agree upon: the financial trickle down from large mining and related projects help pay for our schools, hospitals and roads.
Like Western Australia, we have been lucky and we will probably be lucky for a little longer. Like those in Western Australia, we need to be sceptical and careful about how we use the borrowed time we have been given, and we need to work towards skilling our population in such a way that citizens will be able to adapt to survive in a post-resources boom economic landscape.
There are many Aboriginal Territorians who live in remote places that are nowhere near any mine. In some of those places, innovative community organisations with an entrepreneurial bent have managed to create economic opportunities out of almost nothing - usually on a foundation of combined CDEP and top-up wages. This kind of subsidisation is similar to the subsidisation that the former premier of Victoria, Premier Bracks, has recently reported should be continued to be allocated to the Australian car manufacturing industry.
Everyone would like to see CDEP phased out on the basis that the embryonic enterprises that it is being used to support can survive independently without subsidy. All of us on this side - and I believe many of us who have seen communities and how CDEP works – would be working towards looking at how full-time jobs and CDEP are being fully phased out. The brutal reality is that, in many remote locations, the prospect of private sector employment is virtually nil other than in a local service industry context. Such opportunities as may exist will be in conjunction with the operations undertaken by government agencies, including local government in the form of the new shire councils.
When considering economically ill-favoured communities like that, it is, of course, all the more important that education and training be made available and is effective. Only through better education and training will local people take control of the ancillary service industry jobs, or jobs with government agencies or related non-government community service organisations.
As for those Aboriginal communities that are located close to current or pending mining operations, it is a definite priority of this government to work together with the mining companies concerned to try to increase the numbers of Indigenous trainees and employees. I, of all people, know very well that the starting point, both for the current generation of teenagers and for many of their younger siblings who will, hopefully, have the option of moving into the workforce in years to come, is basic literacy and numeracy. If we can clear that hurdle, young Indigenous people with self-discipline and commitment can avail themselves of the traineeships and apprenticeships that I referred to earlier in my speech.
Everyone in this government would be pleased to see more Indigenous people employed in the mining industry in the Territory, and I believe that we are moving steadily towards that goal, despite the problems raised by educational underachievement. However, it also needs to be recognised that there are some Indigenous people who do not support mining on their land and who will probably never wish to involve themselves in the employment that it might offer, and their rights and views need to be respected.
Turning to my responsibility as Minister for Education and Training, I want to talk about how important the strength of our economy is to increasing the range of work and training opportunities for all Territorians to participate and reap the economic benefits that come with our current economic outlook. It is critical that a strong economy provides as many training opportunities as possible. Through Jobs Plan 1, 2 and 3, we have established a policy framework upon which our targeted training strategies stand up and are able to kick some goals. These strategies are focused around: strengthening partnerships with business and industry, the community, training organisations and government agencies; the important one of providing jobs in the bush; building better pathways in their community to business and industry; schools and training organisations; and ensuring that government has the best information about the local market and economy.
As government, we are aware of the range of opportunities and impediments to employment. I say opportunities and impediments because, whilst our remote regions of the Territory might bring their employment challenges, they also bring possibilities for new business ventures and innovative, region specific economic activity. It is clear that a regional approach to training, with job specific outcomes - that is, identify the work opportunities and tailor those opportunities to the specific training needs of that region and its economy - is a great way to achieve increased local employment.
We know we have a largely untapped Indigenous workforce in regional and remote communities, and the Department of Education and Training is working closely with DEWR, industry, communities, and individuals to identify and provide sustainable employment in areas such as education, health and the land management sectors. Of course, these opportunities all require solid and targeted training to ensure they are successful.
The Chief Minister talked about the need for infrastructure to support and continue our economic growth. We also need the people to put up and operate this infrastructure. Training Territorians to do these activities is so important, particularly at a time when there are skill shortages nationwide.
This last weekend, I was privileged to attend the Northern Territory Training Awards, where some of our best trainees and apprentices were recognised for their achievements. Whilst we were there to celebrate the achievements of just a few, I was left with a feeling that anyone who undertakes training to gain skills, upskill or just improve their job prospects is a winner. Last year, we had no less than 22 000 Territorians studying within our VET sector alone, making the Territory the strongest performing state or territory in this area. These Territorians are all winners. They are all making the most of the opportunities being presented by a strong economy.
We also have a record number of apprentices and trainees with, as I said in parliament last week, 49% of these students studying in the trade shortage occupations. In recognition of this, we announced during the election that we will be more than doubling the WorkReady Program, taking the funding from $400 000 to $900 000, to expand the number of students getting work experience, better preparing them for school-based apprenticeships and traineeships. We also announced further support for the BuildSkills Program, taking the annual commitment from $500 000 to $1m, recognising the importance of raising the skills or upskilling the Territory workforce.
It is not only about people looking for work or training, but also giving those people already engaged in the workforce the opportunity to enhance their current skills base. We know the Territory has the second highest labour force participation rate in the country, with more than a 110 000 participants. So, it is important that we value those people in training our current workforce and, very importantly, our employers.
Within our current training strategy we offer some strong incentives to employers and those in training to ensure we make trade shortage areas attractive to prospective workers, and encourage employers to employ our more disadvantaged Territorians. My department provides $16m for training support, which does not include our $45m annual support to Charles Darwin University or the additional $10m to Batchelor Institute for VET training. This figure reflects our $1.25m annual commitment to the Workwear/Workgear Bonus Program, which encourages and supports our trainees and apprentices to continue their training. At the end of last month, more than 1800 bonuses for skill shortage apprentices worth $1000 each have been claimed under this program, in addition to more than 3100 bonuses of $300 each for other apprentices and trainees.
We also provide $7.5m in conjunction with the Australian government for programs which support Indigenous employment and training. The focus here is to address specific training for Indigenous adults in regional and remote areas, and this includes looking at innovative ways to engage local people.
I will focus momentarily on our regions. Last week in this House, I spoke about our target of 10 000 apprentices and trainee commencements, a target we can proudly attest to achieving within our time frame of four years. We are now boldly setting an additional target, starting from 2009, of 10 000 more commencements. If we look briefly back at the number of apprentices and trainees in 2001, in places like Alice Springs and East Arnhem, and compare them to 2008, we can get a very good picture of how our training is benefiting more and more Territorians.
In 2001, there were just over 400 Alice Springs-based apprentices and trainees. In 2008, there are more than 750. In East Arnhem in 2001, there were just over 100 apprentices and trainees, and today we have more than 200. Other areas such as Katherine and West Arnhem have also experienced considerable growth in these training areas. Importantly, in every region, the number of women in training has substantially increased with a similar story reflected in Indigenous participation numbers.
The biggest growth story in all our data is in the area of traditional trades, such as hairdressing, carpentry and construction. Most people will remember when it was not the most popular thing to do: leave school and get an apprenticeship. Now, it is a strongly admired career path and one that the broader community respects for the vital skills that graduates bring to the table. Since 2001, the number of apprentices and trainees taking up training opportunities in these areas has more than doubled; an achievement we can all be proud of and be thankful for when we next need to call a plumber, carpenter or mechanic to help fix our homes or keep our cars on the road. I am pleased to say every year, more and more Territorians are looking at specific training as a worthwhile way in which to enter the workforce. More than 2200 people alone last year chose this path.
Our efforts are firmly focused on making sure Territorians can move smoothly from school into the workforce for further training and that every person who is unemployed can be provided a range of opportunities through which to connect and remain in the workplace.
We are the land of many opportunities and I believe all members in this House can attest to that. The greatest challenge - as I often say - is to stimulate our regions to get that growth and ensure Aboriginal people in those remote regions can benefit from a strong economy and participate in it; that we turn around what we see as a backward or worsening trend in the statistics for literacy and numeracy outcomes with young Aboriginal kids in these communities. That is one of the biggest challenges this government faces. I, as the Education minister, take full responsibility to work with those communities. I have gone to many communities. I have said to them we will make sure that schools are ready and the infrastructure will be in place. We will make sure teaching staff are on the ground.
At the end of the day, we also need parents to take responsibility for making sure our young people can go to school every single day. It is a shared responsibility. This does relate to the economy because, unless we turn around the levels of literacy and numeracy in our remote communities, you can put whatever infrastructure out on the ground in communities, you can put a 99-year lease in place in Aboriginal communities, you can lift whatever regulations needs to happen in remote communities but, if we do not change or make an impact on the education system and turn around that disadvantage amongst those young Aboriginal kids, as I said last week in this House, we will still be standing here in 10 years time looking at the same problem.
To ensure Aboriginal people and kids, that next generation, can benefit from a growing economy, we must - and it is with a sense of urgency - turn around what is happening in our remote communities. Part of that is the biggest housing project, the biggest investment in housing in our remote communities, which we will be rolling out. We will be making sure every community gets the benefits of that; that we can put houses in place so that people can get a job and Aboriginal people can wake up every morning and feel they are a citizen of this country.
When I talk to some of my own constituents, they say it is hard for them to wake up in the morning and look at themselves and to feel that they are part of Australia because, for them, not much has changed. However, we do have to make sure that we can turn that around. That challenge is there. We, as a government, are very much committed to meeting that challenge. It will not happen overnight, but we have gone some way down the road in putting in place the policy and the framework that will ensure that we get some of the outcomes that we want; that is, that Aboriginal people in those remote communities can participate in the economy of the Northern Territory.
Mr WOOD (Nelson): Madam Speaker, whilst the member for Fong Lim put some good points across, some of his initial statements were not in good taste and were inappropriate. Much as we might try to get a bit of publicity and probably get a laugh occasionally, we have to be a little careful, in doing that, that we do take notice of other people’s sensitivities. I do not share the member for Fong Lim’s statements at the beginning of his speech today.
Be that as it may, he raised some interesting topics regarding the statement from the Chief Minister. Unfortunately, I find it hard to get excited because I have seen many of these documents come past me in my time in parliament. They might have had slightly different headings - the economic direction of the second Labor government, or how the Northern Territory is booming under the Labor government, etcetera. Economic statements are fairly normal statements that are put before the House on a regular basis, especially in quiet periods of legislation.
I have said before there is no doubt that we have a booming economy, and we should not forget that much of that booming economy is based on the GST. Something like 80% of our money for the Territory comes from the GST. We also should remember that, except for mining and a little agriculture, one of the biggest employers in the Northern Territory is the public service and Defence. We are an administrative centre in this part of Australia, and we also are a major Defence part of Australia. Neither of those two industries actually makes money; they spend it. Naturally, there are some offshoots from that spending in the form of housing and services - all those sorts of things.
However, the Territory is still quite a baby in making its own way in Australia economically. That is where we should be aiming so that we stand up on own feet and we do not have to expect the rest of Australia to, basically, subsidise us with GST funding. I am not saying, at this stage, that we do not deserve that, but we should not be relying on it and sitting back all very comfortably saying: ‘Oh well, that means we do not have to try too hard about doing things ourselves and improving our lot’.
The other thing that comes with one of the economic statements is the belief - and the government is trying to put that forward to the masses - that everything is terrific: we are all enjoying a greatly improved lifestyle; we have terrific services; and we have lovely houses. Everything is actually booming, but the reality is we sometimes forget that that is not the case.
I am going to raise a couple of areas that the government certainly did not mention in this statement, but the Minister for Planning and Lands did say something about when she mentioned that her government was about giving people shelter. She was referring to land affordability.
The reality is there are many people out there who cannot afford to buy a house. Their only other option is either emergency housing from non-government organisations or public housing.
You might want to get a house in the Territory - in Palmerston, for instance - and you are a single pensioner who may have lived in the Territory a long time and you do not have much money. It is a fairly standard life, if you are on a pension. You might have lived on a rural block and had to leave simply because you cannot look after it any more, or you have lived out bush, or lived in the suburbs and the family is gone and you would like to move to something smaller. You should put your name down 3 years before you start thinking about it, because the waiting list for a one-bedroom pensioner home in Palmerston is now 43 weeks.
If you think things have improved under the government, I will quote from the NT Shelter Newsletter. It has a list of the changes of the waiting period for all the major centres in the Territory. It shows that in Palmerston, for a single-bed pensioner unit, in November 2005 there was a waiting list of 21 weeks; in July 2006, there was a waiting list of 23 weeks; and, in March 2008, it was 33 weeks. According to the latest wait list I took off the computer yesterday, it is now 43 weeks. That, to me, is a sign of where the government has dropped the ball.
It can bring out this wonderful statement, but the reality is we have a group of underclass now that we keep forgetting. We have a group of people who cannot afford the so-called affordable housing. No matter what the government says, unless we produce housing and land at a very cheap price, most people, unless they have two well paid jobs and probably have no children, are struggling to buy a house. Knock on the door of Somerville Community Homes and ask them how many people are on the waiting list for urgent accommodation. They do not have enough urgent accommodation to find homes for these people.
Someone was on the radio the other day asking another person: ‘Where do these people live?’ They said: ‘In some cases probably in a car’. It is easy for people to say that we have these programs going, we have a fantastic economy, but I really believe that all those people in the rural area who now have children living in the back shed, or are building granny flats, are doing so because their children cannot afford to buy a house here in the Territory unless they are very well paid and know that their job will last a long time.
The waiting list is just one area. You have also sold off the public housing. The NT Shelter Newsletter said that stock numbers of public housing were: in 2004-05, 5542; 2005-06, 5392 - going down – and 2006-07, 5361. We have an increasing population. I presume we have an increasing demand for public housing, but our housing is going in the opposite direction. Why is the government thinking this way? We are covered by rose-coloured glasses; we see the economy doing well. With all the GST we are getting, with all the boom that the government is talking about, we should be reducing taxes. Fantastic, but I would rather see in the end, if it means retaining taxes at higher rates, we built public housing. I can live with that and most people would.
Let us not brag about the economy without looking at the downside. I have said before, I hope we do not have a society where there are the haves and have nots, but I feel we do have that situation. I saw that when Sundowner Caravan Park was closed. Some people here may not know what happened with Sundowner Caravan Park. It was a caravan park that had existed since 1974 and, pretty well overnight, the owner decided he would close it down. I had been to Sundowner and left a few newsletters at the office and walked out most of the time. When I heard it was closing down, I thought I would make the effort and walk around to say hello to all these people in these caravans. When you first see them you think: ‘Oh, a bit of a dump’. Then, you find out they are ordinary Territorians; some people had lived there 15 years. It was actually their home.
Some people like caravan parks, some people wanted it for the company, but many people lived there because that is all they could afford. I believe more of us might have to get around and have a look at these places and see the conditions people live in.
I believe the government really needs to make a big effort to increase the amount of public housing stock. I know out there in the big wide world people say: ‘Oh, Housing Commission tenants - they only cause trouble’. I know it does happen in places. The previous member for Braitling used to talk about the problems they had with violence and disruptive neighbours. In Palmerston and the Bagot area, public housing causes some problems.
The government has to do two things: build public housing and maintain, with strict vigilance, that the people who live there do what they are supposed to do and keep them in proper order and look after their house, look after their neighbours, and be good neighbours. If they do not want to stick to the rules, then, sorry, my heart does not bleed for them anymore.
Society, I believe, does have to provide some people in our community with a roof over their heads. But, with that comes a responsibility to look after that roof over their heads. If they do not want to do it they should not be there. If they are bringing too many people into houses, our Territory Housing people need to say: ‘You are out’. They need to do it on a regular basis, or do it all the time, so other people in the area can live peacefully. It does not then give other Housing communities a bad name.
I remember Housing Commission houses in Rapid Creek. I thought they were great; they were not …
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Excuse me, member for Nelson. I ask you to pause, and sit. There are problems with Hansard.
Ms LAWRIE: Madam Deputy Speaker, I move a five-minute suspension of the Assembly to allow Hansard to deal with the audio issue.
Motion agreed to.
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, at least you can hear me. As there is no sound at all throughout Parliament House with a significant IT problem, I am going to suspend the sittings and we are going to have an early dinner break. I am happy to say that there is a meal in my office.
I suspend the Assembly for the dinner break until the ringing of the bells. We will have about 45 minutes or until the IT problem is sorted.
Debate suspended.
___________________
The sitting suspended.
___________________
___________________
MOTION
Note Statement - Economic Direction of the Third Labor Government
Note Statement - Economic Direction of the Third Labor Government
Continued from earlier this day.
Madam SPEAKER: Thank you, honourable members. I apologise for the inconvenience with the sound system. I have been assured that it is working very well now. The member for Nelson was part way through his speech. You have seven minutes to go, member for Nelson.
Mr WOOD (Nelson): They told me eight minutes at dinner time, Madam Speaker. You have not taken a minute off me, have you?
Madam SPEAKER: Seven minutes, I am being advised, member for Nelson.
Mr WOOD: Every minute is precious, Madam Speaker, for an Independent.
Madam SPEAKER: Indeed, to all of us.
Mr Knight: We will never live these minutes again. They are gone forever.
Mr WOOD: That is right. I will not say any more on the public housing. It speaks for itself.
The other area that highlights the disparities between the wealth of different sections of our community is no more highlighted than when you look at the rate of Indigenous unemployment. There have been a couple of things said today, but both the Chief Minister and the Minister for Lands and Planning put forward a great story that we have a very low unemployment rate in the Northern Territory. We do and it is great that we do have a low unemployment figure. However, for many of the vast number of people out there in the bush whom we spoke about today, there are no great employment opportunities and they are either unemployed or work for CDEP. In fact, according to the budget paper this year, referring back to 2006, it said that in 2006, the unemployment rate for Indigenous Territorians was reported at 15.7% compared to 4.6% for the Territory as a whole. That is what I wish to highlight. In reality, we really have not improved the chances of many Aboriginal people getting full-time employment.
The Minister for Local Government spoke about how these super shires were going to create new opportunities. He mentioned that 450 jobs have been created since these came into being. I query that, not because the jobs do not exist, but they did not come from local government. It is an important point which I raised in the Estimates Committee. To some extent, it is spin. It is not saying the jobs do not exist, but they do not come because of local government. Local government is picking up these jobs that already exist.
If you just picked up the Victoria Daly Shire service delivery plan – this is the second draft – it talks about the Post Office agency. The people who pay for the Post Office agency, I presume, are Australia Post. They are not the council. You need to be clear what I am trying to get at here; that those jobs that the local governments are picking up are coming from other agencies ...
Mr Knight: No, they are not.
Mr WOOD: Well, the money that is supplied for Night Patrol is from a Commonwealth grant. The role of local government is for basic things, road reserves and rubbish. It is not the Post Office. If it wants to take up the Post Office as a fully-funded agency - which there was a complaint years ago about taking up these agencies - it can. However, it is not creating employment from a local government perspective; it is purely acting as an agent.
You will also notice in the Victoria River service delivery plan, it talks about community stores and retail. That is not a local government function. For sure, they might employ people. It is not a local government function. It is stretching the spin too much to say that these changes will increase the opportunities. You have so many roads and parks you can maintain and rubbish collections you have to do. That is the core function of local government. You are not going to create any more jobs out of that because it is simply a service requirement of council to do those sorts of things. To create real jobs is to develop other industries which are not local government. I have a real concern that, with these changes to local government, if they take on more issues than are not purely in their domain, the local government functions we were concerned about that were not operating properly, will not have been fixed.
One of the reasons people said local government was dysfunctional was because, in some cases, the economics of that council had fallen into disrepair. The other was that those councils were not doing their basic functions. I would have thought the first thing that would happen in new shires would be to simply ensure every council does exactly what it is meant to do: pick up the rubbish, fix up the ovals, plant some trees, fix the potholes, and those sorts of things. Until you do that properly, you should not be taking on other things.
They should not be taking on the community stores or horticulture. I do not honestly believe, even though that is my background in the Territory, that that is a function of councils. Horticulture should be run as a commercial operation. If it cannot be run as a commercial operation then I am not sure that, as a ratepayer, I am going to be too happy about subsidising a farm. I believe that is something the community should have a say in: whether they want to have their rates put into operating a farm. They may or may not, but it is not a local government function. I would rather the government came clean in a sense and said: ‘Look, we are now employing this many people in local government. We are also employing people through agencies and they are being funded by outside bodies’. I would say, fair enough, that is good.
To say it is all coming because of the changes the government has put forward in the super shires, I feel is a bit rich. It may help it in the sense that the Commonwealth government can focus more on an area and use the council as a focus. However, local government itself is not creating those jobs. I consider we have to do a lot more work if you really believe in fixing employment.
I remember when I was at Bathurst Island when they had the boys school there. Each year, they put out about 20 young blokes who had a chance and knew how to do welding. That was great, but I wondered where I was going to find 20 welding jobs per year on Bathurst Island. There were none. When it comes to the crunch, you have to be real here. There is a certain limitation in many of these communities about what employment can be found. To go past that, some very hard questions will have to be asked. Do people have to leave if other industries do not come to us – like mining, tourism, whatever? If they do not come …
Madam SPEAKER: Please pause, member for Nelson.
Mr ELFERINK: Madam Speaker, I move that the member be given an extension of time pursuant to Standing Order 77.
Motion agreed to.
Mr WOOD: Thank you, member for Port Darwin. All I am saying is we should keep our feet on the ground when it comes to employment in Aboriginal communities. I have said before that there should not be any unemployment on communities; that if the federal government decides to ensure there is sufficient capital with the right managers, you could employ at least every male on some of these communities. I would rather see our taxpayers’ money ensuring everyone had the chance to work. If you do not want to work, then you do not get paid and, then, we advance from there.
We have night schools and we try to improve people’s interest in literacy. People get used to coming to work. People advance themselves because they can go from being a lawnmower driver to, maybe, the backhoe driver; from the backhoe driver to the grader driver - and we improve those skills. In the end, you can probably only have one or two grader drivers. What happens when you have another bunch of kids coming through school? Where are they going to go? They are important questions. I do not necessarily have the answers for that. Where are these kids going to find employment? If there are 20 kids each year from one small community finishing school, where do they go for work? They stay there and work under some scheme, and the Commonwealth says it will find labouring-type work for them.
Communities are going to have make some hard decisions and people there realise the only place they are going to get work is to leave and find work in the big cities. I am not necessarily saying that is what I would like. I know most Aboriginal people love their country. If you have been to Bathurst Island, you know the history of many Bathurst Islanders who went to Downlands in Toowoomba. Even up to the 1970s, they were sent there. They did not have any money and they found their way back home all the way from Queensland because they were so homesick. I understand this; there is a great passion, a longing for, and belonging to one’s home country. It is not that simple for me to stand up here and say people should leave home and find another job. I am not trying to be simplistic, but that is the reality of it. On the other hand, if we want employment and people to improve their lot in life, they may have to leave their country and find jobs elsewhere.
The whole issue of Aboriginal employment is not as simple as people sometimes make it out to be. I think we could do a lot more to help Aboriginal people. Simply ensuring there is enough money, and enough capital equipment on these communities at least gives people a chance to get out of bed and say: ‘I am going to work for the local council to make my community something I am proud of’.
When I first went to Bathurst Island, the people used to tell me what a wonderful place it was. I had come from Daly River, and that was probably one of the most modern missions in those days. It was even partly sponsored by the United Nations. It had block houses which were unknown in the Top End; in most places there were just tin huts. I went to Bathurst Island and they told me how wonderful it was. I said: ‘You have not been to Daly River, it is much better’. There were many houses built on Bathurst Island. We created a nursery and sold plants to the community every Saturday morning; people worked in the nursery. We made sure the lawns were mowed; there were trees planted up and down the roads. We put street signs up named after all the different groups on Bathurst Island. If you ever wondered why Kerinauia Highway is called that, it is because Walter Kerinauia is a traditional owner so he had the main road straight out of town named after him. The concept and the idea was that people worked, not only for themselves, but for their community to make their community something they were proud of.
I have been to many communities and said: ‘This is just woeful’. I saw rubbish, grass not cut, and houses not painted, and I thought surely someone can get in there and make people enthusiastic and say: ‘I love this place and we are going to make it so that when people come here we can be proud to show it off’. You have to get that back into people. We had that at Bathurst Island. I know there are many other issues about alcohol and gambling and all that to muck it up, but still, it is no excuse for not finding enough work for people to make these places look much better. Getting pride back into people about their community is a good start, and we have lost that. We do not even have a garden on any community.
When I ran the garden at Bathurst Island it was a commercial garden. It was run by the Nguiu Ullintjinni Association; it did not have anything to do with the council. That is why I say the council should stick to its job. If you want to connect the store and garden together as a commercial enterprise, and the store wants to subsidise the garden - fair enough. However, we should not get things too complicated with local government. Keep local government doing its job. People want to see their town look nice; they want to see trees planted; they want to see the oval so they can play a game of footy on the oval - especially after being down to Canteen Creek, where they have the Canteen Creek Blues at the moment. Canteen Creek Blues have the blues because they did not win the footy match recently. However, their oval was just gravel. That is a great place if you could get that oval nice and grassed. It would help the kids and make people proud of their community.
We can talk about how great our economy is, and there is doubt that you see buildings going up everywhere. Some people are certainly enjoying the riches of our economy. However, there are lots of other parts to the Territory. When I drive on some roads I have to scratch my head. I went to Gunn Point on the weekend. I went three days before the election just to say hello to the people there. My car nearly fell apart. Yet, it is only just 40 km from Darwin. You would never believe how corrugated it is. There were people coming down, driving right up on the edge of the road with their beaut boat, hoping it would not fall apart. We cannot even maintain a couple of dirt roads close to Darwin. On one hand, we are bragging about how great things are and, on the other hand, there are many things that certainly need fixing.
I should say one other thing about people who are missing out. Perhaps our seniors are missing out. There has not been a seniors village built in the rural area and it is high time we did build one. There is a private one that is going to get off the ground soon, but we should be doing much more for our seniors. Our seniors are becoming a larger proportion of our population. If you have to wait 3 years to get a one-bedroom flat in Palmerston, the government should be making a bigger effort to help seniors because, if we lose our seniors, we lose our community. If we lose our old people, we just end up with a young society. We need a whole society with young, middle-aged and seniors to ensure our community is something where we get that right mix. We need that in our society. We need to do more work in helping seniors with, not high-priced accommodation, but with medium-priced accommodation so they can live comfortably. Many of them are on a limited wage or pension.
Madam Speaker, I say to the government: by all means talk about how wonderful the Territory is, but do not lose sight of or gloss over the fact that there are a number of people out there who need help, who we should not leave behind. I also ask them to look at, especially, increasing the number of government houses so that the waiting lists are shortened; to look at better, more sensible ways of helping employment in Indigenous communities; and by giving the seniors a chance to live in the Territory without having to go south, so that they can also be part of our community.
Debate adjourned.
MATTER OF PUBLIC IMPORTANCE
Housing Needs in the Northern Territory
Housing Needs in the Northern Territory
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I have received the following letter from the member for Drysdale:
- Madam Speaker,
I propose for discussion this day the following definite matter of public importance:
The failure of the Northern Territory government to address the housing land shortage, housing affordability and the lack of planning for future housing needs in the Territory.
Yours sincerely,
Ross Bohlin MLA
Member for Drysdale.
Honourable members, is the proposed discussion supported? The proposal is supported.
Mr BOHLIN (Drysdale): Madam Speaker, I wish to address the failure of the Northern Territory government to address the housing land shortage.
I start on a strange point: midges in the house and your support by the home builder. Midges are, without doubt, a significant part of our northern shores. We all know that they come and go, mainly around sunset, and tend to be thicker during certain times of the month. I will read from the Northern Territory Disease Control Bulletin Volume 10, No 3, September 2003:
- Bites of Biting Midges. It is only the female midges that bite. Biting midges do not transmit disease to humans in Australia. Their main human medical importance is as a biting pest.
Midges must take a blood meal for their eggs to mature. They do not, as is sometimes believed, urinate on people to cause discomfort. In the process of biting and sucking blood, they inject a salivary secretion that produces a skin reaction of varying intensity, depending on an individual’s reaction. Bites usually produce a classic allergic response, with the first bite producing no noticeable effect, and the subsequent bites producing the reactions. If the exposure to midges is reasonably continuous, a process of desensitisation may follow. People continuously exposed are usually tolerant to the bites, and generally have no reaction or show a mild reaction with a small red spot.
- The average reaction for newly exposed people is a red spot that develops a small dome shaped blister with a hole at the top. In people who are more sensitive to bites, the reaction may result in a red swelling over an area of a few centimetres. The bite area can be extremely itchy, and scratching is very difficult to avoid. Reactions may last three to four days with slowly decreasing irritation. Sometimes scratching breaks the skin and allows secondary bacterial infections that lead to unsightly sores and residual scarring.
This is surely enough to make you scratch, so what can we do to help deal with this little insect? I will read Point 10 from the same report:
- Planning Guidelines To Prevent Biting Insect Problems. The Medical Entomology Branch is involved in the planning process to reduce the effects of biting insects. Guidelines have been prepared for preventing biting insect problems in new urban and semi rural residential developments, industrial, and other developments.
In 1974 the planning for the new satellite town of Palmerston near Darwin included a buffer of at least 1-km from the mangrove boundary to urban residential development. Palmerston is one of the few urban areas in Australia that has been specifically designed to minimize biting insect problems.
Good urban planning is required to:
recognize and avoid areas of biting insect breeding or harborage
avoid costly and environmentally undesirable rectification methods
avoid costly and ongoing biting insect control programs.
The Medical Entomology Branch gives advice on what might constitute a potentially significant biting insect breeding site. In some instances detailed entomological investigations are necessary to gather sufficient information before the detailed planning stage. The avoidance of biting insect problems can be achieved in the initial planning process by consideration of development location, easements, buffer zones, and sub division design.
I will read from a report by the Department of Health and Community Services, Palmerston Eastern Suburbs Biting Insect Assessment April 2008, Section 6 - Conclusions, which is lengthy, however, it deals with significant points and we need to understand the habitats and the problems associated with these issues:
The mangrove biting midge Culicoides ornatus was the only biting midge species collected in significant numbers at the Palmerston Eastern Suburbs.
This biting midge species is the principal pest biting midge in coastal areas of Northern Australia.
middle reaches of Mitchell and Brooking Creek, and the Elizabeth River adjacent to Archer Dump. Seasonally high numbers will also be encountered
within 1.5 km from these breeding sites.
The middle portion of Bellamack will be subject to seasonally moderate to high pest problems, while the northern portion is only likely to experience
seasonally minor to low pest problems.
The lower reaches of Zuccoli will be subject to high to very high populations of C. ornatus. The middle reaches will be subject to moderate populations,
while the northern reaches near Lambrick Ave will only experience minor to low levels of C. ornatus.
levels than in the August to October period. Pest problems from January to March, and June and July should be minimal for those areas greater than 1 km
from tidal mangrove areas.
around half that of full moon problems.
mangrove breeding sites.
spring tide level, will remove these creeks as C. ornatus breeding sites. Filling the numerous Elizabeth River tidal tributaries adjacent to Archer Landfill will
remove these mangrove areas as C. ornatus breeding sites. Such rectification could be challenging from an engineering perspective and is likely to be opposed
by many people, but will allow all of Mitchell to be developed as urban living, and remove the need for rural buffers and wind buffers at Bellamack.
Exposure to C. ornatus bites can be reduced by personal protection, avoidance mechanisms including, distance buffers and barriers and insecticidal sprays.
I will now read Section 7 – Recommendations, from this report because it is really important to know this information for the people of Palmerston.
Biting midges
Bellamack
on the south or north side of Roystonea Avenue. If rural residential lots are proposed to be built in the adjacent suburb of Mitchell between Mitchell Creek
and Bellamack, then a rural biting insect buffer and wind buffer would not be required.
notification on titles stating there will be seasonal biting midge pest problems.
Mitchell
Rural lots of 2 ha are recommended facing the mangrove margin of Mitchell Creek and the Elizabeth River, while 0.4 ha lots can be utilised further away from
the landward mangrove margin.
then would exclude all of this portion of Mitchell to urban development. Rural lots of 2 ha are recommended facing the mangrove margin of Mitchell and Brooking
Creek and the Elizabeth River, while 0.4 ha lots can be utilised inland of the 2 ha lots.
Zuccoli
acceptable for the remaining areas of Zuccoli. The community hub, if it is to contain sporting ovals, should be located as close to Lambrick Ave as practical,
to minimise the potential for the community hub to be affected by biting midges.
pest problems.
Johnston
scale outdoor community facilities.
This is fantastic news for Johnston. There is a map which shows the zonings of seriously affected midge biting zones. It is in a common government document …
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Drysdale, if you wish to, you can seek leave to table the document. Just say: ‘I seek leave to table the document’.
Mr BOHLIN: Given the information in these reports, how is it reasonable for the families of the Northern Territory to pay between $250 000 and $300 000 for infested and affected sites of such high numbers of biting insects? Surely this land would not be worth the exorbitant prices and worth no more than waste land. For those families who can somehow afford a house and land package in the vicinity of $580 000 - which is well beyond the $350 000 ceiling of the HomeNorth Extra shared equity loans - I have a biting midge pest calendar so at least on some nights they can be outside the house for quality of life.
Madam Speaker, I seek leave to table the biting midge pest calendar for all the people.
Leave granted.
Mr BOHLIN: I ask, why the land has cost $29m for the developer to secure the development contract - given that Rosebery Downs cost $1.2m and Rosebery cost $3m - and $20m to do headworks, why is it so costly - $250 000 to $300 000?
I will read an open letter from the NT News dated Saturday 30 August 2008:
An open letter to the Chief Minister of the Northern Territory, Paul Henderson, MLA
We are a group of Territory builders who have been trying to raise our concerns about escalating costs of construction with your government for months. The sincere lack of action and understanding has left us most frustrated. The fact is the actions of your government are driving up the cost of constructing a new home.
Three major concerns that directly affect Territorians wishing to build a new home are:
The availability of land in Darwin is now at an all time low. This has become a crisis within our industry as any land available is at high-level, premium prices, unrealistic
to the market and out of reach of most Territory homebuyers wishing to build. There is now no capacity in Darwin to access the HomeNorth Scheme if you wish to build
even a very modest home.
management plans, increase documentation and contribute to contingency litigation funds. This will mean an extra cost of around $40 000 on building a new home as
this is a cost we must pass on. It is excessive.
- At the same time your government has record levels of income from property taxes. Surely there is something your government can do to reduce this, which will greatly assist in reducing the financial burden on new homebuyers.
We seek your urgent attention to address our concerns, as failure to do so will result in more and more Territorians being unable to access the great Australian dream of owning their own home. That is to say nothing of the economic impacts on industry downturn and job losses.
It is up to you Mr Henderson.
I will now read a media release by the Chamber of Commerce Northern Territory dated 22 August 2007:
- Housing Minister Needs to Check Facts
The Chamber of Commerce NT, the Northern Territory’s largest and most representative business organisation, representing over 1300 businesses Territory wide,
today questioned the use of the Chamber’s name in parliament in relation to our support for the release of residential land by the Northern Territory Government.
‘The Government Minister used the Chambers name to support the current land release process for releasing residential land to the market’, said Chamber Chief
Executive, Chris Young, ‘Minister Lawrie is aware that the Chamber is calling upon her to accelerate the land release, and not continue with the current restrictive
policy employed’.
‘To say that the Chamber supports the current policy is both inaccurate and misleading’.
For further information contact
Chris Young
Madam Speaker, these simple facts point out that the land will be (1) very undesirable to many people; and (2) excessively expensive to the average homebuyer and no homebuyer accessing the first homeowner scheme will be able to afford one of these homes in Palmerston.
Ms LAWRIE (Planning and Lands): Madam Speaker, a bold statement by the member that no one would be able to afford to buy this land in Palmerston. You have to be careful of your words in this Chamber, because they will come back to bite you, just as the midges bite Territorians in the Top End. I look forward to the debate when people do begin purchasing homes in these important Palmerston suburbs. It has a very bright future as a place to live.
This is an important debate and I welcome the MPI from the opposition because the issues of housing land shortage, housing affordability and planning for future housing needs is important to the Territory, particularly given the strength of our growth. However it is not just an issue for Darwin and Palmerston. It is an issue for our rural residents, as we have heard from the member for Nelson, and our major regional centres, as reported by members elsewhere in the Territory. Why? Because we are experiencing growth; I welcome the growing pains.
Members will be aware that I gave a Ministerial Report earlier which covered some land release initiatives and I will be going back over some of that because I believe it is important to the debate. I have a dual role to play regarding land release, as both Treasurer and Planning and Lands and Infrastructure and Transport minister. I believe this duality of roles is critically important in being able to fast-track land release because it is the high cost of headworks that often makes it difficult to bring on land release. However, with strong financial management we have been able to ensure that we have the financial capacity to bring forward and fast-track the headworks required to turn-off land because significant headworks, particularly in the essential services area, are required for land release.
In framing my first budget I was particularly aware of the tightening of the housing market and the impact on potential homeowners of interest rate rises and I wanted to provide some incentives to stimulate the property market when we saw it moderating.. That moderation is continuing; it is a trend around Australia and there is a sub prime crisis in the US. These are not issues that only the Territory is dealing with. However, government’s ability to adjust stamp duty rates can see some stimulation in the marketplace.
We were the first jurisdiction, with my first budget, to adjust the stamp duty rates across the board. This was designed to not only provide incentives for first homeowners and for principal place of residence, but also to stimulate opportunity for people who were doing well out of the strong economic growth and Territorians who were benefiting in their small to medium business enterprises. The design of these incentives was to stimulate the private investment market so that people who currently own a home and are doing well in their family finances could invest in further properties in the marketplace wherever they live in the Territory.
These incentives were widely applauded and accepted by all the business groups at the time, including the Chamber of Commerce. They saw that the government was listening and responding. Those tax cuts and the First Home Owner Concession make the first $125 000 of a property’s value stamp duty free and provides a $1500 rebate for Principal Place of Residence.
We have incrementally increased our First Home Owner Concessions and these are now at a level where the first $330 000 of a property’s value is stamp duty free. The Principal Place of Residence Rebate has risen to $2500. How does this deliver into the marketplace? The First Home Owner Concession has assisted approximately 7500 Territorians into their first homes with savings of approximately $46m and the average first homeowner saving just over $6000. The Principal Place of Residence Rebate has assisted approximately 11 000 Territorians with more than $22m in savings and the average rebate almost $2000.
In Budget 2008-09 we raised that threshold from $350 000 to $385 000 and I will be looking at how that stimulus moves into the marketplace, having given you those figures on the threshold at $350 000.
We have been continually revamping and improving our HomeNorth Scheme. The member for Drysdale mentioned HomeNorth with some disparaging comments however I believe that it has proven its worth. In Budget 2008-09 we increased the maximum amount of government ownership to $75 000 which was warmly welcomed. We also introduced as quarterly evaluations of 85% of price caps in each region, understanding and recognising the regions have very different property markets. In meeting the demand side there are new initiatives such as stamp duty cuts and the HomeNorth package. However in meeting the supply side, land release is critically important.
I will discuss the issue of the mangrove biting midges which, quite appropriately, the member for Drysdale has raised. The Department of Planning and Infrastructure, when it is looking at land release, does work closely and across government agencies to ensure proper planning attention is paid to things such as constraints on land. One of the constraints is the mangrove biting midges and where they are prevalent. We rely on the expert advice of the entomologists, who do a fine job in the department of Health.
When I released the Palmerston East Proposal for Mitchell it marked very clearly on the plans what we call, the biting midges line. It is in plans that have been released and we have recognised it in planning. On the western edges of Bellamack, we have also recognised the biting midges line. How do you deal with that in a planning sense? You deal with it exactly as the member for Drysdale has read out from documents provided by government agencies. Biting midges can be dealt with by using natural barriers, open space and recreation areas, and rural residential buffer zones which have been designed into the plans. Increasingly we are finding entomologists working on some innovative barrier style proposals which will be trialled in residential subdivisions in the Top End. They are fairly low barriers and early discussions and indications are there is a fair amount of anticipation about them being effective. I have been discussing with developers trials of those biting midges barriers for residential areas of the Top End.
It is probably going to be good news to people who live in Fannie Bay. I used to say to my brother who lives in Parap: ‘Gee, you should come out to Karama because I do not have biting midges problems in Karama.’ I used to watch my nephews being eaten by the biting midges because they lived close to the Fannie Bay racecourse. You can compare your land value at Fannie Bay to Karama, but I was not living with biting midges in my back yard. You could also talk to the good folk of Leanyer about the impact of biting midges and mosquitoes.
It is an intrinsic aspect of being surrounded by mangroves. It is incorporated into our planning, we do not hide it, we are up-front with developers, and we can include advice about tidals. We will ensure that we test these innovative barriers to assess their workability. If they are successful they will change quite dramatically where you put open space and rural residential barriers into those subdivisions.
Taking into account the biting midges lines and where you put recreation hubs and school hubs and ensure all of that is incorporated into the Palmerston East and Bellamack plans, there is still a significant lot yield. Bellamack will yield 700 residential lots. We are talking lots and not dwellings because there is an increase in yield in dwellings with medium density.
I have been saying for housing affordability to be effective it has to come in a range of housing models. There has to be flats, units, and house lots because there is a range of people needing affordability. We are the first government in the history of the Territory, in a policy setting, to enshrine housing affordability into Crown land release at the level of 15% for affordable and social housing.
I use the words ‘affordable’ and ‘social housing’ to pick up on the debate, the very important debate the member for Nelson has discussed in this Chamber on the economic statement, that it is public housing; social housing is public housing. We are enshrining and locking into our policy that any turn-off provides for those two forms of housing: the affordable housing for people who are not in the public housing stock waiting list catchment but who need a leg up into the marketplace; and the public housing stock that we will be increasing. We will be building in the suburbs of Bellamack, Johnston, Zuccoli and Mitchell.
I have not stopped there. As Planning minister I have been pursuing the opportunity of affordable and social housing in Lyons and Muirhead. I do not have a final result, but I can say I have had lengthy, considered and fruitful discussions with Defence Housing, the relevant federal minister, and the joint venture partners: Canberra Investment Corporation, at Lyons. We could look at the government alliance at Lyons, where we will get more premium land turn-off and provide affordable and social housing opportunities there. For example, we have a significant waiting list for senior’s public housing, so there could be a mix of senior’s public housing in the later stages of Lyons.
I am active in looking at affordable housing and public housing for the large potential yield of 1000 lots at Muirhead. We do want to mix in a good policy setting - affordable and social housing across suburban areas - and the mix is ideal; salt and pepper is ideal. This was enshrined in the expression of interest for Bellamack. Any future release by government will, at a minimum, have 15% affordable and social housing combined.
We did undertake a public consultation process in the Palmerston East suburbs of Johnston, Zuccoli and Mitchell. The area plans were distributed, completed last year, and then incorporated into the planning scheme. We fast-tracked the land release because we are listening, watching the marketplace - the marketplace has tightened and contracted due to strong population growth of 2.4% and we know there are many people wanting to buy in - and opening up those opportunities and giving diversity in the marketplace is important. In 2009, while we are aiming to turn-off in Bellamack, we will also be aiming to turn-off in Johnston. Lambrick Avenue has some existing headworks that could yield approximately 150 lots in Johnston, and some just south of Lambrick Avenue in Zuccoli.
This government has made a significant commitment of $50m for the provision of headworks to allow those suburbs to turn-off. It is a commitment we deem necessary to provide the options in the marketplace for Territory families and those looking to come and work and live in the Territory.
We will see approximately 3700 new houses and flats with the 15% reserve for first homebuyers and public housing in the Bellamack and Palmerston East catchment. This means approximately 550 new houses and blocks for affordable housing entering the marketplace. This is innovative and the first time in the history of the Territory the government has enshrined that in policy. There will be 550 opportunities for people who otherwise could not have entered the marketplace. That is a combination of using HomeNorth and HomeNorth Extra and continuing to turn up the opportunities within HomeNorth Extra, as we are committed to doing - following the market as HomeNorth Extra is designed to do - but also dealing at the front end with developers, as we have done with Bellamack, enshrining that into any development agreement.
Palmerston currently has a population of approximately 25 000 and with the addition of these four new suburbs, we will be expecting the population to increase by about 15 000. The government is focusing on Palmerston because it is our high growth area, but there are opportunities across the Territory. I have spoken briefly about Lyons. Muirhead will yield around 1000 lots and my department and the Defence Housing Authority are working closely on the nature of that development. We hope new lots in Muirhead will be in the marketplace as early as 2010. I have impressed on the Defence Housing Authority the importance of affordability within the mix so we can bring those low- to-moderate income earners into the pristine subdivision of Muirhead.
Unit developments provide a significant contribution to the housing stock and we can never underestimate their importance. People want that alternative when they come into the marketplace. Many people’s first entry into home ownership is through a unit. I confess that was how I became a first homeowner; I bought my first flat when I was in my early 20s. Many people enter the marketplace by purchasing an established home or a new house and land package, but there are a significant number of people who come into the marketplace by purchasing a flat or a unit.
There have been over 1770 residential units approved since 2003 in the CBD of Darwin, with 1555 completed or under construction. There are a further four projects with about 360 units being considered by the Development Consent Authority. There are the units in the CBD, the suburbs out at Palmerston and our government is committed to the corridor of Berrimah - Berrimah Farm, the Berrimah gaol site and the 11 Mile aerial farm - to yield 1500 residential lots and some light industrial lots.
We are working on a broader strategic land use plan for the entire Darwin region which will go beyond 10 years and cover issues surrounding Weddell and Cox Peninsula. I look forward to an inclusive process in those important considerations and I do not want to lock them in without an inclusive stakeholder process. However, we do have enough yield coming through due to the headworks commitments of government and the work of the DHA to give us the capacity for consideration of Weddell or Cox Peninsula.
The rural area is a passion of the member for Nelson, and I share his passion to provide opportunities for people in the rural area, particularly first homeowners. There have been approximately 700 lots approved for subdivision in the Litchfield Shire since 2003 and, while this is a significant addition to the marketplace, I believe there is capacity for more subdivisions in the Litchfield Shire. I look forward to working with the member for Nelson on that. There are some zoning issues in Litchfield relating to the minimum size. They are tough issues but I am confident with considered debate and discussion, we can get somewhere
.
We will soon be releasing additional land in Katherine for residential development. There will be a further 38 lots made available in the vicinity of Casuarina Street and Katherine East later this year, and the balance of the area will be identified for urban development. Katherine East has the potential to provide another 900 lots.
My colleague might give me an extension of time.
Madam SPEAKER: There are no extensions in Matters of Public Importance.
Ms LAWRIE: We auctioned four lots in Tennant Creek last month and there will be five more shortly; this is great news for Tennant Creek. The government is committed to ensuring any future land release is done strategically. We need to be aware of what is happening in the marketplace and we want to see a good mix. We are paying particular attention to housing affordability and enshrining this in policy, as well as providing more public housing stock which is important for the Territory.
Mr TOLLNER (Fong Lim): Madam Speaker, where I grew up in country Queensland we had a dreadful sandfly problem. The solution we used was Milo tins turned into billies with holes punched in them. We put dry cow dung in and then lit the tops of them …
A member: You did not drink it, did you?
Mr TOLLNER: No. We would go to school with these tins swinging around and they would be emitting smoke all over the place. The whole school was covered with cans of smouldering cow dung to keep the sandflies away. The member for Karama might want to bear that in mind when she is releasing blocks for subdivision in these sandfly zones. In 10 or 20 years time, when these blocks finally come out for release - and if we still have a Labor government - I can see them issuing families and houses with Milo tins with holes punched in the bottom and schools with smouldering cow dung all over the place.
One thing I have learnt in the short time I have been in this place, when it comes to the Northern Territory Labor government is: do not listen to what they say, rather look at what they do, because the reality is completely different.
I made reference to this in my response to the Chief Minister’s statement; this government is expert at spinning messages and managing misinformation. I considered this debate we are having about the critical lack of land, housing, and other accommodation in the Territory and thought I would quickly try to get a picture of what is going on. A real estate agent in Alice Springs told me that there is zero: no accommodation or housing available in Alice Springs. When a house or unit is placed on the market, it is lucky to last a week. They are in absolute crisis there and whilst we hear all the good news coming out of the government, the reality is completely different.
Ms Lawrie: Alice was land-locked under the CLP.
Mr TOLLNER: In relation to – well, here we go. We go back seven – how long have you been in government now, Madam Treasurer?
Ms Lawrie: Since then we have turned on two subdivisions and we have an agreement for a third.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr TOLLNER: We are talking seven years since the CLP was in government. You are still blaming a government from seven years ago.
Ms Lawrie: Larapinta Stage 1, Larapinta Stage 2.
Mr TOLLNER: We know how long it takes you to get a block of land onto the market. We are told Berrimah Farm is earmarked for development, yet we have heard nothing at all about any environmental impact assessment. I have heard scuttlebutt about contamination …
Mr Wood: Hear, hear!
Mr TOLLNER: Cyanide, DDT, and goodness knows what other toxic chemicals could be in the area. We have not heard any utterings from the Planning minister about how this government is going to get that block of land developed and ready for the market. Similarly with Berrimah gaol we have heard many hundreds of millions of dollars will be spent moving it and we have no idea where. You refuse to tell the people who work at the prison where they are going to be moved. You will not do that prior to an election.
Ms Lawrie: Well, it will not be Katherine or Tennant.
Mr TOLLNER: We know you have absolutely no plans at all about where that is going to go and the Chief Minister said that today.
Ms Lawrie: Not true.
Mr TOLLNER: He said Cabinet has not received any information about where the gaol will go. No one can tell us where it will go. The member for Drysdale outlined the problems at Bellamack, Mitchell and Zuccoli, and certain areas of sandfly infestations. Again we see a lack of foresight and planning. I hear the government constantly skiting about Lyons and Muirhead. Did the Northern Territory government develop Lyons and Muirhead? As I recall, it was Defence land and the first bite of that land was offered to the Northern Territory government at a concessional amount of $8m for the whole of Lyons. What did the Northern Territory government do? Did they say: ‘Thank you, there is nowhere in Australia where you can buy a block of land cheaper than that?’ No, they rejected it.
Then what happened? The same offer was made to the Defence Housing Association who snaffled it and then developed Lyons and Muirhead. Who is claiming credit for it? The masters of spin are claiming the credit.
Ms Lawrie: No, we are not, you fool.
Mr TOLLNER: Absolutely. I listened to Question Time, the Chief Minister’s statement, and you, and heard about how many blocks of land you are releasing at Lyons and Muirhead. However, it is the DHA who are releasing that land and it has nothing to do with the Northern Territory government. You make claims for things you had absolutely no involvement in and which you have turned your back on previously.
I heard the Treasurer talking about building public housing stock and I thought, fantastic, great message to get out there. Tell everyone: ‘Let us build some public housing stock’. Why is this important in a debate like this? Because if there is a shortage of public housing stock that cascades down into the market, and if people cannot get into public housing they have to try to access private housing stock, which then puts pressure on the private housing market.
The government is saying they are going to build more public housing stock. I did some research on this and I looked at the Commonwealth State Housing Agreement. The most recent figures I could find for this government that is building so many public houses, were for the years 2001-02 through to 2005-06: five years. During that time the Northern Territory government received $193 710m from the Commonwealth government. In order to receive this money, the Territory government had to make a contribution and over that period the Northern Territory government put in $32 376m; a substantial amount. This means there was approximately $220m for public housing in the Northern Territory during 2001-02 to 2005-06. What do you think we received for our money? Remember, we are not listening to what they say now, we are looking at what they do. What did we receive for that $220m? In 2001-02 there were 6062 public housing places, and in 2005-06 there were 5392!
Mr Mills: We have lost some!
Mr TOLLNER: Absolutely right, member for Blain. That is 670 less places than when we started: after we have spent $220m. Therefore, when this Treasurer stands up and says they are going to put money into public housing, why would you believe them?
Mr Knight: Come in, spinner.
Mr TOLLNER: Exactly, come in spinner. The member for Daly has got it right. I have seen the submission made by NT Shelter to the Senate Select Committee on Affordable Housing, dated 28 April 2008. What did NT Shelter say about the state of public housing in the Northern Territory? I quote:
- Stocks of public housing continue to fall due to the sale of stock - some to existing tenants, some because it was provided as Government Employee Housing and some just to the private market. Reducing stock numbers and increasing need for public housing have increased wait times in all areas and created bottlenecks for crisis services and other housing and support services in moving and supporting people out of homelessness and crisis. The only public housing stock developed in the NT over the past 5-10 years is a result of upgrade and renovation.
Mr Wood: What about the housing being knocked down in Parap?
Mr TOLLNER: Nothing has been built! That is exactly right. We decide to pork barrel the constituency of Fannie Bay and now we are going to knock down public housing accommodation there. Where are the plans for new public housing? This is completely relevant to this debate, because when you have such a crisis in that particular area it feeds into the rest of your property market. We are told that this government is planning. I can tell you what this government has been planning to do: it has been planning for a very long time now to have less public housing. The facts speak for themselves: $220m between 2001 and 2006, and 670 less places to live.
They like to compare themselves to other Labor ‘mis-administrations’ around the country; they do that constantly. They say: ‘Oh, we are doing this against the states’. Let us do it in this instance. The Territory leads the way by a country mile for being the worst jurisdiction in Australia for selling off public housing, and a public housing crisis is occurring. This is not about being a bleeding heart; this ripples through the whole of our housing economy. These people stand up and rattle on about how good things are and how well they are planning. I have gone over some of the issues: Alice Springs, zero availability; Berrimah Farm, no plans whatsoever and no EIS has been done; there are no plans where they will put Berrimah gaol; and the member for Drysdale has outlined that Bellamack, Mitchell and Zuccoli have sandfly problems, for a start - there is no mention of where these people are going to send their kids to school, how they are going to sort out the sewerage, water or power - there are massive problems.
They claim credit when they have not done anything; at Lyons and Muirhead for example. The absolute hide and audacity of these people to claim credit for something they originally turned their back on. It is a scandal. The poor Health minister thinks he is being singled out for what is happening to him, but it applies across the whole government. What an appalling situation we are in.
Members, I ask you, from the bottom of my heart: investigate some of the claims they make. Do not listen to what they say, look at what they do.
Mr KNIGHT (Housing): Madam Speaker, owning a family home is one of the largest single financial commitments we make in our lives. In a place like the Northern Territory, where we have such a transient population, it is also a commitment to our community; by putting down roots.
The Territory has the strongest economy in the country and one of the fastest growing populations. While these strong economic times have opened the doors to home ownership for many Territorians, for others it is making it even harder to get into the property market. These housing affordability challenges are not confined to the Territory; they are being felt around the country.
Housing affordability is a complex issue the Henderson government is committed to addressing on a broad front with strategies and initiatives including: strategic land release, infrastructure investment, flexible home purchase options, reduced regulation, and building our workforce to meet skill shortages through apprenticeships, traineeships, and skills training. This will require a long-term policy approach from all levels of government in partnership with private industry. As Housing Minister, I believe it is essential the issue of housing affordability is addressed and I am aware it is not simply a matter of flooding the land market which will drive down the value of existing homes. Careful planning is not a one-off event, but an ongoing process requiring flexibility to take into account the challenging nature of urban and rural landscapes and the varying needs of all the Territory’s residents.
When they came to office, the Rudd government identified housing affordability as a priority for the Council of Australian Governments. COAG identified the decline in housing affordability as a pressing issue for Australians and recognised improving affordability was critical to addressing financial stress and disadvantage, including for Indigenous communities.
During discussions at the Housing Minister’s Conference held in Canberra earlier this month it was noted that from 1995 the Howard government under funded public housing across the states and territories by $425m. The member for Fong Lim was part of that government for six years …
Mr Tollner interjecting.
Mr KNIGHT: Obviously, he did not bring that up when he was down there. Standing up - I do not know where he was standing up. That is roughly $9m which did not come into the Territory. We are working with the Commonwealth Rudd government to get this money back into our housing system, and we will ensure the Territory gets its fair share.
Yesterday, the Commonwealth government announced the establishment of the Housing Affordability Fund, or HAF. This five-year, $0.5bn program is aimed at bringing down the cost of building new houses by reducing planning and infrastructure costs. The fund aims to improve the supply of new housing, and make housing more affordable for homebuyers entering the market. It will address two significant barriers to the supply of housing: holding costs incurred by developers as a result of long planning and approval waiting times; and infrastructure costs, such as water, sewerage, transport, and open space. The fund will target green field and infill developments where high dwelling demand currently exists, or is forecast. The Territory was part of the HAF consultation process and had input into the design of HAF’s first expression of interest. I welcome this first phase of expressions of interest and will be working hard with the appropriate agencies to ensure the Northern Territory maximises its opportunities under this program.
At the Housing Minister’s Conference I raised the unique challenges of delivering social housing in the Territory. One of my key priorities is to ensure the Territory gets the most out of the new National Affordable Housing Agreement with the Commonwealth. We have listened to Territorians and this government knows housing affordability is an issue that needs priority action. The Henderson government has increased investment in Territory Housing by 61% since 2001. We have also introduced a number of programs to assist Territorians most in need to secure safe and affordable housing. We want to ensure that every Territorian has access to safe, secure, and affordable housing.
In Budget 2008-09 the government revamped the successful HomeNorth scheme which has assisted more than 1000 Territory families since 2004 to purchase their own home. That is approximately five NT families a week since 2004. The new HomeNorth Extra threshold limits were introduced to increase the uptake of HomeNorth, with a particular focus on families with dependants. These arrangements ensure that HomeNorth remains the most generous and effective scheme of its type in Australia.
The member for Drysdale said people could not get into the market for under $350 000. I have had a look on the Internet and, for your reference, there are a dozen or so properties available in Palmerston under the $350 000 cap. I have listed some around the $340 000 to $335 000 price tag: 21 Manson Crescent; 71 Emery Avenue, Gray; 37 Kafcaloudes Crescent; 55 Moulden Terrace; a property at Bees Creek; and there are more properties in Moulden. There are units for around $270 000 to $280 000 in Palmerston. If people want to live in the city, there are units available. There are also properties in Coconut Grove, Northlakes, Alawa, Wagaman, and Larrakeyah.
Mr Wood: For a family or a single bloke?
Mr KNIGHT: If you want to start with a unit, member for Nelson, there are a significant number of properties available for under $350 000. All you have to do is look, member for Drysdale.
Mr Bohlin: I have the figures and there are not many.
Mr KNIGHT: The Territory government has increased the equity share to $75 000 so people can actually get into the market and do not have to pay the mortgage insurance. Also, public housing tenants who want to buy their house will face no property value cap if they have lived in the house for more than five years.
We all know that meeting mortgage demands is not easy. Earlier this month the Reserve Bank decreased the cash rate by 0.25%. This was the first decrease we have seen in seven years. There is finally some relief for homeowners. In line with this interest rate cut by the RBA, this government moved quickly to pass on the 0.25% rate cut to HomeNorth participants. What does this mean for those Territory families? It means over 600 HomeNorth customers across the Northern Territory will save an average of $30 a month. This will be a real boost for low and middle income earners. We will continue to monitor and assess the outcomes of the HomeNorth Extra Scheme to ensure it continues to deliver real outcomes for Territory families.
This government is committed to delivering a strategic land release program that meets the future needs of our growing population without flooding the market. Earlier this month the Planning minister announced the next phase of the government’s land release program: fast-tracking the release of Mitchell, Zuccoli, and Johnston in Palmerston east. This decision will put an extra 3000 blocks into the market and is in addition to the release of Bellamack, Lyons, and plans for Berrimah Farm. Most significantly these new suburb developments in Palmerston East, as with all future government land releases, will mandate a minimum of 15% of the lots for affordable and social housing. This is great news not only for young Territorians wanting to invest in their first home, but also the many public housing tenants who may want to move into their own houses. It enables a greater level of home ownership and also eases pressure on the public housing stock.
For example, over the last six years 580 Territory Housing properties have been sold to the tenants who reside in them; 33 of these in the last year. This program is all about the government’s commitment to making affordable housing accessible to all Territorians and supporting low income Territorians to purchase their own home. It is also indicative of the importance this government ascribes to low income families moving into their own homes and our willingness to support this.
This government’s approach aims to integrate public housing through existing and new suburbs. The so called ‘salt and pepper’ approach makes public housing a more attractive place to live. One benefit of taking such an approach is to encourage those public housing tenants to eventually buy the homes they live in. While this government’s primary focus is on filling the corridor between Darwin and Palmerston, we will also provide greater options for people wanting to live in the rural area.
Since 2003, 700 lots have been approved for subdivision within the boundaries of the Litchfield Shire. The planning maps indicate plenty of capacity to continue that trend. We will also see more land release in rural areas such as Katherine, where much of the land is already zoned for rural living. I am pleased the Planning minister will be engaging directly with the Katherine residents through a local planning forum, following the success of the forum held in Alice Springs.
Housing availability is not simply a matter of throwing up a house on a vacant lot. Essential services need to be provided and waste needs taken care of. I have already informed the House about the Power and Water Corporation’s $1bn investment program to improve the capacity and reliability of power, water, and sewer infrastructure over the coming term.
The amenity values of new and existing suburbs also need to be given very careful consideration. This involves the development of parks and gardens and recreational areas. It is also important to consider the demographics of the new suburbs, including the changing age structure and the specific needs of those who will live there. New housing in terms of infill intensification, brown fields redevelopment, and new green fields development must be considered in the wider planning context. These all form part of the housing strategy for the future.
The Strategic Indigenous Housing and Infrastructure Program or SIHIP, which I have already spoken extensively about, is a joint Australian and Territory government commitment of $647m over the next five years, which shows our commitment to improving Indigenous housing.
I will pick up on a couple of points the member for Fong Lim made - a man who does his own research so he says - about public housing stock sell offs. Since 2001 this government has invested an extra 61% into public housing. The CLP have very short memories. They need to acknowledge that during their reign between 1995 and 2001, there was $248m worth of assets sold with the reinvestment of only $87m back into housing. In contrast, this government has sold $154m worth of assets since 2001 but have reinvested $225m back into the system.
During the CLP’s last two years of government, they sold off 686 dwellings in a two year period, an average of 343 a year. This government has sold an average of 130 houses a year and 66% of these have been sold to public housing tenants. This year 88% of houses were sold to the tenants. The well-informed member for Fong Lim talked about Alice Springs. I went on the Internet and there are 120 houses for sale today - he said there were none. I do not know what the member for Fong Lim did in Canberra for six years but it was not research. This government has many strategies to assist Territory families into affordable housing. One of these strategies is the release of land so more Territorians can own and live in their own houses.
Members: Hear, hear!
Mr WOOD (Nelson): Madam Speaker, the member for Drysdale has raised three main points: land shortage, housing affordability, and lack of planning. They are to some extent intertwined. There is no land shortage in the Northern Territory. We have one-fifth of the continent of Australia in the Northern Territory and if there is a land shortage then I must be living on another planet. There is plenty of land. The problem is the government mainly owns the land we need for housing and it strategically holds back the sale of land because it thinks the market will be affected.
I believe the reason the market is so high is the government slipped - and dropped the ball. When prices started to rise, instead of increasing the amount of land released to make sure there was only a moderate increase in the price, it hung on and now we have an inflated, artificial value of land. This needs to be investigated because the price of land is out of proportion to what it costs to develop.
The government owns the land and its value is whatever the government would like to put on it. It could be worth one dollar. It then sells the land to a company for around $29m; I believe the member for Drysdale mentioned this figure. These sound like Southern companies to me because some of the discussions I heard on the radio claimed that a 400 m2 block was not high density living. For Territorians that is high density living but maybe for down south it is just normal. There are companies that, I do not believe understand the Northern Territory, are buying into and putting in architectural designs that have no relation to the Territory and who also have to recover their $29m.
In addition, there are housing companies buying slabs of a new subdivision who put their mark-up on the land as well as sell the houses, which inflates the price of the land. We should be asking the following questions: how much does this land cost to develop in the first place? What part of the costs have been put on by government? There are extra charges the government has put onto the development of this land.
I believe the government has said there will be grey water pipes in these new suburbs. In other words, grey water will be recycled. I have nothing against that. It is a good idea. The point is: should the first people to buy a house there have to pay for that infrastructure? I imagine the cost of water infrastructure in these new suburbs is quite large. Why does the first person to buy a house in that subdivision have to pay the full tote odds for all that infrastructure? Why does not the government put in some money towards that infrastructure? Why does it not spread out some of the costs over 10, 20, 30, 40 or 50 years? Presently people pay full tote odds which inflates the price of the land. In this case, the company has to get a return on its $29m and I bet it gets more than that.
That is why there is a prevalence of 300 m2 blocks in Palmerston because these companies want to make the maximum profit. Is that maximum profit coming at a cost, a social cost? Look at old Palmerston suburbs, the northern suburbs, and the old places in Nightcliff. We have gone from having places where you feel you could raise a family, where you could grow a few trees - I had a look at Lyons the other day, I was there for the softball championships, and Lord knows where you are going to grow a tree - to places, like Lyons, where the house next door is right there, the house nearly comes to the front nature strip and takes up nearly all the back yard. The suburbs on the other side of Lyons have mahogany trees and many other trees – it is green - you can see it from the hospital.
We are losing the tropical feel of our city, as well as some of the social interaction - the tradition of living in the north. We lived outside much of the time and we could get out and enjoy ourselves because of the climate. Now we live in airconditioned houses that take up 90% of the block of land. The government makes the planning policies and it says you can have a house that fills the entire block, you can put your house within about 3 m of your neighbour’s block, and put a 1.8 m fence between two houses. If you visit the subdivision - I believe it is Parap Village between Parap Road and Bagot Road - you will see how close people’s houses are to one another. The airconditioners are all down one side, there is hardly any room to move, and the only place you can move is out into the main street.
We have done things that not only make land unaffordable, but also changed the whole context of our suburbs. They have become little blocks like those down south, whereas one of the good things about living in Darwin was the space. We were able to enjoy the space; that is what made this a tropical city. The developers have convinced the government that a 300 m2 block is fine. That might be all a single person needs to live on, but I ask: ‘Why do you not, if you have a 300 m2 block, combine them to make a 1200 m2 block and put four units on top of one another? At least then you get space, breeze, and privacy. No, we jam four 300 m2 blocks side by side and think it is a wonderful way to live. We need not only to look at why land is so expensive, but also how much of what is happening is due to the government not looking at other ways of developing our land?
I am yet to be told by the government why it cannot sell its own land at its own price. It now says that 15% of the blocks at Bellamack will be for sale for public housing and first homeowners. When the gentleman whose company has bought this land was asked how much it was going to cost, he could not give us an answer. He thought the figure for a block of land would be somewhere over $200 000, but he was not sure. Even 85% of $250 000 is still a very expensive block of land. If the government had held onto that land and just paid for the infrastructure, it could have made an agreement with first homeowners and provided the land at a much cheaper price. Buying a block of land does not help the economy; however, building a house does. It provides employment for builders, the purchase of whitegoods, plants and many other items and services. A parcel of land on its own does not actually do anything for the economy. The more people we have buying their own block of land and building, the more our economy grows.
The other issue that needs looking at is planning. I really cringe when I hear about infill. Weddell, Cox Peninsula, and other developments on the Cox Peninsula have been around since 1990, yet no one has drawn up any serious plans. I believe plans have now been done for an adjusted Weddell. The member for Drysdale raised the issue of midges and the reason the Elizabeth River dam was going ahead was to stop the midges. I am not sure that would have controlled them, but it would have had a major effect on a major river into the harbour.
There was a new design done for Weddell, I believe by Graham Bailey when he worked at the Planning Authority, which would have taken into account there was no dam there. In other words, the city would have been set back from Elizabeth River and you would have had a city of around 65 000 to 75 000 people. I would have expected the government to put forward a competition for architects or planners to design a three-dimensional plan for the development of Weddell - 10 years ago - but nothing has been done. Now the government says: ‘We are looking at Cox Peninsula’. At least we could have had plans done for Weddell.
The top part of Weddell, near Noonamah, is approximately 25% private land. I am sure the owners of that land, if some plans were done that overlap their land, would be quite happy to start developing their land privately. I do not believe the government wants to release that, because they would see it as competition to their own plans.
It is disappointing the government had plenty of chances to put in some basic planning for cities like Weddell, yet it has not happened. Unfortunately, we are now seeing more people who cannot afford to buy their own home. I know the Minister for Local Government and the Minister for Planning and Lands will tell you things are rosy, but it is what you do not see that counts. I know, living in the rural area, that rural area land is practically unaffordable for first homeowners. It costs between $270 000 and $340 000 for a five-acre block. For young people it is out of the question today. There are many people who come to see me and say: ‘Can we build a granny flat?’ I say: Yes, that is fine, the Planning Authority allows a granny flat.’ Why do they want to build a granny flat? Because their kids have no place to live. If someone has a girlfriend or wants to get married, they simply cannot afford to buy.
The government’s answer might be: ‘Let us subdivide the rural area’. The rural area is not going to be a sacrificial offering to fixing up land affordability and land shortages because the government has not planned to open up Weddell. The rural area is the rural area, and that is where the division is. The rural area separates Palmerston from Weddell. That does not mean I do not support 1 ha blocks or some small blocks around our district centres. When did the government last release land around Humpty Doo? Not for ages. It has been sitting there for donkey’s ages. I do not know why they do not release more housing at Humpty Doo. There are services there; there are people there, especially older people, who enjoy living there because they are still in the community and they still have services there.
There is some land which could be developed in a denser way in the rural area. However, I am saying to the government: ’If you want a fight, start trying to cut up the rural area into small blocks‘. Palmerston finishes at Lambrick Avenue and the Stuart Highway - end of story. Weddell is the next town. That is the way the plan is. There is nothing worse than governments getting rid of a plan for expediency. If you look at the 1990 Darwin Regional Land Use Structure Plan map it shows the future of the Darwin area. What does it show for Berrimah Farm and Berrimah prison area? It is shown as future industrial land for the port. That is the plan.
We are now going to infill, because we have not planned for Weddell and the Cox Peninsula. There is nothing worse than infill. Infill is a nice word for saying – we have lost the plan. We are not following the plan any more. This is an easy way to get out of our problem of land affordability. As the member for Fong Lim said, there has been no environmental impact statement or an economic statement.
Let us look at what the future of industrial development will be for Darwin Port. If we find later there is not enough land, are all the people living at Berrimah Farm going to complain about: the lights from BHP at 5 am in the morning while reloading their oil rig equipment; someone sand blasting on Tivendale Road; the Motor Sports Complex; or the midges? Peter Whelan has said the midges are terrible at the bottom of the Hidden Valley section, where these houses are to be built.
We have not done an Environmental Impact Statement or even had a decent debate about it. We have just made a decision. We cannot think of anything else - let us build at Berrimah. We do not even know where the new prison will go. Why are we moving it? You cannot sell the houses next to a prison - that is the real reason. There is plenty of room; there are 100 acres at Berrimah Farm. I would rather have the prison in the industrial area because it gives opportunities to prisoners who may be able to go out and work in the industrial area. I saw it in America. Prisoners were working at the pizza shop on day release and then come back themselves. We should be able to use those areas as opportunity for employment. What is wrong with that? Put it in Katherine. We should have some prison farms throughout the Territory.
We have not done the planning. Unfortunately, we have been left behind. The government is holding on to strategic releases of land to make sure we have an artificially inflated price. The problem with this approach is young people cannot afford housing in the Northern Territory. If you are rich, have two jobs, if this is your second house and you have sold one and you have the money to buy these, well and good. However, many of our young families, our young Territorians, cannot afford to buy a house in the Territory, and that is a shame. We have to do something about it quickly. I do not know how we are going to do it with this government, but it really needs to get a move on otherwise we will have more people trying to get into public housing.
Discussion concluded.
ADJOURNMENT
Dr BURNS (Justice and Attorney-General): Madam Speaker, I move that the Assembly do now adjourn.
Mr KNIGHT (Daly): Madam Speaker, I would like to place on the record a very happy 21st birthday to the Nganmarriyanga School which is in my electorate, approximately 375 km south west of Darwin via the Daly River and Palumpa Station.
The school caters for preschoolers through to Year 6 and now middle Years 7 to 10. Sue McAvoy is the teaching principal at the school and is part of a great team of teachers: Alison Ruediger in Preschool; Ruth Rawnsley in Transition/Grade 1; Cathie Menzies in Grade 2-3; Mick Santi in Grades 4-6; and Denis Ruediger and Christine Vydiniotis in Years 7-10. I would also like to mention the good work done by Roslyn Santi who looks after the office and administration of the school and is a quiet achiever in the background ensuring things are running smoothly.
The original enrolment in 1987 was 20 students and has now grown to 120 students. This might not sound like a lot of growth but for a small remote school is fantastic and their daily attendance is 70% to 100% of students.
4 September 2008 marked the 21st anniversary of the school and as a strong community they celebrated in fine form. A large percentage of the community attended the activities and events which were held during the week, including a ’Twilight School’, where parents and other family members were invited to observe the accelerated literacy lessons in their children’s classrooms. Twilight School is becoming very popular in schools and is a time when the students become the teachers and the family members become their students.
The week of celebrations was a time for the children to have fun and they participated in a variety of learning games. Each class decorated a birthday cake, lit the candles, and sang ‘Happy Birthday’.
Former students and teachers enjoyed the pictorial history slide show of the school and a range of speeches. One of the former teachers, Brother Vince, spoke about how he had brought the first truck load of materials to start building the school. Eighty percent of the attendees were given a bag of books and goodies.
Unfortunately I was not able to attend the school celebrations but I was pleased to send a donation to support them. Congratulations to the teachers, staff, and families at Nganmarriyanga School.
There will be another celebration in my electorate next week when Adelaide River Primary School celebrates its 50th birthday. I will speak about this at a later date.
I recently attended the Lingalonga Festival at Batchelor. It was a fantastic day amongst the trees with craft stalls, kids activities, buskers, dancing, and competitions. Our famous icon, Ned Kelly, made an appearance as a scarecrow along with other brightly coloured characters made by locals. They were all works of art and the scarecrows were not so scary, although I did not see any crows around so they must have done their trick to scare them all away. I would like to thank Myra Skinner who judged the scarecrow competition. The winners for the Family Entry - Rush Williams and Aoke; for the Individual Entry - Sharna Phillips; and the Group Entry – Ms Lucinda’s and Jan Thompson’s classes. The sandcastle competition was won by Tyla Bilston and Layla Coonan for the best turtle; Darcy Webb, Curtis McGinness and O’Shea Calma-Hart for the best castle and town; and Ryan Gordon’s best dragon looked like it was from the Great Wall of China. Congratulations to everyone.
The Life Be In It crew spent the morning keeping the kids entertained with lots of fun activities. As the day became warmer Belinda’s waterslide castle from ‘jumping j-jays’ was a very popular event for the kids to keep cool, however there was some damage to the grass.
The grand parade wound its way through the crowd and stalls to a makeshift dance floor on the oval. It was a breathtaking event of colour, costumes, and many dancers who went on to perform. The parade showcased the true multicultural society we have in the Territory: a didgeridoo player; drum players that led the group; shimmering belly dancers; Indian and Cambodian dancers in traditional dress; smiling, painted faces of children; and the Chinese lion dancers who led the way to the town oval. It was great to see a whole range of ethnic groups there and the lion dancers put on a great show.
The One Mob Different Country dancers took us through some traditional Aboriginal dances and although the 10 performers came from different areas across the NT they performed as one dance group. They encouraged the crowd to join in and one of the dances became a battle of the sexes which I am sure the male dancers would have won. There were a few problems with the sound equipment but that did not deter the great singers who performed for the crowds.
The Taminmin High School choir performed and were conducted by Ms Tanya Ham. There are about 30 students in the choir and we were lucky to have about half of them make their way to Batchelor. Tips on basket weaving were shared and skydivers dropped in later in the afternoon.
The official festival finished at 6pm, however the celebrations continued at the Rum Jungle Tavern. Putting an event together of this calibre is extremely time consuming and the coordinator, Marilyn Reeves, and her team deserve recognition for bringing it all together. Every time I saw Marilyn through the day she was smiling and even though there were ups and downs she always kept a positive view on things. Congratulations to Marilyn. The Batchelor community put on a great festival and I look forward to the festival being there in 2009.
I will now acknowledge some achievements in my area of local government. In May this year the Australian Local Government Manager’s Association held its annual congress. At that meeting, local government managers from across Australia were invited to nominate individuals or teams for recognition for their high achievement. Rex Mooney, the CEO of the Alice Springs Town Council, took the opportunity to nominate his council’s Ranger Unit for this award. I am very pleased to note that in the latest edition of the industry newspaper, Local Government Focus, there is a great article outlining the work of the Alice Springs Ranger Unit, giving them national recognition as ‘high achievers’ in local government. In particular they have been recognised for their achievement of working with the residents of the Alice Springs community, and specifically community education about the council’s by-laws. The award also recognises their work with residents of the town camps in relation to dog control. I pass on my congratulations to the Ranger Unit team of the Alice Springs Town Council whose members are: Paul Cato, Troy McNeill, John Bennett, Paul Gardner, Alan Bartlett, and the team leader, Kevin Everett. It is a difficult job in that community given recent events in certain town camps. I congratulate them; keep up the good work!
Mr ELFERINK (Port Darwin): Madam Deputy Speaker, the first issue I will turn my attention to is the impact of development on parts of the CBD, which are of some concern to me.
The areas of concern to me are Houston Street, Dinah Court, Packard Street, and the crossing on Mitchell Street outside the childcare centre. Before I go any further I have to confess an interest in that childcare centre as I am the vice president and my two girls go there. This is part of the reason I am on my feet tonight. One of the great privileges as a member of parliament is that you get to talk about the things you want to, even if they are of a personal interest to you.
The area in front the Mitchell Street Childcare Centre has a couple of drop off lanes on the other side of the street. Many parents, on a daily basis, have to cross the street with their kids. There is a pedestrian island halfway across the street and there are 40 km/h zones signposted. The 40 km/h zone is observed more in the breach than in adherence and it is not unusual to see what I suspect are soldiers - only because I see them as young men coming out of Packard Street - who occasionally seem to think that the 40 km/h zone is a zone designed to see if you can set a land speed record.
There have been a couple of occasions - and I believe that most people coming out of Packard Street try to do the right thing - when someone gets a moment of passion or the ‘blood up’ and they come out of Packard Street with their tyres spinning and tear through that area. Clearly, as it is a childcare centre, I am concerned. It is an area that deserves a pedestrian crossing. Whilst I realise this is a council street and therefore a council duty, I urge this government to talk to council about putting a pedestrian crossing in that area before somebody is injured or worse.
The Northern Territory government and the police – my commendations to Superintendent Bob Rennie - have set up a speed camera there on a couple of occasions at our request and they discovered that my theory of people speeding through there above the normal 4% offence rate is correct. Many people speed through there and, although I have not seen the exact statistics, I understand that on two particular days 9% and 14% of drivers driving through that particular zone were speeding. Clearly this has to be attended to. Considering the number of toddlers and babes in arms who are walked or carried across that road, I strongly recommend that something be done about it, either by council or the Northern Territory government; I do not care which.
I raised the issue of Dinah Court in the adjournment debate previously and I will now speak specifically about off-street parking. While many units have the two car parks required, whenever people are visiting there is almost no off-street parking in Dinah Court and it becomes a traffic nightmare. I hope future planning accommodates this in other places around the CBD. I also urge government to look at the area on the other side, where the units are, near the stormwater drain as a particularly good area to put some overflow parking. There is a substantial slice of land there. That land belongs to the government, as I understand it, and some overflow parking in that area would go a long way to alleviating the problem of traffic congestion caused by parked vehicles in Dinah Court.
The planning scheme, which we spoke about earlier, does have a flow-on effect into what happens in the council domain of parking regulations. A classic example of this is Houston Street which was scoped out and designed for a handful of houses. Most of those houses are now gone and have been replaced by units and flats. I challenge anyone to drive down Houston Street and negotiate with a car coming in the other direction. Clearly, the street is not wide enough to take parking on both sides of the street. I do not know if there is a great deal that can be done because you cannot make that street much wider than it is now. Perhaps the issue of parking arrangements in that street should be looked at by the council, and maybe there is a role for government as well. I will be campaigning on behalf of the residents who live there for better parking arrangements and better policing of them.
I also wish to deal with Packard Street, which is between the Larrakeyah Defence base and Mitchell Street. The base is expanding, more people are living there, and there are now naval interests in the area. I believe there is going to be a large increase in the number of single men’s quarters; I understand 1000 units have been identified, both there and at Robertson Barracks. I am deeply concerned that those soldiers and sailors who live there tend to use Packard Street in a way that conflicts with the requirements of a small urban or residential street. I urge everyone to drive safely along those streets and observe the 50 km/h zone. Clearly, the volume of traffic on that street and sometimes the people who use it speed - I am not saying that it is exclusively the military as there are obviously non-military personnel who use the street - which creates safety issues that local residents are concerned about.
I note that the Commander of Larrakeyah Barracks has put up a flashing road sign on the side of the road, just before you go through the guard office, warning that those people using the street should drive safely and I commend the military for that endeavour. However it is time for an examination of traffic issues in that area together with appropriate action, not necessarily speed control devices because they tend to have people accelerating out of them at a great rate of knots, which is a great noise if you happen to own a V8.
I will now discuss the waterfront which is in my electorate. I was going to mention this during my reply to the Economic Direction of the Third Labor government statement, but unfortunately, even with an extension of time, my critique took the whole half hour and I was unable to get past page 1 of the statement, so I will now move on to page 2 where the waterfront gets a mention.
The waterfront has been, in many respects, a great disappointment to me because of the promises that were made by this government in the road show they put together. There were going to be children’s playgrounds, a sound shell, an amphitheatre, and a cultural and heritage centre. In fact, there was whole list of freebies that were going to be granted to the people of the Northern Territory for their close to $144m investment.
Sadly, as building costs went up as the commercial demands of the environment started to percolate through the system, these freebies or free to use areas have slowly been dropping off the waterfront and its availability to Territorians. That is a great shame, because many of those things would have been really good. The beach volleyball court area was quite substantial. There were going to be three free for use swimming pools in the area in the original plan, as well as art markets and artistic walks. They have all dropped away but the one thing that has gotten bigger is the wave lagoon, as it is called now. I notice it was integrity tested the other day for leaks, so clearly it is not that far away.
The question I have been asking repeatedly is: what is going to be the cost to Territorians to use this wonderful wave pool? A little birdie has dropped a message into my lap that the cost is going to be $5 for half a day and $8 for a full day. Eminently reasonable I think, but I would just like to know where the subsidy is going to come from? I suspect the subsidy is going to come from anyone else who goes to the waterfront to use the facilities, perhaps the general lagoon, who will not be allowed to take their own surfboards, windsurfers, or canoes, or those sorts of things that I like to do with my kids. We go out to Lake Alexander and put them in little plastic kayaks to have a paddle around. I suspect you will not be allowed to do that at the waterfront.
I suspect there will be a concession holder with a licence from whom you can rent these products, so even if you are not using the wave pool - you are just going into the lagoon area inside the marina wall - you will have to pay for any of the equipment that you use. I hope that is not the case, because the taxpayer was encouraged with certain promises to put its money into this particular project and I would hate to think that the taxpayer has been the one who has missed out on some of the benefits of this project flowing to them in the form of free access to the area. I suspect that if the entry fee is going to be $5 for half a day and $8 for a full day it will have to be subsidised from as many different sources as possible.
I look forward to the minister advising me whether those are the actual amounts and what the subsidy arrangements are going to be. I suspect that if those are the prices then the cost of running the wave pool will have to go elsewhere.
I will finish with one observation for the ‘clanger of the week newsletter’ - the other day we heard one from the Treasurer about the GST going into the federal government coffers. But this is a little beauty: ‘Record unemployment is clearly good news’, from today’s Question Time. What I suspect the Treasurer was trying to say was that record low unemployment was clearly good news. In her defence I am sure that is what she was trying to say, yet once again we find that the Treasurer is loose with her language. I am sure the clangers will probably revisit me at some point in this Chamber. You have to be a little careful with what you say as a minister of the crown because people actually listen to and read what you have to say and comments like ‘record unemployment is clearly good news’ is unfortunate from the lips of the Treasurer.
Ms PURICK (Goyder): Deputy Madam Speaker, I will speak this evening about what I believe is a very sad affair for one of my constituent families. They live in Humpty Doo and their adult daughter, who is married with two young children aged 7 and 8, has had to travel to Adelaide for six months to receive treatment for cancer. She received a letter from the minister regarding the construction of the new oncology unit. It struck a raw nerve with her and her family because she believes it is possibly a little too late for her daughter, given that she has been in Adelaide since May this year. If that was not bad enough, the family has had to support her there and the children have had to relocate to be close to their mother and be moved to a new school.
The husband’s business has suffered as a consequence of having to be in Adelaide caring for his wife. To add insult to their suffering, they are only paid $30 a night by the NT government to cover the cost of accommodation. There is no covering of costs for any meals or sundries from the patient travel scheme. Obviously that is ridiculously low and $30 a night would not even pay a cab fare from the airport. The woman is staying at the Cancer Council house and pays $400 a week for accommodation which does not cover any meals or sundry items.
If the oncology unit had been committed to and constructed earlier by this government, with funding and the assistance of the Commonwealth, this family would not have had to suffer as much as they have. She is still undergoing chemotherapy and radiation therapy and will do so until Christmas time. It is probably going to be a pretty traumatic Christmas for them, given that they are going to be separated from their grandparents and not at their home in Humpty Doo. I urge the Minister for Health to maintain a very close eye on the construction program for the oncology unit, so that it can be built under budget and also under time, to ensure that no other family, particularly from my electorate in the rural area, has to go through what this family has gone through.
I place on the record their preparedness and willingness to allow me to talk about their personal dilemma. I wish them well and for their daughter to have a speedy and full recovery.
Members: Hear, hear!
Ms McCARTHY (Arnhem): Madam Deputy Speaker, I pay tribute to the organisers of the Ngukurr Festival which was held at the end of August in conjunction with the 100 years centenary since the establishment of the Ngukurr community. I also acknowledge some of the many people who have come from or been associated with the Ngukurr community and who have gone on to make significant contributions to Australian society.
I also celebrate the publication of what I believe is a significant contribution to Australia’s historical record: We are Aboriginal - Our 100 Years: from Arnhem Land’s first mission to Ngukurr today. It has been published to mark the occasion and is available at a cost of $25 from the Scripture Union and Bible Society Resource Centre in Casuarina. I know this is a blatant plug for the book and DVD set because all profits are going towards literacy programs at the Ngukurr Community Education Centre, which is a cause very close to my heart.
The Ngukurr Festival and 100 years celebration was a resounding success due to the support of many people, including: Owen Turner, who organised the many sporting events, is a fantastic local person who contributes greatly to encouraging the people of Ngukurr to get involved in many events, in particular, the Ngukurr Bulldogs; Karl Sibley, who arranged all the community meals; Bobby Nunggumajbar, who was the chair of the organising committee; Kevin Rogers, who was on the committee and took on many roles; Troy Heathwood, the CDEP Coordinator; Rick Eide, the School Principal; Cynthia Last, the Deputy School Principal, who also organised the centenary cake; Alan and Lucy Rogers and Spud Murphy who provided all the sound and lighting equipment at minimal cost; Roper Bar Store, which donated a complete drum set to the sport and recreation program so it could be used on Saturday night at the Battle of the Bands; Ngukurr General Store, which provided all the food for the barbeques; Phil Zamageus, who is known as ‘the Flying Bible Man’, brought the children’s presents which included a Kriol colouring book and pencils, a Colin Buchanan CD, and a wristband.
These packs were provided by the Bible Society and were given to the kids on Wednesday night which was a great success with everyone in party mode enjoying dinner and the centenary cake. Many of the kids thought it was their birthday which it was in a way.
Bishop Greg Thompson, the Anglican Bishop of the Northern Territory, travelled to Ngukurr for the occasion with the Federal Secretary of the Church Missionary Society, the organisation which originally sent three white missionaries from Melbourne to join with three Aboriginal missionaries from Yarrabah Mission in Queensland to set up the Roper Bar Mission 100 years ago.
One of the people who has come from or been associated with the Ngukurr community since its establishment and gone on to make a significant contribution to Australian society was Neighbour, who is one of only 27 Australians to be awarded the Albert Medal in 1912 for saving the life of a policeman caught in the flooded Wilton River. This feat was made even more remarkable because Neighbour was a prisoner of the police officer at the time and shackled in chains, yet still managed to rescue the police officer from the swollen waters.
Many other Ngukurr identities have received high honour including: Constance (Connie) Bush, Order of the British Empire; Allison Bush, Order of Australia, who is Connie Bush’s daughter and the only Australian midwife to be made an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Australian College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists; Phillip Roberts, Order of the British Empire, who worked for the Commonwealth Health Department as an advisor on Aboriginal affairs and was also invited by President Tom Mboya to attend Kenya’s independence celebrations; Silas Roberts, the Order of Australia; Dexter Daniels, a union organiser and land rights activist who, along with Vincent Lingiari, was the face of the land rights movement in the 1960s, touring the country giving speeches and urging Australians to support the land rights struggle; Bill Dempsey, Member of the British Empire, whose mother came from Ngukurr, was a recipient of the Australian Sports Medal in 2000 and is in the AFL and Western Australian Hall of Fame for football; Reverend Michael Gumbali, one of the first Aboriginal ordained Anglican ministers in the Northern Territory; famous artists such as the late Ginger Riley who developed a unique style, Gertie Huddleston and Angelina George; and Kevin Rogers, who I previously mentioned as one of the festivals’ main organisers and a strong leader at Ngukurr over the years, was the first Aboriginal teacher to be appointed to the position of School Principal in the Northern Territory in 1977 at Ngukurr School and was followed by other local Aboriginal teachers to hold that position through to the mid-1990s; and John Joshua, Holly Daniels, Cherry Daniels, and Gwen Lansen.
Ngukurr is also renowned for its musicians, both traditional and contemporary. Bands like the Yugul Band and Broken English are legendary and their musical heritage was on display at the Battle of the Bands on the Saturday night of the festival.
I congratulate each and every one of these people who are outstanding role models, even to this day. All these people made a major contribution to the Northern Territory and Australian society.
The publication, We are Aboriginal: Our 100 years: from Arnhem Land’s first mission to Ngukurr today, celebrates the rich history of Arnhem Land’s first mission. It describes how Ngukurr, on the Roper River in southern Arnhem Land, was started in response to one of the darkest and most brutal periods of our Australian history. The Roper River Mission was established in 1908 as a refuge for Aboriginal people from the genocide of the land wars at the time and holds within its pages the true account of how many of my ancestors were shot on sight so that the pastoralists and their cattle could take over the land.
It is not a history that is recounted to hold the present generation of European Australians responsible, and nor is it to exact some sort of retribution, but simply to correct the historical record and tell the truth. Only by telling the truth can we honour the victims of that brutality; a time in history that my people called ‘the killing time’. The book corrects the historical record written by the perpetrators of these crimes and, at long last, we now have a history told by those with no motive to embellish or diminish; simply to tell the truth. I recommend it as compulsory reading and would love to see it in our school curriculum.
Ngukurr is a close-knit community with a strong and rich cultural heritage and I congratulate everyone involved in reaching this special milestone and all those who have been connected to its history over the past century.
Mr WESTRA van HOLTHE (Katherine): Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, I place on the Parliamentary Record an event that my wife, Jennie, and I attended shortly after I was elected to the seat of Katherine.
The Katherine Debutante Ball 2008 was held on Saturday, 16 August, in the grounds of the Katherine Museum and Historical Society. It was decorated with hundreds of outdoor lights which created quite a magical atmosphere. This wonderful occasion was very special for the 15 debutantes and their partners who had been practicing their dance routines for weeks prior to the ball and who were all dressed magnificently; the young ladies in their long evening gowns, and their partners in black evening attire.
Alderman Jodie Locke, who was the Acting Mayor at the time, had been responsible for organising the whole function and was absolutely delighted with its success. The former member for Katherine, Fay Miller, and her husband, Mike, were honoured to receive the debutantes and presented them with their sashes and scrolls to commemorate the evening.
The junior flower girls were Annabelle South, Shayla Brown, and Tynnai Brown. The Maids were Zoe Walker and Yasmin Daw. Joint MCs for the evening were Graham Newhouse and John Jansen.
The debutantes and their partners were: Stephanie Bird and Jack Armstrong; Amy Dobell and Kane Flynn; Chloe Gower and Simon Barrington; Nicola Scattini and Jack Alexander; Bridie Duggan and David Cox; Michelle Duggan and Jake Dawson; Jessica Capes and Cody Williams; Rachael Barritt and Jackson Durbridge; Melissa Von Sendon and Robert Mackie; Kiara-Lee Grills and Lindsay O’Hea; Coralie Howard and Wason Heyworth; Elizabeth McLelland and Keegan Davies; Tessina Stiler and Zak Houseman; and Tamika Foster and Alex Heyworth.
Following the presentation, the debutantes and their partners performed the dances they had been practising, which were the Carousel; Neon Moon; Rumba; Disco Barn Dance, including one with a family member; the Lucille Waltz; and the Madison.
The delicious dinner was provided by Steve Laurie and his very capable staff of Kumbidgee Lodge.
As is usual with such a significant function in a small town there are many people who contribute to ensure its success and the debutante ball had many helpers. They included Jodie Locke; Graham and Sue Newhouse; Pauline Gage; Fay Miller; Greg and Vicki Bird; Katherine Museum; Rhads Security; Katherine Country Music Muster; Jenny Duggan; Jana McLellan; Jo Bird; Lisa Alexander; Katherine Hospital laundry staff; Peter Duncan; Travel North; Kumbidgee Tea Rooms; and many other people who assisted.
Following the official part of the evening, the lively band kept the dancers on the floor for several hours. It was a very successful 2008 Debutante Ball.
The Katherine Prize is incorporated in the Flying Fox Festival events each year, and the 2008 Katherine Prize attracted, as usual, high quality entrants in both the Art and Craft. The exhibition was held at the Civic Centre, with Mr Peter Farnden as the MC for the evening.
This year saw the following winners announced on the evening.
The Brian and Jeannette Lambert Art Acquisition Award was won by Andy Morgan Smith with his oil enamel landscape piece titled Around the Kimberley.
The Dr Peter and Kathleen Short Craft Acquisition was won by Nicky Schonkala from Alice Springs with her beautiful hand dyed, hand woven 100% rayon throw titled Sunshine on the Waterhole;
The Art and Craft Highly Commended Certificates were awarded to Gillian Ellett Banks; Joan Johansen; Kerryn Taylor; Rosemary Aiken; Kathleen Donald; Carolyn Whitting; and Jan Milner.
The Sommerville Art and Craft Youth Award winners were: the 13 to 14 years age group by Chiedza Muzhingi with a watercolour and coloured pencil creation portraying issues of global warming, conservation, and pollution with a message to help clean our environment and to use better energy levels; the 15 to 16 years age group by Linzi Hamlyn with Brass Trio using lead on board, comprising three A3 pages drawn with lead grid enlargement and music pages in the background; the 17 to 18 year age group by Tamika Foster with The King, using paint and pen on card and a painted picture of Martin Luther King with parts of his speech.
The Youth Art Highly Commended certificates were awarded to Nutyi Wiratanapruk and Jessica Grillz.
The Katherine Prize Logo Competition was won by Jodie Bilskie, whose symbolic logo will be used in the future to signify art originating from the Katherine region.
The People’s Choice Award, which was judged by viewers over a period of the exhibition, was awarded to Jan Milner for a great painting of the Katherine Gorge titled Still but Noisy Sunset Activity. It was a very popular entry and one I would be very happy to have hanging on my wall. Jan Milner, who is well known for her success in the Seniors Art Award - sponsored by Madam Speaker - has an upcoming exhibition of her work at the Art Warehouse in Darwin, which I encourage you all to take the opportunity to view.
Well done to all the exhibitors for entering the prize and showing us what fabulous artistic talent we have in the Katherine region and throughout the Northern Territory.
Dr BURNS (Johnston): Mr Acting Deputy Speaker, I had great pleasure in attending the Northern Territory Timor-Chinese Association celebration of the Moon Festival last Saturday night at the Timorese-Chinese hall in Boulter Road.
The NT Timor-Chinese Association is a cultural and social awareness organisation which celebrates special dates and sporting events. Last Saturday night there was an extravaganza of talent, to celebrate the Moon Festival, which fell on Sunday, 14 September.
The Moon Festival, also known as the Mid-Autumn Festival, is a popular East Asian tradition, probably of Chinese origin, dating back over 3000 years to moon worship. It is a traditional Chinese holiday for family reunion, good harvest, and eating ‘moon cakes’. Moon cakes, which have outlasted dynasties and regimes in China, are a special treat made for the Moon Festival. The moon cakes are a rich concoction made with a variety of fillings, including bean paste and salted duck eggs.
Traditionally farmers celebrate the end of the summer harvesting season on this date and Chinese family members and friends gather to admire the bright mid-autumn harvest moon. Wikipedia reports that, and I quote:
- While Westerners may talk about the ‘man in the moon’, the Chinese talk about the ‘woman in the moon’. The story of the fateful night when Chang’e was lifted up to the moon is familiar to most Chinese citizens. Unlike many lunar deities in other cultures who personify the moon, Chang’e lives in the moon.
There is a love story attached to why Chang’e lives in the moon and there are at least six variations to this story. In the end of the most popular legend, Chang’e, who now lives in the moon due to swallowing a pill that enabled her to fly, and her immortal husband, Houyi, meet once a year on the 15th day of the full moon, when Houyi is able to visit his wife. This is why on that night the moon is full and beautiful.
At the celebrations on Sunday night I was impressed by the quality of the performers who entertained a big crowd celebrating the Moon Festival. In particular, I listened to young NT maestro, Kae Jenn Tchia, who was lauded in the NT News last month following his selection to represent the Northern Territory at the Yamaha Showcase Recital in Adelaide in October. Kae Jenn has only been playing piano seriously for about a year and on Saturday evening he played with outstanding passion. I wish him all the best as he competes in the recital.
Kae Jenn also supplied keyboard accompaniment to the young dancers who performed the Drop the Hanky dance which was delightful to watch. The dancers, Sau Ching Leung, Alison Lee, Joyce Yeum, Callista Yeum, Angelina Yeum, and Dami were enthusiastically received by the audience. They were little girls going up in size, and were absolutely beautiful; they stole everyone’s heart. The same girls, together with Monica Mu, Livia Lay, Elysha Nheu, Misha Lay, and Michaela Chin, performed the traditional Harvest Dance which thanks Mother Earth for the agricultural bounty of the year.
Another very impressive performer was Kae’s sister, Josephine, who performed a Chinese folk dance from the region of Xing Jang which she choreographed herself. Josephine gave a fantastic effort and performed this traditional dance beautifully. I am sure she will be entertaining us for many years to come.
There were several other performances including two Chinese folk songs sung by Ms Shu Qin Li, Ms Guiyu Hao, Ms Lannie Zhang, Ms Lily Zhong, Dr Xiao Hua Zhang, Ms Zongmen Chen, and Ms Chunrong Xiao. The first song was Hong Hu Sui, or Lake Hong, which is a famous traditional song well known through the Chinese community about the beautiful natural environment in China and the beautiful life near Lake Hong. The second song was Xiao Cheng Gu Shi Due, which is about a beautiful, pictorial small town in China and the lovely and friendly people who live there.
The evening was made even more fantastic by the delicious food available which was cooked by members of the community and was very exotic and delicious. There was also a competition for the sweets with three judges having the honour of tasting them all.
On 21 August this year the Jingili Primary School Year 5/6 students headed to Canberra for a much anticipated trip around the national capital and the snowfields. The kids spent many hours fundraising for this trip and I have been watching them online as they report their activities. You can imagine the excitement these young people were experiencing, as by day four they had visited Parliament House and the War Memorial; been to the movies; the fun park; Zone 3; Government House; the National Library; the Archives; and Questacon, where Jordyn reports: ‘The Jingili mob went … to have a look around and play on equipment’. He was the first person to try out the free fall. Jarrah said: ‘That is mad the free fall’. Ah to be young again!
Mr Marty Heysen and Larelle Gilbert organised this fantastic trip for about 28 kids and managed to get the students to ring their parents and post blogs on their website so everyone could keep up to date with their children’s activities. Marty assured parents on day four that their children were so well behaved that: ‘You can be proud of them’.
On 26 August, the kids headed up to the snow. Breanna said: ‘It was awesome. We got to ski. Skiing was hard at first but was lots of fun. Aulia fell over … like 10 times’. ‘I really loved skiing’, reports Jeremy. Amber wrote: ‘Skiing was hard, I crashed heaps and almost broke my arm (it felt like it). It was hard to get up when you crashed.’
On their return home the kids summed up their fantastic experience on their website. Damianna said: ‘We all went to many places and we had fun. Also the class learnt lots of stuff about many places that we went to’. Mietta said: ‘I am having so much fun but I can’t wait to go home’. Bree said: ‘The worst thing was probably when we go to a place and there is always at least once where someone will talk forever’. I wonder if that was parliament? Jaz loved the snow and enjoyed going to Government House; Georgia just didn’t want to leave, especially the snow, and Jay said she enjoyed the snow the most and the zoo but reports: ‘… the thing I didn’t like most was the Archives, that was really boring’. This was a fantastic trip for these kids and I compliment Marty and Larelle for making it such a success.
In an adjournment speech on 10 September 2008, the member for Port Darwin invited me to explain a comment I made in this House earlier that day on executive numbers within the Health department. I quote what I said in Hansard:
But I have been advised that when we came to power in 2001 there were 62 executive FTE’s in the department of Health in 2001 and by June 2008, how many have we got? Sixty-four.
That is what I said. Despite this clear statement regarding 2001 and 2008, the member for Port Darwin, and people can see in the Hansard record, started talking about 2002-03 and 2006-07 and extrapolated vastly different figures using these annual reports.
The explanation is relatively simple: the percentages and total FTEs shown in the annual reports are rounded to the next whole number, therefore it is unwise to extrapolate from those percentages. For example: in 2001, there were a total of 62.01 executive FTEs, or full-time equivalents, which represents 1.67% of the total departmental workforce of 3716.9 FTEs on the payroll at the end of June 2001. This was rounded up to 2% - so 1.67% becomes 2%. Similarly, the FTEs which I said were 62.01 were rounded down to the next whole number which was 62 FTEs.
The 2008 annual report, which is yet to be published, will show that 1% of the departmental workforce on the payroll at the end of June 2008 is executive employees. The total workforce was 5022.9 FTEs, and 64.49 FTEs were executives. These executives are rounded down to 64 FTEs, which is the nearest whole number. The actual percentage was 1.28% and is rounded down to 1%. This percentage does not include medical specialists on executive contracts who are categorised in the medical classification as they are performing medical duties. Furthermore, this medical category does not include doctors who carry out management functions at executive level. To make this clear, those doctors on executive contracts who are performing medical duties in the 2008 report are classified in the medical classification and those who are carrying out management functions at an executive level are included in the executive category.
The member for Port Darwin also queried the Northern Territory Public Service employee classification system for executive contact officers and executive officers. This is sometimes confusing, and I suppose the word ‘executive’ is tossed around a fair bit. To quote the member for Port Darwin:
- I think he …
… was referring to Executive Contract Officers. Now those are not quite the same as executive officers.
I am advised that in the Northern Territory Public Service employee classification system all executive officers carrying out management functions, whether they are on contract or as permanent officers, are counted on the payroll report as executives. I am advised that there is no distinction between them in the payroll report.
Mr McCARTHY (Barkly): Madam Deputy Speaker, I acknowledge the Winanjjikari Music Centre as an innovative and creative arts initiative in Tennant Creek and the Barkly region. In recognising the Winanjjikari Music Centre, I also acknowledge Barkly Regional Arts and the Commonwealth government, through the Australia Council, for its funding assistance to Barkly Regional Arts, and the generous support of the Northern Territory government for its fostering of the arts in the Barkly region.
The Winanjjikari Music Centre was established as a music training and recording centre on 9 September 2006. It is one of Australia’s first and most successful Shared Responsibility Agreements, or SRA, designed to teach and assist Barkly musicians in developing their skills in musicianship and music production. The SRA was a signed agreement between the Aboriginal community of Tennant Creek, the Australian and Northern Territory governments, Papulu Apparr-Kari Aboriginal Corporation, Julalikari Council Aboriginal Corporation, and the Tennant Creek Town Council.
The music centre is governed by a committee of respected Aboriginal people and employs a music project officer, Mr Jeffrey McLaughlin who, like so many other adventurous young Australians, left his comfort zone on the east coast to discover the ‘golden heart’ of the Territory - Tennant Creek and the Barkly region.
In cooperation with Barkly Regional Arts, the Winanjjikari Music Centre has 10 permanent part-time employees who are advancing their skills as both musicians and production technicians. The staff are involved at every level, from playing instruments to recording, mixing, and mastering. This unique project provides the musicians with hands-on learning experience that reflects a performing arts community at every stage of the process, from youth trainees to Elder mentor positions.
In another innovative expansion, the music centre has commenced the Winanjjikari Outreach Program to service eight remote Barkly communities with the generous support of the Christensen Foundation in the United States. The Outreach Program will help develop musician networks, promote the services and accessibility of the music centre, establish important community contacts, and assist with putting touring circuits in place for bands and music productions in the future. In particular, it will provide focused activity for remotely located young people who will work with experienced Aboriginal musicians as role models and mentors.
In a collaborative and professional culture, all the experienced musicians currently working at the centre have stated that one of their primary goals is to pass on skills to the young people so they can express their culture in their own way and use music as a tool for a performing arts pathway in addition to supporting traditional Indigenous language retention. The music centre has evolved into a CD production plant, capable of fully producing audio CDs and DVDs. From the original idea and concept development to writing the music, filming the video, recording and mastering the final product, all the stages of production are organised in-house with a state of the art Pro-Tools recording studio mentored by a trained sound engineer and producer.
I assure the House that this cutting edge performing arts initiative allows Tennant Creek and the Barkly to be literally heard on a national and international stage. The music centre has commenced a corporate arm of operations, with its own public address sound company which supports local rock and roll performances, festivals, corporate sound jobs, lighting, and event management. The Winanjjikari staff have gained valuable experience in commercial contracts, working with local, Territory and federal government agencies, and the business sector.
In addition to this development, the Winanjjikari Music Centre has also liaised with Tourism NT in marketing the music centre as a wonderful opportunity for visitors to engage and experience ancient and authentic traditional Aboriginal culture. The music centre presents a unique experience and a rare opportunity for visitors to listen to live music, experience contemporary Aboriginal music in the making, and speak to the musicians themselves about their culture and history. CDs are available for sale from the music centre and selected outlets, providing a wonderful snapshot of different Aboriginal languages from across the Barkly region, their diverse stories in the form of original music representing the history and culture of the people, and a homegrown product that travels across the globe promoting positive community arts and culture.
I will share a special anecdote about my experiences with the Winanjjikari Music Centre. The Winanjjikari Music Centre represents a real and live launching pad into industry training and employment outside of the traditional white and blue collar music sectors. The Winanjjikari Music Centre presents as a future for Indigenous men who, in terms of contemporary young males and older men living in a regional remote environment, face enormous challenges and lifestyle choices that can often lead to self-destruction. The Winanjjikari Music Centre program offers many things to many people and, at the end of the day, for some has represented a positive, healthy lifestyle choice focusing on the arts, artistic expression, employment opportunities, self-esteem, a sense of healing, and the experience of a space in time free from the destructive influences of unemployment, vagrancy, negative peer pressure and substance abuse.
Jeffrey McLaughlin, as founding Music Project Officer, professional musician and sound engineer, has over the past three years taken a core group of neophyte Indigenous staff and a highly creative concept and together created ‘a little ray of sunshine’ for Indigenous men across the Barkly so that a real choice for self improvement is on offer.
Madam Deputy Speaker, I encourage all members to applaud the initiative of these young men and older Australians, and join the Music Centre ‘bandwagon’ on their pod-cast site: www.winanjjikari.podomatic.com.
Motion agreed to; the Assembly adjourned.
Last updated: 04 Aug 2016